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  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  Samhain Publishing, Ltd.

  577 Mulberry Street, Suite 1520

  Macon GA 31201

  Photo Opportunity

  Copyright © 2008 by Jess Dee

  ISBN: 1-59998-930-1

  Edited by Jennifer Miller

  Cover by Scott Carpenter

  All Rights Are Reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  First Samhain Publishing, Ltd. electronic publication: May 2008

  www.samhainpublishing.com

  Photo Opportunity

  Jess Dee

  Dedication

  With special thanks to Samhain Publishing and my wonderful editors, Jennifer and Carrie, for saving this book.

  Chapter One

  Daniel Tanner was a man who knew what he wanted, and what he wanted most lay naked on his bed, quivering in the aftermath of her second orgasm. The first two he gave freely. The third she would have to work for.

  Her taste lingered in his mouth, a mixture of cream, honey and sex. He resisted the urge to lean down and taste her again. Instead his gaze swept over her body, taking in the swollen breasts, their dusky pink nipples puckered into tight beads. Her chest rose and fell in unison with her long, hard puffs, and her toned, shapely thighs were spread in invitation. The damp cleft between her legs glistened and Daniel thought he might well have a heart attack if he didn’t fuck her soon.

  He ran a finger over her engorged clit and her hips bucked.

  “Daniel…” Her softly voiced gasp was music to his ears.

  Her gaze locked with his as he brought his finger to his mouth and licked. Green eyes turned hazy with desire and she moaned out loud.

  He raked his fingers lightly over her breasts.

  “Daniel, please…” She pushed her chest up, begging for more. He watched as she twisted on the sheets. Color tinged her cheeks and her hair spilled over the pillow in a tangled cloud.

  She never looked sexier. Emotion washed through him, so powerful he shook. He fantasized about this moment forever and could hardly believe it was finally happening.

  “Yeah, babe?” He knew what she wanted, but still waited for her to beg.

  “Oh…” Frustration flashed across her face, and he couldn’t repress his slow, satisfied smile. She was in no state to talk, not after what he’d just done to her. He’d give her another minute. Watching her writhe like that was almost as arousing as watching her come.

  “Please,” she said again and moaned.

  “What do you want?” he whispered.

  “You.”

  “Show me.”

  She whimpered and twisted again. With a strangled cry, she brought her hands up and cupped her breasts. Her fingers worked desperately at the taut peaks, pinching and kneading until she moaned aloud.

  Blood shot to Daniel’s cock. A muffled groan caught in his throat and he rasped, “How does that feel?”

  “So…good.” Her mouth opened the tiniest bit and the tip of her tongue touched her lower lip.

  His heart heaved and his body went into overdrive. “Hey, sweetheart…” He drew his finger through her slick folds. She looked at him with pupils so dilated the emerald irises were barely visible. “You want more?”

  She gave a vague nod.

  “Want my finger?” He dipped it inside, and she jerked against his hand.

  She shook her head.

  “How about if I kiss you again?” He leaned down and licked her, replacing his finger with his tongue.

  She shivered.

  “No…” Her voice drifted from a million miles away. They both knew what she needed.

  “So what is it you want?” He licked her again…and then again because quite frankly, she tasted too good to stop.

  “You,” she moaned. “I want you.”

  “How?” She was so wet, so hot. Her juices trickled down his chin.

  “Daniel…”

  “Tell me how you want me,” he said then tongued her again.

  Her hands left her breasts. He felt them as they wound through his hair. Felt the mild sting as she tugged, forcing his head up. Felt them as she pulled him into position so he now lay on top of her, his face inches from hers.

  Then she moved her hands to his cheeks and held his face still. Their eyes met.

  Could she see how he felt? Was the raw emotion gripping his gut visible to her? She knew everything about him. Was it really possible she didn’t know he loved her?

  Full breasts pressed into his chest, her nipples hard against his bare skin. She shifted her legs an inch so that he slid between her thighs. The tip of his cock brushed her slit and he bit the inside of his cheek, praying the pain would dampen his urgency.

  She pulled his face down, opened her lips under his and kissed him. The deep, thorough movement of her mouth inflamed him until he blazed with hunger and need.

  He had to have her—possess her—so she could know, once and for all, she was his.

  “Tell me what you want, babe.” Whatever it was, he’d give it to her.

  “You,” she said then kissed him again, her mouth warm and intoxicating. “I want you—” she sucked on his lip and then bit it, “—to make love to me.”

  Exquisite pain shot from his mouth to his groin. He barely had time to register it before she shimmied her hips and raked her fingernails down his back.

  “Now,” she gasped.

  Daniel was pretty sure she drew blood, but he didn’t give a damn. The only thing he cared about was burying himself inside her hot, wet core. He edged the tip of his cock in and groaned in pleasure.

  “Now, Danny!” There was a frantic quality to her voice. She spread her legs wider and took him in deeper. “Do it.”

  His restraint fractured. With a skilled, desperate thrust, he filled her.

