The Model: A Workplace Romance

by Layne, Harlow

  My finger traced the inside of his bicep as I imagined a camera there. When I looked up to meet his eyes, his pupils flared, and his lips parted. “I like the idea of being with you forever.”

  “Good.” His voice was deep and husky as he said that one word. “Why don’t we go get dirty again in the shower before we get clean?”

  “Mmm,” I hummed. “I like the way you think.”

  Leaving our clothes out on the balcony, we stepped into the cool room. Goosebumps erupted across my skin as I rushed into the bathroom and quickly turned on the water. Ryder was right behind me, pinning me against the cold glass wall of the large shower. His tongue licked a trail from my shoulder up to my ear. His teeth nipped at my earlobe before his hot tongue eased away the sting. The way he made my body feel was unlike any other. I wasn’t sure how I was going to let him work while we were here. I wanted to feel him with me the entire time. As his body pressed into mine, warming me up, his husky voice sent shivers down my spine. “Thank you for coming and letting me stay with you.”

  Opening the door to the shower, I stepped into the spray bringing Ryder along with me. I could only stand there as I watched water darken his hair, and droplets trail down his defined chest. He was a masterpiece, and for the next week, he was all mine.

  Spotting a ledge in the shower, I pushed Ryder over to it with a plan in mind. He quirked a brow but didn’t argue as I manhandled him into the corner. Stepping onto the ledge, I tugged Ryder until we were skin to skin. Now that I was on the step, we were better suited for a little shower sex.

  “I can’t do a condom in here.” His hard length slid through my folds and hit the center of my pleasure, causing me to jerk and the tips of my breasts to tease against his firm chest.

  “You can pull out or if you don’t feel—”

  Ryder’s mouth crashed against mine as if he’d been dying to kiss me. As fast as he’d come, he pulled back with a devilish smile. Leaning in, his warm tongue swept slowly across the seam of my lips. His breath ghosted across my face. Tipping my head back, I opened for him, allowing him access to what we both desperately wanted. Plunging his tongue in at the exact moment, he impaled me with his cock, we both moaned. I’d missed feeling him inside of me, stretching me, filling me to the brim. He pulled my bottom lip between his teeth, and my sex spasmed around him.

  With each precise thrust, the base of his cock hit my bundle of nerves and my ring. It was the best decision I’d ever made getting that rod through my clit. The pleasure it brought me was unlike anything I’d ever felt up until that moment.

  “What you do to me,” Ryder growled before he took my nipple into his mouth and sucked hard. The sting and the pleasure brought me over the edge. My pussy clenched around his thick rod as I threw my head back in bliss. It was true what they said; I saw fireworks go off behind my eyelids as he kept hitting me over and over again, drawing out my pleasure.

  Pulling out, Ryder trapped his cock between us and let it slide over my wet body until he shot his load across my stomach. His eyes were dark with lust as he stared down at me. No one had ever looked at me the way he did, and with each time, I wanted more from him. More than I should have after only knowing him a short time.

  Stepping away and helping me down off the ledge, Ryder pulled a warm towel off the rack and wrapped it around his tapered waist. The sight of it hanging low on his hips and his ‘V’ so prominently displayed had me ready to go again. Taking another towel, he set about drying me off inch by inch until not a drop of water was left on my body. He took his work seriously, making me fall even harder for him. When he was done, he asked me to bend down so he could wrap my hair up in the towel to dry. “Let’s go to bed. I’ve got to be up bright and early tomorrow.”

  Silently we moved into the bedroom side by side. I slipped under the plush comforter while he pulled a charger out of his bag and plugged it into the socket on the nightstand beside mine. Ryder walked over to the sliding glass doors and cracked it open enough that we could hear the crashing of the waves.

  My stomach fluttered at his thoughtfulness and knowing he’d been listening to me earlier.

