“S
orry I’m late.”
“Don’t mention it,” Blake said without glancing up from arranging the camera equipment. Although truth be told, he had begun getting a little annoyed that the woman he was supposed to photograph hadn’t thought enough to be on time. Already she was causing problems and he distinctively remembered Tonya saying she wouldn’t be difficult. The only thing he wanted to do was snap the few pictures and leave. He had made plans to meet with several of his cousins to play basketball later.
“Tonya said that you’re here visiting on vacation for the next month and doing this as a favor to her. I think that’s really nice of you since the last photographer left her in a bind.”
Blake frowned. This was all he needed; a subject that talked. He hoped it didn’t become a constant thing. He was used to focusing his viewfinder on animals and scenes with no noise and chatting. He sighed, thinking he might as well get this show on the road.
He turned around.
Desire. The kind he’d never encountered before immediately hit him in the gut and stoked a fire deep inside of him, evoking a need he had conveniently forgotten about until now. For a moment he gave in to the pure pleasure of staring at the woman who was now too busy checking out the pieces of lingerie Tonya had laid out for her than to notice him staring. He knew it was impolite but his only excuse was that he was human and definitely male. She was reminding him of the latter with full force.
The woman was dressed comfortably in a pair of denim shorts and a T-shirt that boldly advertised Tonya’s Temptations. The cotton material of the shirt stretched over a pair of luscious breasts that sat high and looked so large and firm that he had to take a deep breath.
Triggered by a surge of male hormones he hadn’t dealt with in over a good year, his body launched into a quick, sudden case of hard-on. He was glad he was standing behind the tripod, but to play it safe he pulled down the hem of his shirt and lowered his camera in front of him, which kept his state of arousal from being so obvious. He took a quick look at her hands. No rings. Then with a disgusted mental jab recalled that with some women, the presence of rings didn’t mean a damn thing.
He took another deep breath and tried to bring his body and mind under control and found the task not easy -- especially while looking at such a nice pair of hips and thighs, not to mention a real nice-looking rear end.
Voluptuous. Stacked. Curvy.
“Oh, Lawd.”
Blake blinked when he realized the exclamation hadn’t come from him but from her.
“Is Tonya out of her mind? There’s no way I’ll be photographed in these things.”
It was then that she turned around and met his gaze. Even with a frown marring her forehead and a deep blush darkening her face, he thought she was simply beautiful, then quickly decided there wasn’t anything simple about it.
Her features were stunning. She was definitely a head-turner, sexy as all out-doors. In doors as well. She would be an ideal person to capture on film. His lens would love zeroing in on every aspect about her, from the striking features of her face to the voluptuousness of her body.
It was only at that moment, while his hormones continued racing into overdrive that he noticed the sudden hush that had taken over the room, and that she was staring at him just as hard and steadily as he was still staring at her.
***
Oh, Lawd,
Justice thought for the second time that day. Great. On top of everything else, all she needed was a good-looking man to drool over -- and one that was a Savoy. But still, she couldn’t take her eyes off of the broad lines of his shoulders and chest that were clearly defined beneath a gray shirt whose tails hung low outside of his pants.
She swallowed, wanting to say something but at the moment not knowing what to say without making a fool of herself. She moved her gaze from his chest to his velvety nut-brown colored face. His chiseled jaw and the sharp angles of his features had her catching her breath and she was tempted to go fan herself. Then there were those hazel eyes that all Savoys were blessed with. Electric eyes, ones that could give a woman one tantalizing shock upon first glance.
Just like she was getting now.
She felt her knees actually shake and decided not to make a further fool of herself. She’d never been one to lose her cool over a man but she figured there was a first time for everything and the one standing across the room was most deserving.
Justice caught her lower lip between her teeth and took a deep breath. Now she had two reasons to kill Tonya.
“I take it that you’re Justice Manning,” Blake said, stepping forward, making sure his shirt was hanging low enough to cover his aroused state. He extended his right hand. “I’m Blake Savoy.”
“Nice to meet you, Blake,” Justice said after clearing her throat and taking the hand he offered, although she wasn’t sure that comment was true yet, especially when she felt a slow heat build in her stomach the moment their hands touched. And he looked even taller standing in front of her than he had when he’d stood across the room.
Blake Savoy.
She’d heard a lot about him from Gramma Savoy, Tonya, and his other cousins. It seemed everyone in the Savoy family was proud of him. She knew he was a well-known and successful photographer who traveled the world, but everyone had failed to mention that he was as handsome as he was successful.
It had been over a year since a man had thrown sparks, heat and strong sexual chemistry her way and her body was responding in an irregular fashion. She’d never thought of herself as the type of woman who could get turned on by just looking at a man, but her body was proving just the opposite. She was beginning to feel a bit crazy.
“Sorry, I got detained on a call,” Tonya said, coming down the steps and smiling brightly. “But I see the two of you have gone ahead and introduced yourselves.”
Tonya’s cheerful voice brought back the real world, and with it, Justice’s sanity returned. She heaved a small sigh, feeling totally disgusted with herself. She was simply pathetic, not to mention downright hot and bothered. And it didn’t help matters that she hadn’t made love to a man in an awfully long time, which had to be the reason all of her senses were heightened to the third degree. She was too fazed to act otherwise but was determined to pretend. And the best way to do so was to focus her concentration on something else. Namely, the lingerie Tonya had laid out for her to be photographed in.
Justice frowned and her attention slid from Blake to Tonya. “Yes, we introduced ourselves but I have a question for you, or rather a statement. I hope you don’t expect me to be photographed in those outfits.”
Tonya chuckled. “Of course I want you to be photographed in them, Justice. Why are you surprised? You know the type of outfits Tonya’s Temptations sells.”
