Page 57 of See You There

How about her fiancée is off at the war but had loved to tinker with cars, and because she wanted to spend time with him, she’d watched him work on his. That works.

“Good… That’s good… Now back at me… At the sky, you’re looking for planes… Good. Okay, now cheat your chest toward me and bend forward, ass out. Further!”

Dahlia wanted to remind the photographer that she wasn’t shooting porn but stayed quiet. Instead, she simply ignored his instructions.

Clearly not happy, Peter’s voice became sharper. “I need more cleavage. Do we have something to stuff the bra with… Hey!” Peter yelped.

Dahlia’s head swung around, her eyes going wide at the sight of Luke standing in front of Peter, blocking the camera. She couldn’t see his face, but by the anger clear in the tense lines of his shoulders and the fists curled at his side, she could only imagine what his face looked like.

“Get out of my way!”

“Those aren’t the shots Ms. Everton is doing today.”

Peter scoffed. “Who are you? This is exactly what we’re shooting. The studio wants the theme, and they said to make them as sexy as possible. Her agent agreed.”

Dahlia took in several long, deep breaths. The last thing she needed was to get blotchy in front of the camera. It wasn’t as if the instructions were new. Victor always wanted her to be sexier. In his opinion, it was the only way she could get roles. And after her experience with Matt, Dahlia suspected it might be payback.

“Things have changed,” Luke snarled.

“I don’t know who you are. But this ismyshoot and what I say goes!” Peter drew himself up to his full stature, but he was Dahlia’s height, which meant Luke had at least six inches on him.

Dahlia half-expected Luke to try to physically intimidate Peter. It was typically what men in her life did, but Luke’s voice was coldly confident. “I’m here to represent Ms. Everton today, and unless you show me a contract, with her signature, stating you have complete control over the content…Shewill choose what she feels comfortable with.” Luke over enunciated each of the words.

Dahlia’s heart turned over with an almost painful thump.

Peter spluttered but backed off. “Next look!” he yelled, glaring at Luke before stomping away.

Luke stepped forward and took her hand as she climbed down the steps in the tall heels. “Sorry,” he muttered. “I know it isn’t my place, but that guy is a lech using a camera as an excuse. I could tell you were ignoring him, but he wasn’t getting it.”

Dahlia stared at him, her heart pounding. She hoped he couldn’t see in her eyes what she was feeling. Her throat was thick with emotion. Not since her father died when Dahlia was fifteen had anyone defended or protected her. She had been on her own. This man, who barely knew her, had done more than her family or her agent had in over a decade.

Maybe she should be annoyed that he stepped in, but what she wanted to do was cry with relief. For the first time in a long time, Dahlia didn’t feel as if it were her against the world. Shelooked up into his handsome face. It would be far too easy to fall for him.

Falling in love wasn’t a luxury she had.

“Thank you,” she managed to get out. “If I had said something or made an issue, it would have made the rest of the shoot awkward. Peter’s really not that bad. You should have seen some of the otherphotographers.” She made air quotes around the word. “I’ve had to deal with this since I first got started.”

Luke scowled. “I hate when people use their power to bully. You shouldn’t have to put up with that.”

Dahlia paused in slipping off the uncomfortable shoes and looked at him. His tone was a little too vehement to be just a commentary on society. Who was he thinking of?

“Ow!” she exclaimed when her bare foot touched the hot asphalt of the parking lot, and she started hopping frantically toward the grass on her other still-heeled foot. “Oomph!” The air whooshed out as Luke scooped her up and carried her into the restaurant.

Dahlia knew her face was bright red when he set her down, but Luke seemed unperturbed by the stares they were getting.

“You would have gotten blisters on your feet.” Luke shrugged as if it was normal to carry people around. Without looking at her, he paced to the long windows overlooking the runway and shoved his hands in his pockets.

Dahlia gaped at his back for a minute before scurrying to the wardrobe room, not making eye contact with Peter or his staff.

“I wish my boyfriend was that romantic,” the makeup artist said wistfully, as she refreshed Dahlia’s makeup.

“Luke’s not my boyfriend. I just didn’t realize how hot the asphalt was,” Dahlia said, as the woman used a cotton swab to carefully remove bits of mascara the heat had smeared under her eyes.

“She’s dating Chandler Furson, idiot,” the wardrobe assistant said, as she handed Dahlia wet wipes to clean her hands before she began removing her outfit.

“He’s my lawyer.” Dahlia pulled a forest green dress with a low sweetheart neckline and flared skirt off the rack. “Nothing romantic.”

No matter how much she wished it could be different.