‘What about you?’Cami asks, directing her eyes at me, the corner of her lip twitching as she fights a smirk.‘Any updates?’
My cheeks heat.‘Um, sort of.’
‘Sort of?Go on.’
‘We might have maybe made it official,’ I say, hardly able to meet their eyes.
Anya’s mouth drops open and Cami’s grin widens to the point that it goes from one end of her face to the other.
‘Yay!’Anya squeals, clapping.‘I’m so happy for you.He deserves a nice girl like you in his life.’
My heart squeezes at her words.‘Thank you, that means a lot to me.’
‘You go, girl!’Cami grins.‘I have to say you seem so happy and confident in yourself.It’s so nice to see.’
This is why I love these girls.Endless support and love from the both of them.I’ve never had a girl group of friends that I’ve felt this connected to before.
We spend the rest of the day talking, drinking and laughing.The afternoon bleeds into the night and my head is fuzzy.I’d caught an Uber here, but Mason comes to pick us all up and drop us back home after.
I ask him and Anya if they are planning to come with us on the weekend but they already had plans, and Cami has such a tight schedule, she can’t fit it in.Looks like it’s just Zayden and I going, but I’m not mad about it, considering it’s such an important time for him with his family.Besides, I’ve never been to their hometown before, so I’m excited to check it out.
An hour later, I’m in the spare room attempting to unpack the suitcase, but give up halfway due to my fuzzy head.
Gently touching the petal of the rose, I smile, then fall back onto the bed, Riley’s ominous words from earlier disappearing from my mind.
Despite my hesitation about the photoshoot, I’m having a great time.
The fact that Zayden basically had drool down his chin when I stepped out of my room this morning gave me a much-needed confidence boost to get through the day.I’m dressed in a high-waisted leather skirt, a short crop top – I don’t think I’ve ever left the house showing a slither of my stomach like this – paired with knee-high boots, my mask, and my hair in long waves cascadingdown my back.I feel powerful in this outfit, as if I’m out in the world embracing my alter ego.
Zayden bought me a leather jacket and pants to wear and we rode here on his bike.I felt ultra cool arriving at the shoot like that, and even more happy that my hair managed to look even better after having the wind through it.
‘Look over your shoulder and stare into the camera,’ the man instructs, adjusting the angle of his lens.‘Give me a hair toss.’
I feel awkward as I attempt to do what he asks.His mouth dips into a frown as I clearly don’t achieve what he wants me to, and my insides clench with insecurity.
My eyes lift and I see Zayden mimic what he asks.I can’t help but laugh.
‘Yes!’the man says.‘That’s what I want.’
He narrows his eyes for a moment and looks back, noticing Zayden.He looks sexy as hell dressed in his leather riding pants and black V-neck shirt.His hair is stylishly messy from the helmet and the lighting of the room enhances his tattoos.He looks like the typical poster for a bad boy, and I’m here for it.He couldn’t be more my type if he tried.
‘You,’ the man says.I think his name is Vance.I was so nervous when I arrived, the first part has become a blur.‘Come here.’
Zayden points to himself in confusion and Vance nods impatiently.Zayden pushes off from his position leaning on the wall.My pulse thrums as he steps towards me, his eyes swirling with lust as they rake over me.He has the ability to wipe the insecurity from my body with one single look.
Vance begins to shout ideas and poses at us, but I’m completely swept up in Zayden, gazing up at him adoringly.Whatever we are doing seems to work because Vance is pleased with the results.When he calls it a day, he shows us the unedited photos and my jaw almost hits the floor.I’m completely unrecognisable in them.We look like we are totally in love.In some of the photos, Zayden is hardly in them, or it’s just the back of him or his arm, but the ones of the both of us are …sexy.I never thought I could be sexy.I also never would have thought we would compliment each other, but somehow we do.
‘Wow!’Zayden grins, a touch of pink on his tanned cheeks.‘These look awesome.’
With the angles and my mask, it’s difficult to see our faces, which makes it even better.I don’t feel like I’m exposing myself too much with them, however you can see enough to get an idea of my features.
Vance explains that it will take seven to ten days to edit the pictures before the gallery will be accessible to me with a link from my publishers, which they will send through once it’s ready.
When we get back to his bike, Zayden’s hand is on the small of my back.His warm breath skates across my ear as he leans in close.
‘You look so damn good.I want to do so many things to you right now.’
‘Then do them,’ I reply, enjoying the way he groans at my words.
