A Picture of Desire by Victoria Hale Page B

philanderer. He likes women. Lots of women.”
    “How do you know that?” Beth asked. She leaned against a stack of boxes, snapping her gum between her professionally whitened teeth. “Do you see him with a lot of girls?”
    “Well, no. Not exactly.” In fact, Ava realized that she had never known him to have a girlfriend throughout the entire year she’d been acquainted with him. But she knew a man as attractive as Todd must get plenty of dates. He exuded sexual energy, and Ava was certain that he found a release for it somewhere on a regular basis.
    “Then set me up,” Beth said, giving Ava a playful tap on the arm. “I could use a date.”
    Ava considered it. She couldn’t think of a reason to deny Beth’s request.
    “Okay,” she relented. “I’m seeing Todd tomorrow night. I’ll mention your name.”
    Beth grinned. “I can’t wait,” she said. “He is one serious hunk of a man.”
     
    ~ ~ ~
     
    Ava stood outside the door of Todd’s apartment, pulling her cardigan tight against her body. She’d chosen her clothing very carefully. She wanted to look nice—it was a photo shoot, after all—but she hadn’t wanted to wear anything that Todd could construe as an invitation for flirtation. After rummaging through her closet for an hour, she’d finally settled on a silk camisole and a peach sweater. She’d finished the outfit with a pencil skirt and a pair of cream kitten heels, although she suspected that most of Todd’s pictures would be of her face. She couldn’t imagine any reason he’d want to photograph her entire body.
    She hesitated for one minute more, wondering if she should heed the warning bells in her head. But her slender finger pushed the doorbell, almost against her will.
    The door opened so quickly that Ava wondered if Todd had known she was standing in the hallway. He leaned against the door jamb, and she silently gulped. His blue shirt was unbuttoned to show just a few curls of chest hair, and the sleeves were rolled to display his strong arms. The predatory grin he offered reminded her of a wolf.
    “Glad you could make it,” he said. “I wasn’t sure if you’d come.”
    Ava frowned. “We had an appointment. I said I would be here. And this is something Ken wants.”
    The corner of Todd’s mouth curled upward in a small smile. “Yes. We mustn’t forget that we’re doing this at my dear brother’s request.”
    Todd moved slightly to the side to permit her to enter his apartment. The space he allowed for her entry was pitifully small. Ava knew she would be forced to brush against his body when she passed him.
    She lifted her head and stiffly walked forward, trying to ignore the feeling of his hard thighs as her buttocks pressed against his leg.
    “This way, Ava,” he said, leading her into his living room. She was surprised by his polite and courteous tone, which was devoid of his usual flirtatious teasing.
    They had socialized only in Ken’s home or restaurants for family events and other gatherings, so Ava glanced around Todd’s apartment with open curiosity. The room was decorated in muted browns and grays. Steel colored throw pillows had been artfully arranged on a beige sofa.
    “Is it what you expected?” Todd asked, noticing her assessment of his home.
    “No,” Ava admitted. It didn’t seem to suit the man she knew. A man like Todd—who exuded masculinity—typically lived in a place that was cold and hard. In Ava’s mind, his furniture should have been glass, metal, and black leather. Instead, the warmth of his sofa beckoned invitingly, and she had to wrap her arms around herself to stop her body from falling into the soft cushions. Her day at work had been long. Her future with the jewelry store was uncertain. And at the moment, Ava wanted nothing more than a comfortable chair and a glass of red wine.
    As if reading her mind, Todd said, “Can I get you something to drink?”
    Ava was again struck by his polite tone. He acted as if she were a guest and