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LET ‘EM brEATHE

“What the hell is going on?”

I arrived fifteen minutes late for the photoshoot. One. Five. Yet, the back of Edward and Rose’s barn had already transformed into a full-on photoshoot. There were lights and computer equipment and plenty of people milling about, giggling between whispers.

“You’re late,” Amanda said, charging through the crowd and grabbing my arm.

“Fifteen minutes.”

“If you’re not five minutes early, you’re ten minutes late.

” This was coming from a woman who hadn’t been on time for her own birth.

If any of us were labeled chronically behind schedule, it’d be Amanda.

Seeing the people holding reflectors and the woman behind the camera, I realized letting her boss us around had been the right move.

“How did you… Who are all these people?”

“Hi.” Amanda let go of me and cozied up next to a stunning woman. Legs that long should have been illegal. My girl had game, but nowhere near enough to snatch this ebony queen. I blinked repeatedly, trying to process. “You were right. You broke him.”

“Jon, meet Tessa. She’s Chris’s agent.” That made more sense. However, the way Amanda’s hand drifted south of the border, there must be more to the story. “She came into town to talk with him about our movie. I might have asked a favor or two.”

“She promised she’d leave our writers alone if I helped.”

“We both know she lied,” I said.

If Amanda touching her butt wasn’t enough, it was the knowing glance through Tessa’s round frames that hinted at more. Was this why Amanda had been ten percent less aggressive at Spectrum? Be still my heart.

“We do,” she said.

Amanda’s nose scrunched up. “Hey!”

“When Chris mentioned this, I couldn’t believe my ears. He’s so modest that he has a body double stand-in for nipple shots. The media is going to eat up this goodwill. Anyway, feel free to use my people. I hired them out for the day.”

“Thanks.” I gave her a slight wave before she walked out of the barn like she had a jet waiting outside. “Amanda… what happened to our low-key production?”

“Low-key doesn’t make it rain.”

She returned to holding my arm, leading me through the crowd.

I spotted some of our models with Bobby, moving backgrounds.

Everybody had outdone themselves. Mimi always said when somebody in Firefly needed help, the town showed up.

Their help with Jason’s convention and Chris’s middle school production had been cute.

This was a town-sized scandal in the making.

“Is that a buffet over there?”

“Quilting guild. When Gloria heard Chris was getting naked, she basically hurled baked goods at me.”

We reached the front, and Amanda climbed on top of a hay bale. “Listen up.” Oh no, she had that tone. “There are a lot of moving parts today. We get one shot at making this happen.”

When nobody turned toward her, she whistled loud enough that I winced. Amanda shouted over the three dozen members of Firefly. I expected her to— “Anybody get in my way, and I’ll have this sexy man—” She pointed at me… then gestured for me to step back. Oh. She meant Chris. “Will remove you.”

I was nowhere as commanding as her. Sure, I spoke up at staff meetings and voiced my opinion, but I wouldn’t risk making little old ladies cry. She tapped her foot as the crowd grew closer. I hated to admit it, but with her at the helm, this would go off without a hitch.

“Okay, ladies. Our gentlemen are about to whip it out to save the library. There will be no touching.” She pointed from her eyes to who I suspected might be Gloria.

“When we’re done with the photos, we’ll need our robust—” Oh look, no air quotes for once.

“—men to meet with Gail for a post-sausage revealing interview.”

On the far side of the barn, I spotted a woman in a turtle neck and blazer.

Behind her, a man had a video camera on his shoulder.

It had been one thing to get naked in front of the other guys.

Amanda had seen me in the buff more times than either of us ever wanted to admit.

No problem. The women of Firefly? I could feel myself shrinking…

both me and my penis. A reporter was going to see it all?

I closed my eyes and thought of the smile on Tyler’s face. No, right now, I needed the look in his eyes as he held me against the bathroom wall. There we go. No more shrinking.

“Do we have any questions?”

Gloria raised her hand.

“No, Gloria. They don’t need a fluffer. We’re making a calendar, not porn.”

The frown on Gloria’s face made me chuckle. It seemed as if one of our men had themselves an admirer. I craned my head, looking past the crowd. While the locals blushed, giggling at the impending nudity, I focused on a single face.

“Tyler?”

Amanda gave me a slight kick with her boot. “Surprise.”

