Rising, Freestyle

Chapter Five

Sandbag: To underestimate a route’s difficulties.

Melanie’s eyes grew wide, but it was Derrick’s expression as he peeked over her shoulder that made Nathan the most hopeful. The boyfriend’s gaze shot up to meet Nathan’s, and there wasn’t anger in his eyes, but intense concentration.

“Holy cow, Nathan, you taking pictures for Penthouse or something?” The light joking in Melanie’s voice didn’t disguise her touch of interest. “Because I have to tell you upfront, there’s no way I’ve got the body for this.”

She had no idea, did she? “Mel, that’s bullshit, but that’s not the point. No, it’s not Penthouse, and I swear the intention is not to give teenage boys wet dreams. Think Greek statues, Renaissance painters—this is a celebration of the human body. But I want to show more. I also want to celebrate the human spirit, and that is where you are such a fantastic example.”

She rotated the eight-by-ten she held toward him. It was a shot he’d taken last winter of a female skier, lounging on an emergency blanket in the middle of a snowfield. The black and white proof made the contrasting textures even more stark.

Long smooth lines of skin, the grainy surface of the snow in high relief, the woman’s naked torso reflected like a mirror image on the silvery blanket. Her skis, boots and poles scattered in a heap beside her like a sacrificial-offering pyre. He was proud of the shot, and his model had been even more thrilled.

“This woman is totally naked, Nathan. I’m not posing for you in the buff.”

He held up his hands in surrender. “Didn’t ask you to. But—would you be willing for me to use some artistic license and make it look as if you’re wearing a lot less than you’ve actually got on?”

She narrowed her eyes. “Using computer editing?”

“Nah, good old-fashioned methods of shooting from the correct angle.” Nathan glanced at Derrick. “With a little help from you. Want to try a couple shots then tell me what you think?”

“These aren’t going to Rave. Right?”

“Of course not, and remember, I promised you’ll get to pick the ones I do offer them in the first place. I don’t know which five or six they’ll actually use. I have no control over that, but you’ll know upfront which shots will be possibilities.”

Derrick leaned closer and whispered in Melanie’s ear. Nathan waited as patiently as he could, hoping this wasn’t the moment that the whole idea collapsed around him.

The expression on Melanie’s face wasn’t giving anything away either. Except for her uneven breathing, which he’d noticed happened a lot during the photo shoot. Hell, his own breathing wasn’t much smoother. The chemistry in the room had been enough to make them all hot and horny.

Nathan hadn’t had a steady girlfriend for years. Love them—thoroughly—then leave them happy had become his motto. With his travel schedule there was no other way, and really, it wasn’t that bad a life, being responsible for no one but himself.

Melanie sat up and cleared her throat. “If you take a few shots today, can you develop them and show me what you mean? That way I can decide better what I’m agreeing to.”

Shit, yeah!

“Oh course.” He stood and examined the walls closer. The perfect place to begin? “Stand in the corner and let me grab what I need.”

He deliberately turned away to let Derrick and Melanie have a moment without his attention. He forced himself to breathe and keep his body loose and relaxed. Sporting an erection right now wasn’t the way to keep Mel relaxed.

Oh hell, the images racing through his brain were going to kill him. Just because it seemed he wasn’t going to get any action this trip didn’t mean his body was happy about the fact.

He called over his shoulder as he gathered his gear. “If you can roll the top of your pants down a little, but leave the harness on, that would be great. I want it to look as if there’s nothing on you but the climbing belt. If I shoot from the right angle, all we need is one small twist to your climbing top and a little assistance from Derrick.”

Nathan strolled back to where Melanie waited in the corner where there was a beginner’s climbing route. Back in the day, he’d seen her climb something like this freestyle, no ropes, laughing as she flew past the caution line and made her way to the top unprotected.

He wasn’t going to demand anything that wild.

She stood strategically again, the side of her body with the scars tucked to the wall. Derrick remained close, a fierce guardian. Fine—Nathan had no objection to using the guy to get what he needed. Nathan put the camera away for a moment, then stripped off his shirt.

Melanie’s bright laugh burst out. “Oh my God, Nathan, why are you wearing a bra?”

