I scrunch my nose. “Yes. I also remember that being after your blind date with the photographer dude.”
“Ew. Don’t remind me.” She taps a knuckle to the curve of her pink martini glass. “I mean, yeah, that is when we talked about it, but this doesn’t actually have anything to do with him.”
“This?”
“It turns out that Roman Shore’s niece is into photography.”
“The Havoc’s manager?”
“That Roman, yup. You’ve met Evie before, right?”
I lean back in the pink velour bar chair and nod. “His niece? Once, maybe. I don’t think I spoke with her for very long that day.”
It was a brief meeting after one of the team’s final games last season. According to the rumours I’ve heard floating around, Roman’s ultraprotective of her, so she hardly goes to any games, let alone hangs out in the clubhouse with the rest of us. Come to think of it, I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve seen the man himself around the team off the field.
Aubrey waves me off before pulling her thick black hair over her shoulder. “Doesn’t matter. She’s apparently looking for volunteers who’ll pose for some boudoir photos to stack up her portfolio. The sessions are free as long as you’re okay with her using the photos afterward.”
“And you know this how? Are you getting some done?”
“God no. Could you imagine me in my underwear in front of someone I hardly know?”
“Honestly, yeah. You’re hot. Why wouldn’t you want to get some sexy photos taken of yourself? You’re going to want them when you’re eighty and reminiscing on what your body used to look like.”
She lowers her bright blue eyes to her cup. I swear I see her brow twitch like she’s thinking through what I said. “That’s fair. How about you go first, and if you have a good time, I’ll think about it.”
“That’s hardly an equal agreement, but fine.”
“So, you’ll do it?”
“Yes, Aubrey,” I muse, flashing a devious grin. “But only if you promise to put a blown-up picture of me in your place somewhere. I need to remind Finn who’s really in charge if you two keep canoodling.”
“God, Elle. Don’t say canoodling.”
“Alright. Once you startfucking, I need him to know that he still has to share you with me.”
Somehow, her cheeks get even redder. “I hate you.”
“No you don’t.” I wink.
“Just call her. I think you’d be a good client for her to have. You’re the most body-positive person I know.”
Something warm wiggles in my chest. “That’s really sweet, Bree.”
“It’s the truth,” she says, playing it off with a quick shrug.
“And it’s still sweet.”
A boudoir shoot has been on my radar for quite a while now. Not for After Hours, but for myself. I meant what I said to Aubrey about looking back and wishing we’d taken more pictures of ourselves. This is the perfect way to do that.
Plus, it doesn’t hurt to have another reason to wear the lingerie I bought this morning thatwon’tinvolve a stranger on the internet.
4
BRIELLE
My thighs areon fire from this position, and I think all the blood in my body has flowed to my brain.
With one foot—the nails freshly painted black—propped up on the side of the claw-foot tub and the other balancing my entire body weight, it’s only a matter of time before I collapse. The steady buzz of the razor in my hands is starting to make my wrist tingle. I blow out a harsh breath meant to get the stray hairs out of my face before focusing again.
