So she didn’t say anything, and instead tried to put it all to the back of her mind and concentrate on the day.
They were up and about early, as Kole had to go first to the bride’s home and take photos of her getting ready for her big day. Deciding to shower together caused a slight delay. Kole, unable to resist her slippery body, turned her around, planted her hands on the tiles, and proceeded to take her from behind until her cries of pleasure mingled with the steam and filled the room.
Afterward, while she finished washing her hair and then dried off, he shaved over the sink, a towel wrapped around his waist. She cast frequent glances at him, unable to tear her eyes away from the hundred percent masculine act as he talked about the program for the day.
Eventually, though, he rinsed the razor in the water, meeting her eyes in the mirror, a smile on his lips. “You’re not listening to a word I’m saying, are you?”
She blinked. “Um, sorry. You just look so…” Her voice tailed off, lust sweeping over her again.
His lips curved even more. “I take it all back. You are insatiable.” His gaze returned to the mirror, and he tipped his head back to shave up to his chin.
She watched him helplessly. “It’s your fault,” she said, somewhat sulkily. “I’m sure you’re doing it on purpose.”
He chuckled, rinsed the razor again, and dried his face. Then he splashed on some aftershave, wincing as it obviously stung. “Ouch.”
Finally, he turned to wrap his arms around her. Still naked, she shivered as his hands skimmed her skin. “Ooh.”
“Hold that thought,” he said, amused. He bent his head and kissed her, enveloping her in the scent of sandalwood, and she sighed, opening her mouth to his searching tongue. But all too soon, he pulled back, giving her a parting wink as he left.
Muttering to herself, she took a little time to put on some makeup in the bathroom mirror while he dressed in the bedroom. She didn’t want anything heavy, and avoided thick foundation and too much color, but smoothed on some concealer, brushed some pale pink across her lids with a touch of dark eyeliner, and finished with a coat of mascara and a slick of lip gloss. Pleased with the overall effect, and trying not to think of her mother’s instruction to “melt him a little…” she went into the bedroom to find Kole had already dressed. Hearing metallic sounds in the living room and realizing he must be preparing his camera equipment, she decided to get dressed.
She dried her hair and pinned it up, letting a few strands fall around her face, then pulled on her new pink top. She scowled at herself in the mirror as she did so, but watched her eyebrows rise as the top settled around her curves, the bright color giving her skin a pretty glow. Not bad, actually, she had to concede. She teamed it with a pair of thin black trousers, and was just pulling on some strappy but comfortable sandals when Kole came into the room.
Tasha watched him in the mirror and saw the look of surprise and admiration on his face when his gaze fell on her. It reflected hers exactly as she saw his outfit. He wore a dark navy business suit with a white shirt and a light blue-and-pink striped tie. She hadn’t seen him in a suit for ages, and the effect took her breath away.
“Wow,” he said. His eyes creased as he came over and rested a hand on her hip. “Natasha Wilde in pink. I never thought I’d see the day!”
“My mother’s influence,” she admitted, fingering his tie. Her full name sounded odd coming from his lips. It made her tingle, as if the use of it gave him some kind of power over her. “You look gorgeous.”
“Thank you. And pink suits you. Your mother clearly knows what she’s talking about.”
Laura’s words filtered through her head. Men can be surprisingly dense, even the clever ones. Tasha gave a small laugh and cupped his face, her thumb stroking his smooth chin. “We don’t make a bad couple.”
She hadn’t meant anything deeper than a comment about how they looked good together. Kole’s smile faded, though, and for a brief moment his eyes searched hers. Her breath caught in her throat. Did he think she was implying she wanted something more? And if so, what would his reaction be?
To her surprise, he said nothing, just leaned forward and touched his lips to her forehead. Then he pulled back and held out his hand. “Ready?”
She nodded, not sure what to say, and he led her into the kitchen where they proceeded to move the camera equipment to the car. He didn’t mention her comment, and neither did she.
After she’d lugged the last case to the car, she put her hands on her hips and looked around.
“What?” he asked, following her gaze.
“Just looking for the kitchen sink.”
He gave her a sarcastic look and shut the lid. “It’s all necessary, I assure you.”
“What the hell is it all?”
They walked back inside so she could collect her handbag, and he locked the front door, and then they both got into the car, Kole slipping off his jacket and laying it on the back seat first.
“Stuff,” he said, plugging in his seatbelt. “Tripods, lenses, spare batteries, flashes, spare cameras.”
“Jeez.”
He started the car and reversed out of the drive. “It’s the most important day of this couple’s life. That’s quite a responsibility. If I get halfway through and drop the fucking camera, I have to have backup equipment.”
“I suppose.” She studied him as he headed the car onto the road. It was already warm, and she knew within a couple of hours he’d have loosened his tie and rolled up his shirt sleeves. His hair would curl around his temples, and his body would warm his aftershave to enable it to linger for most of the day. “I find it interesting you call a wedding the most important day of your life,” she said. “Do you really think it is?”
