The Photographer (Seductive Sands Book 4)

by Sammi Franks

  My eyes rolled shut. I could feel her shifting on top, pulling her underwear to the side before she impaled herself on my shaft. She was so wet, so tight. I felt compelled to crack my eyes open, to try and watch her, but I couldn’t. My toes curled. I needed to control my thoughts, afraid to let go too soon and really embarrass myself in front of her.

  * * *

  She started moving, slowly at first, up and down my shaft. Her hands gripped my shoulders for leverage. The warmth of her body surrounded me. I wanted to take this slow. I wanted our first time to be in a bed where we could go slow and long and I could take my time and devour her. I wanted to kiss her every which way all over her skin, but that didn’t happen. Instead, we were in my car in front of her winery in the dark, where anyone could stumble upon us. It was exquisite, this feeling, and as much as I wanted this to last, I could feel myself start to build up. I felt her breathing hitch. She was going to cum. I would not go first. I would not do something so juvenile.

  She let out a scream, her eyes closed, and I made sure to keep my eyes on her beautiful body as she spasmed all around my cock. I couldn’t keep myself from holding back any longer and I released deep inside of her. I tried warning her beforehand, but it came too quick, surprising me. She didn’t seem to mind either way, however, and she continued to ride me until my hands gripped her hips to stop because it was too sensitive for me to continue.

  “Well then,” I murmured, not sure what to say. Not sure I could say anything.

  “Follow me inside,” she demanded. “I’m not done with you.”

  I grinned. “Yes ma’am.”

  16

  Charlie

  * * *

  I dragged him toward the door, fumbling with my keys the whole way. I was shaky and excited. Already, I wanted Alex again. He was nothing like what I expected in any way. I bit my lip as I tried to focus on getting us inside.

  “Let me help,” he suggested gently as he took the keys and seamlessly managed to insert them in the lock. His arms were around me as he worked and his breath on my neck had me panting.

  What the hell was going on with me? This had to be the alcohol. I was strong, confident, and most of all…detached. I didn’t get like this over guys. I’d never been all swoony, not even before I married Chad.

  “Thank you,” I whispered, no longer trusting my voice. I expected it would be as quivery as my insides.

  The door popped open, and I stumbled inside, my heel catching on the threshold. Alex steadied me with a hand around my waist. I was either going to fall madly in love with him or hate him. God, I hoped I hated him. My life would be simpler. I’d be free. I wouldn’t be constantly assaulted by so many feelings. Dammit.

  He started to steer me toward the couch we’d made out on the previous day. I shook my head and laughed. “Call me superstitious, but we’re going to my bed.”

  Alex grinned. “You never cease to surprise me, Charlie. That’s one of the many things I love about you.”

  Holding his hand, I walked him down the hall to the master bedroom. “What else?” I asked. Though I tried to make my question sound casual, I really cared what he thought about me. That was not a good sign.

  “I’m not going to bore you with the whole ‘damn you’re beautiful’ bit. There’s so much more to you than your looks.” He pulled me into his arms inside the doorway of the room and kissed me deeply, lovingly, making me go completely weak in the knees. “You’re an amazing businesswoman. You built this from nothing.” Alex shook his head, a look of wonder on his face. “I can barely do my own taxes, and you built a winery. Beauty and brains is a really intoxicating combination,” he murmured as he moved in to kiss his way down my neck.

  Before I knew what was happening, Alex had managed to remove my shirt and was feeling his way around my back to unhook my bra. I wanted to freeze, to stop kissing him and focus on his touch, but I wanted to start removing his clothing too. While he worked, I managed to unbutton his shirt. As I slid it over his shoulders, I discovered he was surprisingly muscular. I inhaled sharply at the sight of his well-defined chest.

  “Hey, photographers can be sexy too,” he teased as he lifted my chin and pressed his lips to mine again.

  I laughed quietly when he finished kissing me. “Oh, we wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t think you were sexy. I merely had no idea you’d look like this under your clothing.”

  He waggled his brows. “Just wait until I remove the pants.”

