The Other Brother

by Lucy Felthouse

  “What’s that? Pretty much what it sounds like?”

  “Yeah, pretty much. Though I’m beginning to think we should have caught the subway.”

  “Why, how far away is it?”

  “I don’t know really, but Central Park is massive. Nearly eight hundred and fifty acres.”

  “That’s okay. We have all day, don’t we? We can walk there to save us having to get all sweaty and have our personal space invaded on the subway.”

  “You noticed that, huh?” She began walking again.

  “Oh, yes,” he laughed, falling into step beside her. “People stand real close. I’ve had my butt groped a couple times.”

  She gave a mock shudder then glanced up at the sky, where the sun did its best to fight its way from behind the clouds. “We may get sweaty even if we walk. But that’s okay—it’ll make your posing more authentic if you’ve got a light sheen of perspiration.”

  “A light sheen of perspiration?” Patrick replied incredulously. “If it gets too hot, I’ll be sweating buckets!”

  “Oh, stop fussing. I’m in charge, remember?”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  They peered at one another and shared a laugh. “Come on.” She nudged him with her elbow. “Let’s get to the Ramble and get you shirtless!”

  They walked through the beautiful green space, stopping every now and again to admire views, monuments, bridges, and more.

  “Wow,” he said. “I never knew this place had so much interesting stuff.”

  “Yep. It’s got all sorts—an Alice in Wonderland statue, a Shakespeare Garden, war memorials, themed playgrounds, ponds, lakes, a castle—”

  “A castle? Are you serious?”

  “Yeah. Where we’ll be isn’t too far from there, so we can always go check it out when we’re done with the shoot.”

  “Sounds great. You could spend weeks in here and still not see everything.”

  “That’s why I love it so much. There’s so much beauty, so much variety and fun, right in the heart of an incredibly busy city.”

  She filled him in on the various things to see in the park and he oohed and ahhed and asked questions, stating he’d be back to see as many of them as possible.

  “Well, I’m happy to play tour guide. Not that I know that much about many of the places, but I can find most of them.” Her offer surprised her, showing an interest in spending more time with him. Finding the man attractive was bad enough, but there were so many things wrong with getting together with her late fiancé’s brother she couldn’t even think of them all.

  “That would be nice. I’m lucky to have someone I know living here. I make friends pretty easily, I always have, but I’ve known you for ages. Although, I suppose I didn’t really know you all that well until I moved here. God, that sounds weird, doesn’t it? I’ve known you for years, but not really.”

  “A little, I suppose. But we know what the situation was—me and Sean were dating, and you were away at college most of the time, so we didn’t spend that much time together. Though we got along.”

  “Of course. In some ways, Sean and I were alike, so I guess it made sense that I got along with his girlfriend. And, if you don’t mind me saying so, I always thought he had good taste. I was kinda jealous that my brother had such a hot girlfriend.”

  Melodie coughed and spluttered. “Seriously? I had no idea you thought I was hot! Although….” She cast a forlorn glance at her body. “I was slimmer then, and way more toned.”

  Patrick’s gaze followed hers, and he let out a little bark of laughter. “Are you nuts? You’re not hot, past tense. You’re hot, present tense. And actually, I think you’re hotter now. You were a little skinny before. Now you’re a gorgeous size. Perfect.”

  “Have you been drinking those beers already?” she said, trying to hide her surprise at his words.

  He rolled his eyes. “Take the compliment. God knows you’ve paid me enough of them.”

  She shrugged and turned her attention to her surroundings. The temperature rose as the clouds blew away, affording them zero protection from the sun. Grinning, she said, “We should be able to get some amazing shots in this weather—maybe some beams of sunlight shining through gaps in tree canopies. I’m really excited about this.”

  “I am too. I don’t mind being objectified for the sake of charity.” He winked.

  Chapter Five

  Heading northward through the park, they stopped to check out the various attractions and areas of interest. Finally, they were swallowed into the shadows of the Ramble—its beautiful trees, rocks, hills, and valleys filling her with inspiration.