He grinned at her, thrilled to see the girl he’d been attracted to peeking from her shell. “Demonstrating what I want you do is easier with visuals. I need you to adjust your shoulder straps so that your shoulders are left bare. Like this—”

Nathan twisted and squirmed until all the fabric in the sport bra lay across his chest in a narrow band. He’d picked up the thing at the thrift shop the previous day, and now stood in a ridiculous pose. Her giggle of a response delighted him.

Melanie smiled hard. “You goofball.”

“This must be big-city fashion or something,” Derrick teased, a low rumble of amusement in his tone.

Nathan grinned back. “You’re just jealous that you too don’t have a fine article of clothing such as this to wear.”

“Oh hell, yeah. I’m so envious I’m going to go get my feather boa out of storage.”

Nathan good-naturedly flipped him the finger. The easy banter between them smoothed the tension, and the next thing he knew Melanie had popped out from where she’d hidden behind Derrick, her bra now twisted in imitation of the one he wore.

“Like this?” She cleared her throat. “I don’t…” She blew out a slow breath. “This is tough, Nate. I never knew how tough it would be.”

He stepped forward. “If it’s too much, we can stop.”

She shook her head, but tucked in against Derrick’s side. “I’m okay, just, can I close my eyes or something?”

“Of course.”

Derrick kissed her temple. “Give me a second. I’ve got an idea.”

He snuck away, heading behind the front desk. As soon as he left, Melanie wrapped her arms around herself.

Nathan’s heart was breaking. He hadn’t expected her to be so fragile after all this time. He lowered his voice. “I mean it, monkey, if you want to stop, I have no objections. I’m not going to be pissed off or report you to Katy for banana stealing or anything.”

The pain in her shining eyes contrasted with the stiff determination of her mouth. “I said I’m fine. I want to try. I want to see what the pictures might look like, because I can’t honestly tell you yes or no otherwise.”

He nodded before turning away, removing the sports bra and replacing his T-shirt, trying to make the situation easier. He didn’t look at her until Derrick returned and held out a scarf to Mel.

She took it gingerly. “You’re going to blindfold me?”

Derrick glanced at Nathan. “It shouldn’t matter for these shots if there’s extra fabric in the way, right? They’re just samples for Mel to check out?”

It was brilliant. “I can work around that.”

Mel handed the scarf back to Derrick. “You better stick close, that’s all I’m saying.”

“Like glue, girl, like glue.”

Derrick wrapped the bright blue fabric around her eyes twice before tying it off, the short tails falling down the back of Mel’s head to land on her bare shoulders.

Now that he wasn’t worried about her catching him staring, Nathan allowed himself to finally look his fill. The skimpy line of fabric covering her breasts was no barrier to his appreciation of the firm swells. Her muscular arms and trim waist made him long to be able to smooth his hands over her body and enjoy her more intimately.

A soft cough brought him back to the sudden realization Derrick was probably at that moment planning his demise for openly lusting after Melanie. Only the expression on Derrick’s face was unreadable—his own interest in the woman standing at his side crystal clear in the ridge bulging the front of his pants.

Derrick was just as turned on as Nathan, and Nathan hadn’t a clue what to do.

So he did the only thing he could think of. Picked up his camera and directed Melanie and Derrick into the positions he wanted. He started slowly. After getting Derrick to place Melanie back in the corner, leaning on the wall, Nathan took the simple shots first.

“That’s right. Relax your neck, let your shoulders fall. I’m taking a picture from the neck up, arranging the shot frame with the top edge of your sports bra.”

“I still don’t understand how you think this will produce anything someone will buy for a coffee table. I’m rather ordinary to look at, Nathan, really I am.”

“Bull.” Derrick beat Nathan to the punch this time. “Don’t put yourself down or I’ll make sure you know exactly how attractive you are.”

Nathan’s fingers skittered on the shutter button as he compelled himself to hold the camera steady. Derrick had placed a single finger on Melanie’s throat, hovering over where her heart beat visibly. He dragged his hand downward, stroking softly. Nathan kept clicking, catching her shiver, the resulting line of goose bumps that rose over her arm.

“You don’t have to fit some textbook-model stats to be gorgeous, Melanie. You’ve got grit. You’ve got the most incredible smile. But your body? Hell of a package.” Derrick leaned in and dropped a kiss over her heart and Melanie instinctively arched her back, breasts reaching forward.

