His Inspiration Read online

  That was always the tradeoff—how to make the right product for the current equipment at the best cost for the most profit. It was a puzzle Bex loved to work on. Those were just some of the many factors she considered when she sat down to work, not to mention the user, ergonomics, function, safety, and how the product would fail. That failure part? It was less fun to consider, but perhaps the most important.

  Still, as her design fleshed out on the screen, something still didn’t sit quite right.

  She reached for her desk phone, snagging Jeremy Glass on the line before he marched into his next meeting in Seattle.

  “What do you have for me, Bex?” he asked.

  “Great question. I’m working on a design inspired by a glass dildo. It’s not necessarily going to be super innovative, but it will broaden the appeal of our current line of dildos.” Most of the X Enterprises dildo line was a collection of hyperrealistic penises, and frankly, a little variety could be a good thing.

  She smirked at her computer. She had a feeling that if she cast a silicone mold of Gabe’s penis, she wouldn’t be the only customer who would be extremely satisfied. The thought of sharing any part of him—even a hypothetical dildo modeled after his fantastic cock—made her squirm.

  Was she jealous? She had kissed him, after all, but they’d parted ways again on Saturday without nailing down what that kiss meant. Being unsettled about it made her more anxious than she expected.

  “Okay, so what’s the problem?” Jeremy’s voice snapped Bex back to her job.

  She cleared her throat. “Well, the tradeoff of using silicone is going to be the firmness. And, possibly, some of the beauty that you can get with an artisan glass.”

  “What are you thinking?”

  “Is there any way we can try this one in glass?”

  She could hear Jeremy shuffling papers on his end of the line. “Tell you what. Work out the cost for me both ways—silicone and glass—and let’s see what we can agree on.”

  “That’ll work.” Bex hung up the phone with a smile.

  Maybe there was something to Gabe’s idea of finding inspiration together. She didn’t know quite what was happening with the two of them since she’d never let someone in to this degree. But he fit—not quite a lover yet, but more than a friend. Was this what it felt like to fall by small degrees?

  Gabe was magnetic, and no matter how much she should push him away, she kept saying yes to him. He was so damn easy to be around. And he had this patience about him like he was okay taking his time, letting her skittish heart catch up.

  It was kind of nice to have someone’s affections and to know his feelings for her hadn’t wavered, despite the way she’d fumbled the ball.

  Bex’s cell phone buzzed on the corner of her desk to announce an incoming text message. She wouldn’t normally answer during work, but Gabe’s name appeared on the screen, and she couldn’t help reaching for the phone.

  Some ideas for you…

  She opened the text message’s attachment, and her phone filled with beautiful pictures. Red Rocks, a park a little outside of town, with a series of mountains pitched against the bluest sky. And then the next image of a dry lakebed near Boulder City, almost thirty miles southeast of Las Vegas.

  Relief coaxed her lips into a smile. She hadn’t been sure of what he had in mind when she agreed to a photo shoot, and this? This she could do. These photos felt like Gabe, like those portraits in his home that she’d admired their first night together. Even in the dark, they’d called to her, though less so than the man who had taken them. Looking at those photos on his wall, in his home, had felt like knowing him, like seeing the world through his eyes. And the world was lovely—all color and shape and surprise. It was kind of how Bex saw the world, too.

  Looks beautiful, she responded.

  Not as beautiful as the subject will be.

  Ack. It was cheesy but she loved it anyway.

  Another text buzzed before she could respond. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to pick a suitable wardrobe.

  Is that so? she asked.

  Consider it a creative challenge.

  She smiled as she typed her reply. Ah, but what’s your taste?

  What was his taste? He’d seen her naked, sure, but he’d also picked out those simple sleep shorts for her. He’d seen her in her work clothes, her bar clothes, her pickup clothes. Which version of her did he like best?

  This one’s on you, Gabe replied.

  Funny, silence isn’t your natural state.

