Page 4 of Snapping the Ice
“No.” He dropped the camera to his side, a dimple forming in one cheek with his wide smile. “Have you ever posed for a camera?”
I cocked my head. “Sure, for like, graduation photos and shit.” I stood tall, angled myself to him, and then smiled. It felteasy with him now. Was he enjoying hanging out with me as much as I was enjoying him?
“No smile.” He freed a short laugh. “You’re supposed to look tough.” He stepped to me, grabbed my shoulders and moved my body flush to his. “There, now no smiling. Furrow your brow a bit.” He held his camera to my face.
I brought my brows together and gazed into the lens. Why was he still so close? “Aren’t you supposed to be taking photos of my exceptional hockey bod?”
“Yes, but you have such a handsome face, I can’t help it.” He snapped a few close-up shots and stepped back, then peered into the screen on the back of his camera. “I’ll edit these and give them to you when the job is over. Okay?” His gaze found mine. “You can give them to your girlfriend.”
“I don’t have a girlfriend.” No time for relationships when you’re focused on a spot in the major leagues and travelling all the time. “But I’m sure my mom will love them. She’s got a wall of photos at our house in Connecticut with pictures of me and my brother.”
“Yeah?” He huffed a sigh. “I don’t think my parents have any photos of me anymore.” His face went slack. “Okay, just move around a bit like you naturally would.”
I’d lost him. Could I ask him more about his family, or would that be imposing? I positioned myself the same way I had with promos with my gear on and he snapped shots.
An hour later, we’d barely spoken, and he’d taken about a million pictures of me.
Evan entered, drink in hand. “Got you a protein smoothie.” He held it up. “The coffee shop sold these too.” He struttedto us.
“Okay, you can get dressed now, Lucas.” Ezra focused on Evan. “I’ll do your hair and makeup first.”
“Okay, but no eyeliner. I see what you did to Lucas.” Evan sniggered and handed me the smoothie. “How was it?”
“It was fun.” I glanced at Ezra, popping something open in the camera. “Right. Ez? It was fun.”
He stared at me, and his gaze hardened. “Ezra.”
“Oh, sorry.” Fuck, now I’d done it. I sipped my smoothie from a straw poking through the lid, and the sweet and cold mixture filled my mouth. Strawberry and banana, my favorite. Since I’d driven here with Evan, I’d have to wait through his shoot before I could go home. This might suck.
“It’s okay.” Ezra stuffed a memory card into the camera, shut it, and placed it on the table. “Have a seat at one of the makeup stations, Evan.”
“Sure,” Evan said before sitting in the chair on the left and brushing a lock of hair off his forehead.
Ezra twisted Evan in the chair to face him and primped his hair, then sprayed it with product.
With a sigh, I sat in the other chair and watched them. As Ezra bent over Evan, my gaze fell to his rounded ass. Why had I mistaken him for a woman? It must have been the hair.
“What sort of poses did you do, Hopkins?” Evan asked while Ezra worked on his face.
“I don’t know. I just stood there and moved around.” I drank more of my smoothie. Rather than sitting here bored, might as well chirp on Evan. “You’re such a poser already. I’m sure you’ll do fine.”
“Of course I will. I’m going to kill it. Just like everything else.” Evan barked out a laugh.
“Can you hold still for me, please?” Ezra powered Evan’s cheeks with blush.
“What the hell are you doing to me? I won’t look like a girl, will I?” Evan scoffed.
Straightening his spine and holding the brush, Ezra said, “No, it would take a hell of a lot more makeup to make you look anything remotely feminine.”
“Yeah? Thanks, man.” Evan smirked and peeked at me. “Not him though.” He pointed at me.
“Dude…” Shaking my head, a short laugh tore from me. I needed a good comeback. I couldn’t let Evan show me up in front of Ezra.
“That wasn’t a compliment.” With a soft huff, Ezra added beige powder to Evan’s face.
I stared at Ezra. He’d been praising my appearance the whole time we’d worked together. Maybe he actually found me attractive? My stomach fluttered. Why did I care so much?
“Okay, let’s get you dressed.” Ezra stepped back from Evan, flicking a glance at me, and strolled to his camera.
