Pure Lust: The Complete Series Box Set

by Parker, M. S.

“Ah…”

  Estelle closed her eyes as if my indecision was trying her patience.

  I almost did the same, but that wasn’t going to help me here. I needed a lot more than patience to help just then. I needed a damn drink. It wasn’t even noon, either. I appreciated her working with the colors I wanted, but that didn't mean I wanted to be treated like a damn child.

  “I’ll be looking at dresses this week,” I said, fighting the urge to snap the words out defensively.

  “Let me know when you go so I can make plans to go with you.” Claire studied the screen a moment longer and then sighed, her face drawn up like a prune. “If that’s the colors she insists on going with…”

  ***

  “This isn’t a shirt!” I held up the mess of black straps that my future brother-in-law expected me to wear over my panties.

  This was getting ridiculous. I’d already let Flynn take some shots of me wearing only a half-buttoned white dress shirt and I'd had the strangest feeling it was his. He'd denied it, of course, but I'd kept catching a scent that I'd known was his. Now I could smell it on me and it was driving me nuts.

  “No, you’re exactly right,” Flynn said as he set up the camera.

  We were doing the next set in front of the faux brick. Or we would if I’d change and that was very much up for debate right now. I was starting to see some of Claire in her youngest son. Flynn McCreary was the half-brother of Cody and my fiancé, Edward, but all three of them had gotten their mother's pig-headedness. That wasn't totally fair, I admitted. Cody was a bit more easy-going than his brothers.

  “It’s actually a dress.”

  “A dress?” I gaped at him before holding up the…dress…by the shoulders. It was literally nothing but ribbons of cloth. They were thicker where my breasts would be and I could see a similar thickness down near the lower part as well. To cover my crotch, I guessed. I just hoped my underwear could work under it. I didn't even want to consider going without.

  “I might as well not be wearing anything.” I tossed it back at him. “I’m not wearing this.”

  He snatched it out of the air. “You agreed to do some full body shots as long as you weren't completely naked, Tennessee. We agreed on the price, you signed the contract. Now hold up your end of the bargain.” He tossed the dress back at me and went back to adjusting the camera.

  Or playing with it.

  I couldn’t tell anymore. Half the time I thought he did shit like that just to mess with me. I wondered if he'd have behaved the same way if we hadn't slept together the first time I'd modeled for him. The biggest mistake of my life, especially since I'd met his oldest half-brother only a couple of days later and now I was stuck with this asshole as family.

  Finally, I spun on my heel and stormed behind the screen. “Why isn’t Cody here for any of these?” I asked as I shrugged out of the dress shirt and hung it on the hook. Gazing at the strappy, ribbony mess I held, I tried to figure out how to put it on.

  “He had another assignment. Some cologne deal. Sadly, he’s not just here to be your teddy bear, Tennessee.”

  I would have snarled at him, but just then, I was more pissed off at the dress.

  It took a ridiculous amount of time to get it on and almost as long to smooth the straps into place so that my nipples didn't show. My bra didn't work under this at all. Luckily, I’d worn fairly skimpy, black panties and they didn’t show much under the material of the skirt. Still, I felt more than naked as I slid out from behind the screen.

  Flynn shot me an unreadable look and then jerked his head toward the stool in front of the mirrors.

  Sighing, I sat down. I needed to ask Kendra if all photographers were this moody. Then I remembered that Kendra and I weren't on the best of terms at the moment and that just made me even more annoyed. “What now?”

  He just grunted.

  A minute later, his hands were buried in my hair and I closed my eyes, fighting not to let it show how much it affected me to have his hands on me. He tousled and teased and when he was done, I didn’t bother to look at my reflection. I didn't want to see what he'd done. Before I could get up though, he grabbed the make-up case.

  “You promised I'd be wearing a mask, remember.” I averted my face, but he just cupped my chin and brought my face back around.

  “It’s for the eyes. They still show.”

  His own intense cadet blues caught me and held my gaze for a moment that lasted forever. My heart sped up and I forced myself to look away, mouth suddenly dry, chest tight.

