Twisted Hunger (47 page)

The “bitch” halted abruptly outside the bedroom door as she heard her husband’s voice. Teri Carmichael Gambini had been working in her studio over the garage when she spilled coffee on her blouse and decided to change. Closing her mind to the possibilities Rico’s final words suggested, the petite brunette stealthily retreated. She knew from past experience that confronting him would only waste energy she couldn’t afford to lose today. Their arguments, which had increased in number the past few months, always left her vibrating with anger and frustration, not exactly a state conducive to creativity.

Obviously, Rico was in trouble again—gambling trouble—and he expected to convince her to bail him out…
again
. At least now she understood what was behind his recent efforts to charm her. If she hadn’t overheard him just now, it probably would have worked too. But it was all a lie… again.

The difference this time was that he’d used up his second and a third chance with her. She was done bailing him out. She was done walking on eggshells around his hot temper. She was finally done with him. All that was left was the paperwork.

She paused outside the detached garage of their White Plains home. Selena, the sole model for her current project, was already in the studio and Teri wanted to compose herself before going up there.

She felt a soft pressure against her calf and glanced down. “Well, hello there.” Kneeling, she stroked the unfamiliar cat’s gray and black fur and frowned when her fingers detected rib bones too close to the surface. “Poor baby. You’ve been wandering a long time, haven’t you?” The stray looked directly into her eyes, cocked its head and let out a loud meow. “You’re lucky summer came early this year. I suppose the others told you where you could find a free meal.”

The response was a shy purr that made her smile. “Well, you seem polite enough, but we have rules here. No digging in the garden and stay away from the bird feeders in the backyard. If I find out you’re bothering my birds, you won’t be welcome back for breakfast. Got it?”

With a graceful arch of its back, the cat nuzzled Teri’s palm once more, then took off around the side of the garage where cat food was always set out. Because of Rico’s allergies, she couldn’t have animals in the house, but there were plenty outside that had grown accustomed to her attention.

Substitute children.
For the thousandth time she wondered if it would have made a difference if she and Rico had been able to have a baby. Her inability to conceive was only one of the thorns that had pricked his male ego, but it was a sizable one. Regardless of the fact that the doctors she went to gave her a clean bill of health, Rico blamed her. He refused to be tested since he had no doubts about his manhood. And he wouldn’t consider adoption as an alternative. And now, at thirty-seven, her options were drifting away.

With an audible sigh, she turned her thoughts to the young woman waiting upstairs, another lonely stray. Teri had chosen her six months back based on an agency comp card and was thrilled when she met her in person. Five foot eleven, with a voluptuous body and straight, waist-length, platinum hair, Selena’s skin was the most flawless and palest she’d ever seen. The only characteristic that kept her from looking like an albino were her catlike green-blue eyes, but even that touch of color was strangely translucent. Overall she had a haunted, mysterious look that Teri had taken advantage of in her last project.

She had used Selena as a ghostly apparition in the background of each of her ten
Women in History
paintings currently being exhibited by the Forsythe Gallery in Manhattan. Her new project was even more daring as she intended to use pieces of Selena disguised in various everyday settings. Her plan was to combine photography and oils but so far she hadn’t managed to get the idea out of her head and properly onto canvas in a satisfactory way.

Between the
History
series and the new idea, she and Selena had been spending a lot of time together. She was sweet and easy to work with, and they developed a comfortable, personal relationship, even though Teri was sixteen years older. Or perhaps the relationship blossomed because of that age difference.

As Teri expected, Selena’s exotic features bore a worried look when she reentered the studio. She didn’t care for being left alone.

“I thought you were changing. What happened?”

Teri grimaced at the dried beige stain on her white shirt, then fussed with the short ponytail at the base of her neck. “Oh, yes. I, uh, got distracted and forgot all about it.”

“That’s not like you. Rico’s home today, isn’t he? What did he do, pick another fight?”

Selena’s breathy voice was gentle, but the way she straightened her shoulders and lifted her chin made her look as though she was prepared to knock a few teeth out of the man if asked. Teri shook her head and changed the subject. “It wasn’t important. Anyway, I wanted to tell you about something I’m going to try. I have a photographer coming to take some pictures of you.”

“A photographer? I don’t understand. You’ve been taking lots of pictures for weeks. I thought it was only supposed to be the two of us.”

Selena’s whispery voice had altered to a girlish whine, a sure sign the change of plans did not sit well with her. Her whine was the only thing about Selena that was truly annoying to Teri.

“You’re right. That was the plan. But photography isn’t my forte and I just haven’t been able to get the look I was going for. This man is new, but he was highly recommended by Ann, the manager at the Forsythe Gallery.”

Selena made a little pout. “Male photographers make me uncomfortable. They all have this kinky idea that female models should think of the camera as a sex organ. If you really need to bring someone in, can’t you find a female?”

Teri knew Selena wouldn’t be happy about the new arrangement. It was why she hadn’t told her about the photographer in advance. Selena’s agent had told her that when the girl first arrived in New York City a year ago, her exceptional looks had caused a flurry of excitement at the agencies. Unfortunately, although she had moved to the big city to seek a career in modeling, she was intimidated by the hustle and demands of the business. She had also had several incidents while working with some of the men.

Once she modeled for Teri a few times, she stopped accepting assignments elsewhere. Apparently, money wasn’t an issue, because Teri only needed her a few hours a week and only paid scale. Yet Selena was renting an expensive apartment in Manhattan, as well as garage space for her Cadillac, which she insisted on keeping for the drive back and forth to White Plains.

Teri stepped closer and placed her hand on Selena’s shoulder. “Look, I promise to keep your feelings in mind, but try to understand my side of it. I really want to do this new series with you. And to do it right, I think I need someone else to do the photographic part. But I promise, if he makes one wrong move around you, I’ll fire him and look for a female.”

