meant all I would do today was model. Sure, I had sacrificed some of my principles by agreeing to the deal, but modeling was a real job. It was a perfectly respectable occupation, and he was paying me over a thousand dollars an hour to do it.
I just hoped I didn’t end up trading my soul for it.
I hit the button for his studio on the intercom and he buzzed me in. I found my way to the elevator which opened immediately. The last time I’d been in there, I was scrambling to put my clothes on while wearing only a sheet. I was dressed quite a bit more modestly this morning. I wore my standard jeans and a sweatshirt. I didn’t feel the need to dress up for him this time. This was business. Not pleasure.
I emerged on the fifth floor. There were only two doors in the hallway, one on either side. Dominic’s studio was the one on the right, and the door was open. I stopped in the doorway and looked in.
The place looked different in the amber light streaming through the tall windows. Now that the dark corners had been lit up, it seemed bigger than I’d realized the other night. The circle of standing lights in the center of the room brought back bittersweet memories. I forced all thoughts of our one night stand out of my head and focused on why I was here.
Dominic stood at the counter of the little kitchenette off to the right. I smelled the delicious aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Anxiety about what today would bring had kept me up most of the night. My body craved caffeine.
“Can I have some coffee or am I already on the clock?” I called over to him.
He turned around with a smile on his face.
“Angela. Good morning. I thought you and coffee weren’t speaking?”
“Yeah, well, we’ve reconciled our differences.”
He poured me a cup and passed it to me as I walked over to him. He was dressed in dark linen slacks and a crisp white button shirt that was open at the collar. His hair, as always, was a beautiful mess.
“Nice outfit,” I said.
He spread his arms. “Thanks. Someone told I wasn’t dressing properly.”
“That someone was right. You definitely look the part now. Although you’re missing the coat and tie.”
“Well, I have to draw the line somewhere.” He gestured to the counter. “I have some croissants and stuff.”
“Thank you, but I’m not really hungry.”
He frowned. “You should probably eat. Once we get going it might be a while before we stop.”
The specter of the next twenty-four hours hung over me, banishing all traces of hunger.
“Maybe later.” I sat down at a small round table positioned against the wall. The warm mug felt good against my cold hands. “So what’s on the agenda for today?”
“Oh, I have some ideas. First things first. Here is the cashier’s check for the agreed upon amount.” He held it up so I could see it. My mouth almost salivated at the number printed on it. “I’ll leave it on the counter. It’s yours at the end of the day. Alright?”
“Alright.”
“Good. Now take off your clothes.”
I paused with my coffee halfway to my lips. “So we’re just jumping straight to naked, huh?”
He shrugged. “No sense in wasting time. Twenty-four hours can fly by faster than you think.”
“Have we already started?” I asked.
“We start the moment you get undressed.” He pointed at a massive digital clock on the wall. The bright red numbers said 24:00. “That’s when I flip the switch and the countdown begins.”
“Can I at least have my coffee first?”
“Of course, but you’re welcome to do both. I can get some sketches in as long as you don’t move too much while you sit there.”
“That’s not very artsy is it? A naked woman drinking a cup of coffee.”
“Oh, I don’t know. There’s the juxtaposition between the mundane and the erotic. It’s taking something ordinary and making it exciting with an
I just hoped I didn’t end up trading my soul for it.
I hit the button for his studio on the intercom and he buzzed me in. I found my way to the elevator which opened immediately. The last time I’d been in there, I was scrambling to put my clothes on while wearing only a sheet. I was dressed quite a bit more modestly this morning. I wore my standard jeans and a sweatshirt. I didn’t feel the need to dress up for him this time. This was business. Not pleasure.
I emerged on the fifth floor. There were only two doors in the hallway, one on either side. Dominic’s studio was the one on the right, and the door was open. I stopped in the doorway and looked in.
The place looked different in the amber light streaming through the tall windows. Now that the dark corners had been lit up, it seemed bigger than I’d realized the other night. The circle of standing lights in the center of the room brought back bittersweet memories. I forced all thoughts of our one night stand out of my head and focused on why I was here.
Dominic stood at the counter of the little kitchenette off to the right. I smelled the delicious aroma of freshly brewed coffee. Anxiety about what today would bring had kept me up most of the night. My body craved caffeine.
“Can I have some coffee or am I already on the clock?” I called over to him.
He turned around with a smile on his face.
“Angela. Good morning. I thought you and coffee weren’t speaking?”
“Yeah, well, we’ve reconciled our differences.”
He poured me a cup and passed it to me as I walked over to him. He was dressed in dark linen slacks and a crisp white button shirt that was open at the collar. His hair, as always, was a beautiful mess.
“Nice outfit,” I said.
He spread his arms. “Thanks. Someone told I wasn’t dressing properly.”
“That someone was right. You definitely look the part now. Although you’re missing the coat and tie.”
“Well, I have to draw the line somewhere.” He gestured to the counter. “I have some croissants and stuff.”
“Thank you, but I’m not really hungry.”
He frowned. “You should probably eat. Once we get going it might be a while before we stop.”
The specter of the next twenty-four hours hung over me, banishing all traces of hunger.
“Maybe later.” I sat down at a small round table positioned against the wall. The warm mug felt good against my cold hands. “So what’s on the agenda for today?”
“Oh, I have some ideas. First things first. Here is the cashier’s check for the agreed upon amount.” He held it up so I could see it. My mouth almost salivated at the number printed on it. “I’ll leave it on the counter. It’s yours at the end of the day. Alright?”
“Alright.”
“Good. Now take off your clothes.”
I paused with my coffee halfway to my lips. “So we’re just jumping straight to naked, huh?”
He shrugged. “No sense in wasting time. Twenty-four hours can fly by faster than you think.”
“Have we already started?” I asked.
“We start the moment you get undressed.” He pointed at a massive digital clock on the wall. The bright red numbers said 24:00. “That’s when I flip the switch and the countdown begins.”
“Can I at least have my coffee first?”
“Of course, but you’re welcome to do both. I can get some sketches in as long as you don’t move too much while you sit there.”
“That’s not very artsy is it? A naked woman drinking a cup of coffee.”
“Oh, I don’t know. There’s the juxtaposition between the mundane and the erotic. It’s taking something ordinary and making it exciting with an
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