“Beautiful ones. I know exactly how I wanthim to look.” The sentence wasn’t shocking, but Wilder made it sound wicked.
Eli lit up like it was Christmas and there werea truckload of presents under the tree. “We’ve got these pretty little nightgownsin the shoot that you’re going to love. They’d be perfect to sketch. Roman thinksthey’d be hot for a special photo shoot. Did Lane tell you about it? I thinkyou two would be great for it.”
My head nearly hit the table.
Wilder chuckled and was probably smiling,but I was analyzing the table to figure out what else I could throw at Eli.Wilder seemed to find the idea amusing, but I couldn’t tell from his voice ifhe thought the idea was ridiculous or interesting. “A photo shoot, huh? No, henever mentioned it.”
“I didn’t think so.” There was a shortpause where I knew Eli was giving me a frustrated stare, but I was too busyfiguring out the patterns in the wood grain of the table to notice. “You twowould be so hot together. When you come to the shoot tomorrow, I’m going tohave Roman tell you what he’s picturing. But it’s basically focusing on thechemistry between you even though you’re so different. It’s going to befabulous.”
Eli spoke about the shoot like it was adone deal, and Wilder didn’t argue with him. Was it because he was too nice?Did he not want the drama of having to tell Eli no? Could he actually want todo it? The grown-up thing to do would be to ask, but I didn’t seem to be ableto.
“Eli, don’t drive him crazy.” Okay, thatwasn’t exactly forcefully telling him no, but it was at least something.
I glanced up at Wilder to see him smilinglike I’d done something cute. Eli, on the other hand, just sighed and ploppedhis elbows down on the table to rest his head in his hands. “You know I’mright. And once Roman gets a good look at your tattooed hunk here, he’s goingto be even more excited about the photos.”
Eli’s eyes danced and I could see passionand excitement stirring in. He wasn’t trying to hide how incredible he thoughtthe pictures would look, but I knew it was more than that. I was pretty sure hewas imagining how worked up Roman would be after a shoot like that.
A private BDSM shoot with Eli eggingeveryone on—there was no way Wilder would do it.
“We’ll see.” Wilder’s vague response onlymade Eli’s excitement worse.
Eli took the noncommittal answer as anagreement to do the shoot and excitement started racing through him. “Make sureLane brings you a few minutes early tomorrow. It’ll let you have time to talkto Roman before he starts focusing on work.”
Wilder just chuckled but lifted oneshoulder in a careless shrug that just gave Eli’s imagination more to workwith. I was going to have to have a talk with him about giving Eli clearboundaries. Vague answers would only keep him obsessing. “I’d love to meetRoman. He sounds interesting.”
Was Wilder doing it on purpose?
Was it his way of making Eli crazy?
I could probably support that, but Eli was goingto continue to drive me nuts about the photos. Besides, Wilder really wasn’tthe type to poke at the drama queen just see his reaction. The only thing thatmade rational sense was that he was actually thinking about it. But that justcouldn’t be right.
Not that he wouldn’t look incredible in thephotos.
I could understand why Roman was soenthusiastic about the idea. The rest of the guys had only seen Wilder inpassing, but they were in agreement that he was hot. At first glance, he gaveoff a bold masculinity that was incredibly sexy, and once people got to knowhim, the softer side made him even more appealing.
In the photos, however, I had a feelingRoman would focus on the rough passion that Wilder radiated. Even I had toadmit that pairing my unique femininity when I was dressed up and Wilder’smasculinity would be beautiful. That didn’t mean doing the shoot would be agood idea, though.
Before I could figure out a way to evenapproach the subject, Wilder leaned down to give me another quick peck andglanced toward the counter. “I wish I had time to sit down with you for awhile, but I have an appointment soon. You guys have fun tonight. I’ll see youin the morning.”
Wilder gave me a tender look and his handcame up to caress my cheek again. “It’s not a late night for me at work, sodon’t feel like you’d be interrupting something if you called later.”
I felt my cheeks heating up, but I nodded.“Didn’t you just tell me you had a lot to do tonight?”
He grinned. “I have a feeling you’re goingto be on my mind for quite a while.”
How was I supposed to respond to somethingthat sweet?
“You’re just trying to make me feel guiltyfor distracting you.”
He gave me a knowing look and chuckled, notupset at all about my deflection. “And I’m going to continue to do it until Iget my sketches. Okay, I really have to go. This is someone really nervous, orI’d invite you to come hang out for a while to see the process.”
He thought for a moment and I could see himmentally sifting through things in his head. “I’ve got a couple of good onesnext week that you might find interesting.”
“Thanks.” I was interested in the wholeprocess, but I wasn’t sure how to ask him about everything else.
Before I could ask, or find a really goodexcuse not to, Eli butted in. “Does your boss know you’re dating a guy?”
“It depends on if he’s been payingattention, so I have no idea. I’ve mentioned Lane a few times, and I told himwhat happened the first time I heard you guys.” Wilder’s gaze went back to thatdistracted, analyzing look he got sometimes when he was lost in thought. “Wedon’t really talk about personal stuff that much. We’ve never had that kind ofrelationship. And to be honest, he can be a little bit of an asshole. But if hehasn’t been paying attention before, he will when I bring Lane in.”
