Who Said Anything About Love?

Madeline’s POV

Bill and Amelia were already talking animatedly as Tom and I came around the corner. Bill had just done up the zipper to his coveralls and was now slipping on a different pair of shoes.

“You can set your stuff right over there.” I said to Tom and pointed to a box set away from the wall we’d be painting on.

“Alright.” he said and walked toward it setting down his shoes before unzipping his jacket and pulling it off.

I averted my eyes and sorted through the different colored paints we had. Discretely glancing out of the corner of my eyes I watched Tom pull off his cap and head sock replacing them with a black bandana. He then stepped out of his shoes and my breath caught in my throat as his hands went to his waist and started undoing his belt.

He glanced up at me and I started fiddling with the paints again. After I second I looked back over and he had stepped completely out of him jeans and set them neatly folded on the box with the rest of his things.

He had on a pair of black and gray swim trunks and I inwardly exhaled a sigh of relief; I might have blushed myself to death if he’d been in only his boxers.

Then that thought came rushing to my mind; Tom in only his boxers, shirt removed, light reflecting off of the perfectly toned body I’m sure sat beneath the heavy layers.

I found myself absentmindedly biting on my lower lip as I now gazed openly at Tom, pulling his coveralls up and slipping his arms in place and zipping it to the collar.

As he sat to slip on a second pair of shoes he looked in my direction and I felt all of the blood leave my face and then rush back full speed; he’d caught me staring, biting at my lip and looking at him with pure desire in my eyes…and he smiled. Oh how I could just die.

I stood back up from my crouched position and headed over to Amelia and Bill, trying anything to keep my attention from Tom.

Amelia gave me an odd look, cocking her eyebrows as if to question what the tingling feeling she felt from my stomach was. I just closed my eyes and slightly shook my head; I’d have to tell her tonight after the boys left.

Tom then came over and stood next to me…right next to me. His arm brushed mine when he turned to say something about the wall. My heart was thumping in my ear so loudly it was the only sound I could make out. In any other instance I would have figured it was purely an innocent brush of the arm, but as I looked up at him he did something that about made me die.

He stuck the tip of his tongue out and brushed it along his lip ring and winked at me. I wanted to scream.

“Alright let’s do this thing!” Amelia shouted in excitement and we all grabbed a paint brush and got to work. We flung paint in every direction whether it hit the wall or not; everything that wasn’t meant to be panted was covered in white sheets.

All of my previous apprehensions were forgotten as our laughter broke out and bounced across the walls. We had all admitted to feeling like we were 10 years old again and had absolutely no problem showing it.

Just then Tom grabbed a hold of my arm and spun me around. The first thing that flashed through my head was Shayne when he was angry with me, but the smile on Tom’s face proved otherwise.

“Come here, you.” he chuckled and placed his hand on the right side of my face and his thumb on my chin to steady my face.

“What are you doing?” I asked almost silently.

“Having fun.” he smiled and wiggled his eyebrows. He leaned his face in slightly closer to mine and raised his other have to my face.

I could have sworn he was going to kiss me, but then I saw the small paint brush he held.

“Tom, no!” I said quickly but he laughed and began to paint my face anyway. I didn’t pull away, only closed my eyes and scrunched my nose in mock irritation.

“Relax, you’re gonna mess it up.” he laughed. I went to say something but his thumb that rested on my chin raised and he placed it on my lips. “Shhh; no talking.” he said and I watched his eyes as he painted my face. He glanced up at me once and smiled sweetly before removing his thumb.

“Done!” he smiled, “Aren’t you just the cutest thing.”

“What did you do?” I asked while laughing.

“Made you a kitty.” he said childishly.

After laughing for a minute I picked up my paint brush and grinned at him.

“My turn!” I said and advance on him. He didn’t back away like I thought he would either. He stood and allowed me to have my fun.

I had my hand on his face similarly to the way he had done with me. He was so tall I could hardly make sure I was painting in the correct places.

“Look down, please.” he did so and I noticed that if I were to get up on my toes he’d be at the perfect angle for me to just…

“What are you doing?” he asked interrupting my thoughts.

“Making you beautiful.” I smiled crookedly at him as I finished up. I’d only painted pink circles over his cheeks like blush and decided last minute to add a red circle over his nose.

He looked at his reflection in a window next to me and we both broke out in a new fit of giggles.

“You’re quite the artist, Madie.” he chuckled.

“As are you.” I turned to face him and he shrugged cockily.

“Are you two ready to eat?” Amelia called from across the room.

“Ja, we’re coming.” I said and set my paint brush down. Tom hooked his arm in mine and practically drug me across the room to the food all the while laughing.