Chapter 2

Time had slowed to a crawl and Rebecca chatted almost constantly. Inane chatter. Meandering from one random topic to the next. Jim let her speak—she seemed calmer when she spoke.

“Do you want know why I’m so scared of lifts?”

Jim nodded. “Sure.”

“It’s silly really but I got trapped in one once when I was very little. I must have only been five or six—I can’t remember exactly. I just remember panicking and being absolutely terrified. I was on my own, you see. We were in a shopping centre and while my mum was looking at some clothes, I wandered off. I ended up in a lift and reached up to press the buttons but must have pressed the wrong one. I managed to set off the alarm and the lift stopped between floors. It was one of those glass lifts. You know the ones I mean? Not that it helped. I could see mum, but I couldn’t get to her. It was horrible.”

Jim stared at her for a second and then said, “I’m sorry.”

“Thanks.” She smirked. “I can’t believe I just told you that. I don’t even know you. I talk too much when I’m nervous.”

“If you don’t mind me saying, you seemed nervous even before the lift stopped.”

“Yeah, I was. I’ve got an important meeting. Or, at least, I did have. I bet the partners have all gone home by now.” She huffed. “There I go again. Telling you stuff. Do you have a gag in that toolbox? You could use it to shut me up. I wish they’d hurry up and fix this damned thing.”

Her breathing returned to something approaching normal, but she was still sweating. So was Jim. It was a hot day and with no air conditioning in the small metal box, the heat was intense.

“I’m sorry for going on so much,” she said. “But if I’m talking then I’m not thinking about the mess we’re in. How long has it been now?”

Jim looked at his watch. “Only forty minutes. We could be here for another three hours.”

“Do you have anything to drink? I’m parched.”

“I’ve got some water.” He crawled across the floor and opened his toolbox to retrieve a large bottle of mineral water.

“What’s that?” She pointed to the open box.

“What?” he replied, even though he knew exactly what she was pointing at.

“Don’t say What? like that. You know what I mean. That’s the new issue of Ladz, isn’t it? The one with my second shoot in.”

Jim nodded and felt his cheeks flush.

“Oh, don’t be embarrassed. Come on, pass it over. I haven’t had a good look at the magazine. I’ve only seen the pictures when they were e-mailed to me last week.”

He handed her the magazine and she flicked through it while he opened the water bottle. She took the bottle from him too and had a few large gulps from it as she rifled through the pages. She handed the bottle back to him when she’d found her photo spread.

“I do look good, don’t I?”

Jim nodded.

“Do you know how long I was in make-up for? Nearly two hours. I went in for half an hour before each change of outfit. There wasn’t even anything wrong. I could have just been touched up but they wanted to keep changing the look so all the make-up had to come off and go back on.”

He nodded and drank some water. I wouldn’t mind touching you up, he thought.

“I do like this one. I think it’s my favourite. It makes me look really slim.”

“It’s nice,” said Jim.

“Which one’s your favourite?”

“Here—” He took the magazine from her. “I’ll show you.” He turned two pages until he found a photo of her wearing just black knickers, stockings and high heels. She was kneeling on an armchair with her backside prominent. She was also looking back at the camera and winking.

She raised her eyebrows at him. “That one’s a bit...”

“A bit what?”

“Well, a bit too porno, don’t you think?”

He shook his head. “No. I like it. I don’t think it’s porno at all.”

“What do like about it?”

“Well...” He blushed again.

“Come on, tell me.”

He sighed. “Oh, okay. You look ... I don’t know. Like you’re waiting for someone. Waiting for me.”

She stared at him, stony-faced, for a full ten seconds. He thought he must have gone too far but then she grinned and started to laugh. “See? Told you—it’s a bit too porno. Actually, the photographer told me to imagine I was waiting for a lover. Funny, huh?”

“Yeah. Guess he was right.”

“Guess so.” She paused. “It is getting really hot in here. I don’t think I can take it much more.”

“I know. I’m starting to sweat buckets. You want some more water? Or do you think we should pace ourselves? We don’t know how long we’re going to be here.”

“Pace ourselves. But could I be cheeky and ask if you’ve got any food in your bag? I’m famished.”

“You can share the sandwiches I was going to have for lunch if you want. And I’ve got a couple of packets of crisps. I might even share my Mars Bar with you.”

“That would be kind. Thanks.”

He ferreted in his toolbox until he found his lunch and by the time he’d sat back down, Rebecca had taken off her jacket, thrown it in the corner and was unbuttoning her blouse.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m hot. I can’t leave my jacket on—it’s too warm. And I’m starting to sweat, which will ruin this blouse. It’s silk, you know.”

“But you can’t just strip off. I mean ... You can’t.”

“I don’t see why not. We’re not in public and we’re not likely to be for ages. And it’s not like you haven’t seen what I’ve got before, because you have.” She nodded towards the magazine on the floor.

“Yeah but, this is different, isn’t it?”

She shrugged. “Not to me. Look, if you’re uncomfortable with my being naked, just take off your T-shirt. That’s what some of the guys on the shoot do. They claim it makes them feel more comfortable, but I reckon they just like showing off their abs.”

He stuttered and struggled to come up with a reply. In the end, he shrugged and pulled his T-shirt over his head. She took off her blouse and threw it on top of her jacket in the corner. She glanced at his naked torso and purred. Unless Jim was very much mistaken, she liked what she saw. He kept himself in good shape—or at least he tried his best to—and he was pretty proud of his own abs.

He opened his lunchbox and took out a foil package which he unwrapped and offered one of the small baguettes to Rebecca.

“What’s on it?” she asked.

“Ham, eggs, lettuce, tomato, cucumber, spring onions and mayo. Just my usual.”

“Usual? I didn’t know you could cram so much onto a sandwich.” She held up one of the eight-inch long baguettes and regarded it with a sceptical eye. She even prised it open and peered inside. Her eyes widened. “My God, it’s huge. I’ll never fit that in my mouth.”

“I dunno,” said Jim. “I’ll bet you’ve had bigger things in your mouth than that.” The look on her face told him he had gone too far this time. Or it did, until she started laughing.

“You’re probably right. But a lady never tells.”

“And are you a lady?”

“Most of the time. But, sometimes, it’s fun not to be.” The glint in her eyes was the same one that made Jim vote for her in the magazine’s contest. The glint that said she enjoyed getting naughty. Her smile was equally wicked. He was aware that he was staring, but couldn’t stop himself. She opened her mouth and brought the sandwich up to her lips. She never took her eyes from his as she stretched her mouth around the thick roll. A spot of mayonnaise dribbled out the side of the sandwich. She raised her eyebrows at him and winked as she licked the mayo from her lips with the tip of her tongue.

He kept stealing glances at her while she ate. He watched her mouth as she chewed and glanced at her boobs in their plain white satin bra. She was perfect—or at least he thought she was. He admired her taut, toned tummy that, like the rest of her skin, had a rich golden tan. He looked along her long legs that seemed to go on forever.