louder than words."
The next morning as Neely made grits, bacon, eggs, and toast, Raif slipped behind her and slid his arms around her waist. "Good morning," he said, kissing her on the neck.
She laid her head back on his chest and momentarily closed her eyes to ponder how good it would feel to do this every morning. "Good morning," she replied.
Raif said as Neely served breakfast, "Take today off. Don't open."
"I have to make a living, Raif."
"Trust me on this. Take today off."
"What do you want to do? You usually go home after breakfast."
"Not today. We're going to Pierre's Picks."
"The art gallery?"
"Yes." He savored a bit of bacon.
"You know"—She placed her hand on her hip—"I'm not totally uncultured. I've been there. I do have a degree in art, and I do appreciate it."
"I didn't say you were, but you've never been like this."
At that moment, the outer door buzzed as Neely had not yet opened for business.
"I'll get it," said Raif.
Two men entered, and Raif started pointing out paintings.
"What are you doing?" Neely asked in alarm and near tears when she came into the tattoo shop.
"Taking you to Pierre's Picks."
"What?"
"Pierre has arranged an art show for you."
"Oh, no! No, Raif!" She put both hands to her cheeks. "What if nobody likes them?"
He took her by the shoulders. "They will love your work. Neely, you're an artist. People should see your artistry. Trust me. Now, come on, let's finish breakfast. Pierre wants to meet you."
At Pierre's Picks, Pierre was ecstatic. "Oh, Raif, darling! I see why she's so good. She's a work of art herself."
Pierre handed Raif a small box. "Here are your invitations. I'll be sending the others out today. Neely, you must relax, sweetheart. Raiford Gautier has excellent taste, as do I. I assure you will have instant success."
Raif took Neely to lunch before taking her home. He handed her four invitations. He explained, "One for Colleen, one for Amile, one for Esther, and one to keep. I'm delivering the others. I won't be coming this Friday. I'll see you a week from Friday. We have a gala affair to attend on Saturday."
Neely put her arms around Raif's neck. "Thank you. Thank you for believing in me. Raif, I…"
"Shh," said Raif, and to keep Neely from talking, he kissed her soundly and left.
Raif delivered invitations to Ray and Larkin Reynolds and family, Dorothy and Albert Reynolds, Audrey and Walter Bertram, Parker and Sheena Reynolds, Terry and Carol Johnson and family, Brian and Olivia Baker, and Rona and Auggie Fairchild. He mailed one to Lindsay and Dupree Parks and family, and he kept one and invited Trista and Patrick by mouth. He rationalized that if his family wanted to meet Neely, this would be the perfect opportunity without making her feel intimidated. Chris's voice chastised, "Or scare her shitless, Raiford Gautier."
After skipping one weekend, Raif showed up at Neely's place for his regular Friday rendezvous. Once again, Raif refused to let Neely open for business on Saturday. He took her out for a champagne breakfast; to have her nails, hair, and make-up done; and lollygagged for most of the day.
A couple of hours before the show was to open, they dressed for the occasion, Raif in a black tux and Neely in the lavender evening dress with coordinating sling heels and a string of pearls with matching earrings.
Raif brushed a few stray wisps of Neely's hair from her face. "You are so beautiful," he said lustfully.
"I am so scared," she responded honestly.
Ignoring a ghostly warning, Raif decided not to tell her his entire family would be in attendance for fear of making her more anxious. They arrived half an hour before show time. Pierre bustled around making sure the hors d'oeuvres and drinks were set. When the honoree arrived, Pierre kissed her cheek and said, "Raif, if you don't want this woman, I'll go straight."
"Back off, Pierre," said Raif with a grin.
The first patrons arrived at six, and by a quarter after six, the
The next morning as Neely made grits, bacon, eggs, and toast, Raif slipped behind her and slid his arms around her waist. "Good morning," he said, kissing her on the neck.
She laid her head back on his chest and momentarily closed her eyes to ponder how good it would feel to do this every morning. "Good morning," she replied.
Raif said as Neely served breakfast, "Take today off. Don't open."
"I have to make a living, Raif."
"Trust me on this. Take today off."
"What do you want to do? You usually go home after breakfast."
"Not today. We're going to Pierre's Picks."
"The art gallery?"
"Yes." He savored a bit of bacon.
"You know"—She placed her hand on her hip—"I'm not totally uncultured. I've been there. I do have a degree in art, and I do appreciate it."
"I didn't say you were, but you've never been like this."
At that moment, the outer door buzzed as Neely had not yet opened for business.
"I'll get it," said Raif.
Two men entered, and Raif started pointing out paintings.
"What are you doing?" Neely asked in alarm and near tears when she came into the tattoo shop.
"Taking you to Pierre's Picks."
"What?"
"Pierre has arranged an art show for you."
"Oh, no! No, Raif!" She put both hands to her cheeks. "What if nobody likes them?"
He took her by the shoulders. "They will love your work. Neely, you're an artist. People should see your artistry. Trust me. Now, come on, let's finish breakfast. Pierre wants to meet you."
At Pierre's Picks, Pierre was ecstatic. "Oh, Raif, darling! I see why she's so good. She's a work of art herself."
Pierre handed Raif a small box. "Here are your invitations. I'll be sending the others out today. Neely, you must relax, sweetheart. Raiford Gautier has excellent taste, as do I. I assure you will have instant success."
Raif took Neely to lunch before taking her home. He handed her four invitations. He explained, "One for Colleen, one for Amile, one for Esther, and one to keep. I'm delivering the others. I won't be coming this Friday. I'll see you a week from Friday. We have a gala affair to attend on Saturday."
Neely put her arms around Raif's neck. "Thank you. Thank you for believing in me. Raif, I…"
"Shh," said Raif, and to keep Neely from talking, he kissed her soundly and left.
Raif delivered invitations to Ray and Larkin Reynolds and family, Dorothy and Albert Reynolds, Audrey and Walter Bertram, Parker and Sheena Reynolds, Terry and Carol Johnson and family, Brian and Olivia Baker, and Rona and Auggie Fairchild. He mailed one to Lindsay and Dupree Parks and family, and he kept one and invited Trista and Patrick by mouth. He rationalized that if his family wanted to meet Neely, this would be the perfect opportunity without making her feel intimidated. Chris's voice chastised, "Or scare her shitless, Raiford Gautier."
After skipping one weekend, Raif showed up at Neely's place for his regular Friday rendezvous. Once again, Raif refused to let Neely open for business on Saturday. He took her out for a champagne breakfast; to have her nails, hair, and make-up done; and lollygagged for most of the day.
A couple of hours before the show was to open, they dressed for the occasion, Raif in a black tux and Neely in the lavender evening dress with coordinating sling heels and a string of pearls with matching earrings.
Raif brushed a few stray wisps of Neely's hair from her face. "You are so beautiful," he said lustfully.
"I am so scared," she responded honestly.
Ignoring a ghostly warning, Raif decided not to tell her his entire family would be in attendance for fear of making her more anxious. They arrived half an hour before show time. Pierre bustled around making sure the hors d'oeuvres and drinks were set. When the honoree arrived, Pierre kissed her cheek and said, "Raif, if you don't want this woman, I'll go straight."
"Back off, Pierre," said Raif with a grin.
The first patrons arrived at six, and by a quarter after six, the
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