“Seeing a part of yourself exposed for the world to judge.” The dancer’s voice softened. “I get it. Because it’s no different than what I do each night I step out on that stage and perform for an audience. No different than an author who tells a story, a composer who writes a concerto, an actor who portrays a character. All of us not knowing how we might be received.”

Lia stayed silent, and he was aware she was watching him.

“What you have done here deserves to be recognized.” Olivia went up on her tiptoes, kissing both of his cheeks. “Be brave, Gabriel Seymour,” she said before vanishing into the crowd.

He watched her go before turning back to Lia. “What you’ve done is positively diabolical.” It was hard to put heat into words he had already spoken in a Paris apartment.

“I’ve been accused of worse.” She was smiling as she said it. “Did it work?”

“Maybe.”

“Good.”

“How did you convince the gallery to exhibit my work?”

Lia shot him a long look. “An entire collection of artistic geniuses gave me some leverage, Gabriel. You may have looked after the arrangements, but I am the de facto owner. The gallery director was not about to quibble over two additional paintings that I wished to have displayed as part of the exhibit.”

“They never mentioned it to me.”

“Because I asked them not to.” She paused. “I think you should know that the gallery has asked me about the possibility of more,” she said.

“More what?”

“More of your work.”

“What?”

“There has been significant interest in these paintings, even before the exhibit opened. The gallery is quite confident that they would be able to sell additional works by this particular artist.”

“What did you tell them?”

“That I would speak to the artist and let him decide. If and how many he would be willing to exhibit and sell.” Lia caught his hand in hers, gently uncurling his fingers from the two cards that he still held. “The choice is yours,” she said. “To be seen. Or not. I will not think more or less of you no matter what you decide.”

Gabriel looked down to where their hands joined. “Make every day count,” he murmured under his breath. Without hesitation, he approached the two canvases and replaced the cards beside each.

He stepped back, reaching for Lia’s hand again.

“How does it feel?” she asked.

“Like I just jumped out of a plane.”

Lia laughed and lifted their hands. “And you’re going to take me with you?”

“If you’re willing to jump.”

“Try me,” she said.

Gabriel caught his breath as he gazed down at her. He wondered how scandalous it might be if he hauled her up against him and kissed her senseless—

“Excuse me. Are you Aurelia Leclaire?”

Chapter ​25

Chapter
​25

Lia

Paris, France
10 November 2017