Nathan was going to fucking die. He had barely enough brainpower to somehow keep snapping shots.

Melanie cleared her throat. “Derrick—Nate’s watching.”

The words whispered out, chased by her tongue as she licked her lips. The blindfold remained in place. Nathan kept silent, waiting to see what Derrick’s response would be.

“Of course he is, but he doesn’t matter, babe. I’m the one who’s telling you how beautiful you are. Don’t you believe me?”

“I do, but…he’s watching.”

“Doesn’t matter. Pretend he’s not. Pretend there’s no one here but us.”

Derrick stretched his arm across her body and took her lips like a starving man. Melanie snuck one hand up, fingers tangled in Derrick’s hair. Her other hand splayed against the wall as she got caught up in the kiss.

Maybe he was a bastard, but Nathan never stopped taking shots. He dipped to his knees, twisting to achieve the camera angles he needed. While Derrick and Melanie’s lips meshed, their panting breathes echoing off the two-story ceiling, Nathan focused less on big-picture shots and more on revealing a mosaic of flesh and need. The arch of Melanie’s shoulder, the smooth curve of the upper swell of her breast. Derrick’s hand hit the wall next to her torso, the line of his biceps perfectly covering the swatch of fabric over her breasts. The muscular arm appeared as the only thing keeping her upper torso from full exposure to the camera’s lens.

Gorgeous.

In his peripheral vision, Nathan spotted a beam of light inching closer as it fell through the skylight to hit the mat at their feet. Inspiration hit, and Nathan didn’t hesitate.

“Derrick, help Melanie to the floor. Place her in the sun.”

The other man dragged himself away, blinking hard as he fought his way back from the lust-filled creature Nathan had been capturing. Derrick nodded agreement, slipping his hands up Melanie’s torso until he could lift her, taking her to the off-kilter square of brightness marking the center of the gym.

“Nate?”

God, the lost-little-girl sound trembling on her voice was going to kill him. “Don’t worry, monkey, nothing scary is happening. It’s as if you’re back in drama class and you have to pretend to be a tiny little seed. I want you to curl up into as tight a ball as you can.”

She nodded slowly, her fingers still linked with Derrick’s as he stood to her side. “Do you…” She cleared her throat. “Do you want me to take off my top?”

Oh shit. That was so like the Melanie he remembered, attempting to push her own limits far sooner than she needed to. Nathan’s gaze shot to meet Derrick’s. The warning shake of Derrick’s head wasn’t needed. Nathan nodded silently, acknowledging his understanding. She wasn’t ready for more, not today. “Nahh, these are test shots, right? Just plop your butt down and let me take advantage of the light.”

The visible relaxing of her body showed they’d made the right decision. With incredible grace, Melanie sat, pulled her thighs to her chest and wrapped her arms around her shins.

“Do you need me to do anything?” Derrick asked.

Nathan stepped in circles around his subject, working as he spoke. “Not this time. Since it’s just the test shots. Wait—yes, in a second I’ll use your shadow. Okay, Mel, remember that drama-class thing? You’re a seed, and it’s springtime. Let’s see you grow.”

Melanie lifted her head from where she’d buried her face against her knees. Her eyes were still covered, but her smile shone out clear and bright. “Oh, come on, you’re not going to tell me what kind of flower I am? What’s my motivation? Am I a good seed? Or a bad one? I can’t possibly do this kind of improv without more direction.”

Nathan and Derrick both laughed.

“You’re nuts, that’s what you are,” Derrick teased.

“Ahhh, a peanut plant. See, that’s what I mean, Nate. Give me instructions, and I can do anything.”

As if by magic, the high sexual tension and lingering fear that had fogged the space around them for the past couple of hours faded away, and for the next thirty minutes there was nothing but easy camaraderie between them all.

Friends. Nathan finished his work even as he struggled through what was a massive mental change in game plan. It was becoming crystal clear that Derrick and Melanie were more than something casual, and although a part of him still wished he had been the one kissing Melanie senseless earlier, he wasn’t planning on sticking around after this assignment. Fucking up someone else’s life wasn’t something he wanted to take the credit for.

As hard as it was to accept, being friends with Mel was all he was going to get.