  Fine, he typed. Bex could picture his gorgeous face, the way his eyes crinkled when he smiled. He had kind eyes. You are my taste.

  You’re no help, she sent back.

  “You’re smiling again.”

  Bex jumped at the voice over her shoulder and wheeled to find Emma standing there, a hand on her hip.

  She set the phone on the edge of her desk, her heart pounding. She was acting like a teenager who’d gotten caught sneaking out past curfew instead of a responsible grown woman planning a professional photo shoot with another professional. “Is that a problem?” Bex asked.

  Emma grinned. “No, smiling is a good look for you.” She pressed a pen to her lips. “Let me guess? Gabe.”

  Bex rolled her eyes.

  “Ha! I knew it.”

  Bex shook her head. “I have a problem.”

  “Yeah, you’re finally breaking your rules and falling for someone.”

  Was she falling for Gabe? “That’s not the problem,” Bex protested.

  “So what then?”

  “I need to go shopping.” She wanted to look good for him. Phenomenal, even.

  Emma lifted her eyebrows and smiled. “Sounds like a problem I can help you solve.”

  Emma peered over the rack of clothes on Thursday afternoon and wrinkled her nose at Bex. “I’ve got enough dresses here to start my own boutique. Why don’t you actually pick one of these and try something on?”

  Bex glanced down at the armful of dresses and lingerie clutched in her friend’s hands. It wasn’t that they weren’t all beautiful, it was that she had no idea what outfit was going to give her the effect she wanted. She wanted to look vibrant and alive for Gabe, not scared. Frankly, she was terrified. But she was also coming alive for him, letting all those dormant parts of her spark back into life.

  Emma, shopping whiz extraordinaire, had picked tonight’s store. Muse was a tiny boutique crammed with racks full of clothes that looked like desert flowers—pinks and greens and yellows. While Bex would normally pick something bright to wear, a floaty whisper of white silk and lace hanging just behind Emma’s head caught her attention.

  It was the only dress she chose. Bex stepped behind the velvet curtain of the fitting room and let the material of the clothing slide over her skin. The dress had thin straps leading to a bodice of fine, milled lace, and the edges of the plunging neckline were slightly scalloped. The back scooped dangerously low, and the long skirt floated with layers of chiffon and lace that reminded her of ocean waves.

  She almost couldn’t look at herself in the mirror because she knew she would love it.

  “Everything good in there?” Emma called. “I still have lots of backup options if you need.”

  “Yeah, I’m good.”

  “Then bring that gorgeous booty out here and let me see.”

  Bex swept back the curtain and stepped out.

  “Oh, Bex.” Emma’s voice was a whisper. “That’s the one.”

  It felt like it, too.

  Bex caught sight of herself in the fitting room mirror, and her eyes reflected back at her, bright and hopeful.

  She couldn’t speak for a minute. She felt sexy and beautiful, this wisp of color in silk and lace. Those desert flower clothes? They would have worn her. But she wore this dress, commanded it. Wearing it felt like acceptance, like finally saying yes to her desire after fighting with herself for so long.

  Still, she shook her head. “No. This is too much.”

  The
cost of the dress and the idea of being so indulgent rubbed at her. It was selfish to spend money on this dress, to take that away from the fund for Sam and Aderyn and her niece or nephew-to-be. But this dress was for Gabe, too, wasn’t it? To help him. After all, hadn’t he been helping Bex, too? The glass dildo she’d designed this week wasn’t going to win any awards, but it was fun, and Bex’s brain had kicked into creative high gear. The toy that won the design competition would spark imagination and delight—new ways of feeling pleasure. The dildo had started her down that path of inspiration, and that felt like a gift.

  The salesperson appeared next to Bex, twirling a strand of brown hair around her fingers. “I don’t want to do that sales-y thing where I tell you how nice that dress looks on you. But it really is stunning. It suits your body and coloring so perfectly.”

  Bex turned back to the mirror. “Ah, but is it enough to ruin his life?”