  “Fine,” I said, my voice coming out husky. “Just do whatever.”

  I closed my eyes and told myself to think about Edward. The wedding. Imagine your dress…your perfect dress.

  Flynn’s fingertip brushed over my eyes, destroying my concentration.

  “Don’t you know how to use a brush?” I asked.

  “I’d constantly be throwing them out. I don’t want to use the same ones on different people. This works just as well.”

  His fingertip smoothed up, up, up…all along the fragile skin of my eyelid. Whoever knew that bit of skin could be so sensitive? Then again, with his reputation, Flynn probably did.

  “Do you have any eyeliner?”

  “In my purse.” I started to slide off the stool, but his hands came up and caught my waist, holding me in place.

  “I’ll get it.”

  I curled my hands around the stool and told myself to stay. I closed my eyes again. “You’re a man of many talents. You take pictures, you do make-up. Do you give haircuts too?” I hoped the sarcasm would help get me back on level footing.

  “You don’t want scissors in these hands anywhere near your hair, Tennessee.” The weight of my purse dropped into my lap and I opened my eyes.

  I pulled out the liner I usually used, but when I went to turn to the mirror, he stopped me.

  “I'll do it,” he said. “I know the look I'm going for.”

  “With this dress, it's sort of obvious. I look like a five dollar hooker.” I made a face at him.

  “Watch it.” A hint of his old humor danced in his voice. “Nobody looks like a five dollar anything when I’m done.”

  I bit my lip to keep from laughing—you never want to laugh when somebody has an eye pencil that close to your eyeball. I’d thought, had hoped, some of that weird tension had disappeared, but when I glanced at him when he deemed me finished, his shoulders were as straight as always and his face was still closed off, still unreadable.

  He was, like his brothers, an extremely attractive man, but there was none of the openness I associated with his older brothers. Flynn was more like a sculpture, something carved from marble. Cold. Unyielding.

  Slowly, I slid from the stool, fighting a chill in the dress that was little more than strings held together by a wider edge of fabric on the sides. When I'd agreed to pose as long as I was clothed, I hadn't imagined I'd still end up exposing this much skin.

  “Where do you want me?” I tried not to fidget. Not only was it an annoying habit anyway, but if I moved around too much in that dress, I knew I'd end up flashing him.

  He went rigid.

  “Flynn?”

  “By the damn wall,” he snapped as he raked his hand through his dark brown hair. “Why the hell do you have to talk so much?”

  Stung, I stared at his back, unable to speak for a few seconds. After having his hands on me, I was both pissed and grateful for the reminder of what an ass Flynn truly was. Finally, after I managed to peel my feet from the floor, I headed toward the brick wall. Somehow, though, all the rules I’d learned over the past few sessions and all the little tricks I’d taught myself seemed to drain out of my head. I couldn’t relax. I felt like a stick with moveable arms as I stood there.

  After about ten minutes, Flynn lowered his camera and glared at me. “What in the hell is wrong with you?”

  “I could ask you the same thing!” I slammed my hands down on my hips, my temper finally getting the best of me.

  I didn't real
ize what the movement did to the dress until Flynn’s gaze dropped. Mine did as well and I saw that one of the straps had moved and my nipple was now perilously close to popping out.

  Spinning around, I fumbled it back into place while I spoke to him over my shoulder. “I don't know what’s going on here, Flynn. You want me to model for you, but when I agree, you yell at me or treat me like I’m some ignorant child. Would you just yank the stick out of your ass already? If I'm not up to your high standards...”

  I turned around. As much as I didn't want to look at him, I would've felt like a coward continuing with my back to him.

  Sucking in a breath as I went, I was ready for him to argue. What I wasn't ready for was Flynn to be right there, only inches away. His mouth came down on mine, hard and fast. His tongue plunged inside my mouth and my hands came up automatically, grabbing the front of his shirt. To push him away, I told myself, but then his hands cupped my face, tilting my head back to deepen the kiss and I found myself holding tight to the soft cotton.

