A Humble Heart Read online

  past the curtains.

  “What’s wrong, Edward?” Dana asked, already having some idea what he was mad about.

  “Why didn’t you talk to me first?”

  “Edward, you weren’t there. Besides this is my professional business it’s not part of my personal life.”

  “You don’t think giving a million guys a hard on is part of your personal life?” he snapped.

  She put her hand on his cheek and gently caressed the vein twitching against his ground jaw with her thumb.

  “Edward, I turned down Hustler and Playboy. I’m not interested in becoming a sex symbol. I am interested in experiencing new things. I would like to try my hand at acting, and this shoot sounds like fun. Please don’t be upset.”

  He sighed as he looked into her beautiful eyes. This was something new to her. It meant a great deal to her and he couldn’t stand in her way no matter how much it upset him.

  “Can I come tomorrow, please? I just want to make sure they don’t take advantage. Please?” He gave her a puppy dog expression he knew would do the trick.

  Dana chuckled. “Fine, but just promise you’ll behave yourself.”

  “I promise nothing,” he said, leaning in for a kiss. He meant it to be a quick kiss, but once he touched her lips he was on fire. She deepened the kiss for them both, making him groan with appreciation.

  He leaned her against the wall and pushed against her.

  She whimpered softly into his mouth. His hand moved slowly over her dress to her breast. He cupped her firmly as he kissed her.

  When her hands moved down his back and stopped at his backside he thrust against her. She whimpered into his mouth. His free hand moved to her thigh and moved under her dress. “Edward, there are about a hundred people on the other side of this curtain. We have to stop,” she whispered breathlessly against his mouth.

  He removed his hands away with a groan. She gave him one last kiss and gently pushed him away. “Be patient,”

  she said teasingly before she walked away.

  Edward remained where he was for a few minutes, begging his body to calm down and not give him away.

  When he felt it was safe he walked back to the table to find Dana and Amy standing up to leave.

  “You need to get to bed. They want you well rested,”

  Amy stated.

  “That’s fine with me. I’m sure the kids are driving the babysitter nuts by this point,” Dana said, walking with Amy towards the door.

  They walked to a waiting limousine parked in front of the restaurant. Amy ducked inside as Edward grabbed Dana’s hand. “I’ll drive her home,” he told Amy.

  “Edward.” She used a patronizing tone.

  “Amy,” he said, using the same tone. “I’m driving her straight home don’t worry. She’ll be in bed soon and well rested for tomorrow.” No need to tell Amy he was planning on joining her in bed. That was more information then she needed and he had a feeling she would yank Dana into the limousine if she knew.

  “Hold up, Amy,” Dana said.

  She stepped a few feet away from the limousine and hugged Edward. “If you take me home there will be nothing to stop me from tearing your clothes off with my teeth and testing your endurance for the rest of the night. So we’d better say goodnight here.” She stepped back to see Edward’s expression. He looked like someone hit him in the forehead with a mallet.

  “Fuck,” he groaned softly.

  She kissed him quickly, pulling back before he could deepen the kiss. “Sorry, baby, I need to get enough sleep for tomorrow.” She looked his body over as if she wanted devour him on site.

  He actually whimpered when she walked away. She looked back over her shoulder when she heard it and gave him the sexiest smile he’d ever seen. It took everything he had not to throw her over his shoulder and take her against his car right then and there.

  Edward stood frozen in the parking lot, watching the limo drive away. It was going to be a long night filled with cold showers. Tomorrow couldn’t come quick enough for him.

  ********

  “Dana, my name is Janet. I’ll be helping you today. Are you excited?” Janet asked in an upbeat tone.

  Dana pushed back a strand of her hair. She looked around and noted that the beach was basically deserted, much to her relief. “Yes, but really nervous.”

  Janet waved it off. “Don’t be. We have to go and do body prep first,” she said.

  “Body prep?”

  “Yes, waxing, buffing, makeup, and moisturizing. It should only take three hours,” Janet said casually.

  “Oh,” Dana said. She shot Amy a pleading look.

  “Don’t worry it will be fine. I’ll hang out with Edward and keep him company,” Amy said, walking away.

  The body prep was one of the most painful ordeals of her life and she included childbirth in that category. She was waxed everywhere, her eyebrows were plucked, so much lotion and moisturizer was applied to her body that she thought she was going to slide out of her seat.

  It took exactly four hours. She knew this because she counted the minutes. After that was done she was shown her outfit. It was the smallest bikini she had ever seen in her entire life.

  She put on the bikini that had reminded her of dental floss and wrapped a towel around herself. Janet led her out to the beach, barely five feet away from where the tide was washing over the sand. Several people walked over and fussed with her hair and makeup. Her towel was pulled away before she knew it, leaving her feeling naked in front of dozens of strangers.

