CHAPTER 2
JOSS
“I think we’re going to have to oil him down again,” the photographer whispers out of the corner of his mouth.
The woman pressed up against me, the one who has my fingers gently wrapped around her neck, snickers slightly and I have to swallow back a groan of annoyance and frustration. I’m not entirely comfortable with the situation, but it’s my own fault.
When you’re rebuilding, you do what you need to do. The money is what I’m after right now. It’s why I keep putting in my time down at the convention center working security. It’s the least of what my skill set can do.
The military trained me to be a lot more than a rent-a-cop at the convention center.
At least, that’s what the nasty voice in my head keeps reminding me.
That voice isn’t wrong. I was trained to shoot to kill and maintain a semblance of stealth.
I wasn’t trained by the government to observe and get involved only when absolutely necessary.
Not that those skills have helped me since I left the military and have been trying to integrate back into civilian life.
Before going through all of this, I thought there would be resources waiting for me on the other side of my years of service.
I thought it would feel like I have support behind me.
I realize now just how na?ve I was. I should have known it would be a shit show where I have to fight for every bit of help and support. The best kind of support and advice I’ve gotten has come from other veterans, not from the people who say they dedicate their lives to helping us.
Honestly, I should have known it would be this way. If I had thought about it, I would have realized the truth of things.
Even though it has been tough, there are a lot of vets out there who have it way worse than me. I’m on my feet at least.
Things would be looking a lot better if my ex hadn’t stolen all my savings within a month of me being home again. Then she left town.
The money was supposed to be my cushion to get me back home and give me some time to get in with a job that would suit me.
I was thinking about joining the police force, but I’ve also heard about some private security firms which are mostly made up of former military. I’d love to work somewhere like that.
Unfortunately, bills had to be paid after Dori left me high and fucking dry. So, I settled. Most of my jobs are at the convention center, but I’ve worked the overnight shift at warehouses. I don’t know what I’ll do if I find myself on rotation at the mall.
I don’t think I could do it.
One good thing about working conventions and other events is that I’ve gotten to meet a lot of people.
Some of those people I would have rather not interacted with, including a lot of women and a few men who thought pawing at me was completely socially acceptable. I made sure they knew I did not agree.
There wasn’t even any bloodshed.
Meeting people is also how I got my second job, the one I’m at right now.
After taking a deep breath, I slide my hand down Vallie’s throat and along her collarbone. I keep my movements slow and measured, pausing at times. Thinking about how I’m being viewed isn’t something I’m used to doing.
Honestly, I fucking hate it.
But I’ve learned if I put in a little effort, even if I would rather not get oiled up until I’m practically a fucking disco ball, it makes everything go a lot smoother. The photographers are happier and shoots don’t drag on.
Vallie is a beautiful woman, and a lot of men wouldn’t mind spending as much time as possible with her body pressed against theirs. I’m not one of those men. She’s beautiful, but this is the third shoot we’ve done together, and her beauty doesn’t go much deeper than her looks.
I’m not into women who are shallow and mean spirited.
The way she’s smiling up at me is sweet as pie, but I’m not fooled. She’ll put on whatever mask she thinks is needed. With me as her shoot partner. With the photographer. With the crew. Then there’s the way she acts with me because she wants to get into my pants.
The fact that the jeans I’m wearing are unbuttoned isn’t enough for her. No, Vallie wants me and doesn’t make it a secret.
I wish she would.
“You know,” Vallie purrs, “you’re the bear of the cover shoot circles.”
I blink down at her and try not to let my annoyance show. “What circles?” I grit out the question through my teeth.
Even though I don’t particularly like Vallie, I try to be nice to her. Not only do we need to work together, but it’s just how I was raised. It’s not like she deserves to get the brunt of my grumpiness. She’s not the one who stole from me.
Vallie reminds me of Dori though. As if I needed another reason to avoid her advances.
She smiles and flutters her eyelashes as if it will help her look more innocent. We both know it won’t. “The cover shoot circles,” she repeats as if I’m just being silly. “You know,” she drawls the words, “the models always get together and hang out. I know you’ve been invited,” she reminds me.
The frown of my face deepens and I nod slightly. “I usually work early on the weekends and can’t go out to bars the night before,” I explain.
I don’t need to, but I’m not sure having a reputation for being an asshole is a good thing. Unfortunately.
“I guess that makes sense,” Vallie offers with a wide smile. The smile I force on my face feels brittle, but it’s there. “I have a full-time job, but,” she muses, “I don’t have to work weekends. It makes photoshoots a lot easier for me most of the time.”
“Yeah,” I grunt.
“That’s great,” the photographer yells out and my hands drop to my sides. “Let’s get some things changed up and then we’ll do another round. How about an outfit change?”
I know he’s not really talking to me. If I have an outfit change, it’ll just be my jeans coming off. At least I’ll still have my boxers on. There’s no way I’m going fully nude, and I’ve made it very clear to everyone.
The last thing I want is pictures of my ass to be out there or to be on the cover of a book. Since romance covers are what I primarily shoot for, I could wind up on bookshelves somewhere for who knows how long.
Knowing my luck, having my ass out there on a book would bite me in the…well, in the ass.
So, I’ll keep my boxers on, thank you very much.
Vallie flits off and I barely stop myself from rolling my eyes. The way she’s prancing around, her hips swaying from side to side, looks unnatural. If she thinks she’s enticing me with a little hip movement, she’s going to be surprised.