  Emma elbowed her. “You’re not ruining Gabe’s life by falling for him. And anyway, all he’s going to do is take your picture.”

  “If you say so.”

  They both knew it was a lie.

  Chapter 16

  “This might just be the spot.”

  Bex nodded at Gabe, and he dropped his bag of camera gear. They’d hiked out on the Calico Tanks trail at Red Rocks park before dawn, threading through the low scrub at the base of the mountains while the sun rose and painted the ground like watercolors. They’d passed hundreds of mesquite honey and yucca plants to arrive at this private sweep of canyon, where the park’s namesake red sandstone rocks were stacked high into the sky and whorled into shape by the wind.

  “Looks good to me.” Bex peeled off her jacket to reveal her dress underneath, and tossed the outer layer onto the dirt.

  Gabe’s heart shot into his mouth. She was wearing white like a bride, and he was filled with a crazy sense of fate that one day he was going to marry this woman. What the hell was happening to him?

  “You look gorgeous, Bex.”

  She gave him a shy smile. “I aim to please.”

  Whatever this thing was between them, Bex wanted it, too. He could see it in the way her eyes lingered on his body before flicking to the corner of his mouth. When she dove back in, it was either going to break him apart or make him whole.

  The kiss from last week kept replaying in Gabe’s mind. It was one thing to sleep with Bex when she was a stranger. But now that he knew her, when it happened again, it was going to mean so much more. This woman didn’t give up her heart easily, and yet she was opening up to him.

  Gabe was an incurable romantic, but if he wasn’t careful he was going to become the hopeless kind. He couldn’t scare Bex away, not when she was letting him back in. She was worth waiting for. So instead of reaching for her like he wanted to, he sprang into action.

  He positioned Bex against the rocks, and her hair near the earth became a gorgeous display of color on color. She wore almost no makeup—just a hint of blush and a pale copper wash of shadow on her eyelids. She looked like a desert creature—like she belonged here.

  Gabe’s body felt lighter than it had in days. He hadn’t meant to get stuck in Las Vegas, but maybe this town was going to be able to surprise him.

  “So, um.” Bex tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “What do I do?”

  “Smile pretty.”

  Bex frowned. “You realize you didn’t actually get a professional model here.” She knit her hands together, nervous.

  Gabe smiled and held the camera to his face. “Just imagine you’re looking at glass dildos.”

  Bex threw back her head and laughed, and he caught her there, the light in her eyes, her mouth wide and delighted. Joy on her face, his own heart thumping and happy.

  “Just like that, honey.”

  Bex looked at him again, tilting her head to the side with another small smile on her face.

  Snap.

  He realized she was better—looser—when they were talking, so he started again. “Tell me about the dildos you got so excited about. Did our visit help you out at work?”

  She smiled and her shoulders relaxed, the long line of her neck graceful and delicate. “Actually, yes. I made a silicone version the other day. It’s not going to be the kind of product I need to win this contest, but it was still pretty fun.”

  “Well, good. Told you I’d help you get inspired.” It wasn’t the only way he wanted to inspire her, but he’d take it for now.

  “Mmmm,” she acknowledged. “By the way, you never told me how you got into photography. Were you one of those kids who grew up with a camera in your hand?”

  Gabe drew a long breath. “Not exactly. No.” He adjusted his camera settings, then lifted the camera to his face. It was easier to talk behind the lens. “When I was well enough to get out of the hospital after my thyroid surgery, I wanted to do something different with my life. Focus on how beautiful it all is. Make art.”

  “Oh.” Bex’s lower lip trembled, and she blinked back tears. “Well, I love the way you see the world. Your art is gorgeous.”

  “Thank you.” He hadn’t meant to kill the vibe, and everything had somehow gotten so serious. He needed to fix this. “Turn your back to me and look over your shoulder,” he instructed. He lightened his voice as she complied. “The good news is there’s another perk to being a photographer, besides the pretty models.”

