In Flight (Up in the Air #1)(59)

“No,” he told me firmly. “It’s important to me that I know I have control of what I do to you.”

I swallowed, but respected his wishes. Whatever the reason.

I began to paint him without any of my normal prep work. It was a joy to work on him, and I lost myself in the process for the second time that day.

It was unusual for me to get so engrossed in two projects in one day, though it did feel like more of a continuation of one project.

“I love painting you,” I told him.

He watched me tirelessly, his hard jaw propped against his fist. “That works out well, since I love watching you paint. You have such dreams in your eyes. It’s mesmerizing.”

I gave him a warm look, thinking that he could be almost unbelievably sweet.

“What are you going to do with this painting?” he asked after a long period of comfortable silence.

“Hang it right next to my other painting of you, as part of my spank bank,” I told him, trying to make him laugh.

It worked. He clutched his stomach, falling onto his back as he laughed.

“What on earth do you know about a spank bank?” he asked me with an infectious grin.

I smiled back, still painting. “My best friend is a guy. I’ve heard the term often enough, though I never really related to it before.”

He moved back into his pose, an irrepressible smile still on his face.

“I’m surprised you can sit still for so long. I wouldn’t have guessed you had it in you. You seem like a constantly on the move type of guy,” I told him.

“It is unusual for me. I like your house. It’s a peaceful, happy place.”

I couldn’t help it. I beamed at him. “I’m pleased you like it. I like it, too.”

“I hope I’m invited back often.”

I just smiled, working on the painting intently.

We’ll see, I thought.

He let me paint him for hours before I finally quit, needing a break.

He had taken to reading a Manga from my bedside table. It was a Shojo Manga, and I blushed a little when he found it, embarrassed for him to see that I was interested in something so romantic and silly.

He was smiling at something as he turned a page. It was a library copy, the only kind I could afford. I hadn’t read it yet, but it was #15 in a series I’d been following for years. I’d been on the library’s waiting list for it for almost six months.

“Don’t give anything away,” I warned him. “I haven’t had a chance to read it yet.”

He looked up with a toothy grin. “You’re that into this? I have to say, that almost gives me hope. It’s so sweet and romantic.”

I gave him my little shrug. “I don’t know what it is, but I’m totally infatuated with manga and anime. It’s all very funny to me. And I love the characters.”

He wiggled his brows at me as I finished putting my supplies away, coming back into the room, where he was still reading the manga.

“So let’s watch some anime. You watch it on your computer?” he asked.

I nodded. It was the only place I watched anything at my house, since I didn’t have a television.

“I want to see your favorite,” he told me.

My old computer was set up in a small nook in my living room. James pulled my love seat close to the computer, and I set up an episode of a vampire anime that I had watched several times. I loaded the first episode.

I couldn’t imagine that James would enjoy it. It was kind of screwed up, and I thought that the target audience for it must be girls. But it was the first anime I had thought of when he’d asked me to play my favorite.

We watched it for hours. James cuddled me against his chest, but seemed glued to the screen, transfixed by the anime. I had always found it fascinating, as well. I got caught up in it again.

“So we’re voting for her to choose the silver-haired guy, right?” James asked me as we finished a cliff-hanger episode.

I scoffed at him. “No. The dark-haired one. She totally adores him. She’s been in love with him forever.”

He threw up his hands, laughing at me. “We just found out that that one’s her brother!”

I glared at him, feeling defensive about my beloved characters. “He was just raised as her brother. He was reincarnated, or whatever.” It had a convoluted plot, which seemed to happen a lot in the animes I loved.

He laughed harder. “So that makes him her great-great-great-great grandfather? And that’s somehow better?”

I poked him in the ribs with my elbow, but couldn’t help but laugh as well.

He nuzzled against my ear, then pinned me down beneath him, holding my wrists above my head.

“You’re a perverted girl, aren’t you? I bet you like hentai,” he teased me, referring to the X-rated version of anime.

He began to tickle me. I slapped at his hands, giggling helplessly.

“Say it,” he laughingly insisted. “Say, I like hentai, you naughty girl.”

I said it, and he kissed me, but it was a quick kiss, since we were both still laughing.

“You can call me Grandpa, if that does it for you,” he teased.

I laughed, tugging on his hair.

I’d never had so much fun watching anime, especially since I usually only ever watched them by myself. Stephan didn’t care for anime. He said they never had happy endings. He thought even the silly, funny ones were a little sad. Whereas, I thought even the saddest ones were a little silly and funny.