  Flynn…my heart sighed as his tongue curled around mine.

  Oh, shit, the rest of me screamed, waking me from the moment.

  I shoved him back.

  “Dammit, you son of a bitch!” I glared at him.

  He reached for me again, but I backed away. “Don’t!”

  Hands up, I tried to ward him off. I had to, because if I didn’t, I didn’t know if I’d be strong enough to resist him twice. Edward… “Don’t,” I said again as he eased closer. My voice was breathless. “If you touch me again, I’m telling Edward.”

  “Yeah.” He snorted and reached up, catching a fist full of my hair. His voice was rough as he held my head in place. “Sure you will. Do that and I might as well post the pictures as they are. No pointing in hiding anything anymore if you’re going to let the cat out of the bag.”

  “What…you…” I sputtered, glaring at him.

  He closed the distance between us one more time, his eyes on mine, the blue so dark it was nearly black.

  I held my breath, hoping he'd stop himself, but when he dipped his head to kiss me, I shoved him back with all my strength. “You son of a bitch, I said, no.”

  He backed away then, his eyes on my face.

  I wrapped my arms around myself, torn between screaming and crying, caught between need and rage. Edward...

  Then, as I stood there trembling, he turned around and stormed out, the door slamming behind him with a loud bang.

  Chapter 2

  Curled up on the window seat, I stared outside.

  I’d spent twenty minutes in the shower, scrubbing off the make-up and trying to wash away the lingering guilt…and longing.

  It hadn’t worked.

  My phone buzzed and I looked down, a smile breaking free when I saw Edward’s name, but it faded as I remembered the kiss. Flynn’s kiss. My mouth still tingled at the memory even as I pushed it away.

  Swiping my thumb across the screen, I pulled up the messages, determined to put Flynn out of my mind and enjoy a digital moment with my fiancé.

  Just wanted to check in on you. Are you home from work?

  “Check in on me?” I made a face and then sent off a reply and asked him how his day went.

  Not all that great. I haven’t seen you.

  My heart melted a little and sighed. I had to get Flynn out of my head. Really, really.

  Mine could have been better in that area too.

  I thought about telling him about the fiasco with his mother, but that would go over better in person. Maybe he could get her to back off some, but I needed to do this the right way. I didn't want to become the problematic daughter-in-law.

  Edward had been young when his father had died and I knew that, even after his mother had remarried, he'd felt the burden of taking care of the family. I didn't want to add to that.

  Have you eaten dinner?

  I grimaced. The thought of food made my belly roll, but I’d manage something if he wanted to go out.

  No. Is that an invitation?

  I had to fight a jolt of irritation at his response.

  I’m afraid not. I’m trying to do what I can to clear my schedule for the fall since I’ll be taking some time off for our honeymoon, but that means more work between now and then. I just wanted to check. You don’t always eat as well as you should. Should I have Paul bring you something?

  “I eat just fine,” I muttered. I was twenty-two, not twelve. And I'd been living on my own in New York without needing someone to remind me to eat. Granted, just then, I was contemplating having cookies for dinner, because bad day and hey, cookies. But he didn't need to know that. I was an adult. I could eat whatever the hell I wanted.

  I started to tell him that I’d been taking care of myself for quite a while, but in the end, I decided not to. Again, that was one of those things that went over better in person. Texts weren't great at conveying tone. I told him I’d get something in a while and then lied. Again.

  I need to go. Got to get some research done before I go into work tomorrow. I love you.

  I was sure he responded the same way, but I’d already dropped my phone on the window seat and resumed my brooding contemplation of the rain-drenched view outside my window.

  My thoughts drifted away from the things I needed to be worrying about. Things like my wedding and the impossible mother-in-law. How I’d handle it if Flynn kissed me again. Telling Edward to get his she-devil mother to leave me alone. Instead of any of that, I found myself reliving that split second when Flynn had kissed me. That split second before I'd remembered a crucial fact.

  We can’t do this.