  “Okay,” she said, after another few minutes of soaking in the atmosphere and breathing in the scents of nature. “I think this place is perfect.”

  Patrick looked around and shrugged. “You’re the expert. Though it is very pretty.”

  “Yes, it is. But it’s just the backdrop, remember. You’re the central focus of this photograph. It’s you the women will be swooning over, not that tree.”

  Clearly uncomfortable with her words, he shrugged again. With the photo shoot imminent, his bravado seemed to have disappeared. “If you say so.”

  “I do. Now hand me my camera bag and put your bag somewhere. Get rid of your jacket, first.”

  He did as she asked—though not particularly quickly. She checked to see she had the right lens on her camera, and all the settings were correct for the current conditions.

  “Are you almost ready?” Patrick stood next to the tree she’d chosen, a frown marking his handsome features. “I feel stupid standing here.” He shot an exasperated glance at a couple walking past, staring at him with open curiosity.

  “Yeah, yeah,” Melodie replied, pulling the camera strap over her head. She grabbed the half-empty camera bag and moved off the path in his direction. “You’re going to feel even sillier soon.”

  “How is that even possible?”

  She pointed the camera at him. “Strike a pose, please.”

  “A pose? What? How?”

  “Why don’t you start with something that isn’t you standing there appearing extremely uncomfortable.” Now she knew why she’d never done this kind of shoot before—if the models all complained that much, it would be hellish.

  “That’s a challenge in itself.” He fell silent, a ponderous expression on his face. Then he leaned against the tree, his arms folded.

  She snapped dozens of pictures, crouching, bending, anything to get different perspectives—the perfect perspective—from one pose. A stream of words flowed. “Okay…great start…hold that…move your head this way…for goodness’ sake, smile!”

  Continuing to bark directions at him, she watched him slowly get into it, grow bolder, more confident. She fired off more shots, despite the fact most of them wouldn’t be used. She knew exactly what kind of photo she wanted, and didn’t have it yet.

  Waiting a little longer, and with a confidence she didn’t feel, she said, “Okay, great. Now take off your shirt.”

  “What? Oh, balls. I’d forgotten about that.”

  More like you were hoping I’d forgotten.

  “Come on, off with it. You’re in shape, aren’t you? Then you’ve got nothing to be shy about.”

  Muttering under his breath, he pushed away from the tree and curled his fingers around the hem of his T-shirt. Gave her a pleading glance. Melodie raised one expectant eyebrow. Heaving a heavy sigh, he began to pull up the shirt, taking his sweet time, almost like a strip tease.

  She bit her lip to prevent a smirk. As he revealed more and more skin, however, the temptation to smirk morphed into a temptation to groan. And drool. The man was ripped. It had been a while since she’d seen a bare-chested male that close—not including the runners in the park on hot days—and she’d forgotten how sexy they could be. Damn. How had he been hiding such a smokin’ hot body under his clothes? Her gaze roamed the delicious sight, and she only just managed to tear it away before the offending garment dropped to the grou
nd and he caught her staring.

  “See?” Her voice sounded much brighter than she felt. “That wasn’t so bad, was it? You look great. You’ll definitely give those professional male models a run for their money.”

  With a sour expression, he said, “So, what should I do now? Let’s get this over and done with.”

  “Oh, for heaven’s sake, stop being so pissy. Have you forgotten why we’re doing this? It’s not a fashion shoot, remember.”

  Having the good grace to look chagrined, he gave her a small smile. “Sorry. I guess I’m not cut out for this kind of thing. Tell me what to do and I’ll do it—or do the very best I can, anyway.”

  Her smile dwarfed his. “That’s more like it. Now, why don’t you try going back into the pose against the tree? But check that there aren’t any insects lurking or anything, first. I don’t want my model getting covered in bites! Not sexy!”

  “Okay.” Turning to examine the tree, he gave a serious nod. “Seems all right.” He leaned against it, looking more uncomfortable than he had earlier, and she did her best to encourage him.

