With Me in Seattle Bundle One (17 page)

“Close enough,” he mutters.

“Hey, this is why I told you not to freak out on me when I showed you this studio.”

“You didn’t tell me that you work with young naked men.” He’s pissed all over again.

“I don’t, usually.  He’s a friend of a friend who needs images for his portfolio.  Don’t be a jealous ass.”

“You led me to believe that you work with women or couples, Natalie.”

“Luke, I just told you, this is an exception.”

“I don’t like it.”

“It doesn’t matter if you like it.”

Luke glares at me like I’ve grown a second head and runs both hands through his hair.

Brad saunters out of the bathroom, fully dressed in jeans, T-shirt and sneakers. “Thanks again, Natalie.  I had a great time.”

I smile warmly at him.  “Me, too, and you’re welcome.  I should have them edited for you this week.”

“Great.  See ya.”  He leaves, shutting the door behind him.

I turn back to Luke to find his glacial blue eyes narrowed on me.  He’s royally pissed.

“What, exactly, are you mad about?” I ask as I turn back to the bed and begin stripping the sheets.

“Natalie, I just walked into this studio to find my girlfriend standing in what would only be appropriate as nightwear over a naked guy on a bed, and he’s got his hands on her bare leg.  What do you think I’m mad about?”  His voice has risen several decibels, but I’m stuck like stupid on one word.

“Girlfriend?”

He stops his rant and stares at me.  “Yes, girlfriend.  I thought after this past weekend that that’s where we are.”

Oh.

Wow.

“Am I wrong?” His voice is worryingly calm.

“Well, no, I guess I just hadn’t thought about it.”  I finish with the bed and turn to face him again. “Luke, this is my job.”

“I don’t like it.”

“It isn’t your place to tell me that I can’t do this.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“That’s what you’re implying. I’ve done this for years.  No one has ever gotten out of hand.  Remember, I told you I don’t have sex in here, and I don’t have sex with clients.  Jesus, do you have so little faith in me?”

“No, it’s just…” He runs his hands through his hair again and paces back and forth.  “I wasn’t expecting to feel the way I felt when I saw his hand on you.”

“How did you feel?”  I tilt my head at him, my curiosity piqued.

“Like I wanted to kill him,” he growls.

“Oh.”

“Nat, think of how you would feel if I had to do a love scene in a movie.  It would be work to me, but I’d still have to hold another woman, kiss her…”

“Stop right there.”  I do not want to hear this.

“It’s the same thing for me.”

Geez.

I take a deep breath and sit on the side of the bed, suddenly weary.  “I’m sorry, it didn’t occur to me.  Honey, I haven’t had to explain my actions to another human being in years.”

“I know.”

“You were jealous.”

“Jealous is too tame a word for what I was feeling.”

Part of me wants to squeal and do a little happy dance, but I hold it in and gaze at him impassively. “You don’t have any reason to be jealous.  You’re all I see, Luke, even when I’m not with you.”

He closes his eyes tightly, as though some great weight has been lifted, and I take him all in.  He’s wearing another button-down shirt today, in black this time, and black jeans.  He looks young and impossibly beautiful.

And I’m his girlfriend!

I stand and move to him, wrapping my arms around his waist.  He puts his arms around me, linking his fingers at the small of my back, and we just gaze at each other for a minute.

“Please don’t be mad at me,” I whisper.

“I’m not.”

“You were.”

“Yeah, I was.”  He kisses my forehead.  “Don’t you have any real clothes in here?”

“Yeah, it got hot in here, so I took them off.”

He narrows his eyes again, and they go cold.  Shit.

“Don’t freak out on me. It happens no matter who I’m photographing.  I don’t have AC in here.”

“Why not?”

“Well, honestly, because a sweaty body is sexy on film.”

“Oh.”  He furrows his brow.

“Hey, stop it.  You have nothing to be jealous over, honey.”  I run my hands down his face, loving the roughness of his stubble against my palms.

“I love it when you call me that.”  He leans into my touch and closes his eyes.

“You do?”

“Yeah, you usually just call me by my name.”

“You’re a terms-of-endearment kind of guy, huh?”  I stand on my toes and kiss his lips gently, and his eyes warm up.

“Obviously,
baby
.”

“I love it when you call me baby.” 

Now his eyes light up like it’s Christmas. “Why?”

