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“Wait, wait—what?” Halo said, his eyes close to bugging out of his head as they flicked between Jacques and myself. “I’m not getting naked.”
“Oh dear. See, good angel,” Jacques said as he moved between us, his hands coming up to frame Halo’s face without touching him. “I promise no one will see anything they shouldn’t. We’ll keep your modesty intact.”
The blush that hit Halo’s cheeks then was so endearing that I couldn’t help the chuckle that slipped free. At the sound, his eyes flew past Jacques’ shoulder to find mine.
“No. I’m not doing a naked photoshoot,” Halo said, shaking his head. “What about the rest of the guys?”
Jacques looked over at Killian, Jagger, and Slade, who were over by the catering table out of earshot, then turned back to Molly.
“Molly? While the men are stripping, can you go and get Viper’s guitar for him and close off the area to everyone who isn’t needed? Looks like we’ve got ourselves a shy one here.”
Molly scurried off and Jacques faced Halo again.
“There. That’s better, no?” Judging by the alarm pouring off Halo in waves, I was thinking…no. But before Halo could find the right words, Jacques said, “Both of you strip down and we’ll get the rest of you oiled up. Then we’ll start. This is going to be incredible.”
As Jacques left us to “strip down,” Halo didn’t move. In fact, I wasn’t even sure he was breathing, as a dozen crew members began ushering people out of the backyard and erecting those collapsible poles that they then attached massive black privacy curtains to.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Killian look our way, but before any kind of explanation could be exchanged, his face disappeared as the curtain blocked him out.
“Are you out of your mind?” Halo stage-whispered as he took a step toward me, his eyes a little wild as he ran them all over my face, no doubt trying to see what screw had come loose in my head. “We can’t do this.”
“Can’t do what? Get naked together?” I said, my lips curving at the sides. “Pretty sure we’ve already done that, Angel. Many times.”
Halo moved in even closer to me and said between gritted teeth, “Would you be serious for once in your life?”
I lowered my eyes to his slicked-up chest and licked my lower lip. “I’m being very serious, and you are supposed to be stripping.”
Halo shook his head. “I can’t do that.”
“No? Well, if you need me to help, I can…” As I raised a hand, Halo took a hasty step back from me.
“How about you keep your hands to yourself,” Halo said, and when I reached for the zipper of my jeans, he groaned. “God. That’s not any fucking better.”
With my jeans hanging open, I glanced over my shoulder to where Jacques was fiddling with his camera and lighting, and then turned back to where Halo was looking like he might pass out. Knowing the only way Jacques was going to get the shot he wanted was if I managed to get Halo to chill the fuck out, I put my hands on his shoulders and said, “Breathe.” Halo glared at me, clearly unamused, but when I cocked my head to the side and said, “Fucking breathe,” he did.
In and out. In and out. He took several deep breaths, and when he finally looked as though he could stand without falling, I let him go.
“What’s the main issue here for you? Me? The nakedness—”
“How about you and the nakedness?” Halo said, then he lowered his voice. “How am I supposed to stand next to you naked and not get…get…”
“Turned on?”
“Yes.”
Fucked if I know, I wanted to say, but I didn’t really think he’d appreciate that much honesty. So instead I said, “The same way I’m going to stand next to you and try and do the same.”
“Umm, that’s not the same,” Halo said. “Did you forget the fact that you get a prop?”
Oh, that’s right. Well, shit. When I chuckled, Halo’s jaw clenched. Right, maybe don’t laugh, Viper.
“I wouldn’t worry about it,” I said. “Jacques is a professional and it’s only going to be you, me, him, and Molly. He’s not going to care if you get turned on. Hell, he’ll probably like it more. He made it pretty fuckin’ clear he thinks you’re gorgeous…beautiful man.”
“That’s your pep talk?”
Halo ran a hand over his face, and I leaned in to say by his ear, “No. This is my pep talk. You look hot as fuck naked, and I can’t wait to frame this picture and hang it above my bed so I can get off to it each night you’re not there. Now strip, Angel. Or I’m gonna rip those pants off you.”
That did the trick. Halo took a less-than-steady step back, his eyes full of fire as he reached for his zipper, and it was me who had to turn my back on him then to finish getting undressed without attacking.
