Ellis floated around my side, lifting his leg over me so he was directly above me. My neck suddenly felt stiff, the rest of my body following. Nowhere was Ellis’s body touching mine. Nowhere. But the stance, the way I was stretching out between his legs as he towered above me, his camera aimed at my exposed body . . . the instincts Soren had been suggesting I hone started to fire.
“Are we almost done?” I blinked, the heat coming from the lights stifling.
“A few more shots, just to make sure we’ve got it.” Ellis crouched over me, the camera still snapping, but in his new position, I noticed something.
It was impossible not to notice.
My eyes sealed shut for a moment, as I was unsure what to say or do. He was a man working in close proximity with a naked woman. Sporting wood wasn’t way off base given the situation—I’d seen men get hard from far less.
It wasn’t like he was acting on it. He wasn’t saying anything inappropriate or touching me or giving me creepy looks. He was my agent. My photographer at the present moment. He had a boner. No big deal.
I replayed that in my head ten times, but it wouldn’t take root.
It felt like a big deal. That he’d called me in on a Sunday at the last minute, that we were the only two people here, that he was photographing me nude, hovering above me, while his hard-on bulged through his tight slacks felt dangerous.
“I’m done,” I announced suddenly, sliding out from beneath him. “I can’t do this.”
Ellis made no move to stop me. He just rose back up, lowered his camera, and gave me a confused look as my hands scattered to cover myself. “Are you uncomfortable posing nude? Your file didn’t list any hesitations over it . . .”
“No, I’m not uncomfortable with it.” The more I tried to cover myself, the sillier I felt. Giving up, I got up and powered toward the dressing area. “It’s just, today . . .” I didn’t know what I was trying to say. Was this because of Ellis? Was it because of Soren?
Was it because of me?
I wasn’t sure why I was acting so unsure—I just knew I couldn’t lie below that camera for another shot.
“Today’s just been one of those days,” I settled on as I got redressed as fast as I could.
“Can I interest you in dinner then? I made reservations at one of the best places in the city, but the person who was supposed to go with me can’t make it. People usually have to make reservations months in advance—it’s exactly the type of place I go to when I’m having one of ‘those days.’” Ellis sounded like he was moving around the room, switching off the lights.
“Thanks for the invite, but I’ve already got plans.” So it was kind of a lie, but not totally. I did have plans. To be alone so I could figure out what I was going to tell my roommate when I saw him again.
“These plans rate higher than dining at a five-star restaurant with me?”
My finger stopped tying my sneakers. Was Ellis implying he was so great? Or the restaurant was? The combination was? However he meant what he’d said, it made the offer that much less appealing.
“Sorry. I can’t cancel them,” I said, tugging on my jacket before emerging from the dressing area.
“Too bad more women aren’t like you.” The room was dark now, just a wash of light diffusing in from the outside windows lining the office.
“Aren’t like me?” I said, moving toward the door.
Ellis shoved off the wall, following me. “The type who don’t cancel once they’ve committed. Hardworking.” Ellis’s hand made it to the door handle before mine. He held it there for a minute, but the door stayed closed.
He was staring down at me—I could feel it, but I didn’t look back. Something about this whole afternoon was off. Wrong.
“Intoxicating,” he added, leaning in and taking a slow breath.
“I really have to go or else I’ll be late.” My voice gave away nothing, but everything inside me felt like it was trembling.
“You have plans with him tonight, don’t you?” There was a bite to his words, something unsettling. I didn’t have time to answer before he opened the door, adding, “Don’t waste everything you’re about to become on a nothing like him.”
I didn’t say anything else as I moved through the agency toward the elevators. Ellis didn’t follow, but the adrenaline charging inside made me feel like I was being chased.
What in the hell was that about? That shoot had to qualify as the single, most creepy experience of my life. I wasn’t sure if Ellis’s dinner invitation had been intended as a date or as a business meeting. I wasn’t sure what his whole cryptic act and words had been about either. He seemed almost jealous of whatever relationship he assumed Soren and I had. But he was Ellis Lawson. What did he have to be jealous about when it came to two young kids?
The men of the world seemed determined to screw with my head.
First Soren. Now Ellis. Although, in fairness, I was responsible for the whole mess with Soren. If I’d just kept my mouth closed the way I’d been doing for weeks, we’d still be on a roommate basis instead of a roommate-plus-question-mark one.
By the time I’d left the agency and was moving down sidewalks, my head started to clear, and by the time I’d found a hotel to stay in for the night, I’d convinced myself I was making a way bigger deal out of the Ellis encounter than I needed to. He was quirky, mysterious, different . . . just like the majority of other people in this industry.
Once I’d slid into the comfy hotel bed and thrown the covers over my head to block out the world for a few hours, I felt much better about the Ellis cluster.
The Soren one I felt exponentially worse about though. Especially when I’d fired on my phone for a few minutes—to make sure I hadn’t missed any emergency calls from my family or the agency—only to find I’d missed dozens of calls and texts. All from him. I powered off the phone before I read or listened to a single one.
Tomorrow, I’d confront Soren.
Tonight, I was happy to play ignorant to the whole mess I was responsible for creating.
My mess was waiting for me just inside the doors of the K&M building the next morning.
I didn’t see him until I’d already whisked through the revolving door. The moment I did, I froze, one foot wanting to carry me backward, the other wanting to propel me forward.
My decision was made for me when Soren’s gaze fell on me. His shoulders fell as a heavy breath spilled from his mouth. He looked . . . relieved.
Why was he relieved?
Why did it look like he was about to throw his arms around me as he dashed toward me?
“You’re okay. Thank god.” He dropped his backpack and baseball bag on the floor when he stopped in front of me, his arms going around my back as he pulled me into his chest.
My arms were frozen at my sides as he held me a few moments before letting go. His eyes roamed me when he stepped back. He looked exhausted, like he hadn’t slept. Bloodshot whites of the eyes, dark hollows, a couple days of scruff dotting his face. Even his shirt was on inside out.
“What happened? Where have you been? Are you okay?” His eyes did another careful sweep, checking me over again.