“Just pose for me, Sum, it’ll be fine.”

“Pete, no. You don’t want me to pose naked. I don’t want me to be posted naked all over campus.”

“Not naked, then, tastefully draped. Like Venus on the half-shell, we use a long piece of fabric and I paint it as hair, all the way down to your ankles. I’ve got a few pieces here…” He pulled a long strip of silk, golden yellow, from his box of painting props. “Summer, please? I’ve been wanting to paint you for ages.”

“We’ve been dating for three months, Petie.” She knew she was going to give in. He was doing the puppy-dog eyes thing. She always gave in to the puppy-dog eyes. “You’ve been wanting to paint me for ages?”

“Longer than we’ve been dating. Please? I promise nothing bad, nothing you’ll be embarrassed for your friends to see.”

“I’m not worried about my friends. I’m worried about my brother. And you should be, too.”

“I don’t see him here.”

“That’s because you haven’t upset him yet.” She wrinkled her nose at him. “Look, hon, I like you. But nothing that will make my brother raise an eyebrow.”

“Why do you let him run your life like this?”

“Because he’s family.”

At her glare, Pete held up both hands. “Okay, okay. Tasteful, right? Summer, I can do tasteful. I just want a chance to paint you.”

He held out the drape of fabric again. “Summer on the half-shell. When I’m done, you’ll be able to hang it in church.”

She took the silk from him. Winter couldn’t frown at her for art. “All right, Petie. Summer on the half-shell.”

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