Page 24 of Camera Shy

There’s a little splash as he slides back into the hot tub.

And I feel him.

Large hands gently peel mine from my face. His baby blues are two inches from my face. “Avery, did you just apologize to me because I saw you half naked?”

I don’t feel like this is the kind of question that needs a response. The way he’s looking at me is intimidating. He looks almost agitated. Standing this close to me, I realize how much larger he is than me. I never feel like the petite woman in the room, but Finn is making me feel really small at the moment.

“I see this all the time at my job,” he continues as he keeps his hands loosely locked around my wrists. He must know the second he releases them, they’ll snap right back to my face so I can hide again. “Apologizing about your body is ridiculous. Please don’t ever do that for me or for anyone else, okay?”

His intense stare is making me wildly uncomfortable, yet at the same time, I’m relieved he can read my mind. “Your job?” I wriggle my wrists in his grip and he immediately releases me.

“I run a boudoir photography studio.” He settles back into his seat in the corner of the hot tub.

“Oh. That’s definitely niche…yet you’re having trouble finding clients?”

“It’s not like I can really advertise some of my best work.”

“You shoot nudes?”

Finn shrugs. “Occasionally.” For the first time since he graced this deck with his presence, I see him flush, just slightly. “It’s not what you think. It’s all very tasteful.”

I cross my arms as my mind wanders. From what I understand, boudoir photography is trending. I think I remember reading some sort of statistic about how “boudoir” is one of the highest searched photography keywords next to wedding. “How’s your website health? Click traffic? Is it mobile optimized?”

My questions seem to surprise him. “Are you about to go all brand strategist on me?”

I shoot him a glib smile. “Yup,” I say, popping the P at the end of my response.

He shrinks a bit in his seat, sinking half an inch lower into the water. “It’s okay, I think.”

I give him a mischievous smile. “What’s your business name?”

“It’s just Finn Harvey photography.”

“So…let me guess, finn-harvey-photography-dot-com? Two Ns?”

He nods slowly, then his forehead crinkles as he watches my teasing smile spread. “Oh, no.”

“Oh, yes. It’s audit time, buddy. Let’s check your work.”

He lunges for me, but I’m shockingly too quick. With far more grace than I could pray for, I pop my ass out of the water onto the deck, swivel my legs around, and dart to my phone lying by Dex’s fancy built-in grill.

Finn is right behind me. We’re soaking the deck with chlorinated hot tub water. I shake my hands off before unlocking my phone. He wraps one arm around my rib cage from behind and tries to snatch my phone out of my hand as he chuckles against my ear.

“Not fair. I haven’t put in the marketing effort I probably should’ve. I’m totally unprepared for an audit.”

I laugh and hold my phone as far above my head as I can. He could easily take it from me as his reach far surpasses mine, but I get the feeling his arm is wrapped around me simply because he wants to touch me…

Is this…no…wait. Is he flirting?

He squeezes my rib cage gently and I nearly keel over from the ticklish feeling.

Holy shit. Is this flirting?

I almost ask him, until my phone vibrates in my hand. The notification banner preview shocks me so much I nearly throw up in my mouth.

I pull at Finn’s arm. He takes the cue and releases me. My whole demeanor changes in an instant and Finn looks concerned.

“Hey, are you okay?”

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