by J. A. Owenby
“Babe, you two have practically grown up together, plus, Hendrix believes in you. Why wouldn’t any of us be supportive of you branching out and exploring your talents?” Mac placed a hot toddy on the coaster in front of me and handed the other one to Cade.
“Thanks,” Cade whispered and kissed her gently on the mouth.
Mac curled up in Cade’s lap, sipping her drink. “Mm, I should be a bartender, I make really good drinks. I’d probably make some mad money too with my glowing personality.” She grinned widely.
“You certainly talk a lot,” I said in a teasing tone. I rubbed my hands together then wrapped them around my warm mug. “Thanks for this.” I took a drink and sighed. It was delicious.
“Listen, I’ve got something interesting to tell you.” She propped her elbows on the table and leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
“Should Cade be around for this? No offense, Cade.”
“None taken.” His chuckle filled the room.
“Girl, please. It was his idea. Well, not idea, but he knows someone who is a professional photographer.”
I set my cup down harder than I’d meant to. “Mac! Our discussion was private and not meant to be shared with anyone, not even Cade.” Irritated didn’t even begin to describe what I was feeling toward her for discussing this with him. It was difficult enough for me to talk about it with her. She knew I was a private person. This girl and her lack of boundaries either made me laugh or cry, sometimes both at the same time.
Cade held up his hand, his expression growing gentle. “Gemma, it’s not what you think. I’m well aware that my girlfriend gets ahead of herself sometimes, but I have a feeling you’re really going to like this.”
My heart thumped wildly in my chest, my anxiety growing with each second Mac was silent.
“Okay,” I said, “I’ll listen. Go on, Mac.”
“So Cade knows this woman that specializes in boudoir photos—sexy photo shoots for women. You choose your comfort level … fully clothed, partially clothed, or no clothes at all. She has sets, props … everything you could possibly imagine. So you can have really tasteful photos taken of your beautiful, sexy self.”
“Really?” I asked, my heartrate calming down with the information. My attention landed on Cade for some reassurance since he knew the photographer.
“She’s amazing,” Cade added while rubbing Mac’s back. “And listen, from a guy’s point of view, the nudes are fun, but sometimes the most erotic and beautiful thing in the world is a woman wearing something revealing, but not too revealing.”
“See.” Mac pointed to her boyfriend. “I needed a guy’s opinion on this one.”
“I think Hendrix will love anything you do for him, Gemma. The dude’s so in love with you. I’ve known him almost my entire life, and I’ve never seen him like this. You’re definitely it for him, there’s no question in my mind.” Cade offered a reassuring smile.
“Aw, babe, you’re so thoughtful. Thanks. Hopefully my bestie feels better now. So what do you think? Do you want to go see her at the studio and just check it out? There’s no commitment, but it could be really fun. I’d be there the entire time. We could shop for clothes or sexy nighties or whatever you decide. It’s totally up to you.” Mac clapped her hands together and giggled. “Omigosh, it will be so much fun. Say yes!” She bounced up and down on Cade’s lap.
“Careful there, babe.” Cade wrapped his hands around her waist and effortlessly lifted her off his legs.
“Sorry, don’t want to damage the goods,” Mac responded, not missing a beat.
My nerves hummed in anticipation as I tried to wrap my head around this idea. The only way I’d know for sure was to go with Mac and check it out. It might be the answer I was looking for.
“When can we go? And, there’s less than a week until Valentine’s Day. I doubt she’d have time to do the shoot and process the pictures.” I drummed my fingers against the table and wondered if I’d waited too long to decide on a gift for Hendrix.
“If you want to do this, she said she’d put a rush job on it, but it would cost extra,” Cade responded. “She explained that you could do photos or a calendar, even both, but you’d need to decide today. You should at least meet her. I think it will help with your decision, and you have nothing to lose.” He leaned back in his seat as though his work was done here.
“Oooh. Gem-ma. Let’s go. Like, right now. Up girl, we’re burning daylight.”
