TooHot

by Lauren Fraser

  Okay, so in theory working around sexy men all day was fantastic but in reality she felt as if she was all hands and the man in front of her was sexier than most. To say he was potent was like saying bees didn’t mind honey, just a little bit of an understatement.

  “I don’t think you have anything to be nervous about,” she told him.

  “No?” He flashed that sexy smile again.

  Crap, could she be any more obvious about her attraction to him? She could do this. He was a client, she could be professional. Her gaze landed on the patch of skin peeking through his jacket. Okay maybe she couldn’t be professional but she could fake it.

  “So how do you want me?”

  Umm, naked in my bed. Heat rushed across her cheeks at the errant thought. So much for being professional. She grimaced.

  “You any good with the hose?”

  He snorted in laughter.

  Mortified, she closed her eyes. “Damn, that did not come out at all like I had intended. What I meant was, are you comfortable holding the hose?”

  He sputtered as he held in a laugh.

  Her cheeks burned with embarrassment. Perfect, the first guy she’d been really attracted to in months and she had to go and act like a bumbling idiot.

  “I-I meant…” she stammered.

  “Don’t worry about it. I know what you meant. You just look so cute all flustered like that I couldn’t help teasing you a little, Red.”

  She’d been called Red before but hearing it said in that deep, husky voice made her melt. Heat dipped across her chest, but this time it wasn’t from being embarrassed. She tucked her hair behind her ear and peeked up at him. He stared back, watching.

  “Right. Okay.” She fiddled with her hair again then took a breath to steady her nerves. She was not going to blow this shoot by lusting after one of the models. “So lose the jacket and grab that hose,” she said, indicating the coiled white hose on the floor.

  Marco dropped his jacket, the muscles in his chest and biceps flexed as he hoisted the fire hose and threw it over his left shoulder. Shaking the lust from her eyes, Josie chewed on her inner cheek, trying to focus on the task at hand and getting the best possible picture for this calendar.

  She took a few steps past Marco to assess him from a different angle. Josie picked up her camera and looked at him through the lens. There was no question the guy was photogenic. “Can you pull your pants down?”

  “Pardon?” he replied, his eyebrow rising as he stared at her.

  Why was it around this man everything that fell out of her mouth sounded so sexual? “Sorry, can you just lower your pants a little bit so I can see your hipbones?”

  He raised his brow. “My hipbones?”

  She nodded. “Yeah, you don’t need to lower them tons, we aren’t going for that yo’ homie look, but just low enough that your hipbones stick out.”

  He shifted the hose so it rested on his shoulder without being held then gripped his pants with both hands and shifted the waist. “How’s that?” he asked.

  Day-um. Josie nibbled on her lower lip as she stared at the sexy display in front of her. “Perfect,” she sighed.

  He laughed and shook his head. “I can honestly say I will never understand exactly what it is women find sexy… My hipbones? Really?”

  She nodded. “Really.”

  Marco shifted his pants a bit farther. “All right then.”

  Josie looked through her camera and wrinkled her nose. The shot wasn’t right. Marco looked sexy, there was no way he couldn’t, but somehow it just wasn’t what she’d hoped for.

  She glanced around the warehouse and her eyes were drawn to the engine out front. Natural light, that’s what she needed. “Let’s head outside,” she told him and scooped her bag up.

  “Leave the jacket and bring the hose?” he asked.

  “Yes, please.”

  Marco fell in beside her as they walked across the huge warehouse.

  “So, Red, I don’t see a ring on your finger. Does that mean you’re unattached?”

  She was so far from attached it wasn’t even funny. “Definitely unattached,” she scoffed.

  “Good.”

  She looked over at him to make sure she’d heard him right, he flashed that killer smile of his, and her damn stomach flipped again. The thing had a mind of its own around this guy.

  “So what are you picturing besides my hipbones?” he asked, his eyes twinkling with amusement as he looked at her.

  “I’m not sure.” She stopped beside the engine and looked around. “I want to try a couple of different positions with you and see which one works best.”