Derrick stirred his coffee slowly, the thoughts racing through his brain enough to madden him. The whole photo session had made him harder than a pipe, and there was no way he could simply let it lie. He wasn’t usually the type to get demonstrative in public, yet the rush he’d gotten taking charge of Melanie in front of Nathan had been undeniable.

And that was only the start of the issue.

His normal go-to guy in terms of talking about women and relationships was out of the question. He could just see it now, asking Kane for suggestions about dealing with his sister in regards to sex. Not happening.

So instead, he was going with the back-up help. He made his way over to where Jack sat, his fingers flying over the surface of an iPad.

“Okay, geek boy, put the toys away.”

Jack grinned at him and clicked off a few final buttons. “Ass. Just because you hate technology doesn’t mean the rest of us need to ignore it.”

“Don’t hate it, but I can live without it most of the time. I do love my GPS.”

The sunny outdoor patio was filled with locals and tourists taking advantage of the gorgeous August day. “Jack, got a tough one, and I need some suggestions.”

Jack raised a brow. “Me? You’re talking about a woman situation here? Because you always go to Kane for that kind of thing. I thought I freaked you out.”

“Yeah, but since this involves Melanie, I can’t ask Kane.”

“Right, you two are going out. I hope it’s nothing bad, because while I’m not her brother, I’ll still beat your ass if you’ve done something to hurt her.”

Derrick shook his head. “Things are great, the woman is a goddess, and I have no intention of hurting her. It’s this old friend of the family, Nathan King. Did you hear about him being around?”

“Taking pictures of her for some news article. Kane wasn’t a hundred percent happy about it.”

Oh boy, this was not easy. “Look, I need your honest opinion. You’re involved in a relationship with a woman who is also involved with another guy. How does it work?”

Jack hesitated. “You’re not asking about the physical dynamics are you?”

Now there was a discussion he didn’t want to have with Jack. “Hell, no. I know you and Kane are both doing Dara, and I don’t care if it’s together, from the rafters or painted with whipped cream. It’s the emotional side I’m trying to figure out. I’m not stupid, it’s clear this is more than a fling for you three. It’s not as if you’ve been hiding it in public, especially not over the last few months.”

Resignation and amusement both flashed over Jack’s face. “I must have ‘let’s talk about our deepest feelings’ written on my forehead. Yes, Derrick, spill all your emo questions on me. I’m used to it now, after all this time with Kane.”

Kane? “Really?”

Jack laughed. “Just tell me what’s up.”

Derrick nodded, still slightly disturbed by the image of Kane and Jack having long, deep meaningful conversations, and yet—why was that strange? They would have to talk through some major shit if they were going to survive having three people involved in a relationship.

He pulled himself back to the present. “Here’s the deal—Melanie and I are solid as far as I can tell, but she’s still got issues in terms of body image because of her scars. And yet, up pops this dude from her past, and she’s not only interested, he is as well. And I’m fucking freaking out because instead of wanting to kill him, I’m thinking this is exactly what Melanie needs—to be admired by someone else, and not just me.”

Jack stared out the window at the street for a moment, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. “You do this crap even better than Kane. That’s a tough one. I’m no shrink, but when someone’s been through an incident like Melanie, it makes sense that it’s a long road to full recovery. It’s probably a positive sign that she’s showing an interest in someone. I mean, not that it’s great for you or anything.”

Derrick waved a hand. “I mean it—things are good between us. She confessed to me she had a crush on him way back when. He obviously has an interest in her. He was taking pictures earlier, and the room just screamed with this fuck me tension. Only, I’m wigging out because I’m not…”

He trailed off, not sure how to explain it right.

“Feeling possessive?”

Derrick swore. “I’m fucked in the head, aren’t I?”

Jack laughed. “Well, that makes us even, because I get the same damn reaction every time I catch Kane and Dara getting naked together. I wait for the flare of anger to hit, and when it doesn’t arrive I wonder if my balls are going to shrivel up and fall off in punishment for denying my manhood.”

The picture of totally-in-charge Jack taking a backseat didn’t sit right, but the confession made Derrick’s hope rise. “Really? I’d always thought you meekly sharing a woman seemed crazy.”

