Page 75 of Moonstruck at Midnight
All I could see was the massive open-space kitchen, dining room, and two doors on the far end beside the stairs. I couldn’t wait to see the rest of the house, and I was curious about the bathrooms.
Lily came out looking gorgeous. “What should I do for makeup?”
“You don’t need much, perhaps some blush and a bit of this,” I said, taking one of my favorite lipsticks out of my bag. “Just a few taps, so it gives you a rosy tint, that’s it.”
We walked outside, and Ben and Nolan had everything ready for the shoot. I worried about Nolan’s jaw. I feared it would dislocate when he saw Lily walking out of the house.
We agreed to rotate and take a few shots on each location and make a final selection of the presentation’s best twelve photographs.
Lily made it so easy for us to shoot her. She didn’t need any direction and gave us plenty of ideas. It felt like cheating.
After the garden and pond shots, we moved to the beach. We mostly used the golden light reflectors during that part of the shoot. Lily had this idea of going in the water with her dress on. Those shots turned out pretty amazing. Even Ben, who was the collected one, stuttered after Lily walked out of the ocean, looking like a water nymph.
We took a break, so Lily could dry herself and change her outfit. She slipped into another dress and added a hat.
We ordered lunch from a nearby place and took some extra photographs against a cabbage rose shrub backdrop in the garden while Aaron went to pick up the food. We all ate together at the terrace table by the pool, and Lily opened a bottle of wine, which was a great idea because Nolan finally relaxed.
Lily mentioned something about a nearby wheat field and how it could work for the shoot. We spent a while longer in this location as the ideas started flowing once we saw the marvelous place.
After the three of us had the opportunity to shoot Lily there, we went back to the house and took another break. We were waiting for the sunset to take a few last shots. Lily opened another bottle of wine, and I poured myself a third glass of wine. Oops.
We were honestly having a great time just talking, laughing, and commenting about how great the shoot was going to turn out.
My phone buzzed on the table. It was my father. I fled to the garden to take the call. He just wanted to ask how the shoot was going and make sure if I was okay. He also wanted to know at what time we would head back.
For some reason, I didn’t find the courage to ask him if I could spend the night, so I just hung up after telling him we wouldn’t stay for much longer.
I walked back, but Caleb intercepted me.
“Hey,” he said with his bodyguard stance in place. “I just wanted to see how you were doing. Are you having fun?”
“I am,” I replied with a smile. Ugh. Caleb was the sweetest when he wanted to be. And even though a few awkward and unexpected things had happened in the last few days, I knew he cared for me a lot. I cared for him a lot too.
“You look cute when you’re drunk.” He laughed.
Caleb!
“I’m not!” I replied. “And this doesn’t go on the report, okay?”
“Don’t worry. But yes, you are.”
“I swear I’m not drunk.” I stood on one foot and lifted my arms to the sides, showing him how well I could keep my balance.
“I meant cute, Miss Murphy.”
Stop!I honored my nickname when there was nothing I could do to stop myself from blushing. But it’s not like he wasn’t used to it by now. It’s been a while though since he last made me blush.
“You’re lucky I don’t have my body splash with me,” I said, crossing my arms in front of me.
“Why? I didn’t roll my eyes at you.” His hands were still in a tight fist in front of him. He looked so professional. No one would imagine our conversation if they saw us from afar.
“Because maybe that’ll get you to stop—saying stuff.” I tried to hold in a smile with no success whatsoever.
“Okay. Do you want me to stop, Miss Murphy?”
“Yes. And I also want you to stop calling me Miss Murphy.” I snort-laughed. Yeah, the wine wasn’t helping. I usually hated it when he called me Miss Murphy, but when he said itlike that…Whew.
“You don’t seem too convinced. So, what’s it going to be?” he pressed.Why are you doing this to me!I didn’t know what kind of bug bit him. Or perhaps his brain got over oxygenated out here. But he seemed to be enjoying himself at my expense.
