Chapter 3
Chapter Three
James
Regret flooded my brain the second I stepped into the studio. She was spectacularly beautiful and innocent looking. Fuck. Last night had been a pleasurable torment that I indulged with several indecent strokes of my cock until I exploded all over my stomach and hand.
I’d admired that image on my phone a little too long last night, but now the temptation was in front of me, mocking my control, teasing my senses, and creating a painful arousal in my normally comfortable gray slacks.
Ava was the ideal woman and too damn perfect to be in an ad for men to gawk at, beat off to, or fucking dream about.
I’d created my own hell, and I had the nerve to pay for it as well.
They escorted her into the small dressing area where they worked on her hair and makeup.
It took too long for my liking, but there wasn’t much for me to do except be patient, so I worked on my phone.
I always had tasks that required my attention.
It was around six when they finished, and she came out looking nearly as great as when she went in.
Her makeup transformed her into a model and hid the girl-next-door look, which I preferred. Still, she was breathtaking.
“Time to dress so we can get down to business. We only have two more hours,” Claude Rene called out with a rush as he moved about with his camera in hand, sending random flashes in the room.
“Must he blind us whilst he does that?” I grumbled.
“He has to test the lighting. We can always step back and watch from far away,” Elizabeth said while typing on her tablet.
“Is the contract ready to send to my father?”
“Yes. Whenever you want me to email everything over, I can.”
“Go ahead. I wanted us to be here before we made the next move.”
“Yes, sir.” She saluted me. “Do you need a coffee or anything?”
“No, I had my protein shake this morning. I’m good. Make sure you get yours. I don’t need you falling asleep in the middle of the shoot.”
“Always so rude,” she huffed. “If I don’t fall asleep during our boring meetings, I can manage this.” She walked away and went to the coffee maker at the back of the room.
As I took in our model, her reddened cheeks weren’t from some splash of makeup. No, she was blushing. Was she nervous? Fucking hell, this was her first gig in the business. Elizabeth told me last night that she’d never modeled before. I had to do something to calm her down.
“Thank you all for your part. We can handle the rest from here.” I sent them all away because the thought of having her with so many people watching must be adding to her anxiety.
With her head bent, her eyes lifted and she whispered a thank you.
Damn it, my dick appreciated it more than I should have.
Unable to speak, I nodded and then went back to my phone to pretend to be occupied.
“Okay, the camera’s ready. Time to lose the robe.” Her hands shook as she tugged on the fluffy white bath robe. Underneath was a mini shimmery pink dress.
The second she let it fall to the floor, my tongue fell with it. I’d never seen something so damn sexy. I had to turn away even though it was my job to observe and evaluate. I pretended to look at my phone for a moment, needing a breather. “Mr. Keaton, what do you think?” Elizabeth asked.
I lifted my eyes from my phone with a noncommittal sigh of contentment. “It’ll do.”
Claude and his assistant were setting up the layout and snatched the robe from her feet. He talked her through several poses and gave her directions as he let the camera go off. I tried to control the rush of unexpected possessiveness that came over me, but it was difficult.
They shot for ten minutes in that outfit before he told her to change into the next one. She stepped away, and when she came back, I nearly came in my damn pants like a twelve-year-old boy.
The sensual undergarments were going to sell the perfume more than the scent ever would.
All I knew is it was the last ad she’d ever do.
I might not even allow this to go to copy.
Frankly, I didn’t have a choice in this matter.
She was the only model we had available.
No matter how much I wanted to toss her over my shoulder and take her out of this place, it wasn’t in the cards for me.
And as if on cue, my phone decided to ring, giving me the excuse I needed to walk away.
“Why don’t you keep going. I need to take this call.” I walked away and answered my work call. It kept me busy for the next hour. Unfortunately, I missed several changes in her wardrobe and poses, and maybe it was for the best.
“How is it going?” I quietly asked Elizabeth. This new outfit was too damn hot, unbearably sexy.
“Claude is a master at working with new models, and she’s turned into a star behind the camera.
You would never know that she’s never done this before.
” Was she saying that to get a rise out of me?
Because it was working. I wanted to hunt down those photos and shred them and wipe all traces of them from the internet, and they weren’t even done taking them yet.
“What’s wrong? You look tense.” I was sure. My muscles flexed throughout my entire body.
