Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Wisteria

Before I can take my next breath… I'm being kissed.

And not just kissed, but good and kissed. It takes me a couple of moments of mindlessness to realize I need to at least pretend like I know what I am doing. It's not like I haven't read about this enough times or seen it in hundreds of movies.

But having this massive beast of a man take me in his arms and dip me after he captures my lips with his own has my heart coming up in my throat and my brain ceasing to function properly. It takes me longer than it probably should before I start mimicking his actions back to him, skimming my mouth over his and moving my lips the same way he does against my own.

I have no idea how long we kiss before he pulls away from me. It takes me a few more seconds before I open my eyes to find him looking down at me. His tongue comes out to run back and forth over his bottom lip like he can still taste me on his mouth. The thought causes heat to hit my cheeks.

"They seem pretty swollen now."

"Holy mother of kismet! I'm going to be renowned. This is perfect."

I slide widened eyes over to find the photographer snapping away. Oh, my fucking god! Was he…? The entire time?

"Oh, and look at me, Wisteria. Give me those eyes, baby."

"Hey!"

"Babe. Babe. Definitely not baby in a sexual way. I'm an artist, not a fighter. She's totally yours, big boy. All yours."

"What?"

"Nothing, smile for the camera, Winnie." Banner instructs me and instead of asking more questions, I let it go for now. The faster I get this over with, the faster I can put space between the two of us. I give the camera my best practiced looks and as soon as I hear the photographer call for the next one, I am springing away from Banner.

"Um, I… I think I need a break. You can do Banner's solo pics now, right?"

"One more Wisteria. I realize I've run you around everywhere all day today but give me just one more."

"Um, okay." I take a big breath to calm myself and turn so the girls doing my hair and makeup can reach me more easily. If I'm lucky maybe it will be just me… alone.

"This time, I want you two lying in the sand. I like the no-shirt look, Banner. Let's keep that but can we undo the top of your pants a little bit and fold them down."

Oh my God! I turn so my back is to Banner lying in the sand.

"Okay, now I want you, Wisteria, to come and lay on top of him with your legs on either side of him."

"Oh, um…alright." I try really quickly to figure out the best way to…mount him.

"But your legs on either side of me, Winnie."

"Oh, uh, okay."

"And sit."

My eyes widen. "Are…are you sure? I'm… I might be kind of heavy…"

"Sit."

"Yeah, okay."

I try to gingerly lower myself on top of him but halfway down he grabs my hips and jerks me to him.

"Oh, uh, okay."

"And lay. Lay. Yes. Lay down on him so I can start."

I turn to look at the guy and he starts shooting again.

"Or just…keep doing that. Banner, move your hand… perfect."

His hand comes up to rest on the outside of my thigh.

"Babe, put your hands on his chest."

I do without having to be asked again or even couched. The quicker I do these stupid pictures, the quicker I get to walk away from all of this.

"Okay, lean forward just a little bit."

I do what he asks, the move naturally squeezing my breasts together. The guy starts snapping away.

"Oh yeah, looking at her is even better than having both of you look at me."

My eyes widen. Banner's looking at me? If he's looking at me, he's probably getting a pretty good view of my boobs right now. Without meaning to, I find myself looking down at him.

"Hell yes. Hell yes! Oh my God! These pictures… they are going to be my greatest masterpiece. I'm going to go down in history."

"Are you crying, sir?"

"I'm an artist, it's expected." He sniffs and refocuses. "Now lay down fully on him."

I ungraciously flop on him and let the assistants move me how they want me. They place his hand back on my leg and his other one on my lower back. They fan my hair out so it's covering me and him but not his hands.

"Okay let's crank up the sexy a little." Wait, what? "Put your hand… oh, that's perfect."

The heat of his hand burns through the material of my bathing suit bottom. He's lowered his hand but it's so big a lot of his palm is touching bare skin. I fight the urge to squirm under his touch and instead focus on the photographer. I barely breathe.

"Do you think we could maybe lose the top? Yes? No? Okay. No problems. Just checking to see. These are good enough. And… you all are free to go. It has been an absolute pleasure."

I'm up off him and in the tent struggling with my clothes before Banner can even sit up. Halfway through pulling my jeans back on I have to stop and calm my raging nerves. Holy… I was just lying on top of Banner Arden. And his pants were unbuttoned. How am I ever going to be normal again?