Midlife Valentine: A Later in Life Single Mom Romance

“Damn,” she moaned, and out came that pink tongue again to moisten her lips in what was clearly arousal. I had to have a long talk with my body because I was starting to respond to the heat in those sparkling green eyes.

Baseball. Politics. Old people doing the tango. Football. Washing dishes. Toilet paper.

Anything I could think of to keep my boner at half-mast while she aimed a camera at me, snapping photos as her tongue darted up every now and then. Nothing worked, nothing at all, and then she stepped in closer, invading my senses with her earthy, flowery scent. It made me want to spear my fingers in her hair and take her full lips.

“Stand up,” she ordered in a husky voice that undid all my hard work at keeping things professional. “Perfect. Hands on your hips and look into the camera.”

There was a flirty, clever comment on the tip of my tongue, but then Valona knelt down and I thought I might lose my shit completely. Instead, I closed my eyes for several long moments and warned my body that I’d be doing nothing but taking cold showers if I didn’t get through this photo session without embarrassing myself.

“How’s that?”

“Good,” she sighed as I gave her my deepest, most intense stare. The one that had helped my career soar. “Really good,” she repeated breathlessly.

“Almost like I know what I’m doing,” I teased.

“Almost,” she shot back and rolled her eyes. She continued snapping photos, mostly in silence other than a few directions. I took and ran with her instructions, because Valona needed to learn to let loose and trust the process. Fifteen, twenty, thirty-five minutes went by and she snapped away, totally in the zone and I just watched her, fascinated. Turned on. A little in awe. “All right, we’re done. Thank you, Trey.”

“My pleasure,” I assured Valona and follow her to the table where she kept her laptop, card readers, glossy photos and piles of what I guessed was inspiration. “Let’s see it, then.” There was a challenge in my tone and Valona bit back a smile.

With jerky movements, she removed the card from her camera and slid it into one of the sleek black readers and stepped back. “Go on then, check it out.” Her arms folded protectively around her, green gaze fixed on the screen, but not really seeing the pictures.

I moved in close and looked at each shot carefully. My smile grew with each photo, and not just because I was the subject, but because they were good.

“You have a good eye,” I told her honestly. She knew exactly the way to set the tone for a photo, knew what was required to produce a playful photo or a sexy one. “These are good, Val. Very good.”

She snorted behind me and I turned to face her. “You disagree?”

“No, but how the hell am I supposed to know that I’m a good photographer when that’s what I have to work with?” She motioned towards the screen, almost disgusted. “You smell awful, you’re sweaty and your hair is clinging to your skin, but on camera you look incredible.”

“Incredible?” I teased her and it worked, she gave me one of her wide, toothy smiles. The real one. “Well thank you kindly.”

“I’m serious, Trey. It’s seriously uncanny, and I’m sure the industry as a whole was sad to lose you.”

I snorted a laugh because that was the furthest thing from the truth. “It’s a cut-throat business Val, there is always someone younger and fitter and prettier. Always.”

“Tell me about it,” she growled and her gaze drifted off sadly for a few moments.

“Another thing we have in common,” I told her and gave her shoulder a supportive squeeze.

“You’re still young and pretty, Trey. And fit.”

“And you, Valona, are still pretty and fit. And did I mention curvy?” I wiggled my eyebrows and she laughed again, just as I wanted her to.

“Stop flirting.”

“Can’t help it, you bring out my inner flirt.”

“Trey, please.”

“Okay. All right. But seriously, the photos are great and more important than that, I was right.”

“You were right? How do you figure that?”

“Well I said you were a talented photographer, and I was right. I also said I knew you could do it, and look at you, you did it.”

Val rolled her eyes and then let out a squeal when I pulled her into my sweaty embrace. “Trey, gross!” She laughed the sound was intoxicating. When she squirmed out of my grasp, I held her tighter. “Trey…”

“Yes, Valona?” She said nothing and I leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to her full lips. “Great work today, Val.”

She gasped and took a step back, fingertips brushing her lips, green eyes wide with shock. Then, in true Valona fashion, she turned on her heels and walked away.

Briskly.

I smiled, eager to see what would happen next with the sexy woman.