“No one ever has before,” I whisper.

He sighs and hugs me close.  “I forget how inexperienced you are when it comes to relationships.”

“Yeah, so cut me some slack.  There has to be a learning curve.”  I pinch his tight butt, and he laughs.

“Okay, okay.  Just do me a favor.”  His face is serious again.

“What?”

“No more single men.  Please.”

I frown and want to argue with him.

“Please, Natalie.  For me.”

“What if we have a chaperone?”

“Talk with me before you book another single man, and we’ll discuss it.  I don’t like feeling like this.  I’m asking you to respect how I feel.”

Well, when he puts it like that.

“Okay, I’ll talk with you first.”  It’s a concession, but I can’t help but think about what he said about love scenes, and I know I’d go out of my mind with jealousy if I were in that position.

“Did you do any love scenes in your movies?” I ask and search his face.

“Why do you think there was a butt shot?” He grins down at me.

“I don’t ever want to see those movies, Luke.”

“Fine by me, baby.”

“So, I’m your girlfriend, huh?”

“Absolutely.”  He kisses me deeply, and I grip on to his shoulders, pulling him down to me.

When he pulls back, I can’t resist running my fingers through his hair.  “Okay, let’s go get lunch.  Fighting with you makes me hungry.”

“You’re putting on some decent clothes first.”

***

I leave Luke with Jules in the kitchen and run upstairs to get dressed.  I smirk to myself, remembering the look of apprehension on Luke’s face when confronted with Jules, but she was cool as could be, and I’m relieved that her adolescent behavior where he’s concerned has subsided.

I throw on a pair of blue jeans that hug my ass, a green top and matching green heels.  It may just be lunch, but I never get to wear my heels, and Luke’s tall enough that I could wear them all the time.

So I think I just might.  He seems to like them.

I brush out my brown hair, leaving it loose so it frames my face, and apply some eyeliner and mascara.

I’m good to go.

I find Luke and Jules still in the kitchen, talking about all things cooking.

“I bake my bacon,” Luke is saying.  He’s standing with his back to me so he doesn’t see me enter the room.  “That way there’s less mess on the stove top.”

“I don’t care how it’s cooked.”  I wrap my arms around his middle and press my nose between his shoulder blades, breathing him in.  He smells of fabric softener and body wash, and his shirt is soft against my face.  “As long as it ends up in my mouth,” I mumble against him, and I hear him chuckle.

He turns to look at me and grins wide. “You are gorgeous in green.  It matches your eyes.”  He runs his fingers down my face, and I sigh.

“Thank you.  Is this better than what I had on earlier?”

“Much.  Do you have any more sessions today?”

“I have one tonight around eight.”

He frowns.  “Why so late?”

“A lot of people work during the day, so I have to schedule evening sessions sometimes.  It doesn’t happen often because I prefer using the natural daylight rather than my lighting equipment, but sometimes it’s necessary.”

“Who is it?”  He eyes me speculatively, and I sigh.

“Just a girl who wants some pretty photos for her husband for their anniversary.”

“Oh, okay.”

I run my hand through his hair.  “Don’t worry, babe.  There are no single men on my books right now.”

“Can you let me know when there
are
?” Jules pipes in quickly.  “All this mushy stuff is reminding me how long it’s been since I got laid.  Go to lunch.  Or get a room.”

We say our goodbyes, and he holds the door of the Mercedes SUV open for me so I can climb in.  When he’s behind the wheel, he leans over the console and kisses me lightly.

“Where are we going?” I ask as he starts the car.

“How does seafood sound?”

“We live in Seattle.  I think it’s a prerequisite to love seafood to live here.”

“Seafood it is, then.”  He grips my hand in his and smiles over at me.  “You look beautiful.”

“Thank you.” I feel my face flush, and I look down at our joined hands.  “You always look beautiful.”

He laughs and shakes his head.  “It’s just genetics.”

“What did you do this morning?” I ask, changing the subject.

“I went to the gym and worked out with my trainer.”

“You have a trainer?”  Of course he does.

“Yeah, he kicks my ass.”  He grins at me, and I can’t help but grin back.  “How was yoga?”

“It was great.  I love it.  Have you ever tried it?”

“Um, no.”

“Not manly enough for you?”  I roll my eyes.

“It’s not that. I just like a rigorous workout.”

“Go with me Wednesday morning.”

