Perfect Picture [The ShadowDance Club 7] (Siren Publishing Classic) Read Online Free

was going to take a toll on his sweet cara . Hell, from the stories he’d heard from other photographers, her ability to stay the course in the midst of the chaos that surrounded most shoots was almost legendary.
    When he’d noticed the small tells that others who didn’t know her as well might have missed, he didn’t hesitate to move closer. He had meant it when he’d said he’d always be there for her—that he’d always be waiting. The fact that she was letting him shelter her now told him how unsettled she really was. Moving her to the dance floor he was glad to hear a slow song come over the speakers. “Dance with me, cara . Holding you in my arms will be good for both of us.” She didn’t answer him, but he hadn’t expected her to either. He just moved her with gentle precision around the floor. It was a testament to her dancing skill that she was able to follow without really making any effort to concentrate on the steps.
    When they’d danced their way to the backside of the dance floor out of sight of her parents and grandmother he pulled her to the side and tilted her chin up so he could look into her beautiful eyes. “God you are absolutely luminous. I swear you get more beautiful each time I see you. It radiates from inside you, draws others to you in a way that surface beauty would never be able to.” Leaning down he kissed her. It wasn’t a chaste kiss, but it wasn’t the soul-deep claiming he’d have rather given her either. “Are you okay, my sweet cara ?”
    When the tears spilled over again he gently wiped them from her cheeks with his thumbs. She took a deep breath and then spoke. “Yes or at least I will be. I don’t understand why I am so emotional. I’m not usually like this at all. I don’t like feeling weak and appearing needy. It just isn’t who I am.”
    He didn’t doubt for a moment that she was confused by her feelings of vulnerability. What she didn’t seem to understand was that everyone has a breaking point. Noah believed that even the strongest person would eventually reach a point when he or she has been strong for as long as their body and mind can hold up against the current that was battering them before their last bit of control was swept away like a raging river breaching a levy. He’d seen it happen again and again, when a friend or acquaintance had reached their saturation point or when they eventually found themselves in a place safe enough to let go, the back-surge of emotion was often overwhelming. Noah had always considered himself a student of human behavior. Often, during his undercover work of the past decade, that knowledge had meant the difference between life and death.
    “Baby, there are a thousand reasons you might be feeling emotional. But the why isn’t at all important. The only thing that matters is that you always feel safe enough to just be who you are.” He paused for a moment to let his words sink in before continuing. “Let yourself feel, sweetness, and know that I will always catch you if you fall over the edge.” He placed a soft kiss on her forehead and then smiled at her as she laid her cheek against his chest again. That small sign of her growing trust had his heart swelling with hope. “Are you ready to go, cara ?” He’d wrapped her back in the shelter of his arms but hadn’t moved them back on to the dance floor.
    He barely heard her whispered “yes” and then he pulled her back and smiled at her as he looked into her soulful eyes.
    “Let’s get your things. Did you drive here?” When she shook her head he was relieved. Truthfully he didn’t want her driving when she was feeling so fragile and distracted. And this was the perfect excuse to have her in his truck. He could hardly wait to lift her up into the tall truck and lean across her to fasten her seat belt, he’d waited years for these moments and he wasn’t going to miss one single opportunity to be close to her.
    After leaving Red Clouds Dancing they made the