I weighed my concerns, dismissed them, then smiled at my friends. “Thank you, Cade. I appreciate your help. I really do want something special for Hendrix.” I stood and scooted my chair under the table.
“I get it. He’s been working on your gift for months.” Cade’s jaw tensed. “But I’m not supposed to say anything.” He held his hand up, halting any questions that would most likely fly out of my mouth.
“Months?” I squeaked.
Cade shrugged one shoulder and feigned innocence.
“Let’s go.” I grabbed Mac’s hand and hauled her to the entryway.
“Wait,” she said, laughing behind me. “I gotta kiss my man goodbye and get my keys.”
“I’ll wait outside for you.” I glanced up at the fading sunlight and walked slowly, mulling over my new options for Hendrix’s gift.
Mac was all smiles as she hustled to the car.
“This is going to be so amazing.” Mac looked over her shoulder as she backed out of the driveway. “Do you remember when Hendrix took you to the fundraiser that Dad wanted him to attend?” She beamed at me. “We had so much fun shopping. Omigosh, you were so stunning. When he arrived at our dorm room he just stood there, his mouth open in surprise at the sight of you. I thought he was going to have a coronary right there.”
“Mac,” I chided and groaned, but I couldn’t suppress my giggle. “We did have a lot of fun. It was the first time I’d bought a nice dress for a formal occasion. There’s no way I could have done it without you.”
“Girl, please.” Mac waved me off like it was no biggie, but we both knew it was. “We just made up for you missing all your homecoming dances and proms.” Mac paused, her features growing serious. “Do you think we would have been friends in high school?”
“I didn’t attend high school, remember?” A frown creased my forehead. Mac’s brain might move at light speed, but she didn’t forget details like that.
“No, I know. I just meant … if we’d gone to the same one, though, do you think we would have been besties?”
The vulnerability on Mac’s face broke my heart. “You know what? Yes. I think we would have been best friends. I think you and I are destined to be a part of each other’s lives forever, just like you and Cade, and Hendrix and I are. Sometimes, it’s just fated.”
Mac’s smile was infectious, and I knew I’d said the right thing.
Chapter 4
The outside of the photography studio was unimpressive and looked like a lot of other shops on Division Street. White, no windows, and a dark green door that you’d expect to see on a house, not a business.
“Hello,” Mac called out, a bell above the door jingling as we entered the building.
“Hi, how can I help you?” A thin, thirty-something blonde woman greeted us. She ran a hand through her shoulder-length curly hair and straightened her blue top as she approached us.
“I’m Mackenzie, and this is Gemma. Cade sent us.”
“Oh! You sing lead with Hendrix Harrington in August Clover! I love your music! I can’t believe you’re the friend Cade was referring too.” Her laughter traveled through the lobby. “I’m so excited.”
“Oh. Thank you.” Her energy was contagious, and I instantly liked her.
“Before you leave, can I get an autograph?” Her hand fluttered over her chest, and her cheeks brightened.
“I can do that now if you’d like. What’s your name?” I asked.
“Kami.” She ran behind the cluttered front desk and produced a CD. “I really appreciate it. This means so mu
ch to me.” She handed me a black sharpie and the disc.
I scribbled a note and my signature then handed it back to her.
“Excellent,” Mac said, bouncing on the balls of her feet.
She was obviously eager to see if this was going to work. But so was I.
Kami rubbed her hands together. “How can I help? Cade said you might be interested in a photo shoot and a calendar?”
I drew in a deep breath. “I’d like to check out what you offer. I’m definitely on the reserved side if you know what I mean.”
“She wants clothes on,” Mac blurted.
Kami laughed. “Hon, a lot of women do. I can help you with or without clothes. Let me show you.” She waved us through a doorway and into a large studio.
“Wow.” My attention bounced around, eyeing the props, backdrops, but then … “That.” I pointed up at the ceiling where a circle swing was suspended from a rafter.
“You’d be stunning on that.” Kami flipped a switch on the wall, and the circle lowered. “Hang on.” She hurried to a floor mat and moved it beneath the swing. “Hop on and see how you feel on it.”
