Page 33 of Second Chance for Mr. Alden

“Same, girl. That dress looks fabulous. These pictures are going to sizzle.”

Jess winked at him. “Only because you’re amazing at what you do. How should I start?”

I clenched my hands as Eli looked her up and down. Logically, I knew it wasn’t the gaze of a man checking her out, but one determining the best way to showcase the dress and the woman wearing it. Illogically, I wanted to rip his fucking eyes out of his head.

Eli waved her over to a plain backdrop. “We’re going to start here, then I have a few spaces around the room, and the chaise lounge I’d like you to lay in. We’ll go for a few different moods so the powers that be can pick their favorite.”

I steeled myself to hate this. I loathed being a spectator to Jess listening to the commands of another man. As it continued, though, I realized Eli only saw her as a job. He was considerate, but he made sure she knew what pose or expression was necessary to capture the essence of the perfect shot.

I’d begun to relax until he had her lay on the chaise lounge. It was white and perfectly offset the blue of her dress. Jess draped herself seductively over the curved sides and back.

“Now look at me like I’m your lover,” Eli said.

My head whipped towards him so fast it surprised me I didn’t have whiplash. I quickly tapped on my earpiece. Gage did not need to hear this.

“Hey, why’d you cut me off? This was just getting good.” Gage complained with a laugh.

He knew why.Asshole.

I had to fight to draw in my next breath. What the fuck was Eli doing?

“No, Jess. Not like that. Think of someone. A person you felt great passion for, someone who could light your body on fire. Imagine a time with them, their hands on your body, how the intimate words they spoke made you feel...” Eli’s words drifted off, the only sound in the room was the click of his camera.

My eyes cut to Jess. Her eyelids were heavy, her lashes sweeping the curve of her cheek, her mouth parted the slightest bit, her cherry red lips beckoning me. My feet moved forward until I stood just behind Eli.

This close I could see her chest moving up and down as tiny puffs of air escaped her mouth.

Eli’s voice faded until my narrowed gaze only saw Jess. It was like we were the only two people in the room and each seductive smile was meant for me.

Jess turned her body, letting her arm dangle off the settee.

My gaze trailed over each mesmerizing curve starting at her calf as it peeked out from where her dress had shifted to reveal her thick thigh, traveling up her leg to the delicious swell of her hip and then into the slight dip of her waist. Her body seduced me, drew me in, made me want so much more.

“Perfect. That was perfect. I think we got all we needed.” Eli’s words were like being doused with cold water.

Jess swallowed and slowly sat up, her gaze still connected to mine. “I’m sure we did. I can’t wait to see them, Eli.”

Eli packed up his equipment. “I’ll send you a few so you can see them after I’ve had a chance to work my magic. Not that I ever have to do much with your natural beauty.”

She broke our connection to thank him, but her attention was on me.

“I’ll see you downstairs?” Eli asked.

“Yes, I’m just going to take a minute to freshen up and then head down.”

He nodded, shook my hand, and left the room.

I wasn’t sure what to say. Seeing Jess react to Eli’s words made me want to wrap my body around hers, and to kiss her until neither of us could breathe. Until she forgot whoever she’d been imagining touching her and whispering the words that made her body flush with desire.

Ignoring the demands of my body, I called out to her. “Almost ready to go?”

She blinked a few times before looking at me. Her pupils still wide, desire still lingered in their depths. “I need a second.”

Jealousy hit me again and before I could stop myself, the words were out of my mouth, leaving a bitter taste in their wake. “Who were you thinking of?”

“What?” She shook her head as though confused by my question.

I gestured to the chaise lounge and her. “The pictures. He asked you to imagine a lover. It must have been someone pretty damn good if you need this much time to recover after only thinking about him.”

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