Chapter 3

They all had their own rooms in the chalet although Chiara had stayed in Andrew’s on both Sunday and Monday nights. But sex with her was different that time. During the day they been funny and flirty and Veronique had been pleased with the shots. They were becoming better friends but not better lovers. It would be nine months before Andrew saw her again and as they lay there on the Monday night it felt like it was a coda. Chiara was a stunning model, 30 years old now but with an incredible body, yet there had always been something missing and it was even more obvious that night. Andrew thought about it the following morning standing looking out of the chalet window in the dark before dawn. Heloise had not said anything about wanting to sleep with him. It made no difference to the playfulness between them and the fun they had during the two days of shooting. Her interactions with him were no different than those of Chiara. They were both naked in his arms repeatedly over the two days but the personal and professional were separated. And that was the thing, he would have traded a night of sex with Chiara for just holding Heloise as they slept

When they returned to the chalet from shooting at the hotel on the Tuesday evening the next two models had arrived. Andrew was pleasantly surprised to see Mathilde there along with a model he had never met before. Her name was Jeanne and she was 5’9” or 10”, just your typical tall beautiful model. She spoke no English so they had to make do with Andrew’s heavily accented, and limited, French. As it was the final night for Heloise and Chiara they were keen to go into town and go clubbing. Veronique reminded him that he had three more long days of shoots still to do, not that he was much of a clubber anyway. He would have been more happy staying with Mathilde and Veronique but as it was he ended up with Jeanne, Chiara and Heloise in a cab for the two minutes down into the centre of town.

It felt like the night with Aino, Kerttu and Lilja in Ayia Napa, three tall women and him. None of the places were packed, it was too early in the season for that, but there were still lots of people who had been going hard for four or five hours since coming off the slopes. Before they went to a club they stopped to grab a drink first at a bar. It was a standard tourist resort bar, full of drunks. The problems started with a couple of Italians who recognised Chiara. Initially they were all flowery and over the top but they didn’t or wouldn’t take the hint. They kept insisting that they wanted to buy Chiara a drink. Andrew had stayed back, Chiara was better able to handle people like that than he ever would be plus he couldn’t speak Italian but he was on edge. He kept thinking back to the night he and Justin were in Brighton and the sense of an edge to the atmosphere. Nothing overt but just that feeling that violence was not far below the surface.

What triggered it that night? One of the Italians called Chiara a whore for being naked on TV when she wouldn’t accept a drink from him. From oily charm to abuse in the space of five minutes. That idiocy got him a drink in his face from Chiara, he then tried to hit her, and fortunately missed, at which point a ‘gallant’ defender took it upon himself to attack the Italian and then it was chaos. With drunken punches being thrown in all directions all three women immediately took refuge behind Andrew at the end of the bar. Given his record in fights he was steering well clear of everything and just hoping not to get involved. Fat chance.

It was a broken bottle that got him. Andrew was lucky, okay not that lucky, but lucky in that he saw the bottle flying through the air and was able to raise his arm so that it smashed on his hand, to protect his face. He ended up with only one cut but it was a deep gash on his right pinkie finger. The bottle hitting him coincided with the gendarmes arriving. Given that there were 11 drunks scattered about the floor still trying to hit each other, Andrew and the three models were not the priority. After about 20 minutes they were allowed to leave with Andrew pressing his blood soaked handkerchief against the throbbing cut on his hand. What stopped the night spinning completely out of control was a travelling medical kit and the fact that one of the ladies in charge of all the clothes was handy with a needle and thread, in this case on Andrew’s finger not a replacement button. So he was patched up with two stitches and able to head to bed. He was lucky as it could have been much worse. It was also another lesson in trusting his senses. And this was the price of fame for the women, being pestered by drunk men who wouldn’t take a gentle brush-off. Fuck, women didn’t have to be famous to have to deal with that but the night had been made worse by the insult thrown at Chiara. He heard the door open and a familiar, tall thin model slipped into his bed and climbed onto him.

“Just hold me for a few more minutes Andrew.”

He did as requested but then Heloise started kissing him. There was something in the kisses that night that provoked a reaction but Heloise just groaned and ground herself against him. Eventually she broke the kiss.