  With a giggle, I rushed to the bed, dropping my bra and the rest of my clothes at the foot of it, before hopping on top of the comforter. I was on my hands and knees, pulling back the bed coverings when he came up behind me and began to run his hands over the curves of my ass.

  “My God, you’re beautiful from behind too. How is it possible you don’t have a bad side?” He sighed happily as he joined me on the bed. Seconds later, while I was still working on the blankets, he’d managed to slide inside me.

  I gasped as he filled me in unexpected ways. Soon we’d found our rhythm and he was slamming into me, his balls slapping against me with every thrust. My hand found my clit and before long, we were both moaning as our bodies ached for release.

  “At the risk of sounding cliché, come for me, gorgeous. Let me feel you tighten around me. Let me hear you say my name.” He raked his hands gently down my back until he reached my buttocks, then he grabbed my hips with both hands, his fingers biting into my skin.

  He was close. I could tell. All the signs were there: the ragged breathing, the change of pace, the way he touched me with such feverish intensity. I couldn’t hold back even though I wanted this moment to last so much longer. “Oh, Alex,” I moaned as I shattered. Somehow, he knew. Somehow, he managed to keep pumping into me, letting me ride it out until I was a sweaty, panting heap on my bedding.

  Alex had exploded in me for the second time tonight. I couldn’t remember the last time my body had been so happy. Then he disappeared, taking his warmth and his magical hands with him. I barely had the energy to raise my head and find him in the room. A dim light from the bathroom gave his location away. Soon, I heard the water running. Alex reappeared at my side. “Let’s shower. Then I’ll go if you want.”

  I bit my lip and stared up at him. “And if I don’t want?” I asked quietly.

  He grinned. “Simple. Then I’ll stay,” he responded with a shrug.

  In the shower, he held me close. We washed each other and kissed like we were madly in love. Yet as exciting as every bit of this was, my body was betraying me.

  “Caught you yawning,” Alex whispered in my ear. He turned off the water. “Come on, Charlie. Let’s go cuddle in bed.”

  “Sex and snuggles?” My brows arched. “This is a real treat.” I meant it, even if it did sound sarcastic.

  He laughed and dried me off before scooping me up in his arms again and carrying me back to bed. Alex drew back the covers, laid me in the center of the bed, and then climbed in behind me. “I’ll just hold you,” he murmured as he wrapped himself around me. “For now.”

  I laughed as my eyes fluttered shut. I may have even fallen asleep. I don’t remember that part as much as his phone ringing.

  “Not again,” he grumbled as he rolled from the bed and rushed to locate it. As he glanced at the screen, he sighed. Catching my eyes, he shook his head. “Charlie, I’m so sorry.”

  17

  Alex

  * * *

  This time was different. This time, it was serious.

  “Hey.” I didn’t mind answering the phone in front of Charlie. I trusted her and I wasn’t embarrassed. I was sorry that this happening, that this interrupted us, but I trusted her with my family.

  “Alex?” The way Lily’s voice cracked made me tense.

  I felt awkward listening to the pain my sister’s voice completely naked, but I also didn’t want to start pulling on my clothes while on the phone because I didn’t want to give Charlie the wrong impression.

  “You need to come home,” s
he told me. “It’s serious.”

  That was all that needed to be said. I looked over at Charlie and nodded my head. Then I remembered Lily couldn’t see me and cleared my throat.

  “I’ll leave tonight,” I assured her.

  When I ended the call with her, I looked over at Charlie.

  “Is everything alright?” she asked. She had her arms crossed over her chest and I hoped she wasn’t doing that because she was suddenly uncomfortable.

  “No.” I started putting on my pants. I wasn’t sure how I felt about the whole thing, I was conflicted. Part of me was worried about my mother, part of me was worried about telling Charlie. “My sister would never tell me to come home unless it was serious.”

