Chapter 21 Cameron
twenty-one
Cameron
I’m so grateful I can finally rip this damn turtleneck off.
I’m sure it looked great in the pictures beside Zhuri in her green dress, but I hate turtlenecks. I feel like I’m getting choked.
The only time I like choking is in the bedroom, and that is very much not what’s happening here.
Oh, but my sinful mind sure does like wandering.
Zhuri walked out of her dressing room in that gold dress earlier, and all I could picture was the way it would look on my bedroom floor.
I’m not the fuckboy everyone thinks, but I do still like sex, and apparently, my mind is starting to picture that with Zhuri.
With any luck, she’ll come out in a burlap sack for the last part of this shoot. I’m sure that will tie in well with the black slacks, white button-down with rolled sleeves, and black suspenders I’m wearing.
Of course, I’m not that lucky.
No, Zhuri’s last look is so far from the burlap sack I wish it was.
Her gown is a deep red with a floral lace overlay. The slit in the skirt comes up to the top of her thigh, and the neckline plunges in a deep V down her torso, showing off the swells of her breasts.
Fuck me.
I mean fuck me, she looks good, not fuck me, please right now.
Totally what I meant.
I take a deep breath and shake the forbidden thoughts from my head before walking up to Zhuri.
“You look good, Hart,” I whisper as I place my open palm on her shoulder, feeling that same goddamn zap of electricity I felt earlier today.
There’s a connection between us, and it’s almost impossible to deny it anymore.
And I don’t even want to deny it.
I’ll keep it to myself, though.
Zhuri’s gaze leers over me now, and I see her eyes tracing the lines of the tattoos on my forearms.
“Thank you,” she finally replies softly. “I’m not used to wearing things like this.”
“Shame,” I smirk, letting my palm run down her bare arm, feeling the goosebumps my touch leaves in its wake. “The look suits you, Zhuri baby.”
“If I didn’t know any better,” she breathes, averting her eyes, “I’d think you were trying to flirt with me, Cammy.”
That’s because I am, Zhuri.
I lean in closer, and my breath ghosts the shell of her ear. “What kind of co-captain would I be if I were openly flirting with my other co-captain?”
Her breathing falters, and her body stiffens. “You’re playing with fire, Cameron.”
I back off now and chuckle. “Maybe I like the burn.”
I wink at her, and she tries hard to fight off her smile.
I’m lighter now than I’ve felt in… well, ever.
Can I exist outside of the darkness of my mind?
Zhuri assured me that I can, and I think she may have been right.
I feel it more when I’m beside her. Happy and free, two emotions that I would never have used to describe myself.
The darkness is still there, but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, showing me there’s hope for me after all.
The photographers call us over and talk about the plans for the last part of the shoot.
This one won’t be like the others. We’re going to be closer together this time, posing in different ways while physically touching.
My hand on her shoulder sent fire blazing through me. I’m sure both of my hands all over her will have me go up in flames.
Zhuri and I walk to the set, surrounding ourselves in copious amounts of fake snow. The assistants bring over a giant fan this time, so I imagine we’re going for a blizzard effect here.
“Okay,” one of the photographers calls, grabbing our attention. “You’ll need to act like you like each other for this final part. Look natural.”
Act like I like her?
I won’t need to act because I do like her, possibly even starting to in a way I really shouldn’t.
Our first pose features Zhuri with her back to my chest, literally pressed against me. My hands are on her hips, pulling her closer, while she has one hand resting at her side and the other cupping the side of my face.
Looking natural is easy when this feels as natural as breathing.
While the photographers adjust the lighting and the assistant starts the fan, Zhuri whispers to me teasingly. “Don’t get handsy with me, Cammy.”
I tease my thumb over her hip. “Wouldn’t dream of it, Zhuri baby.”
That’s a lie because I’m all but certain I will be dreaming of it tonight.
Probably also going to think about it when I take the world’s longest shower later to jack myself off.
Zhuri repositions herself and ends up rubbing her ass right over my dick.
I grit my teeth. “Careful, ljepota.”
“Sorry. I wasn’t trying to do that.”
I believe her… until she does it again.
“Zhuri Hart,” I hiss in her ear. “Watch yourself.”
“You don’t like that?” she smirks.
“No, I don’t like you literally teasing me during a photoshoot. I doubt the photographers would like it very much if they had to Photoshop my dick out of the pictures later.”
Zhuri doubles over in laughter, and I can’t help but laugh with her. The photographers give us strange looks, but we shake it off.
We’re just as playful for the rest of the shoot. We’re only serious when we need to be, and when we don’t, we do everything we can to make the other break.
God, she’s so fucking fun.
“One more pose,” the photographer calls, “and you’ll be free of us.”
The other photographer explains our pose, and I can sense the same discomfort I’m feeling on Zhuri.
This pose is a hell of a lot more intimate than the others and was apparently requested by Rana directly after seeing our chemistry earlier in the shoot.
“I’m sure this won’t be awkward,” Zhuri laughs uneasily, turning around to face me.
“It’ll only be as awkward as we make it,” I breathe, trying to convince myself.
She takes a deep breath and steps closer to me. She’s barely an inch shorter than me in her heels, and it’s a lot fucking hotter than I expected it to be.
“Ready?” she asks, brown eyes sparkling in the bright lights.
She has such beautiful eyes.
“Yeah.”
I wrap one arm around her and rest it on her lower back, pulling her body right against mine. Zhuri rests her open palms against my chest, and I use my free hand to hold her leg up by resting it under her thigh.
Her bare thigh thanks to the high slit of her dress.
My hand is dangerously close to her ass.
I don’t care, though, because as soon as our eyes meet again, I’m mesmerized by her. I couldn’t look away even if I wanted to.
And I don’t want to.
Her mouth parts slightly, and I take note of the gloss on her lips. They look so enticing right now.
We hold our pose while they finish shooting, and whatever spell we were under is broken as soon as they tell us they have what they need.
“Perfect!” Rana calls out to us. “These are perfect.”
I huff a light laugh as I try to ease our tension. “There. That wasn’t awkward at all.”
Zhuri laughs harder. “Sure it wasn’t.”
I smile at her. “Well, seems like we’re free now. Wanna grab lunch with me?”
“Yeah,” she grins. “I’d like that, Cam.”