  “Yes!”

  Nothing in his life had ever felt this good, this right. This was where he belonged.

  Moving slowly, he slid all the way out and then back in again. Twice. Three times. Then out. He stopped. Just to prolong the sweet agony of it all.

  She moaned and writhed beneath him. He held himself still, his weight resting on his lower arms. His muscles corded and tensed as he watched her. Sweat beaded on his forehead and behind his shoulders.

  “Daniel…please.” Her hand snuck between their hips. It pressed against him, circled his dick and then moved on to caress his balls.

  He groaned out loud and lost it altogether. Grinding his pelvis into hers, he buried himself so deep in her hot body he had to grit his teeth to stop from coming. Unable to suppress his need for her, he pulled out and plunged into her again and again, in long, deep movements.

  She met him thrust for thrust. Her legs wound around his waist. She wrapped her arms around his neck, tilted her pelvis upward and opened herself wider for him.

  Gratified, he moved harder, faster, hearing her excited moans.

  The feel of her, hot and tight and wet, encasing him in her velvety depths, the friction against his rigid cock…it was all too incredible. His body moved of its own accord, faster, faster, harder, harder, until her muscles clamped down violently and she screamed his name, and spasm after spasm rocked her body.

  He gave one last, mighty thrust. His balls ti
ghtened and his body stilled. Pleasure slammed through him.

  “I love you, Amy!” He came, his climax potent as he emptied himself into her shivering depth. Again and again he shuddered as the last drops of come drained from his body.

  Finally. He’d finally branded her. She was his. There was no way she was getting away from him now.

  Daniel shuddered one last time, collapsed on top of her and woke up.

  For several minutes he lay still, panting on his bed—alone.

  “God damn it.” His fingers curled into frustrated fists and he pounded the bed. “Damn it!”

  Shit. It was only Tuesday and he already had the dream twice this week. How much more torture did one man have to endure? Enough already. He wanted the real thing. All this dreaming about fucking her just wasn’t good enough anymore.

  It was this damn assignment. It was doing his head in, making him face issues he wasn’t ready to face. Think about things he’d long since suppressed.

  A primal growl sounded deep in his throat. The images from the dream still reverberated through his head, leaving him aroused and uncomfortable. Hell, he was hard and hurting. And there was only one thing—one woman—who could take away that pain.

  She just didn’t know it.

  Daniel threw off the sheets and marched into the bathroom, turning on the shower. He adjusted the temperature and pressure until burning streams of water jettisoned over his knotted back and shoulders.

  He’d always known, always loved her. At fourteen years of age, Daniel lost his heart forever. He took one look at the beautiful adolescent girl and knew one day in the future they’d be together.

  But teenagers just didn’t make lifelong commitments. Hell, they could barely cope with month-long commitments. So Daniel decided to do the next best thing: commit to being Amy’s lifelong friend. His decision had set the course of their relationship for the next seventeen years. Amy became his best friend, his confidante, his pal. And secretly, his greatest love.

  He watched in silence as first boys, then men, dated and wooed her. He stood on the sidelines as she fell in and out of love. As any good friend would, he supported her through break-ups and make-ups, highs and lows. She called him her rock and made him vow he’d always be in her life, always be her closest friend.

  Daniel scrubbed his body clean, praying the lingering arousal brought on by the dream would be washed down the drain with the soapy water. He didn’t hold much hope. All he need do was think about Amy and he’d be hard again.

  Of course he promised her—and he never went back on his word. But now it was time to take their friendship to a new level, to a more meaningful one. The last three months had taught him life was too short to screw around. He learned if he wanted something, he had to go after it, grab it and hold on for dear life. It was time to act on the feelings he developed as a teenager. Only he intended to turn them into very adult actions.

  There was just one problem.

  Amy didn’t return his feelings. Convincing her to fall in love with him was going to be the most difficult—and most important—task Daniel had ever undertaken. He damn well better not fail.

  She was too comfortable in their platonic friendship. Too freaked out by men in general to consider him anything more than her best mate. And way too sure he was incapable of commitment.

  Up until a couple of months ago she would have been right. Commitment to another woman had never been his thing. He thoroughly enjoyed his bachelor years—in fact, thrived on them. So much so, he put his feelings for Amy aside and got on with his life. Good sex and short flings had fulfilled every desire, every need he had. But now everything was different. Now Amy was the only one he wanted. He just had to prove it to her.

  She’d never believe him. The irony was, if she ever got wind of what he thought about her, she’d hightail it out of his life before he had a chance to act. Sure, she loved him…like the proverbial brother. That’s all he was to her—her best friend. Which was okay for the time being. Anything more than that would scare the living wits out of her. Since Simon the asshole had cheated on her, she was pissed off at men in general. Not surprising really since Simon’s behavior mirrored her father’s actions of several years before.

  Simon’s infidelity had reinforced every tiny bit of insecurity Amy experienced as a child, watching her father first cheat on her mother several times over and then abandon his wife and daughter.