“Trust me, there’s nothing meek about it. It pissed me off for the first couple months at times, but now that we’ve been together in a committed relationship for eight months, I’m not sure how we managed before.” Jack held up a hand. “Don’t get me wrong, we still have fights, but considering there are two of us to deal with Dara when she’s hormonal? Much easier than having to figure out a woman all by yourself.”

“I’m not talking about forever, Jack. It just struck me maybe Nathan would be good for Mel short term.”

“Help her know that someone else feels she’s attractive?”

“That kind of thing, yeah.” Derrick laughed at himself. “Insane, right?”

Jack leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. “Actually, no. I mean, it depends on the way you go about this. You’re not talking about taking off for a few weeks and letting the guy bonk her, are you?”

No freaking way. “Screw that. If she’s doing anything, it’s going to be with me there, making sure she’s okay all the time.”

“See, there’s where your situation and ours is different—although I guess our crazy situation began for a similar reason. You’re talking about something that helps you get to the end result that’s best for Melanie. Confidence in herself.”

“Right.”

Jack nodded. “I hear you. The only reason we started our three-way relationship was because it was the best thing for Dara at the time. And then it turned out to be the best thing for us all. Kane officially told his parents last month we’ve got this insane setup going. We’re…” Jack rolled his eyes. “Oh God, it’s fucking contagious. Now I’m the one acting like a girl. The three of us are buying a house together. Dara’s expecting.”

“Holy crap.” Derrick paused, considering. “Congrats.”

Jack’s instant brilliant smile wiped away the question if this was a good announcement—the pregnancy—or not. “Thanks. Keep it under your hat for a bit, though. We just got it confirmed, and Kane wants to be the one to let the rest of his family know. And before you ask, because it’s written all over your face, no, we don’t know who the dad is. Chances are we’ll figure it out when the kid arrives, since Kane and I have such different colouring, but we pretty much don’t care.”

A million questions rolled through Derrick’s brain, none of them related to his real dilemma. “You guys have a lot of guts. It’s not going to be easy, raising a kid in your unique household.”

“It’s going to work, because we’re committed to make it work. Like any long-term relationship.” Jack tilted his head at Derrick. “What about you? If this is serious, you and Melanie, you willing to do what it takes? Your situation isn’t exactly like ours, but it’s still the same question at the root of it.”

No, this wasn’t Jack and Kane’s situation with Dara at all. Derrick was sneakily suspicious he was falling in love with Melanie, and yet having Nathan join in and help show Mel that she was an attractive, vibrant woman in spite of the scars, seemed like the right thing to do for her sake.

The only reason she was doing the photo shoot was to help others. Screw that. She had needs as well, and he was willing to push past his comfort zone and make sure she got whatever it took for her to get that “full life” she longed for. Even if his solution wasn’t typical, adding another guy in the picture might be just the cure needed.

“You’re shitting me.”

Derrick ignored his comment, instead handing over a list. “You can get most of these things at Kane’s shop. I’ll loan you what I can, but you should make sure you have these items that fit properly.”

Nathan swore his mouth flapped like a fish while Derrick went on and on, continuing to list the places in town to find the camping supplies needed for their overnight trip.

Hell, no. That wasn’t where the first part of this conversation was going to stop. Nathan held up a hand, fingers spread in an attempt to arrest Derrick’s rapid info dump.

“Back up, man. What the fuck did you just tell me? Before the camping shit.” Because he really had to be going deaf.

Derrick sighed as he turned back to his desk. “Damn it, don’t make me say it more than once.”

“I think you need to repeat it until it sinks into my brain. Did you just suggest that while we’re out on this trip, I should try to seduce Melanie?”

“Not…seduce. I want her to be able to call all the shots.” Derrick leaned one hip on his desk, tension hovering around him. As if every muscle waited on the edge of exploding. “Level with me—do you find her attractive?”

Nathan reeled back. Just the type of question I want to answer to a seemingly jealous boyfriend with enough muscles to beat me silly. Fine, Derrick was going to ask the tough ones? Nathan went for broke. Maybe he was about to get a fist to the face, but screw it. “Hell yeah. I’ve been thinking about her ever since I got the bloody assignment.”

“That’s what I thought. And if I hadn’t been in the picture, you would have done what?”

