Picture Perfect

by Maguire, L. E.

  “Then I got the visual to go along with Jake’s words. When I walked into the apartment, I saw a leggy blonde bent over the arm of our couch while David pounded into her from behind. Her face was planted between the legs of another blonde who was withering all over the couch. Then a naked redhead walked into the living room from the bathroom to rejoin the orgy that was currently playing out on my couch.” I had to pause so I could swallow around the lump that was now lodged in my throat. Turning toward the window, I blinked my eyes rapidly trying to dispel the moisture that was threatening to overflow.

  “He tried to soothe me by telling me it was just sex with them that there were no feelings involved. He said he loved me and what we had was special.” I laughed humorlessly. “I had recognized the women. They had been featured in a swimsuit campaign he had just finished working on. I snapped and threw them all out of the apartment, threatening them with bodily harm.”

  “David. You mean David Carlisle? That asshole that does all of the swimsuit ads in the exotic locations?”

  “That’s the one,” I whispered.

  “I’m so sorry, Ember,” Evan said softly. The leather couch creaked as he moved to get off it. I could hear and feel him slowly making his way toward me. Quickly, I glanced down at my feet not wanting him to see my reflection in the glass.

  “The worst part was everybody knew but me. It had been going on for months. I felt so stupid,” I said angrily.

  Coming up behind me, he wrapped his arms around my waist and squeezed. “You were not stupid,” he said adamantly. “You just trusted the wrong man with your heart.”

  We stood quietly for a few minutes; his front to my back. Lifting my head, I hesitantly met his gaze in the window. My eyes locked with his unable to look away for several minutes.

  “What was Jake talking about earlier when he said he wasn’t going to sit by and watch you….did he mean kill yourself?” I nodded cautiously unsure of what his reaction would be. Closing his eyes, he pressed his face into my hair and breathed deeply. “What happened?” He finally asked with his face still pressed into my hair.

  I waited until his eyes opened and met my gaze once again in the reflection of the window before I spoke. “It was an accident. I had such a headache, and I just wanted to make the pain go away for just a little while. I took some drugs I had for headaches and anxiety with a bottle of wine. Turned out that particular combination of drugs and alcohol was potentially lethal. Jake found me passed out in my room.” Evan’s arms squeezed me tighter. “The next thing I remember I’m waking up in the hospital with Jake softly sobbing in a chair beside me. I hurt him so unbelievably.”

  “But you didn’t do it on purpose,” he said softly.

  “I know, but that didn’t make it any easier to deal with.”

  Placing his hands on my shoulders, he urged me to turn around. I resisted at first, afraid that I would see nothing but pity in his eyes. But as I looked into his darkening green eyes, all I could see was love and passion. For me.

  He cupped my face in his hands. “David was such an unbelievable fool to treat you the way he did, but I’m glad that it happened.” I widened my eyes in shock desperately trying to pull away from him. Increasing his hold on my face, he shook his head at me. Slowly, he lowered his face towards mine while his eyes darted between my eyes and my lips. “By doing what that bastard did, he left the door wide open for me, and baby,” He paused, staring intently into my eyes. “I just walked right through it, and I’m making myself at home.”

  Sighing at his words, I felt all the tension that built up while telling my story seep out of my body. Softly, he pressed his lips to mine. Running his tongue along my bottom lip, I opened my mouth, granting him the access he was seeking.

  As our tongues tangled together, I moaned from the sweet taste that was the wine and something else that was all Evan. Clutching at his waist, I ran my hands around to his back and pulled him up against me. We both moaned into each other’s mouth as our bodies pressed tightly together.

  When his arm found it’s way under my shirt and brushed against my bra strap, it brought to mind the set I was wearing. Remembering the photos I shot in the wake of the David disaster, an idea suddenly came to me.

  I wanted photos of me in this beautiful set, and I wanted Evan to take them. I wanted to feel Evan’s heated gaze on my body, because I needed to know that another man desired me. After not having been with anyone since David, I needed to feel sexy.

  Breaking the kiss, I placed my hands on his chest and pushed him back a little. I could feel his heart beating furiously under my hand, and we were both breathing heavily. Frowning down at me, he gave me a confused look.