  “Honey, I’m willing to try any position you want.”

  She titled her head to look at him and his stare roamed over her body and lingered on her breasts. Her nipples beaded so tightly she was sure they were visible even through her bra. When he raised his eyes to her face, his tongue brushed his lower lip before a cocky smile curved the edges of his mouth.

  “You got a preference for which position you want to try first?” he asked. Laced with innuendo, his voice dipped even lower and melted over her, turning her insides mushy. God, she could close her eyes and listen to him talk all day but then she wouldn’t get to look at him and that would be a crime.

  Meeting his heated stare, Josie’s chest tightened and she inhaled deeply. There wasn’t a position she didn’t want to try. They continued to stare at each other until Josie heard a throat clearing behind her. Marco scowled at the person behind her.

  Josie breathed a sigh of relief at the interruption. She was not nearly experienced enough to play games with a man as potent as Marco.

  “Hey, Scott, what’s up?” she asked the newcomer.

  Scott grinned at Josie then nodded toward Marco. “You want me to take the fire hose to him, Jos? It might make a great shot. I hear the ladies like a half-naked, wet man.”

  Josie groaned at the mental picture that conjured. She didn’t think her libido could handle seeing Marco wet, she was hanging on by a thread as it was. But Scott was right, it would make a damn good shot, just not with Marco. It would not be the least bit professional to have the photographer swimming in a pool of drool.

  “Good idea, Scott, but we’ll save that for your turn.” She flashed him a sassy smile and picked up her camera. Before she took the shot she flicked a glance over her shoulder at Scott. “Don’t go anywhere since you’re up next.”

  She turned back and Marco met her eyes and gave her an amused smile. Okay, she was a big chicken, so shoot her. Josie shrugged. With Scott as a guardian, maybe she could keep her hormones in check and actually get some work done.

  Chapter Two

  Thursday morning, Josie picked up her cell phone. One missed call. She punched the button to listen to her voicemail.

  “Josie, hey, it’s Marco.” His rough, husky voice slid through the phone and her body instantly went on alert. Her nipples beaded as a shiver raced through her core.

  “A bunch of us are going to check out this band tonight at The Underground and I thought you might be interested in coming. We’ll have dinner, listen to some music. It should be fun. Give me a call.”

  She could feel the huge grin that was splitting her mouth. She couldn’t believe he’d called her. How had he gotten her number? Did it really matter? He’d called.

  She danced on the spot and squealed. She hit replay on her phone so she could hear that delicious voice again.

  Her excitement dampened as she listened to it for a second time. He wasn’t actually asking her out, he just wanted her to tag along on a group activity. That really wasn’t the same thing at all. What should she do? If she went and he was thinking of her as a buddy she’d feel like an idiot, but what if he was interested in more? If he wanted to even just hook up for the night she’d be an idiot to pass that up. This might be the only opportunity she’d ever get to be with a guy as gorgeous as Marco.

  Her phone vibrated in her palm. Glancing at the caller ID, Uncle Jack’s
name popped up on the display. “Hey, Uncle Jack, what’s up?”

  “Just wanted to see if you could swing by the station and give me a little sneak peek at the pictures. The boys are a bit anxious and keep asking me if I’ve seen anything. A few of them are a little nervous.” He laughed.

  “Sure, I’ll stop by. I was just about to head out and grab a bite to eat, why don’t I pick you up something and bring the pictures by?”

  “Sounds great. Make sure you bring me something good, not that healthy crap.”

  * * * * *

  Half an hour later, Josie wandered into the firehouse with a bag of takeout Thai. She knocked on her uncle’s office door and waited for him to wave her in. “Hey, stranger,” she said as she set the bag on his desk.

  She handed him a memory stick to view the photos on the computer. He pulled up the first photo and smiled. “That’s perfect,” he said, shifting his glance toward her. “You were right about the group shot, Josie, this is fantastic.”

