Framed Shadows: Shadows Landing #6, Kathleen Brooks [great novels of all time TXT] 📗

Tinsley had excused herself to get cleaned up for dinner the second they’d reached her house. She had basically run inside and was hiding in her bedroom while Paxton cooked dinner. I’d much rather make you scream.

Just thinking about it made her breathing speed up and it was time to admit she’d been wrong. Harper had always invited her to come out with her when she was single, but Tinsley had told Harper all the time she wasn’t into the kind of guys Harper was. Harper wanted to go to bars and dance clubs. Tinsley had wanted to go to art shows or literary readings. She touched her lips remembering the panty-melting kisses she’d shared with Paxton. No, the guys at those shows or readings would never shove her up against a car and kiss her like that smack in the middle of Main Street.

Maybe her softness, her quietness, and her way of playing things safely needed that edge Paxton had. She would never in her life have crossed the imaginary line that seemed to limit her risks without it. Paxton could push her over that line. Heck, he’d already kissed his way over it. It wasn’t just sexual, though. While they set up her gallery, he praised her ability to paint people. He was nudging her toward another imaginary line she’d drawn thinking it was too risky for her career to paint outside her comfort zone.

Was it just her being affected, though? No, it wasn’t. With Tinsley in Paxton’s life, she’d noticed he’d relaxed his self-control a bit. He was laughing more, teasing more, and talking more. He was opening up and showing her the real Paxton more and more the longer she was with him. Tinsley took a deep breath. She was taking on criminals. She could take on Paxton Kendry.

Paxton was pouring the wine when Tinsley marched into the kitchen. Her face was set with determination and he worried something had happened. “What’s wrong, Tins?”

Tinsley didn’t answer him. Instead she grabbed the bottle of wine from his hands and took long gulps from the bottle before slamming it onto the counter.

“Tinsley? Did something happen?” Paxton was getting worried now. She acted like a compressed trigger ready to go off.

“Do you go after something when you know you want it?” Tinsley asked suddenly as she began pacing in the small kitchen.

“Yes. You won’t get anywhere in life without taking risks and going for what you want. Why?”

“I realized something just now. I live my life playing it safe. I don’t paint people because they’re not in my comfort zone.” Paxton was not sure where this was going, but it was clear Tinsley was working out something in her mind. He could practically see the gears turning. “But you’re pushing me to see that some risks are worth taking.”

“Isn’t that what art is all about?” Tinsley stopped and stared at him with questions in her eyes. “You can paint anything you want. Express anything you want. Interpret your feelings, what you’re seeing, in any way you want. If you don’t like it, you can paint over it. You can throw it away. But art is about pushing boundaries and taking risks to try to connect with the world and how you see it and feel it. If you do that with art, you can do that with life.”

Tinsley nodded even though she was now staring at the table as if it held the answers to life. “You’re right. I need to learn to take risks. If an artist can’t be true to herself about what she sees and feels, how can she grow as an artist?”

Paxton gave a little chuckle as he watched Tinsley. Her eyes shot up to him and he shook his head. “I’m not laughing at you. I’m laughing at myself. I usually don’t even consider the risks. But I’m learning sometimes taking it slow and playing it safe has its moments.”

Tinsley took a deep breath and then the look of determination was back. “Yeah, this isn’t one of those times.”

Before Paxton could ask what kind of time it was, Tinsley grabbed his shirt with both hands and was yanking him down so she could reach his lips. Sparks flew, heat flowed, and passion roared as their lips melded together. Paxton bundled Tinsley into his arms, holding her tight against him. She pushed her small hands against his chest so he dropped his hold on her. With their tongues tangling and their lips crushing together, Tinsley shoved him backward. He reached behind his back to find the table and the plates he’d set.

Tinsley stopped pushing against his chest when he backed into the table and made the silverware dance. She pulled back and he let her go. Her face was flushed. Her lips were swollen and parted as she breathed quickly and it all made sense to him now.

Instead of taking the lead, he waited. This was Tinsley taking a risk and he wanted to be there for every risk she ever took. Because if she failed, he wanted to be the one to catch her. And if she succeeded, he wanted to be the one to watch her soar.

Paxton watched hesitancy cross Tinsley’s face. “You’re so beautiful, Tinsley. Tell me what you want.”

Her face flushed, but Paxton pushed her. He wasn’t going to move until she told him to, but he was going to help her take the risk she clearly wanted to take on him. It was humbling that she trusted him enough to spread her wings with him.

“I want . . .” Tinsley stopped and swallowed hard.

“Tell me what you want, Tinsley.” Paxton kept his voice low and coaxing, but his eyes were on fire for her.

“I want to scream,” she finally said. That was all Paxton was waiting for. In two steps he was to her. His lips were on hers as he bent to grab her ass. With a quick lift, he had her arms around his neck and her legs