Read Online The Muse by Nicholas Matthews - Free Book Online

grin. 
                “Ok, it's exactly what it looks like,” Gibson conceded.  “But I'm not a creepy stalker or a peeping tom or anything like that.  Last night after we talked I couldn't get you out of my head, and I had to paint you.”
                “You did all this last night?” she asked, impressed.
                Gibson nodded.  “I guess I was inspired.  I painted the whole thing in a single sitting.  I came down to your floor to show it to you, but I saw a guy outside your door holding flowers.  I felt stupid for even daring to do such a thing and came back home.”
                “I'm so sorry,” Faith said.  “That was something that had been arranged a couple of weeks ago.  It was something I tried to get out of but couldn't.”
                “Was that the guy who hit you?”
                Faith picked up the painting and sat down on the edge of the bed.  “His name is Calvin.  And yes, he's the one.  Apparently, the truth hurts...both on his end and especially on mine.  He wanted an introduction to my father.  He was hoping to land a job with Dad's company.  I didn't feel like being used again, and I told him what I thought of him.  The rest you can see with your own eyes.”
                “We need to file a police report,” Gibson said.  “You can't let him get away with this.”
                “I don't want to bring any negative publicity to my father or his business.  I'd rather just let it go and avoid him like the plague from now on.”
                “You can't be serious,” Gibson said.  “That man is guilty of assaulting you.  He needs to spend some time in jail.”  
                “Can we talk about all of that later?” Faith asked.  “I'd rather focus on the painting instead of what happened.”
                “Do you like it?” Gibson asked, casting his eyes downward to avoid any scrutiny or disapproval from Faith.
                “Are you kidding?  I love it! This is probably the sweetest thing anyone's ever done for me.”
                “Really?” Gibson said, grinning.  “You can't mean that.”
                “But I do.  You really outdid yourself, Rembrandt....I mean, Gibson.”
                “You know my name?  I wasn't sure if you did.”
                “Of course, I know your name,” Faith said.  “I just call you something else as a joke.”
                Gibson gently took the painting out of Faith's hands and sat it down.  Then, he motioned for her to sit back on the bed.  “We need to get you doctored up.”
                “I look hideous,” Faith said.  Tears streamed from both of her eyes, and her lower lip trembled.  She was doing her best to hold it all in, but eventually she wasn't strong enough.  She sobbed uncontrollably for a few moments.  Gibson put his arms around her and pulled her close to him.  “It's going to be ok,” he kept telling her.  “It's going to be ok.”
                When she finally got herself under control again, she pulled away and stared at him with red eyes.  “I'm so sorry,” she said.  “I didn't mean to go to pieces on you like that.  I got makeup all of your shirt.”
                “Nothing that a washing machine can't make right,” Gibson said.  “Don't think another thing about it.  I'm here for you right now.  You're going to be fine.”
                “I'm sure I look like something out of a horror movie,” she said, gesturing to that spot on her cheek that was darkening like a thunderhead.  “Between this little beauty mark and eyes that look like they belong to an alcoholic, I'm sure I'm just a vision of loveliness right now.”
                “Hold on a second,” Gibson said, getting up and grabbing a bag of ice he had prepared for