  She nodded her head, still looking down rather than at me. Finally, she picked her head up. The crystal blue eyes held hurt in them, I could tell. But she wasn’t indulging the feeling. Instead, I could see her put on a mask of silent strength. “You should go,” she told me. She forced a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

  “I know,” I told her. “I was hoping you’d come with me.”

  I was surprised that Charlie actually said yes. I thought that maybe she would make an excuse, or maybe she actually did have business back at her winery. It did take her a few minutes to think about it, but she nodded her head and said yes. She threw a bag of clothes together in thirty seconds, and she got dressed in under a minute. We were out the door within three minutes of receiving the phone call.

  Since we were leaving late, the drive to Seattle was maybe ninety minutes. I also drove fast. I noticed the closer and closer we came to the city, the more nervous Charlie grew. It wasn’t obvious, but Charlie had her tics, just like everyone else. I was in such a rush to get out that I hadn’t grabbed my camera. I let out a grunt of annoyance, only because I would love nothing more than to have captured the look on her face. She was beautiful when she was ruminating over everything. That wasn’t something normal and I wanted to record it. The grunt, however, made Charlie jump.

  I placed my hand on her denim-clad thigh. “You okay?” I asked. “You’re normally not this jumpy.”

  She shook me off, pretending to fix her hair. It still looked like sex, but this was the sixth time she checked the mirror in the past twenty minutes.

  “They’re going to love you,” I told her. I squeezed her thigh, despite her effort to try and push me off. She seemed to do that, push me away, when she was nervous about something…but I refused to let her do it now. “You have nothing to worry about.”

  But she was.

  It was ten minutes after we got off the freeway. My mother and sister lived in a small suburb just twenty minutes from the city. It was quiet there, trees and parks in the surrounding community. When I was a kid, I hated the dullness, the safety of the place. Now, I could appreciate the sacrifices my parents made to raise me in a safe neighborhood.

  I pulled into the driveway in front of a grey house trimmed in white with a black roof. It was two stories - I could see my room, just over the garage. I wondered if my mother kept my sports pictures up still. I wouldn’t be surprised if Lily tore everything down and gave herself an office or a yoga room. Taking care of Mom was a full-time job. I wouldn’t blame her if she had.

  I went around and opened the door for Charlie. As she stepped out, I saw her clasp her hands together, but I forced her to hold mine. I wanted her to know I was here for her and I wasn’t planning on letting her go, even if she wanted me to. Her jaw was tight and I knew she wanted to resist me, but she didn’t. She let me pull her to the front door and stood by my side after I pulled out my key and let myself in.

  “Lily?” I called. The lights were still on. I could hear movement upstairs and then Lily bounded down the stairs in yoga pants and a long-sleeved shirt. “Where’s Mom?” I asked.

  She said nothing, just threw her arms around my neck and pulled me to her. I didn’t even think she saw Charlie. Lily wasn’t being rude on purpose. Her hug forced me to let go of Charlie so I could comfort my normally-stoic sister.

  “Hey,” I said, trying to get her to answer me. “Hey. Is everything okay?”

  Lily stepped back. It was only then did she realize Charlie was standing in the room, next to me. She immediately wiped her eyes and sniffles. “I’m sorry,” she said, her voice still raw, probably from crying. “I didn’t realize you were going to bring anyone, Alex.”

  “I’m Charlie,” Charlie said, sticking out her hand. The small smile on her face looked genuine which made me appreciate her and the position she was in more than she could know. “Sorry to meet you under such circumstances.”

  “I’m Lily,” she replied, shaking Charlie’s hand.

  “Lil,” I asked quietly. “Where’s Mom?”

  I didn’t think it was possible, but Lily’s face was even more pale than before. “She’s at the hospital,” she murmured. “Alex, she fell.”

  18

  Charlie

  * * *

  When I saw how much Alex was hurting and how scared Lily appeared, any nervousness and hesitation I’d previously felt melted away. This wasn’t about me. This had to be about them, their family, taking care of their mother. I listened quietly while holding Alex’s hand under the table. We’d moved to the kitchen for the conversation.

