Hard to Resist. Samantha Hunter

       Chapter 1

      “I THINK WE REALLY might have found the twelve sexiest men in America,” Lacey Graham’s assistant, Jackie, sighed as they took in the photographic buffet of gorgeous men before them on the project board. The final selections for the “Sexiest American Heroes” calendar had been made the week before. As photographer for the project, these gorgeous guys were all now in Lacey’s capable hands.

      Lacey stood back, one arm wrapped across her middle with her other elbow balancing on it, her chin resting in her fingers as she assessed the blowups of the hunks with a cool, experienced eye.

      Too many blondes in a row in March, April and May—she’d switch April with August. Since they were in October now, she’d reversed the schedule, starting with Mr. December, who was set to arrive tomorrow, and November a few days later. She wanted to take them one at a time, calling them back at a later date for group cover shots.

      She and Jackie had been juggling these promo shots all day, most of which were not professionally done but were good enough for roughs. Actually, it was impressive how incredible these men looked in the bad lighting and overly bright PR poses. Her hands itched to get to work, to get them in the right setting, good light.

      “I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a collection of perfect men all in one place.” Jackie sighed. “I want them all, and not necessarily one at a time.”

      Lacey chuckled. “Down, girl. Don’t you have a steady boyfriend?”

      “Well, sure, but I can window-shop, can’t I? K.C. is my guy, and he knows it, but frankly, he’s not above checking out some beautiful woman when she walks by and turnaround is fair play. So if you had to choose…?” Jackie prompted Lacey mischievously.

      Lacey shook her head, not interested. She looked at the men on the board in the only way she could, as professional modeling subjects and that was all. She rubbed her right forearm, knowing it was healed, but a shadow of an ache lingered anyway. Her last lover had not taken her attempts to break up very well, leaving her with a broken forearm as a parting gift, along with an assortment of bruises and a nasty laceration that had taken several stitches. Broken hearts were something you could get over most of the time, but having someone break your arm wasn’t easily forgotten.

      Swallowing deeply, she studied the board, fighting the sick feeling in her stomach that she got whenever she thought about being with a man. It would pass. She’d get back in the game at some point. When she was ready and not before, not even for guys like the ones lined up in front of her. Until then, she’d keep to herself and focus on her work. That was what mattered.

      No one here knew her secret.

      Jackie didn’t know and no one was going to know about what had happened with Scott, her ex. On the advice of the doctor who treated her arm, Lacey had made one visit to an abuse counselor when she’d arrived in the city. Once she saw the haunted expressions of the women sitting in the lobby, she’d walked back out. That wasn’t her. She’d handle it on her own.

      What Scott had done to her had been a onetime thing, a huge, incredibly stupid mistake. But Lacey hadn’t waited around for more and wouldn’t allow it to happen again. She wasn’t like the women who were trapped or who wouldn’t leave.

      Still, the memory pinched at her as much as the residual ache in her arm. On a certain level, she was irritated with herself for not being able to enjoy the beauty of the men as she once would have done. Like Jackie said, there was nothing wrong with looking.

      There was no doubt that the array of males she’d be working with were prime fantasy material. She also knew she shouldn’t change her perception of all men because of one bad apple. She knew that—in her head.

      Her

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