Free Champagne Kisses: A Timeless Love Story by Krista Lakes

and silhouettes the woman? It's called chiaroscuro. Rembrandt is the artist who made it famous. But see how the sun shining on only this area creates a sense of forbidding? You can feel the storm coming, but she stands defiantly against it." I glanced over at Dean, and he had his brows furrowed, his concentration completely on the painting and me.
    "I see it," he said, his voice quiet as he stepped toward the painting.
    "See how the light and the dark interact? Without the light shining here, the dark wouldn't look so deep. The sun shining on her, making her a silhouette, in addition to her stance, is what makes her feel so strong. She is in the light despite the oncoming darkness. It is the way the two interact that make it powerful, the way the painter used the light to detail the shadows."
    Dean looked over at me, his eyes filling with understanding. "I've never had anyone explain a painting to me like that before. I always just thought art was just kind of a bunch of glorified nonsense."
    I gave him a smile. "Art is supposed to make you feel something. To help you experience the world. A good piece of art will change the way you look at things, maybe even change the way you look at yourself."
    "Do you always see the world this way?" He gestured to the painting. "A world of light and dark and all the shadows in between?"
    "Mostly. It takes a little training to get good at it, but I've always looked for the beauty in the world. That's why I went to art school. I love seeing the beauty in things that most people just take as everyday or ordinary."
    Dean stared at the picture for another moment. I took a bite of my hotdog, enjoying watching him suddenly realize the beauty in the painting. I remembered the first time I really "got" a painting, and watching him was a wonderful mirror of that memory. The same slack-jaw stare, eyes wide, shoulders relaxed except for the one arm reaching out to touch the picture, but stopping before contact.
    "You're right. It is beautiful," said Dean, turning to face me with a sheepish grin. "Thank you for showing me that. You like your hotdog?"
    I hadn't realized how hungry I was, I had snarfed the entire thing down already. I pulled my finger out of my mouth, sucking off the last little bit of ketchup. I looked at him sheepishly, then we both laughed. "They're probably all waiting for us back at the house," I said.
    We headed back down the boardwalk in contemplative silence. It was comfortable to just walk with Dean, knowing both our minds were still back with the painting. I could still see the whorls of color in the water and the light reflecting off the waves. Glancing over at Dean, I knew he could see it too.

Chapter 12
    J une 8 th , 1990
    When I woke up in bed again with Dean, it was the first time that I didn't feel like things were perfect. This was the last day that I would spend with Dean, and I knew that none of us girls were ready to say goodbye. If there was ever a time when I felt home, it was here in Florida, with my two best friends and the three guys that made us happier than we had ever been.
    Still, when he rolled over at me and smiled, I couldn't help but grin back. "Hey," I said.
    "Hey, Beautiful," he said. He looked completely at peace.
    I turned on my side to face him. The sheet was down around my waist, and my breasts were exposed in front of him, but it seemed like it had been forever ago that I had any modesty around him. "What do you have planned for today?"
    He shrugged. "I was hoping I could hang out with my girl," he said with a grin.
    I beamed. My girl . The words sounded perfect coming out of his mouth.
    "Well, yeah, but what are you going to do with your girl?" I asked, putting the emphasis on "your."
    He shrugged again. "There's a volleyball net outside that we haven't even used. What do you say we go buy a volleyball and try it out?"
    I smiled. Just the thought of Dean out there, shirtless, and using his strength in a masculine sport turned me on. I immediately