This wasn’t happening. “You’re a strange bastard, Derrick. I would have asked her out while I was here. But she’s not alone. You two are seeing each other. I don’t mess with other guys’ women, not when they’re in a happy relationship.”

“She wants you.”

The instant silence in the room rang in his ears. Then anger joined his confusion. Maybe Derrick was going to be the one nursing some bruises soon. “What kind of boyfriend are you? Are you trying to pimp her out or what?”

Derrick rose to his full height, which let him peer down at Nathan with a rather intimidating presence. “Shut. Up. That’s the farthest thing from what I’m suggesting. God damn it, I’m just—” He turned to slam a fist on the surface of his desk. “Fuck.”

He shook his head and dragged a chair over, collapsing onto it as he leaned his elbows on the desk. Nathan waited, ready to bolt, still wondering how the hell this turn of events had happened. He hadn’t dreamed it though—Derrick had suggested he let Melanie know he was attracted to her.

Derrick made eye contact before speaking quietly. “She’s been self-conscious of her body since the accident. You saw some of that in the gym the other day, but it’s not just a cosmetic issue. The questions she used to get from the public are annoying, but it’s deeper than that. Some asshole insulted her the first time she attempted sex, and until I came along, she’d been letting her sensuality get buried by fear.”

“Shit.” The urge to go and rearrange the idiot’s face flashed white-hot. “Who was he?”

“Doesn’t matter.” Derrick pointed a finger in his direction. “What is important is the fact that you turn her on. She’s had this major crush on you since she was a teen, and if you had shown disgust in her body and scars, the impact would have been devastating.”

Nathan frowned. He’d known about the crush. Kind of been counting on getting to take advantage of that attraction now that they were both grown-ups. “What’s wrong with her body?”

Derrick grinned, and the anxiety level in the room dropped. Maybe this wasn’t going to end in physical violence. “Exactly—there’s nothing wrong, but you’re probably the only other guy she knows who sees her and not some mass of scarring.” He gestured to the chair next to him and Nathan sat. The conversation was unbelievable, and yet made perfect sense.

“That’s a screwed-up thing to do to a woman. Melanie went through hell and back physically recovering from the accident. I’d like to find out who the jerk was and make sure he knows better than to hurt someone like that ever again.”

“I agree, but at the same time, it’s more important to be there for Mel, as satisfying as administering justice would be.”

They stared at each other, the gentle sounds of the small town making their way in through the open window. The conversation turned in a new direction, as if there was a connection between them. No longer were they were on either side trying to get Melanie’s attention, but on the same side, buoying her up. Nathan took a deep breath. “Now that I’m over my shock, can you try that again? What exactly do you want me from me?”

“I’m not suggesting you do anything you don’t want. I’m not telling you Melanie will even agree. The only thing I’m saying is that as her friend, and more, I’m fine with you letting her know how attractive she is. Even if that includes things of a mildly sexual nature. I’m going to be there one hundred percent of the time, but this could be something that helps get her past a tough part of her recovery.”

Nathan shook his head. “The whole idea is bizarre. I mean, it makes sense, but it’s not anything I’ve ever heard of before.”

“I know, but I think this relationship between Mel and me has the potential to be long term. I’d far prefer to have her face this side issue of her body image with you, someone she trusts, and now, than have her carrying the hurt for longer and have to deal with this shit somewhere down the road.”

“You’re still a fucked-up bastard, you know that. Right?”

Derrick laughed, slapping his hand on Nathan’s knee. “Trust me, I was the first one to realize that.”

Unbelievable. Nathan paused, realizing this was one of those moments where he could head down two different paths and his world would be totally different because of his choice.

Only this time, the decision wouldn’t only affect him.

Derrick rose to his feet. “We’ll be two days in the bush. Just—act natural.” He grinned at Nathan. “Sweet-talk her like you’ve been doing.”

Bastard. “Are you going to tell her what you told me?” Nathan couldn’t imagine how to even start that conversation. This one had been freaky enough.

Derrick raised a brow. “When it’s needed, yes, but for now, I’d like to just play it by ear. What do you say?”

There was no way he was turning down this opportunity. Nathan let his grin loose. “I’d say Melanie is going to damn well know that she’s an attractive woman by the time we get through with her.”