Dangerous to Know Read Free Page B

enjoyed watching Gemma walk, admiring the way the denim curved around her backside in all the right places. One thing was certain; her ex-boyfriend must have been a class A idiot to break up with her. If Gemma were his girl, he wouldn’t let her go so easily.
    He squashed the thought as swiftly as it rose. Gemma was a great girl and fun to be with, but he wasn’t up for anything permanent. She half-turned to glance back at him as she went through the kitchen doorway and his heart gave a squeeze.
    Marnie smiled as they walked in. She was a tall, friendly-looking girl with wild auburn hair and freckles. Jerome had worked with her several times before and knew she was great with the animals. Jeff introduced everybody while Marnie made coffee for them all.
    Jerome watched Gemma take a seat at the scrubbed pine table at the center of Jeff’s kitchen. He had to force himself to concentrate on the conversation going on around him about the type of brochure Jeff hoped to create for the park.
    The plans were decided and the animals to be photographed selected, when Jeff had to leave to answer an emergency call from the café on the far side of the park.
    â€œOkay, we’d better get started before the place fills up with visitors.” Marnie suggested.
    Jerome swallowed the last few dregs of his coffee and rose to his feet. Marnie and Gemma followed him out to his car to help with the equipment.
    â€œLet’s hope the animals are feeling photogenic today.” Gemma hoisted a large camera box onto her shoulder.
    â€œOh, no worries about that. A few little treats and they’ll be just fine.” Marnie laughed.
    The first stop was the otter pen. Marnie went off to get the otters some of their favorite treats while Gemma helped Jerome decide where the best place for filming would be.
    â€œI didn’t realise taking pictures would be this complicated or would need so much stuff.” Gemma put down the portable light she’d been holding with a sigh when Jerome finally declared himself satisfied with what he’d taken.
    â€œIt isn’t always. On a location it can be just point and shoot.” Jerome winked at her. He didn’t tell her that sometimes in order to get his point-and-shoot picture he’d have to stalk an animal for days waiting for just the right shot.
    â€œWhat are you going for next? The owls?” Marnie asked. After enticing the otters into the right space and frame of mind, she had waited for Jerome and Gemma to get the pictures.
    â€œI think so.” He bent to help Gemma put the lenses and filters he’d used back into the bag. His fingers grazed against her knuckle and she fumbled the filter she had in her hand. The brief contact made his heart pound.
    â€œSorry.”
    â€œIt’s okay,” he reassured her as she fitted the filter back inside the case.
    He sensed Marnie watching him and looked up to catch her smiling to herself.
    â€œWhat’s so funny?” he asked when Gemma was out of earshot.
    â€œI never thought I’d see the day when Jerome Mayer was smitten by a woman,” Marnie chuckled, nudging him with her elbow.
    Jerome flicked his hand through his hair in exasperation. “Women! For heaven’s sake!” So, he liked Gemma. He’d liked other women before her.
    His protest went unheeded as Marnie walked away, still giggling, to join Gemma.
    * * * *

    Gemma enjoyed helping Jerome and Marnie with the photographs. She soon learned the names of the different pieces of equipment and found it interesting to watch Marnie coaxing the animals she clearly loved into cooperating with them.
    She didn’t think to look at the time until they had completed the last set of pictures. By then she realized the park had filled up with visitors and her empty stomach had begun to emit growling noises. They said goodbye to Marnie and Jeff, who’d come back to the house to see them leave.
    Since the incident with the camera