“Damn it, Katie.” Cain leaned down and plundered her mouth. His lips, teeth, and tongue teased and pleasured her. The kiss went on and on, as if Cain craved the connection between them. Katie’s head was spinning when he finally withdrew from her lips. “Thank you for bringing me out of the dark.”

Katie responded the only way she could. “Thank you for showing me the beauty of the dark.” Cain’s arms tightened around her and Katie reached for him, determined to love him. Forever.

Epilogue

“I’m home.” Katie closed the door behind her and kicked off her boots. In the last month she’d probably spent as much time here as she had in her own apartment. If Cain had it his way, she’d have moved in with him. Hanging up her coat and purse, Katie paused to straighten her sweater. She was getting closer to making a decision, but it was hard to think of giving up the only home she’d ever known.

The sound of toenails was her only warning before Gabriel bounded up behind her and jumped. Now that she had become a regular part of his life, the dog no longer felt the need to be always on his best behavior. “Get down, you brute,” she scolded him mockingly even as she began to tussle with him.

They played in the hallway for a few minutes and Katie was surprised when Cain didn’t appear. He was usually right there to greet her when she arrived from work. Giving the dog one final pat, she began her search. “Cain?”

“In here.” His voice drifted out from the office.

She and Gabriel hurried down the hallway, and Gabriel ran into the room ahead of her. Katie halted in the doorway, amazed by the sight in front of her. Cain was standing in front of a large six-foot square canvas that was set tilted against one wall and surrounded at its base by drop cloths. He was naked from the waist up, with his arms crossed over his massive chest. His bare feet were spread slightly as he stood atop the canvas cloth on the floor. A table had been set up next to the canvas and was filled with what looked like paints and brushes. Bemused, she headed towards Cain. “Have you decided to take up painting?”

“In a manner of speaking.” His enigmatic reply piqued her interest.

“That’s a rather large canvas you’re planning to fill.” Her fingers were itching to pick up a brush and use it. The sheer freedom in having such an expansive work area was enticing.

“You can help me.” His voice was rough and compelling and, as usual, she fell under its spell.

Katie’s gaze moved from the blank canvas to Cain. His long black hair was pulled away from his face and tied at the nape of his neck. The black eye patch seemed to emphasize the harsh planes of his face, and his good eye had that special gleam it usually had when he was aroused. Her eyes traced a path down over his wide shoulders and muscled stomach towards the bulge in his jeans. Yep, he was certainly aroused.

Feeling rather hot, she unbuttoned her sweater and slipped it off her shoulders as she sauntered towards him. “I can help you later,” she whispered seductively as she ran her hands up his hard stomach and wrapped her arms around his neck. Pressing her partially naked torso against his chest, she nipped at his neck and chin.

Cain’s fingers lightly skimmed her back before unhooking the back closure of her bra. She was forced to remove her arms long enough to allow him to pull her bra down her arms. When it was gone, she lightly rubbed her breasts across his chest, loving the feel of his hot skin against hers.

“I want you to help me now.” His hands were tugging at the opening of her jeans, so it took her a moment for his words to sink in.

Slightly disgruntled, she leaned back and looked at him with disbelief. “You want to paint now?”

In answer, he knelt on one knee in front of her, pulled her jeans and underwear down to her ankles, and waited while she stepped out of them. “Oh, yes. I definitely want to paint now.” Cain kissed her stomach, his moist tongue dipping into her belly button while his palms traced upward along the back of her thighs until they cupped her behind.

Holding his shoulders for balance, she studied his intent expression, trying to understand his unusual mood. “If that’s what you really want.” It wasn’t what she desired at the moment, but if Cain wanted to share in her passion for painting, she was more than ready to participate.

Cain led her to the table. “Stand here.”

Slightly bewildered, she wondered what she was doing standing here naked while Cain opened up bottles of paint and squirted colors onto a blank palette. “Am I to be your model?” It had finally occurred to her that he might want to paint her nude.

“In a manner of speaking.” Taking his time, he selected a large brush with a blunt tip and dipped it into the red paint. He moved in front of her and tilted his head to one side and looked her up and down. Katie could feel her skin smoldering under his scrutiny, and her nipples contracted into hard nubs. Smiling slightly, he used his free hand to position her hands on her hips. “Spread your legs a little more.”