  “Would you do something for me no matter how crazy it might seem?” I asked him.

  “Anything,” he said without hesitation.

  Looking next to me, I focused on the camera. “Would you take my picture?”

  “I’d love to. You know, nothing makes me feel more confident about myself than strutting in front of the camera,” he said, giving me a wink.

  “Thank you,” I said, leaving out that I wanted him to take them while I was wearing nothing but these pretty undergarments. Instead, I will just surprise him by stripping. The look on his face could be totally worth it. I smiled to myself.

  “If I knew the thought of taking your picture would make you smile so beautifully, I would’ve offered to do so as soon as we got here,” he said, smiling down at me. I had not realized I had actually smiled at my thought.

  Picking up the tripod with the camera, he moved it across the living room. “I want to get shots of you with Seattle in the background,” he said, answering my questioning look.

  Shit. Was I going to be okay with stripping in front of his window? As if he could read my thoughts, Evan said jokingly, “Don’t look so nervous. It’s not like I’m going to ask you to strip for me. Besides, there’s no one to see you even if you did.” He winked at me.

  After the first few shots, he started to get playful in giving directions on where and how to stand.

  “Right here, sweetheart. Beautiful, dahling. Look at me. Turn. Smile. That’s it. Oh yes, so sexy, baby.”

  I threw my head back and just laughed. The click of the camera increased. “That is not how photographers talk to models,” I said, after catching my breath from laughing. Evan never stopped hitting the shutter button. He just kept right on shooting, but I could see his smile behind the camera. Then I slipped my shirt off.

  Evan’s wide eyes appeared over the top of the camera as he slowly pulled it away from his face. His mouth was hanging open and he was completely speechless. Before I could lose my nerve, I slipped off my jeans.

  “Ember,” he said softly on a long exhale. The urge to cover myself was not present as his eyes roamed all over my body. I could feel his heated gaze on my skin as if his actual hands were caressing me. It was an exhilarating feeling, boasting my confidence.

  Tilting my head back, I ran my hands over my flat stomach and up to my breasts. The guttural moan that escaped Evan only stoked the fire that was building within my core. He must have gotten himself under control, because the shutter button started clicking furiously again.

  “You are so unbelievably gorgeous.”

  I kept my eyes closed and let his words wash over me, wishing it was his hands running over my body instead of mine. I turned to look out the window, which put my back to Evan. Placing my palms against the cool glass, I swayed my hips in what I hoped was a seductive way. There was some shuffling around as I waited for the camera to start clicking again.

  Within minutes, Evan’s hard chest pressed up against my back, pushing me up against the cool, glass window. The sudden sensation of his warm, hard body at my back and the coolness of the glass on the feverish skin of my front as he pressed me against the window had me gasping. The camera started clicking again as Evan’s hand ran down my ribs and hip before cupping my butt and squeezing. I was too lost in the sensations that were coursing throug
h my body at his touch to give much thought to how he was still taking photos.

  Suddenly, he grabbed my arm and spun me around, causing me to yelp from the sudden movement. Staring down at me with hooded eyes that were on fire, he wrapped his hand in the hair at my nape and pulled my head back roughly. That was when I saw the remote for the camera in his other hand.

  “What are you doing to me?” he asked softly. His eyes bouncing between the two of mine frantically as if he were desperately trying to find an answer to his question within their depths. I could have asked him the same question.

  Both of us had our lips parted to accommodate our heavy breathing. My breasts rising and falling rapidly with my heaving chest. His eyes dropped to my mouth and watched intently as I ran my tongue along my bottom lip.

  Desperately needing to feel his bare skin, I slipped my hands under the front of his t-shirt and over his toned chest. The muscles of his tight abs flinched at my delicate touch. His skin was so warm to the touch and silky smooth with only a light dusting of hair.

  Lightly, I ran my fingers along his perfectly defined pecs. He gasped softly as I brushed my thumbs over the hardened peaks of his nipples. I continued up his chest, causing his t-shirt to ride up with my hands. He bent down, taking a step backwards so I could push the t-shirt over his shoulders and up over his head. Taking it from my hand, he blindly tossed it behind him.

