Chapter 3

Cody was not the least bit surprised when the airline ticket scheduled for California popped up on his computer last week. He knew Michaela would win the cover page. The editors knew Cody's proofs would win the cover page. They always noted the models' eyes, and how intensely they glowed once the images came in. Though they had their suspicions, they never questioned.

And now, deep in the midst of music, laughter, and gyrating bodies, Cody stared out in silence. The two young girls pressed closely to his body on the sofa did little to distract his thoughts. One toyed with a long spiral loc and the other traced his jawline, seductively.

She spoke of passion in his ear, but the thoughts in his mind drowned out any invitation that came from her pink, pouty lips. He had been working with the company for three years and every party was the same. The ambiance mirrored the previous one.

Still, he wasn't immune to its effect. Cody enjoyed the company of beautiful girls, he especially loved photographing them the way he chose. He had a quiet power over them that he kept neatly in his pocket. And every time he passed a magazine or book stand, he would spot his glossy girls and smile. Although he was grateful for the extra bonus for winning the front cover again, his mood was somber, his thoughts strayed.

Cody closed his eyes briefly as he silently cursed himself. He had never been in love, and losing control in a certain girl's presence was not something he wanted to do again. His mind wandered with a detached sort of boredom as his boot crushed a broken pretzel into the beige carpet. His camera eyes scanned the room noticing angles, body positions, and colors. It was the same picture he had seen last week.

Cody then turned to one of the pretty girls and gave her a sexy grin. Out of curiosity, he wondered if she was old enough to even be there. He wanted to ask the girl where her mother was as a joke, but didn't want her 'nails to show.' He looked her over and knew just what type of girl she would be. A little presumptuous, yes, but he was bored with girls like this, bored with the whole routine shit. And that frightened him, for Cody's disinterest always resulted in him doing something reckless.

His hand pushed slightly into the cushion as he stood, tearing himself from the tangle of hands reaching for him to stay, or take them home. Although delightfully tempted, he remembered the last time he did that. The girls hated each other and were jealous of his attention on one another. He just didn't have the patience, or appetite, to find out if these two would just enjoy themselves. He walked away, their disappointed whimpers were drowned out by the music and jumble of noise all around.

Heading for the bar, he almost collided with a blur of a figure. His hands went up from reflex, and he looked down. The breasts against his palms came alive, hardening from the contact. Without looking, he knew it was Michaela. Somehow he knew her touch, her smell, her aura. His thoughts reverted back to the day they met. He remembered their texture, the softness, the roundness and taste.

He dropped his hands, dug them deeply into his pockets as he swiftly gazed at her shoes. Cody had thought Michaela's feet were sexy and looked even more kissable in the sandals that criss-crossed up her curvaceous calves. Her white carpi's hung low on her rounded hips as a violet cotton shirt hugged her tightly around the torso. The slope of her unbound breasts made his mouth remember. Finally, the auburn curls piled at the top of her head made her exotic look shine through even more. As he looked into her honey eyes, he wondered why the industry didn't just make her the glossy of the decade.

His distraction was understandable, however, he congratulated her and walked on. Michaela turned in obvious surprise. And in a span of three seconds, she had her own inspection of his attire. For the life of her, Michaela couldn't understand how black boots and dark khakis could make her think of sex, wondered how a simple beige T-shirt and jacket was so amazingly sensual on his tall frame. The sight of his long locs spilling over his shoulders took her breath away, again.

Michaela ignored the sudden image of his muscular thighs sliding between her own just last week, and followed him. His aloofness clearly puzzled her. So onlookers did little to discourage her, because in this world, it wasn't foreign for starry-eyed seventeen year-olds to pursue men twice their age.

"Hi Cody."

"What's up?"

He sent Michaela a soulless smile despite the inner turmoil concerning her. She smiled and reached a hand out to touch his, but half-way in her pursuit Cody gave her a look that made her recoil. She quickly brushed it off, mildly told him about a shoot coming up, and asked if he would be available. He turned to look at her again, his hesitancy to answer making her nervous.

"I don't have any openings just yet, but I'll recommend someone if you're in need right now."

