The studio room looked far better than she had anticipated. It was spacious, luxurious, and tastefully furnished with modern décor that carried the essence of classic New York artistry. Large glass windows overlooked the glowing skyline, allowing the moonlight to spill beautifully across the polished wooden floors. Paintings hung carefully on every wall, each one carrying a story of emotion, desire, and creativity. Tina slowly walked around the room, admiring every piece with fascination.
Ed stood silently behind her, watching her reactions with nervous anticipation.
She stopped in front of a particular painting. Her breath caught in her throat.
The face in the portrait looked painfully familiar.
Slowly, almost cautiously, she reached out and caressed the edge of the canvas in admiration. It was her. The painting captured her beauty with astonishing precision. Her expression, her curves, the softness in her eyes — everything about it was undeniably Tina. She was semi-nude in the artwork, draped in shadows and light that somehow made the portrait both intimate and elegant.
Ed swallowed hard, praying silently that the painting would not upset her.
"You painted me…" she whispered softly, still staring at it in disbelief. "And we've barely spent time together."
Ed stepped closer to her until she could feel the warmth radiating from his body. His voice dropped into a gentle tone.
"This is my way of expressing how much I admire you," he said quietly. "You stay in my mind every minute of the day. I couldn't stop thinking about you even if I tried."
She turned slightly toward him, still stunned. "But how did you get every detail right?"
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"I still remember the dress you wore the night I saw you at the garden ," he replied. "The way it hugged your body… the way you carried yourself. My eyes have this terrible habit of memorizing every inch of you, from the crown of your head to the soles of your feet."
She turned fully toward him in surprise before bursting into laughter.
"Illegal staring?" she teased.
He laughed softly. "Yeah. Illegal staring."
The distance between them disappeared almost completely. Their bodies brushed against each other, sending warmth rushing through both of them. The tension that had been building for weeks suddenly became impossible to ignore.
Ed slowly wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer to him. Tina could hear the unevenness in his breathing. Their eyes locked for a moment before he kissed her deeply.
The kiss carried passion, longing, and restraint all at once.
She responded almost instantly, melting into him. His hands wandered carefully along her arms and back, holding her as though she were something fragile and precious. He kissed her forehead, her cheeks, and her neck while she clung tightly to him.
He lifted her gently into his arms and carried her toward the bedroom connected to the studio.
The city lights outside flickered against the walls as he laid her softly on the bed.
For a moment, everything around them disappeared.
But then, suddenly, Tina froze.
The memories she had spent so long trying to bury came rushing back without warning. The fear. The pain. The helplessness. Her body stiffened beneath his touch.
Ed noticed immediately.
He stopped at once.
Without hesitation, he moved away from her and pulled the duvet gently over them. He laid beside her quietly, giving her space while still remaining close enough to comfort her.
"Hey…" he said softly. "Are you okay?"
Tina stared at the ceiling for several seconds before turning away. Her eyes glistened with emotion as she shook her head slowly.
Ed's expression softened with concern.
"It's okay," he assured her gently. "We don't have to rush anything. We'll take this one step at a time, alright?"
She nodded silently.
The room became quiet except for the distant sound of traffic outside the building.
After a long pause, she heard him whisper softly beside her.
"I love you, Tina."
Her heart tightened at the sincerity in his voice.
Cherry lay lazily across Frank's bed, half asleep beneath the silk sheets wrapped around her body. The soft glow of the morning filtered through the curtains, casting light across the room.
Frank stood nearby, watching her with admiration.
Slowly, Cherry opened her eyes and caught him staring.
For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.
He finally walked over and sat beside her on the bed while she pushed herself upright.
"Good morning," she murmured sleepily.
Frank smiled warmly. "Good morning, beautiful. How was your night?"
She stretched slightly before smiling back at him. "It was okay."
He gently stroked her hair away from her face. Her lips looked irresistible to him, and he found himself staring longer than he intended.
"I want to make love to you," he admitted quietly.
Cherry smirked playfully.
"Then earn it."
He chuckled softly. "Trust me. I will."
Holding the sheets carefully around herself, she stood up and walked toward the bathroom while Frank watched her leave with a helpless smile on his face.
Ed wore a dark designer kaftan as he walked carefully into the bedroom carrying two cups of coffee.
Tina was still asleep beneath the duvet, her hair scattered across the pillow beautifully.
He sat beside her gently and kissed her forehead.
"Wake up, baby," he whispered.
Her eyes opened slowly, adjusting to the light. The moment she saw him smiling at her, she sat up carefully, clutching the sheets tightly around her body.
"Coffee?" he offered warmly, handing her one of the cups.
"Thank you," she said softly.
She took a small sip before placing the cup carefully on the bedside table.
But Ed noticed something immediately.
Her fingers tightened around the sheets so hard that her knuckles turned pale.
Concern settled across his face.
"Tina… are you okay?"
She forced out a small smile. "Yes, baby. I'm fine. I just want to take a bath."
He stood up instantly. "Alright then. I'll run us a bath."
Her eyes widened.
"Together?" she asked quickly, almost alarmed.
Ed smiled, unaware of the fear beginning to rise inside her again.
"Yes, mama. Together."
He disappeared into the bathroom.
The second the door closed behind him, Tina buried her face into her hands.
"Damn…" she whispered shakily. "Damn."