Camera Shy Read Online Free PDF

wrong?"

    Jason's tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth as he looked at her. The setting sun illuminated her features, adding a soft shadow beneath her cheekbones and a vividness to her eyes. "Jesus . . . ." He finally whispered.
    She blinked. "What? What's wrong?"
    "Nothing," he said. "Just, don't move." He freed himself from her grasp just long enough to scoop his camera off the pier. He clicked it on and raised it. Allyson balked, moving away from him and raising her hand to block the lens.
    "No," she said sharply. "No, please."
    Her reaction had him fumbling the camera. He immediately placed it back on the pier and put his hand on her waist.
    "I'm sorry," he said quickly, cursing himself for not remembering the way she'd warily eyed his camera earlier. "I should have asked. I'm sorry." She stood still in his grasp, her gaze flicking back and forth between the camera and his hand on her arm. "I should have said something. I-I just don't like cameras; I'm sorry."
    "No, don't be, it was my fault," he whispered, touching her face gently. Could I be
    any less professional? "It won't happen again, I promise." She gave the camera one last look before focusing on him again. Her expression softened and she relaxed. A little. "It's okay. I should have said something." She sighed.
    "I suppose most people aren't as weird about cameras as I am." She rested her hands on his chest and kissed him gently.
    "No, I should have asked. It was unprofessional of me." He slid his arm around her waist. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."

    She leaned into him and let her hand rest on his leg, but her body was still tense.
    "It's okay." She looked at the camera again, then at him, her expression inquisitive.
    "Why?"
    "Why what?"
    "Why did you want to take my picture just then?"
    His face burned. He was thankful for the heavy warmth of the sunset, hoping it camouflaged the redness he was sure lit up his face. "The light," he said. "It just looked .
    . . on your face, it looked . . . perfect." She blinked. He continued. "The contours in your face, the contrast between your features . . . the sunlight is so flattering, but that light"—
    He gestured toward the sunset, avoiding her eyes—"It's . . . beautiful on you." Allyson exhaled. Some of the tension in her shoulders faded. "I . . . thank you." He was quiet for a moment. "Listen," he whispered, running his fingers through her hair. "I understand that you don't like cameras, but, if you change your mind . . . ." He couldn't believe he was saying it, after her almost phobic reaction to the camera, but the words just spilled off his tongue before he could stop them. "I'd love to photograph you."
    She shifted uncomfortably, but didn't pull away from him. "I'll let you know," she murmured.
    Jason silently begged for another salmon to splash through the water's glasssmooth surface and break the tension that hung between them, but no such luck.
    "It's getting dark," she said. "I should probably get back into town before it's too dark to see my way."
    Damn it. Look what you did. You scared her off . He kissed her lightly and then released his grasp on her waist. "I can drive you back into town, if you'd like," he said.
    "My Jeep isn't far from here."
    She nodded. "Yes, thank you."
    On the way back down the pier, he took the chance and let his fingers touch hers, hesitating to see if she pulled way. She didn't, so he took her hand, running his thumb across the back of her fingers. "Look, I'm sorry," he said. "I really, really enjoyed this

    tonight." More than you can possibly imagine, he thought with a shiver. "I'm sorry I ruined it."
    She startled. "Ruined it?" Then she laughed. "No, no, you didn't. My stupid fear of cameras ruined it." She smiled—that broad, warm smile he desperately wanted to photograph. Stopping, she put her arms around his neck. "I had a wonderful time. Really. Thank you for showing me around." She kissed him gently. A long pause hung between them, their eyes locked in the