He looked at her, indifferent, as if the two of them had just met, had no connection. Her shock was statuesque, but slowly came back to life the moment she was aware of being watched. Michaela looked out into the room, perplexed, another glossy watching her with a raised eyebrow. That small gesture said, "I told you so." And when Michaela turned back to face Cody, he had already walked across the room.

She turned to the bartender, then, and asked for the strongest drink. Again, this world had no rules, save for the insignificant few, so there was basically none to break. Plus, she only drank them to dull the sudden ache throbbing throughout her temples. Oblivion would easily smother whatever pain that was aching in her chest just then.

Pushing away from the counter, Michaela moved toward the balcony. The party was of no interest any longer, but she could not leave. Cody began to ignore her, but somehow, that didn't ruin her mood. In order to ignore her, he would have to be aware of her every move. She could feel his energy, feels his internal eyes watching her even if he was dancing with Lisette.

While Michaela was floating in her thoughts, she felt him staring at her this time. Instead of lifting her head, she moved her own gaze across the room. They clashed with Cody's who was watching her as he danced seductively against the pretty girl's gyrating body. Turning Lisette around, he pulled her ass into his groin and continued his hypnotic dance. He whispered something in Lisette's ear and the girl turned to look at Michaela.

Blushing, Michaela turned and looked over the balcony. Lisette had looked at her differently, a look that held a hint of sexuality. Michaela had never been intimate with another girl before, and wondered what Cody had said to her. Nervous, she played with a loose curl, nonchalantly looking over her shoulder. She knew Cody would be a good dancer, and watching him now made the heartbeat of her labia throb madly.

Why was he toying with her? He now made it perfectly clear that their relationship had steered clear of personal, and remained business. So why go through the trouble of being an asshole? She stood. Little beads of sweat popped up through her pores, the alcohol gradually taking effect on her body. Or was it her desire? Her arousal had about as much potency as two glasses of wine. When 'turned-on, ' her body and mind melted in unison, inhibitions no longer existed and she lived only in the moment. Something that wasn't necessarily smart.

Michaela had a tendency to remove her clothes when she was drunk, and mixed with her current horniness, she knew she was in trouble. Her body temperature rose, and she inconspicuously looked around for the nearest room to disappear into. She was losing control at this point, but the little rationale she had left led her down the hallway and into the host's bedroom. Michaela scolded herself for letting her emotions fuel her reasons for getting drunk.

Especially over a man. Michaela and her mother were like best friends, and she had promised Michelle that she would be careful. But sometimes, Michaela thought, a situation called for you to take leave of your senses in order to truly ignore someone. She closed the door behind her. Shoes came off first, then pants, followed by her shirt.

The host would, no doubt, be irate with her if he knew what she were up to, and by the looks of his sheets, they seemed to be the perfect thing to douse some of the heat rising under her skin. Michaela laid herself upon the bed and spread herself over the coolness. She moaned and sighed. Tossed and turned, until she felt some of the moisture drying up.

She was oblivious to the door opening up. Cody was curious as to what she was up to. He saw her standing at the balcony and suddenly wobble down the hallway. He hadn't meant to upset her, he wasn't really sure what he was doing. Dancing with Lisette was something that he hoped would allow Michaela to dislike him so that she could leave him totally alone. It did little to kill his cravings for her, though. So he followed her to apologize. A laughed escaped his smiling lips once he saw her squirming on the bed.

"You get turned on watching me dance with another girl, Michaela?" The mischief in his eyes ignited at the sight of her nude body.

"What? Oh shit... please leave. I'm not in a position to play with you," she said, intoxication moving over her like a rain cloud.

"According to whom?" he said, leering at her.

"What?" she asked, incoherency slowly subduing her mind.

"I... wanted... to... apologize." he said slowly, his eyes roaming her hills and curves.

Everything about the situation, the surroundings, conflicted. His clothed body standing over her prone naked one, his senses slowly being consumed by desire as spirits lull hers into oblivion.

"What the hell did you have to drink, Mickie?"

"Ummm... White Russian with a... a... um... extra vodka, I think."

"I'll have to remember that."

"What?"

