The air in Jax's studio was filled with the faint scent of paint and turpentine. Light spilled through the rooftop, falling across canvases stacked against the wall and brushes left in jars of cloudy water.
Mari stood barefoot in the middle of the room, wearing only Jax's black shirt, the sleeves rolled up, the hem brushing just below her thighs. Her hair was tied in a loose bun, and her cheeks still glowed faintly from the warmth of the morning.
Jax leaned against a table nearby, his paint-stained hands crossed over his chest as he watched her. "You should paint something," he suggested with a teasing smile.
Mari looked at him, her brow arching. "Something like what?"
"Anything you can picture in your mind," Jax replied. "Even if it's just splashes of color. Just paint what you feel."
Mari bit her lower lip, eyeing the blank canvas. "Anything?"
He nodded. "Anything."
She tilted her head, her lips curling into a playful smile. "Okay. But you can't watch me."
