Zack (Blue-Collar Billionaires 4)

“I don’t care how the hell you explain it. But I wasn’t about to stand there and let that guy take his pants off.”

Suddenly she clamps her hand over her mouth. My stomach clenches, worried that she’ll start crying. But a soft giggle escapes from behind her fingers.

“Don’t you dare laugh.”

Finally she seems to get herself under control. “What else can I do? I have to laugh or I’ll scream instead. Thanks to you, this entire day has been a waste of time. After that fiasco the agency isn’t going to send me any other models and I don’t really want to start over with another agency.”

She walks over to the couch and sinks down. Her shoulders slump forward and she lets out a long sigh. I kneel on the floor in front of her and when she meets my eyes, all the fight drains out of me. It’s not like her to look so dejected. So defeated.

“Why is this so important, Jo? What’s the rush?”

“Time is counting down until my next show and I’ve got nothing. The owner of the gallery has been really patient and supportive but if I don’t deliver, then he’s not going to wait forever.”

Now I feel guilty. Even though my intention was to get her to change her mind, it hadn’t fully hit me that she’s doing this to further her photography career. Her last show was phenomenal and it makes total sense that she would feel pressure to top that.

Maybe that’s what makes the craziest thing ever pop out of my mouth next.

“Use me.”

Josie looks just as shocked as I feel. For several moments neither of us moves, frozen into awkwardness before she lets out a startled laugh.

“That’s ridiculous.”

Even though I feel the same, hearing her say it kind of pisses me off. Thigh ripple guy is a candidate but not me?

“Why is that so ridiculous? You need a naked guy. I’m a guy. Why can’t you use me?”

“Because you’re you,” she says as if that makes total sense. “I can’t… we can’t… there’s just no way that would work.” She jumps up and starts gathering all the papers on the table into a pile. She drags the chair back into the kitchen while I trail behind her.

“Why not? You don’t think I’m pinup material?” I already know that I’m not Josie’s dream man. Her type is tall, dark and handsome. Not tall, snarky and inked. But it’s fun to fuck with her anyway.

She blushes and swipes a stray piece of hair behind her ear. Her eyes are everywhere but on me.

“It’s not that. But modeling isn’t something you just jump into. You have to be really comfortable in your skin and very aware of your body and how it moves.”

“Are you really going to pretend that’s why you had those guys taking their shirts off? To make sure they’re comfortable in their skin? It had nothing to do with wanting to see them naked, huh?”

She shrugs. “If I’m going to focus on the sensuality of the male body, it makes sense to find one that most women would find attractive. It might seem shallow but then again sexuality isn’t an equal opportunity game. Physical attraction is a huge part of it. Plus, if they can’t even take their shirt off then they won’t be able to handle posing completely nude.”

Her voice lowers and one of her hands lands on her neck. It hits me then how intimate this conversation is and how close we’re standing.

“I’ve never had a problem with nudity.” I grip the back of my shirt and pull it over my head.

Josie’s mouth opens and closes a few times. Her eyes roam over my exposed chest. “I see that.”

“Unless you have a problem with all the ink.”

At my words, her eyes drop to the tattoos on my chest. I have a massive phoenix on my left pec whose head rests on my shoulder while the body covers my ribs. The feet go below the waistband of my jeans. There are several lines of poetry on my right ribs and my moms’ names running around my left bicep. I also have full sleeves of ink covering both forearms. It’s a lot to look at but she doesn’t seem put off by it at all. Her eyes soften as she takes it all in.

Stunned, I look into her eyes for the first time in… well, ever. Her cheeks are flushed, her dark eyes bright and that lush bottom lip keeps finding its way between her teeth. On another woman these same signs would equal arousal. Desire. But this is Jo and I’ve never seen her look at me like this before. Which makes me wonder if the sudden sexual awareness I feel around her is a mutual thing.

Do I even want it to be?

Isabelle comes back in then and skids to a halt in the doorway. The tension between us is palpable and she looks like she wants to turn around and run back out. She glances between us hesitantly. “I just remembered that I have that thing. So, I’m going to go.”

“What thing?” Josie demands.

She pulls her eyes away from my chest and looks over at her friend. She’s making a face that I can tell means she doesn’t want Isabelle to leave her alone with me.