Selena brightened immediately, but before she could say anything, there was a knock at the door.

Teri quickly opened the door but it took her a moment to get over the surprise of the man standing there. From a black cowboy hat to worn, gray snakeskin boots, he had the western look down pat. The thing was, it didn’t look like a
look
. On him, it looked… sexy as hell. Noting the expensive camera around his neck and the leather photographer’s case slung over his shoulder, Teri ended her nearly rude appraisal. “You must be Drew Marshall.”

He touched the brim of his hat. “Ma’am.”

“I’m Teri Carmichael. Come in, please.” As soon as she introduced him to Selena, she noted the unsmiling glance Selena spared the photographer and prayed that she would not choose this session to start being uncooperative.

To Drew she said, “I understand you’ve never done this type of photo shoot before, so I hope you won’t object to a few suggestions.”

He smiled, a genuinely nice smile that revealed straight white teeth. “Not at all, ma’am. In fact, I was countin’ on it.”

His voice had a deep pitch and hint of a drawl that suggested his home state flag had a lone star on it. As Teri began explaining her concept and what she wanted him to do, he removed his hat and ran his fingers through his thick hair. The streaks of salt in the ground pepper color and the creases at the corners of his brown eyes gave evidence of a man who’d seen his fortieth birthday or had a rough time of what years he did have behind him.

A few of the male models Teri worked with, had such perfect features, they could be described as beautiful. They were always careful not to smile too broadly for fear of creating a wrinkle in their boyish complexions.

She found herself appraising Drew again as he walked around the room, checking the lighting from different angles. As attractive as she found him, he would never make it as a model—his features were a bit too harsh for the camera. But he had an interesting face, one she’d like to paint… or get to know. As if he sensed her thoughts, he glanced over at her and grinned.

“I’ve got to tell you, Miz Carmichael, I was fascinated with your exhibition.”

Teri raised her eyebrows and ignored Selena’s little snort. “Please call me Teri. You went by the gallery?”

His grin slanted a bit. “I thought it might help if I had an idea of your style. The article in
New York Weekly
called you one of the most talented artists of the century.”

“She’s also an excellent photographer,” Selena added proudly, “Which is why she’s never bothered to use
outsiders
before.”

Drew appeared not to have noticed the contempt in Selena’s voice and simply told Teri, “As I said before, I welcome any advice you might have. Ann told me you could teach me a few things.”

“You must be better acquainted with her than she let on.”

He gave a small shrug. “We’re cousins. She also told me to be on my best behavior because you were a very nice lady.”

Teri laughed and was very tempted to keep up the light banter. It felt so good to relax for a moment, but there was something about the way he was looking at her that set off a distant alarm in her mind. Instead of responding, she turned toward Selena. “I don’t want you to pose. Just relax, sit, stand, walk around, examine things. Drew, since I’m not entirely sure what I’m looking for until I see it, how about if you just snap anything your eye finds interesting today?”

Teri rolled her padded stool to a corner and sat down to watch the two of them. Ann had been right. Drew did impress her. He might not have done this sort of thing before, but his experience with a camera showed.

Selena had dressed as Teri requested—with minimal coverage. She didn’t want clothing in any of the shots and, although she knew Selena had no problem walking around nude for her, she didn’t think that was best for this first shoot with a male photographer. So she was wearing extremely small shorts and a fitted tank top that didn’t quite reach her navel. Since they were both a pale shade of pink, she practically looked naked anyway.

She hadn’t needed to be concerned about how the photographer would react to such a stunning and sexy beauty. The only time Drew looked at her was through his camera.

Every so often Teri thought she saw Selena flash him a dirty look, but she figured Selena would come around if he continued to be a gentleman and she encouraged her to give the man a break. No sooner did that thought occur than Drew upset the calm.

“
Freeze
,” he ordered Selena abruptly. She was professional enough to obey. “I apologize, but right there, with the light coming through that window… Do you see it, Miz, uh, Teri?”

Teri stared at Selena but saw nothing unusual. “See what?”

“C’mere. Quick.” Without removing the camera strap from his neck, he held it away from his chest for Teri to look into.

One moment she was concentrating on finding what he saw, and the next she was aware only of the man next to her. His hand rested lightly on her lower back and, as his head dipped to align his sight with hers, warm breath caressed her cheek. Swallowing hard, she forced herself not to jump away. It had been so long since any man, including Rico, had lit a spark within her. It had been even longer since a man looked at her the way Drew had when he was complimenting her work earlier. Curious. Interested.
Attracted.

And she had checked him out without realizing that was what she was doing. Good Lord. Another man was the last thing she needed. Allowing mindless hormones to screw up her life once was more than enough. She was thinking this would have to be a one-time hire when she saw what he had wanted to show her.

Teri stepped away as smoothly as she could. “It looked like a laser beam was coming out of her eye. That was an incredible catch.”

His smile showed how much he appreciated her praise. “You could probably do something similar with computer graphics but—”

“Not me. The computer and I are
not
friends. I’m very old-fashioned about my art.”

His smile went a little crooked as he met her gaze in a more personal way. “Aah, an old-fashioned girl, just—”

“
Ahem,
” Selena cut in loudly. “Can I move yet?”

“Oh, of course,” Drew said quickly. “Sorry.”

Teri returned to her post as they got back to the shoot. She felt anxious, in a teenage girl twittery sort of way. Her thoughts went back to replacing Drew after today, but if what she just saw in his camera’s eye was a sample of the shots he was getting, she wouldn’t find someone better. Surely there would be no harm in doing one more session together. In the meantime, she would be certain to mention her marital status and take care not to stare at him too openly.