  Stepping towards me, he wrapped his hands around my back. His fingers paused at the clasp of my bra as his emerald eyes silently begged for my permission. I nodded. Closing my eyes, his fingers made quick work of the two clasps. Slowly, he dragged the straps down my shoulders. His fingers trailed lightly down my arms. It felt slow and torturous, causing goose bumps to blossom across my skin.

  The weight of my heavy breasts pulled down on my shoulders as they broke free from the confines of my bra. The sensation quickly disappeared though, as Evan ran his hands up my ribs and cupped my breasts, gently kneading them. “Fucking perfect,” he murmured.

  His face nuzzled my neck then I felt the damp warmth of his tongue as he ran it down my neck to my chest. My back bowed as he wrapped his warm lips gently around the hardened peak and sucked none to gently. My hands dove for his hair, anchoring him to me as he gave his attention to my other breast.

  I jumped and gasped when I heard the click of the shutter.

  “Shhh. It’s all right.” He spoke the soothing words softly between kisses up my chest and neck, sucking on my sensitive skin. All thoughts other than what this man was doing to my body were quickly shoved out of my mind. I never felt more worshipped.

  “I want you,” I rasped.

  He pulled back to look at me. Cupping my face with his hands, his dark, hooded eyes searched my face. “Are you sure?” he asked huskily.

  Was he kidding? “Yes,” I whispered, nodding slowly. My hands were clutching his upper arms tightly.

  Closing his eyes, he leaned his forehead against mine. My eyes fluttered closed at his nearness. “You have to be sure about this, Ember.”

  Surprised at the use of my name and not his nickname for me, I pulled my head back and opened my eyes. Why did I need to be sure? Did he not want this? My eyes ran over his face. His cheeks were flushed, his eyes were full of heat, his chest rose and fell with his quickened breaths, and his denim-clad erection was digging into my abdomen. He wanted this as badly as I did.

  Narrowing my eyes, I leaned into him so there was barely an inch between us. “I’ve never been more sure about anything in my life,” I said seriously.

  Pulling back to look me in the eye, he gave me a small smile before his face turned serious. My heart started pounding furiously at the intensity in his eyes. “Then you understand that once I have you, you will be mine,” he growled.

  Holy hotness! “Yes,” I said without hesitation, loving the possessive sound of his voice when he said the word mine.

  “You understand that there will be no one else for you. Ever. Again,” he said through clenched teeth.

  “I understand, but what about you, Evan? Will there be anyone else for you?”

  His eyes softened and he gave me a dimple-popping smile. “Don’t you know already? You’re it for me, baby.”

  That was all I needed to hear. Wrapping my arms around his neck, I pulled his mouth down to mine. He was momentarily stunned by my aggressive move, but in no time at all we were kissing each other with brutal force.

  He grabbed my bottom and urged me to wrap my legs around his waist. With our naked chests pressed firmly together, I barely registered the sound of the camera shutter clicking before hearing the remote hit the hardwood floor.

  Breaking the kiss, he walked with long strides through his apartment toward his bedroom. Unable to keep my lips off him, I ran kisses along his strong jaw and down his smooth neck, deeply inhaling his incredible sexy smell. He ran a hand up my bare back and cupped the back of my head, holding me to him.

  Reaching the bed, he bent down, gently hovering over me as he laid me in the center of his bed. As soon as my bare back made contact with the plush comforter, I was reluctant to release him, forcing the hold my arms and legs had around him to relax. This was, after all, exactly how I had pictured him, hovering over me while those beautiful muscles of his bulged and flexed with his movement. Splayed out on his bed in nothing but my panties, his eyes ran greedily down my body. “So beautiful,” he whispered, straightening back up.

  I watched intently as his long fingers started to undo his belt buckle. The sound of it clanking open and then the rasp of it being pulled through the loops of his jeans mingled with the sounds of our ragged breaths.

