A Picture of Desire (2 page)

“Do you like the pictures?” Todd asked.

“They’re beautiful,” Ava replied. “Who was the photographer?”

“Me,” Todd answered. “I can’t afford original prints from famous artists, so I have to make my own artwork for my walls.”

Ava knew Todd worked his days as a manager of a retail camera store. She’d heard his stories about elderly women who wanted to take pictures of birds and new parents who wanted to photograph their babies. Amateurs behind the lens, they needed only the simplest cameras and equipment. The job was long hours for low pay, and Ava knew that Todd disliked it.

“Who is the woman?” Ava asked.

Todd wandered over to the photograph that hung on the wall in front of Ava. In the picture, the woman’s figure looked shapely and lean as she lounged against a tree.

“Just someone I knew once,” Todd said.

Ava glanced at him sharply. She’d heard the catch in his voice. The hint of regret. The taste of a past memory.
An old girlfriend
, she thought, surprised to feel the little spark of jealousy that fired in her belly.

Then Todd reached out and touched her arm, and she felt the warmth of his fingers through the fabric of her sweater. “Are you ready?” he asked. “I’m prepped over here.”

She nodded and gulped the last swallow of wine in her glass, barely tasting the liquid as it warmed her belly. Ava allowed Todd to guide her to the sofa. “Sit down,” he commanded.

She perched on the edge of the cushion, her legs demurely crossed at the ankles. He grabbed his camera from around his neck and immediately started snapping photos.

“That’s right,” he murmured. “Give me a small smile. Look at the camera. Look at me.”

Ava could feel the stiffness in her lips as she tried to smile. Todd dropped the camera from his face, his crooked grin teasing her.

“Try and act like you don’t hate me,” he said.

Ava laughed. “I don’t hate you,” she said.

“Good,” he replied. “So smile at the camera as if I’m someone you might actually like.”

She watched him as he continued to snap shots, occasionally offering commands or suggestions.

“Lean back.”

“Kick off your shoes and bring your feet onto the sofa.”

“Turn your head and let your hair fall into your face.”

As the minutes went by and her body grew more relaxed, Ava felt a warmth flushing her body. Todd’s eye on her—and the sensual way he commanded her—was starting to make her feel alive. And hot. And sexy.

As soon as she realized what was happening, she started to sit up.

“Wait, wait,” Todd walked over to her. “What are you doing? Lean back. We’re getting some great shots. You look really relaxed and… well… relaxed.”

“I am relaxed,” Ava said.
Too relaxed
, she thought.

“Then lean back,” Todd said. “We can’t stop now.”

“Don’t you have enough pictures?” Ava asked. “I think we’re about finished.”

Todd shook his head. “You only started loosening up a few minutes ago. The best pictures are yet to come.”

He pressed his hand against her shoulder and gently pushed her backwards. She didn’t fight him, and instead fell back against the soft, beige cushions. When she looked up and met his gaze, she almost gasped at the desire that glittered in his dark eyes.

He reached out a hand and touched the top button of her cardigan, expertly unbuttoning it with his fingers. “You look so stiff and formal,” he said. “It would make a wonderful photo if you’d show your feminine side.”

Ava wanted to protest. Wanted to stop him. But the closeness of his hard body made it impossible for her to speak. She could feel a lust for him that tingled between her legs. She knew without looking that her nipples had perked into hard nubs.

He knew it, too. His palm casually brushed her breasts as he released another button on her sweater. And another.

She grabbed his thick wrist with her hand, trying to get him to stop, fearing that in a matter of moments she would be naked and too weak to stop the seduction he clearly had planned for her.

He stopped, completely still, and to Ava it seemed as if neither of them breathed.

When he finally spoke, his voice was husky and thick. “Let me just shake out your hair a bit for the next round of pictures,” he said. “It will help frame your face.”

Before she could stop him—before Ava could utter a single word—he plunged a hand into her mane of chestnut curls and wrapped his fingers around her hair. With a gentle tug he pulled her head back so that Ava stared right into the dark pools of his eyes. She saw the passion. Saw the lust. And her body reacted before she could stop herself. In the subtlest of movements, the pink tip of her tongue snaked out of her mouth and touched her bottom lip, moistening it in anticipation.

