Secrets Vol. 2(16)

He smiles, "No, not in fifteen." He looks at his watch and back up at me. "Why don't we try for nine? You can get a few more hours rest."

I laugh and push off the bed, shaking my head. "It'll take me that long to get ready. And I have to tell you that I didn't bring anything with me that might be even a little suitable for this shoot. Do you have props or something I could look at?"

"No nudes, Miss Lamore?" he asks leaning against the door frame, and folds his arms over his chest. A dark brow rises on his face. His eyes lock on mine.

My stomach flutters. A soft smile lines my lips and I shake my head, "I thought I should see what my options are. I hear lace photographs well," I tease, knowing it will annoy him. Anything about wedding photography seems to get under his skin.

"Damn wedding photographers and their lace," he laughs softly. The sound is stunning. I wish he were like this all the time, but it's the Cole that vanishes like smoke. I think that's the real Cole, the one he hides from everyone at all cost. He pushes off the door frame, and shakes his head, "Come on. I'll show you where the wardrobe is located. Use whatever you want. They literally finished the sets last night and installed the lights. We'll christen the new studio and then get back to work."

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An hour later Cole is gone and I'm still looking through boxes. I find some jeweled dangling earrings that I can use. They have a hook, but I grab some wire and wire cutters. I plan on modifying their intended use, slightly, if I have to. Other than that, I don't see anything else.

Regina walks in and flips on the lights, "Hey boss. Can I help you find something?"

Quickly, I decide to tell her what we're doing. It makes it seem less risque, even though telling her about the shoot makes me blush.

Regina is very professional. She doesn't react. Instead she helps. She digs through a few boxes, showing me more necklaces and outfits from Le Femme.

She hands me a panty and I press the thin lace between my fingers, "This is beautiful, but I wanted something different."

"How different?" she asks.

I shrug at her and put the panties back. I laugh nervously and look at her. "I have no idea what I'm looking for. Or what I want. I just need it to be sultry, cover me a little bit, and be something that screams, Anna." I shake my head. "None of this stuff seems to do all that."

Regina nods, listening. Grinning at me, she says, "I have something." She looks over her shoulder like she's doing something that she shouldn't and reaches for a box on the top shelf. I look inside when she pulls it down. It's filled with tiny crystals. Many are clear, like tiny diamonds, but some are vibrant colors. She pulls a paper from the plastic sleeve on the top of the box. "I got these thinking we could use them - to do this."

"What is it?" I ask and unfold the paper. My cheeks flush when I see it, but I can't look away. My jaw drops.

"Vajazzling. At least that's what the article calls it." She shrugs. "I guess you can do anything from pouring the crystals over your body, to applying them in a pattern." She points at the paper to a woman bared from the waist down. The patch of hair between her legs is gone and in its place there is an intricate design of a butterfly. The sparkles disappear between her legs. "That one is really pretty," she says pointing to the butterfly. "Of course, that only works if you already have a Brazilian."

I scan the paper, reading it. A smile creeps slowly across my face. As a matter of fact, I do. "This is perfect. Thanks Regina."

The moment I see Cole, my confidence fades. The box of crystals is in my hand and my stomach is twisting so violently that I nearly drop them. I feel hot and cold at the same time. My heart is pounding.

Cole doesn't notice. He strides toward me, lost in his own thoughts with his camera around his neck and a small light in his other hand. He places them on a table in the back of the shooting room. It still smells new, like paint and sawdust. Regina lit a candle to help ease the paint fumes from the room.

I'm standing on the other side of the table with my box of crystals. When Cole looks up, I decide to can Regina's original idea. I'm not that brave, and I wasn't able to apply the jewels myself. There wasn't enough time and I couldn't see what I was doing. When his eyes slide up my body from the box to my face, I realize that I'm in over my head. I can't do this. But I can't back out.

Cole says, "Nice bathrobe. Tell me we're not shooting you in that?"

I shake my head, and put the box on the table. My hands quiver slightly. Trying to hide it, I shove the box and it slides at him. "I thought we could pour these over me." That seems like a tamer version of my original plan. I have no idea how wrong I am until we get started.

He peeks in the box and his brow furrows. Looking up at me, I can see he doesn't understand. "I'm not seeing it, Lamore. Walk me through it. What else are you wearing? Are these just accent pieces?" He dips his hand into the box and when he lifts it, crystals pour between his fingers.

When I don't answer, he looks up at me. My face is flushed. Cole shakes his head and smiles softly, looking down at the crystals. "How are you so shy? You're twenty-two for Godsakes. How do you still blush like that?"

His words make my cheeks flame hotter. My eyes grow wider as he speaks, and I can't hide it. "Shut up, Stevens." I smack his arm. He glances up at me from across the table, a boyish look on his face. I laugh, "My brain's just wired wrong, okay? And you out of all people should have known that."