He had this.
Maybe.
~?~
Arik stood in the farthest corner of the lobby, in a prime spot next to the bar, just out of the commotion of the reception, watching everything unfold. Grudgingly, Arik admitted that Gage had outdone himself, but that wasn’t that big of a deal. His cousin had always been good at gathering people for a purpose, then showing them a good time. In the end, they regularly emptied their wallets for whatever artist or charity he endorsed.
Tonight, it looked like that cause was Kellus Hardin.
Arik lifted the champagne glass to his lips and tilted his head enough to watch the sexy artist trying to remain unnoticed inside the gallery. That was the only way he knew to describe what he saw, but there was no way that man could ever keep hidden from him. His focus had been on the side door of the resort, perhaps as long as one full minute before he watched Kellus sneak inside. Instead of joining the party in the lobby, he’d gone straight for the gallery and stood in those front windows, staring out, but never participating.
Hmmm.
He was an odd mix of a man. Watching him had become Arik’s favorite pastime, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on Kellus’s true personality. He didn’t seem shy nor did he really come across as reserved, yet he was clearly both of those things. From what he had observed, Kellus had a genuine appreciation for the people around him, but remained guarded and unsure, even when people had his very best interest at heart.
Arik lifted the glass to his lips and took a sip of his champagne as he continued to stare at Kellus. He seemed to be mustering his courage. He opened the gallery door and stood on the outside, using his foot to hold the door open as he held his phone extended, videoing the crowd. Arik watched him speak to the phone and deep curiosity had him wondering what he said so quietly.
The crowd between them split, leaving nothing blocking the way between him and Kellus. When he made eye contact with the artist, their gazes locked, and the moment held as everything but Kellus faded away. His body stirred at the intense look staring back at him. Arik’s pants seemed to fit much tighter in certain places than they had moments ago, and honestly, he’d been pretty damned turned on then.
Damn, the things Kellus’s look did to him. Arik lifted his glass in his direction. The man stayed rooted in his spot and grinned. Whatever he filmed would have to show how much interest he had in Kellus.
“Ladies and gentlemen, can I have your attention please.” His cousin’s voice reverberated through the overhead speaker, disrupting the moment. Kellus moved his phone, turning his attention away. Reluctantly, his focus moved to his cousin who was on the other side of the reception area with Trent by his side. Trent had never grown comfortable with Gage’s celebrity status, but he stayed right there by his man’s side. Arik found that admirable. He continued to watch as the large group of people began to move closer for the announcement, completely blocking his view of Kellus. “Thank you all for coming tonight to help celebrate our milestone achievement. EnGage Studio Dallas is now open!”
Everyone began to clap as Gage led the way toward the gallery. Just because of where he stood, Arik was forced to stay out of the gallery and inside the lobby. The gallery was large, but the sheer number of people made it impossible to move forward. And no matter how he tried, he couldn’t stand tall enough, even on his tiptoes, to find Kellus in the mix.
“My son’s at his best right now,” Gage’s mother, Connie, announced as she claimed the empty spot next to Arik. He looked down at her then immediately glanced across the room in the direction she’d come to judge the location of the rest of her entourage. His uncle and father were several feet away, walking slowly their way, huddled together in a deep conversation—most likely work on their minds. His own mother was even farther away, stopping a passing waiter to exchange her empty drink for a new one before motioning another waiter with a tray of food her direction. Of course, she’d have to sample everything. She was always bold like that.
“Aunt Connie, are you enjoying your stay?” Arik asked, smiling as he watched his mother critically look over the selections on the tray until she picked one, then another.
“I always do, Arik. You’ve outdone yourself with this one. It’s hard to get used to everything at my fingertips. It’s truly amazing,” she said, lifting her champagne glass in toast.
“Good. I wanted this one to get people talking.” He clinked his glass with hers, taking a large sip of his champagne.