Dana pushed back a strand of her hair. She looked around and noted that the beach was basically deserted, much to her relief. “Yes, but really nervous.”
Janet waved it off. “Don’t be. We have to go and do body prep first,” she said.
“Body prep?”
“Yes, waxing, buffing, makeup, and moisturizing. It should only take three hours,” Janet said casually.
“Oh,” Dana said. She shot Amy a pleading look.
“Don’t worry it will be fine. I’ll hang out with Edward and keep him company,” Amy said, walking away.
The body prep was one of the most painful ordeals of her life and she included childbirth in that category. She was waxed everywhere, her eyebrows were plucked, so much lotion and moisturizer was applied to her body that she thought she was going to slide out of her seat.
It took exactly four hours. She knew this because she counted the minutes. After that was done she was shown her outfit. It was the smallest bikini she had ever seen in her entire life.
She put on the bikini that had reminded her of dental floss and wrapped a towel around herself. Janet led her out to the beach, barely five feet away from where the tide was washing over the sand. Several people walked over and fussed with her hair and makeup. Her towel was pulled away before she knew it, leaving her feeling na**d in front of dozens of strangers.
She gulped.
A man carrying a camera stepped forward. “My name is Clay. I’ll be taking your photos today, Dana. Are you all set?”
Dana wanted to cross her arms in front of her, but she wasn’t sure where to start. Her privates were barely concealed behind the tiny piece of scrap that made up her bikini bottom. Her ni**les and the area immediately around them were the only things covered by the tiny scrap they called a bikini top. What she wanted was a large tee shirt to cover her up. Reluctantly she nodded to Clay because she had to do something other than stand there like an idiot with people watching her.
She saw Edward out of the corner of her eye watching her. She was too mortified to look him in the eye. Several people descended on her with makeup. They even put makeup on her stomach. Yes, she felt pretty stupid and was kicking herself for signing the contract.
*******
Edward tried to steady his breathing, but Dana looked unbelievable. The second they pulled her towel away he started panting. Amy nudged him repeatedly. There was nothing on earth that was going to make him tear his eyes off her right now. It was hard enough watching her leave him last night. He wasn’t going to do it today.
“She’s beautiful, huh?” a woman next to him said. He didn’t bother looking at her.
“She’s amazing,” he said in a trance.
“I just wanted to say hi. I’m a big fan of yours,” she said.
He tore his eyes away from Dana and looked at the woman. He was shocked to see a platinum blonde model with medically enhanced assets. “Thank you,” he said automatically.
Her lips curled into a knowing smile. “I’m Jamie Lynn’s friend, Megan.”
“Who?” he asked absently. He had no idea who this Jamie Lynn was or why the woman was talking to him when he wanted to watch Dana.
She rolled her eyes. “The Jamie Lynn you dated for a month two years ago.” He looked puzzled. “She's a Victoria Secret model. She has a tattoo on her bottom of Mickey Mouse.”
He shook his head. Obviously someone he hadn't slept with, because he was pretty sure he would remember a woman with a Disney tattoo on her ass. Granted he did remember every single woman he ever slept with, all five of them, most of them girlfriends before he became famous.
“I’m really sorry. I don’t remember her.”
Her smile was back. “Well, why don’t we get together tonight and I’ll remind you.”
“Thank you, but no thank you. I’m taking my girlfriend out tonight.” He gestured towards Dana.
She laughed. “You’re dating her? She has like a dozen kids.”
“Two, and they’re great kids.” He smiled and looked back in time to see Dana on spread knees with her back arched. The woman next to him made a rude comment and stalked off.
“Holy shit,” Edward hissed as the photographer asked her to arch back further and she did.
Dana leaned back while praying that her skimpy suit didn’t move even a millimeter. Clay worked around her, constantly snapping pictures. He made her go on all fours with her hair draping around her shoulders. The entire time she avoided Edward’s eyes.
“Get her wet!” Clay demanded.
Before she could ask what the hell that meant, several buckets of ice cold water were dumped over her. Someone played with her hair. Another person came over with a spray bottle and sprayed her body. Several more pictures were taken in even more provocative positions.
“Okay, Dana, you’ve been great, but I just need one more shot. I need this one with one of our other models,” Clay said.
Dana nodded, happy to be almost done. When a gorgeous male model walked towards her she became nervous. She shot a panicked look at Amy that told her to come immediately before she hyperventilated.
“What I need you to do is take off your top. Zack is going to kneel behind you so he’s not in the picture, but his hands are going to cup your br**sts while you run your hands through your hair,” Clay said as if it wasn’t something to discuss.
“Amy!” Dana said, trying to stay calm. It was one thing to do a sex scene in a movie. She was pretty sure she could do that. It was part of the story line, but to have a guy she didn’t know hold her br**sts because she needed an extra set of hands was too much.
“Um, Clay, let’s talk,” Amy said, pulling Clay away.
Zack stepped up next to her smiling. He held out his hand. “You’re doing a great job.”
She shook his hand as she watched Amy with great interest. Edward made his way over. His jaw was clenched and he looked pissed. Apparently he overheard the game plan.
“Whoa, Edward Pierce,” Zack said, holding out his hand. Edward shook his hand quickly.
“Is this something you want to do?” he asked Dana, ignoring Zack's star struck expression.
She hugged herself. “I don’t know. No offense, Zack.”
“None taken. Don’t worry I’ll be gentle.” He smiled pleasantly.
Edward stared him down. “You’re not cupping my girlfriend’s br**sts. I don’t care what they say.”
Dana bit her lip to keep from smiling when he called her his girlfriend. She forced her attention on Amy, who was arguing with Clay now. After a minute they made their way back to Dana. “This is the cover shot. It’s already been discussed. She needs to do it,” Clay argued.