Page 13 of His Dark Desires

The wine warms my chest, loosening my tongue. "So what exactly did you have in mind for the commission?"

"I want a series exploring the intersection of humanity and technology." Adrian leans forward, his sleeve brushing my hand on the table. That brief contact sends tingles up my arm. "How emotions translate through the digital age."

"That's... broad." I pull back my hands and twist my napkin in my lap.

"Think of it as a conversation between the organic and synthetic. Your style already hints at these themes. The way you layer texture, how you build depth, it's almost like coding, creating something complex from basic elements."

My breath catches. He's describing my technique with unsettling accuracy.

"I'd love to see you incorporate more technological elements. Perhaps AI-generated patterns woven into traditional techniques?" His hand moves closer toward me, in my space. "My company has resources you could explore."

"I usually work alone." The words come out defensively, but I don't know why.

"Of course." Adrian pulls back slightly, but his eyes hold mine. "The vision would be entirely yours. I'm merely offering tools to enhance your natural talent."

The server arrives with our appetizers—delicate arrangements I barely notice. Adrian makes it hard to focus on anything else.

"Your piece 'Fractured Light'? The way you captured isolation through fragmented reflections. Brilliant." His praise feels genuine, but there's something else in his tone. "Though I wondered if you'd considered using mirrors as a medium?"

I blink. I'd been sketching mirror installation concepts just last week.

"Actually, I have been—"

"The symbolism would be perfect. Surveillance, the ways we see ourselves through technology's lens." His fingers brush mine as we both reach for the bread basket. This time, the contact lingers. "You could create something revolutionary."

My skin hums where he touched me. His suggestions align eerily well with my own half-formed ideas, yet there's an undertone that makes me uneasy. Like he's reading a map of my mind I didn't know existed.

"You seem to have given this a lot of thought," I say carefully.

"I believe in investing fully in projects that interest me." Adrian's eyes roam my face. "And you, Sophia, are fascinating."

Heat blooms across my cheeks. The way he says my name feels intimate, like a secret between us.

"Tell me more about your vision," he prompts, and I find myself sharing concepts I've never voiced aloud. He listens intently, offering suggestions that somehow expand my ideas while subtly reshaping them.

Our conversation flows, punctuated by moments when our hands nearly touch or our eyes lock for a beat too long. Each time, electricity crackles between us, making it harder to remember this is supposed to be about business.

The main course arrives—something French I can't pronounce. Adrian ordered for both of us earlier, a detail that only now strikes me as presumptuous. But it's all delicious, so I can't really complain.

"The studio space I mentioned would give you room to experiment," he says, cutting into his steak. "The lighting alone would transform your work."

I push a roasted carrot around my plate. "My current studio has character."

"Character won't help you achieve your full potential." He's almost dismissive, and there's steel in his tone. "You need proper resources, proper guidance."

"I appreciate the offer, but I like working from home." The words catch in my throat as his eyes narrow slightly.

"Your apartment barely has adequate ventilation for oil paints. The fumes alone—" He stops himself, taking a sip of wine.

My fork freezes halfway to my mouth. How does he know about my ventilation?

"I researched similar artist spaces," he adds smoothly. "The common issues they face."

The explanation makes sense, but something feels off. Like watching a familiar movie dubbed in another language—the lips don't quite match the words.

"The commission theme I proposed," he continues, "it needs space for large-scale works. Multiple pieces displayed together, creating an immersive experience."

His vision sounds compelling. Too compelling. Like he's already mapped out every detail, leaving just enough room for my input to feel like collaboration.

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