  “Stop it,” I told myself, driving my head against the wall. I did it again and just as I was on my third repetition, the door opened and Kendra came inside.

  She stopped at the sight of me literally banging my head against a wall and pursed her lips. “Honey, whatever it is, a pint of cookie dough ice cream and some wine will fix you right up.”

  “No.” With a glum sigh, I twisted in my seat to face her. I didn't care that I was supposed to be mad at her for how she was behaving about my engagement. I just needed my friend right now. “It really won’t.”

  “Ohhhh?” She drew out that single word as she locked the door and then came over, flinging all glorious six-feet-one-inch of her down on the couch. She toed off the open-toe booties and flexed her feet, curling her toes in and out before heaving out a gusty breath. That done, she focused her intelligent light green eyes on me. “Do tell.”

  No. I couldn't tell her what had happened. I'd talk about Claire and leave the rest locked away. Then I heard myself saying it even as I made my decision to stay quiet.

  “Flynn kissed me.”

  She blinked at me.

  Then, like a rocket, she was up. Her long legs scissored as she began to pace the open floors of our studio apartment. “He kissed you? That snake. Dammit, Gabs, I wish you would have kept your distance from that bastard.”

  Drawing my knees to my chest, I rested my brow there and listened as Kendra started on a rant. At least she hadn't come out and said 'I told you so' which she would've had every right to do. She'd told me it wasn't a good idea to agree to model for Flynn, but I'd only seen a way out of my shitty job and the money we needed for little things like rent and food.

  Finally, she spun to face me. “What did Edward say?”

  “I…” Swallowing, I shrugged. “I haven’t told him and I’m not going to. Flynn won’t do it again, but I don’t want Edward getting angry.”

  “Edward should be angry!” she shouted. “His asshole brother has kissed you twice since he found out about the engagement.”

  Getting aggravated now, I stood up. I was starting to remember why I'd been pissed at her. “He’ll show Edward the pictures, Kendra.”

  “I…” She stopped, snapping her jaw shut as she processed that. “Aw, shit, Gabs. What kind of mess did you get yourself into? He’s going to start blackmailing you into all sorts of bad shit.”
r />   “He won’t.” I wished I was as confident as I sounded.

  “You don’t know that.” She tried to sound comforting, supporting and the worse part was that I knew she was trying.

  But I just felt like she was beating me down too. Just like she had from the beginning of all this. Not trusting Edward. Criticizing how fast we'd gotten engaged. Criticizing every choice I'd made.

  My phone buzzed, the message notification coming from my pocket. I grabbed it, hoping it was Edward. But when I turned my back to Kendra, I had to swallow a groan. It wasn’t Edward.

  It was his toad of a brother.

  Gabriella, I want to apologize to you for my behavior. There’s no excuse for it and while I don’t expect your forgiveness, I am sorry.

  “Are you listening?” Kendra demanded.

  “No,” I answered honestly as I looked up at her over the phone. “I’m reading my messages.”

  She threw up her hands and spun around, stomping into the bathroom. As the door closed tight behind her, I settled back against the window seat.

  I’m tired of feeling like I'm some sort of nuisance to you, Flynn. If you can’t deal with this, then I can’t keep on working for you.

  I hated to say it, but the stress was just too much.

  It will get better. I promise.

  A split second later, another message followed.

  Cody and I have a special project going on tomorrow. It’s something we try to do once a month. I’d like you to join us, if you can.

  I knew I should say no. Long and loud and make sure everybody under the sun heard it.

  Something slammed inside the bathroom and I looked up just in time to see Kendra storming out, wearing a long t-shirt over pink leggings. She didn't even look at me as she marched out of the apartment.

  Fuck it.

  What time and where?

  Chapter 3

  “Where are we going?”

  Flynn just shook his head and pushed a case into my arms.

  I looked over at Cody and he gave me an easy grin, dropping a kiss onto my forehead. “Morning, sugar.”

  I rolled my eyes and turned to trail along behind them. “What’s the special project?” I asked.