He took a deep breath as he eyed me. “The paintings.”

For a moment, I didn’t get where he was going with this. Not when he traced the curve of my cheek with his thumb and not when a soft smile curved his lips. And then it hit me.

“The paintings?” I swallowed and started to sit up, but he didn’t let me get very far. “The paintings at my place?” When he nodded, I felt my face heat like I was out under the summer sun. “The ones that are . . . ?”

“Of me?” he supplied.

I squeezed my eyes shut. “Oh my God. Seriously?”

“Yes.”

Mortified, I didn’t know what to say. “They were in my closet. Why were you in my closet?”

“Looking for a psycho stalker,” he answered.

My eyes popped opened. “That . . . that was like two weeks ago! You saw them back then and didn’t say anything.”

Reece sat up, bringing me with him. Somehow my body ended up between his legs and we were face-­to-­face. “I didn’t say anything, because I figured you’d respond this way.”

“Of course I’d respond this way! It’s embarrassing. You probably think I’m some kind of freak. A stalker—­a creepy stalker who paints pictures of you when you’re not around.”

“I don’t think you’re a stalker, babe.” His voice was dry.

I screwed up my face. “I can’t believe you saw them.”

He chuckled, and my eyes narrowed on him. “Honestly? I really didn’t know how you truly felt about me until I saw them.”

My brows flew up. “I thought you were all-­knowing.”

Reece smirked. “I had my suspicions that you were in love with me from the first time you laid eyes
on me.”

“Oh dear baby Jesus in a manger,” I muttered.

“But I don’t think I was a hundred percent until I saw those paintings, especially the one of me in the kitchen. You painted that after . . . after I left.” His brows lowered as he gave a little shake of his head. “It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. I think it’s sweet.”

I still thought it was a little creepy.

“But you know what’s important? The first thing I thought when I saw them is how much talent you have. It was like looking in the mirror.”

That went a little way to making me feel better about this.

“I wish you’d put your focus there, babe. You have something real.”

Leaning against him, I blew out a soft breath. My mind was churning over a lot today, I wasn’t sure I was ready to look too closely at the whole college thing. “Getting a degree couldn’t hurt.”

“You’re right.” He smoothed his hand up my arm. “It’s smart. Just like doing what you love, no matter what it is, is right.”