Guarding His Heart. Synithia Williams

black jeans in the front and hung longer in the back. The studio lights glinted off the diamond studs in her ears where multiple piercings also included a hoop at the top of her left ear. Where else was she pierced? He took in the rest of her tall, curvy body and no longer worried about the effect of the room’s cold air on his anatomy.

      “Jasmine Hook, I presume,” he said with an upward tilt of his lips that usually made women grin and giggle.

      She raised a brow and smirked as if she knew he was giving her his killer smile and found it unimpressive. “Your presumption is correct.” She zipped open a black bag on the table next to her and pulled out a camera and various gadgets.

      “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you.” Emphasis on finally. She was sexy as hell, but he wasn’t ready to let go of the fact that she’d arrived late.

      “I know. Most people find my company pleasurable.” She winked and lifted one shoulder.

      Her eyes were brown and beautiful. Not much makeup as far as he could tell, just a darker brown liner along her lids and mascara on long, dark lashes. Blood pounded in his veins like a basketball on concrete. Sexy and smart-mouthed. Jasmine was getting hotter by the second.

      “I don’t doubt that.” He strolled over to her, everyone else in the room temporarily forgotten. “Were you late because someone else was enjoying your pleasurable company?”

      “Yes and no. In my defense, I tried to get here sooner, but the man I was with didn’t know when to quit.”

      The beginnings of disappointment stirred in his chest. He should have known a woman this alluring was taken. “And is that man your man?”

      Her low, husky chuckle ran over his body like teasing fingertips. “Are you trying to find out if I have a man?” She checked her camera, then set it on the table.

      Kevin’s body hummed with the thrill of potential. “Would you have a problem if I were?”

      Her gaze swept over him quickly. “I don’t know yet.” She crossed her arms and cocked her head to the side. “Okay, Kevin, what are you looking for from this shoot today?” Her voice lost the flirtation as she subtly switched to a professional tone.

      The urge to keep the flirtation going was an insistent poke in his back, but he was in a room full of people, naked, and for a reason. He’d have time to pursue the spark he had with Jasmine later.

      He hadn’t thought about what he wanted to get from this shoot. He’d been asked to pose naked and he’d agreed. He knew a part of the invitation was because his team had won the championship two years in a row. Despite his slipup, he’d been a key component to this year’s playoff win, and bets were circulating about whether or not he’d retire. Rumors he didn’t want to confirm no matter how close they were to the truth. He was thirty-six years old. Ancient in professional sports. The time had come for plan B.

      Whatever the hell that was.

      “I want you to show my athleticism,” he said. “I’m old compared to the other guys on my team. Show that my age doesn’t mean I’ve lost something.” That his body wasn’t breaking down.

      Her brown eyes narrowed slightly. She nodded slowly. He got the sneaking suspicion she could see into him and had read his thoughts. His fears. Or, maybe, he just liked the way she looked at him.

      “I think I can do that.” She reached with her left hand and scratched the back of her shoulder.

      The white shirt lifted with the movement. He caught a flash of a ring in her belly button against smooth caramel skin. He sucked in a breath, his ab muscles tightening. Jasmine didn’t seem to notice how he stilled at the flash of her belly ring. She’d turned away and rummaged through her bag.

      Just like that, he was hooked. The need to discover what else was pierced tempted him like a hunt for the treasures of the universe. He wanted to take his time uncovering all of her secrets. Did tattoos accompany her piercings? His arms, chest and back were plastered with body art, each one significant to him in some way. He had no problems with women doing the same, but he liked that Jasmine hadn’t covered all of her sexy brown skin. That would make discovering what, if any, spots she’d decorated even more fun.

      She turned with another camera gadget in her hand and faced him. “So, Kevin, are you ready to get naked for me?”

      Considering he was there specifically to be photographed naked and she was a photographer, the words shouldn’t have sent heat shooting through his veins with the force of a charging bull. Coming from her full lips, in her silky voice, with that spark of hidden wildness in her eye, not only was heat charging full steam, but another area rose to half-mast.

      Smiling, Kevin unhooked his towel and let it drop to the floor. “Any damn time.”

      Jasmine didn’t blush or frown. She boldly looked over his body. Her gaze paused below his waistline. The flash of appreciation that lit her eye made him want to crow like a rooster. Forced thoughts of the drills coach ran them through in practice was the only thing keeping him from getting a full-on erection. His pride wouldn’t let him show her just how much her look made his pulse race.

      Her dark eyes met his and she cocked a brow. “Let’s do this.”

      * * *

      Jasmine had photographed tons of half-and completely naked people in her career. Some of the most beautiful women, the hottest men and captivating celebrities. It was almost impossible to have a career as a fashion photographer and not encounter beautiful, naked people. But never before had she had such a hard time focusing on capturing the scene instead of how utterly incredible the subject looked naked.

      She’d appreciated a nice body before. Even accepted an offer or two from people she’d photographed with a no-strings, no-commitment caveat.

      As long as there was little chance of messy drama during or afterward. She wasn’t currently looking for anything long-term or even casual. She had other goals at the moment. But her brain was barely letting her separate the job of photographing Kevin from her primal appreciation of his body.

      Her woman parts were attracted to everything about him. The man was a work of art. Long lean muscles and tan skin decorated with beautifully drawn tattoos. At first glance, his intense gaze and large muscular body were intimidating. But then his lips cracked a come-here-and-get-all-of-this smile accompanied by a twinkle in his eye that promised hours of I-shouldn’t-have-done-that-but-damn-he-was-good memories.

      Only by the grace of God did she survive the photo shoot without drooling down her chest. She had a lot going on right now. She’d finally gotten Angelo to agree to let her exhibit at his gallery at the end of the year. Which meant she actually had an end result after telling the fashion world she was no longer going to photograph beautiful people for a lot of money and instead follow more artistic pursuits.

      Despite the skepticism her announcement had received, she was excited. She’d made her money and built her career. She’d earned the right to do what she wanted. Kevin, though very pretty and tempting, was not part of the way she needed to spend her last few nights in New York.

      “Was it as good for you as it was for me?”

      Kevin’s voice caressed her body like a warm ocean breeze. She could almost forgive him for such a cheesy line. Almost.

      She stopped packing her camera to look up at him. She was tall at five foot nine. In her black boots, she brushed six feet, but she still had to tilt her head back to meet his eyes. And there went her pulse, accelerating from the eye contact. He’d wrapped the towel back around his waist, but his incredible chest and forearms were bare. Despite the cold room, heat radiated off him in waves. That, or her body temperature rose in his presence.

      “Do you really think you’re the first person who’s tried that line with me?” She leaned back against the table and rested her hands on the top.

      “I don’t care who’s tried it in the past. I want to know if it’s working for me today.”

      His