After finally screwing up his courage to speak with Vinnie as he was spotted painting a picture on the campus grounds one afternoon, Ben wangles a casual invite to see Vinnie’s school art exhibition. This is a story of a relationship between two men, Benjamin (Ben) Penrose, 23, son of well-off, successful, indulgent parents, studying English literature and music and Vincent (Vinnie), 23, an art major with a much different background. This was the beginning of something special. And when he was done, his lips met mine in a languid kiss how our first kiss should have been-sweet, innocent, and full of promise. My nipples pebbled in response to his touch. His fingers skimmed my skin causing gooseflesh to ripple in waves down my arms and thighs. Mesmerised by the closeness of his beautiful face, the view of the night sky through the window, and the picture forming upon my chest, I watched as dab after dab and stroke after stroke he built up a mix of shades, until a dark night sky with the moon and stars were there to be seen-a masterpiece, drying on the warmth of my blazing skin, a transient thing of beauty. His finger connected with my skin and he made short strokes across my chest, the coldness of the paint making me shiver. Teasingly, he dipped his index finger into the dark blue paint as if it were cream he would lick off. Vinnie knelt on the floor beside me with an open pot of paint in his hand. “Lie back on the sofa for me and I'll paint you.” As if in a dream, I settled my head against one arm of the sofa, my legs dangling over the other end, scarcely breathing now. EXCERPT: Vinnie led me across the room, pulling me by the shirt. But if they believe, and if they keep their faith in the night sky and each other, just maybe they can make their dreams of love come true. Ben and Vinnie will have to walk through fire before they can find one another again. When Ben thinks Vinnie spends too much time with a fellow artist, his jealousy drives a wedge between them and forces Vinnie into the very thing Ben dreads.

But every relationship has its ups and downs and so it is with theirs.

They begin a relationship beneath the night sky, God’s own canvas. On the night of the sitting, Vinnie fingerpaints the starry night on Ben’s chest. Ben commissions Vinnie to paint his portrait, in order to spend more time with the artist. From a wealthy family, Ben purchases some of Vinnie’s art and arranges for the artist to personally hang the paintings in his apartment. Ben admires Vinnie’s painting of the university building, so Vinnie invites him to an exhibition of his artwork. A mutual interest in art draws two shy university students together.

Paint the Sky by Lily G. Blunt