"Nothing," he chuckled. "I hope you don't hate me in the morning, but I've stood here watching you long enough, Mickie, and, frankly... I'm about to take advantage of this," he said, semi-jokingly.

"You jussstay away fro me, Cody."

"You're kidding, right?"

"Hell... no. You trea me like crap out there and espect me to give you pussssy? The nerve," she said, her own voice making her laugh.

"It's complicated, little girl."

"The h-hell it is. Ann don call me dat," she slurred and giggled all over again.

"Okay," he said, walking closer to the bed as he removed his jacket.

Still fully clothed, Cody slid between Michaela's slender thighs. Her eyes watched him, but she said nothing. Those same eyes glazed over when he pressed his khaki-covered groin into her naked mound. Cody wasn't sure if they changed from the drink, or from him, and his erection grew with each grind of his hips. The sexy body underneath him jerked as his hardness smashed its swelling clit. Cody grabbed one of her breasts the moment he pulled her bottom lip into his mouth.

The atmosphere blurred, and Cody's tongue coaxed Michaela into opening her mouth. She parted her lips more for him. Her cream began to flow, and he licked her tongue. Cody looked down quickly, and lifting himself slightly, noticed the wetness surrounding his erection. He moaned and pressed his hips deeper into hers. The hard fabric-covered cock pressed into her clit as he devoured her mouth again. A warm liquid seeped into her mouth from his tongue and mixed with her own. He covered both of her lips with his, desiring to swallow her whole. Cody released her then...

"Damn, Michaela, I need to fuck you right now. Michaela?" he said, staring incredulously. "She fucking fell asleep," he said with his forehead on the pillow beside her.

Masturbating and ejaculating all over her seemed like a tasty way to end the night, but he wasn't ready to get sued. A few of the "inside reporters" could find her that way, and who's to say when they chose to have a heart and keep quiet. Plus, he was not that cruel... not yet anyway. So he looked around for the nearest bathroom. Cody didn't feel up to answering all the questions that would surround his huge hard-on.

"Shit," he thought. He hated masturbating when he had access to fucking, but disentangled himself from the naked girl anyway, and walked to the bathroom. He stopped suddenly in the doorway, turned around, and gazed at the sleeping beauty as he unzipped the top of his pants. Instead of taking his time, as he usually did, he wrapped his large hand around an equally large cock, and stroked hard on the crown.

He gripped the side of the doorway, chemicals in his mind swooshing while the inevitable release was swimming. His explosion came suddenly. Cody cursed again as he noticed his cum jetting out over the carpet, little streams dripping down his fingers. After a loud exhale, he grabbed a nearby towel and cleaned himself off, thankful that his semen was nearly the same color as the carpet. He walked near the bed, stood over Michaela, memorized her body, and walked out.

Celeste watched from the balcony as Cody emerged from the direction she saw Michaela heading. Once he donned his jacket, he walked out of the party altogether.

"Where is this located?" Michaela asked her agent.

"Near Sherrington Valley," Trish told her.

"It's a private studio. Don't worry, there are no weirdos there, it's just a shoot for some men's cologne."

"Will there be a male model with me?"

"No, just you. Sort of like you are what men will draw when they wear that stuff."

"I get it. Will I be nude?"

"Partially."

"What... a... surprise," she said, heading out the door.

Michaela pulled up the steep driveway. She loved the California mountains, and with the soft, cool breeze on her skin, she'd rather stay outside. Stepping out of her car, she could see the photographer meeting her at the door. Was this protocol for all photographers she wondered, greeting them at the door?

Once inside, the oak hardwood floors and black trim around the entire studio didn't surprise her, she expected it to be that way. It was spacious, clean, and terribly business-like. Two couches faced each other by the patio window and a Chinese divider stood over in the corner. She found herself a little intimidated with her surroundings, with her new photographer. Oh, he was handsome, his short blond hair looked as if someone just ran their fingers through it and sent him on his way, however, he didn't have the warmth in his eyes that Cody had when they had first met. She watched the guy's form-fitting jeans as he took her things and put them on a brown sofa.

"Hi, I'm Phillip. Did they tell you this was nude?" he asked when he returned.