  Walking around to the other side of the bed, he slipped in beside me. His lean frame cradled mine as he reached over me to turn off the light, and then settled back behind me and pulled the covers up to our shoulders. With our legs tangled together and his arm draped over my waist, I pulled his hand up to rest between my breasts so I could hold on to it as I fell asleep. My eyes, which were already heavy from being sated, fluttered closed with a smile on my lips as Ryder nuzzled the skin of my neck before placing a soft kiss there.

  13

  Lexie

  “Are you sure you don’t mind me taking the Jeep?” Ryder brushed a stray strand of hair from my face as he sat on the side of the bed.

  I looked to the sliding glass doors and was met with darkness. “It’s not even light out. I’m happy staying here and sleeping. If you’re not back by the time I’m up, I’ll head down to the beach and read a book.”

  Leaning down, he cradled my cheek in the palm of his hand. Brushing his full lips across mine, Ryder’s minty breath ghosted across my face. “Go back to sleep, and I’ll see you later.”

  I watched him pick up his cellphone and the keys off the nightstand and quietly walked out of the room. Once I heard the hotel door click closed, my eyes fell shut and didn’t open until the sun reflected off the crystal blue waters, lighting my room.

  Turning over, I was shocked to find Ryder lying on the bed next to me with one of my romance novels in his hands. Setting the book down on the other side of him, Ryder turned on his side, wrapped his arm around me, and pulled me flush against him.

  “Good morning, sleepyhead.” He kissed the side of my head. “I thought for sure you’d be sitting on the beach with a tropical drink in your hand by the time I was on break. Imagine my surprise to find you curled up under the covers.”

  Snuggling into his chest, I yawned. “Why didn’t you go back to sleep?”

  “And pass up reading a romance novel?” His light chuckle sent shivers through my whole body. “Is that what women want from men?”

  “What book were you reading?” I had brought quite a few with me, and they ranged from sweet to dark romance. He picked up the book and showed me the cover of a bully romance. “We definitely don’t want our men like that, but we do like to read about it. I would never tolerate a man treating me the way he does. I like good guys.” Now, I amended silently.

  He let a puff of laughter. “I was worried that’s how you expected men to treat you.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh. Did men really think we wanted our lives to play out like they did in books? “I don’t expect my life to be like a romance novel. Good or bad.”

  “Good to know.”

  “What time to do you have to be back?”

  Looking at his phone, Ryder’s lips turned down. When his beautiful blue eyes landed on me, they were almost sad. “An hour and a half, so that means I have to head back in an hour. We broke to eat lunch. I was actually surprised they gave us so long, but I guess they did have to move everything to a new location.”

  I wanted to ask about Lana, but I didn’t want to ruin our time with talk about her. “Have you eaten lunch yet?”

  “Nah, I was waiting to see if you’d wake up.”

  “What were you going to do if I didn’t wake up before you left?”

  He shrugged with me in his arms. “Something quick. It’s not like I can eat a whole lot either way.”

  Heaven forbid the man eat a hamburger.

  “Where is your shoot?” Please say the beach. I repeated over and over again.

  “This afternoon, it’s at a waterfall. They told us it’s a bit of a hike to get to it. Why?”

  “Do you think there’s a place I can camp out and chill, or should I just head down to the beach and wait for you to get back?”

  “I can’t say, but hanging out at a waterfall could be cool.” His arms tightened a
round me. I had a feeling Ryder wanted me to go with him. The only problem was, I knew Lana would be there.

  Wiggling enough so I could look him in the eyes, I brushed away a piece of hair that was covering one. “How about I get ready real quick, put some things together, and then we can get something to eat on the way there? I don’t want to be the reason you’re late.”

  He flashed me his dimples, and all in the world faded away. “I think they’ll understand when they see you.”

  “I’m not going to make you late. Just let me throw on a bikini and a pair of shorts. I’ll be quick. I promise.”

  Ryder’s hold on me didn’t loosen. Instead, it did the opposite. His Caribbean blue eyes slowly took in my face. I was probably a mess since I’d slept so long, but with the way he was looking at me, he didn’t seem to care. Ryder made me feel beautiful every time he cast his gaze on me.

