She wasn’t sure how to answer his question. If Reid was asking her if she’d met someone else in the past three years, the answer was no. But in every other sense, she’d moved on.
He suddenly looked away, out toward the water. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked you that. It’s none of my business.”
“But you did ask. Why?”
“I’m not sure.” He gave her a tight smile. “Like I said. I shouldn’t have. I have no excuse for asking it.”
Theo approached them before she could respond. He carried a sleek-looking professional camera. “Reid. Celeste. I hoped I might be able to take a few photos of the two of you.”
Celeste couldn’t decide if she was relieved or annoyed at the interruption. A little bit of both probably, she’d have to admit.
“I’m trying to do my own little bit of publicity for Mom. Just some photos to add to our website.”
Reid looked at her in question. “That okay with you?”
Celeste shrugged. “Sure. Why not?”
They turned and smiled for Theo who snapped several shots in rapid succession.
“Let’s do some by the water, yeah?” Theo suggested, and led them to the riverbank. “And I hate to ask...”
Reid gave him an indulgent smile. “Anything for you, Theo. What is it?”
“It’s just that we’re trying to appeal to a wider audience. Mainly couples. We seem to only get families with children. I was thinking it couldn’t hurt to emphasize the romantic aspects of this place.” He gestured around him.
Uh-oh. Celeste could guess where Theo was headed. He confirmed her suspicions. “You two mind posing like you’re a real couple? You know, just so the photos look authentic?”
Neither one of them could seem to come up with an answer. Theo must have sensed their mutual discomfort. “Uh... Never mind. Forget I asked.”
A pang of guilt settled in Celeste’s stomach. What was the harm in a couple of photos? Theo, his mom and his sister had been the most perfect of hosts; gracious and accommodating. The least she and Reid could do was playact for a couple of stills.
“I’m okay with it if you are,” she uttered, not quite able to look Reid in the eyes as she spoke.
Reid gave a slight shrug. “Sure. Go for it, Theo.”
Theo flashed them a wide smile. “Thanks! So, just step together closer and, Reid, put your arm around Celeste’s shoulders.”
Reid did as instructed and Theo snapped away.
“That’s great, you two. You both are naturals at this.” He looked at the camera screen with a pleased smile. “It looks real. Like you guys are really together.”
Celeste had to suppress an internal groan. Then things went from bad to worse.
“How about a pretend kiss?” Theo suggested.
CHAPTER NINE
REID HAD EVERY intention of simply dropping the slightest peck on Celeste’s cheek. At the most, he might have softly brushed his lips along the corner of her mouth.
But somehow, after Theo made his suggestion, Reid’s lips found hers and he seemed to have lost control of his intentions.
She tasted of berries and chocolate, her lips soft and luscious under his. Someone sighed heavily. He couldn’t even tell which one of them it was. Her arms went up around his neck and it was all the invite he needed to pull her closer, deepen the kiss. Time seemed to stand still, their audience forgotten. Nothing of the outside mattered for him now. His one and only focus was the woman in his arms and how it felt to hold her, to kiss her.
He’d been imagining this, he had to admit. He’d had dreams at night where he held her, touched her, took her mouth with his exactly as he was doing now. The reality of it was so much more than he could have guessed. The clicking of Theo’s camera suddenly registered in his brain. He couldn’t be sure which one of them broke the contact first. Only that he felt the loss like a physical pang as Celeste pulled back and looked up at him. Her cheeks were flushed, her lips reddened from his mouth. It excited him to think that he’d been the one to put that color into her face, and her reaction to him only served to heighten his own desire.
“Reid?” she whispered softly, low enough so that he was sure Theo couldn’t hear her question over the noise of his picture taking.