“I’m not,” I lied, my voice low and tight.
“You’re clenching your jaw so tight that your teeth are about to crack. Should I schedule a dentist appointment?” That fucking sexy panty and matching bra set was too damn much. Her ample tits were on display, tormenting me.
“Haha. Funny,” I grumbled.
She laughed. “I believe so.”
“Okay. Let’s take a moment.” I watched Ava look our way nervously before ducking her head and covering up her gorgeous body, and then Rene set the camera down.
“Is the outfit really necessary?” I growled when he reached us.
“You’re the one that picked it out,” he said with a cocky shrug.
I regretted the choice like a motherfucker. Although I didn’t pick the outfits directly—I just put in the request after I got the information and what I was looking for in regard to the product being sold. “Yes, but now that I’m seeing it, I wonder if it’s too much.”
“I think she looks fucking fantastic in it, and it’ll draw customers directly to the perfume,” Claude said.
“I highly doubt that’s what they’ll be drawn to,” I grumbled, staring at her as she covered herself with a nearly see-through robe.
“You know what?” He tapped his scruffy, good-looking chin. Maybe I shouldn’t have asked him to do this. What if they were attracted to each other? She had blushed several times since she arrived. “I have an idea. Take off your suit jacket.”
One brow shot up. “Why?”
He huffed and checked his watch. “Time’s wasting. You want this campaign or not?”
“Of course I do.” I took it off and handed it over to Elizabeth. Her brows scrunched up in confusion, but knowing me, she didn’t ask questions and just went with the flow.
“Now, I want you to go over there, and you and Ava are going to shoot this together.”
“What the hell do you mean?” Did he mean he wanted me to be in the shot with my sudden and rapidly growing obsession with this young woman?
“You know exactly what I mean.” He leaned in and whispered, “Are you going to tell me that you haven’t been growling and losing your shit for the last hour?
Like I haven’t seen you prowling like a tiger in a cage ready to pounce on me and tear me apart for taking these photos. Is she your girlfriend?”
“No. We just met.” I was mortified by my reaction, but not enough to stop my behavior.
“Then if I were you, I’d get in these photos and make a statement. I’m telling you, the tension between you two is palpable.”
I nodded stiffly. He was damn right. I had a statement to make and a point to prove.
I’d seen perfume ads before and there were certainly plenty of couples in them.
The sexual tension always sold the product.
I practically growled at the idea of touching my sweet little thing in her sheer robe, waiting unknowingly, a pawn to my hunger.
“And roll up your sleeves.” I rolled my eyes, but I supposed he had a point. If I wanted to pull this off, I had to look relaxed. My clothes were already constricted right now, mostly my pants.
I approached her cautiously. “I’m James Keaton.”
“Hello, I’m Ava Kelly.” She stretched out her hand to mine, and I took it greedily. I squeezed it just enough to feel her pulse, but I refused to let it go right away.
“Rene would like me to join you in the shoot.”
She gasped, pressing her other hand to her chest, drawing my gaze there, but I quickly pulled my attention back to her lovely round eyes. Unsure if her gasp was a positive thing, I said, “It’s okay to say no. I know that’s not what you signed up for.”
She bit down on her bottom lip, tugging on it so gently that her perfect pearly white teeth made me want to tug it free so she didn’t hurt that plump, soft flesh. “Technically I didn’t know what I signed up for, but if it’s part of the job and it’s not inappropriate, I suppose it’s not a big deal.”
“Good. Just let me know at any time if you’re uncomfortable and if you want to stop.
If my touch or anything bothers you, don’t be afraid to say so.
I’m sure we have more than enough to deliver to the agency.
” As we were speaking, I started rolling up my sleeves.
Her eyes landed on my arms, lingering a little longer than what most would consider polite, but fuck it.
I’d take all the damn attention she’d give me.
“Did you ask your girlfriend if it’s okay?” she choked out, letting out the lightest cough to clear her throat and giving me her pretty eyes again. “I don’t want her to get upset when she finds out.”
I cupped her chin and answered her question. “Sweetness, I’m as single as it gets. If you ask Elizabeth, all I do is work.”
She nodded and smiled softly with a pleased expression. “Great. I don’t need another girl wanting to fight me.” The thought of her fighting over another man set a fire burning in my chest.