His lips twitch. “How can I forget?”
“Yes. Well. I had been to work that night, but I couldn’t do the job.”
“Why do I get the feeling I know where this is going?”
“He was hosting a function and your parents were there. I recognized your mom before I entered and apologized.” I smile sheepishly. “This is slightly awkward.”
Aaron stares at me for a long moment. “Amusing is what I’m thinking. More the fact Alexander had to hire someone to accompany him to his own function.”
“Oh yes. Imagine that. Having to hire someone to be your date.”
He grins and slides a hand up my back to cup my head and pull it forward. “Well, I’m very glad I hired you first. Otherwise, I may have had to kill him for you.”
“Protecting me, right?” I murmur against his lips.
“No. That’s me being a selfish bastard. Haven’t you noticed? I’m ruthless when it comes to something that belongs to me.”
“I’m a thing now, am I, Mr. Stone?” I stand and look down at him.
“Not a thing, no. You’re my thing.”
I fight my smile. “You really know how to romance a woman, you know that?”
“Romance, seduce. Is there a difference between the two?” He smirks. “You’ve never said so.”
“I made dinner. It’s probably cold by now though.”
“You cooked in my shirt and you didn’t tell me?” He stands and grabs me. He tugs me into his body. My br**sts squash against the hardness of his chest, and I feel his erection press into my hip.
“You were on the phone, remember? Besides, I wasn’t aware I was required to tell you.”
“From now on, any time you wear my shirt, cooking or otherwise, you’re required to tell me. Especially if you’re naked beneath it, which seems to be your new uniform.”
“Is that an ironclad requirement?”
“Set in f**king stone.” He smiles at his own words, kisses me softly, and drags me into the kitchen. “What did you cook me?”
“The usual. Food. Ouch!” I clap my hand over my butt cheek. “What was that for?”
“Your sass,” he grins. “That and I happen to enjoy smacking your ass.”
I’ve gathered that. I narrow my eyes at him. “I made steak.”
“You cooked me steak?”
“No, I cooked it for the security guys. Of course I cooked it for you.”
“She wears my shirt and she cooks me steak. Are you a dream?”
I laugh and put the plates in the oven to heat them through. “You’re a lucky bastard, Aaron Stone.”
He looks at me for a long moment, his lips slowly curving to one side, and reaches out for me. He runs his thumb along my jaw and leans down, his hot breath covering my lips.
“More than you know, Dayton Black. More than you know.”
***
“I’ve changed my mind.” I slide in opposite Tyler in the coffee shop. “I don’t think I want to model.”
He raises his eyebrows. “Really? You’re a natural.”
I shrug a shoulder. “I don’t know. I don’t think it’s for me. I’m not really comfortable in front of a camera, you know?”
And I’m not. The more I’ve thought about it, the more certain I am that I’m not model material. My age goes against me for one thing, and I’m done showing my body for money.
It might be a different context, but if this whole blackmail situation has taught me anything, it’s that only one man should ever see my body again. That man is Aaron.
“Yeah, I could tell, love. It’s something you would have gotten used to, but I get it.” Tyler pulls out a folder. “What are you going to do with these?”
I smile. “Keep them. Maybe I’d be better on the other side of the camera.”
“I doubt Aaron will rest until you’re working for him.”
“And I’m not making his ass coffee.” I grab the one Tyler holds out to me. “I do that every morning.” I pause. “Do you have to travel a lot? I mean, I really like the idea of being a photographer. It seems kind of fun.”
“It is.” He grins. “You don’t have to travel. I do because I choose to, but I think Aaron would have you doing domestic shoots more often than not.”
Good. I need to do something now. I need to feel like I’m doing more than cleaning the shower five times a day out of sheer boredom. And this… Photography…
I really enjoyed it in London, watching him shoot. Being on Tyler’s side of the camera was comfortable and enjoyable. I can see myself doing that more than being the one posing.
So it means I’d have to go back to school. I’ll be twenty-five tomorrow. Is that too old? No. I’m still young, and although it would take a couple of years to finish the classes, I’m guessing, it wouldn’t be too late.
“Hey, would you teach me some?” I smile sweetly at Tyler. “Please.”
“I have a shoot this afternoon. Want to come with?”
“Could I?” My phone buzzes in my pocket. “Hang on.”
Come home. I have a surprise for you, is what the text from Aaron says.
“Looks like I’ll have to join you next time. Aaron wants me home.”
Tyler grins. “I know. The shoot was a bluff.”
Suspicion narrows my eyes. “What are you two planning?”
“I’m not planning anything. I’m merely the one talked into keeping you out of the way for his planning.”
A black car pulls up outside the coffee shop. “Is that mine?”
“Yep.” Another grin stretches across his face, and he leads me outside and opens the door. “Have fun. By the way, I’m flying back to London tomorrow. I’ll think about this photography thing and call you, okay?”
“Sure thing.” I sit back in the chair as the car pulls away.
Tyler waves through the window, and my thoughts immediately turn to Aaron. A surprise for me? I hate surprises. They’ve all been bad lately.
And since it’s my birthday tomorrow, I can’t help but worry that it’ll be something over the top.
Oh, god. I swear, if he proposes to me, I’ll shove the box up his ass.
That would be so him. He would so plan for me to have coffee with his cousin—why didn’t I notice something was up then? —then do something ridiculously outrageous.
That thought hangs with me the whole journey home, and by the time I reach our apartment, my hands are sweating. I push the door open slowly and stop when my eyes find him.