Straight to the point, he is. "Partially nude."

"That's what I was afraid of, which is why I asked so suddenly before we got comfortable."

"I'm going to choke her," she said more to herself.

"You're not comfortable taking nude photos," he stated, looking a bit disappointed. "Oh, they won't be nude in the magazine, there will be a computer graphic image of a cologne bottle in you."

"In me!? Are you crazy?"

After he finished laughing, he explained. "You'll pose in curves and once we have the one we like, we will fill in the bottle and it will seem as if you're wrapped around it, draped around, or snaked around it. Which ever we choose that's perfect, that is." he smiled. "Plus a few head shots on the side, for promotional use."

"That you and I choose?"

"Me." Cody walked in on cue.

My fucking agent is so fired, Michaela told herself. She smiled a smile of resignation though, not in the mood to make a scene. How was she going to relax now? She moved between them and grabbed the robe from the chair. Without turning back, Michaela headed for the back room and removed her clothes. Nudity is nudity, but why the hell was she so aware of it around Cody? she wondered. She was still angry at him; the last thing she remembered at the party was him dancing seductively with another girl.

When she returned, Cody was seated in the same chair her robe had laid upon, one leg draped over the arm.

"And what is your job?"

"To assist."

"Says who?"

"Trust me," he said, looking at her as if his presence was obvious.

"Now," Phillip spoke, "if you could just remove that and lay on the green back drop first."

Michaela lowered herself to the floor after removing her robe, missing the exchange Phillip gave Cody. Only an arch of Cody's brow answered his look.

"O-kaaaay, let's get started, shall we?"

"Michaela. Are you nervous, honey? Cause if you are, it's going to show," Phillip told her, a little annoyed. "But then, I'm sure you know this."

"I'm fine. I just... hmmm, have no freaking excuse to think of," she said, sick of making excuses.

"It's okay. Let's try it again."

"Just a minute, Phillip," Cody interrupted. "Let me speak to her for a sec."

"Sure." he said, crossing his arms.

Crouching to his feet, Cody looked at a naked, kneeling Michaela who modestly covered her nipples with her arms.

He told her, "You're a beautiful girl with great potential to have an outstanding career. I know how much passion you have, but the people on the other side of that camera will never get to see it if you don't tap into it. Your career would be dead in no time. And no amount of groveling or primping could revive it. No one will trust you if you look like a deer."

Putting her frustration aside, she said, "This is my first time away from home and maybe I just haven't settled in," she said, not even believing herself. "I know, it sounded like another excuse. I hate excuses."

"There could be a lot of reasons for it. But I know one thing that will cure it," he said, grinning at her.

"You must be joking," she said, looking at Phillip who only smiled at her as if he'd been through this a hundred times.

"Your breasts are beautiful, don't hide them," Cody said in a sexy voice, with a sexy grin. His green eyes reflected a hint of mischief. "That's it. Just relax, Michaela, Phillip and I won't hurt you," he assured her. He watched the goose bumps prickle up and ran his hands seductively over her arms.

Cody kept his hands below the shoulders, careful not to disturb the make-up and hair Tammy whipped up before Michaela came to the studio. He moved closer to her, holding her gaze so that she could see nothing else but him.

"No... look at me, baby girl," he told her. "I'm just going to get you to relax."

Michaela couldn't speak. She had never experienced being nude in front of two men. She had never been touched by one, while the another stood by and watched. Cody moved behind her and began massaging her shoulders and the tops of her chest. His hands moved lower near the tops of her breasts, but retreated as soon as they came down far enough. She looked over at the bottle of wine sitting on the glass coffee table and knew if Cody continued touching her this way, they wouldn't have to waste the effort of opening it.

Cody persuaded Michaela to lie on her stomach and although he straddled her thighs, he hovered over her. Once his hands stroked her skin, her heart rate spiked just slightly. Phillip crouched low then, his hands and camera hanging over his knees, and watched Cody's foreplay. When he smiled at her, Michaela hoped this was not a situation where she had to prove her self-control. Dignity always remained close in every situation, but now, it seemed to be slowly abandoning her.