He didn’t look across at her, apparently concentrating on the road. “I don’t know. It seems an awful lot of fuss for one day. And yet, I was talking to Annie, and…” His voice tailed off.
“And what?”
He indicated and slowed to turn onto the state highway, then accelerated away. “I’d never really understood why people want to get married. They pay tens of thousands of dollars, buy outfits they’ll never wear again for the rest of their lives, and swear to stay with one person forever.”
“It does seem incredible,” she murmured.
“And the whole ring thing, I just didn’t get it. It seemed as if you’re saying to the other person ‘hey, look, I’m sticking this ring on to remind you that you can’t fucking cheat, okay?’”
Tasha smiled. “That’s one way of looking at it.”
“But Annie said when you meet the right person, you can’t bear to be apart from them. And when you are, you want your ring on their finger, to show everyone they belong to you.”
A shiver ran down Tasha’s spine like an ice cube.
“I’d never thought of it like that,” he said softly.
He glanced across at her and smiled before returning his gaze to the road.
Tasha looked out of the window, but her heart raced. She’d never thought to hear Kole Graham talk in such a way. Could he really be coming around to the idea of staying with one person, of settling down?
He changed the subject and started talking about his camera and what shots he needed for the day, and she asked questions, happy to listen to him discuss his business for once, as he didn’t talk about it much when they were together with their friends. But his words continued to circle in her head like toys on a baby’s mobile pinned above the cot. You want your ring on their finger, to show everyone they belong to you. She’d never thought about it like that either.
Up until that moment, she’d been coming to terms with the idea that she liked Kole a lot more than she’d thought she would, and she’d entertained the notion of them staying together, maybe having something long term, perhaps even moving in together. But for the first time, she thought about where that could lead.
She’d never considered getting married before. When she and Maisey were young, they’d sometim
es talked about it, and Maisey had been full of ideas for her dress and the reception and who she would have as her bridesmaids. But Tasha had always scoffed, unable to see herself in a big white gown, and hating the thought of having to “obey” a man and change her name to his. How insulting!
But sitting there next to Kole, listening to him talk about his business, she wondered how it would feel if he wore a ring on his finger, and she wore his. Whenever they were apart, she’d be able to touch that ring and remember he’d vowed to love her forever. And she’d know that every woman he came into contact with would see his ring and know he was spoken for. He would belong to her, and her alone. He’d always be by her side, there to love her, support her. And maybe one day, there would be babies, with his large hazel eyes, part of him and part of her…
Blinking hard, she forced her brain to do an emergency stop. Jeez, Tasha! What the hell was she doing, letting her mind run away like that? Thinking about extending their fling after Saturday was one thing. But marriage? Kids? Any mention of anything like that would send him running in the opposite direction like his arse was on fire.
And yet… He’d spoken to Annie about it. And implied he was changing his mind.
It doesn’t matter. There was no point in thinking that now. First, they had the wedding. Then they had to get through Sunday and sort out the whole issue with the shop. And maybe then, once it was all done and dusted, they’d be able to discuss what happened next. But not until then. And she wasn’t going to think about it again.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
The morning went fast, and Kole had to admit to rather enjoying himself. He’d done half a dozen weddings in the past, and they weren’t usually his favorite events. The majority of occasions where he took photographs were one-off events that could not be recaptured. But weddings were worse than most. The brides he’d met so far had been stressed out of their heads, far too worried about things going wrong to enjoy the day, plus there were the mothers of the brides to contend with, most of whom were notoriously rude and demanding.
Today, though, the bride, a pretty young thing called Rachel, was calm and happy, and although her mother fussed around her, she was pleasant enough and keen to help him wherever she could. He tended to let the customer guide the relationship for the day—if they were the sort who wanted him to be part of the furniture and do as he was told, he did his best to remain as unobtrusive as possible and keep in the background. But when they reacted well to him, like today, he was happy to join in with the conversation, to suggest different poses, to tease the bridesmaids and flirt with Rachel’s mother, and generally to help the day be as pleasant and stress-free as possible.
All the while he talked and directed and photographed, he was aware of Tasha at his side, watching him. Once she had the hang of which lens was which, he was able to just say, “the thirty-five please,” or “can you get the fifty,” and she would pass it to him. She helped him set up the tripod, and adjusted the poses or clothing of the guests as he directed, always seeming to know exactly what he wanted.
When they’d finished the getting ready shots, she helped him pack his gear away and carry it back out to the car.
“To the church now?” she queried.
He shook his head, picking up his main camera. “A few shots of Rachel in the car first. Then we’ll head off.” He checked the lens—yep, the fifty was on—and double checked the battery levels. He didn’t want to have to stop halfway through if the battery ran out.
When he looked up, Tasha was smiling.
“What?” he said suspiciously.