Using the hand in her hair to pull her toward him, he groaned and pressed his lips against hers. His tongue plunged into her mouth, tasting her, and Ava found herself moaning against his breath. She felt the hardness of his cock as it pressed against her. She smelled the musky scent of his body combined with cologne. And his mouth was hot and firm, and almost as wet as the moisture that collected between her legs.

He stroked the pert nub of her nipple with his thumb. She reeled at the sensation of his hand rubbing her breast with only the thin layer of her silk camisole between them. Unable to stop herself, she arched against him and gripped his arms with her hands. Ava was hot and tingling and throbbing with desire for this man who had tempted her for so long.

Todd pulled his lips from hers. “I’ve wanted you since the day I met you,” he moaned.

Through the mist of passion that threatened to consume her with its urgency, Ava heard his words. Heard his voice. And the reality of it all cut through the haze that had overcome her senses.

Her palms pushed against Todd’s chest, moving him away from her. She shook her head.

“No,” she said. “I can’t. We can’t. You’re Ken’s brother.”

“I don’t give a damn about Ken,” Todd said. She heard the hoarseness of his voice and the raggedness of his breathing. “I want you.”

Ava buttoned her sweater with shaky fingers. “No,” she said again, pleased to hear that her voice was strong and stable, despite the weakness in her limbs. “I won’t do this.”

She quickly walked—almost ran—out the door of Todd’s apartment, only slowing when the warm night air hit her skin. As she slid behind the wheel of her car, she realized that Todd hadn’t tried to stop her from leaving. He hadn’t called out to her as she walked out of his home.

And part of her wished that he had.

~ ~ ~

“You’re quiet today,” Beth observed.

She and Ava stood behind the jewelry counter, arranging gold necklaces and pearl earrings. They were able to make the meager selection appear more abundant with clusters of velvet fabric, sparkling confetti, and small mirrors.

Despite the warmth in the store—the electricity bill was two months past due, so Ava tried to minimize the air-conditioning costs—Ava felt chilled. The night before she had betrayed Ken’s trust. Had wantonly kissed her fiance’s brother. She felt like a whore.

“I’m fine,” she lied. “Just a little tired.”

“We didn’t get any stock in today,” Beth said. “I called the warehouse. They said our bill was so overdue that they wouldn’t deliver until we were paid up. Have you talked to the owner of this dump?”

“No,” Ava replied, shaking her head. “I tried calling him last week, but all I get is voice mail. I’m pretty sure he’s avoiding me.”

“One day we’re going to come into work and find an ‘Out of Business’ sign on the door,” Beth said, snapping her chewing gum between her teeth.

Although Ava would never reveal it, such a scenario was one she feared on a daily basis. Because she handled the financial management of the store, she knew better than Beth that their shop was deep in the red. Not even a hundred thousand dollars in sales would help them stay afloat. They were doomed.

“Think I should start looking for another job?” Beth asked.

Ava nodded, too depressed to speak.

The bell above the door tinkled as it opened. In walked a young man, his blond hair shaved close to his skull in a classic crewcut. Despite the brightness of his blue eyes, Ava didn’t see them as engaging or interesting. To her the man’s eyes looked cold and empty, like a shark. His clothing struck her as unusual, too. Summers in Virginia were typically hot—and this one was no exception—yet the man wore a hooded sweatshirt and jeans, a far cry from the standard garb of shorts, t-shirts, and sandals that were usually seen this close to the shore.

The hairs on the back of Ava’s neck rose. She glanced at Beth and could see that her co-worker had tensed, too. Beth’s hands were clenched into fists, and her long fingernails dug into her palms. She cast a worried look at Ava before slowly sidling toward the storeroom entrance, as if looking for an escape. The jewelry store had no alarm. Ava wasn’t even sure if the phone was still in service. And she didn’t expect another patron to walk through the door. This man was the first customer she’d seen in days.

As the man slowly wandered the store, browsing the merchandise in the glass case, Ava reached into the pocket of her khaki skirt where she kept a folding knife. The knife had been a gift from her father when she’d first left for college. “You need to carry a blade,” her dad had said. “It’s a handy tool for opening boxes and cutting string. And if you need it, you’ll have a weapon, too.”

