Chapter One

     Oh, God, he’s going to be here any minute. Payton nervously finished setting up the photo shoot. She wasn’t sure he’d be up for what she had in mind. She’d never seen any art style photos of him before and he seemed so modest. She never thought she’d ever get the chance to shoot him. She had been thrilled at the chance to do stills for his sister. She had been so much fun and her shots turned out so well. It had been one of the best shoots she’d had in a long time. Three weeks later she got the call. His agent said that the pictures were so good, he wanted her to do some for him. This could be a career maker. Oh, God, don’t let me drop anything or, heaven forbid, stutter. Why did she inevitably stumble over her words when she was nervous?

     The studio door opened and two people stepped in. One was a huge, extremely imposing man with dark hair and blue eyes. He scanned the room quickly noting each avenue that gave access to the studio. He had to be private security. The second was tall, thin and blond, maybe an assistant or a driver. Then there he was, the Crown Prince of Hockey himself. He was wearing faded blue jeans and a light blue button down shirt, all but the collar fastened. His dark hair had grown out some from the short cut he’d gotten at the beginning of hockey season. He seemed to be clean shaven at first glance, but there was just a hint of shadow as if he’d shaved the night before. She also noticed the ever-present gold chain and 87 charm around his neck. Oh, he was so much more beautiful in person. Please don’t let her mouth be hanging open. He stepped forward and extended his hand.

     ”Hi, I’m Sidney.”

     It was surreal, standing there, shaking his hand like he needed an introduction. Settling her nerves with a small breath, she said with a smile, “Hi, Sidney, I’m Payton. Ready to have some fun?”



     He hadn’t known what to expect from this shoot. Taylor had gone on and on about how great this woman was and how much fun she’d had. Her stills had been so beautiful. He’d never seen his sister look like that, glamorous, but tasteful. She looked grown up, but there were so many with that laugh that make her look like a joyful child in a young woman’s body. He’d insisted that he wanted this woman to do this spread. What the hell was he doing in Vanity Fair? Is this really what the NHL thought was going to bring more people to hockey? Photo shoots were just not something that he’d ever felt that comfortable doing. They were part of his job. He always did his job, his duty. It was a small price to pay for what he got in return. He certainly had nothing to complain about. No, he didn’t know what was waiting for him, but he definitely hadn’t expected the warm smile and soft brown eyes of the woman who greeted him. As she led him to the small chenille sofa that had been set up for the shoot, the sunlight from the bay windows caught her hair revealing a copper shine hidden within the brunette waves. She was pretty. She wore a white blouse over grey slacks that hugged her curves quite nicely, he noticed.



     She sat on the sofa with him for a moment, as much to settle her own nerves as his. She wanted him to feel comfortable. Good photos came from natural emotions. A sense of calm and relaxation come across in print. So did anxiety. She liked to chit-chat with her clients before they got down to business, to set them at ease, but she was at a loss for words.

     “Did you have any questions for me?” she squeaked. She cleared her throat. At least she hadn’t stuttered. And he smiled that smile. She melted. How was she going to get through this shoot? She was a huge fan and she’d had a crush on this man in particular for years.

    “I really liked what you did with my sister’s photos. She was really pleased as well. Did you have that kind of thing planned for me?”

    “Somewhat, but I’d like to try something a little more relaxed. I like to do natural pictures, which is why we don’t have a make-up artist. Not that you would need that anyway. I’ll just take off the shine myself, if that comes up. I had something picked out for you to wear, but I like what you have on. I think we should go with that instead. Besides, you’ll be more comfortable in your own clothes, I’m sure.”

     He had to smile again. He could see she was nervous. The compliment came across as sincere. She didn’t even act like it was praise. So many photographers like to fawn all over him, but she was concerned about his comfort. That was refreshing. No one had ever considered that he might feel better in his own clothes. This might not be so bad.

     She returned his smile and then the business began. She had him sit to the left of the sofa with his back at an angle against the back and arm.

     “I want you to relax and sit as if you were in your own home. Just pretend you’ve come home and you’re going to wind down with a beer and the game.”

     He laughed at that. “Well, I probably wouldn’t sit like this and I’d be in a recliner.”

     She smiled and considered. “Well, I hadn’t really planned a recliner for the shoot, but we could probably work something out.”

     “How would you do that?” he asked incredulously. Was she actually going to take his suggestions into consideration?

     She smiled. “Well, this isn’t just my studio, it’s my home. Through that hall there,” she pointed off to the right, “is my living room and my bedroom is a loft up those stairs. I actually have a recliner in there.”

     Had he heard her right, she didn't seem the type to have a  recliner? Must be her husband’s.

     She must have caught the look on his face, because she added, “you aren’t the only one who likes to have a beer and watch the game after a long day!”

     “I would have thought you’d have something more like this sofa to relax on,” he said grinning.

      “Humph, well, it is my sofa, but I’m a little eclectic. I like all kinds of things. How about we try this first and then we’ll break out the beer a little bit later?” she winked, smiling and her eyes were shining. He grinned back. She’d managed to flirt with him. Yes, this might be fun after all.

     He sat back and bent his right knee up onto the cushion while leaving his left foot on the floor, shifting his weight down slightly to be more comfortable. He rested his elbow on the back of the sofa and slid his right hand into his hair. She was already snapping pictures. She stopped for a minute, frowning. She approached him.

     “Could you unbutton the bottom on your shirt? It’s making it bunch up in an odd way.”

     He did as she asked, but she was still frowning. “Would you do the same with a couple at your neck?”

