The costume was definitely getting to her if she was thinking about him that way. She hurriedly wrapped the filmy material around her torso and crossed her arms over her chest. Im not ready. Not sure if she ever would be, now that the moment was at hand.
But I am.
Clearly Amber had managed to annoy him in the not-too-distant past. Emma would have to deal with that, and the fact he was startlingly handsome, so much so that he could be in front of the camera.
Except, she couldnt imagine him looking virginal.
Not that you care, but I need the light that were losing with each passing second. Without so much as a glance at her body-so much for the ego she hadnt even realized she had-he took her wrist and tugged her out of the protective covering of the sheets.
He walked quickly and smoothly on the rough path, forcing her to jog to keep up with him. She ran alongside while simultaneously trying to keep the material around her and her thong in place. By the time he got her to the set, she was huffing and puffing.
She really had to find the time to exercise more thoroughly than the occasional yoga tape. But she knew she wouldnt. If she wasnt writing, she was sleeping and if she wasnt sleeping, she was plotting.
Work ran her life.
Work was her life.
So how shed ended up in paradise half-naked still boggled the mind, but here she was, determined to save Amber and have fun for once, with Rafe and his assistant staring at her, waiting for her to pull some model magic out of a hat shed never worn before.
The rain still fell, big heavy drops sparse enough that they felt nice and cool landing on her hot, steaming skin. If she could have, she would have loved to take a long walk in it, alone, soaking it all in, getting drenched, cooling off-
The other man came forward as Rafe went to his camera. What had Amber told her the tall, gorgeous blondes name was? Stone. Stone didnt like Amber, but her sister hadnt cared and said Emma shouldnt care, either. Now Emma wondered at that, sensing a long story behind the casually made statement, and wished shed found out the reason for the animosity.
Stones light blue eyes were cool but kinder than Rafes as he pointed to the hammock. There. Give us some good stuff quickly and we can all get out of here.
Good stuff. Right. No problem. Her skin was damp, and her hairGod knows how bad it had gotten. A woman came close and introduced herself as Jen, the makeup and hair artist.
Ill just- She started to play with Emmas hair, but lowered her hands when Rafe called out to her.
Shes perfect, he said, holding three film canisters. The skins got a fabulous glow and the hair is good. Leave it.
Odd how just those words, spoken so impersonally and not even directly to her, caused a flutter in Emmas belly.
He thought she was perfect.
Before today, it had never occurred to her to go into modeling. Youre too smart to waste your life that way, her mother had drilled into her at a young age.
And agreeing, Emma had always been the studious one. But there was something to be said for being told she was perfect by a stranger. She wondered what her mother would think of that, as shed never imagined her daughters perfect at all.
Emma got onto the hammock-no easy feat in itself-and pulled the material tighter around her, keeping her arms crossed over her breasts.
Stone reached toward her and Emma tried not to wince. He was going to arrange her, touch her-and this would be the hardest part. Amber loved to be touched, craved it like everyone else craved air.
Emma, however, didnt. She closed her eyes. Tried to breathe.
Stone, wheres the white umbrella? Rafe called out from behind the camera.
The white Stone looked at the blue one theyd used earlier and swore. In my room. He looked over the setting, the rain misting down on their model, the lighting, and sighed in agreement. Yeah. I need to go get it, its just what you need. He started jogging up the path Emma had just been tugged down by Rafe.
Emma turned back to the camera, but suddenly Rafe was standing right in front of her-tall, big and wet. As a few errant drops hit him they practically steamed right off his body.
Hold still, he said.
She held still and looked into his dark eyes, watching to see if he watched her. Saw her.
Relax.
No, he didnt really see her, at least not as a woman. She didnt know if she was relieved or insulted.
Relieved, she decided a minute later, realizing shed never felt so utterly naked. Living her life as she did, with work being all she ever thought about, she wasnt used to this nude thing. Shed had the occasional relationship, but given her schedule, occasional was the key word. It had been a good long time since shed had so much as a kiss and even then, since she remembered being on deadline at the time and completely distracted, it hadnt been anything to write home about.
Casual nudity had never become a part of any of those occasional relationships. She always rushed through her day, preoccupied, rarely seeing herself naked, much less letting anyone else see her. Being so exposed right now was like one of those dreams where she found herself on the school bus, without clothes.
It was horrifying, terrifying, mortifying-
Perfect, Rafe said, looking through his camera at her.
