“Nothing I can’t handle, but I love that you’re jealous,” she teased.
He gave her a look she couldn’t quite decipher. “I’m definitely jealous. Only I get to flirt with the photographer during a Stag reception.”
“Don’t worry. I’m all yours.” She gave him a quick wink.
Knowing Dean would get the group upstairs in two trips, Charlotte headed up the back stairs to prep and find Lauren. She was greeted by the sound of a party in full swing. Thumping jazz music, the tinkling of glass, the murmur of conversation, and the occasional hearty laugh. From the makeshift kitchen room came the tantalizing scent of garlic, and Charlotte’s stomach growled as she passed a server with a tray of stuffed mushrooms. How she would have loved to nab one or five.
She spotted Lauren taking group shots of the revelers as they eagerly awaited the bride and groom. Charlotte made her way in that direction.
“How’d it go?” Lauren asked when they were within speaking distance.
“Portraits went well. That park you suggested worked out perfectly. I hated the thought of going to that field again.”
“I’m glad it worked.” Lauren nodded to the long bar. “I’ve got a glass of water for you hidden behind that flower arrangement.”
Charlotte realized then how thirsty she truly was. “You’re amazing.”
Heading over to the bar, Charlotte gave a quick wave to the bartender Jen, downed her glass of water, and began to prep for the bridal party’s introduction. Twenty minutes later they’d shot the intro and the servers began setting down dinner plates. The cue for Charlotte and Lauren to take a well-earned break.
Another great thing about shooting at the Stag was the little room off to the side of the bar. Basically, only the vendors or an occasional nursing mother went in there. With seating, a table, and a bathroom, it made for a nice little retreat to eat dinner and store gear. It was also close enough to the action that they could be alerted quickly if anything exciting happened.
“My favorite part of the day,” Lauren said as she plopped onto the nearest couch. “Dinnertime.”
“Absolutely,” Charlotte said, gently laying her massive camera down on the table. She removed the second camera from around her neck, removed her heavy bag of equipment, and instantly felt the relief of being twenty pounds lighter. She sat on the opposite couch. “It’s been a pretty easy day, though. Considering how early we started.”
They both sighed as they leaned back in unison. It was always nice to just sit for a moment and reflect on the day. At their dinner break, Charlotte could take a deep breath and relax, knowing that all of the critical moments were over with. The getting ready, ceremony, kiss, and portraits were all done and behind her. The rest was cake. Literally, because she and Lauren always sampled the cake. Speaking of which …
“Who made the cake?” she asked Lauren.
“Jill Fontaine,” a masculine voice said from the doorway. Her body instantly went on alert as she turned to find Dean holding a stainless domed plate in each large hand.
Lauren sat up. “That just made my whole night. Jill’s cakes are like little fluffy orgasms with frosting on top.”
Dean laughed and laid the dishes down on the table. “I think what I have here looks pretty orgasmic also.”
Charlotte smiled as she thought of all the ways she could reply to that adorable comment, but she refrained. Instead she sat up, excited to see what was for dinner.
Dean pulled off the lids, revealing breaded chicken breasts coated in a cream sauce, whipped cheesy potatoes, green beans with bacon, and a giant roll.
Charlotte couldn’t hold in her gasp of pleasure. “This looks amazing. Thank goodness wedding day calories don’t count.”
“Absolutely,” Lauren replied as she stood up. “I’m going to run to the restroom and then grab a soda.”
“Grab me one?” Charlotte called after her. Lauren nodded and headed for the door.
Dean waited until Lauren was gone and then sat down beside Charlotte. Not too close, but enough that she felt his warmth immediately.
“I was surprised when I saw the dinner,” Dean said as Charlotte picked up a forkful of mashed potatoes and brought them to her lips. “I wasn’t sure about a caterer with a name like Gary’s Catering.”
After swallowing the creamy bite of heaven, she replied. “Not the most original name, right? But Gary’s is one of my favorites. He’s consistent and he seasons well. So many of them are afraid of a little salt and pepper.” Charlotte loaded up her fork again. “And he’s a nice guy, which makes a difference.”
