by Eden French
Calen shook his head as she walked up to the team, then quite abruptly, pushed through them to the door of the student union, her equipment bags nudging players out of the way eliciting a few grunts and groans from his teammates. She unlocked the door and, just before walking through, turned to address the team.
“I’m gonna need about five minutes to get my cameras ready.” She sounded irritated. Calen wondered why she was so upset. “We’re already set up in Student Room B. If you can wait in the lobby just outside, then I’ll call you in by name, and we can get this done quickly.” She turned around and entered the building.
“Who was that?” Calen heard Marc’s question emerge out of the silence. “And, how come I’m just seeing that booty now.”
“Don’t be an idiot,” Zev shot. “Haven’t you heard of sexual harassment? Keep talking like that and you’ll be kicked off the team.”
A couple of the guys continued to razz Marc, and Zev’s comment was lost amid the teasing. But, Calen didn’t let it go. He noted the fine layer of anger subtly hidden in Zev’s normally composed tone.
In all honesty, Calen couldn’t blame him. He was grateful Zev had the wits to say something, as Calen had been tongue-tied. The girl, whoever she was, deserved to be able to do her job without being harassed. She already seemed irritated having to be there. Calen was sure if she also had to deal with the immature idiot-speak of uneducated lowerclassmen, then her mood would most definitely take a further nosedive.
The team filed into the building. Calen kept a close eye on Zev, who now seemed on high alert. He shifted from one foot to the other, his hands clenching into fists and releasing. What was going on with him? It was the first time Calen had ever seen Zev look physically uncomfortable. It was so unlike him. Could this girl be responsible for unnerving the unshakeable Zev Reynolds? The same Zev Reynolds that was unaffected by any woman?
Calen bit his lip in thought. It was understandable. He had felt drawn to her the moment he noticed her. There was something about her that was…different, though he had no idea of what it could be.
Calen marveled at how his heart had fluttered double-time at first glance. He hadn’t felt like this since he and Kimberly met nearly three years prior. No, correct that. He had never felt like this—ever. Guilt tugged at Calen’s conscience. What about what he and Kimberly had? That was love, wasn’t it? To have such intense feelings about a stranger so soon after their break-up seemed a betrayal of sorts. But why should it? She had left him four long months ago. Shouldn’t it be time to move on? Isn’t that what he had been trying to do since the semester had begun?
But who is this mysterious girl? Where did she come from?
“Marc Abrams.” The girl had stepped out of Student Room B and called out the name. Her voice was all business. Calen honed in on it like a beacon.
Marc made his way sheepishly to the room, receiving plenty of shoulder punches and nudges along the way, reminders to be on his best behavior. As he entered, the girl followed behind him, letting the door close with a slow click.
“He better behave himself,” Zev growled under his breath. A couple of the other guys noticed the intensity of his tone and gave him a strange look. Zev seemed oblivious to their stares. He was focused on the room. Calen took a step closer to his friend.
“If he wants to stay on the team, he will,” he added, trying to ease the tension creeping into the lobby. Zev didn’t flinch when Calen rested a hand on his shoulder. “We’ve worked too hard to get where we are to let some idiot ruin our reputation with a few douchebag comments.”
The other guys shook their heads in agreement. After the university’s football team took a horrifically epic fall from grace after their quarterback made some sexually charged racist remarks, Perrault University Athletic Association went all in on a no tolerance policy. It was now mandatory for all student athletes to take a sports ethics and a human sensitivity course in order to play.
After a few minutes, Marc emerged from the room. He pulled on his tie to loosen it.
“Bradley Collins,” the girl announced. Bradley followed her into the room. Zev’s eyes were glued to the door.
One by one, the girl called the names of the players until they were down to the last two, Reddington and Reynolds.
“Calen Reddington.” Her voice echoed in the now emptied lobby.
Calen’s heart skipped, and he realized he had been anxiously awaiting the moment in which his name fell from her lips. He stood and followed her into the room. He glanced back at Zev. Zev’s stare pierced him. Calen tensed when his friend’s jaw tightened as he clenched his teeth.
What the hell?
Calen wiped his suddenly sweating hands on his slacks and entered the room. The unnamed girl followed close behind.
“Okay, so if you’ll just stand in front of the screen there, I can take a few shots and you can go.” Her voice was businesslike in manner but held a soft edge to it. Calen decided he liked how it sounded. It was clear, calm. He watched her closely. Her attention was clearly fixed on the camera she held in her hands.
“Umm…here?” Calen stuttered.
She looked up from her camera, her eyes meeting his. Calen’s palms began to sweat again as she studied him closely.
“Do you see another screen?” she said flatly.
“I…um, I…” Calen sputtered, feeling disarmed. It had been a long time since a girl had spoken to him in a disinterested, scratch that, borderline rude tone. He was taken aback. The girl seemed to recognize his discomfort.
“I’m sorry,” she said as her face softened. “That was rude of me. Let’s start again, shall we? My name is Celeste. I’ll be taking your headshots.”
“Celeste.” The name rolled off his tongue like silk. He reached out his hand to her. She took it and shook it firmly. “I’m Calen. It’s nice to meet you.”
