of
me?"
I
shook my head, not wanting him to get the wrong idea. "No, of course I
don't think you're a sleazy opportunist trying to take advantage of me. I was
just making a bad joke." I paused, realizing that I truly believed he had
no underhanded motives. For all the reservations I had about Caden, that was never
one of them. "First of all, I know you're tired of hearing this, but it's
inappropriate because I work for you. Second of all, I'm not some leggy
model." I didn't let the fact that several of Caden's pictures featured
women with real bodies affect my argument. "Third, I just don't want to. I
would never be comfortable with it."
Caden's
eyes studied me before he spoke. "I never said you had to be nude. You
would be in total control of what happens during the photo shoot. I'm not the
one in power when I'm taking photographs. I'm simply the observer capturing
what my model chooses to share with me. All the power and control would be in
your hands."
He
couldn't have known how effective this tactic would be. I had been striving to
have power and control over my own life for as long as I could remember.
Caden's words were tempting and I felt an insidious urge to agree. The passion
and sensuality I had seen in the women he captured in his photographs made me
jealous. I had never felt so free with my own body, so sure of my own responses
and able to revel in being a woman. I couldn't deny my craving for it, and I
wondered if Caden could bring those feelings out of me during a photo session.
I
shook my head, trying to keep the temptations at bay. "Why would you even
want to photograph me? I thought you were taking a break."
"I
can't deny the urge when I see someone I need to photograph." Caden's eyes
darkened. "No one has to see these pictures besides you and me. They can
be private."
The
low, gravelly tone of his voice should have been a warning sign, but instead it
made me want to agree.
"I'll
think about it." I took a deep breath, wondering if I was taking a step I
would forever regret. Even considering the prospect of letting Caden photograph
me seemed dangerous, but I couldn't stop the words from spilling out of me.
I
composed myself, trying to appear as if this conversation wasn't disconcerting
me. "But that has nothing to do with what happened on Saturday. We can't
cross that line again."
Caden
frowned. "Nothing will happen that you don't want to happen." With
that enigmatic remark, he stood fluidly and walked to his desk. My gaze rested
on the flowers, and I almost asked him about it, but I swallowed the words at
the last minute. I could only take so much, and I didn't know if I could handle
Caden's admission that he had indeed been replacing the calla lilies.
I
was grateful when the phone started ringing non-stop, giving me something to
concentrate on. The morning went by without incident, although I could never
fully dismiss Caden's presence. Thankfully, he was engrossed in whatever he was
doing at his desk and didn't say much to me unless it was to comment about a
call I had answered.
It
was noon and I was contemplating leaving the office for lunch when Caden
interrupted me.
"Lauren,
I need you to go to Mitchell Hanson's studio and drop off a print for me."
I
nodded, eager to have an excuse to leave the office. I had an irrational fear
that Caden would try to join me for lunch if I said I was eating out, but now I
had the perfect opportunity to get some space to clear my head.
I
had learned who Mitchell Hanson was once I started working for Caden. He was a
hotshot photographer, but unlike Caden who photographed solely for art, Hanson
was the photographer for top fashion magazines. While Caden was famous mostly in the
art world, Mitchell Hanson was revered by both the art and fashion world.
Apparently,
he was also a fan of Caden's work because this wasn't the first photograph he
had bought from Caden, although this would be the first time I would be
dropping it off at his studio since they were
me?"
I
shook my head, not wanting him to get the wrong idea. "No, of course I
don't think you're a sleazy opportunist trying to take advantage of me. I was
just making a bad joke." I paused, realizing that I truly believed he had
no underhanded motives. For all the reservations I had about Caden, that was never
one of them. "First of all, I know you're tired of hearing this, but it's
inappropriate because I work for you. Second of all, I'm not some leggy
model." I didn't let the fact that several of Caden's pictures featured
women with real bodies affect my argument. "Third, I just don't want to. I
would never be comfortable with it."
Caden's
eyes studied me before he spoke. "I never said you had to be nude. You
would be in total control of what happens during the photo shoot. I'm not the
one in power when I'm taking photographs. I'm simply the observer capturing
what my model chooses to share with me. All the power and control would be in
your hands."
He
couldn't have known how effective this tactic would be. I had been striving to
have power and control over my own life for as long as I could remember.
Caden's words were tempting and I felt an insidious urge to agree. The passion
and sensuality I had seen in the women he captured in his photographs made me
jealous. I had never felt so free with my own body, so sure of my own responses
and able to revel in being a woman. I couldn't deny my craving for it, and I
wondered if Caden could bring those feelings out of me during a photo session.
I
shook my head, trying to keep the temptations at bay. "Why would you even
want to photograph me? I thought you were taking a break."
"I
can't deny the urge when I see someone I need to photograph." Caden's eyes
darkened. "No one has to see these pictures besides you and me. They can
be private."
The
low, gravelly tone of his voice should have been a warning sign, but instead it
made me want to agree.
"I'll
think about it." I took a deep breath, wondering if I was taking a step I
would forever regret. Even considering the prospect of letting Caden photograph
me seemed dangerous, but I couldn't stop the words from spilling out of me.
I
composed myself, trying to appear as if this conversation wasn't disconcerting
me. "But that has nothing to do with what happened on Saturday. We can't
cross that line again."
Caden
frowned. "Nothing will happen that you don't want to happen." With
that enigmatic remark, he stood fluidly and walked to his desk. My gaze rested
on the flowers, and I almost asked him about it, but I swallowed the words at
the last minute. I could only take so much, and I didn't know if I could handle
Caden's admission that he had indeed been replacing the calla lilies.
I
was grateful when the phone started ringing non-stop, giving me something to
concentrate on. The morning went by without incident, although I could never
fully dismiss Caden's presence. Thankfully, he was engrossed in whatever he was
doing at his desk and didn't say much to me unless it was to comment about a
call I had answered.
It
was noon and I was contemplating leaving the office for lunch when Caden
interrupted me.
"Lauren,
I need you to go to Mitchell Hanson's studio and drop off a print for me."
I
nodded, eager to have an excuse to leave the office. I had an irrational fear
that Caden would try to join me for lunch if I said I was eating out, but now I
had the perfect opportunity to get some space to clear my head.
I
had learned who Mitchell Hanson was once I started working for Caden. He was a
hotshot photographer, but unlike Caden who photographed solely for art, Hanson
was the photographer for top fashion magazines. While Caden was famous mostly in the
art world, Mitchell Hanson was revered by both the art and fashion world.
Apparently,
he was also a fan of Caden's work because this wasn't the first photograph he
had bought from Caden, although this would be the first time I would be
dropping it off at his studio since they were
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