“So he’s reasonable?” Dean asked.
Charlotte shoved a second bite of potatoes into her mouth, starved after shooting for almost eight hours. All she’d had was a granola bar before the ceremony. She nearly groaned. “Sorry, what did you say?”
Dean’s smile—and his eyes on her mouth—made her aware of how she was chowing down. She was so hungry she couldn’t find it in her to care. He leaned forward, elbow on his knees, still watching her. “I asked about Gary’s. He’s reasonably priced as far as caterers go?”
She swallowed and considered his question before answering. “Yeah. I’d say he’s the best in his price range, which is right in the middle. After that I’d go with Gourmet Granny. She makes the best chicken Kiev and spaetzle.”
Dean nodded. “Good to know. Are Jill’s cakes expensive?”
“Very. But totally worth it. Problem with Jill is that popular dates are sometimes spoken for years in advance. I think women have been known to book her before they have a ring. She’s in really high demand.”
Charlotte cut a bite of her chicken. Part of her just wanted to sit here and enjoy Dean’s company, but on the other hand she was ravenously hungry and they had to get their dinner eaten while the bride and groom ate—which usually didn’t take long. A sudden thought came to mind, and she quickly glanced over at Dean.
“You getting married or something?”
She wished the thought weren’t so devastating. Charlotte was kind of surprised he wasn’t already taken, but she’d looked for a ring the first time she’d ever met him and hadn’t found one. Flirting had ensued.
“Oh no. Not me. My little sister just got engaged. I told her I’d start getting some information together for when she comes home on leave in July.”
Relief flooded through Charlotte’s chest just as Lauren walked back in and sat down to her own dinner. “Oh, congratulations! I had no idea you had a sister. She’s in the military?”
“Thank you, and yes, army. Tried to talk her out of it … but she’s pretty tough. I’m really proud of her.” His smile was warm as he spoke of his little sister, which only made Charlotte like him more.
“Of course you are. So she comes back in July? When’s her wedding?”
“They’re talking next summer, but I’m really not certain.”
Just then the door flung open and the DJ poked his head in. “Hey you two, thought you might want to know that the bride’s brother is giving an unannounced speech.”
“Damn,” Charlotte muttered, and Lauren groaned before shoving one last bite of chicken into her mouth.
“Lauren, you stay. I’ll go get this.” She turned to Dean and stood up. “No rest for the weary.”
He just shook his head. “You girls amaze me every time.”
“Hey, good luck with the wedding, and if your sister needs a photographer, I might know of a really good one.” She grinned, grabbed one of her cameras, and was out the door.
Two
Four hours later they had photographed the dances, the toasts, the cake cutting, the groom and his buddies singing their fraternity song to the bride, the bride and her sorority sisters reciting a chant, and finally the sparkler send-off. By now Charlotte’s feet ached, her back was stiff, and if the best man hit on her one more time she was going to very calmly punch him in the face. She was also in desperate need of hydration.
“Do you want to go to the bar and get some wate
r? Or a soda?” she asked Lauren. “Normally I’d say we could leave now that the couple’s gone but…”
“I know. The groom’s mom has practically shadowed us all night. It’s only eleven forty-five.”
Even though there wasn’t much left to shoot once the couple left, they were contractually required to stay until midnight. “Right? She’s driving me crazy. She’s acting like she paid for this. I’m certain all of the checks came from the bride’s father. But I’ve learned that one bitching family member is like a cancer. They start creating doubt in everyone’s mind, and before you know it you’re trying to defend every shot that didn’t get taken.”
Lauren waved a hand. “It’s fine, let’s just hang for fifteen minutes.”
Charlotte agreed and they headed for the bar.
“I can’t believe you guys are still here,” Jen said. She was Charlotte’s favorite bartender at the Stag, and worked almost every wedding. There was no missing her big personality, her sleeve of colorful arm tattoos, or her dark-as-night hair. And she was funny as hell.
