JT is a top model for book covers. Burned once already in love, however, he wants nothing to do with another cover model. None can be trusted, until he meets a brown skinned beauty who's shy about posing in the nude--a novelty in his world, and as genuine as she seems. How could he not fall in love with her?
Tina is a top fashion model, accustomed to strutting her stuff on the runways of the world, but usually all the interesting parts of her body are appropriately covered. When her twin sister, a famous model, has a severe allergic reaction, she fills in on a book cover shoot. Little did she realize she'd been shot in the nude with the sexiest man alive, and he'd want her in ways she never dared to imagine.
Chapter 1
“You have to the count of ten to get the fuck out of my bed and out of my house!”
TJ ignored the couple scrambling to grab the covers as he rounded the bed to the night table. He yanked open the drawer and took out the red velvet box holding what represented, until a minute ago, a new life with the woman he loved. Not any more.
TJ ripped the box open and pulled out the six-carat diamond engagement ring. “This isn’t worth shit now.” Holding it up, the woman gasped at the sight and he almost shoved it down Kelly’s throat.
He wanted to surprise her. Instead he stood there with egg on his face. TJ threw it against the wall, hoping against hope it would shatter, just like his dreams. “And you…” He glared down at his personal Brutus.
Bad enough the woman he thought understood him, his profession, his soul mate, the one he laughed with had cheated on him. But with his best friend, his roommate—and PR man! Damn! They grew up together.
“Hey TJ, it’s not what it….”
Before Lawrence could form the rest of the words, TJ grabbed him by the throat, yanked him out off the bed and held him against the wall with one hand. “Don’t…even…go there,” he hissed, before shoving him to the middle of the room. “You both have five minutes, and the only thing I want to see is the back of your asses heading out the door.”
TJ got the hell out of the bedroom and made his way to the living room, frantically searching . He frantically searched the drawer of his coffee table for a pack of cigarettes. Slamming He slammed the drawer shut when he remembered he quit smoking four months ago. All for her. It wasn’t so much his health. He wanted to be healthy for her and whatever children they might eventually have. He wanted to be the sensitive considerate guy, for her. He wanted to be the perfect lover, the provider, everything—for her.
Not anymore. She proved women were not to be trusted. He decided right then and there, to go back to being the old TJ. The one that did what he wanted to do, answered to no one and was happy.
He whirled around when he heard someone coming up behind him.
“Look, TJ…”
“Don’t Lawrence. I don’t want to hear it. There’s nothing you can say. I’ll send your things to your office in the morning—if I want to touch them. Find another place to stay. And find yourself another client. You’re fired!”
Like a whipped dog, Lawrence held his head down as he walked toward the door. Then Kelly made her appearance. She stood there staring at him.
He could barely stand to look at her. Her clothes looked like she’d just jammed them on and her long red hair hung in messy curls about her head. She looked sexy as sin, like she’d been doing exactly what he caught her doing. It pissed him off all over again. “I know you’re not looking for forgiveness,” TJ stated bitterly.
“No, I was just wondering if you knew how it felt?”
TJ cocked his head. “What?”
“Don’t act dumb.”
She had the nerve to stand there with her hand on her hip and acting indignant now.
“What the hell are you talking about?” He was getting more aggravated by the minute. Kelly standing there was not helping the situation and now she wanted to get into some deep discussion with him.
“All those women you’ve had and still having. I just happen to be a keeper, for now. Oh,
and nice touch with the ring.”
“What the…?”
Kelly walked passed him almost bumping into him. “Come on Larry.” She took Larry’s arm and they left.
What the hell just happened? He had a right to kick out the people he loved most who betrayed him. It still hurt. With their leaving, the wind got knocked out of his sails. And what the hell was Kelly talking about?
What other women? He never looked at another female, even during a session. He would be the first to admit being the number one male cover model in the United States, and perhaps the world, featured on no less than fourteen hundred covers, countless calendars and websites, gave him his choice of women.
But not once had he ever slept with one of the models he’d worked with. Even though he had scores of beautiful women at his disposal, the professional in him never allowed him to take advantage of the situation.
Everyone slept around. It was one of those “known” secrets in the industry. Some even hooked up on a more permanent basis. TJ wouldn’t cross that line. He’d seen too many relationships turn ugly and ultimately compromise a lot of photos.
How can you look lovingly into someone’s eyes after you had a huge brawl the night before?
He personally took a stand against that type of behavior. Until he met Kelly. She appeared to be different from the rest of the cover models. So different, he broke his number one rule.
Kelly seemed smart, together, and had a twisted sense of humor like himself. Falling for her came naturally. She didn’t get caught up in the whole model thing. Just another day at the office, and the men she worked with were her co-workers. The lines some of those guys used to get her attention didn’t seem to impress her. He’d liked that about her.
So what the hell happened?
Lawrence. TJ didn’t think he could ever wrap his head around that betrayal. The bastard knew he was about to pop the question in a few days. Damn! He went with him to pick out the ring!
TJ threw himself in his favorite chair and leaned his head back, staring into space. This didn’t make sense. Or did it? He should have stuck with his principles. He broke his golden rule: don’t hunt in the place you work in, and look what happened.
Never again.
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