“Yes, but I thought those other models would be the ones photographed wearing the more skimpier outfits. I thought I would be wearing the full-length bathrobes and things less revealing.”
Tonya shook her head. “No, that hadn’t been my plan at all. I think those outfits will look good on you. You’re the perfect person for them.” She glanced at Blake. “Wouldn’t you agree?”
Blake preferred not getting involved in Tonya and Justice’s disagreement. Besides, Justice Manning sounded annoyed, definitely peeved. He hadn’t taken a look at the outfits Justice would be wearing but a part of him was sure, more than fairly certain, that whatever the woman put on her body would look good. Since another one of Thelma Savoy’s rule had been not to lie, he couldn’t help but say. “Yes, I agree.”
It was times like this that Justice wanted to strangle Tonya. Did her friend honestly not have a clue what was going on here at this moment with her? If not, then she was determined to make things clear. She delivered a pointed glance in the direction of the boxes Tonya had placed on the table. “We need to talk about this, Tonya.” She then turned to Blake. “Please excuse us for a moment.”
Quickly walking across the room, Justice grabbed hold of Tonya’s hand and pulled her into the room Tonya had converted into an office. Once the door was shut behind them, Justice released Tonya’s hand and glared at her. “You better make this fast and quick, Tonya. What the hell is going on?”
Tonya lifted a brow and crossed her arms across her chest. A smile touched her lips. “I’m the one who should be asking you that question since you seemed kind of hot and bothered around Blake when I arrived.”
Justice sighed. Tonya had picked up on things, and wondered if Blake had picked up on things as well.
Tonya read her question. “No, I doubt Blake picked up on anything. I found out in dealing with your brother that most men are slow when it comes to detecting how a woman feels. I’ll bet a hundred dollars Blake doesn’t have a clue that you were attracted to him.” Even as she said the words, Tonya knew they weren’t true. She knew her cousin well enough to know that sexual interest had stirred his blood as well. The evidence had been in the hazel eyes that had stared at Justice. “Blake’s a nice guy and there’s nothing wrong with being attracted to him.”
Justice’s frown deepened. “But I don’t want to be attracted to him or any man. I don’t have the time.”
Tonya’s smile widened. “And maybe your body is telling you in a nonsubtle way that you need to make the time. I think you should make it a point to listen to what your body is saying.”
Justice rolled her eyes toward the ceiling. “Yeah, and I can just imagine the kind of trouble I’ll get into if I were to do that. Tonya, I haven’t been intimate with a man in over a year, so how am I supposed to handle Mr. Testosterone who’s waiting outside that door?” She refused to acknowledge that just a couple of days ago she had decided to make things happen. In her book making things happen didn’t include a man as good looking as Blake.
“I’m sure you’ll manage the same way I’ve managed whenever I’m around your brother.”
“Yeah, but you’ve never paraded in front of Bryan wearing lingerie; and speaking of lingerie, why do I have to wear something as outlandish as those outfits?”
Tonya shook her head. Although Justice never seemed to notice, whenever the two of them were together, it was usually Justice who got all the male attention. To a brother, there was just something about a woman with ample breasts, big legs and a lush, curvy behind.
“Because the whole purpose of Tonya’s Temptations is to show full-figured women that they have a right to be sexy and feel sexy, too,” Tonya said, determined to make her point. “Other lingerie shops focus their attention on slim and petite women. You’re a perfect size sixteen and those outfits I’ve chosen for you will focus on that. I want all full-figured women to picture themselves wearing any of those things for their man. You owe it to them to show that they are totally feminine, sexy and sensuous.”
Justice sighed, knowing there was no way she could get out of posing in those outfits since Tonya’s mind was dead set on her doing it and she had promised her that she would. But still, she couldn’t help but think of the man standing on the opposite side of the door. “And what about Blake?” she asked. She could just imagine those gorgeous hazel eyes leveled on her even through the lens of a camera, and didn’t want to think about that chiseled mouth her gaze had stared at earlier. The man had a perfect bone structure and his features would make any woman wet her panties.
Tonya lifted a brow. “What about him?”
“What will he think with me wearing those outfits?”
Tonya’s mouth curved into another smile. “I explained the aspects of my Internet business to Blake. Although he’s not used to photographing human subjects, I’m sure he’ll adjust. And don’t worry about him getting out of line with you because he’s a professional. Besides, he wrote off women years ago.”
Justice’s interest was piqued. “He did? Why?”
“He got married right out of college. When he landed a job that required a lot of traveling, his wife, who didn’t like to travel, stayed home to run the gift shop she opened. Blake discovered her real reason for wanting to stay back when he returned to town unexpectedly and caught another man in his bed. He hasn’t been serious about another woman since his divorce and that’s been over seven years ago.”
Justice shook her head sadly, thinking how easily some people refused to accept the vows they made to others. Her father had been that type of man. But then her mother’s second husband hadn’t been any better.
At least her current stepfather, Donald Spears was different. Like her mother, he was in law enforcement and he was everything she thought a father, stepfather and role model should be. She was happy that after the third try her mother seemed to have finally gotten it right.
“So are you going to do it, Justice?”
Tonya’s question brought Justice out of her reverie. She met the hopeful gleam in Tonya’s gaze and knew how much her Internet business meant to her. And Tonya was right. It was time somebody focused on the needs of the full-figured woman. Most of the women on her mother’s side of the family were tall and full-figured and she’d always thought her mother and aunts were simply beautiful, gorgeous statuesque amazons. They had proven to her over the years that a person’s beauty was not measured by the size of one’s body but by the love and loyalty one carried within one’s heart. A part of her knew that she owed it to all full-figured women to show they had it going on and had something to offer a man just like any thin woman. And more than anything she wanted to show they weren’t lacking when it came to the qualities that made a woman sexy and feminine.