His
eyes were tired and he had painted enough for one day. It was time for him to go to bed. Sighing heavily Dorian sat back in the chair,
his back ached from sitting forward for so long and he considered the prospect
of a long, hot bath. The vibration in
his pocket was an unwelcome intrusion to his thoughts.
“Hi
it’s me,” Adam stated.
“Who
else?” Dorian replied flatly.
“Now
brother, there’s no need to be like that,” Adam chided, reaching across his
desk for his Marlboros.
“I
know, I’m sorry,” Dorian said. “It’s
late and only you would be rude enough to call at this hour. I was just about to call it a night and turn
in,” he added.
“Nonsense,”
Adam retorted, “it’s only half past midnight and the night is still young. I’m still working brother, and so should you
be.” Adam lit his cigarette, threw the
box back on his desk and inhaled deeply, immediately he felt the calming effect
of the nicotine.
“Yes,
but I have been working all day as well and now I’m shattered,” Dorian told
him, “You just put in an hour here and an hour there and charge your clients a
small fortune, we can’t all be so lucky.”
Adam
laughed, “True,” he acknowledged, “I am one hell of a lucky sod, and I know
it. But you, well you work too hard
brother,” he said. “Now tell me, how is
the girl?”
Dorian
shuffled in his chair, “Ah, the real reason you called,” he sighed, “I wondered
when you would ring to find out,” he stated.
“To be honest I thought it would be later in the week, you know - give
me time to get to know her first and all that.”
Adam
flicked the ash into the tray on his desk, “We don’t have the luxury of time Dorian
you know that. If this does not go to plan then we are sunk, dear brother,” he
warned.
“I
know, but I did not realise we had limits on our manners as well,” Dorian
scolded. “I have only spent two days
with her. It is impossible to tell if
she is what I am looking for.”
Adam
took the cigarette from his mouth again, “Come on now Dorian, you know as well
as I do, that you can tell in an instant if she is what you need,” Adam
retorted.
“Well
maybe this time, I need a little longer,” Dorian said.
“Dorian,
I am warning you. You had better not be
falling for this girl,” Adam spat.
“Oh
brother, I know only too well that I am not allowed any feelings for a year,”
Dorian sighed. “You have made that quite
clear.”
Adam
did not want this to turn into another argument, he had as little respect for
Dorian’s passion as he did time for it.
He inhaled deeply, allowing the smoke to fill his lungs, “Okay,” he said
warmly, “I understand how difficult this is.
But, in an ideal world, tell me honestly, how is the girl?”
Sensing
Adam’s change in mood Dorian answered truthfully, “Honestly? The girl is totally perfect.”
“Good,”
Adam said, “I had hoped that she would be.”
Dorian
was not ready to discuss Carla with his brother, “Have you heard from father?” he
asked, looking for a change in subject.
“Father
is fine, Dorian,” Adam said. “It’s you
that concerns me.”
Dorian
sighed wearily, “I’m fine, brother,” he yawned, “I just need a hot bath and my
bed. I’m just so very tired.”
“In
that case, I won’t keep you any longer,” Adam said. “Good night brother, sleep well.”
Dorian
turned off the phone and looked at the painting in front of him once more. He had spent all day working on her hair but
he was having difficulty mixing the exact colour and he felt frustrated and
irritated. His eyes wandered to her
lips, parted, full and so full of erotic promise, recalling the taste of them
he ran his tongue over his own. Dorian
could hardly wait to see Carla again tomorrow, but tonight he had to rest, “Good
night my beauty,” he whispered to her image as he rose wearily from his chair.