used to dress
like she was planning to sing in church. Now wardrobe had given her a sexy
little number that showed off her midriff and most of her thighs. It was
analogous to the sort of outfits Ember had worn when she was that age, although
Kim hadn’t yet developed the breasts that would make it most effective.
This
time Ember did shake her head. She
wondered how long it would be before Kim’s handlers started pushing her to get
a boob job. The girl hadn’t finished coming through puberty yet, but that
wouldn’t stop the sharks from nagging her to interfere with nature. Sometimes,
Ember didn’t like this business at all.
She
pushed the negative thoughts to the back of her mind. “Kim, you look so cute
with your hair done that way.” Kim had started the season with fairly long
blond hair. Now it was cut and shaped so that curls accentuated her face.
Kim
curled one of her new locks around her finger and seemed uncomfortable when she
had to stop because her hair was eight inches shorter than it had been.
“Thanks, Ember. It’s going to take a little getting used to, but everybody
tells me the new look suits me.”
“It
does suit you, Kim,” Ember assured her.
“I
hope so because this,” she indicated her new, much abbreviated garments, “is a
little disorienting. I mean, why didn’t they just put me in a bikini? Mitch
keeps telling us that this is a singing competition, but dressed like this I
feel like I’m going to be a calendar girl.”
Ember
couldn’t help laughing. “It all goes together, Kim. Strong vocals is the
foundation of every great singing career, but to make it you still have to
connect with the fans. Look and style helps you do that.”
Kim
wasn’t a Hillary Tempest. There was no way she was going to flat out disagree
with Ember. But she still looked unhappy in her new wardrobe.
Ember
gave her a little hug. “You’re going to be great! Have you seen pictures of me
at your age? You’re almost overdressed by comparison.” It was an exaggeration
to be sure, but the words seemed to put Kim more at ease.
Over
the girl’s shoulder, Ember caught sight of Rick standing with his roommate,
Zach Donderhue, and a memory of a little inappropriate fantasy she’d enjoyed
flashed through her brain.
She’d
been relaxing in her tub back in New York City,
soaking in the hot bubble bath. She’d started out wondering what had happened
to Darrel Brown, her first serious boyfriend back when she was just fifteen.
But somehow the face in her memories had morphed into Rick’s and it was his
lips on hers and his strong hands searching her body. He didn’t fumble like
Darrel had—not that he was overly skilled either. No, he’d purposefully kissed
his way from her breasts to her stomach to the moist swollen lips Ember had
been touching under the water...
A
shiver of remembered pleasure worked its way up her spine and she looked around
guiltily, hoping no one had notice. Across the room, Rick was still talking
with Zach. Both men looked great, but Ember couldn’t help thinking that Rick
outshone his friend. He had kept the open shirt look which had worked for him
so well last week, but Fox had expanded the size of the wardrobe expense
account this week and it really made a difference, lifting Rick to whole new
level of hot and sexy.
She
made herself professionally appraise Zach as well. His chest wasn’t showing and
he had a little too much sparkle in his clothing for Ember’s taste, but he,
too, looked professional enough to jump out on a stage as a front line act on a
concert tour.
Rick
caught her eye and smiled. It wasn’t the cocky expression that millions of
women across the country had fallen in love with, but a warmer look which
suggested he was genuinely happy to see her. An answering smile blossomed on
her face as her whole body began to tingle. She hoped no one noticed. She
didn’t want to make a fool of herself.
Rick
said something to Zach and both men crossed the room to
like she was planning to sing in church. Now wardrobe had given her a sexy
little number that showed off her midriff and most of her thighs. It was
analogous to the sort of outfits Ember had worn when she was that age, although
Kim hadn’t yet developed the breasts that would make it most effective.
This
time Ember did shake her head. She
wondered how long it would be before Kim’s handlers started pushing her to get
a boob job. The girl hadn’t finished coming through puberty yet, but that
wouldn’t stop the sharks from nagging her to interfere with nature. Sometimes,
Ember didn’t like this business at all.
She
pushed the negative thoughts to the back of her mind. “Kim, you look so cute
with your hair done that way.” Kim had started the season with fairly long
blond hair. Now it was cut and shaped so that curls accentuated her face.
Kim
curled one of her new locks around her finger and seemed uncomfortable when she
had to stop because her hair was eight inches shorter than it had been.
“Thanks, Ember. It’s going to take a little getting used to, but everybody
tells me the new look suits me.”
“It
does suit you, Kim,” Ember assured her.
“I
hope so because this,” she indicated her new, much abbreviated garments, “is a
little disorienting. I mean, why didn’t they just put me in a bikini? Mitch
keeps telling us that this is a singing competition, but dressed like this I
feel like I’m going to be a calendar girl.”
Ember
couldn’t help laughing. “It all goes together, Kim. Strong vocals is the
foundation of every great singing career, but to make it you still have to
connect with the fans. Look and style helps you do that.”
Kim
wasn’t a Hillary Tempest. There was no way she was going to flat out disagree
with Ember. But she still looked unhappy in her new wardrobe.
Ember
gave her a little hug. “You’re going to be great! Have you seen pictures of me
at your age? You’re almost overdressed by comparison.” It was an exaggeration
to be sure, but the words seemed to put Kim more at ease.
Over
the girl’s shoulder, Ember caught sight of Rick standing with his roommate,
Zach Donderhue, and a memory of a little inappropriate fantasy she’d enjoyed
flashed through her brain.
She’d
been relaxing in her tub back in New York City,
soaking in the hot bubble bath. She’d started out wondering what had happened
to Darrel Brown, her first serious boyfriend back when she was just fifteen.
But somehow the face in her memories had morphed into Rick’s and it was his
lips on hers and his strong hands searching her body. He didn’t fumble like
Darrel had—not that he was overly skilled either. No, he’d purposefully kissed
his way from her breasts to her stomach to the moist swollen lips Ember had
been touching under the water...
A
shiver of remembered pleasure worked its way up her spine and she looked around
guiltily, hoping no one had notice. Across the room, Rick was still talking
with Zach. Both men looked great, but Ember couldn’t help thinking that Rick
outshone his friend. He had kept the open shirt look which had worked for him
so well last week, but Fox had expanded the size of the wardrobe expense
account this week and it really made a difference, lifting Rick to whole new
level of hot and sexy.
She
made herself professionally appraise Zach as well. His chest wasn’t showing and
he had a little too much sparkle in his clothing for Ember’s taste, but he,
too, looked professional enough to jump out on a stage as a front line act on a
concert tour.
Rick
caught her eye and smiled. It wasn’t the cocky expression that millions of
women across the country had fallen in love with, but a warmer look which
suggested he was genuinely happy to see her. An answering smile blossomed on
her face as her whole body began to tingle. She hoped no one noticed. She
didn’t want to make a fool of herself.
Rick
said something to Zach and both men crossed the room to
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