Play With Me(10)

Murphy stepped close to push the offending shirt from her shoulders. Heat enveloped her, warmed her through. It took every ounce of willpower not to reach for him, to pull him close and rub all over him. He smelled so f*cking good. A little like sex and a lot like wild man. Maybe it was the persona she’d built around him. But as far as she could tell, he lived up to every bad boy, sex-starved fantasy she’d included him in.

Suddenly, the heat was gone and Murphy stood back so Chase could take more pictures. The camera clicked continuously, and she swore he had to have photographed every blessed inch of her body when he finally stopped and brought the camera to his side.

“Why are you here, Eve?”

“To prove to myself that even curves are erotic,” she blurted out.

Chase’s eyes narrowed. “Bullshit.”

Eve blinked. Shocked by the harsh word. “It’s true.” She dug her teeth into her bottom lip for a second, waiting for him to say something else. Instead they both stared her down, and she had a sudden need to crawl out of her own skin. “What? What more do you want from me?”

A rough laugh rumbled from Chase, and Murphy turned away. “I want you to tell me everything. By the time we’re through I will know all of your secrets. Are you ready for that?”

She nodded. Half sick with worry.

“What’s your biggest fantasy?”

Eve sighed. That was easy. “To be tied up and ravished.” She had to look away.

“But it’s not that simple, is it?” Chase obviously wasn’t going to back down. Figuring out what to say while standing half-naked under lights with two men staring intently at her wasn’t easy.

“Let’s try another question.” Chase lifted the camera to his face and took another series of photos. “Why haven’t you been f*cked in two years?”


Murphy’s head swung in Chase’s direction. “What?”

“That’s what she told me, and I want to know why. If something happened that caused her to withdraw, I don’t want to find out in the middle of a session. I won’t be responsible for traumatizing her further.”

“It’s not like that at all.” Anger surged through her. “I meant what I said last night. No one ever hurt me.” Fuck, she’d obviously made a mistake. Eve reached down for her clothes.

“Don’t.” The command from Chase boomed around her, and she paused with her hand halfway to the floor. She peeked at his face, and the dark warning in his eyes told her to listen. To take a step back and not be rash. Slowly, she stood, but now doubts nagged at her mind.

Murphy stepped forward and smiled sweetly at her. “Don’t let the big bad Chase freak you out. You have to understand there isn’t anything more irresponsible than scening with someone you aren’t sure about. Just because you’ve agreed to model doesn’t absolve us of your well-being. In fact, it makes the trust between us more important than ever.”

Murphy moved behind her and caressed her arms with a featherlight brush. She found his touch so mesmerizing, she almost didn’t notice Chase had resumed taking pictures. It was nearly impossible to think beyond the warm caresses and whispered reassurances he plied her with.

“Tell me since I wasn’t there when you and Chase discussed this. Why would such a remarkable woman go untouched for so long? It’s almost criminal.”

Eve shivered; long tremors raced down her spine. “It’s not at all what you think.”

“And how do you know what I think?” he whispered at her ear.

“Because the truth is sad and has nothing to do with this.” Her legs trembled, and her stomach pitched to think of everything she’d been through these last two years. She’d basically been reduced to a 24-7 nurse with nothing but responsibilities.

Murphy pulled back, the sexiness wiped from his face and replaced with concern. “It sounds important enough for us to know, but I’ll let it go for now. But, Eve”—he cupped her chin—“no one can ever be what you need until you’re willing to tell them everything.”

Relief sagged through her. Going through this was hard enough without thinking of the grief that ripped her life in two. Still, watching Murphy’s back as he retreated from her created a longing that surprised her. Just once in her life she needed… “I need to experience a man stronger than myself,” she blurted. Anything to keep this from ending here.





Chapter Four




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Chase lowered his camera, and Murphy froze next to him.

“What did you say?” Surprised and intrigued by her outburst, he set down his camera on the small worktable stationed next to the floodlight. Suddenly the need to touch her overwhelmed him as he watched her stand up straight and raise her chin with a newfound courage.

“Please, for once let me feel what it’s like to not have to be in control. To not have to stress over every detail. To be someone else, even if it’s just one day. Please, Chase, I need this.”

He ignored the barely there moan that sounded from Murphy to study the woman in front of him. Her eyes shone with unshed tears that clearly took everything she had to contain. Apparently their receptionist had more layers than even he’d thought. However, without full knowledge there were a variety of things that could go wrong. Her inability to share the trauma that disrupted her life should have had him escorting her out of his studio. Yet, he knew he wouldn’t.