“That was a mess tonight. I am sorry you got hurt.”

He shrugged.

“We didn’t think it would be like that up here on a Tuesday night. If I go out to a club in Paris or any other big city there is always lots of security. I don’t hang around ski bars, any kind of bars, normally. Are you okay?”

“I am fine. My finger hurts a bit but other than that I am fine. I am sorry your night out was a bust.”

“I was surprised you let Chiara handle it.”

A semi-accusation hiding a question.

“Chiara likes the fame. And sadly she probably has a lot of experience of dealing with arsehole guys. She is her own person and I was there to help if she wanted. She can handle things, she doesn’t need me to rush around making things worse. If she had cuddled up to me and wanted to play the girlfriend then I would have done more but it all escalated so fast. I don’t speak Italian and it was only while waiting to leave that she told me what was said.”

“You wouldn’t step in automatically?”

“If a man, or men, came up and talked to you, offered to buy you a drink? No. If you turned back to me and took my arm and someone keeps pestering you then I would say or do something. But both of you like being famous, and being seen is part of that. I don’t know how to react in situations like that.”

“I hadn’t thought of it that way. I suppose you are right. Both Chiara and I are well known and often do talk to people. But when the punches started we all hid behind you, and you were the one that ended getting cut from the bottle.”

Heloise kissed him again.

“I loved that you protected me, it has made me all horny, and now frustrated on top of everything else.”

Andrew stretched his arm to see if it was long enough.

“Did you bring your present?”

Heloise giggled.

“I never go out of town without it.”

“Go and get it.”

She looked quizzical for a moment before slipping next door to her room, not bothering to put any clothes on. Andrew wrapped up, just to save making a mess. Heloise looked taken aback when she saw him wearing the condom.

“Relax, it is just to contain the mess. Climb back up and then get yourself into position so that your clit is pressing down on it. Give me that.”

It took a minute or two for everything to align properly but Heloise had Andrew’s cock trapped between their bodies, her clit pressing down on it. Andrew’s long reach meant that he could insert her little dildo and start kissing her. It wasn’t flesh and blood in her but it was Andrew holding her and kissing her and fucking her with her dildo. Heloise groaned and moaned into his mouth through three quick climaxes. She had been right, she was horny. After she came the third time Heloise rolled onto her back beside him. Andrew could see the tears in her eyes. Nothing needed to be said, he just held her and let her emotions settle. Soon he heard her breathing settle, she was asleep.

Andrew woke up to a familiar small breast and hard nipple in his hand. He could tell Heloise was awake as she wriggled against him stabbing herself repeatedly. With a gentle giggle Heloise let him get up and when he returned from the toilet lay in bed watching him as he did his sit ups and push ups. Once he was finished she grabbed a pillow and threw it on the floor. Andrew always imagined he saw many things in the eyes and faces of the women on their knees in front of him. Helena and Suzanne were past masters at stirring his imagination. Heloise that morning gave him a loving blow job. There would be no fucking, despite both their desires, but the looks she gave him were wonderful. Andrew, as usual, did not last long under her ministrations. When Heloise finished swallowing everything she just knelt there for a moment, his dick softening in her mouth, her eyes closed. With a sad smile she pushed herself up and followed him to the bathroom. They shared his toothbrush and then Heloise kissed Andrew slowly and sensuously.

“I should have been here on Monday night as well. I miss talking to you Andrew. Write regularly and maybe we can meet in London sometime soon. September is a long time away.”

Wednesday was a slow start, with lots of repeated explanations to different people. But Veronique was a relentless taskmistress and they were soon back out on the slopes. The plan was for Andrew to play the cad, twice. They were using the scenario he had jokingly suggested to Manon months earlier. In the first, he was the mother’s much younger boyfriend who was seduced by her daughter and in the second the roles were reversed. He was the daughter’s boyfriend who was seduced by her mother. Either way he was making out like a bandit!

