Courting Claudia by Robyn DeHart

off.”
    Texture. What was he talking about? Her hair was curly. Too curly. That was the texture. And thefeatures—she’d gotten them perfect. Right down to the extra flesh that hinted at a second chin. She looked back at him and still he stared at the drawing, his brow furrowed.
    â€œYou weren’t supposed to ever see this drawing.” She tugged on the edge, but he wouldn’t release it. “No one was,” she added softly.
    Derrick shook his head. “If I could draw, I would show where you went wrong. Sorry to say that my illustrating skills are sadly lacking.”
    â€œHand it back to me, and we’ll forget about it.” She certainly didn’t want this to affect his opinion of her talent. “Not all of my illustrations are perfect, that’s why I draw more than one before I turn them in. This one was for me, merely a sketch. No one was supposed to see it. Least of all you.”
    â€œClaudia, it’s not the quality I object to. Look at this. Look at your face. Do you see the difference in the way you drew yourself and the way you drew me? Or how about this?” He grabbed the other drawing from his desk, “The twins. Those girls are not what you would deem beautiful, yet you highlighted their best features in this illustration.”
    She glanced at the drawing of the twins. He was right, they were not particularly handsome women, but she had taken careful consideration to not draw attention to their overly large noses or poor complexions. She looked over at the image ofherself. It might not look exactly like her, but it was close.
    â€œIt’s not mine but rather your eyes that are lacking in this image. They have none of your sparkle and inquisitiveness.” He brushed his hand down the side of her cheek. “It’s difficult to capture the glow in your cheeks without color, I realize, but you could have hinted with some shading.”
    Her cheeks were red all the time, as if she were an actress who had gone too far with the rouge. She found them to be yet one more thing to hate about herself. Yet he thought it was a glow.
    â€œHad I drawn this, I would have focused on the subtle arch of your eyebrows.” He moved his thumb across her right eyebrow. “And that mouth of yours. The perfect and intoxicating mouth.” One finger feathered a touch across her lips, and she clenched her jaw to keep herself from giving in to the urge to nip them.
    His finger trailed from her lips, down her jaw, across her collarbone to the top of her dress. “Where is your tempting cleavage?”
    â€œI beg your pardon?”
    â€œIn the picture. Where is your tempting cleavage? Or your waist, for that matter?” He met her gaze, but didn’t wait for a reply before he continued. “’Tis a shame, the way you see yourself,Claudia.” He leaned in so that they were merely a breath away. “I have a mind to strip away those clothes of yours, stand you in front of a mirror, and show you what I see.”
    Chills scattered over every inch of her body. Her heart beat so rapidly, she was certain it would jump right out of her chest. She brought her hand up to hold it in if necessary.
    She needed to leave. This conversation had become highly indecorous. She stood. “I should leave.”
    He grabbed her arm. “Please don’t.”
    â€œI only stopped to show you that drawing. I need to be on my way.”
    â€œAll right, I’ll let you leave, but only if you agree to meet me tonight.” He stood to face her.
    She swallowed. “I cannot meet you. Someone might see us.”
    â€œOf course they will! Tonight I’m going to an art showing for a friend.” He retrieved an envelope from his desk.
    How humiliating. She prayed the floor would open up and swallow her whole. She’d thought he invited her for a rendezvous, and he was offering her a legitimate invitation. She truly was a harlot.
    He handed her the