And shit, I am only a man and I just wanted her so bad. I slid my hands up the edge of the brush, so my hand was over her delicate hand. Her voice moved in transparent cerulean and seafoam wavelengths in my line of sight. Even though I was touching wood, I felt the warmth of the coziest blanket rubbing against them. The heat rolled down my neck, and to my fingertips. Her lavender scent grew strong, and I could smell her fruity shampoo on top of it, and the curves of her behind pressed against my pelvis. “Here,” I said, grabbing some of the brush handle from behind, “let me guide you.” It was a mistake. “And this is why I’m a dancer,” Bird said. You just need to focus on the leaf, and then pull that back to how the light hits the leaf because a leaf, even a leaf that you just see as green, is many shades of green.” “No, see, you are trying to draw the tree. Then I told her to lay down short, staccato thrusts, but her swipes were, frankly, juvenile and clunky. I squeezed out green and white and showed her how to mix for the right shade. The pale glow that surrounded her now grazed me. She was so close, I could feel her warmth even though we weren’t touching. “Oh ye of little faith,” she said, coming over to stand in front of me at the easel. “Okay, we’re going to use acrylic because if you make a mistake, you can paint over it as soon as it dries.” How about a tree, in the fall, so you can play with color?” I had just walked away before I could ever know her. I hadn’t invited a stranger over for Thanksgiving. That tweaker hadn’t attacked that homeless guy.

If nina g jones