Page 61 of Served Hot
“Do what works best for you. How did you get her to go out with you twelve years ago? Hell, a month ago?”
“Three weeks.” But who was counting? Dex blinked, then smiled. “I blackmailed her.”
“Right. You’ve been out with her long enough to have something on her. Force her to listen to you. Hogtie her until she has nowhere to go but into your meaty, stinky arms.” Anson grimaced. “You could use a shower.”
“I hiked a bit at Shevlin before coming home,” Dex said absently.
Jack looked at him. “So you’re going to trick her into listening to you?”
“Into admitting she loves me. ’Cause yeah, she does.”
“You sure you want to deal with her for the rest of your life?” Anson asked. “You could just date and leave it at that. But…” He sighed at Dex’s determined look. “You won’t, will you? Hell. You’re going to make her family.”
“Yep.”
“Good luck.” Jack started laughing. “You big sap. Ann’s sweet. Riley’s rational. Maya…” He laughed harder.
This time Dex and Anson joined him. And Dex planned.
Late Monday afternoon, just as Dex thought he’d figured out how to handle Maya, Selena Thorpe walked in to his studio with two of her girlfriends. God, just what he didn’t need.
He pasted on a professional smile.Damn. Just five more minutes and I’d have been closed for the day.“Hello, ladies. Something I can do for you?”
Selena smiled. “I’m sure you can help me,” she all but purred. “We want some pictures take by arealphotographer.” She walked around the studio, trailing a scarlet-painted nail over some props. “So quaint. Not what I would have pictured for you, Dex.”
“I like it.”
She focused on him. “I admit it’s…handsome.” The smoldering look on her face told him she’d meant the compliment for him and him alone.
Her friends tittered. He recognized the pair as sisters and a complete waste of space. They acted as if they shared a brain and were easily led by a stronger personality. In this case, Selena.
He ignored Selena’s blatant come-on. “So did you want individual photos or a group?”
“Both.” Selena gestured to the blonde with her. “Shelly wants one with me then a separate one with her sister.”
“No problem. Let’s go pick a background.”
After taking a bunch of shots of Selena, he reset the background for her friends. Grateful Selena didn’t hover while he photographed her friends, he concentrated on finishing without fuss and had the ladies join him at the selection counter, where he’d show them the digital pictures they could choose from.
After the siblings had chosen their pictures, Selena leaned close to pick hers. “I’ll meet you guys at Townsend’s.” The tea shop down the street.
“Okay.” The women gave a knowing look then left.
Hell.
“So what’s this nonsense about you and Maya Werner dating?” Selena spat Maya’s name like an epithet.
“You have a face for the camera.” Perhaps some flattering honesty would get her to drop questions about his personal life.
She lit up. “I do, don’t I? I’ve always been photogenic.” After dithering over her selection, she grabbed him by the wrist when he would have moved away to finish her order.
“Selena?”
“You have large hands. Why, I can barely get my fingers around you. Sothick.” She flicked her nails over his wrist and gave him a thorough once-over.
Only an idiot would have missed her innuendo.
She left Dex cold. He tugged his arm free and left to get her a paper copy of her order. While she paid, he tried to ignore the way she stared at him.