During the break, which doesn’t last long enough, I can’t help but think about the convention I’m working tomorrow. It’s some sort of fantasy thing which means there is going to be a lot of dressing up going on. Cosplay? I think that’s what they call the whole dressing up thing.
I’ve worked quite a few events like this one and they’re my least favorite. When people are dressed as someone other than themselves, they sometimes think they can do whatever they want and get away with it.
It means more work for me because inevitably they do something stupid, fueled by anonymity and an over inflated sense of safety. Normally it’s pretty benign, and they just need a stern look to get their shit together. Other times I need to get involved and pull people out of the event.
The good thing is they don’t put up a real fight. Not physically. But words can hurt.
Just as Vallie starts walking back to me, now wearing barely there shorts and a tank top her nipples are arguing with, I’m dive bombed. The photographer’s assistant comes out of nowhere with a spray bottle in her hand.
I grunt as I register just how cold the liquid I’ve been sprayed with is. Then her small trembling hands are on me and rubbing the liquid all over my chest. At least, I think that’s what the frenetic movement she’s making is supposed to be.
“Thanks,” I try to keep my voice as soft as possible, but she doesn’t look at me. She does spray me again though. I’m glistening under the lights of the studio.
Damn it.
I clear my throat and run a hand over my chest. “I’ve got it.”
“Right, right,” she stammers, “of course.”
When she glances up at me, she blushes softly. It’s surprisingly cute considering I’m so uncomfortable with this whole side job.
After she scurries away, one more parting spray causing me to stumble back a step in her wake, Vallie’s there with a sly smile tipping up her lips. Her eyes devour me, but it’s not intriguing or sexy.
She’s hungry in a way I find off putting. Don’t get me wrong, I want any woman I’m with to want me, but not like this. I’m pretty sure Vallie would unhinge her jaw and eat me whole.
Figuratively.
Of course.
“I see they got you,” she teases me, her voice a seduction I want no part of. She blinks up at me, her eyes round with faux innocence. “I really would like you to reconsider going out tonight. It’ll be Josh, who was here earlier, and a few other people we’ve done shoots with.”
For a moment, I consider her offer. It wouldn’t be the worst thing I’ve ever done. Still, I could think of at least three things I would rather do than go out to a bar with Vallie and whoever else wants to spend time with her. Or they just want to fuck her.
Yeah, I just don’t think I’m going to be pushing myself out of my comfort zone tonight.
“I wish I could,” I soften my voice, “but I do have to get some rest tonight. The event I’m working tomorrow is going to be a long one and there will be a lot of people there. I have to be alert.”
Something flashes in her eyes that looks about ten steps past irritation on the pissed off scale, but she masks it quickly. “I really admire how devoted you are to your job. It’s admirable.”
I grunt and nod sharply.
“Everyone ready?” The photographer’s voice pulls our attention his way.
He eyes me and then flashes a grin toward his assistant whose cheeks are still pink. Vallie presses her body against mine and my head snaps around in her direction. I have to gnash my teeth together to stop myself from barking at her.
She’s oblivious. It doesn’t surprise me, but it does piss me off. And she wants to seduce me.
I almost snort in derision and more amusement than a woman like Vallie would appreciate.
Vallie is focused on the camera. She lights up in front of it. I’ll admit, the camera loves her right back.
“Joss,” the photographer crows, “I love your intensity. Use it. Grab her.”
Vallie looks back up at me and for a moment I can see her annoyance because I had even a moment of attention.
Then she’s wrapped around me even tighter and it makes me wonder if she can trace her lineage to an anaconda somewhere in the distant past. Or maybe something with suckers considering the way she’s clinging to me.
I have to fight my desire to shake her loose. It wouldn’t be easy with the way she’s attached herself to me though.
“I’m not giving up on getting you out for a night,” Vallie’s voice has an edge of determination. “But I’ll let it go this time.”
The way she says it makes it sound like she’s doing me a favor. As if I was desperate to go out with her and whoever is going to be fawning over her all night.
It sounds like a horrible way to spend a few hours even if I didn’t have a long ass day ahead of me tomorrow. I almost groan at the thought of tomorrow.
“You’ll have to tell me all about the freaks who go to those kinds of conventions,” Vallie titters and giggles.
Even though part of me is surprised she paid even a little bit of attention to what I’ve said about my job, I’m annoyed at the way she’s talking about people she doesn’t even know.
And I’m aware that I’m a hypocrite. But it’s kind of like having a sibling. It was that way with my little brother. I was allowed to make fun of him as much as I wanted, but if someone else dared to do that shit, I was going to rip into them and enjoy it immensely.
I feel the same way about the people at the conventions. Most of them are just living their life and enjoying what they can.
I take a deep breath and force myself to pretend like I actually want the woman in my arms. She’s the last woman I would want to be with, but I don’t think anyone looking at us from the outside would know it.
There is one thing to look forward to with the convention tomorrow. Maybe the chocolate lady will be there. She wasn’t at the last few events, but I’ve heard all about her and how delicious her creations are.
My mouth waters at the thought. I’ve always had a bit of a sweet tooth. And I can be very picky when it comes to chocolate. I’ve tasted it all over the world and I know what I like.
Maybe work tomorrow won’t be as bad as I’m expecting. A delicious snack certainly wouldn’t hurt.