What made the scenario work was that Mathilde was genuinely old enough to play the mother and she loved the idea. She had Jeanne in blushing giggles the whole day, goodness only knows what secrets were being shared. But the chemistry between Mathilde and Andrew was excellent and Jeanne got to watch and see how they were. Mathilde was as awful a skier as he was so for both of them getting the shots outside the chalet were the tough scenes. When it came time to frolic around on the rug in front of the fire they were relaxed and just had fun. When the pre-ravishing in front of the fire was over Mathilde was dressed and out the chalet in a hurry. It was only later at dinner that Andrew found out why.

Jeanne had been modelling for more than five years and so had a lot of experience. But she had only done shoots involving nudity on her own and obviously had just started, given her age. Just like Renee Andrew was the first man that she was going to be filmed with. Veronique recognised this and didn’t push Jeanne too hard. Boiling the frog slowly worked and by the end of the afternoon the two of them were rolling around without a care. Sitting in his robe after the shoot was finished Andrew was having a quiet moment when Veronique came over and sat beside him.

“Thank you for turning up the sexy today Andrew.”

He looked at her in surprise.

“Did you not realise?”

“I had no idea. I thought I was the same as usual. Was it okay?”

“Andrew, it was great. The shoots with you are normally all about the woman, you play off of whoever your female co-star is and let them shine. Today was more about you. There was a decisiveness to you and it was as if you were taking what you wanted. I have shot all your commercials, it is quite different to your usual style.”

“Are Mathilde and Jeanne okay with it?”

Veronique laughed.

“They are both taking cold showers right now trying to calm down. You very thoroughly seduced them both. Now given that was what the scenario was that is to be applauded. You did what I asked but there was more sex, more lust, less romance. Like I said, it was great.”

Andrew didn’t quite know how to react to Veronique’s statement. Maybe he needed a cold shower too. Dinner that night was hilarious for about four separate reasons. The first and best one was the arrival of Renee Clement. It was just as well he was ready for her as she took off from six feet away and crashed into his arms. All 5’ of exuberant sexiness. He nearly dragged her off to his bedroom straightaway. But she was not alone. Reasons two and three were standing behind her as she had turned up with 19 year old twins, Lena and Lola. They managed to look nervous and mischievous both at the same time. But there was a playful, giggly vibe about them. The next two days were going to be fun. The final reason was the most odd, awkward and eye-opening of them all. When they arrived at the restaurant for dinner Mathilde turned up with her husband. Her worn out, bedraggled husband. His opening line to Andrew when he walked over to shake his hand?

“Merci, Andrew. Whatever you did, thank you.”

There was laughter and cheering at the table and Mathilde looked radiant but Andrew was taken aback. All he could think of was thank goodness he didn’t know in advance that Pierre would be there. He led Andrew to the table and sat down beside him.

“First of all, allow me to introduce myself, Pierre Dubois. By your reaction I presume I am the first husband or partner of one of the models that you have met?”

Andrew nodded not yet trusting his voice.

“We will talk over the course of the night and more will become clear but just think about trust. If the woman you love works in a job where she is naked with another man, do you trust her or not? Everything else is just fancy wrapping paper. If you trust her, as I trust Mathilde, then what is the problem? I don’t know exactly what the two of you did today that got her so worked up but as her husband I want to thank you. Come, let us join the others and enjoy dinner.”

The first part of the dinner was nothing but a blur. Andrew ate, was made fun of, just a normal night out for him. His thoughts bounced around but Pierre’s words sunk in. He trusted his wife to go so far and no further and reaped the rewards, as he alluded to about that very afternoon. Andrew remember Joelle saying the same thing after the shoot with her in the dress. She all but ran off to find her boyfriend. But he didn’t need to go so far. Tony and Donnie trusted Andrew. Any number of men trusted Andrew to be professional and respectful to the women he was photographing. And for all of the ever-increasing explicitness of Maggie’s pictures he had never laid a hand on her, other than hugs and kisses. He definitely couldn’t say the same thing about Mathilde. Andrew knew how Mathilde’s breasts felt, how her arse felt, how the inside of her thighs felt. Mathilde had been thoroughly felt up! And as he watched Pierre and Mathilde to his young eye they were a couple happily in love. It must be an odd dinner table conversation when you asked about each other’s day but it was by no means rare. Andrew thought about all the ‘love scenes’ in movies over the years. He was a huge James Bond fan going back to Britt Ekland and Maud Adams in The Man with the Golden Gun, and every one of the movies had Connery or Moore rolling around with multiple different women. It took meeting Pierre for it to all join up in his head. The different pieces were all there he just had not joined them up.