  “Excellent! Great stuff. Now tighten your arms a little, show us those guns. Oh, yes, perfect.” Keeping up a running commentary, she flitted around him, taking photographs from different angles. The shoot had already improved and they’d have some decent photos to choose from. At the same time, she shoved much less innocent thoughts to the very back of her mind. Her attempt to stick them in a cupboard, wrap chains around it, and lock it tight failed miserably, though. They tickled at the very edges of her brain, but she resolutely ignored them.

  She straightened from her crouched position. “Let’s try some other poses, shall we?”

  “You’re the boss.”

  Since he didn’t appear to be sarcastic, she grinned. “I suppose I am. Right….”

  She clicked away, becoming so engrossed in her task of making her subject as interesting and attractive as possible, she didn’t have time for bad thoughts and they receded further.

  They continued for another hour or so, drawing lots of fascinated and confused glances from people walking past, who probably thought Patrick was someone. Thankfully, he became well and truly used to both the camera and the lingering stares. He wasn’t a natural, exactly—and probably never would be—but he’d definitely improved.

  After several more poses, she announced, “I think we’ve got enough here to wallpaper someone’s entire house, never mind appear on one page of a calendar. I can’t tell for sure on this little screen, but I think we’ve got loads here that have come out great. We’ll have to go through them together, if that’s okay with you? I’d rather make sure you’re happy with the photo I submit.”

  “No problem.” He bent to retrieve his shirt. “Can I put this back on now?”

  She nodded and he tugged the garment on at warp speed then stuffed his waterproof jacket into his bag. Maybe he hadn’t become quite as confident as she’d thought, and, if she admitted it to herself, it was a shame he’d covered up—he had a body to die for. Not too bulky, not too skinny, but just right. Lithe, toned, sexy…phew. She shook her head to try and rid her mind of the indecent images that had returned. Leching over her late fiancé’s little brother screamed inappropriate. They were working together to do something good for a worthy charity, nothing more.

  Grabbing her bag, she eased her precious camera back into it and slung it over her shoulder.

  “Hey.” Patrick walked over to her with his own bag in his hand and lifted it onto his shoulders, “I’ll carry that.”

  “It’s okay. I don’t want you getting your hands on it and secretly deleting photos!”

  “I wouldn’t dare. You’re quite a scary woman when you get into your photo-taking zone, you know.”

  “I am?”

  “Well, I wouldn’t mess with you, anyway. Here.” He held his hand out, and she reluctantly handed the bag over. It will be quite safe. She had no reason to worry.

  “Okay.” he said. “Shall we go and have our picnic now? I think we’ve earned it.”

  “You definitely have. You did really well.”

  “Thanks.” They made their way out of the Ramble and back onto the path. “It wasn’t that bad, really. Though, thinking about it, I really should have had one of those beers first. It might have given me a bit more confidence.”

  “Well, we’ll go and find somewhere to sit and you can have one then. A reward for all your good work.”

  “Are you joining me? You’ve done good work, too. This whole thing was your idea!”

  “Well, not exactly. I didn’t dream up the calendar idea, did I?”

  “No, but that doesn’t matter. You’re still giving your own time and talent to help out. So, who did come up with the calendar idea?”

  “This guy, Leonidas Russo. He’s an ex-Marine and also lost his brother in Afghanistan.”

  “Seems like everyone has their reasons for doing this calendar, then.”

  “Pretty much. Come on, let’s not get maudlin. Hey, how about here?” They’d arrived at an open space and, as the sun still shone, there were groups of people gathered on blankets and in chairs, enjoying their picnics and the sunshine.

  “Yes, this is great. Pick a spot and I’ll unpack.”

  “Unpack? You make it sound as though you’ve got loads in there!”

  He flashed her an enigmatic smile.

  After a few paces, she stopped. “Here is great. It’s bathed in sunshine and has great views.”

  “Okay.” Handing Melodie the camera bag, he slipped his own from his shoulders, retrieved a blanket, and tossed it to her. “If you could lay that down, I’ll get the other stuff out.”