Celeste let a crooked smile shape her lips as if she wasn’t sure if that statement was true or not. An awkward silence sat in the room before Calen shook his head and moved to stand in front of the screen. He stood there and waited as Celeste studied him through the camera. After a second longer, she stood up straight, lowering the camera from her eye line.
“Your tie?”
Calen scrunched his brows together. “What?”
“Your tie. Don’t you want your tie on for the picture? Isn’t it cursory for team headshots?” She gestured to Calen’s shoulder.
Calen looked down on his right shoulder and noticed, for the first time, his tie hanging off it from earlier that morning. How had he forgotten to put it on? He shook his head as he realized his thoughts had been so distracted by Celeste’s appearance, putting on the tie completely slipped his mind.
“Oh…um, yeah,” he muttered as he swiped it with his left hand and pulled it around his neck. “Let me just…”
Calen’s sweaty fingers fumbled with the ends as he tried to knot the tie. Why was he so nervous? He glanced up at Celeste and sheepishly grinned as he struggled to affix it around his neck. His fingers refused to work. Celeste placed the camera down gently on a nearby table and approached him.
“May I?” she asked, reaching for the red fabric. “You know, I hear you’re pretty good at lacrosse. Is that true?”
Calen’s breath caught in his throat as he nodded. The heat from her body seared through the little amount of space between them as she untangled the mess from around his neck and began again.
“I guess,” he began, quickly adding, “I mean, that’s what people think anyway.”
Celeste looked up at him. Her mouth upturned into a playful smile. The minute their eyes met, Calen felt his heart pick up pace. Twice his normal beat, he suspected.
“You’re smiling,” Calen said, confused. “Is there something about me that amuses you?”
“Not really,” Celeste replied, breaking their gaze. “It’s just that for someone as supposedly talented at handling a stick, you really messed up your tie here.”
Calen looked down at the wrinkle
d mess that was now tied into a perfect knot.
“Don’t worry about the wrinkles,” Celeste said as she took a step away from him and walked back to the table to retrieve her camera.
Calen felt her absence. He forced himself to stay planted in front of the screen where he stood alone, confused. “I’m sorry, what?”
“Don’t worry about the wrinkles,” Celeste repeated as she raised her camera up. “I can Photoshop them out. No one will ever know. It’ll be our dirty little secret.”
“Uh, yeah…cool,” Calen grunted focusing on keeping the blood in his brain from draining down to another body part when her lips formed the words ‘dirty little secret.’ He internally cursed himself.
After a few seconds, Celeste put down her camera.
“Are you always this stiff?” she asked innocently.
Calen blushed and tugged at his collar.
“Umm, not really. I just don’t like pictures, I guess.” Then thinking of an opening to find out more information about her, he added, “Why don’t you tell me something about yourself. You know, to help loosen me up.”
Celeste looked thoughtful from behind her camera.
“Myself? Like what?”
“Oh, I don’t know, how about…how did you get this gig, for starters? Have you always been at Perrault? Do you have a boyfriend?”
A smile tugged at her lips as she took a full breath. Calen could see her shoulders drop a few inches.
“Honest truth?” she asked.
“Always,” he replied, feeling a little less intimidated as they chitchatted.
“Okay.” She lowered her camera a bit. “Honestly, I was late to a meeting and got suckered into this gig. Apparently, your regular photographer got a better job, and they needed a fast replacement. So, as a fourth-year photography student, here I am. I tried to get out of it, but it was too late”—she shook her head—“eight minutes late to a meeting and I’m stuck with this gig for the entire year.”
“Oh, wow,” Calen replied, sarcasm dripping from his words. “Your enthusiasm is contagious. I hope you’ll be able to contain yourself and keep a professional demeanor.”
Celeste smiled wide, and a laugh escaped her lips. Calen’s heart fluttered at the sound.
“Is it that obvious?” she said between giggles. “I’m sorry, really. It’s just that I’m going to need all my focus on my portfolio and I didn’t want any other distractions…uh, I mean…”
Celeste cringed.
“Ouch,” Calen said, placing his hand over his heart in mock pain. “I’ve been called many things, but a distraction? Next thing I know, you’re going to tell me you’ve never watched a lacrosse game before.”
The silence filled the room quicker than helium in a birthday balloon. Celeste looked down, embarrassed.
“Seriously?” Calen questioned, not even trying to hide the shock from his tone.
Celeste raised her camera and began taking a few more shots.
“Just try to look natural. And don’t worry, I’m practically a professional. I think I can handle some sports photos.” After five more clicks on the camera, she lowered it to her chest. “Okay, I think we’re done here,” she said. “According to this roster, there’s only one of you left. Zev—”
“Reynolds.” Zev’s voice cut through the room.
Both Celeste and Calen looked toward the entrance at the intrusion.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” Zev said to Celeste. “I was just the only one in the lobby, and I thought I’d wait in here instead.”
Calen’s brows furrowed at Zev’s entrance. His stomach twisted as his friend walked into the room. When had he gotten here? He glanced at his friend and noticed Zev’s eyes were solely focused on Celeste. Celeste turned and watched as Zev walked fully into the space.
