The art of love

Chapter 1

"I shut my eyes in order to see"

Paul Gauquin (1848-1903)

Elena

I walked slowly towards my office, holding the hot coffee carefully. It was a cold winter evening and even though I advertised everywhere about Jeremy's new show, the gallery was empty. This was the worst opening yet and I was terrified, thinking about the disappointed look in Jeremy's eyes to hear that nobody was coming to see his show. My brother is a very talented artist, but he is missing the connections to get him ahead. And I'm not a big help, not since I have decided to focus on him only and dumped the other contracts I had with some more renowned artists.

I sit behind my desk and I open Sotheby's web page to check out their recent impressionist auction, when I hear the door opening. A cool gust of wind came in, together with a stranger and I start to shake. "Now would be a good time to start wearing pants to work, Elena" - I thought to myself, pulling my sweater on my bare arms, feeling bad that I have to cover my beautiful green silk dress.

I look for the stranger and try to greet the first visitor the gallery has this week. All I see is his back, as he stares at one of Jeremy's works of art. It's the one I love most and it took my breath away when I saw it. I'm secretly hopping it won't sell and Jeremy will give it to me as a gift for my birthday next month.

"Good evening, Mister..." I said in a serious and professional voice.

"Good evening, Miss Gilbert" said the stranger in a deep, low voice, turning towards me to shake my hand.

All I see is his blue eyes and I seem to float in a universe with no gravity, just a powerful magnet, drawing me towards the deep blue oceans. I'm thinking – "This is how hypnotized people must feel like" and I start to blink, trying to pull myself from the attraction of the blue eyed man who is now shaking my hand.

As soon as he touched my hand I felt a warmth spreading in my body and settling in my lower abdomen. He pulled his hand fast, as if he was ashamed of something. I looked into his eyes again, trying to read his expression. I realised suddenly that his eyes were full of anger, not shame. "Why would he be angry at me? We barely exchanged 2 words... Get a grip Elena, he is a stranger... and most importantly, a potential customer for your brother's works of art" – I give myself a virtual slap and try to come back to reality.

"I'm sorry, I didn't get your name, Mister..."

"Salvatore. Damon Salvatore. And I'm sorry, I have to go" said the stranger abruptly.

And just like that, he turned his back and exited my gallery. I stared at the empty space he left in front of me and tightened my sweater. I could still smell a hint of his perfume and I closed my eyes and inhaled it deeply, trying to absorb him, or whatever was left of him anyway.

I decided to call it a night and went to the door to lock it. When I looked outside, I saw a black SUV parked in front of the gallery. I wondered if that was him, the shadow hiding behind the dark tinted windows. I switched the light off, feeling safer in the dark and went back to my desk to close my laptop and get ready to go home.

I bundled up in my coat, set the alarm and got into my car. As I was driving home on the busy streets of New York, I was thinking about the stranger. He was not a stranger, his name was everywhere, and his creations were desired by every big gallery and every private collector who knew anything about art and good taste. And tonight he decided to enter my gallery and check out my brother's show.

Damon

When I heard her voice greeting me, I knew the Gods were playing me a big trick. For God's sake, I wasn't even drunk and I could hear her voice everywhere. My obsession with her was getting too much, even for my twisted mind. "Calm down Damon, it's just the gallery owner. Be polite and don't freak the poor girl" – I thought to myself as I turned towards the voice.

Shock hit me when I met her big brown eyes, the same eyes I loved for years. Except there was no wicked expression that I could read in them, there was only kindness and peace and calm. I was drowning in her brown eyes, a deer's eyes caught in the middle of the forest.

It couldn't be... she wasn't Katherine, yet they could be twins. Suddenly I couldn't breathe, her touch was burning my hand and I withdrew it fast. I had to leave, I had to get out of here. I told her my name and ran out the door. The cool air brought me back to reality. That was not Katherine in there, it's just a girl who resembles her a bit. It must be my pain, it's twisting the reality.

From the safety of my car I watched her close the gallery and get into her car. I decided tonight was a good night to start drinking again, so I pulled out my phone. I closed my eyes for a second and I remembered how her soft touch made me feel.