How to Love by Kelly Jamieson

frame and hang in the gallery. But in the last couple of weeks, she’d sold more of her nudes and even after bringing out a few framed ones she’d kept in the back, her selection had seriously dwindled.
    She could go back into her files and pick more images from the shoots she’d already done. She always took a lot of photos, so there were many to choose from, but she tried to limit the number of prints of each image she sold, to make them a little more special. She sighed.
    “What’s wrong?” Mike asked.
    Shit. She’d sighed out loud. “Nothing.”
    “Why, Jules?”
    She blinked at him, her fingers playing with a fork on the table. “Why what?”
    “Why is it so important to you? I know it’s not because I’m so spectacularly good looking.”
    She gave him a lopsided smile. “Yes, you are.”
    He snorted. “Seriously.”
    She dropped her gaze to the tablecloth. “It’s not that big a deal. I’d just like some fresh material for the gallery.”
    He reached across and stilled her fingers where they fluttered over the cutlery. “Jules.”
    She watched his big, tanned hand curl over her smaller fingers. The warmth of his skin seeped into her hand and she felt his strength. It was nice.
    “Look at me.”
    She lifted her gaze, a little surprised at his command. She met his eyes, dark tonight in the dimly lit restaurant.
    “Why are you avoiding answering me about this?”
    She gave him what she hoped was one of her mocking smiles. “Avoiding you? Why would I do that?”
    “That’s what I want to know. You keep saying it’s not a big deal, and yet…I get the feeling it’s important to you. I just want to know why.”
    “Will it help convince you to do it?” She kept her lips curled into that smile.
    The server arrived to clear away the empty plate of the dessert they’d just shared. After an incredible dinner of tequila lime prawns and chili chocolate chicken, they’d shared creamy cheesecake flavored with chai tea, cinnamon, ginger and cloves. Not only had the food been amazing, but it seemed like the last two and a half hours had sped by with all the conversation and laughter. But now he was asking those questions again, like he did sometimes, asking her about things she didn’t want to talk about.
    “I don’t know,” he said. “You know I feel weird about it.”
    “Yes.”
    “I’m sure you could find a hundred guys who’d want to take their clothes off for you.”
    Her smile widened. “Probably true. But they don’t want their pictures taken either.”
    A shadow passed over his eyes and his mouth firmed. Was it because he didn’t like the idea of her being with other guys? That was never a good sign.
    “Are you ready to go?” he asked abruptly.
    “Yes.” Oh yes. All through dinner she’d wanted to go back to her place and finish what he’d started. But suddenly the vibe between them had changed from relaxed and sexy fun to stiff and tense. Shit. She’d figured for sure she was going to get lucky tonight and now she’d ruined it.
    She pushed back her chair but not before he’d already come around to help her. Such a gentleman. There weren’t many guys who treated her so…carefully. Considerate, gentle…respectful. It was enough to make her feel all soft and mushy.
    She hardened her heart as they walked out of the elegant restaurant, Mike’s hand warm on the small of her back. Mike was the kind of guy she shouldn’t get involved with, but the weird thing was, over the last two weeks he hadn’t even made a move on her until that kiss last night after the movie. She’d started to let her guard down, to feel at ease with him. She liked him. And hell yeah, she wanted to sleep with him.
    So even though she had a little flutter of nerves inside her at the thought of getting involved with him, she’d been all set to do the mattress mambo with him. And looking forward to it. Now, disappointment filtered down through her.
    Outside in the cool night air scented with the tang of the