  “These damn stairs,” Lily grumbled. “I wanted to sell this place and buy a ranch, but she refused to sell it. This was the place where she and Daddy lived their entire married life.” She shook her head. “So, while her memory was intact, I decided we’d hang in there. And when her mind started to go, I decided to explore the possibility of selling because she didn’t remember the place.”

  “I’ll help you. Want me to take pictures for the listing?” Alex perked up and I recognized his need to be useful, his need to contribute and not leave everything on his sister’s shoulders.

  Lily laughed sadly and covered her face. When she finally dropped her hands, she gestured around the room wearily. “Look at this place. Or better yet, smell it. I’m haunted by twenty years of liver and onions in this place. The realtor’s assessment was grim. I don’t have the money to put into it. So, we can’t sell it and find another place that’s more affordable.”

  “What would you do?” I asked. “If money was no object, what did the realtor want done?” My wheels were turning. I’d made miracles happen before when my mother was dying. I might be able to do it again for Alex and his family.

  “The carpet needs to be replaced. Tile floors instead of linoleum. The main floor should have hardwoods. The kitchen probably needs to be gutted and updated.” Lily gestured to the stove and fridge. “These are practically antiques.”

  I nodded. “What else? Bathrooms need updating? Neutral paint on the walls?”

  Lily stood and moved to the doorway to survey the space. “Yeah.” She wrapped her arms around her stomach. “My belly hurts even thinking about it.”

  I glanced at my phone. Already it was closing in on eight in the morning. “What time are visiting hours?”

  They both looked at me. Alex tilted his head to the side. Then he glanced at his sister. “Why don’t you go upstairs and pack a bag for Mom? I’ll help you in a minute.”

  With a sigh, Lily disappeared. I could hear her footsteps on the stairs. I eyed Alex carefully, wondering if I was about to get reprimanded. I had been asking an awful lot of questions.

  “I’m fixing the house,” I blurted out.

  He blinked a few times like he couldn’t process what I’d said. “What do you mean?”

  “Well, your mom could be in the hospital for weeks if this is a broken hip. In the meantime, I’ll get the house ready for sale. We both know a good realtor.” My brows rose while I waited for him to catch up.

  He slapped his forehead. “Victoria. Right.”

  “I’m sure she could help us find a nice ranch and list this one for sale. We might even be able to have all of this done before your mother is released.” I blew out a breath. “Listen, I can’t
do much here to help. And I’m not trying to get in good with your family because…let’s face it…I’m awesome and they’d be crazy not to like me.” I laughed nervously while Alex squeezed my hand. “I’m not good at doing nothing. Go to the hospital with your sister. I’ll get things moving around here.”

  His brow furrowed. I could feel him resisting.

  “What? Is it the money?” I threw my hands in the air. “I have money. You can pay me back from the sale of the house, if you insist.”

  “Oh, I insist.” Alex frowned. “And we go Dutch on the repairs. I have emergency credit cards just for these kinds of situations.”

  “Fine. I’ll send you a bill. Let me get to work.” I stood and wandered over to the counter where I’d seen the coffee maker sitting on the counter. Shaking my head, I lifted my phone and quickly placed an order after glancing at a piece of mail on the table for the address.

  “What did you just do?” His brows rose.

  “She needs a Keurig. It’ll be here later today.” Then without saying another word, I turned to make an old-fashioned cup of coffee, grumbling the entire time. While the pot filled, I stepped outside and placed a phone call.

  “Charlie?” Victoria sounded rushed. “Is anything wrong with our order?”

  I sighed. “No, that’s going very smoothly. This is about Alex. Can you help me sell a house?” I’d caught her up in a matter of minutes.

  “Max,” she called out. I heard him rushing toward her. Must be nice to have a guy at her beck and call.

  The door creaked behind me and Alex stood there holding a mug of coffee for me. “Here. I watched you make one the other day. All sugar, no cream. Super sweet.”

  I bit my cheek and my face flushed. “You brought me coffee.”

  “Of course I did. I knew you wanted some. It was ready…” He chuckled. “It’s no big deal.”