Page 69 of Always Been You
Then, my heart jolts. Standing near the back of the studio is James Porter.
James. Freaking. Porter.
A legend in the world of ceramics. I gasp, clutching Eddie’s arm, unable to contain my joy.
“Oh my god, Eddie.”
He chuckles. “Knew you’d be excited.” I turn back to James, practically vibrating with excitement.
“I… I’ve admired your work since I was young. Your ‘Love and Life’ piece—” I gesture wildly. “The one with the shattered pot and the couple finding each other through it? It’s… God, it’s breathtaking.”
James smiles warmly. “I appreciate that.” He gestures toward a nearby workstation. “How about we make something together?”
I hesitate, biting my lip.
“It’s been years,” I admit. And let’s be honest, my skills aren’t on par with his.
Eddie nudges me playfully. “You’ll do great.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “We’ll see about you.”
He grins, rolling up his sleeves. He’s wearing white today—a change from his usual black, and I love it. Especially the way his biceps flex as he rolls up his sleeves. I swallow hard and quickly turn back to James.
“Let’s do this.”
We settle at the workstation, and our hands sink into the cool, damp clay. The wheel spins, and I quickly fall into rhythm, my fingers molding the shape instinctively.
Eddie, however… Struggles. Badly.
“This is rigged,” he mutters as his clay collapses for the third time. I laugh, reaching over to guide his hands.
“You’re stiff,” I tease.
Eddie, however, smirks, his voice dropping just enough to make my stomach flip. “I am. That’s what you do to me.”
I freeze for half a second before I smack his arm, stifling a laugh.
“Not what I meant, perv.” He just grins, completely unrepentant. I roll my eyes but place my fingers over his, smoothing out the clay.
“Relax,” I murmur.
Eddie grins wider but adjusts his grip, letting me guide him.
“You make it look easy.”
“That’s because I know what I’m doing.”
He shoots me a challenging look.
“Teach me, then.”
Our hands move together, clay smearing on our skin and clothes. The studio fades away, and for a moment, it’s just us sharing soft laughter, teasing nudges, and stolen glances.
Then, a moment of stillness. Our hands meet over the spinning clay, fingers tangled, coated in white dust. I look up to find Eddie is already watching me. His expression is soft, unreadable, something deep stirring in his gaze.
The wheel keeps spinning, but neither of us moves. Slowly, hesitantly, he leans in.
I meet him halfway. The kiss is slow, deliberate, carrying the weight of something unspoken.