“You’ve surprised me, that’s all. I’ve watched you take photos all my life, it seems. But this is the first time I’ve seen you do a big event.”
He grinned. “Am I too bossy?”
“No, not at all. You’re in control. Patient and firm. Warm and funny. You’re perfect.”
He raised an eyebrow. “Can I have that in writing?”
Her admiring look turned exasperated. “I meant as a photographer. Not in life. There’s always room for improvement.”
Still, she had a warm look in her eyes, and it stayed with him as he took the shots of Rachel getting into the car.
When he’d done, he quickly put his camera away and jumped in the car beside Tasha, and they sped away to the church. “This is the worst time,” he admitted. “I need to take a few shots of the church before she arrives and then catch her walking down the aisle.”
“Well, don’t forget I’m here if you need me. Anything you want, just ask.”
He glanced across. “Anything?”
Her lips curved, and she tutted at his lewdness.
“You want me to shave again?” He’d seen the lust in her eyes when she’d watched him in the bathroom. No doubt women thought of men shaving the same way guys lusted after girls when they pulled on stockings.
She didn’t reply, just chuckled, and he grinned and returned his gaze to the road.
They arrived plenty of time before Rachel. The church sat high on a hill overlooking the glittering crescent of Doubtless Bay. The magnificent view would provide a wonderful backdrop to the wedding photos, he thought, his fingers itching to press the button and capture the jewel-like colors of the sea and sky.
He was able to get some decent shots of the church and the congregation before Rachel’s car pulled up. He took some of the bridesmaids helping her with her dress, and then more of her walking up to the church with her father, who looked fit to burst all the buttons on his jacket with pride.
After that, Kole set up the tripod to one side where he could remain inconspicuous but still have a great shot of the altar. Using a different lens, he could shoot from afar but get close-up images of the bride and groom, and capture every emotion on their faces.
Tasha stood beside him, quiet and attentive, and passed him the spare batteries when he needed to change. He heard her singing to the hymns, saw her drop her head in prayer. And he thought he heard her inhale as the bride and groom exchanged rings, but he couldn’t be sure.
Through the viewfinder, he caught the devotion on the groom’s face as he promised to love his new wife, “for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish,” as long as they lived. Even as he snapped away, Kole puzzled on the words. Could he imagine being in that position. Standing in front of a woman and vowing to love her forever, “forsaking all others”?
It was with surprise he realized promising to stay faithful was not what bothered him. Yes, he’d had a few girlfriends in his time, but fidelity was not an issue. The problem was more the notion of making a promise he wasn’t sure he could keep. How could he swear to love someone forever? He could say “I promise that, at this moment, I want to love you forever,” but the vows were not phrased that way. Did people not think about that? Or did they realize the foolishness of making such a promise, but just assume if they fell out of love, they’d get divorced?
A person staying with someone he or she didn’t love would be a huge mistake and waste of a life. But equally, he hated the thought of breaking a promise. How terrible to have vowed to love someone forever, and then one day to ask for divorce because you no longer did. He couldn’t imagine anything worse than being in love with someone who didn’t love you back. That was what had killed his brother. Harry’s girlfriend had broken up with him, and he’d driven off in a fury and ended up killing himself, and all because he loved the girl and didn’t want the relationship to end. Kole had refused to put himself in that position for so long, terrified of feeling the same way. How could he be sure?
Sometimes you have to take that leap of faith, Annie had said. Carpe diem.
The ceremony finished, and he didn’t have any time to think about it further because this was his busiest time of the day. Tasha helped him move his gear to the church entrance, and he took photos of the happy couple walking down the aisle, then it was shots of the two of them on the steps. After that it was time to move to the lawn,
and luckily it hadn’t rained for a while so the grass was firm underfoot, and there wasn’t too much wind. They had their backs to the beautiful view, and the cornflower blue sky and the cerulean sea, along with the pohutukawa tree that arched above them with its Christmassy scarlet flowers, provided the perfect background for his shots.
He spent a long while taking photos, lots of the bride and groom alone, then with their parents, with the bridesmaids and the best man, with siblings and other relatives, and eventually with all the guests, lots of shots to enable him to pick the best and create the perfect album.
After that, he caught the couple being showered in confetti and getting into the car, and then it was off to the hall they’d hired. He captured the wedding breakfast, the speeches, the couple’s first dance, and then took shots of all the guests enjoying themselves as the evening reception began, and daylight began to fade. Some couples only wanted photos of the ceremony, some liked a few of the wedding breakfast and that was it, but today they’d asked him to stay until the evening do was underway, and he’d happily obliged for the extra money.
He worried Tasha would get bored, but she seemed to be enjoying herself and stayed close to him, keen to help wherever she could. Eventually, though, he’d finished. He caught the bride and groom and asked if there was anything else he could do, and Rachel hugged him and said he’d been terrific, and the groom shook his hand and told him to go home.
Treat with Caution (Treats to Tempt You Book 1) Page 20