Mac ushered me forward, grinning like she’d just won the lottery. I sat on the small seat and found my balance. Leaning back, my long hair grazed the floor while I held on.
“Beautiful. Let’s play with this for a minute. It will give you an idea of what you like. Stay just like that.”
Before I could blink, Kami grabbed her camera and changed the backdrop behind me to a night sky filled with stars and a full moon glowing bright orange in the distance.
“Swing a little.” Kami walked around, clicking away and capturing different angles. “You can stand on the circle, or we can raise you up some.”
“Can we try both?” The more she worked with me, the more I fell in love with the idea of doing this for Hendrix. Kami was fun to work with, and I immediately felt comfortable with her. Maybe it’s because she loved August Clover, but I didn’t think so. I’d met a lot of fans I didn’t like at all.
I stood on the circle, finding my balance as she continued to snap pictures.
“Let’s get a breeze going.” She turned on a large fan, my hair flowing out behind me as I sat back down on the swing. “I’m going to raise you up some, is that okay?”
“Yeah.” I flashed a grin at Mac, who was completely enthralled with what Kami was doing.
Fifteen minutes later, I hopped off the circle and joined Kami and Mac to look at the photo options. Kami plugged her camera into her computer and brought up each image individually.
“Gemma,” Mac whisper yelled. “With the right clothes, this would be stunning. Hendrix would …” She slapped her hand over her mouth, silencing herself before she said something inappropriate.
My attention was glued to the pictures. I wasn’t even in hair and makeup or appropriate clothes, but I could see how beautiful this could turn out.
“I’ve got the perfect dress for this shot. We can do more, too. You can change clothes twelve times if you want to for a calendar.” Kami pulled out one of the racks of clothes I’d spotted earlier. “This. It might be a smidge big on you, but we can temporarily take it in for the session.” She held up a long, flowing light orange dress. “The matching chiffon scarf would wrap around your neck, and when we get a little momentum behind the swing, the dress will billow out behind you. It will be amazing.”
“Oh, man. I love it.” My earlier concerns continued to slip away the longer we talked props and clothes. An hour later, I thanked Kami and agreed to be back at the studio tomorrow morning at ten. “Thank you!” I waved, unable to hide my excitement.
Mac and I hurried to her car, both of us babbling a mile a minute.
The second we were inside the Kia, Mac turned and threw her arms around me. “I’m so proud of you. I know not all of the photos will be sexy, but the lingerie pics will be to die for. Now, let’s go buy you some clothes for tomorrow.”
“I can’t believe I’m going to do this, but she’s so easy to work with. I didn’t feel awkward at all. I mean, my bikini is more revealing than some of her suggested lingerie pieces were.”
“I know! I was like, we’ve got a winner! Woot!” Mac pulled out toward the mall as we continued to chat and plan for tomorrow.
I pulled my phone out of my pocket, but there wasn’t a text from Hendrix yet. He always let me know when he was out of the studio if I wasn’t home. At least I had something to do, and I’d be gone for several hours tomorrow as well.
Mac and I shopped until I was happy with my selections. It was almost eight when we grabbed dinner at The Onion. I ordered a Huckleberry Long Island Iced Tea and a hamburger. Between the run, meeting Kami, and all the shopping, I was famished.
Mac agreed to hold onto the clothes I’d purchased and bring them when she picked me up in the morning. If Hendrix was out of the studio, I didn’t want to take a chance of him seeing part of the surprise.
To my surprise, the green light was still on when I arrived home close to nine-thirty. I swatted my disappointment away like it was a big southern mosquito. It’s not like this was unusual. When the creativity began to flow, you rode the wave. We’d both locked ourselves in the studio for hours and hours before. But I still missed him and wanted to tell him how much I loved him.
I trudged up the stairs to our bedroom and took a steaming hot shower. It had been a long day, and I was ready to curl up in our bed with a good book. Tomorrow was going to be busy, and I wanted to be well-rested.
