Clearing his throat, he needed to head to the studio. They were leaving in a week for their tour. Their album sales were doing well, so they couldn’t let up. Jackson wouldn’t hear of it. Alex respected the guy’s ambition, which only made crushing on his sister even worse. Yet, Zoe was a grown woman.
Zoe? He blinked as he spotted a woman on the shoreline of the lake with a camera. Her curls bounced as the breeze picked up, whistling in the trees. He licked his lips. His pulse raced. He hurried down the bridge.
“You following me?” he asked.
Zoe’s eyes widened. “What-how-no I’m not.”
He chuckled, loving that he caught her off guard.
“As you can see...” She pointed to her camera. “I’m busy.”
He moved closer. “I see. I didn’t know you were into photography.”
“I don’t volunteer information. If people want to know, ask me.”
He smiled. Her spunk made the hairs raise on the back of his neck. “I’m asking then. How did you get into it?”
She shrugged. “I’ve always liked taking pictures as a kid.” She appeared to swallow hard. “I guess it’s my outlet.”
“Music’s the same for me,” he said.
She shook her head at him. “Since when does a guy like you need an outlet.”
He furrowed his eyebrows. “What do you mean by that?”
“I just don’t see it. Looks like you can get anything you want with the snap of your fingers.”
He turned his head to the side. “That’s a first. No one’s said that to me before.”
Zoe’s shoulders drooped. “I’m sorry. Sometimes I say things without thinking.”
He shook his head. “Don’t apologize. I like a woman who speaks her mind.” Alex moved closer. Did he hear Zoe’s breathing hitch? Was it possible her hard shell was an act? What was behind her brown eyes? He held out his hand, directing his eyes to her camera. “May I?”
Zoe took a step back. “I don’t let anyone touch my camera.”
“Not even for a friend?” He wiggled his eyebrows.
She smiled. “Is that what we are?”
For now, they were. Alex would work to change that. “I’d like to think so.”
Zoe’s lips parted, and he heard her exhale. She clutched it for a moment but then handed it to him. Their fingers brushed again, but Alex refrained from taking her hand.
He held up her camera, spotting the flash button. Zoe’s face glowed
on camera as the sunlight illuminated her hair. Her eyes sparkled. Alex took a few photos of her, much to her eyes widening afterwards.
She reached for her camera. “You didn’t!”
“You look great.” He didn’t hesitate in giving it back to her.
Zoe rolled her eyes. “I don’t take pictures of myself.”
“No selfies on your phone?”
“Why would I do that? I have a mirror. I know what I look like.”
He laughed, stepping closer to look at the photos with her. Her sweet perfume filled his lungs. Were her curls as soft as he thought? “I still think you look great.”