Page 31 of Forever Love-Reimagined

“We don’t even have any clients today, and we didn’t use this stuff last night. Is there another reason—” I stopped myself when I saw the blush creep up her neck to her cheeks.

“I’m going to work in the back. If you could clean this mess up when you get a chance, that would be great.” I wasn’t sure what she was up to until I skated past her and saw a foot sticking out from under one of the backdrops.

I didn’t want to embarrass her any more than she already appeared to be, so I ignored the manly toes aimed pointedly in my direction and kept walking.

A few minutes after firing up my computer, I heard the bells from the front door ring, and then Haley appeared in my doorway with a sheepish expression.

“Yes?” I questioned, but I picked up on her uneasiness right off.

“Boss, I’m so sorry. That was completely unprofessional of me, and I promise nothing like that has ever happened before, nor will it ever happen again,” she told on herself, but I wasn’t surprised.

“Haley, I’m not mad. I don’t care if you act out some fantasies here when we don’t have clients. You’re an adult. Do what you want. I’m sorry I ruined your fun. I wasn’t aware you had this in you.” I smiled, but she still appeared anxious.

“Honestly, I’m tired of being so inhibited. Adam suggested I take the lead, and the only thing I could think of was how Joan, a woman in her sixties, was so carefree with her body, and I wanted that to be me.”

“Haley, sometimes we can get into our own heads. People judge each other all the time, and that judgment can suppress us. Cause us to live more sheltered lives. But the thing is, when we start living for ourselves and not out of fear of what others might say, that’s when we’re liberated. You don’t ever have to worry about me criticizing your life because I care about you, and as long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters to me.” I wasn’t sure what kind of upbringing she had, but by the way she always worried, it made me wonder if she wasn’t ever allowed to express herself freely.

“I appreciate you being so understanding, and our talk about the porn thing helped me dig deep inside and figure out what was bothering me. I had to ask myself what was going on. And I was jealous. Not that I thought Adam wanted me to be more like those girls. But that I wanted to be more like them.” She looked down at the ground, and I hated how self-conscious she was.

“You shouldn’t let other people’s opinions affect your happiness. You can do whatever floats your boat as long as you aren’t hurting yourself or anyone else. I’m on your side and support you always, even if you want to top your boyfriend in the studio when no one is here.” I chuckled as I gazed at her, hoping she realized my sentiment was sincere. “I’m going to get back to work, but please take the rest of the day off. If I need anything, I can manage it myself.”

She finally made direct eye contact with me. “Leia, even though you’re my boss, you truly are a wonderful friend, and I appreciate everything you do for me.”

“I’ll always be here for you. Now, seriously, go enjoy your sexual freedom.” I tried to shoo her away, but she stopped and stared at my arm.

“Holy shit. Did you get a new tattoo?” Her eyes were laser-focused on the Saran Wrap.

As proud of it as I was, I wasn’t ready to share it with anyone else yet. A part of me wanted to keep it a secret between me and the girl from my dreams. I wanted her to see it first. That was a foolish idea, but I couldn't stop thinking about it.

“Yes, I got some new ink last night.”

“I can’t see it because it’s wrapped, but what is it? How long have you been planning this? I don’t ever remember seeing that on your schedule.” Her words came out rapidly, and there would be no dodging this.

“No, this was a spur-of-the-moment decision. It’s a puzzle piece with a saying in it. I felt like doing something different. It’s not a big deal, though.”

“You never get a tattoo without putting an extreme amount of thought into it. I find it hard to believe it isn’t a big deal. It’s a permanent fixture on your body. It has to mean something to you, but I won't push the issue if you don’t want to tell me. Although I’m here if there’s anything you ever want to talk about.”

“I appreciate that. But I promise you, this was a whim—nothing special. Okay?”

“Yeah, okay. Well, I can’t wait to see it tomorrow. You’ll show me then, right?”

“Sure. Now, for the last time, get out of here. I have stuff to do, and you have some fantasies to act out.” I said, waggling my eyebrows because it would make her blush.

Her face was red as cherries, and she said, “All right. I’ll leave you to it and see you tomorrow. We should have another calm day, too. You only have one shoot at 9:00, and then the couple from last week is ready to review their shots. That isn’t until 3:00, so you’ll have the afternoon to do more editing if you need to.”

“Sounds good. Thank you.” I waved her on, and she smiled as she left the room.

I pulled up the first session I was going to review. Haley talking about Joan made me want to start with her. She was so much fun to work with, and her personality would come through in the pictures. There were bound to be some gorgeous shots.

I examined the first picture of her in a dark-haired wig and warrior-type outfit. For sixty-ish, she looked damn good. There wasn’t much touching up that needed to be done besides the basic brightness and contrast to ensure the right colors popped. But something changed as I was ready to scroll to the next pic. The computer flashed, and I was no longer looking at Joan’s pale-blue eyes; instead, piercing green eyes were staring at me.

I heard music playing, as hands clutched my hips. It only took me a second to realize it was her. She spun me around, and I saw her whole face: dark curly hair, flawless bronze skin, succulent lips, and, of course, the most tantalizing eyes I’d ever seen. She touched my tattoo and smiled. It was electric.

She was calling me, begging me to find her. I wanted to etch this vision into my brain, but it vanished before I could.

I rubbed my temples, trying to get her back. I closed my eyes, hoping to trigger the flash again. But when I opened them, all I saw was Joan gazing back at me in her various Game of Thrones costumes. How was this happening?

I brought up a different session, hoping it would give me another glimpse of her. It was a couple from a few days ago. They were lying in bed, and she had her head on his chest, gazing into his eyes. It was such a sweet picture, and warmth flooded my body, remembering how much they loved each other. But I couldn’t focus because I only wanted to see her again. I needed to study her—more than a passing glance.

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