“You’re the professional. I trust you.” She sat on the chair he’d positioned and held still while he adjusted the collar of her blue blazer.
His hand paused a few seconds too long when it adjusted the fabric at the edge of her neck. She was fairly certain the gentle whisper of his fingertips along the column of her throat was not his usual modus operandi.
Her heart beat a little faster as his fingers strayed and his face remained inches from her own. Not inappropriately so, the touch or the proximity, but enough to remind her of the things they’d done over the weekend.
The kisses.
The touches.
The intimacy of their bodies reconnecting.
“Stay right there. Don’t move,” he said.
She had no intention of moving.
He did a few quick photos with Louise, the lights all flashing brighter while the shutter sounded. He stopped to click through a laptop set up nearby.
“Lighting’s perfect.” Standing on a metal stool, he took a few from above.
“Look down,” he directed.
She did as she was told.
“Now look up, but don’t move your face or chin, just your eyes.”
She followed his directions.
“Perfect.” He paused briefly to check the computer again before resetting one of the white circle reflectors on her right.
“Give me a smile like you’re about to rake my ex over the coals.” He held Louise to his eye, totally in his element. He crouched every so often, his jeans stretching over his muscled thighs. Then he’d turn a tad so the muscles in his arms bunched his white T-shirt.
Sadie did her best to follow his directions as he called them out, but there were only so many ways a girl could smile.
“Give me one like I’m your boyfriend and I’m taking your picture.” He leaned to the side of Louise so she got the full force of his smile.
“Frown for a moment,” he directed.
She did.
“Now smile.”
Sadie had no idea how that one was any different, but Roman continued his clicking.
“Hold up, your hair moved.”
He strode to her and smoothed the hair over her left ear.
She couldn’t help it—didn’t even know what she was doing—as she turned her head so his hand cradled her jaw. He stroked the skin below her earlobe with his thumb.
Looking up at him from under her lashes, she noticed his gaze had turned hot.
He took two more photos just like that.
“I think I got it,” he said, his voice throaty before he let Louise fall against his chest and he went in for a kiss.
“The hair or the picture?” Sadie asked just as his mouth was nearly pressed to hers.
He deleted the millimeters separating them, kissing her lipstick right off. “Both,” he said, pulling away and setting Louise on his desk.
