Free Rising, Freestyle: Xtreme Adventures, Book 2 by Vivian Arend

course.”
    Derrick kissed her temple. “Give me a second. I’ve got an idea.”
    He snuck away, heading behind the front desk. As soon as he left, Melanie wrapped her arms around herself.
    Nathan’s heart was breaking. He hadn’t expected her to be so fragile after all this time. He lowered his voice. “I mean it, monkey, if you want to stop, I have no objections. I’m not going to be pissed off or report you to Katy for banana stealing or anything.”
    The pain in her shining eyes contrasted with the stiff determination of her mouth. “I said I’m fine. I want to try. I want to see what the pictures might look like, because I can’t honestly tell you yes or no otherwise.”
    He nodded before turning away, removing the sports bra and replacing his T-shirt, trying to make the situation easier. He didn’t look at her until Derrick returned and held out a scarf to Mel.
    She took it gingerly. “You’re going to blindfold me?”
    Derrick glanced at Nathan. “It shouldn’t matter for these shots if there’s extra fabric in the way, right? They’re just samples for Mel to check out?”
    It was brilliant. “I can work around that.”
    Mel handed the scarf back to Derrick. “You better stick close, that’s all I’m saying.”
    “Like glue, girl, like glue.”
    Derrick wrapped the bright blue fabric around her eyes twice before tying it off, the short tails falling down the back of Mel’s head to land on her bare shoulders.
    Now that he wasn’t worried about her catching him staring, Nathan allowed himself to finally look his fill. The skimpy line of fabric covering her breasts was no barrier to his appreciation of the firm swells. Her muscular arms and trim waist made him long to be able to smooth his hands over her body and enjoy her more intimately.
    A soft cough brought him back to the sudden realization Derrick was probably at that moment planning his demise for openly lusting after Melanie. Only the expression on Derrick’s face was unreadable—his own interest in the woman standing at his side crystal clear in the ridge bulging the front of his pants.
    Derrick was just as turned on as Nathan, and Nathan hadn’t a clue what to do.
    So he did the only thing he could think of. Picked up his camera and directed Melanie and Derrick into the positions he wanted. He started slowly. After getting Derrick to place Melanie back in the corner, leaning on the wall, Nathan took the simple shots first.
    “That’s right. Relax your neck, let your shoulders fall. I’m taking a picture from the neck up, arranging the shot frame with the top edge of your sports bra.”
    “I still don’t understand how you think this will produce anything someone will buy for a coffee table. I’m rather ordinary to look at, Nathan, really I am.”
    “Bull.” Derrick beat Nathan to the punch this time. “Don’t put yourself down or I’ll make sure you know exactly how attractive you are.”
    Nathan’s fingers skittered on the shutter button as he compelled himself to hold the camera steady. Derrick had placed a single finger on Melanie’s throat, hovering over where her heart beat visibly. He dragged his hand downward, stroking softly. Nathan kept clicking, catching her shiver, the resulting line of goose bumps that rose over her arm.
    “You don’t have to fit some textbook-model stats to be gorgeous, Melanie. You’ve got grit. You’ve got the most incredible smile. But your body? Hell of a package.” Derrick leaned in and dropped a kiss over her heart and Melanie instinctively arched her back, breasts reaching forward.
    Nathan was going to fucking die. He had barely enough brainpower to somehow keep snapping shots.
    Melanie cleared her throat. “Derrick—Nate’s watching.”
    The words whispered out, chased by her tongue as she licked her lips. The blindfold remained in place. Nathan kept silent, waiting to see what Derrick’s response would be.
    “Of course he is, but he doesn’t matter, babe. I’m the one