  My hands fisted in the comforter when he slipped his jeans off taking his boxer briefs with them. He stood tall and gloriously naked at the end of the bed. My god! He was gorgeous. I already knew, after ogling him standing in just his boxer briefs in my living room, that his body was sculptured to perfection with well-defined muscles and a trim waist, but my imagination didn’t do the full package any justice.

  As my eyes roamed over his body, he reached down, grabbed the base of his erection, and began to stroke. Those dark, forest-green eyes bore into mine as his jaw went slack. With flushed cheeks, his perfect chest rose and fell with his ragged breaths. The muscles in his arm flexed as he pleasured himself. He was stunningly gorgeous. This girl’s fantasy come to life.

  “Remove those panties, Gem. Now. I need to see all of you,” he rasped demandingly.

  Without hesitation, I hooked my fingers in the delicate string at my hips. Slowly, I dragged them down my legs, relishing in the heated look of torture on Evan’s face. Slipping them off my feet, I leaned back on an elbow and tossed my panties at him. He easily caught them. With a smirk on his face, he balled them up, brought them up to his nose, and inhaled deeply. His eyes fluttered closed. “You smell so incredible,” he groaned.

  Oh my god. As I let my head fall back, I closed my eyes and moaned desperate to feel him over me and in me. “Please, Evan,” I begged. When I felt the end of the bed dip, I snapped my head up and opened my eyes. The feral look in his eyes made my breath catch.

  “What do you want, Ember?” He leaned forward, both palms on the edge of the bed by my feet. “Tell me,” he demanded.

  “I want you,” I moaned at his nearness, bathed in the warmth from his body, desperately needing to feel his hands and that mouth on me.

  He raised his brows at me. “You have me.” Slowly, he started crawling up my body. “Say it.” He ran his tongue around my belly button, kissing and nipping my flesh in the process. Watching his tongue make contact with my skin was so intense, my eyes drifted closed. “Eyes on me and say it,” he said forcefully. He continued with his tongue and the kissing and nipping of my skin as he continued to crawl up the bed.

  He wants me to talk when I can barely put together a coherent thought with his mouth on me like that? The torturous bastard. Basking in the heat radiating off his body, I licked my dry lips and tried to concentrate on the words.
“I want...ahhhh.” A moan escaped me as he sucked the skin on the side of breast into his mouth. “I want you inside me.”

  “Fuck yes, baby,” he said, nuzzling his face between my breasts.

  Suddenly, the delicious weight and heat of his body disappeared. Snapping my eyes open, I found him standing at one of the bedside tables, pulling out a condom wrapper. Sitting up quickly, I rested my hand on his wrist before he could rip it open. His eyes grew wide as I shook my head at him.

  “Ember,” he said in warning.

  “I’m on the pill. I have been for years. It helps regulate my periods.” He stood frozen just staring at me. “I trust you, Evan.”

  “I’ve never....I’ve never done it without one,” he said, shaking his head at me. A panicked look on his face.

  “Neither have I. Let this be a first we can share together then. I want to feel you with no barrier between us,” I said, smiling and nodding in encouragement.

  He gave me a one-dimpled half smile and dropped the condom on the floor. “I want that too.”

  “Then come here,” I said, pulling on his wrist.

  As he crawled onto the bed, I opened myself up to him. “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen,” he whispered, dropping down to his forearms. His muscular body pressed against mine as the hard, heavy length of him came to rest at my core. When I cupped his face and moved against him, he kissed me with a renewed hunger. Pressing his hips forward, I swallowed his groans as he easily slipped inside of me with one slow thrust. Breaking the kiss, he paused for a moment. “You’re so tight,” he groaned with a thrust of his hips before burying his head in my neck. I slid my hands down his back, squeezing his firm butt cheeks encouraging him to move faster.

  “You feel so incredible.” He moaned softly after another thrust of his hips. “Fuck. I wanted to take my time with you, but I’m not going to last long like this.”

  Then he brought his mouth to mine and really started moving. My hips met his with every thrust. His grunts and groans mingled with my gasps and moans. He pressed kisses all along my neck and jaw as his quick, warm breaths exploded against my skin with every grunt. I ran my hands up and down his back feeling the light sheen of sweat on his skin, reveling in the feel of his muscles tensing and releasing with his movements.