Snapping Up Love (Insta Love Shy Girl Romance 3)

I snorted. “I wouldn’t quite put it like that.”

“I would. You only have crushes on the men in charge. The dominant guys. Not in a controlling way, just somebody who’s super confident.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

“You’ve looked up to this guy for a while, right? You studied his work and stuff?”

“Yes. He’s a brilliant photographer. And I’ve studied him for school.”

“So if he took you on as an assistant, it would be amazing to get your career started,” Dale assumed correctly.

“Yes.”

“And you’re worried that if you sleep with him, he won’t take you seriously as an artist?”

There was a long pause while I tried to sort that out. “You know, I don’t think so. He seems to really like my work and my style. But he’s definitely interested in me romantically as well. Does it have to be one or the other?”

Now Dale paused for a moment. “Okay, as a guy, I’m trying to look at this from his side for a second. Does it make him look unprofessional if he’s dating his intern? Also since you’re younger, I wonder if that would look inappropriate to clients.”

“Oh my goodness – I hadn’t even thought of that.”

“You said you’ve worked together twice now. How was it? Did he talk down to you, or treat you like a little girl?”

“Not at all! I was actually shocked at the way he asked me to dive right in.”

“I don’t know what advice you’re hoping to get from me, so I’m going to call it as I see it. I think you’re going to need more information. If he wants to date you, and have you help him informally now and then, that’s great. But if he wants to hire you as his assistant, you’re going to have to discuss what that means for both of you.”

“I don’t know, maybe I’m misreading the whole thing. Maybe he doesn’t even want me as a girlfriend or whatever, he just wanted a quickie in the studio.”

Dale sighed. “Chelsea, did it feel like he was after a quickie when he kissed you?”

I was extremely glad we were having a regular phone call, not video chat. I could feel my cheeks flaming. “No, not at all.”

“Then you’re just gonna have to spend more time with him, and figure it out. Don’t forget – I know you’ve never really been in a relationship before, but there doesn’t have to be any expectation of normal. People are all truly weird, and every relationship is completely individual. You can make up your own rules as you go. Just be open about it, and talk things through.”

I exhaled a long sigh of relief. “Thanks, Dale. You’re going to make some dance groupie a very lucky girl someday.”

“Damn straight I am,” he laughed loudly. “As soon as I find a girl who can keep up with me, I’ll let you know so that you can approve her.”

I ended the call, sprawling across my sofa with even more questions flooding my mind. When my phone rang, I hit the button and pulled it to my ear without looking. “Did you suddenly think of more brilliant advice?”

“Yes,” a deep, smooth voice replied slowly. “I think you should come with me to a shoot on Friday night.”

“Oh! I’m sorry – I thought it was Dale.”

Ben chuckled. “Your dancer friend?”

“Yeah.”

There was a pause. “So how about it? Come to a photoshoot with me Friday night. It’s a favor for a friend, but we’ll have fun.”

Did it sound like a date? “Okay. Sure.”

He insisted on picking me up at school since I had a class that ran until five.

I had no idea how I was supposed to focus on my work until then, but I forced myself not to look him up online anymore. If they were photos of him flirting with every assistant and colleague he’d ever had, I didn’t want to know about it.

Perhaps that was rather naïve, but just this once I wanted to relax and let a man take control. It was something that I secretly fantasized about my entire life, and now that I had the opportunity, I might be crazy not to give in.