Artfully Yours Novels & Stories

She turned back to her work, picking up a rag to polish a smudge of resin. Aurora paused at the door. She looked at her daughter. Hope was humming. Bohemian Rhapsody. Aurora smiled. The world was quiet. The art was safe. She walked out, closing the door on the masterpiece, unaware that five thousand miles away, a machine was printing that same masterpiece onto a polyester throw pillow. The Upper West Side. Ms. Elena sat at her kitchen table, grading the portfolios of her current "Little Leonardos" class. They were terrible. Brown smudges and glitter everywhere.

she said, "you don't have to pay for any of this." "I know I don't have it on me right now but I can't just take them off—" "No." She shook her head, still smiling. "What I mean is—this boutique belongs to Mr. Dante. He owns the entire building. Actually," she paused, "he owns every single property on this street." I stopped. My hands were still half raised from where I'd been reaching for the watch clasp. "He—" I dropped my hands slowly. "He owns this place."

The minute he opened it, his stomach twisted in recognition. Inside was Medical-grade scar care products. He knew because he’d done research about it once but it was out of stock at the time so he settled for tattoos and after that, he just couldn’t stop. He reached for the note inside, his fingers trembling slightly. There was nothing except one simple sentence written in stunning cursive letters. One that made his heart flutter. “You're beautiful, Art.”

Amara's POV April. Third week. Tuesday morning. I was at the warehouse. Not the making school. The warehouse. The new space. The What You Actually Are collection was taking shape. Ruth's commission was done and delivered. Catherine's commission was done and delivered. Three more pieces were in progress. Each one for a specific person. Each one starting with the pocket. Each one built around what the person actually was. The collection was growing the right way. Not quickly.

Laurel’s POV By two in the afternoon, the penthouse had been transformed into a temporary luxury showroom. Garment bags hung draped over the backs of dining chairs, the sofa, and the high bar stools. Italian leather heels lined the marble trim beneath the console table, designer handbags were arranged across the island, and velvet jewelry boxes sat stacked beside the crystal fruit bowl. I turned slowly toward Amanda. "Did you rob a department store?" "I curated," she replied, not looking the least bit apologetic.

We went further, raiding the boutique for denims and finding a silver purse that caught our eyes, Mimi and I fought for it like school kids fighting for candy. “I laid hands on it first,” I told her. “It suits me better,” she said, carrying it off the shelf and wearing it, looking at the mirror. I scoffed and rolled my eyes. “You have something like this already so why are being a bitch about it.” Mimi gasped, holding her mouth with her hands. Yvonne or Eve only looked at the both of us. Then someone came through the door. It was a guy which made me lift my brow at what he could be doing at a female sex shop.

This was the consequence. This was what happened when you used people as escape—eventually the escape learned your name. “Delete it,” he repeated, controlled. Penelope’s smile softened into something colder. “You’re scared.” Dennis said nothing. She shrugged, unbothered, and tapped the screen. “It’s just a story,” she said lightly. “It’ll disappear.” Dennis lunged for the phone. Too late. The upload circle completed. Penelope rolled onto her side, satisfied. “There,” she murmured. “Now go back to being the guy who doesn’t care.”

Allison turned around and batted her eyelashes, biting her lip as she handed him a heavy fountain pen. The cap was most definitely not stuck, and it was easy to undo and hand back. “Thank you so much,” she purred, putting the pen to her mouth and smiling. Jace couldn't help but look at her as she slowly moved the pen in and out from between her lips. It was slow and sensual and she pushed out her chest as she did it, making the gesture even clearer. She had a great body, but as she licked her lips, she couldn't have been more obvious if she had turned on a red neon sign with pricing and hours.

And the name too, what a coincidence that he found a gallery with my favorite flower in the name. “Yes, I did.” He replied. “Do you like it?" I could already imagine how the interior would look, lined with dozens upon dozens of paintings. In every open space would be installation art, and in some are people in motion performing their own craft. Beautiful. This is the most thoughtful-- and not to mention expensive-- gift anyone has ever given me. Like an idiot, lost for words I nod. “Is it really mine?” “It’s yours. From now on, whatever you want, whatever you wish for, it shall be yours.”

Oliver came up to me and held my hands as he drew me closer to his mother "Mum, meet my new friend Glitter but you can call her Glitz, " he said as he introduced me to he mother "Hey Glitter, you have a very beautiful name just like you, " she said A she smiled at me and I smiled back. "Thank you, ma'am. You look beautiful too" I said to her as smiled "I guess you are Carter's sister?" She asked "Yes, I am" I replied "I can see the resemblance." She said as I smiled