He frowns and eyes me speculatively.  “I’ll make you a deal.”

Uh oh, where is this going?

“What kind of deal?”

“I’ll go with you to yoga on Wednesday if you go to the gym with me tomorrow.”

I bite my lip and look out my window.  I’m afraid of looking like a fool.  I don’t have the tight, little body that most of the other women have in gyms.  Yoga keeps me toned and flexible.

“You don’t have to go with me,” I whisper.

“Natalie, what did I say?”

“Nothing.” I can’t look him in the eye.  I hate feeling self-conscious, and I’m just now to the point of not feeling that way naked in front of Luke. 

“Baby, what’s wrong?”  He pulls into the parking lot of the restaurant and cuts the engine, turning toward me in his seat.

“Nothing, I…”

“Look at me.”  His voice is stern, and when my eyes meet his, they’re ice blue.  “Talk to me.”

“No, you get mad at me when I talk about my body.  Just leave it alone.  We’ll work out separately.  It’s okay.”

“Why are you so hard on yourself?”  He’s bewildered.

“I’m not.  Well, not until now,” I whisper.

“Stop this.  You have nothing to be ashamed of, baby.”

“I’m not ashamed.  I know you find me attractive, and I love that.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“I don’t want to make an ass of myself.”

“But you want me to go to yoga and try to twist into a pretzel and make an ass of myself?”

Oh.  Good point.

I giggle and put my fingers over my mouth.

“Are you laughing at me?”  He’s smiling again, and the tension in my stomach relaxes.

“I wouldn’t dare.”

“So, are you going with me to the gym or not?”

“I so wish you’d let me take your picture.”

His eyes widen, and he goes very still, and I mentally kick myself.  “Why?”

“Because I’d love to take your picture at yoga.  This is going to be hilarious!”

He relaxes and laughs as he gets out of the car, coming around to open my door.  “Come on, I want to watch you eat.”

Chapter Sixteen

Salty’s sits on a pier on Puget Sound.  It offers great views and great food.  The hostess seats us near the windows looking out on the water, and we are busy reading the menu.  I glance up at Luke and can’t help but sigh just a little.  He’s just so disarmingly handsome.  He’s biting that thumbnail as he peruses the menu.

“Can I have your hand, please?”  I hold my hand out.

“You can hold my hand anytime, baby.”  He shoots me a sexy smile but gives me the wrong hand.

“No, the one you’re biting, please.”

He extends his hand to me with a frown, and I lean over the table and kiss the thumbnail.  “You’re going to make this bleed.”  I look up into his sea-blue eyes and am pleased to see that his breathing has changed and that my touch is turning him on.

“Don’t start this here, please.”  His voice is low and sexy, and my stomach clenches.

“I don’t know what you mean.” I widen my eyes innocently.  “I’m just making sure you’ll have an appetite for your lunch.”

“I’ll tell you what I have an appetite for.” He grins wolfishly, but before I can respond, the waitress is at the tableside.

“What can I get you two today?  Would you like to start with an appetizer?”  She glances up at both of us with a smile, but she freezes when she sees Luke, and all the blood drains from her face.

“Luke Williams!  Oh wow!  I’m such a big fan, Luke…er…sir.  I’ve seen all of the
Nightwalker
movies, like, forty times.  Oh my God, they are so good.  I can’t believe you’re here!  Can I get an autograph?  Can I get a picture?”  The words all come out in a rush, and I can’t help but sit back and drop my jaw.

Luke glances at me but seems to find his balance quickly and pastes on a dazzling drop-your-panties smile, just for Miss Gushy, but it doesn’t reach his eyes, and I know that this is the smile he uses for fans.

It’s fascinating.

“I’m sorry, I don’t give photographs, but I’m happy to sign something for you.”

“Oh great!  Here.”  She shoves her notepad and pen at him.     

“What’s your name, sugar?”  Oh, he is really laying it on thick.

“Hilary.  Oh my gosh, wait until my friends find out I met you!  They will be so jealous.”  She’s practically jumping up and down, and Luke’s smile never falters.

“Well, I’m glad you enjoyed the movies.  Here you go.”  He passes the pad back to her, and she clutches it to her chest, her face all gooey and swoony, and I have to look down to keep from laughing and rolling my eyes at her.

After a few lengthy seconds of her just standing there, staring at him, I decide to rescue him.