the studio complaining about how difficult it was to meet a decent guy in the city. Although someone as attractive and smart and ambitious as Madison shouldn’t have a problem.
She wasn’t drop-dead gorgeous nor did she possess any particular feature that would earn her a spot in front of the camera, but she had a casual sexiness that appealed to him. Serious, intelligent eyes, which sparkled when that wide, generous mouth curved into a smile, was a big draw for him. Long legs didn’t hurt. He had a thing for them, and she fit well into that category, too.
“Look, I’m sorry if I ruined your shot,” he said before he knew what he was going to say.
She turned and studied him for a moment and then quickly focused the camera and clicked twice. “That works.”
“What? Me looking humble?”
“You humble?” She chuckled. “Right.”
“Hey, I resent that.”
She focused and clicked again. And again as she stepped closer. “Now we’re talking.”
He had to laugh. “Does anything faze you?”
“Not much.” She looped the camera strap around her neck and let the camera rest over her breasts.
Whether from stimulation from the camera or the cool air, her nipples strained against her T-shirt, a set of pearls that captivated his attention and sent heat to his groin. He quickly looked away.
“How about we try over here again?” She gestured toward the white stone bench, and he readily complied, giving her his back as he moved in that direction.
In fact, he welcomed the distraction. It was going to be a long day, and the last thing they needed was an inappropriate look making them both uncomfortable.
“Right here would be good,” she said, suddenly so close behind him he could smell her citrus-scented shampoo.
Unable to resist, he inhaled deeply, and then when he turned, she was right there. Inches away, her minty breath warm on his chin.
“Sorry,” she muttered, and quickly moved back, except her breast brushed his arm. “I didn’t mean to crowd you.”
“No problem.” He lied. His slacks felt uncomfortably tight.
He didn’t dare look down.
5
J ACK WATCHED HER STUDY the trellis of small pink roses that flanked the left side of the bench. He didn’t think it was a matter of trying to avoid him. Fortunately she seemed oblivious to the contact and genuinely interested in rearranging one of the vines so that a spray of roses cascaded over the bench.
He took a couple of deep breaths. Told himself how ridiculous it was to have reacted, and everything started to settle down.
Except her nipple had responded to the pressure of his arm, and it required all his effort not to stare at the persistent nub.
“There.” She gingerly released the vine, and stepped back. “Perfect.”
“Okay.”
She looked over at him almost as if she’d forgotten he was there. “I’m trying to set a certain mood, get a certain look.” She frowned. “What would you do if you were planning a romantic date?”
“Romantic?”
“Yes, romantic. You know, out of the ordinary, something that bares your soul to someone special who you want to impress.” She briefly closed her eyes and gaveher head an emphatic shake. “No, not impress. She’s someone you care about…you’ve never felt this way about a woman before. You want to show her how you feel with every detail that you’ve planned for this date.”
“Romantic.” He sighed. Not exactly his style. “Right.”
“Stretch your imagination a little,” she said flatly, which made him smile.
“Help me out here.”
She squinted at him. “The longer you fool around, the longer this is gonna take.”
“Who’s fooling around? I usually take a woman to dinner and the theater. I’m a boring date. Now you know. Okay?”
She grinned. “You are a boring date. But so am I, so don’t be insulted.” She sobered, straightened and briefly closed her eyes. “Together we can do this. Okay. Imagine that you’ve planned a sunrise picnic. Up here.” She gestured
She wasn’t drop-dead gorgeous nor did she possess any particular feature that would earn her a spot in front of the camera, but she had a casual sexiness that appealed to him. Serious, intelligent eyes, which sparkled when that wide, generous mouth curved into a smile, was a big draw for him. Long legs didn’t hurt. He had a thing for them, and she fit well into that category, too.
“Look, I’m sorry if I ruined your shot,” he said before he knew what he was going to say.
She turned and studied him for a moment and then quickly focused the camera and clicked twice. “That works.”
“What? Me looking humble?”
“You humble?” She chuckled. “Right.”
“Hey, I resent that.”
She focused and clicked again. And again as she stepped closer. “Now we’re talking.”
He had to laugh. “Does anything faze you?”
“Not much.” She looped the camera strap around her neck and let the camera rest over her breasts.
Whether from stimulation from the camera or the cool air, her nipples strained against her T-shirt, a set of pearls that captivated his attention and sent heat to his groin. He quickly looked away.
“How about we try over here again?” She gestured toward the white stone bench, and he readily complied, giving her his back as he moved in that direction.
In fact, he welcomed the distraction. It was going to be a long day, and the last thing they needed was an inappropriate look making them both uncomfortable.
“Right here would be good,” she said, suddenly so close behind him he could smell her citrus-scented shampoo.
Unable to resist, he inhaled deeply, and then when he turned, she was right there. Inches away, her minty breath warm on his chin.
“Sorry,” she muttered, and quickly moved back, except her breast brushed his arm. “I didn’t mean to crowd you.”
“No problem.” He lied. His slacks felt uncomfortably tight.
He didn’t dare look down.
5
J ACK WATCHED HER STUDY the trellis of small pink roses that flanked the left side of the bench. He didn’t think it was a matter of trying to avoid him. Fortunately she seemed oblivious to the contact and genuinely interested in rearranging one of the vines so that a spray of roses cascaded over the bench.
He took a couple of deep breaths. Told himself how ridiculous it was to have reacted, and everything started to settle down.
Except her nipple had responded to the pressure of his arm, and it required all his effort not to stare at the persistent nub.
“There.” She gingerly released the vine, and stepped back. “Perfect.”
“Okay.”
She looked over at him almost as if she’d forgotten he was there. “I’m trying to set a certain mood, get a certain look.” She frowned. “What would you do if you were planning a romantic date?”
“Romantic?”
“Yes, romantic. You know, out of the ordinary, something that bares your soul to someone special who you want to impress.” She briefly closed her eyes and gaveher head an emphatic shake. “No, not impress. She’s someone you care about…you’ve never felt this way about a woman before. You want to show her how you feel with every detail that you’ve planned for this date.”
“Romantic.” He sighed. Not exactly his style. “Right.”
“Stretch your imagination a little,” she said flatly, which made him smile.
“Help me out here.”
She squinted at him. “The longer you fool around, the longer this is gonna take.”
“Who’s fooling around? I usually take a woman to dinner and the theater. I’m a boring date. Now you know. Okay?”
She grinned. “You are a boring date. But so am I, so don’t be insulted.” She sobered, straightened and briefly closed her eyes. “Together we can do this. Okay. Imagine that you’ve planned a sunrise picnic. Up here.” She gestured
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