  When he finally got his fill, he crushed his mouth to mine in a searing kiss. Just as quickly, he pulled away and got off the bed. “Hurry up.” His voice was even more rugged than normal. “If we don’t leave soon, I’ll be the one making us late.” I was confused as to what he was talking about until he adjusted himself in his shorts. Only then did I notice the sizable bulge he was sporting. His nostrils flared when he saw me taking him in. “Please get dressed, Lexie. You’re killing me here.”

  Looking down, I saw that the blankets had fallen to my waist. My nipples strained from the cool air of the room.

  Hopping out of bed, I raced over to my suitcase to grab what I needed and then into the bathroom. When I stepped out after getting ready, Ryder was waiting for me.

  “I thought I’d pack a bag for you. I put your book from the bedside table, a towel, a couple of bottles of water, your camera with an extra battery, and sunscreen. Do you need anything else?”

  Where had Ryder been all my life? Seriously, could he get any better?

  “Thank you, I was worried I’d forget something.”

  Slipping on a pair of tennis shoes and my sunglasses, we were finally ready to go. Only I had no idea where we were going.

  Almost an hour later, Ryder wrinkled his nose at the food as I tried another bite. I had no idea what I’d ordered, but it was gross. Wrapping it back up in its wrapper, I put it back in the bag. “I can’t take another bite, or I’m going to puke.”

  He laughed at me. “I don’t know why you ordered it.”

  “Because I like to try the food wherever I go.” I tried to explain before I chugged half the water bottle to get the taste out of my mouth.

  “You’re lucky you need to keep your boyish figure otherwise...” I wanted to be sick just thinking about what I’d eaten. Only I didn’t speak Portuguese, so I had no idea what I’d ordered. The picture looked good, so I thought it would taste like it looked. I was wrong.

  “I’d be throwing up in the bushes. No, I’ll happily stick to baked or grilled chicken. We should probably start trying to make our way there. When I looked at the email, they said it would take about twenty-five minutes to get there.”

  It was lucky I’d brought tennis shoes because I couldn’t imagine what the hike would have been like in flip-flops. I wasn’t one for footwear, and if I had to wear something, it was usually flip-flips, but I’d had a feeling I’d need them.

  Ryder carried my bag as we followed along the trail. His hand was in mine like it was the most natural thing in the world. I loved how he didn’t shy away from affection.

  By the time we made it to the waterfall, we were both a sweaty mess. I was glad I’d thrown my hair up on top of my head. Otherwise, it would have been sticking to the back of my neck, making me feel even grosser than I already did.

  The waterfall was one of the most beautiful places I’d ever seen. It was a little oasis with steep rock walls and palm trees surrounding pretty blue-green water. It was the perfect place for a photo shoot, and I couldn’t wait for everyone to leave so I could enjoy it with Ryder. I itched to pull out my camera and start taking pictures.

  “There he is,” Lana called out, ruining the moment. She acted annoyed, as if she’d been waiting hours for him when we were right on time.

  All heads turned to us, and their eyes widened.

  “What is she doing here?” Lana pouted. I internally rolled my eyes and smiled at the fact that she didn’t like that I was there.

  Letting go of my hand, Ryder wrapped his arm around my waist. “I asked her to come. Do you have a problem with that?” That time I had to try extremely hard not to smile. Instead, to show him how much I liked what he’d said, I laid my head on his arm. His bicep flexed in response.

  Lana’s dark eyes narrowed my way, but everyone else seemed happy to see me. In fact, a man with a camera around his neck scrambled over to us with a wide smile on his face. I assumed he was the photographer, but in all honesty, I didn’t recognize anyone except Parker and Lana, who was furiously whispering to him while giving us evil side-looks.

  Whatever, the feeling was mutual. I was pretty sure she had tried to get her hands on Ryder, and in all likelihood, he’d shot her down.

  The gangly photographer beamed as he held out his hand. “It’s an honor to meet you, Ms. Keene. I’m Rob Thurman. I’ve admired your work for years and to have you here…”

  He bounced on his heels and seemed at a loss for words, so I decided to try and save him. I shook his hand and smiled. “It’s nice to meet you. I hope you don’t mind if I hang out. I’ve never been to the waterfalls here and wanted to check them out with Ryder.”