  He clicked the next photo of James on the ladder and nodded. When he got to Marco’s photo, Josie couldn’t help the sigh that slipped past her lips. That was one sexy picture.

  Her uncle flashed her a look then flipped to the next photo from the shoot. When he’d made it through them all he turned to her. “You have a real gift, Josie. I don’t think we could have found a better photographer than you. I always knew you were good but these pictures are better than I could have imagined.”

  Heat raced across her cheeks and her uncle laughed.

  “You never were very good at taking a compliment,” he told her.

  Damn fair skin, she couldn’t hide a bloody thing with it.

  “Thank you,” she told him. “So you don’t think the guys will be upset about the way they look?”

  “Not at all. They are going to eat this shit up.” He shook his head. “Damn, and I thought these guys had egos before. They’re going to be unbearable once this thing gets printed and women start fawning all over them.”

  Josie slid around behind her uncle and looked over his shoulder at the pictures. A sense of pride flowed through her as he scrolled through each shot. She’d done a good job. It helped that she’d had photogenic subjects, but screw it, she was taking full credit for how well the shots turned out.

  Swinging back around to the other side of the oak desk, she picked up her takeout container, flipped the lid off the pad Thai and inhaled deeply. She shoveled the first mouthful in. Damn that was good.

  Her eyes popped open at the sound of her uncle’s laughter. “Been one of those days, hey? Guess I know better than to ask you to save me some,” he joked.

  Heat raced across her skin again. “Don’t be silly, I can share if you want some.”

  He raised his palms. “Nope, I’m smarter than that. You’re too much like your aunt and your mother, and I learned the hard way not to get between a woman and her drug of choice. Besides, I know you, kiddo, some women go for chocolate, you always went for Thai food when you were in a mood.”

  She glanced down at her hips and sighed. “Too bad I couldn’t convince my body that an apple would do the trick.”

  Uncle Jack’s eyebrows knit together in a frown. “What are you talking about?”

  “Come on, Uncle Jack, look at me. It’s not as if I couldn’t afford to miss a meal or two.”

  He rolled his eyes. “Josie, you have always had a warped view of your body. You look fine. You seem to think you’d look better if you were skin and bones, like you used to be, and you just wouldn’t.” He scowled. “Hell, I nearly had to pound on a couple of my best guys at the shoot for ogling you, which let me tell you, I was none too happy about.”

  She snorted. “I’m pretty sure they were just doing that to get a rise out of you.”

  He glanced at her and shook his head sadly. “Honey, do you really believe that?”

  “I know that,” she replied. She took a deep breath. “Can we not have this discussion please?”

  Her uncle continued to stare at her. “Fine, but on one condition, you finish your lunch.”

  She glanced up at her uncle and the knowing smile on his face. He knew her too well. She’d had no intention of eating her meal and he knew it.

  He continued to stare her down until she dug her fork into her food. “Fine,” she mumbled and shoved the bite into her mouth.

  As they finished their lunch, they talked about the upcoming fundraiser evening for the fire department. The calendars needed to be finished by then since that night always garnered them huge sales, and they didn’t want to miss the opportunity.

  A knock sounded on the office door and her uncle waved his hand to indicate they should come in. Josie smiled at James as he poked his head into the office.

  “Hey, Jos. I heard you were here today. Any chance you brought the pictures?” James asked, his blue eyes twinkling with excitement. He looked like a little kid in a candy shop.

  “I sure did,” she told him.

  “Awesome.” He stuck his head out into the hallway. “Scott, get in here,” he yelled.

  A few seconds later, Scott popped his head into the captain’s office. When he saw Josie, a grin slid across his face. “Any chance you brought the pictures?” he asked.

  She shook her head and laughed. Pointing at the desk, she said, “See for yourself.”

  Uncle Jack stood and rounded his desk to allow the other two men to slide into his spot. He glanced at James and Scott then back to Josie. “I’ll be right back.”

  “No problem, take your time,” she said.

  She bit her lip as she watched the guys scrolling through the photos. What if they didn’t like them?

