“What do you mean?” I frown.
“These models want your man.”
My face falls. “They do?”
“Yeah, but he’s not into them. It’s rather embarrassing watching them as they try to get his attention.”
“Great,” I mutter as they all break into laugher.
Alastar spots the hairdressers and makes his way over to kiss them both on the cheek. “Hello crazy cat ladies.” He smiles. It’s obvious these girls work on all of his jobs and they are very familiar with one another.
“We are just informing your girlfriend of what she can expect.”
He rolls his eyes. “Stop.”
I fake a smile even though my insides are jumping around in turmoil. That was a piece of information that I really didn’t need to know. He disappears again and the hairdresser girls set up near the makeup station. The models start arriving. Each of them bring two or three people with them. They are so thin. Tall, skinny, and naturally beautiful. I can’t recognize any of them, but they probably look really different without makeup on. I sit and watch in silence as, one by one, they get their hair and makeup done, transforming from attractive, skinny girls into gorgeous, Covergirl women.
I watch them move from hair and makeup over to wardrobe, where they just strip off without any concern, and get dressed in front of everyone out in the open. I’m seeing breasts and behinds. Nothing to hide, no body shame, and nobody seems to be paying any attention except me. Obviously, everyone is accustomed to this environment. I feel a twinge of envy. I was mortified that Alastar wanted to watch me shower even though we have sex together. He sees beautiful women naked every day and he doesn’t bat an eyelid. What must have he of thought at my childlike embarrassment?
Star smiles appreciatively as they go to him, and kisses them all on the cheek. “Gorgeous.” He smiles as he looks them up and down and they pirouette in front of him like puppets.
My stomach drops. I know he is just doing his job, and I know this is what you want to hear from your photographer. Hell, if the photographer doesn’t think you are beautiful than what chance do you have of getting good pictures from the photo shoot? As the night goes on I watch him in full form. There’s music on, people jumping at his requests, and I become a little more dejected yet even more impressed. Ten of the world’s most beautiful women are all smiling and being witty with their assistants clambering around them. He’s directing them on what position he wants them to change into next, how he wants them to move, to stand, to feel. He’s telling them constantly how beautiful the shot is, what emotion he wants to see on their faces, constantly going back and checking the shots where the girls all stand around him as he shows them the digital screen. They laugh at everything and anything that comes out of his mouth.
As the final shot is taken, sometime around midnight, the girls all lay on the hay in only their underpants, which have been strategically covered in hay by their numerous assistants. Their beautiful breasts are on show and only covered by each other’s hands. I come to some realizations about my beautiful Twinkle Star: He is amazing at his job.
He is an amazing man, and now I know for certain why he wants to end what is happening between us at the end of the week.
I don’t belong in his glamorous world.
Chapter 14
I wake to Alastar gently kissing my shoulder. I smile to myself a little sleepily. We are naked and warm in his bed, his body nestled close to mine.
“Good morning, my beautiful Em.”
I reach back to rest my hand on his cheek before I turn my head to kiss him. “Good morning, Twinkle. He smiles against my lips. “Are you tired?”
I close my sleepy eyes. “Yes.”
He kisses my shoulder once more. “Stay home with me today. We can spend the day in bed.” He rests his face tenderly against mine.
That does sound really good. By the time we got home last night, it was after 3am. “Hmm.”
My eyes won’t open.
“We could go shopping or I could take you to the art gallery.” He tries harder to talk me into playing hooky from work, his lips trailing down the back of my neck.
I stay silent, my brain too tired to function, as I enjoy his lips on my skin.