“Welcome back.”

Andrew looked round at Renee as she squeezed his hand.

“You have had a distracted faraway look in your eyes all meal.”

“I am sorry if I have not been a good dinner table companion.”

“No it has been fascinating to watch. Chiara, Heloise and I are not close friends although we are much more friendly now than 18 months ago. When we do run into each other we will talk about working with you, it is the one thing that we have in common, and we also know that we all write to you between shoots. I think it was Chiara that brought up your intelligence first just in the context of you must be bright to be a student at Cambridge. And it is something that is always lurking in the back of all our conversations. I know from the gossip with the other women that a lot of the ideas for these Hermès shoots came from you. Salome with the scarves, the push ups with me under you, that insane wall lift. I watched you tonight and I could see you thinking. It just made me remember that you are very clever and were obviously working some things out in your mind.”

He smiled at her.

“Sorry. I was thinking about something Pierre said to me. What he said made perfect sense but it took him saying it to me for it to sink in and for me to realise and accept it.”

Andrew explained to Renee what Pierre had said.

“It goes back to what we talked about three weeks ago. But it is more than that as well. You are a gentleman and you treat the people you work with very well. Pierre talks about trust between partners but what he didn’t say is that there has to be trust between the models as well. You have this reputation of being a gentleman. Don’t look at me as if I am talking nonsense Andrew. Do your hands linger between takes? Do you follow the models towards the dressing rooms? Do you exploit your position for sex?”

He looked horrified at Renee. She just looked pityingly back at him.

“What is the one constant in all these commercials? You. Did you not realise that most of the models at the audition scene would have fucked you for a part? Do not immediately look up and stare but look at Jeanne the next time you look down the table, look at the twins. Jeanne looks like she wants to throw you down on the table and just have you right now. What did you do to them today? Pierre looks a broken man and Mathilde is totally glowing.”

If Renee was looking to make Andrew’s head spin with the way she was jumping around with her conversation around it was working. First Veronique, then Pierre and now Renee. He drank some wine and looked around as he did. Their conversation did appear to be of some interest to the other three models. He tried to still his heart which was beating faster than usual.

“Veronique told all three of us today that we were playing flawed people, not evil but not nice. Mathilde and Jeanne were playing mother and daughter and each took a turn to seduce me away from the other. Me being the shallow man was happy to ravish both of them without any hint of reservation. This did not seem like romance or love but much more just lust and sex. Letting base desires lead you astray. At the end of the shoot Veronique said I had turned up the sexy and been more demanding than usual. What did she say? I was taking what I wanted. It was less playful than normal I suppose. In my head the scenario had me thinking that this was much more of a quick fuck before we were noticed or missed. Whatever I was thinking it meant I was more decisive. Which apparently had Mathilde all worked up because she shot off at the end of the shoot. I didn’t even know that her husband was here with her. Assuming that Jeanne was feeling the same way then we may need to lock the door tonight.”

Renee giggled and took his hand.

“Always the gentleman. But it would be much more fun to leave the door unlocked.”

Renee Clement had woken up that morning and decided that it was a good day to tease Andrew to distraction. They hadn’t even shot any scenes yet. For the rest of the dinner he tried to be a better conversationalist with the whole table although Veronique was in good form. The chat at the dinner table, and especially afterwards, was pretty graphic. Andrew guessed she was making sure the two new models knew what they were in for. He assumed they had seen all the commercials but she was in charge. Mathilde still had plans for Pierre and so they took their leave with many hugs and handshakes and thanks. Michel left with the three wardrobe people, he had been chatting to one of them all night and he had a spring in his step when he left. Andrew assumed the rest of them would be right behind but Veronique wanted to chat so he ended up sitting talking to her while the four models sat at the other end of the table chatting away and doing a lot of giggling.