The knife had been used to open packages, trim hanging threads from her clothing, and slice the occasional apple. She’d never needed a weapon. And she prayed that she wouldn’t need one now.

Finally, the man stopped in front of Ava. No one had yet spoken. She forced the words out of her mouth, hearing the scratch of nervousness that tainted her voice.

“Can I help you?” she asked.

The man smiled, his teeth gleaming and even. In that moment he looked more like a person and less like a shark, and Ava could feel herself relax. “I’m looking for some jewelry. My girlfriend and I got into a fight, and she’s pretty upset with me. I thought a nice necklace or bracelet might help me get back on her good side.”

Ava smiled in return. The knots that had gathered in the back of her neck loosened. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Beth visibly relax, too. This was just a normal man who wanted a piece of jewelry for his girlfriend. She felt foolish for imagining something sinister about him.

“Well, does she prefer yellow or white gold?” Ava asked.

The young man ran a fingertip over the glass case. “To tell you the truth,” he admitted, “I really don’t know. I think she wears both. Which do you think is best?”

The glass case sparkled as Ava peered into it to examine the sparse display of bracelets. Even though she wanted to sell the man an expensive piece of merchandise to help the failing shop, she was certain he was shopping on a budget. Kindness won over her desire for a high-end sale, and she gestured at a moderately priced item.

“Well,” she said, “I like this one.” She pointed to a white gold bangle studded with a few square diamonds. “It’s a unique piece. Very different from the standard diamond tennis bracelet, so it makes a statement. Yet it’s still elegant enough to wear for a formal event.”

The man’s eyes crinkled as he squinted at the jewelry. “It’s perfect,” he said. “She’ll love it.”

Ava reached into the case to retrieve the bracelet. “Would you like me to wrap it up for you?” she asked.

The man nodded. “Thanks,” he said.

The bell above the door tinkled again, signaling another customer. Ava looked up from the bracelet in her hand, almost dropping it when she saw Todd walk through the door. He met her glance and walked toward her.

“I’d like to talk to you,” he said. His voice was husky and thick, and Ava’s stomach fluttered at the sound of it.

“I’m with a customer right now.” She heard her own breathlessness, though she’d tried to control it.

“It’s urgent,” he said.

The young man at the counter glanced at Todd and then back at Ava, his brow furrowed. “I’m in a hurry, Miss,” he said. “I have an appointment. Can you just wrap up the bracelet for me and keep it behind the counter? I’ll be back later to get it.”

Ava nodded, barely acknowledging the young man as he turned and left the store. Her entire being felt as if it were frozen by the hard, steady gaze that Todd gave her. Then he tore his eyes from her and glanced over her shoulder.

“I’d like to speak to you in private,” he said.

The realization that Beth stood behind her startled Ava. She had just experienced the thrill of making a sale for the jewelry shop, as well as the other torrent of emotions that pummeled her the moment Todd walked through the door. In all the turmoil, she had forgotten her co-worker was even in the store.

“Oh, it’s time for my break anyway,” Beth said. “I have to meet my mother for lunch at Bertucci’s Deli.” She sauntered out of the store, her hips sashaying beneath her tight miniskirt, winking good-bye to Ava as she slipped out the door.

“Are we alone?” Todd asked.

Ava nodded. “Yes.”

“I brought the pictures for you to see. I thought you might like a preview before I showed them to Ken.” He pulled a stack of photographs from his pocket.

Surprised that he had not mentioned their shared kiss, the tension in Ava’s shoulders loosened. The air sizzled with the electricity between them, but she was happy to act as if the previous night’s embrace hadn’t happened.

I’ll be glad to just forget about it
, Ava thought as she examined the photographs he had spread on the counter. She could see which shots were taken at the beginning of their photography session: she looked stiff and tense and distracted. But in the final pictures, her hair was down and her eyes looked relaxed.

“This one is my favorite,” Todd said, picking one from the stack.

In the photo Ava sat on the couch, her legs tucked underneath her body. Her skirt inched up her thighs and her head tilted back as she looked at the camera through lidded eyes. She could see that her lips were parted and moist. It was the look of a woman with lust in her heart. A woman melting with desire. A woman begging to be seduced.