Must Be Love: (Nicole and Ryan) (A Jetty Beach Romance Book 1) by Claire Kingsley Read Free Book Online Page A

goodness for that," he says. "Fortunately, a lot of my clients are willing to come here for me to shoot them. That's why I bought the church. The unique architecture is a selling point. My clients love it. Plus, I can travel when I need to."
    I want to ask him why he moved back to the beach. It seems like he had a promising career. What would have brought him back here?
    "So, the lights are over here," Ryan says, before I can ask any more questions.
    I glance one more time at Ryan's photos, imagining him talking the women through their photo shoots. How did he get them to look so … stirring? The woman on the chaise looks like she might be getting ready to have an orgasm. She doesn’t have an exaggerated oh-baby-do-it-now face—she looks relaxed, her eyelids fluttering closed, her lips parted, like she’s experiencing sublime bliss. Did Ryan do that? Or is she simply an experienced model who knows how to put on the right expression?
    I've never been a switch hitter, but the woman's expression and the languid drape of her arms makes my heart beat faster. I tear my gaze away, not wanting to make my face turn red. It’s probably too late for that. Thankfully Ryan's studio is chilly, or it would be worse. I follow him through a doorway on the other side of the room, resisting the urge to fan myself as I walk.
    A rectangular room, clearly his living space, opens up. The ceiling is high, but flat instead of pitched. Another window has an equally spectacular view of the beach. There’s a little kitchen area along one side, and he has a couch and armchair facing a TV mounted to the wall. But the bulk of the room is dominated by a huge king sized bed. In true guy fashion, it’s plain, with just a green comforter and a couple of pillows, all slightly askew.
    I arch an eyebrow as I look at the bed. "What family do you share that with?"
    His eyes dart to the bed and he gives me that lopsided smile again. For half a second, I imagine lying in the center of that huge bed, Ryan crawling on top of me.
    "I like my space when I sleep," he says.
    I clear my throat, suddenly wishing I hadn't called attention to the bed.
    Ryan grabs what looks like a black suitcase. "These are the lights. They're similar to the ones out in the studio, but they're meant to be portable."
    "Great, that will be perfect."
    He hesitates, his eyes on my face. A tingle runs down my spine.
    Suddenly even more conscious of the bed, I duck through the doorway back into the studio. My brain tells me to head for the front door, but I move to one of the windows instead. What am I doing, lingering here?
    I hear him set down the black case, and he moves to stand behind me.
    "Beautiful." His voice is quiet—soft and low.
    "It is," I say. "I can see why you wanted this place."
    "Mm hmm." He murmurs something I can’t quite make out.
    I turn to ask him what he said, but he’s standing so close, the words flee before I can speak. His gaze is intense, and the line between his eyes furrow.
    My heart flutters and my stomach does a little somersault. I tilt my chin up and part my lips. He leans in, almost imperceptibly, the intensity never leaving his expression. I draw in a quick breath, waiting, my body coming alive. I’m stuck, frozen, the rest of the world ceasing to exist. There’s nothing but his eyes on my face, piercing and eager.
    The front door flies open. "Hey, jackass, you home?"
    Ryan steps back and I feel blood rush to my face.
    "Don't you knock?" Ryan asks.
    Ryan's older brother Cody walks in, shutting the door behind him. "Sorry, man, I didn't know you had company."
    "The other car in the driveway wasn't a clue?" Ryan asks.
    I blink hard and take a deep breath, hoping I don’t look as stunned as I feel. What just happened?
    "Cody, you remember Nicole Prescott?" Ryan says, gesturing to me.
    "Yeah, sure," Cody says, walking over to shake my hand. The family resemblance is obvious. He has the same dark hair and green eyes, although his is cut shorter. He wears a