  Bex rolled her eyes, and Gabe snapped the camera again. “What’s that?” she asked.

  He lowered the camera just enough so he could smile at her. “I get to tell people what to do, and they invariably listen. Pick up a camera and people will do what you say. You’re like a director. You get to tell the story you want. Hell, you get to focus on what you want. So, for example, I can choose to shoot today’s images as a wide panorama, or I can focus in on only the edge of your eyelashes.”

  Bex arched an eyebrow at him. “Oh? So you like control?”

  “Not in everything. But with my camera, yes. Maybe in a few choice places, too.”

  She smiled. “The bedroom?”

  He remembered the way she’d given herself over to him—her body an offering, moving with him, rendered speechless at his touch. Who wouldn’t like that kind of power? The feeling that he could show her exactly what she deserved to feel?

  “What do you think, Bex?”

  She blushed and ran her fingers over the lacy edge of her top. “I think this dress is beautiful, but it might be time for an outfit change.”

  He glanced skeptically at the backpack she’d carried with her. What could she have even fit in there? Small clothes, maybe.

  On second thought, that was fine with him.

  “Okay,” he said.

  Bex stepped away from the wall of rock rising at her back and crossed the few steps in front of him. She waved her finger to indicate he should turn around, so he did.

  Gabe heard the whisper of silk followed by the long zip of her dress. The sound of her getting undressed for him made him go hard.

  Oh, Jesus. What was she doing to him?

  “Tell me when you’re ready.” The words choked in his throat.

  Her voice came out in a sing-song. “No peeking.” Her footsteps padded away, somehow quieter than before.

  He waited an excruciating minute. Two. Then she called, “Okay,” and he turned, and the whole world stopped spinning.

  Bex hadn’t just changed. She’d gotten completely naked.

  She lay on her back on top of one of the stones, smooth where it was rough, pale where it was fire. She held her arms crossed over her chest, but she was there, naked and waiting for him.

  Gabe’s cock throbbed. What had he done in life to get so lucky? And how the fuck was he going to finish this shoot?

  “Is this okay?” Bex whispered, and for the first time, he realized how vulnerable she was there. Exposed. “I’d better not get sunburn in weird places.”

  “This is more than okay, Bex. You are stunning.”

  He stepped closer to line up the
shot.

  Snap, on the fine cage of her ribs, the sandstone pushing up underneath.

  Snap on her lips, parted open like a sensual promise.

  Snap on her eyes, slitted in arousal.

  “Arch your back more,” he called, and she responded, her breasts pushing up into the sky, her bottom rounded against the earth.

  Gabe crouched low and pressed his stomach to the ground so he could line up the shot.

  Snap on the sunrise through the arch of her back. Biology and geology and astrology, and the whole world right here in the frame of his camera.

  How had he lived before this woman?

  His throat was dry, and his voice scraped as he laid his desire bare for her. “I think you’re looking at this sex thing the wrong way.”

  “How’s that?” Bex tilted up on her elbow for him, her legs falling closed but just hinting at the promised land.

  Snap on the rise of her hip, a hill he wanted to conquer.

  “You know how you design your toys based on what people aren’t doing right for you? And how that’s the whole reason you told me we can’t be together?”

  She nodded.

  “Maybe you need to keep exploring what you do like and try to replicate it.”

  She smiled at him. “What are you proposing, Gabe?”

  “Spend time with me, in and out of bed. I promise that even if I’m too good at sex to help you, I’ll inspire you in some other way. Make you think outside the box.”

  “Hmmm.” Her tongue darted out to trace the contour of her lips.

  Gabe caught her eye. “And if you don’t want me to keep touching you the way we both know I can, I could try to be worse in bed for you.”

  A blush rose on her pale skin. “No, that won’t be necessary.”

  They both realized at the same time that he had stopped taking pictures and was just staring at her in awe. “Bex.” The warm morning air swirled around them, and his voice came out thick with desire. “I’m going to need to fuck you now.”