At the Beach Part 4

Here we are with the fourth installment of my At the Beach contribution. If you missed the previous parts click here.

Waves of Change

His jaw line was much more prominent than she'd originally thought. She'd have to fix that in the painting.

"Ms. Nicholas," the sexy life guard said. "I'm Cody Sanders."

Cody, of course that would be his name.

"Ally," she said. "Please call me Ally." Ms. Nicholas really made her feel like a cougar.

"Okay, Ally." He smiled and she decided she'd have to find a way to incorporate those sparkling, white teeth into her painting too. "I was wondering if you'd spare me a few moments of your time."

"For?" She knew what she needed from him, but she couldn't imagine what he'd want from her.

"I paint," he said.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm an artist, well, at least I'm trying to be, but I'm not very successful. My father told me you were showing a few of your paintings at a gallery in town and I was wondering if you'd mind helping me."

"Who is your father?"

"Mayor Dobson." He laughed. "I figured you knew who I was. It’s a small town."

"I keep to myself."

The freakin' mayor's kid?

"I know," he said. "I've wanted to approach you for a few weeks, but I didn't want to bother you."

"You wouldn't. I mean, I don't mind answering your questions."

"That's very kind of you," he said. "My dad's been pestering me to talk to you. He's kind of ticked about shelling out all that cash for NYU and now I'm back here lifeguarding like I did when I was in high school."

"You're finished college?"

"Yeah, last spring." He nodded. "I'm a twenty-four year old starving artist."

I'm only three years older!

Moisture gathered between her thighs at the notion of her no longer being a cougar. Three years didn't make her a cougar, did it?

"What do you paint?" she asked.

"Everything."

"Can you be more specific?"

"I see it and I paint it, but I love to paint live subjects. Do you do anything like that?" he asked. "Work with models?"

Oh, you have no idea.

"Um, well, I do like to paint people, but I don't have much experience with that. I've mostly done beaches, oceans and lakes. The pieces I have in the gallery are all based on this town. That's why the owner agreed to show them."

"I went to see them," he admitted. "They're breathtaking." He stepped closer to the entryway. "Just like the artist."

A chill ran down her spine.

Dear God, is he flirting?

"I apologize for being so forward," he said. "It's just I've been watching you these last few weeks."

She arched a brow at him.

"Not in a stalker kind of way." He nervously ran his fingers through his hair.

"I don’t think you're a stalker." How could she? She'd been studying him for a month and using her painting as an excuse to have some pretty hot fantasies just before drifting off to sleep every night.

"That's good. I figured another artist can understand."

"Understand what?"

"When you get a vision and it won’t leave you. I'd love to pick your brain about your paintings, but really, I can't stop thinking about what it would be like to have you as my subject."

The throw slipped from her shoulders, allowing Cody to get an even better look at her half-covered body.  Suddenly she didn’t feel so awkward anymore.

"Would you like to come inside?"

***

I'll be back in a few days to let you see what happens next...