Daphne watched the screen as the images appeared. "How many people posed for you?"

"Today, or total?"

"Today."

"You and Rodney were numbers four and five. My first model this morning was an elderly gentleman, maybe seventy-five. His session took only forty minutes." Gerard swiveled his chair toward her. "He was magnificent. Debonair, charming, handsome. I'll bet he was quite the ladies' man in his youth."

The late afternoon sun broke through the clouds and shined in the window behind them. The rays touched Daphne's hair, turning it into a golden flame. Gerard had to capture that look on his camera.

"Stay right there."

"What--"

"Don't move." He picked up his second camera from the desk and lifted it to his eye. "The sun is shining on your hair. It's amazing." Click. "Raise your chin a little. Yeah, that's good." Click. "Turn your head a bit to your right. Perfect." Click.

Gerard slid to his knees on the floor and pointed the camera up at Daphne's face. "Your hair looks as if it's thirty different colors." Click. "So beautiful. Everything about you is beautiful."

A delicate blush filled her cheeks. He captured the blush on his camera.

Pushing his chair out of the way Gerard backed up a foot so he could see more of Daphne. "Turn your upper body this way. Not quite so much. Good." Click.

He lowered the camera to his chest. "Unbutton the top button of your blouse."

She hesitated a moment before she did as he said.

"Lift your collar in the back and pull your blouse open."

She did. He could see the beginning of her cleavage. The clouds covered the sun again, casting her in shadow. If possible, she was even more beautiful now.

Gerard stood and raised his camera again. "Sit still. I'm going to move around you."

Slowly, he circled her chair, taking shots of her from different angles. He took one standing behind her shoulder so he could see the tops of her breasts. He took another before she looked up at him.

"That's it. That's the shot." Click. He zoomed in closer on her eyes. Tiny flecks of gold were sprinkled in the green. "Oh yeah. Perfect." Click.

The clouds shifted again, letting the sunshine once again bathe Daphne in its light. Gerard clicked off two more shots. "Unfasten another button for me."

Now he could see her cleavage and inner curves of her breasts. Gerard circled her again, taking shots from every angle.

"Prop your elbow on the back of the chair and hold your collar away from your face." Click. "Bite the end of your thumb. Yeah, like that. Perfect." Click.

Humor flashed through her eyes and her lips twitched. Gerard lowered his camera. "What's funny?"

"Do you know you say 'perfect' a lot?"

"Do I?"

Daphne nodded.

"That's because every photo I've taken of you is perfect." He knew he shouldn't touch her, but he couldn't resist the lure of her skin. He cradled her jaw in his palm, whisked his thumb over her lower lip. "Just as you are."

That lovely blush filled her cheeks again. "I'm hardly perfect, Gerard."

He caressed her lip again. "You are to me."

Warning bells clanged in his head about getting too close to a model. It wasn't professional, he'd never see her again, he hated one-night stands...all those things he'd told himself over the years. He'd always avoided becoming too close to a woman and having to walk away from her. None of those things seemed to matter when he looked into Daphne's green eyes.

He leaned closer to her. If she moved or asked him to stop, he would.

She lifted her chin and parted her lips.

A whisper of flesh against flesh. Warm breaths mingled together. The taste of mint. Gerard absorbed all the flavors and sensations of kissing Daphne. He immediately knew that one kiss would never be enough.

He slid his fingers around her neck and tilted his face to deepen the kiss. The soft sound of pleasure in her throat traveled straight to his cock. It had been half hard ever since he first saw her today. Touching her, kissing her, sent blood rushing south, giving him a full-blown erection in seconds.

With his lips still pressed to hers, Gerard tugged Daphne from the chair and into his arms. She reached behind his head and pulled the elastic band from his ponytail, then tunneled her fingers into his hair. Her breasts pressed to his chest, her abdomen cushioned his shaft. Gerard tightened his arms around her and tickled her lips with his tongue, asking for entrance.

She gave it, touching her tongue to his.

Like a match to gasoline, he went up in flames. Holding her head with one hand while he devoured her mouth, he ran his other hand all over her body...caressing a full breast, rounded hip, firm ass cheek. He squeezed that cheek, made the return journey back to her breast. He brushed his thumb across her nipple. Her little sounds of pleasure rewarded him for his action.

Gerard kissed her passionately once again before cradling her face in his hands. He rested his forehead against hers while he tried to get his breath back. "God, you're even more delicious than I thought you would be."

She said nothing, just clutched his T-shirt at his waist. Her warm breath coasted across his lips every time she exhaled. He thought about feeling that breath moving down his body in advance of her mouth, her tongue...

"Gerard?"

Her voice came out soft, barely a whisper. He loved the way she said his name. "Yes?"

"Kiss me again."

He didn't hesitate to obey her. This kiss was different...a gentle persuasion instead of ravishment. He coaxed her lips to part, swiped his tongue across hers. Needing to touch her skin, he pulled her blouse from the waistband of her jeans and laid his palm on her low back. Her skin was warm and a little damp from perspiration.

"I want you." He kissed her cheek, her jaw, her neck. "Let me make love to you."

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