Chapter 2: The First Encounter

 

The echo of Ethan’s words hung in the air between them. Lucas could feel the pulse in his throat quicken, a rush of something unfamiliar filling his chest. How did this man know him? And why did it feel like their meeting had been inevitable? His mind was a whirl of confusion, but his body betrayed him, drawn to the intensity of Ethan's presence.

Lucas’s hand still tingled where Ethan had touched it, and the way Ethan’s eyes bore into his made it hard to think straight. "I know?" Lucas repeated, attempting to steady his voice, but it came out quieter than intended.

Ethan’s smirk deepened, his hand lingering just a fraction longer than necessary before releasing Lucas’s. He stepped even closer, invading Lucas's personal space, their bodies nearly touching. "Your art speaks volumes about you, Lucas. It’s raw, intense... unfiltered. I see everything in it."

Lucas blinked, trying to process Ethan’s words. He’d heard compliments about his work before, but this was different. This wasn’t admiration—it was something far more intimate. His heart raced as he glanced at the painting behind him, the bold strokes and chaotic colors suddenly feeling exposed under Ethan's gaze.

“I don’t know if I should be flattered or creeped out,” Lucas muttered, trying to lighten the tension that hung between them.

Ethan chuckled, a low, rumbling sound that sent a shiver down Lucas’s spine. “Flattered,” he said, his voice silky smooth, “definitely flattered.”

There was a brief pause as Lucas looked up at him, caught in the swirl of emotions that Ethan seemed to stir in him effortlessly. The gallery, the patrons, the artwork—all of it faded into the background. All that remained was Ethan’s towering presence and the heat simmering between them.

“So, you came here to analyze me?” Lucas asked, his voice slightly shaky. “Or to buy some art?”

Ethan’s eyes darkened, the playful smirk fading as he studied Lucas with a more serious intensity. “Both,” he said after a moment. “But mostly, I came here for you.”

Lucas’s breath hitched. He didn’t know how to respond. He wasn’t used to being the one under the microscope. He’d always been the observer, the artist who watched others, captured their emotions, and translated them onto canvas. But now, with Ethan, the roles were reversed. And it unnerved him.

“You don’t even know me,” Lucas whispered, feeling the overwhelming pull of Ethan’s energy surrounding him.

“I don’t have to,” Ethan replied, his voice low, almost predatory. “I see you, Lucas. I see everything that you try to hide.”

Lucas opened his mouth to say something, to deny the claim, but the words never came. Ethan’s hand reached up, brushing a lock of hair from Lucas’s face, the touch so light yet so electric. The space between them disappeared in an instant, the tension building to a breaking point.

Without warning, Ethan leaned in, his lips brushing against Lucas’s ear, sending a shockwave of desire through his body. “And I’m going to make sure you can’t hide from me anymore.”

Lucas’s breath caught in his throat, his entire body going rigid under Ethan’s touch. Every rational thought screamed at him to pull away, to regain control, but the heat radiating from Ethan was intoxicating, consuming.

Just as quickly as he’d moved in, Ethan pulled back, his smirk returning as if nothing had happened. Lucas stood there, his body trembling slightly, unsure of what to do or say.

“I’ll see you soon, Lucas,” Ethan murmured before turning on his heel and walking away, leaving Lucas standing in the middle of the empty gallery, his heart pounding in his chest and his thoughts racing.

• To Be Continued...