Chasing Beautiful (Chasing 1)

I grunted my frustrations. Kyle reached out for my hand, clasped it with his and placed it on his lap. “Baby it’s going to be fine. You’re worrying for nothing,” smiling brightly as he kissed my hand. The cab stopped outside the gallery.

My heart was in my throat anxious to see the images Chad chose.

We entered the building when a uniformed waiter with champagne flutes greeted us. I took two flutes and gulped them one after the other like it was water. Okay, now I’m better. Kyle only shook his head in amusement.

I looked around me and saw Chad’s perfect artistry at its best. Wow, that friend of mine is hella gifted. The images were of a woman at the repair shop as she provocatively posed, bare and naked. Others were of a man and a woman on the hood of the car making love in a cemetery. My eyes took in the portraits. An image of a woman holding a guitar looked captivating. Another image of a woman with two men posing illicitly against each other but it was done in a way that it provoked sexual thought and yet he pulled the look of making it chic. I passed by them feeling all hot and bothered as people gathered in admiration.

It was sex, sex, and more sex.

Sex blanketed the whole gallery as people buzzed with Chad’s eye for beauty. As provocative as they are, he made the images look sophisticated somehow and not raunchy. He managed to capture that essence of the moment where you feel like you’re there with them and you’re watching them in the act. It was beautiful.

“Baby love finally, you’re here! What do you think?” Eyeing me cautiously, gauging my reaction. “Chad you’re a genius!” “These are quite amazing! Tonight’s your big break baby! You better not forget me when you’re going global.” Hugging him tightly as my heart soared for him. I knew how long he’s been waiting for someone to acknowledge his work and after tonight, he’ll be the toast of London. “As if! There’s no way a person can forget you baby love. You have a way of making people not forget you.”

Do I? Huh.

Smiling , hugging his waist, “Who’s all here? Luce and Toby?”

“She texted me a few minutes ago, she said they’ll be here in ten to fifteen minutes tops.”

The gallery was filling up with a lot of artsy people. Where are the portraits of me and Troy? I looked around for Kyle but he was nowhere in sight.

“If you’re looking for Kyle, he’s at the encore of the show. Come I’ll show you,” Holding my elbow with his hand as he guided me towards the end of the room and made a quick left. He showed me to another room where it was dimmer and darker and the only lighting came from the ceiling directly to each twelve portraits of me and some with Troy in them. My breath caught.

The images before me were impressively stunning. The woman in the picture was seductive, confident, and in-charge of her world. I was rendered speechless.

Chad placed an arm around my shoulders. “Now do you see what everybody sees, baby love? Never let the past dictate you. Don’t berate yourself because you aren’t tall enough or you don’t have a slimmer figure—you’re beautiful—inside and out—scars and all. I wanted these images to capture how I see you, how we all see you, so that you’ll realize how special you are. You’re a strong woman love, no matter what life throws at you—you always come out braver than before. It’s time to be free of the shackles because if you don’t, the Brown’s win. Look around you—this woman is bold and fearless.”

I got choked up as I turned my body and hugged him with all of my heart. “Thank you,” I whispered in a wobbly voice. He’s such a good friend and I will always remember what he did for me tonight. I will never forget it.

“That’s what friends are for. Let’s not ruin or make-up hmmm? Go over to Kyle,” pointing to far right corner, “I will have to greet other guests in the other room.” I nodded and whispered ‘I love you’ as he kissed my forehead as he whispered those words back to me.

I went over to where Kyle was standing staring intently at my image. I was on the bed, with underwear on and my boobs were covered only with a drape of a black silk sheet. One leg on the bed the other slightly bent above the other leg. Both of my arms were above my head, lips parted as I stared provocatively in the camera. Oh, that looked hot!

Kyle was silent as he took in the image before him. I didn’t say a word because he had a pained expression. Odd, not the impression I would’ve thought it would provoke.

“That morning in Lake Tahoe, you looked—just exactly like this when I came out of the shower. And I thought to myself, how lucky was I? I have a gorgeous woman who loved me to bits, I felt blessed. Seeing this portrait—made me see what I lost again.” Fuck, I didn’t expect him to say that. That was the morning after we made love the first time. I remember seeing him coming out of the shower and my heart happily swelled at the sight of him. Fuck-fuckity-fuck.

This night is becoming to be an upheaval of emotions. With Kyle’s, that I can do without. I feel shaky inside and I didn’t know what to say to him, so I stayed quiet.

A squeal broke from another room. I smiled at Lucy’s enthusiasm. I kindly excused myself to meet Lucy in the other room and he smiled sadly at me. Fuck, Kyle. Don’t do this to me, my eyes pleaded.

I finally gulped air when I got out of the room. I found Luce and Toby talking animatedly with Chad. I came over to join them and we all gushed over Chad. He looked so happy and my heart contracted to see how happy he was. A few people came over to get him and introduced him to other guests. All three of us went to check out more portraits. I chuckled throatily as I found Lucy’s face flushed from the images before her. “Sienna Richards,” a booming deep voice behind me announced. I turned and found Troy smiling elatedly. “Troy! How are you!” squealing from surprise. I haven’t seen him for a month and I was excited to see him. I gave him a tight hug. “Are you trying to give me a cardiac arrest? ‘Cause you’re just about to accomplish that if you come any closer with that miniscule dress on,” I reddened. Holy guacamole! Was he flirting with me? That’s a first. “Cheeky tonight, aren’t we?”

His gaze followed Lucy and Toby who were watching the exchange with interest. “Hello, I’m Troy. Sienna’s counterpart in the shoot,” they all shook hands and Luce smiled a little brightly at the sight of him. Troy did look like his usual hot self. He looked scruffy and rugged with his well worn jeans and black leather jacket with a tad of extra dangerous edge when he puts his hair in that tiny ponytail. He’s such a badass when I saw him arrive with a Ducati 848 black on black motorcycle. I swooned then. Hot guy and a hot piece of motorcycle—totally too HOT to handle!