together over the man’s viewfinder, Geo marveling over photographs from wherever. They didn’t even have the decency to pull apart when he entered the camp. Instead, Geo just waved him over, as if it was the most natural thing in the world to have the Italian draped all over him. Maybe it was.
The photographs were spectacular― even in a three-inch format. Danie hated them.
Andrea pulled the camera back for a moment, searching through shots for a moment, and then, crossing the camp, slid next to him. Danie felt the warmth and the spicy scent coming from the man.
After so many days in the bush without more than cursory bathing, Danie had become used to the musky, pungent smells he shared with Geo. But this man, this man with olive skin and lashes longer than any he’d ever seen on a man before, smelled like sunshine and bergamot.
He shivered and willed himself not to respond further. He could feel Geo’s eyes on them as he watched Andrea scroll through the shots for him.
He settled on a series of shots of Geo, following him as he moved through the camp settling them in for a long wait. The photographs elevated the mundane activities to art. The sunlight setting Geo’s hair into a blazing halo of gold, making his eyes shine with ethereal light― a fallen angel amid kindling as he knelt before the stone circle, building their fire. There were more. Close-ups of Geo, his shy smile, his raucous laughter, his worry reflected as he pulled on his lower lip with his teeth.
“This, this is the one.” Andrea pointed to the next shot. Geo was standing, arms at ease across his chest, and there was such a look of love and peace on his face, that Danie had to look twice. He looked up at Andrea, confused.
“He was looking at you. You were busy across the way, and he just stopped to watch you.” He scrolled through several more shots of Geo with a dreamy look on his face.
“You are a couple, yes?” Andrea persisted, his hazel eyes shining in the twilight.
“Mmm…” Danie wouldn’t commit to anything that would ruin Geo’s chance of happiness if he really wanted the Italian.
“I think maybe that’s a yes. I asked this to Geo, and he made the same noise. It must be a special Afrikaner slang that means ‘I’m in love with my partner’?” The Italian laughed at Danie’s expression.
“He made that same face, too! You both are so…? Cute? No… I think the word is… Yes! Stupid. If I was in either of your shoes, I wouldn’t let some stranger come this close to my man.”
Andrea moved all the way into him, pressing himself into Danie’s side. Danie felt the breath against his neck, lips hovering over his ear as the man whispered, “I like you Danie. You are exactly my type. You are all gruff on the outside, so strong and quiet. But when I needed you last night, there you were― wrapping me up in your arms, protecting me. I felt it Danie. Did you feel it?”
Danie shuddered. Looking up he saw Geo watching them with hooded eyes, all expression gone from his face. Andrea smiled broadly and eased back slightly.
“I think that Geo is reconsidering what he wants. Shall we give him more material?” Andrea moved again, and Danie threw out his hand, halting the man’s forward progress before he could cause more harm.
The man leaned into his touch, and Danie closed his eyes, playing with the idea of pulling his hand back and letting Andrea fall all the way forward, into him. With a wink and another wicked smile, the Italian moved away to sit by the fire, still playing with his camera, leaving Danie wondering.
****
Geo cursed himself for a fool. He’d pushed Danie away last night and this was the result: a horny Italian crawling all over his man, and Danie just letting him. They should have left him in the bush for the lions to eat. Danie was the worst kind of idiot if he thought Geo cared about what he did for a living.
Danie had finally pushed the photographer back, but Geo could see it was only because