  James glanced up from the screen, his face looked a little dazed. “Holy shit, Jos. These are good. I mean really good.”

  Scott grinned at her. “Woowee, I am going to have to beat the women off with a stick when they see this.” He winked at her. “Not that I didn’t already.”

  She rolled her eyes.

  “So, Jos, did Marco manage to get a hold of you about tonight?” James asked.

  Her stomach flipped. “He left a message, but I haven’t had a chance to talk to him yet.”

  Her uncle walked in the room just as she was finished talking. “He’s in the gym. I told him you’d stop by on your way out.”

  What the hell? Her uncle was actually encouraging her to stop by and organize hanging out with these guys. She watched him warily. He was up to something. She just didn’t have a clue what.

  “So you two done admiring yourselves?” she asked, flicking her head to indicate the computer screen.

  “Yeah, for now,” James said with a grin. “We get copies of the shots though, right?”

  She laughed. “Yeah, I can make a copy of your picture.”

  “Nice,” he said. He slapped her shoulder like one of the guys as he walked past. “Great job, Jos. Honestly those pictures are way above what I was expecting.”

  At the compliment, she beamed back at him. “Thanks.”

  Scott and James left the office, leaving her alone with her uncle. He passed her the memory stick. After she slid the stick in her bag, he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her into a hug. “I’m really proud of you, Josie. You did an amazing job, but then I never had any doubt you would,” he told her gruffly.

  She hugged him back and kissed him on the cheek. “Thanks, Uncle Jack, for everything.”

  He nodded. “All right, now get out of here so I can get some work done.”

  Josie shook her head and laughed. “Fine.” She scooped up her bag and slung it over her shoulder. “I’ll talk to you later,” she told him.

  Josie made her way toward the gym. The sound of old-school, AC/DC’s Thunderstruck, carried down the hallway. At the doorway she stopped and looked inside. Her eyes nearly bugged out of her head as she saw Marco running on the treadmill. Alone in the gym, he ran at a grueling pace. Sweat ran down his bare chest. She followed the path of one droplet as it snaked between the ridges of
his abs, through the dark hair under his bellybutton and into the waistband of his shorts. She tried to swallow but her throat seemed to have closed tightly, forcing her to gulp for air. Holy mother of god, she wanted to lick every inch of his body.

  His eyes met hers, heat flared between them. He must have seen the raw lust on her face because a slow, carnal smile spread across his face.

  “Hey, Josie, give me one sec.” He flicked off the treadmill, grabbed his t-shirt from the handle and wiped it across his face.

  “Did you get my message?” he asked.

  Unable to drag her eyes from his chest, she nodded.

  “So, what’s your answer?”

  “My what?” Raising her head, she sighed. Oh the man was beautiful. Around him somehow her mind shut off and she became a bumbling idiot. His eyes twinkled with amusement and he winked.

  “Are you up for coming out with us tonight?” he asked again.

  She blinked, trying to clear the fog. God, he must think she was such a loser. She couldn’t even have a normal conversation. “Umm…sure,” she stammered.

  Marco stepped toward her. Josie’s nipples beaded tightly, pressing against the lace of her bra.

  A sexy smile curved the corner of his lips. “Do I make you nervous, Red?”

  She squared her shoulders. “Of course not,” she said, forcing herself to stand her ground and not move away.

  He grinned and moved closer. She could feel the heat from his body and the scent of his sweat turned her on better than any cologne ever could.

  He tucked her bangs behind her ear and trailed his hand along the back of her neck, cupping her head with his palm to hold her in place.

  “Then how come you’re shivering now?” he whispered against her ear. His hot breath sent another shiver through her body. “Josie, clearly you’re as attracted to me as I am to you so why are you fighting it?” he asked.

  “I’m not fighting anything.” Damn, the breathless sigh in her voice didn’t exactly add much validity to her statement.

  “Liar,” he said and nipped her earlobe between his teeth. The touch sent an arrow of heat straight from her ear to her pussy and she clamped her knees together.