is.”
“Yeah, that’s pretty much what he said. Look, I guess I’ll go into the cabin and make decisions about the schedule. I have the map with me. I figure we can do the easier shoots first and then take on the more challenging ones.”
“What makes you think Hunter’s not your type?”
“Oh, I don’t know, James. Maybe because he’s as outdoorsy as you can get, and I hyperventilate at the thought of standing in the middle of a freakin’ meadow. Speaking of which, if you’d like to continue the armchair analysis, would you mind moving it into Hunter’s cabin? I’m sure he has a couch in there somewhere.”
James put his arm around her and steered her toward the cabin. “I thought you were doing better today. Sure, you looked like you were going to lose it when Hunter picked you up and put you in the raft, but you were a trooper. You did great.”
“Oh yeah, I’m just ducky. Thanks, but I’m on the verge of a meltdown and have been ever since we started up the mountain. Honestly, James, I don’t know how much more of this I can take.”
James gave her a squeeze and rubbed her shoulder as they trudged through the meadow. “Don’t forget what a great opportunity this series of photo shoots is. If Bianca hadn’t been in the middle of deal negotiations, she’d never have given you the chance to show her all you’re capable of. This is your chance to turn a job into a career. It’s all up to you. Don’t let a few trees get in the way of your whole future.”
“Great. All I need is a little more pressure. Thanks—like trying to keep from completely losing it is not enough.”
James dropped his comforting hand and bumped shoulders with her. “Don’t get all dramatic on me too. You missed Yvette. She threw a fit when I told her she’d have to keep her bathing suit on when she sunbathed. It wasn’t pretty.”
Toni opened the door to the cabin and walked into a bright kitchen and great room. A huge stone fireplace was the focal point and went from floor to ceiling. In this part of the house it had a really tall vaulted ceiling and windows everywhere. “I can imagine. Yvette hates tan lines. I think if it were up to her, she’d never wear anything. The way she walks around the dressing rooms, you’d think she wasn’t interested in modeling clothes—just her body.”
“There is that, but I think she was trying to impress the boys. Fisher was all for it, but I put my foot down. This is work, after all.”
“If it wasn’t, I wouldn’t be here.” She stopped in the center of the entry and stared. The logs didn’t stop on the outside of the house. They formed the inside walls, the exposed trusses, the floor. It seemed as if everything in the house was made of wood save the huge fireplace, the leather furniture, and antler chandeliers, which looked weird to her but fit. Toni walked past the cozy leather couch and chairs and dropped her backpack and her hat on the dining room table.
The house was über clean—immaculate. Who knew Merry Maids came out this far? “I’ll do some work. Just promise me you’ll come back to get me before you leave? Okay?”
James patted her back. “As if Hunter would leave without you. You might have hurt his feelings, but I don’t think he’s going to give up that easily.”
“On what?”
“Wow, you really don’t see it, do you?”
“James, I love you, but I hate it when you speak in riddles. I’m so not good at figuring them out.”
James walked over to the door and opened it. “Tell me about it.”
***
Hunter stalked over to the beach. Man, he’d never been shot down before he’d even made an advance. It wasn’t as if the thought hadn’t occurred to him, but shit. He didn’t hit on just anyone and never on clients. She wasn’t interested, and it was fine with him. After all, he wasn’t that hard up, which is why he’d been relieved when he saw Toni had replaced Bianca. He’d spent a week avoiding Bianca’s come-ons when she was
“Yeah, that’s pretty much what he said. Look, I guess I’ll go into the cabin and make decisions about the schedule. I have the map with me. I figure we can do the easier shoots first and then take on the more challenging ones.”
“What makes you think Hunter’s not your type?”
“Oh, I don’t know, James. Maybe because he’s as outdoorsy as you can get, and I hyperventilate at the thought of standing in the middle of a freakin’ meadow. Speaking of which, if you’d like to continue the armchair analysis, would you mind moving it into Hunter’s cabin? I’m sure he has a couch in there somewhere.”
James put his arm around her and steered her toward the cabin. “I thought you were doing better today. Sure, you looked like you were going to lose it when Hunter picked you up and put you in the raft, but you were a trooper. You did great.”
“Oh yeah, I’m just ducky. Thanks, but I’m on the verge of a meltdown and have been ever since we started up the mountain. Honestly, James, I don’t know how much more of this I can take.”
James gave her a squeeze and rubbed her shoulder as they trudged through the meadow. “Don’t forget what a great opportunity this series of photo shoots is. If Bianca hadn’t been in the middle of deal negotiations, she’d never have given you the chance to show her all you’re capable of. This is your chance to turn a job into a career. It’s all up to you. Don’t let a few trees get in the way of your whole future.”
“Great. All I need is a little more pressure. Thanks—like trying to keep from completely losing it is not enough.”
James dropped his comforting hand and bumped shoulders with her. “Don’t get all dramatic on me too. You missed Yvette. She threw a fit when I told her she’d have to keep her bathing suit on when she sunbathed. It wasn’t pretty.”
Toni opened the door to the cabin and walked into a bright kitchen and great room. A huge stone fireplace was the focal point and went from floor to ceiling. In this part of the house it had a really tall vaulted ceiling and windows everywhere. “I can imagine. Yvette hates tan lines. I think if it were up to her, she’d never wear anything. The way she walks around the dressing rooms, you’d think she wasn’t interested in modeling clothes—just her body.”
“There is that, but I think she was trying to impress the boys. Fisher was all for it, but I put my foot down. This is work, after all.”
“If it wasn’t, I wouldn’t be here.” She stopped in the center of the entry and stared. The logs didn’t stop on the outside of the house. They formed the inside walls, the exposed trusses, the floor. It seemed as if everything in the house was made of wood save the huge fireplace, the leather furniture, and antler chandeliers, which looked weird to her but fit. Toni walked past the cozy leather couch and chairs and dropped her backpack and her hat on the dining room table.
The house was über clean—immaculate. Who knew Merry Maids came out this far? “I’ll do some work. Just promise me you’ll come back to get me before you leave? Okay?”
James patted her back. “As if Hunter would leave without you. You might have hurt his feelings, but I don’t think he’s going to give up that easily.”
“On what?”
“Wow, you really don’t see it, do you?”
“James, I love you, but I hate it when you speak in riddles. I’m so not good at figuring them out.”
James walked over to the door and opened it. “Tell me about it.”
***
Hunter stalked over to the beach. Man, he’d never been shot down before he’d even made an advance. It wasn’t as if the thought hadn’t occurred to him, but shit. He didn’t hit on just anyone and never on clients. She wasn’t interested, and it was fine with him. After all, he wasn’t that hard up, which is why he’d been relieved when he saw Toni had replaced Bianca. He’d spent a week avoiding Bianca’s come-ons when she was
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