“Hey.” Warm breath tickled my ear as Hendrix wrapped his arms around me. “How’s my baby?”
I snuggled my back into his chest and released a contented sigh. “I missed you today,” I said, my voice heavy with sleep.
Hendrix leaned over and kissed the corner of my lips. “I missed you too, but I made some good headway on this song.”
“That’s great.” I peered up at him and stroked the stubble along his jaw. “I like this.”
“Yeah?” He kissed me again, his hand sliding over the curve of my hip and up my side.
My body immediately reacted to his touch, and a tingly warmth spread through me.
I rolled over on my back and wrapped my arms around his neck as he moved on top of me.
“How much did you miss me today?” He planted a kiss on my collarbone while he shifted his hips.
I wrapped my legs around his waist and pulled him against me. “A lot.”
Hendrix moved my hands above my head and threaded his fingers through mine. “I felt as though you were with me in the studio.” His mouth brushed against mine. “It was almost like you were sitting next to me and giving me notes as I wrote.”
“You could have brought me in.”
“I know. Before I realized it, it was nighttime. You know how fast the time can pass when you’re so immersed in a project.” Hendrix nipped at my bottom lip.
“I do.” My mind flashed back to the locked desk drawer. I’d almost forgotten with all the excitement about the photo shoot tomorrow. “Babe?”
Hendrix stopped mid-kiss. He knew by the tone of my voice that I wanted to have a conversation instead of sex. At least for right now.
Hendrix rolled off me and propped up on his elbow. Curiosity flickered across his handsome features. Anytime I needed to have a chat, he was present no matter what. It was a rarity that I had to nudge him to pay attention.
“I worked in the office today. I paid the bills and got caught up on the household stuff.” I wrinkled my nose at him. It really wasn’t something I enjoyed. “There was a manila envelope sticking up from the drawer below it. I didn’t want to tear it, so I tried to open the bottom drawer, but it was locked.”
His eyes bore into mine, and silence descended over us. My stomach twisted into knots. What was he hiding from me?
“Hendrix?” I pulled myself up into a sitting position and propped up against the headboard.
“It’s difficult keeping things from you when we share the same house. It’s nothing
bad, Gem. I promise.”
“Then why is it locked?” I rubbed my arms, warding off the sudden chill. I hated secrets. My family had kept them from me for years, and everything I thought I knew had been a lie. Instead, my father had lived a horrible criminal life. My body turned frigid, and I visibly trembled. This was a hard line for me. I couldn’t deal with Hendrix sneaking around behind my back.
“Whoa.” Hendrix sat up and grabbed my hand. “Babe, you’re going dark on me. I can see it on your face. Let me explain what I’m able to.”
I leaned my head against the headboard and rubbed my temples. He was right, Hendrix had never given me a reason not to trust him. Never. I shook off my past like a bad hair day, and my attention drifted back to him. All I found was love and reassurance.
“I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s going on with me lately.” I rubbed my forehead with the palm of my hand and released a heavy sigh.
“I can’t tell you why the drawer is locked, Gemma. But, when it’s close to Valentine’s Day or Christmas, you’ve got to trust me.”
“You’re saying the reason the desk is locked is that my gift is in there?” My lips pursed. “I guess it didn’t cross my mind that you would hide something there. I just assumed you’d keep it at Franklin’s house.”
“I didn’t mean to worry you, but yeah, it’s in the bottom drawer. Maybe keeping any further surprises at Dad’s is a good idea.” He ran his hand over his hair, his expression softening. “Do you feel better now?”
“No, I feel like an ass that I jumped to conclusions. I’m so sorry.”
Hendrix lifted my left hand and kissed my engagement ring. “Never doubt you’re my first priority. You’re my heart.”
I nodded and scooted back down in the bed, my tank top wriggling up my body as I moved.
“And you’re mine.” I quickly rolled him over onto his back and straddled him. “I love you, Hendrix Harrington.”
“I love you, too.” He tucked a stray hair behind my ear, then I slid down his body and tugged his pajama pants down.