Sneak Peek. The Photoshoot
Heart for Grabs has a release date of July 10th. So I thought I'd give you guys one final sneak peek. Enjoy.
It was enough just knowing that I had to do an entire photoshoot with a man that worked my nerves as much as this Monte character did. But as we sat in that room alone, waiting for the photographer to show up, I couldn’t explain the feeling that I felt as this man just...... stared at me. And I mean he stared at every part of me. From the top of my head to the tip of my toes. Scanning me as if he were trying to commit me to his memory. It made me feel vulnerable and open. Exposed.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” I asked after minutes of feeling his eyes look through me. And it was like he snapped out of a daze the moment he heard my voice. As if he didn’t realize that he was staring at me in that way.
“I don’t know what you're talking about.” He snapped. “How long is this damn photographer going to be? I got other things to do with my time.” He crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back into his chair like a defiant preteen.
Ugh.
He was so annoying.
“Look, I'm sure there are better places that we’d both rather be. But let’s just try to get through this with no problems.” I rolled my eyes.
“You say that as if I'm the problem Ms. Sammy.”
I looked over at him because he couldn't be serious. Certainly, he knew that it was him and his foul mouth and lack of respect that was the problem. But when my eyes landed on him... he was doing that thing again. The thing where he stared at me so intensely that it made me slightly uncomfortable and turned me on at the same time.
“You are the problem, Monte. I’m surprised no one has taught you that less is more.” I smirked, ignoring the swarm of butterflies that chose that moment to invade my belly.
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” He retorted.
But before I could respond, a short, brown-skinned woman sauntered into the room with a camera bag hanging from her shoulder and an apologetic expression on her face.
“I’m so sorry for keeping you guys waiting. We can go ahead and get started if you like.” She looked between us both.
“Yea. Let's go ahead and get this over with.” Monte said as he stood to his feet.
The woman was obviously taken aback by his crassness, but she stayed professional. “Yes sir, please follow me this way.” She said as she led him over to a green screen. I shook my head in annoyance as I stood to my feet to follow them.
“I'm Lori and I’ll be taking any and all photos of you during the duration of your contract.” She said once we were all standing in front of the green screen. “The first set of photos that we will be taking today are promotional photos. So, Sammy.” She looked over at me. “You'll have one with each male contestant on the show. It takes no time to get these shots especially if you have chemistry with the other gentlemen like the two of you have.”
“No ma’am.”
“Hell nah.” We both blurted out simultaneously.
She put her hands up in surrender. “I’m sorry if I'm overstepping. I just thought I saw something when I – You know what? Never mind. Let's just get started.” She immediately began setting up her camera equipment as Monte and I stood awkwardly in front of the green screen. Within minutes she was instructing us on the poses she wanted to capture.
In the first pose, we were merely inches apart. Pelvis to pelvis with my upper torso leaned back a bit. My right hand rested on his hard chest. My left hand wrapped around his right bicep. I could feel every ridge, every pulse, every movement that he made. My heart began to beat hard in my chest. The closer we got, the faster it beat. Almost as if it were trying to beat out of my chest and leap into his arms.
A tingle traveled down my spine as his arm fell effortlessly into the crease of my back. And I hated to admit that I liked the way his body felt against mine. I was fascinated by the way his eyes studied my face. The intensity of his stare. The gentle draw of his breath against my skin. The heaviness of his hands against the softness of my body. It was all too much for me. So, I was relieved when Lori asked us to switch poses. Allowing me to breathe for just a moment before we were ushered into the next pose.
A pose that wasn’t much better than the one before it. Not when my back was against his chest. And definitely not when my body curved into his like a beautifully written cursive love letter.
My breath hitched when his body leaned into mine. and it stopped all together when his arms draped over my shoulders, bringing me even closer to him. He was engulfing me.
His lips grazed the delicate skin of my neck. There was an intimacy in this room that suffocated me. It was all that I could feel. Hear. Taste. And the moment that I felt myself relax into him. The moment that I decided to let this moment be whatever it was. He pulled away from me so abruptly that it made my entire body shake.
“Are we almost done? I'm trying to make it through this, but I don’t know that I can. Her hair smells like a hot comb.” Monte grunted as he stared at me with pure disgust.