“Crazy, isn’t it?”
“It was a pretty good night, though,” Jen said. She was restocking the row of Stag shot glasses on the bar. Guests could take them as a favor. Charlotte had snagged a few for herself over the years.
“It was. Can’t complain. Still, it will be better when I’m in bed,” Charlotte said.
Jen winked. “Isn’t everything better in bed?”
“Stop being inappropriate,” Dean warned, walking down the bar behind Jen. Charlotte loved how he always seemed to appear when she stopped and took a time-out. After they’d left him in the break room, she hadn’t seen him at all. She’d figured he’d disappeared to the offices, which had been a little disappointing. It was one of her favorite things when he came up and chatted with her while she photographed people making fools of themselves on the dance floor. And she’d scored no new photos for her Dream Man stash, either.
“Please, you’re the most inappropriate person in this place,” Jen said to Dean. She took a damp bar towel and flicked him on the butt.
And just like that a sinking feeling came over Charlotte. Did Dean flirt with everyone? He didn’t seem like the type at all. Actually, she’d always had the feeling that she’d managed to pull that side out of him despite himself. Not that she truly thought he liked her in any serious way, but … she’d always hoped and assumed he was attracted to her even if he was too much of a professional to act on it. She liked to think that the flirting between them was something he did only with her. But why should she assume that was the case? He was an insanely handsome single male. In his prime, some might say. Other photographers came here. They had other employees, bridesmaids, vendors. He probably had endless opportunities to flirt and even hook up with women.
Thankfully her worries were eased just a little when Dean turned and instantly scowled at Jen after the towel flick to the rear. He pointed a finger at her. “Don’t do that again.”
Charlotte had never seen that side of Dean. The angry, employer side. It suited him somehow, and she had to admit it was kind of hot.
Jen turned and gave Charlotte and Lauren a wink. “Ignore him, he’s decided to be Boss Dean today, which means he’s grumpy and no fun.” She grabbed two pint glasses and began to fill them with ice. “Charlotte, do you have any new sexy man photos?”
Dean’s head jerked toward Charlotte, his attention obviously caught by Jen’s question. She felt her face warm in response. It was a little embarrassing that Jen had mentioned it in front of him. Not that Charlotte was ashamed of the extra photo work she’d started taking on recently, but still, it was a bit awkward, even for her.
“She absolutely does. She did the hottest guy on Thursday,” Lauren said, adding to Charlotte’s discomfort in front of Dean.
Charlotte wanted so badly for him to see her in a certain light, although she wasn’t quite sure what that light was. Hopefully the one that led to him asking her out one day. Or at least making out. Part of her feared that maybe he saw her as too young, but the truth was, for a single woman of twenty-nine she was incredibly successful, and she’d always been mature for her age. She owned her own business, had a five-digit savings account, and hadn’t bought anything in the juniors clothing section in at least a year.
Charlotte glanced up to find Dean’s eyebrow raised in assessment of her. She’d love to know what he was thinking, and of course because she was infatuated with him, she feared the worst. He stepped a little closer to their end of the bar but continued to count liquor bottles and write things down on a clipboard.
“It’s not how it sounds,” Charlotte said quickly in her own defense. Not that she needed one.
“I’m so jealous. What an amazing gig.” Jen poured Charlotte and Lauren a soda out of her fountain gun.
“I keep begging her to let me come over and help her with them, but she never does,” Lauren said, giving Charlotte a teasing scowl. “She’s stingy with her sexy guys.”
“It’s just photography.”
“Of … men?” Dean asked. His face was neutral, but there was a bit of an edge to his tone. Interesting.
Charlotte opened her mouth to speak, but Jen beat her to it. “She photographs hot guys for book covers. Like ripped abs, big pecs, cut hips. The whole package. If you know what I mean.”
Lauren and Jen giggled like teenagers, but Charlotte couldn’t take her eyes off Dean, whose lips had tightened. What was he thinking, knowing that she did this? It wasn’t like they were pornographic. Just … sexy. A little raw sometimes.