  “Of course. You’re welcome whenever you want.”

  Lana scoffed behind him but didn’t say a word when Rob turned around with wide eyes.

  “Good to see you again, Lexie,” Parker called from Lana’s side.

  “Right, make yourself comfortable, and if there’s anything you need, Sheila will get it for you.” A willowy looking girl by a tree trunk waved. Turning to Ryder, he asked. “Are you ready to get to work?”

  “Direct me to where you want me.” Handing over my bag, he squeezed my hip with his other hand. Dipping down, he brushed his lips against mine. When he stood tall again, Ryder had a slight blush to his cheeks.

  Grabbing his arm as he moved away, he looked at me with confusion. “If it makes you uncomfortable to kiss me in public—”

  My words were cut off with a blistering kiss. Ryder’s fingers threaded through my hair, breaking it from its messy bun as he dipped me back like an old Hollywood film. Just as quickly, we were upright, and his soft words were spoken for only me to hear. “Make no mistake, I have no problem kissing you in public. It takes all my restraint not to fuck you in front of others.”

  With those words, he left me a tingling mess. My fingers traced my swollen lips as I watched him talk to Rob. He nodded once before he was handed a pair of navy swim trunks that would have all the ladies drooling and stepped behind a screen. I stood in my spot as I watched him change. Each muscle flexed as he stripped down, and when his bare ass came into view, he looked over his shoulder and winked. He knew I was watching.

  Pulling my gaze away, I moved back out of the way so I could set up a place to watch. Laying a towel down on a rock that overlooked the pool of water, I slipped my shoes off, pulled my t-shirt over my head, and slid my shorts down my thighs. As I fixed my sunglasses back on my face, I noticed Ryder watching me with heated interest. He shook his head and turned back to Parker, who was talking a mile a minute.

  Before sitting down to soak up the sun, I pulled my camera out of my bag and started shooting the beautiful scenery. I wasn’t sure if they’d be back, and I didn’t want to miss getting my shot. I was already trying to figure out a way to have my own shoot here in the future.

  As they started to get into place, I put my camera away and sat down to watch the show. Rob had no idea what he wanted, it was obvious. The shoot started and stopped half a dozen times before they broke apart. I had no idea who the customer was or the vision for the shoot, but I wanted the best for Ryder, and if I c
ould help him, I would.

  Taking a sip of my water, I stood, taking my camera with me as I walked down to where Rob was looking back and forth from his camera to the water and back again.

  Stopping a few inches from him, I looked over his shoulder and asked as politely as I could. “Trouble?” I didn’t want to bruise his ego or make him think he wasn’t doing a good job even though from what I saw, he was doing a terrible job.

  His shoulders deflated. “Nothing is working out the way I envisioned.” He’d barely started, so I wasn’t sure what had gone wrong. The only thing I saw was it looked like an amateur taking photos. His camera wasn’t the best, but it was capable of doing the job.

  “What’s your vision?”

  I saw Ryder watching me out of the corner of my eye with a frown marring his usually warm features.

  “A push and pull between lovers. Two men and a woman. I want to show the tension, the yearning.” He indicated Ryder, Parker, and Lana. “I can get the tension since no one likes Lana,” he chuckled as he looked over his shoulder at her. “It’s the yearning I’m having trouble with. I thought this location would bring it out.”

  “What if you show the woman, Lana yearning for both men?” There was more of a possibility of that happening than the other.

  Rob tilted his head as he took in what I’d said. He looked over at the threesome and nodded his head. “That could work.”

  “Is the client here? Do you need approval first?” Some customers were very rigid about what they wanted. Hell, I didn’t even know what this shoot was for, but I didn’t see his original vision coming to life. They were models, not actors. Yes, you have to be able to take direction and be able to deliver a look, but you couldn’t hide the disdain Parker and Ryder had for Lana. It shined brighter than anything else when they looked at her.