Chapter 69: Erotic Arts [Music: Her By Rosenfeld] This situation was all because of me, so there was no use complaining about it. I should have known Ares wasn’t gonna let me win and bend the game to his advantage. I should be having my pizza and soda in peace right now, but here I was on the way to our date. "Why the face?" Ares asked, breaking the long silence since we drove out of the penthouse. I didn’t spare him a look, knowing that infamous smile was plastered on those delectable lips of his. Ares’ gaze burned at the back of my head, and the passing moment became excruciating, and I found myself speaking even though I didn’t want to. "Just another boring date with you. Where are we going this time, some five-star restaurant with a view? Or an opera house?" I met his eyes. "If it’s the latter, then I’m a bit underdressed. That’d ruin the image of your expensive wife." "Expensive wife?" He raised an eyebrow. I tilted my chin in a smug move. "That is the personality I’m going with. I’ll bleed your account dry." "Bleed it dry, baby. I’ll make more." Pompous bastard. The car came to a sudden stop. I glimpsed the building that didn’t look like a five-star restaurant or an opera house. Julian opened the door for me, and I smiled sweetly at him as I stepped out. This is an art gallery. I turned when I heard the door slam shut, and Ares came towards me, adjusting his coat. "What are we doing here?" "Our date." He placed a hand at the small of my back and led me into the building. Inside was breathtaking, the floors were polished marble that reflected the soft lights, and the high ceiling was on the same par with a cathedral. There wasn’t a single soul, yet the place looked like it was open for a grand event or something. "There’s no one here," I said as my eyes roamed before settling on Ares. "Privacy much?" Ares’ lips switched, and I glanced back to the view, stopping in my tracks at the sight of the arts on display. These are erotic arts. With a low breath, I neared one, taking in the luscious sculptures, capturing the human forms in the moments of intimacy and passion. It was exclusively put together, and I was mesmerized by the craft. I have seen art, but I have never seen one like this before, where a moment is captured so well that it was almost real. They are breathtaking, and my hand itched to feel them, and I bet the texture was just as incredible. It was things like this that made me envy artists. They were born with amazing talents to capture things we deemed simple and transform them into masterpieces. I tensed when I felt Ares behind me, a coldness slipping through me. "A date in an erotic art gallery." I peeked over my shoulder, and Ares leaned into my line of vision. "You surprised me this time." "I love a bit of art," he said in a ragged whisper, but before he could get too close, I stepped away to view another sculpture. "This one looks interesting..." I said as I eyed the sculpture of a woman under a veil, and every detail was captured to the last bit, and I would have assumed it was real if it hadn’t been small-sized. "Is it?" he asked, but he wasn’t looking at the art. "Yes," I replied softly as I walked, my boot heels making soft noises. I felt Ares’ gaze following me like I was art. I wondered why he had brought me here if he had no intention of enjoying the view. "I’m not a sculpture," I said to him when I was further away, to where a statue of a male and female intertwined in each other’s arms in a very dramatic yet romantic position. Ares’s hands were sunk into his pockets as he took a step to the side, and I could no longer see him. I used my hand to trace the piece as I stretched my neck, but Ares was nowhere to be seen. Puzzled, I covered the entire area, but it was like he had just disappeared. However, the moment I turned, I found him there, staring down at me like I was one of the crafts, but I was exclusively for his gaze. I think I’m enjoying this date a little bit. Ares came closer, and I walked away, a smile playing on my lips. I twirled as I walked to the next section, peeking to see if he was following, and he was. My heart skipped a beat, loving the thought that Ares only had eyes for me despite everything here. I lured him to the painting section. I stopped in my tracks, admiring a particular one with a skillful use of multiple colors to form a woman on top of a man. The woman’s head was taken backwards as if overwhelmed by the pleasure, while the man’s hands were tightly on her waist, and I could see the detail of the nail imprint too. So passionate and bewitching. My mind played tricks on me, and I saw myself in place of the woman, and Ares was the man. The image came to life, and I could almost feel him inside me. I flinched when I felt Ares’ hands on my waist, and he dug them until I could feel his nails biting into my flesh. Ares’ breath blew coldly on my neck, and I leaned in to feel more because his presence intensified the image. "She looks like she’s in heaven," I said when his hand moved. "She can’t get enough of him." I placed my hand on his when he moved up my ribcage, and the size of them felt like they could snap my waist, but his touch was surprisingly mindful. "What do you see?" he questioned. I gulped. "A-A painting of a man and woman." "What. Do. You. See?"