Chapter 2
MILLER
Lindsey is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on. I canceled all my meetings for today. It was not my intention. Hell, I didn’t even want to come to this thing, but it was an obligation—like all the other things that I don’t want to do are.
But then as soon as I looked at Lindsey, I knew that I wanted to sit here and watch her work. I ignored my phone and all other responsibilities because nothing was more important than being here, watching her.
When she took my picture, it was quick and professional. She didn’t look at me with dollar signs in her eyes. Hell, if anything, she looked at me like she was rushed and obligated to take my picture.
And then I watched her work. Men flirted with her, and she ignored them. She was professional, only showing emotion behind the camera.
She’s still staring up at me, holding her camera between us. I lean down so we’re more eye to eye. “What do you say, Lindsey? Deal? I let you take my picture and you let me take you to dinner?”
She sucks in a breath. “Just dinner?”
I nod even though in my mind, I’m thinking of all the other things I want to do with her.
She nods, and I look around the now empty room.
The photoshoot is for a magazine spread.
There are twenty business entrepreneurs being featured, and even though I never agree to things like this, I knew I couldn’t avoid it.
My sister asked me to do it, and how could I tell her no?
Especially after all she’d been through?
“Okay,” Lindsey murmurs softly. She looks around the room. “Can you stand next to that window?”
I walk over to where she’s pointing. “You sure you don’t want my jacket and tie on?”
I turn, and I swear I catch her looking at my ass. I smirk, and red blooms on her cheeks. I’m rolling down my sleeves, and she reaches out to stop me. As soon as her fingertips touch my skin, I feel a jolt go through my body.
I wonder if she felt it too by the way she pulls her hand back as if she’s been burned or something. Her voice is husky. “Don’t. Don’t roll your sleeves down. I want to take your picture… just like that.”
I let my arms fall to my sides and stand next to the big bay window.
The photo session was set up at a conference room at the Regency Inn hotel in Jasper.
It’s only thirty minutes from Whiskey Run, and I’m supposed to have dinner with my family tonight, but I already called and canceled.
They are going to know something is up because I never cancel on my family.
The flash goes off before I can smile.
She continues taking photos, and this time when she looks at the images on the screen, she smiles. She fuckin’ smiles.
Lindsey starts talking. “Why did you agree to this? Everyone knows that you don’t normally like this kind of thing.”
I can’t stop the smile. “You’ve been researching me?”
She smiles but also rolls her eyes. “I’m from Whiskey Run. Everyone in town knows who you are.”
I stumble over my words. “You live in Whiskey Run?”
She nods and then hides behind the camera again and takes more pictures. She points to a chair in the corner. “Have a seat, elbows on your knees, leaning forward.”
My eyebrows arch. “You want me to take my shirt off too?”
She smiles, and then it's like she catches herself. “No, as much as all the women would love that, I don’t think that’s the look the magazine is going for.” She clears her throat. “So are you going to tell me why you said yes to this project?”
Normally, I don’t tell anyone my business. I’ve learned that people will use things against you if it’s going to benefit them, but something about Lindsey makes me want to open up. “I want to bring attention to the organization.”
Her forehead creases and then softens. “You mean how the magazine is donating all sales to the local women’s center?”
I nod and open my mouth and then slam it closed.
She pauses taking pictures. “Why is the organization important to you?”
I grit my teeth, again questioning if I’m admitting too much.
“My sister, Skyler, had a stalker.” I shove my hands into my pockets, and she snaps another photograph, but I don’t let it stop me.
I continue talking. “We were able to help her, but there are so many women that don’t have the means to survive or even fight back.
Plus, I told the magazine I was matching their donations. ”
She lowers her camera and blinks at me. “You’re making a donation to the women’s organization?”
I shake my head and look at her in confusion. I’m not sure what she’s heard about me, but it makes perfect sense that I would use my one time doing an interview to build up the organization. “You seem surprised.”
She cocks her hip out. “I guess I am. I figured you were…”
She stops, and I step toward her. “No, finish what you were going to say. I want to hear it.”
Her voice is just a whisper. “I thought you would be cold… cocky… arrogant… greedy.”
I chuckle when she slaps a hand over her mouth. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have—”
I cut her off and move so that I’m standing right in front of her. “Don’t apologize. I want you to be honest with me. I want you to tell me what you’re thinking.”
She lets out a breath and lifts her camera to look at the pictures she just took. She smiles widely, and I gesture to her. “What are you going to do with those?”
Finally, she looks up. “I’d like to use these for the magazine. Not the stuffy ones from earlier where you weren’t even smiling. This is how I want people to see you when they read about why you’re doing the interview and your matching donations.”
I shrug. “Whatever you think. I’m fine with that.” I put a hand on her shoulder. “Dinner?”
Her eyes are wide, but she nods. “Yeah. Let me finish getting this gear out to my truck, and we’ll go.”
I hold my hand out. “May I have your keys?”
She pulls them out of a bag and hands them over to me.
I hold them out to Mike, my driver. “Mike, can you get all these bags into Lindsey’s truck?”
Lindsey opens her mouth, but I know what she’s going to say before she gets it out. “Please be careful with all of it. I assume it's all fragile.”
Mike nods. “Sure thing, Mills.”
When I look at Lindsey, she’s smirking, and I find myself smiling back at her. “What?”
Mike grabs the first two bags and is about to walk out of the room.
“I’m parked in the garage. If you hit the button on the keychain, you’ll find it.” Lindsey lets her hands drop to her sides.
“I’m sure he would have figured that out.”
She points to Mike, who is exiting the room. “Your bodyguard calls you Mills?”
I stand up a little taller. “He’s my driver, and yeah, he calls me Mills. Mike has worked with me for ten years now. We’re friends.”
Her eyes light up in surprise. “Wow, you refer to your employees as your friends, and you don’t require them to call you Mr. Brody? I’m impressed.”
I hold my hand out to her.
She stares at my outstretched hand, and I can see her mentally weighing her options here. She gently puts her hand in mine, and I let out a breath. I wrap my fingers around hers and pull her gently toward me.
She’s skittish, unsure even, but I’m glad she at least agreed to dinner. I can’t fuck this up.