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“You shouldn’t.” He lowered his chin, an earnest look crossing his face. “Isay let’sstart over. Since I’mmore than just alawyer and you’re more than just Erin’sbest friend and aphotographer with magnificent curves.”
Thatmagnificent curvesbit would’ve shocked me if not for the earlierdiving into my vaginapart. Not immune to his charm, and nodded. “Okay, where do we start?”
“Technically, Istarted by giving away my secret lunch place. It’syour turn to answer my question.” He crossed one leg on top of the other, his elbow perched on the bench.
“What am Idoing here?” Ibraced an innocent tone. “Ilike shooting people.”
With too much pleasure, Iwatched as his face contorted and listened to his stammered speech. “Uh, Laura, you are aware that I’monly bound to, uh, confidentiality with people who are my clients.”
And then came my turn to laugh. My head dropped back, relieved to open my mouth wide and let it all out. When Irelaxed from his total confusion, Ipicked up my camera between us. “Shoot as in take photos.”
Zach smacked his forehead with his palm, and groaned with his lips tugged to the side. “Nice one.”
“Iknow, Iknow.” Ipatted my own shoulder.
“Is that really why you’re here? Photographing random people?”
“People, city, nature, anything interesting that isn’twork related.”
His brows furrowed, disbelief claiming his features.
“Ido it every once in awhile, when Ihave an hour or two to spare. It keeps me sane and helps me practice my craft in anon-professional environment, forces me to think outside the box for whatever weather hits the city. It’salso the best cure for aburnout, really.”
“Basically, some form of acontinuous education program.”
“Yeah, something like that.”
When he didn’task afollow-up question or volunteer more information about himself, Idecided to ask for what Iwanted without spelling it out for him. Even if our friends were standing to our left, they would’ve never understood the meaning behind what Idid next.
Zach’sgaze observed me silently as Ifished through my bag for my strawberry-scented lip balm, opened the cap of the red and pink tube, and brought it to my slightly parted lips, just like he did with that damned sushi. With an infinite amount of patience, on my side obviously, Iapplied it on the upper one from left to right, then the bottom, pulling them in and rubbing them against each other, and finishing up with apout.
His eyes were glued to me, his pupils dilating even in the bright light of the day. They turned predatory, exactly how Iwanted him to look at me.
“You picked the perfect spot,” he mumbled, absorbed in the bottom half of my face.
Ayummy hint of afire down my stomach followed his blatant examination. Stretching this game out, Iasked, “For what?”
When he glared into my eyes again, Ifelt ajolt that shook me, his gaze scorching me, and Icouldn’tturn from him. “To drive me up the fucking wall, that’swhat. And for photography purposes, obviously. You picked agood fucking spot.”
It turned me on to see him like this, reflecting my attraction for him. Even more than attraction, we both had that look like we were seconds from breaking something after two weeks of not touching each other. The tension-filled silence lengthened, occupying the air around us, creeping up on my skin. The bench we sat on would’ve soon turned into abed, so Igot up to shake this suffocating and intoxicating lust from me.
Zach reached out for my wrist and held it as Iplaced my uneaten lunch back in my bag. “Are you going?”
Inodded.
“Why?” His grip on me remained firm, his thumb smoothing over my wrist.
If his eyes blazed, his touch had the power to sear through my skin. Something inside me had sufficient strength to check the park for familiar faces once more, and when there were none, Ilet him, with his words, drive me up the fucking wall.
Ifumbled for words, and eventually, by astroke of luck, remembered the errand Ipromised myself I’ddo before my short trip outside ended. “We’ve been here for more than half an hour, so your lunch is probably over, and Iplanned to buy Violet and Rowan abunch of toys for next Saturday.”
“Oh that.” He tugged me alittle closer and Itook ahalf step forward. “Ibeat you to it, gift buying-wise. Bought abunch of stuff online as soon as he texted me this morning. After my genius threw him off assuming we were somehow together.”
Talking about the toddlers pulled both of us from the heated direction our encounter took. His palm, though, never left mine.
“It’sthe guilt trip, isn’tit?”
“Yup, Tulip, exactly that.”
