Finn and Ruby caught my attention at that point, mainly because she squealed as he picked her up, his attention only on her.
Quickly I switched on my camera and focused on them, aware of Gully’s attention on me while I worked, changing the focus, altering the exposure. I snapped quickly while they were unaware, her arms around him, his smile as wide as Gully’s could be, his hair flecked with silver while hers was blowing in the breeze. They looked utterly in love.
“That’s an amazing photo.” Gully’s words were quiet as I studied one of the photos. “They’ll be thrilled with that.”
I nodded, seeing exactly what he saw. Devotion. Love. Laughter.
Something that looked like forever.
“You’re so massively talented.”
I didn’t feel his touch, but I knew exactly how close he was to me. “Thank you.”
His fingers flickered across my neck, brushing away my hair that needed a trim. “Take a photo of me.”
“I’ve taken loads.” I half laughed at him. “Want the attention much?”
“Always.” He moved away from me, walking towards the jetty. “Come on!”
I followed, because why not? The Strait was calm, deceptively so, the swells underneath the surface deadly, but the scenery was not.
Gully stood at the end of the jetty, still shirtless, facing the sea. He turned around and looked at me over his shoulder, smouldering before giving me a grin that screamed sex and orgasms, or maybe that was just where my head was right now.
He pulled a few more poses, the camera adoring him, then he stopped. “Can you set it up on a timer? To get some of you and me together. I think our kid deserves to see photos from this day when their dad built a fence.” His eyes glittered when he said the word dad.
I took another photo, this one for me.
I wasn’t camera shy. I was happiest behind the lens, but I had no hang ups about being in front of it either, even though I could list all of my flaws. I liked my flaws though; I liked everyone’s imperfections – it was what made them interesting.
I kept it quiet, but I was a decent artist, particularly for portraits and people. I could’ve pursued a career in art, but I’d opted for photography because I liked the realness it brought, how it captured movement and time and the small parts that gave a sense of a depth of a person. Art was amazing, but it was more about the artist rather than the subject. For me, photos were for the person who was looking at them, a step inside a moment that may’ve belonged to someone else.
“Okay, over here though. The light’s coming through the branches and the blossoms just coming out.” I’d dragged my tripod down with me when Gully had called to have his photo taken, and I’d shot down here before, so I had a good idea of the angles.
He watched me as I set up, checking the view and tweaking it, directing him to stand in a certain spot and then getting him to move.
“Won’t Finn wonder where you are?”
He laughed and shook his head. “They’ll be making baby number three in the shed or something.”
“You think they’ll have more?”
He nodded. “Don’t believe what they say when they complain about the kids. They fucking adore them. Finn thinks Ruby walks on water and when she’s not around to hear it, he talks about how much Elsie’s like her mam.” His eyes were reading me. “I wonder who our baby will be like.”
“Themselves.” I finished positioning the camera. “They’ll be themselves and whatever they want to be.”
“With all the good looks and charisma of their parents, their parents being you and me. Promise me, we’ll never say that they remind us of their Uncle Roe. Even if they’re a tech genius and can hack into the White House, we’ll never compare them to Roe.”
I grinned, knowing what he was doing, believing him as well. “Promise. Now how do you want these photos to look?”
“Come here.” He beckoned me over. “Have you set it to time or something?”
“Constant – it’ll take a shot every five seconds. Are you still warm?” He was shirtless.
“I’m always hot.” His grin was too.
I shook my head, wanting to disapprove, not sure if I was hiding that I didn’t.
“Come here. I haven’t touched you for days.” His arms went round me, wrapping over my front and pulling my back to his chest. I felt his heart beating. I felt my heart beating back.