  Although terrified of taking a chance, Amy had put her fear of betrayal aside, and poured her soul into loving and trusting Simon. In return he’d left her with nothing but heartache and doubt, just like her father had. Two men, both central and significant figures in her life, had both turned into unfaithful, disloyal bastards.

  Daniel gritted his teeth. Christ, he despised Simon. Always had. But he’d put his feelings aside so as not to hurt Amy—who’d seriously loved the asshole. Daniel was not a violent man by nature, but if Amy had not held him back, he would have happily rearranged the turd’s face after the incident.

  No wonder Amy was terrified of believing in another man. The only reason she spoke to Daniel was because he was just her friend. She didn’t judge him, she simply accepted him. Daniel. Her friend. Period.

  How could he explain that the last three months had changed him? That memories he’d put aside decades ago, issues he’d sorted out as a boy, had come careening back, devastating him with their clarity? Would Amy understand that after speaking to one young child, he’d been hit by an epiphany? That the child had made him see life from a very different perspective, that she’d helped him choose a very different future from the one he’d been heading towards.

  He’d asked himself these questions—repeatedly. Now he knew the answers, he knew what had to be done.

  Feeling decidedly less agitated, he switched off the shower, grabbed a towel and dried himself off. He had a plan and it was time to implement it. Daniel walked to the phone and dialed his sister.

  Without preamble, he launched straight into conversation when she picked up. “Hey, Lex. Remember that conversation you and I had a few days ago? The one about Amy?”

  “Mm-hmm,” came Lexi’s sleepy response on the other end of the line. “How could I forget?”

  “I’m ready to put my plan into action.”

  “You are?” Her voice was alert now.

  “Yes. The question is, are you?”

  “I’ll need a little time. Can you give me a week?”

  “I’ll give you two. Maybe we can make it coincide with your birthday?”

  Daniel could almost see her nod as she answered. “Good idea.”

  “Great. Now, one thing. Don’t tell Mum. You know her. She’ll be arranging a wedding before you’ve even put the phone down.”

  “Can I at least tell Sarah?”

  Daniel blanched at the thought of her telling their older sister. “Hell no. She’d pack up Ben’s old cot and his entire baby wardrobe and deposit them all at my flat by sunset.”

  Lexi laughed then her tone became serious. “You sure you’re ready for this, Danno? We both know your plan could backfire.”

  A muscle worked in his jaw. He knew well the risk he was taking. If his plan was successful, Amy would be his best friend and lover. If his plan failed, Amy could wind up being neither.

  The thought made him sick to his stomach.

  “I’m ready for this.” It was true. He’d never been more ready for anything in his life.

  There was a moment of silence on the line and then Lexi spoke again. “Right…sounds like your mind’s made up, so let’s stop wasting time. We’ve a seduction to plan. I don’t care how long it takes—I intend to see it through to the end.”

  Daniel felt the tension in his ribs ease. He even managed to smile. “I appreciate your help, Lex. But if this ends the way I intend it to, you most definitely will not be there to see it.”

  Lexi snorted. “Can I at least be a bridesmaid?”

  “Now you sound like Mum and Sarah. Get out of bed. It�
�s time to go to the hospital. You have work to do.”

  Daniel heard the grin in Lexi’s voice. “Yes, I do. And for a change it has nothing to do with sick children.”

  He said goodbye with a smile and severed the connection. With the help of his sister, Daniel was about to change his own future and that of his best friend, the woman he loved, irrevocably.

  “Hold on tight, Amy Morgan,” he said out loud. “You’re in for the ride of your life.”

  Chapter Two

  Daniel sat at a café table on the Tamarama beachside promenade in Sydney. Ever aware of the possibility of a good photograph, he scanned his surroundings with a practiced eye. On the steep concrete driveway leading down from the road, he found what he was looking for. His heart beat a little faster and his body tightened in anticipation.

  She was stunning. He caught a glimpse of a shapely leg between her skirt and the long black boots of her professionally matched outfit. But it was the high, round breasts and fuck-me curves that really grabbed his attention.

  Her long, straight hair streamed behind her in the breeze, the glare from the winter sun tinting it a coppery brown. Sunglasses, perched on a small button nose, hid her eyes. Full lips moved seductively as she spoke into her cell phone.

  His groin stirred.

  He lifted his ever-present camera as his photographer’s instincts took over and zoomed in, focusing on the flawless skin of her face. He waited until she faced him, stared at his lens before he took the photograph. Several more were taken in quick succession, capturing her startled look, then annoyance, then finally determination, highlighted by the purse of her lips and set of her jaw.

  She was pissed off.

  He watched through his Nikon lens as she clicked her phone shut and marched over to him. When she stood a few steps away, her proximity blurred the image, forcing him to lower the camera. She was close enough that the scent of vanilla, fresh and subtle, hit his nose.

  “Did you just take a photo of me?” Her voice was soft and sexy and very irritated.