He worked his way through the crowd. There were plenty of sexy men ready to disrobe, but none held a candle to him.

The smile. The beard. The slight swagger to his walk.

Every time I looked at him, I felt seventeen again.

All insecurities were drowned out by the fireworks, not from an end-of-summer celebration but from the cute boy and his awkward smile.

I hadn’t been able to say thank you, not in a way that captured how much it had meant.

Saving the library, his library, had been the first step in repaying him.

“I heard there was going to be a strip tease?”

If I wasn’t nervous enough stripping in front of enthusiastic grannies, now I had this beautiful bear watching. “You’re supposed to be at?—”

“Amanda invited me.”

“Let’s get this sausage party started. Strip!” She threw her arms up as if she were starting a drag race. If there was a crown for Firefly’s queen of chaos, Amanda would wear it—and be sure it sparkled.

The locals tried to be subtle about holding their cell phones out. There was no way this wouldn’t be on the internet in a matter of minutes. I jumped as the crowd cheered. To my right, Bobby, with a single swipe of a clasp, stood naked, his overalls gathered around his legs.

Yes. I stole a peek.

It was one thing to get naked in front of strangers. Heck, even Jason and Amanda had seen me naked at the quarry a thousand times. I turned to give Tyler a sheepish smile to see him unbuttoning his shirt.

“What? You didn’t think I’d let you save the library without me?”

Amanda dropped low on the hay bale. “I found our last model. You’re welcome.” With a pat on the shoulder, she hopped off. Of course, she had her cell phone out, recording the stripping of Firefly’s finest men.

“So, now you’re shy?” he asked.

Our story might have started with an electrified kiss born out of need, but it was only the prologue. I said I wanted more adventure in my life, something to get me out of my mundane rut. Who knew it’d be public nudity? There was no going back now.

I pulled my shirt over my head and flexed.

“Rawr,” he said.

We raced to the buttons on our jeans. I watched as he flashed his briefs, bright red with a black waistband. Dammit, I should have dressed for the occasion. My black boxer briefs weren’t as loud. If I stared too long, the audience would get more of a show than they bargained for.

I checked down the line of men to see everybody hovered in their underwear, nervous to take the plunge. All except Bobby, Firefly’s golden boy, had already kicked off his overalls and was proudly standing for all to see.

“Adventure,” I mumbled to myself. If Mimi were watching, I bet she’d be shaking her head… and smiling.

Fingers hooked in my waistband, I shoved them down.

Jeans around my ankles, more than a few cameras flashed.

The crowd continued cheering, only growing louder, as one by one, the men dropped their last line of defense.

It ranged from Jason’s bashful to Logan Junior and Senior posing like they were at the end of a runway.

I was about to tell Tyler it was his turn when he shoved his underwear down. Resting his fists on his hips, he shuffled about in a circle, giving the crowd a three-sixty view. With his ass exposed, I couldn’t resist giving it a slap.

“Harder,” yelled somebody from the crowd.

Whoa. Firefly had some feisty ladies. If Mimi were in the crowd, she’d be half-hiding me from her view while she stole glances at the other men. A week ago, I couldn’t imagine her partaking in this outlandish scheme, but now… I bet she’d be leading the charge with Amanda.

“Enough showing off,” Amanda shouted. “We have a library to save.”

I admired Tyler’s smile and the burning red cheeks, partially hidden by his beard. He caught me staring and reached out, holding my hand.

“Thank you,” he mouthed. It served as one-part gratitude for the events unfolding now and one-part things yet to come.

It was the least I could do for the boy who changed my world.

“Jon? Jon Olsen?”

I almost had my underwear on, but I still had Cupid’s wings strapped to my back.

I’m pretty sure I’d find red glitter in every nook and cranny for weeks to come.

Getting dressed, I hoped to watch the rest of the photoshoot.

Apparently, it took a small army to keep Gloria away from Chris as he showed off his patriotism covered in red, white, and blue paint.

“Can I talk to you?”

Gail Simmons, star reporter. Everybody in the state of Maine recognized that voice and her sensible outfits.

Behind her, the cameraman followed. I didn’t want to talk to the press.

Having my face attached to this small-town scandal was more attention than I needed.

I sucked in a deep breath, reminding myself that it was all to help save the town’s library.

I pulled my shirt off a bale of hay, and she held up her hand. “Shirtless, if you don’t mind.”

“But—”