Her tummy fluttered again. Her nipples tightened. And her thighs clenched. Yes, she was horrified, terrified, mortified
And somehow excited at the same time.
Hug your knees. He came out from behind the camera, moved close.
Ohmigod. If she werent so bared to the cool raindrops, she might have broken out in a sweat-
Silent, brooding, he wrapped his fingers around her ankles, lifting until she bent her knees. Then he took her wrists, dragging her arms around her legs. Bend your head down, just a little- He sounded gruff, frustrated, so it confused her when he suddenly softened. Oh yeah, he breathed. Just right. He stroked her hair from her face, his fingers brushing her skin.
Her gaze jerked up to his as her nipples tightened even more, but he was completely lost in getting the pose he wanted.
She might have laughed at how impersonal it all was, except that she couldnt guarantee she wouldnt sound hysterical, so she kept it to herself.
Set your chin on your knees, he commanded, oblivious to her inner turmoil. And look directly into the camera, as if youre just a little nervous.
A little nervous. Ha! If he only knew just how nervous she was. Her thighs were trembling now and she squeezed them tight.
No, stay loose.
She tried, but again he came out from behind the camera. This time he put a hand on her thigh.
Her body twitched.
Loose, he commanded.
Impossible. Despite the fear and embarrassment, that excitement was humming through her insides again. At the realization, she felt her face heat. How could this be? What kind of sick woman would be excited about being naked, in front of a stranger, having him touch her, toss demands at her? She didnt know, but she couldnt deny it. She was into this, and feeling so overwhelmingly sexy that she didnt know how to handle herself.
Not paying any attention to her or her turmoil, Rafe pried the loose filmy material free of her hands and shook it out, leaving her completely bare except for the small triangle of her thong.
This was worse than the naked-in-the-bus nightmare, far worse, and at the same time somehow even more exciting, but she hunched over her knees, hugging them for all she was worth.
He handled the fabric like a pro, putting it back around her in a way that satisfied him, and left her feeling like she sat on a high wire without a net.
And still he just looked at her.
She squirmed, and as she always did when she was out of her element, she started talking-too much. I know, I should have done sit-ups. She crossed her arms tighter over her breasts, which were plain old B cups, but somehow in the forest, wet from the rain, they appeared closer to a C. And a Thigh Master wouldnt hurt, either, but-
Youre crazy. He shook his head and stepped back, assessing her before pulling her arms free of her body to drape them over her knees again as he wanted, cocking his head to study her. You know damn well youve got a body that brings grown men to their knees.
Maybe Amber knew, but Emma rarely thought of herself that way. His praise made her nipples even happier, and her thighs were doing that funny clench and unclench thing again. She swallowed hard and stared at him, trying to get it together, but she couldnt, she just couldnt. Amber hadnt told her how incredible-looking he was, how masterful, how utterly confident. She hadnt said his touch would bring goose bumps to the surface of her flesh or that his voice would make her want to shiver.
Maybe Amber knew, but Emma rarely thought of herself that way. His praise made her nipples even happier, and her thighs were doing that funny clench and unclench thing again. She swallowed hard and stared at him, trying to get it together, but she couldnt, she just couldnt. Amber hadnt told her how incredible-looking he was, how masterful, how utterly confident. She hadnt said his touch would bring goose bumps to the surface of her flesh or that his voice would make her want to shiver.
Amber hadnt said any of those things and, as a result, Emma decided she needed to get out more.
Hold that position, he said.
Holding. Her bent legs covered her in the front, but then he walked around the hammock, slowly, taking her in, and she could only imagine the picture she created from behind with her thong riding high-
Hmm.
Whats the matter? she asked shakily, resisting the urge to reach around and yank at the satin dividing her butt in a most intimate way.
Thats odd.
Whats odd? Did she have a zit? What?
Ive never noticed that freckle before.
F-freckle?
Yeah, this one right here-
She nearly leaped right out of her skin when she felt the blunt tip of his finger stroke her right buttock and the freckle.
Hed never noticed it before because her sister didnt have one. Oh. Wellits usually covered.
Not when Ive seen you.
That deflated some of her exhilaration, oddly enough. So hed seen her sister in far less than this outfit. She should have figured as much. And having his finger touch her so intimately shouldnt matter, either, but her entire body felt soaware. The lightweight material brushing and teasing her breasts seemed too rough suddenly, and her over-sensitized nipples quivered at her every breath as they rubbed against the material. M-maybe its a new one.