(no subject)

[axeslade]

Well, for one I found out that the cover I liked for Picture Perfect was for the Austrialian edition, which makes me kind of sad. But, I've decided to share my little snippet with you guys, because...well, just because. Feedback is wanted desperately.

“Mmm…” Amy Fremont knelt to wrap her arms across her husband’s chest and set her chin on his shoulder, grinning as she glanced at their reflections in the mirror.

“God, I’m getting wet just looking at you. Can’t we just skip this dumb thing?”

Taylor laughed, and a self-satisfied smile crossed his face before he turned to kiss his wife’s hair.

“Sorry Am’, can’t afford to miss this one.”

Amy sighed theatrically and rolled her eyes.

“That’s what you say every time. Can’t we just have one night to ourselves?” she said, and before Taylor could answer, she gave him a pretty little pout; putting a hand under his chin so she could turn his head and kiss his mouth. When her tongue began dancing against his, Taylor almost purred. Sure, he didn’t believe that he loved her like he had when he was young and stupid, but it did feel good to be worshipped like this by someone who wasn’t holding a camera or something for him to sign.

When Amy finally pulled her mouth away, she placed both hands on the sides of his face, staring deep into his eyes.

“Please?” she asked sweetly, tilting her head slightly. “Please Taylor? For me?”

In the past, Taylor would have skipped the party if Amy had asked. Hell, not too very long ago he would have found a way to pull the stars out of the sky if she wanted them. Now, however, an inexplicable anger took control of him, pulsing through his veins with every beat of his heart. How dare she! Didn’t she know how much he’d done for her? And now she was acting like he kept her locked up in the basement all day or something!

Growling softly, he wrapped his fingers around her thin wrists and harshly shoved her hands away from his face as he stood up.

“For God’s sake!” he snapped, slamming a hand down on the table Amy still knelt beside, making her jump. “Hasn’t everything I’ve done been for you? Huh?” he snarled, planting his hands on the back of the chair so he could look her in the eye as he spoke. “Even though we were both broke, and my parent’s wouldn’t help us because they hated you, I married you because I thought I’d lose you otherwise. Even though I thought I could get better work in America, we stayed because you didn’t want your parents to be able to come see us. I worked for years to get the money that bought this house, the furniture, that goddamn necklace you’re wearing!”

Before he could stop himself, Taylor found that his fingers were reaching out towards her delicate throat, then they hooked around the diamond and emerald choker she wore, tearing it off and throwing it to the floor. Amy flinched as his hand reached for her, but relaxed quickly and didn’t make a single noise as the jewels flew across the carpet.

His fury somewhat abated by the outburst, Taylor sighed heavily and lowered his gaze, though his stormy eyes still burned holes into Amy’s flesh.

“All because I loved you and wanted to make you happy. And now you think that you have the right to get upset because I’ve been going to a few parties so I can get better roles and more money to get you more pretty things?” he asked softly, gripping the chair tightly as he waited for her response.

It was slow coming, because while she hadn’t been full-out sobbing, Amy had been quietly crying throughout his tirade and it took her a little while to get her breathing under control. When she finally stopped hyperventilating, she slid onto the chair, turning and kneeling so she was facing her husband. She smiled tearfully and slid an arm across his neck.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, quickly licking her lips. “I guess I just missing having you to myself all the time. Don’t ever think I don’t appreciate what you’ve done for me, okay?” she murmured, tenderly running a finger along his cheekbone. “I owe you so much, and I’m sorry I forgot that. But I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone else, and I’m tired of going to these parties, putting on a fake smile while you schmooze the whole room, and then having to share you when we get home.”

Despite himself, Taylor smiled and leaned forward to brush his lips against Amy’s forehead.

“Yes, but you forgot one thing, love,” he whispered as he brushed her long blonde tresses away from her face. Then he lowered his lips to her ear, outlining the delicate shell with his tongue.

“While those people might sleep with us, the only ones left in the morning are you and me. It comes down to that. Those people don’t hold my heart,” he smiled, placing a soft kiss on the side of her neck. “You do. You own me, and I own you. Don’t you ever forget that,” he murmured as he stood up. Then, just as quickly as his rage had changed to tenderness, his tenderness turned into authority.

“Now, go clean up. You’re a wreck,” he said with only the slightest hint of a laugh.

Amy nodded, giving him a slightly shaky smile.

“Sure love. I’ll just be a minute,” she pecked him quickly on the cheek, then stood and walked into the master bathroom. Taylor grinned as she left, taking pride in the fact that no matter what happened, she would never leave him. Not like everyone else had. Everyone else in his life had either been on his level or above when he met them, but not Amy. When they had met, Amy had been lower than the dirt on his shoes, and she knew it. And while, in the world’s eyes, she was now on the same level, Taylor knew she would always feel like trailer trash. So she would stay because she believe she could never do better. And, Taylor thought as he smiled into the mirror, she was right.

Once she had shut the bathroom door, Amy bowed her head over the sink and started to sob. Damn him. Damn him for making her believe his lies. How could he do this to her? Was this man who mad her cry and broke her jewelry and then made it out to be her fault really the same one who had seduced her with his art and defied his parents by marrying her?

Maybe that was why she still loved him. Because even if he acted crazy sometimes, he was still right. He had given up so much, worked so hard to make her happy. So she loved him, because he deserved to get that much in return.

It was those last whispered words, though, that sent unimaginable fear into her heart. A fear that she could only let out in the hysterical sobs that ripped from her throat after she turned on the faucet. While most women would have thought it sounded romantic in an old-fashioned, almost barbaric kind of way, it made Amy’s blood run cold.

You own me, and I own you. Don’t you ever forget that.

Sure, usually that would sound wonderful. Being someone’s one and only, their most beautiful treasure. But there was a difference, Amy thought as she turned off the water and reapplied her makeup, between being a coveted treasure and being a prisoner.

She’d asked for the imprisonment, though, she realized with a heavy sigh as she walked back to the bedroom. She’d wanted a rich man who could change her life, and she’d gotten it, so she had no right to complain about the consequences. She just needed to suck it up. Which she did, plastering on a glittering smile as she sauntered into the room.

As she stepped in, Taylor looked up from buttoning his cuffs and smiled at her, making her heart do a cartwheel. Then he stepped towards her and he must have seen her flinch as he reached for her, because he sighed sadly and tenderly stroked her cheek with the backs of his fingers.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured. Then he turned away, and for a moment Amy was confused when he turned back and wrapped his arms around her neck. When he removed his hands, Amy started to speak until she felt something cold brush her chest. She glanced down and saw a large heart-shaped sapphire lying between her breasts.

“I was going to give it to you for your birthday,” Taylor said softly, tracing the heart with his little finger, “But since I broke the one you were going to wear, and there was nothing else that went with this dress…” he trailed off, shrugging. Internally, Amy shrugged as well. So he was sorry about the breaking-her-necklace part, not the making-her-cry part. Well, she’d take what she could get. She grinned brightly and kissed him, leaving a slight crimson tinge on his lips.

“Apology accepted. Now c’mon or we’ll be late.”

Taylor smiled, quickly kissing her back.

“That’s my girl,” he lightly ruffled her hair, then took her hand and led her outside.