Painted On My Heart

“There’s not much to see anymore,” Kellus replied, moving past him, heading into the kitchen.

“Honestly, it doesn’t seem to fit you. I expected to be blown away by all your art and style, but I don’t see any of it,” he said, following behind Kel.

Kellus laughed at that comment, never looking back as he opened the refrigerator. Arik craned his neck to look inside, trying to piece together all this new information. He didn’t see a lot of food, but what was in there looked very healthy. Kellus pulled out a water pitcher, then made his way across the kitchen before opening a cabinet where a few glasses were stored. He grabbed one off the shelf and poured himself a drink.

“Water?” Kellus asked, looking back at Arik.

“I’m good.”

“John’s slowly taken just about everything. He found my art sold pretty well, so that all got stolen first. Then over time, he’s stolen just about everything else. He’s got a serious drug problem.” Kellus placed the glass on the counter and put the pitcher back inside the refrigerator. He went for another cabinet, pulling out a medicine bottle, dumping a single tablet in his hand.

“How do you keep your studio safe?”

“I constantly worry about it, but what else can I do? I’ve got it locked up pretty tight. It has a serious security system, not like the one I have on the house now, but something more substantial. At least that’s what the salesman told me. I invested in that a few years ago, before John took such an ugly turn. So far, he hasn’t been able to get inside. He’s tried,” Kellus explained before swallowing the pill and chasing it with the full glass of water. “You don’t fit here,” Kellus finally said, taking the glass to the sink.

“I don’t see you fitting here either,” he replied honestly.

“I’ve thought about selling the place. Go someplace a little cheaper. There were just so many changes hitting me all at once that I’ve spent most of my time trying to keep everything together,” Kellus said, coming to stand in front of Arik. Even through all this serious conversation, his guy was so sexy in the way he carried himself. Kel crossed those thick arms over his chest. The T-shirt tightened across his expansive chest and broad shoulders.

“That makes sense.” Arik could hear the husky tone his voice had taken as his eyes drank in the temptation of Kellus’s perfect, sculpted body.

“I know it doesn’t make a lot of sense, but I get that way. It’s like the medication. I’m determined I’m gonna pay for mine. I tried to pay for John’s too, but finally stopped when I decided he was probably out selling it. John managed to get help paying for his medication, but I’m pretty certain he just sells that too,” Kellus explained, allowing Arik to see all these small glimpses into his life and personality, reinforcing what he already sensed: Kellus’s innate obstinacy and strong, admirable heart.

“Yeah, just looking at him, I didn’t suspect he took his,” he replied, taking a step toward Kellus. He’d decided spending the day in that bedroom down the hall wasn’t such a bad idea, but before he could get to him, Kellus moved, sidestepping Arik to leave the kitchen.

“No, he doesn’t. Are you ready?” Kellus asked.

“I am,” he said reluctantly, following behind. “Where are we going?”

“Do you have any place you want to see?” Kellus asked as he walked through the house, turning off the lights.

“I’m hungry, if that helps guide us,” he said from the front door.

Kellus’s head appeared around the corner, his eyes narrowed as he looked at him. “I can already tell you’re gonna be a bad influence where food’s concerned.”

“I always have been,” Arik teased back, waggling his brow as he pulled his keys from his front pocket.

“Let me get my phone.” Kellus disappeared again, followed by the sounds of heavy footsteps retreating down the hall.

“Bring a bag just in case I can talk you into staying with me tonight,” Arik called out and had to mentally readjust his game plan again. He was coming on too strong to a man whose life seemed sadder and sadder by the second. He needed to be a light for Kellus. Strike that. He needed to be easygoing, because there seemed to be very little of that in Kellus’s life.

Pleased with that decision, he opened the front door and stepped out on the front porch, then walked toward his sports car. He’d wait for Kellus out there.

~?~

Hours later, Arik was relaxed and happy. Seeing Fort Worth through Kellus’s eyes made the whole area come to life. They’d spent the entire afternoon together, checking out one eclectic end of the town to the other. They hit every art studio, gallery, and supply store in their path. They stopped by Kellus’s favorite jewelry store and a tattoo parlor that hosted a popular line of Kellus Hardin designs. Then they went to a locally owned bookstore, record store, and a couple of vintage clothing stores that seemed to fit Kellus’s style more than anything else he’d seen today.