Cash rests a comforting hand on my shoulder, but his sizzling touch does little to make me feel any steadier.
“No, they’re not. I just got off the phone with the agency before coming out here. Apparently, they got booked last-minute for a fashion show in the city. They’ve got an ironclad contract with that venue that states if the models are needed there, they have to go. There wasn’t much of a choice for anyone unfortunately, especially because the models were doing this shoot as a favor to Franco in the first place. They offered to reschedule for next week, though.”
“Next week? We can’t wait until then!” I say. “We have to get this done today or else we won’t be able to meet our deadlines.”
As I stand there feeling like everything is crashing down around me, a slow grin spreads across Cash’s handsome face.
“Well, that’s where the good news comes in. I had a feeling you’d say that, so no worries. You’ve still got a model.”
Confusion wells inside of me at the same time Cash slips off his jacket and tosses it behind him on the boardwalk. Before I can even blink, he reaches over his shoulder with one hand to grip his shirt and pull it over his head.
An ocean wave loudly roars up the beach just in time to hide my astonished gasp.
As if Cash wasn’t enticing enough fully clothed, without his shirt he’s so stunning that someone could put him in a museum and call him a masterpiece. He’s a hunky work of art crafted with rock-hard abs and expertly emblazoned tattoos that slither across his tan chest. The sparkling California sun reveals no flaws whatsoever.
“Wh-what are you doing?” I eventually sputter.
He blinks and then cocks his head as if the answer is obvious. “Modeling. I mean, I’ve never done it before, but it can’t be too hard.” He gestured at the fully loaded garment rack. “Those are the clothes, right?”
When I nod wordlessly, he jogs over to take a look at everything I’ve brought. Just as he had with my portfolio, he takes his time inspecting every article of clothing before nodding and looking over his shoulder at me. Fortunately, I’m still too flabbergasted at his abrupt suggestion to be openly gaping at him when his emerald gaze sweeps over me.
“These outfits are killer! I’d wear these any day. My old man is going to be so impressed. You ready to get this photo shoot going?”
“Um, of course,” I mumble in a voice that only shakes a little.
I grab my pricey digital camera, glad to hide my scarlet face behind it as I push up my sunglasses and hold it to my eyes.
For the next few hours, Cash struts his sexy stuff up and down the beach while I snap picture after picture. He claims not to have ever done this before, so he must have been a model in another life because it seems to come effortlessly to him. He’s as happy in front of the lens as Sutton and Kali are. I’m beginning to wonder if I’m the only person in the whole world who turns into an awkward turtle the moment someone tries to snap a photo of me.
When we’re finished, I start to put my camera away but he quickly takes it back out of the bag.
“Not so fast,” he says with a grin. “What about the women’s wear?”
I jerk my head up in surprise. “You’re going to model that, too?”
Cash bursts into laughter. It’s strange now when I think back to how gruff and tough I thought he was when we first met, but he chuckles with startling ease. It’s a beautiful melody, too, and never fails to flood me with warmth.
“No way. I mean, I’m sure I could definitely rock a miniskirt, but I think your fans would rather seeyouwearing it. We’ll trade. I’ll take the pics while you pose.”
A tense wave rolls up my spine, leaving me as rigid as a wooden plank. My eyelashes flutter wildly.
Me?
Model?
Heck, no!
“Do you even know how to work the camera?” I ask, praying he doesn’t so I don’t have to do this.
Cash lifts the camera to his face and peers through the lens at me. He snaps a few practice shots and then lowers the device to grin at me again.
“I know enough,” he says. “Don’t look so scared, Liv. You said yourself that we need to get these pics done. I may not be as talented as you are with the camera, but you’re so gorgeous that it won’t matter. Besides, people are into more candid shoots these days. I looked it up.”
His smile widens and his green eyes gleam proudly.
I swallow a startled squeak, blushing yet again at his unexpected compliment.
“Go get changed,” he says. “I’ll wait here.”