     Now he was the one frowning. She caught his wariness. “If you’ll trust me, I promise not to do any shots that you don’t approve of. Honestly, it will make the collar lie better.”

     Surprisingly, he did trust her. He unbuttoned one button and then the second. She returned to her camera and frowned again. She walked back around to him and started to adjust his collar.

     Hesitating, she asked, “May I?”

     He nodded, stunned. No one had ever asked his permission to adjust his clothes or fix his hair or make him move like a puppet on a string.

     She gently pulled his collar apart and down on the left. Scrutinized and smoothed out the left a bit more then returned to her camera.

     “I’ve never skated on a pond before. Can you tell me about what that’s like, maybe about a favorite time you had doing that?” It was a technique that she used to evoke a pleasant emotion. He smiled and started to tell her his story, then as he recited his memories, a soft far away happiness spread across his face. He remembered something funny and laughed slightly. This is the kind of technique that makes good photos. After about 15 minutes of that, she was ready to move on to what she really wanted.

     “I’d like to try something else. Let’s take a break. Would you like something to drink?” she said, offering him a bottle of water. He took it from her nodding and wandered around the studio while she got ready for whatever something else was. She had large canvases on the walls, most of them children. She clearly preferred natural laughter to posed photos. He passed her computer desk and stood in front of the bay windows. They looked out over a deck with a pergola covered in wisteria. There was clearly landscaping done, but it was almost wild, like something you would find in a park near the woods. There were a few trees, large ones that reminded him of the lake, not to mention a pond that looked like it would belong hidden in a forest somewhere. The clicking finally registered and he turned to discover her snapping more pictures of him standing at the window.

     “Is this what ‘something else’ means?” he asked.

     “No, but the light is amazing right now and you looked like you were in another world. What were you thinking about?”

     “There is a forest that I used to visit on family vacations. I was reminded of it looking at your pond.” He stepped away from the window and took a breath. “Ready to go?”

     She nodded and brought him back to the backdrop. There was no furniture at all, only the tripod for the camera.

     “I just want you to stand for me. I want you to be acting like you’re getting dressed before a game and your roommate is joking around with you. I’d like to get some of you laughing.”

     “Getting dressed?” he asked skeptically.

     She smiled. Here it is. This is it. Get the shots you want or be happy with what you’ve taken.

     “If you’ll trust me one more time, I’d like you to unbutton a couple more buttons,” she started. He’s frowning. “And I will have you buttoning them up in the pictures.”

     “If I undo any more buttons, I might as well have the shirt open!”

     “I’m not asking for it to be open. I just want a hint of the chest behind it. When you get dressed, you pull the shirt closed to button it, right?” She took his shirt and held the sides together as she said this. The slight brush of her hands sent a shiver through him. Warning bells went off and he involuntarily took a step back. She quickly let go of him and dropped her eyes.

     “I’m s-sorry,” she stuttered slightly and moved back to the camera. She’d ruined the whole mood of the shoot by getting too close to him. She’d started to feel comfortable with him. He was just so soft spoken and gentle, damn it. And warm. His chest was so warm and she barely touched him. She’d felt such a wave of heat in that short moment. What the hell was she thinking? This was Sidney Crosby. Not some friend or regular client to be so familiar with.

     “No, I … didn’t mean. You didn’t do anything wrong. I’m sorry.” It was clear that she was disturbed by the incident. He didn’t know why it should bother him that he’d upset her, but it did. She wasn’t even looking at him. He felt guilty for his reaction. “Look, we can try it your way,” he offered.

     She lifted her eyes back up to him. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. He wasn’t going leave. He was staying and giving her what she wanted. She smiled at him accepting his olive branch. He let out a soft breath. He was relieved, but she stood away from him now making sure to keep her distance. Well, he blew that. The thought saddened him a little, though he didn’t really know why.

     “Dupes is your roommate, right?”

     “Dupes? You know his nickname? You sure do your homework,” he said laughing. And the mood changed just that fast. She smiled at him and melted inside. How could anyone not be in awe of this man?

     “It’s not homework. The Pens are my team,” she said shyly.

     “Oh,” his eyebrows rose, “so whose jersey do you have hanging in your closet?”

     She flushed and looked at the floor. “My captain’s,” she said with a shy smile. The smile reached her eyes as she gazed up at him. At that moment, he wished she would come closer again. But she had already turned back to the camera.

     “Really,” he was flattered, “and how does your husband feel about that?” Why was he fishing?

     “I’m not married and if I were, he’d just have to deal with it,” she said defiantly. She suddenly flushed again and hid behind the camera.

     “Dupes gives you a hard time sometimes, doesn’t he? You guys all tease each other a lot, right? And practical jokes, I’ve heard a lot about practical jokes.”

     “Oh yeah,” he nodded, relieved by her abrupt change of subject. He unbuttoned the fourth button on his shirt for her. “Marc’s the king of practical jokes.”

     “Tell me about some of them.”

     Another button. A small snicker escaped his lips as he recalled an incident with a car full of packing peanuts. She got several shots of him looking down at his buttons. Not bad, but that’s not what she wanted. Suddenly, the security guard started laughing as Sid was telling his story. Sid looked over at him, laughing himself. Her stomach did a tumble. Perfect. That was it. And she got it. That was the shot. And it was going to look so good in black and white. He had his hands at the bottom of his shirt with it slightly open at the chest and he was laughing, looking off to the right. His hands were prominent. His neck was strong and masculine. His smile melted everything around him. And there was just enough peeking from behind that shirt to make anyone want to tear it off of him. It was just beautiful. Like him.

     He looked back at her and she smiled, “I think it’s time for that beer now.”