  She shook it out over the ground and straightened any lumps. Sitting, she watched Patrick empty his bag of many wonders. Wonders that included beer and soft drinks and other tasty things. Her stomach growled. Wow, thank goodness for this picnic. We could have found a hot dog vendor or something, but I’m glad the food is right here, right now. He joined her on the blanket and pushed the boxes and packets of goodies farther into the middle so they could both reach them easily. She smiled gratefully.

  “Go on, dig in,” he said, pointing at the feast. “I’m starving, too.”

  No more persuasion was necessary. Pulling open the nearest bag of chips, she did indeed “dig in.” The two of them sat and ate in silence, and only as she started getting full did she realize how contented she felt. Patrick had many positive traits: easy-going, fun to be with, and thoughtful, hence the picnic.

  Grabbing a can of beer, she took several gulps. Patrick peered at her. “What?” she asked.

  “I’ve never seen a woman drink like that before.”

  “Sorry,” she said, her tone defensive. “But you didn’t bring any glasses or cups.”

  “I didn’t mean it like that. Don’t get pissed at me. I’m impressed, that’s all.”

  Narrowing her eyes, she wanted to know why he’d been gawking at her in the first place? Admittedly, he’d called her hot, but having an appreciation for someone’s looks didn’t mean you were attracted to them. Attraction equaled so much more than the physical.

  God, is he interested in me? She dug back into the food, scooping up a healthy dollop of hummus on the end of a breadstick, trying to focus her thoughts without staring at the cause of them.

  Was there something between her and Sean’s little brother? And if so, what the hell were they going to do about it?

  Chapter Six

  “Thanks for walking me back. I’ll let you know when I have the photos ready for viewing.” Melodie held her hand out for the camera bag that Patrick had still insisted on carrying for her.

  “Oh, I thought we were going to check them out now.”

  “Yeah, sorry. I’ve got a headache coming on and would like to go lie down before it gets worse.” She couldn’t let him come up right then. She wasn’t ready for what might happen if he did.

  “Oh, right. Sorry to hear that. Go get some rest, and I hop
e you’re feeling better soon. Want me to carry your bag upstairs?”

  Patrick appeared really concerned, and her resolve melted a little. Then she tugged it back into place quickly. Her head was fucked up because of her feelings for him. Her mind had been wandering down that sordid, forbidden path ever since the shoot.

  “I’ll be fine, really. I’ll drop you a text later or tomorrow and let you know how I’m doing.”

  “Please do.” Bending, he pressed a kiss on her cheek. “Now go on, to bed with you. And thanks for a fun day.”

  With a wan smile, she turned and let herself into the building. The skin where he’d kissed her burned and she walked quickly around the corner to the elevators where he couldn’t see her. Then she let her feelings go. Clapping her hands over her mouth, her horror grew as the heat in her cheek spread over her face, down her neck and her chest. Her heart pounded almost painfully, like a sledgehammer against her ribcage, and tears pricked the backs of her eyelids. Repeatedly jabbing the button for the elevator, she wanted nothing more in the world than to be locked, alone, inside her apartment. There, she could really let go, let the tears fall, let the shame and pain take over.

  Finally, the metal doors slid open and she stepped inside the car. Selecting her floor, she squeezed her eyes closed, pulled in breaths through her nose, releasing them from her mouth. The calming measure had usually worked in the past, and she needed it to work now. At least until she could get to her loft.

  After what felt like a decade, she reached her floor, scurried along the corridor and barged into her apartment. Headache? No. Heartache, yes.

  Headache or heartache, it fucking hurt. Chest tight, she struggled to breathe, her palms clammy. It frightened her, not unlike a panic attack. Fortunately, she had the presence of mind to put her camera bag down before she dropped it.

  Slumping onto the sofa, Melodie basked in her pathetic state and wanted to tell herself to get the fuck over it. So what if she was falling in love with her dead fiancé’s brother? God, she wished she could feel so blasé about the whole thing. Can’t. She’d always known one day she’d be ready for a relationship, ready to let the pain of losing Sean recede. She’d never forget him of course, but she’d promised him if anything did happen to him, she’d find someone else.