  She gulped.

  A man carrying a camera stepped forward. “My name is Clay. I’ll be taking your photos today, Dana. Are you all set?”

  Dana wanted to cross her arms in front of her, but she wasn’t sure where to start. Her privates were barely concealed behind the tiny piece of scrap that made up her bikini bottom. Her nipples and the area immediately around them were the only things covered by the tiny scrap they called a bikini top. What she wanted was a large tee shirt to cover her up. Reluctantly she nodded to Clay because she had to do something other than stand there like an idiot with people watching her.

  She saw Edward out of the corner of her eye watching her. She was too mortified to look him in the eye. Several people descended on her with makeup. They even put makeup on her stomach. Yes, she felt pretty stupid and was kicking herself for signing the contract.

  *******

  Edward tried to steady his breathing, but Dana looked unbelievable. The second they pulled her towel away he started panting. Amy nudged him repeatedly. There was nothing on earth that was going to make him tear his eyes off her right now. It was hard enough watching her leave him last night. He wasn’t going to do it today.

  “She’s beautiful, huh?” a woman next to him said. He didn’t bother looking at her.

  “She’s amazing,” he said in a trance.

  “I just wanted to say hi. I’m a big fan of yours,” she said.

  He tore his eyes away from Dana and looked at the woman. He was shocked to see a platinum blonde model with medically enhanced assets. “Thank you,” he said automatically.

  Her lips curled into a knowing smile. “I’m Jamie Lynn’s friend, Megan.”

  “Who?” he asked absently. He had no idea who this Jamie Lynn was or why the woman was talking to him when he wanted to watch Dana.

  She rolled her eyes. “The Jamie Lynn you dated for a month two years ago.” He looked puzzled. “She’s a Victoria Secret model. She has a tattoo on her bottom of Mickey Mouse.”

  He shook his head. Obviously someone he hadn’t slept with, because he was pretty sure he would remember a woman with a Disney tattoo on her ass. Granted he did remember every single woman he ever slept with, all five of them, most of them girlfriends before he became famous.

  “I’m really sorry. I don’t remember her.”

  Her smile was back. “Well, why don’t we get together tonight and I’ll remind you.”

  “Thank you, but no thank you. I’m t
aking my girlfriend out tonight.” He gestured towards Dana.

  She laughed. “You’re dating her? She has like a dozen kids.”

  “Two, and they’re great kids.” He smiled and looked back in time to see Dana on spread knees with her back arched. The woman next to him made a rude comment and stalked off.

  “Holy shit,” Edward hissed as the photographer asked her to arch back further and she did.

  Dana leaned back while praying that her skimpy suit didn’t move even a millimeter. Clay worked around her, constantly snapping pictures. He made her go on all fours with her hair draping around her shoulders. The entire time she avoided Edward’s eyes.

  “Get her wet!” Clay demanded.

  Before she could ask what the hell that meant, several buckets of ice cold water were dumped over her. Someone played with her hair. Another person came over with a spray bottle and sprayed her body. Several more pictures were taken in even more provocative positions.

  “Okay, Dana, you’ve been great, but I just need one more shot. I need this one with one of our other models,”

  Clay said.

  Dana nodded, happy to be almost done. When a gorgeous male model walked towards her she became nervous. She shot a panicked look at Amy that told her to come immediately before she hyperventilated.

  “What I need you to do is take off your top. Zack is going to kneel behind you so he’s not in the picture, but his hands are going to cup your breasts while you run your hands through your hair,” Clay said as if it wasn’t something to discuss.

  “Amy!” Dana said, trying to stay calm. It was one thing to do a sex scene in a movie. She was pretty sure she could do that. It was part of the story line, but to have a guy she didn’t know hold her breasts because she needed an extra set of hands was too much.

  “Um, Clay, let’s talk,” Amy said, pulling Clay away.

  Zack stepped up next to her smiling. He held out his hand. “You’re doing a great job.”

  She shook his hand as she watched Amy with great interest. Edward made his way over. His jaw was clenched and he looked pissed. Apparently he overheard the game plan.

  “Whoa, Edward Pierce,” Zack said, holding out his hand. Edward shook his hand quickly.

  “Is this something you want to do?” he asked Dana, ignoring Zack’s star struck expression.

  She hugged herself. “I don’t know. No offense, Zack.”

  “None taken. Don’t worry I’ll be gentle.” He smiled pleasantly.

  Edward stared him down. “You’re not cupping my girlfriend’s breasts. I don’t care what they say.”

  Dana bit her lip to keep from smiling when he called her his girlfriend. She forced her attention on Amy, who was arguing with Clay now. After a minute they made their way back to Dana. “This is the cover shot. It’s already been discussed. She needs to do it,” Clay argued.