Katie complied and then stood still, knowing that it was important to an artist that the subject not move around too much. Her gaze went to the canvas as she wondered where Cain would start his painting. The sudden shock of bristles moving across her breasts made her take a step back. Looking down at herself, she could see the stroke of red paint covering her distended nipple.

“You’ve got to stand still.” When she looked at him, Cain was frowning at her. “How can I paint you if you’re moving?”

Katie took a better look at the paints on the table, and the words “Body Paint” were written boldly across all the tubes. Cain looked so serious standing there, waiting impatiently, that she burst out laughing. Bending over, she clasped her stomach as she laughed even harder. Cain looked totally disgruntled as he waited for her to finish. When she subsided to just giggles, Cain repositioned her with her hands on her hips and her legs spread.

“Don’t move.” Cain waited until she’d nodded her agreement before beginning again.

Like a master painter, he took his time and selected his colors carefully. He returned to the red paint and slowly, meticulously painted both her breasts red. The feel of the delicate fan-shaped bristles caressing her skin was unbelievable arousing. She unconsciously swayed towards the brush as he worked.

Next came the orange. With a flat-headed, camelhair brush, he applied long stripes of the cheerful color to her stomach. The bristles tickled her sides, making her shake with laughter. Cain raised his head, and the tender look in his eye almost moved her to tears. Their love had given him the freedom and comfort to allow him to play, and Katie would stand here all night long if it made him happy.

Sap green was the next color of choice. Using a small housepainter’s brush, he coated her legs from ankle to thigh. Moving behind her, he kissed a trail up her back before applying, first yellow ochre, and then ultramarine in a swirling pattern. He took his time on her behind, making her squirm as the brush moved back and forth over the cleft of her bottom. She was so aroused that she could feel the wetness between her legs and a throbbing ache that longed to be filled.

“Cain, hurry and finish.” Squirming slightly as he continued to paint her bottom violet, she started to turn around, but he stopped her.

“Soon,” he promised.

Returning to her front he picked up a clean fan brush and tested the bristles between his fingers. She wanted those fingers inside her, filling her. The image was potent and she reached out to him, wanting him desperately. She felt almost dizzy with desire.

“Just a little longer,” he crooned as he moved her hands back to her waist. Before she could protest, he positioned himself on his knees in front of her, slid the brush between her legs, and brushed the sensitive skin of her sex.

“Oh, god,” she moaned and opened her legs wider.

“That’s it,” he encouraged. “So pretty and pink already, but I think I’ll add just a touch more.” The brush glided over the folds of her sex, tickling and arousing her at the same time. Taking a small liner brush, he plied it with skill around and around her clitoris until she was sweating and begging him to take her.

“Now, Cain.” She didn’t move her hands from her side, but placed one foot on the top of his shoulder. The position left her wide open to him, and she moved her hips invitingly.

Cain wrapped one arm around her waist to steady her as he grabbed another clean brush with a rounded thick set of bristles. Slowly, he fitted it inside her, swirling it from side to side as he went. Katie had never experienced anything like this in her life and would have collapsed if Cain hadn’t been supporting her.

Giving herself over to the experience, she flexed her hips, taking the brush deeper inside her. Cain pushed it as far in as was comfortable and then removed it with one long, pleasurable stroke to the top of her vagina. Sensation shot through her all the way from her toes to her head. She came immediately, unable to control the sudden explosion inside her. Screaming slightly she collapsed and Cain quickly dropped the brush and lowered her to the floor.

When she finally came back to herself, Cain was leaning over her, grinning like a fool. One hand was idly stroking her heated flesh with his fingers. “So, you’re finger-painting now?” The question popped out of her mouth before she could stop herself. Cain burst into laughter and collapsed on the floor next to her.

Grinning, she took advantage of Cain’s momentary distraction to rise up next to him and unbutton his jeans. Before he could stop her, she got to her feet and tugged his jeans and underwear down his legs and threw them aside. “Now it’s my turn.” She fisted her hands on her waist and waited, praying that he’d give up control to her. It was still hard for him to do so, but she did need her way sometimes.