“No problem at all,” she said, her voice welcoming. “You’re the last one. Then, you are both free to do whatever it is lacrosse guys do on a Saturday afternoon. I won’t keep you from your weekend any longer.”
Calen’s gut dropped as he realized his time with Celeste was over. Short as it was, he had enjoyed talking with her and hoped for a bit more time getting to know her…alone. But, as Calen looked over to Celeste, he noticed she was staring at Zev with a look he’d recognize anywhere. After all, he had seen it before on the face of every girl Zev came into contact with.
Calen pulled at his tie.
“I’ll be waiting at the car,” he mumbled as he pushed past Zev, leaving Student Room B, and the beautiful Celeste behind.
Chapter Four
Celeste watched as Zev entered the room. His movements reminded her of a predator, how a wild cat or a wolf would move during a hunt. She felt herself being tugged toward him. Celeste clenched her body tight in defense. Was she the prey? She held her breath.
Celeste was intrigued. What was it about this dark-featured man pulling at her inner self, a self she hadn’t even known existed until he casually sauntered into the room? She barely noticed Calen rush out and briefly thought of him only once more before Zev’s presence demanded her full attention.
She cleared her throat and attempted to act as normal as possible.
Fail.
“If you wouldn’t mind standing over near the screen, I can get your shots, and then that’ll be it,” she said fiddling with her camera, more so to look busy rather than to actually adjust anything.
“Here?” His voice was smooth. It warmed her ears and made her stomach tighten. Every cell in her body lurched in excitement. How was he doing this? Never before had a guy had such a profound effect on her physical being. It didn’t seem right. It scared her.
Celeste looked up and nodded. Zev was standing near the center of the screen. Celeste blinked several times before realizing her eyes feasted on perfection. He was like a statue of a god—only more handsome, and real. Her jaw dropped.
“Yes, there’s fine,” she squeaked as she brought the camera to her sight.
She took a few test photos and then brought her camera down to look at them. Sure enough, what she had suspected was correct. Every test picture came out perfect.
He must be a god.
“Okay, I’ll just take a few more, uh, Zev, and then we’re done,” she said. Her voice hung in the room.
“You know, I feel at a bit of a disadvantage,” Zev said carefully. “I mean, you know my name, and I know nothing about you?”
“Me? Oh…I’m just the photographer. No one of interest. Just here to do my job,” Celeste said, quietly snapping the last few pictures. She wasn’t sure what it was about this guy, but something inside her warned her to be alert, on guard. She couldn’t trust herself to make a sound judgment around him, like he had a strange power over her.
“Oh, I highly doubt that you are no one of interest,” Zev said as he took a couple steps toward her.
Celeste froze. She stood planted in place as Zev took his time approaching her, lowering her camera down to her side. Her insides wriggled in anticipation of what might happen when he reached his destination. A few more steps and Zev stood just six inches away from her.
Celeste could feel the electricity spark in the air between them. She was afraid to move. Her breathing picked up. Her heart pounded, desperate to escape the confines of her body.
“Celeste,” she managed to whisper. “My name’s Celeste.”
* * * *
The word fell from her lips and landed on Zev’s ears like rose petals. He inhaled deeply and let the name fully enter his soul. His heart swelled with emotion, consuming his entire torso and pushing outward until every bit of space in his body filled up with the name.
Her name. Celeste.
Zev watched her intently trying to figure out if he should continue to follow his desire, his instinct. Reading Celeste’s expression, he slowly brought his hand up to her cheek and brushed his thumb against her soft skin with a gentle stroke. Celeste met his gaze and held it as he did so. For an instant, they were the only two creatures in the wo
rld as they stood there locked in each other’s attention, drawn together by some sort of otherworldly pull, a magic spell.
Zev leaned forward. Celeste tilted her chin up, and he could smell the sweet lemon scent of her gloss. He moved in without hesitation. His lips stopped just as they grazed hers, his tongue poking out to taste her fruity lips.
A sudden banging on the outside door snapped them out of their trance. Zev dropped his hand and took a step back from Celeste.
“Um, I really should be going,” Celeste said as she turned toward her bags and began putting away her equipment. Zev noticed her red cheeks.
“Can I help you with that?” he offered, desperate to stay in her company.
“That’s really sweet of you, but I got it. Anyway, that’s probably the guys from the lab right now to help,” she said, nodding toward the sound of the banging.
Celeste was still packing up when James and Essie stumbled into the room. The two stopped short when they spied Zev.
“I’m sorry, we didn’t mean to interrupt,” Essie said, her voice breathless. “Um…you’re Zev Reynolds.
A small sound caught in her throat as her eyes hungrily devoured him. Zev glanced at the star-struck coed and flashed a wicked smile.
“In the flesh.”
* * * *
Celeste felt a pang of jealousy slice through her.
He’s mine!
She started. Where did that come from? Flames lapped at her cheeks and she prayed no one would notice. She was thankful when Essie composed herself and continued.
“We thought you’d be done by now. By all means, if you need more shots, we’ll just hang out here and watch. We don’t mind, do we, James?”