  Amy looked at Edward and then to Dana as she slowly smiled. “You just need Zack’s hands, right? He won’t be in the photo?”

  “That’s right,” Clay said, sighing with relief that she was finally catching on.

  “Good, we won’t need Clay then. I have someone who can do it and she’ll be more comfortable with,” Amy said.

  Clay looked at her cautiously. “Who?”

  She jerked a thumb at Edward. “Him.”

  “What?” Dana asked. Edward grinned hugely.

  “Let me see your hands,” Clay demanded. Edward showed him his hands. “He’ll do. Okay, Dana, take off your top when you’re ready.”

  Edward took his shirt off, revealing a lean well defined muscular chest. Dana looked him over hungrily. He watched her eyes roam over each and every muscle. He had to fight the urge to flex.

  “Turn around and face the ocean so no one will see. I’ll place my hands on you then you’ll turn around slowly. No one will see. I promise.” She nodded realizing she didn’t have a choice anymore thanks to the contract she’d signed.

  She faced the ocean and felt him behind her. The bikini top came off slowly. She dropped it on the beach.

  Edward’s hands came around her. He placed them on her stomach before slowly running them up to cup her breasts.

  “Perfect,” he mumbled to himself.

  Dana pressed her bottom into him deciding two could play this game. “Exactly what I was thinking.”

  “Tease,” he groaned as he pulled himself away from her before he got a very embarrassing erection, well, more embarrassing.

  She giggled softly. “Okay, I’m ready to turn around now.”

  He moved with her slowly, pressing his hands firmly against her so he wouldn’t slip. “Okay, Edward, drop to your knees, but keep your hands where they are,” Clay said.

  Edward dropped to his knees and came face to face with Dana’s shapely bottom. A mischievous smile took hold of his lips. He could feel people working around his hands, probably adding makeup and playing with her hair. When he heard them walk away and heard Clay walking around he decided to have a little fun.

  He gently blew on her bottom making her squirm under his touch. Interesting he thought to himself and blew a little harder against her soft skin. A shudder went through her body.

  “You like that?” he asked softly for her ears only.

  She didn’t answer him. He looked around, making sure no one was near him or could see him. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to one cheek then the other. He felt her nipples harden beneath his touch. He almost forgot where he was and squeezed them. He stopped himself at the last second, but it had been damn close.

  Her skin was still wet. He licked a drop off her lower back, making her shudder harder. “Are you cold?” Clay asked.

  “Uh, just a little,” Dana said, her voice unsteady.

  “I’ll warm you up,” Edward said softly. He ran his tongue slowly over her lower back again and down her left cheek and pressed a kiss to it before repeating the action for the other cheek.

  “Stop, baby, please,” she muttered quietly.

  “Do you like it?” he asked quietly. “Answer me and I’ll stop.”

  “Yes,” she stressed softly, hoping he stopped before she embarrassed herself. While Edward was teasing her from behind she had over fifty people staring at her from behind a closed off section on the beach and another man walking in front of her, taking pictures.

  “Very good, Dana. We’re finished here if you want to get dressed. I’ll send you copies as soon as I can.”

  “Thank you, Clay.”

  Edward stood up and turned her around quickly. His mouth went to her ear. “Did you enjoy teasing me last night, baby?”

  She swallowed hard. “Yes.”

  “Yeah, I thought so

  .do you know what you did to me?”

  “Mmmhmm,” she somehow managed to respond. He was now kneading her breasts since no one could see them.

  “Let’s say you get dressed then I’m taking you home and the teasing ends,” Edward said through clenched teeth.

  He was too aroused to think straight. It was all he could do not to drag her into the water and take her there. “And I’m going to fuck you until neither one of us has an ounce of energy to move never mind think.”

  She sucked in a harsh breath. “Can’t. Kids are home.

  Baby sitter is leaving,” she managed to whisper.

  “Okay, we’ll have dinner with the kids. Once they’re in bed you are mine.”

  “God yes,” she moaned, making Edward growl. She turned her head and offered her mouth to him. He gladly took it and kissed her passionately while they had people staring at his back. He was aware of several cameras clicking behind them. He thrust his tongue into her mouth the way he was going thrust into her later as he pinched and pulled her nipples between his fingers.

  Someone cleared their throat behind them. “Uh, guys, you can go now,” Amy said, trying not to laugh. She bent down and picked up Edward’s shirt and Dana’s bikini top.

  Edward took his shirt and offered it to Dana. She put her arms through i
t while he reached around her and buttoned it up.

  “Ready, sweetheart?” he asked, kissing her cheek.

  “Yes. I just have to grab my clothes,” Dana said, looking down