“So these guys are naked?” Dean asked.
“No!” Charlotte said immediately. “They’re not naked.”
“Well … they might as well be,” Lauren said. “Show him.”
“Yes please, show us.” Jen leaned on the bar, waiting.
Charlotte pulled out her phone and opened up the Cloud app, which accessed her online portfolio. The truth was, she loved taking these photos. For the obvious reason, hello, hot guys. But also because it was artistically challenging. The light, the muscles, the emotion.
It had been a complete accident that had landed her the first cover gig. Another of her specialties were boudoir shoots, which were often booked by her brides as a surprise for their fiancés. A year ago, one of them had shown her album to a friend who happened to be a romance author. That was all it took for her to build up a little bit of a side business to her wedding clientele. Plus, she really enjoyed it, and wouldn’t mind if she could start supplementing her wedding income with this work.
Opening the most recent set of photos, Charlotte held out her phone to Jen, who eagerly snatched it from her. Dean leaned forward a little to glance over Jen’s shoulder.
“Oh damn, look at him,” Jen said. She swiped through several photos and then paused on one. “Good Lord.”
Charlotte was pretty sure she knew which it was, because it was her favorite, too. Kye, the guy in the photo, had the most insanely gorgeous body. They’d done the session in an empty, filthy warehouse. He was in dangerously low-hung jeans, his abs dirty, chest sweaty (although that was courtesy of a spray bottle), and he looked up at the camera through hooded lids, his lips slightly pouty.
“He nailed that one, didn’t he?” Charlotte found herself asking.
“Yep, and he can nail me while he’s at it,” Jen said as she lifted the phone to her face and imitated licking the screen. Dean’s head jerked back and he stared at Jen with unveiled disgust.
“Oh, sorry.” Jen smiled and held the phone out to him. “Did you want a taste, too?”
Dean just shook his head and walked back to the other end of the bar.
“He’s just jealous,” Jen whispered, loud enough for anyone within ten feet to overhear. Just then her eyes went wide, and she gasped. “Oh my God. Dean! You should do Dean. Dean, you should let Charlotte do you!”
Grateful that most of the guests had left for the evening, Charlotte’s eyes darted from the bartender to the guy who w
as glaring back at her, his lips parted in shock.
She laughed nervously. “Don’t worry, Dean. I wouldn’t ask you to do that.”
“I hope not,” he replied, sending a wave of embarrassment through her. What did that reaction mean? Did he think her work was stupid? Or did he mean in reference to the innuendo? She wasn’t sure which would be worse.
“But you should,” Jen urged, clearly inspired by the idea and not willing to let it go. “I’m telling you, it’s the best idea ever. I mean, I know a lot of these guys are super young and hunky, but Dean is … you know, middle-aged hunky. And he is built like a brick house.”
“Wow, you really know how to make a guy feel good, Jen,” Dean said. His glaring eyes were insisting that Jen shut the hell up.
A twinge of jealousy came over Charlotte as she wondered how and why Jen had any knowledge of Dean’s body. But the idea of photographing him did intrigue her, there was no denying that. She was already imagining what she’d do to him. Or … with him. Or to him. God, she was just imagining him shirtless and it was scrambling her brain. Clearly this was all wishful thinking that was never going to come to fruition if the horrified look on his face was any indication.
“Tell her,” Jen said to Dean, her voice revealing her irritation with him. “You could totally pull that sexy stuff off.”
“Hush, Jen.”
“Sorry, Dean, I know this totally isn’t your style,” Charlotte said, hating that things were getting uncomfortable for her and obviously for him, too.
He stared at her for a long moment, and she desperately wished she could read his thoughts. Secretly, she hoped he would counter, say that he did indeed think it was a good idea, that her talent was obvious and he wanted to be a part of it by stripping off his clothes and playing the part of sexy alpha male. But that was her living in Dean Dream Guy Land again. The truth was that having a scantily clad Dean in front of her lens could be the worst kind of torture.
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