The exhibition is in full swing, and the gallery is packed with people - proud relatives and friends mingling with the creme-de-la-creme of the artist set of Chicago. This is the reception for all the graduating students - so of course, everyone will be here. I can't help but think that for most of the students, this exhibition is the perfect opportunity to prove to the naysayers that there are uses for their talents and they aren't destined for the life of a poor artist.
I feel happy knowing that Vivian won't be a poor artist, considering he's already somewhat in demand.
"Well, well, if it isn't Miss Alexa." I freeze at the sound of Elena's booming voice. Elena - Elena is here, and she has every right to be here since he's Vivian's employer. But that also means she'll see the pictures of me, and since I' haven't told her anything... "Fancy meeting you here. You're looking resplendent tonight."
"Uh, yeah! Thanks, I think?" This isn't going to end will, is it? "I, well, uh, I heard about Vivian's exhibition, and I thought I'd drop by and see what the buzz was about." Why the hell is she looking at me like that? "You know, since he's supposed to be so good and whatnot."
"Uh-huh." Her eyes are narrow, and then she raises an eyebrow. "You sure it's for no other reason?"
"Um...no." Oh my God! Does she know? Does she know? "Just curiosity that's all."
I laugh nervously. She opens her mouth as though to ask a question, but the smiles. My heart will give out at any moment. "Well, since you're here, we can go and look at Vivian's exhibit together. I hear it's really...something."
Her words only increase my nervousness by ten-fold. "Oh, that won't be necessary. I...I'm sure you're with some people."
"No, I insist! Let's go, let's go! It's already the talk of the exhibition, so we should see it before the crowds swarm it."
"Elena, wait!" She grabs my hand, weaving me through the crowds at a quick pace. I have to be doubly apologetic to everyone we bump into because she sure as heck isn't. "This isn't necessary."
"Sure it is! We're both here to support Vivian, right?" I have a really bad feeling about this... "Let's support him together. Ooh, here it is!"
Vivian's photographs were located in he south wing of the gallery, among the bright white walls and even brighter white floor lights. He featured nine photographs. A sign nearby announces the name of his exhibit - "A Study is Everyday Beauty", and that it featured three different photographs of three different subjects.
And I must be one of them.
"These pictures turned out really nice," Elena explains to me. "I'm not just saying that because I hired the guy, of course. He has actually talent."
"Yeah." The light bulb went off. "Wait a minute, have you seen - "
"The pictures he took of one of his instructors and of myself turned out really well - of course mine were amazing. But..." She turns to me with the biggest knowing grin on her face. Oh shit. "...the last row of pictures are clearly the best ones."
She nudges me and my heart drops. Oh yeah - she knows. "Ah, Elena, I, I can explain..."
"Oh trust me - you will explain yourself, you naughty little minx. But you should look at the pictures first." Her eyes gesture to the wall. "You really want to see this."
She nudges me again, and this time, her smile seems less mischievous. I take a deep breath, and exhale slowly. So...this is it. This is the moment of truth, when I see what exactly I signed away for.
He says that these pictures will settle things once and for all. The answers to all my questions lie in these frames.
My heart is pounding. I don't know what to expect - but I know I have to face this head on. So, I begin to walk to the photos as though I were walking down that long, lonely corridor leading to the gas chamber.
I know that no matter what happens, I will live, but I feel like I'm going to die.
The world slows down all around me. Every footstep echoes inside my head. I'm terrified, but I'm excited as well. This...these photographs are the doorway to the next chapter of my existence. Even if it all goes badly - even if it's all be one sadistic lie, something inside me has awakened, and it's something that can never lie dormant ever again - it can never be put back to sleep.
For that, I will always be grateful.
When the first image of me appears before my eyes, tears spring forth from eyes - tears I didn't realize I had. When...when did he take this picture of me?
When?
And why didn't he tell me about it?
I recognize the backdrop - it's Elena's studio. I'm standing beside on her windows, with lots of sunlight streaming through the panes. And I'm smiling. No, not just smiling - it's look like he caught me in the middle of a laugh. I look really happy in the photo - overjoyed even. Maybe it's the sunlight that enhances it, or maybe it's the warm light that surrounds me, but looking at it filled me will so much joy.
"Beautiful shot, isn't it?" Elena's voice saunters in from behind. "These photographs are very hard to take, because the emotional state of the photographer is what makes or break it. Sure, it's up to the viewer to decide how it makes them feel, but if the photographer was 'blah' when he took it, then it'll probably make the viewer feel 'blah', too."
"Do you know when he took it?" My voice is so soft, I wonder if she hears me. "This photo."
"No, I don't, but it had to be after I hired him. I just didn't introduce you guys yet." I just want to reach out and touch it... "Well, don't stare at it all day. There are two more you should see."
"Huh?" My eyes glanced over to the photo in the series - a picture of me in Vivian's bed, fast sleep and wrapped tightly in my comforter, a sweet smile on my face. I remember this - it's when he came to me after the first time we had sex - and explained to me the true definition of seduction.
The night he made love to me again when I asked him if he was taking pics of me again.
"I admit, this photo made me go 'aww'," Elena piped in. "Of course, it made me realize that something was going on that the two of you weren't telling me about, but still - it's a good picture. He has a good eye, that one."
She pushes me over to the final picture - me curled up against the door way with tears in my eyes. This was the picture he took after I left him at the Violet Underground - when I thought he preferred the pretty girls to me.
The picture in its black-and-white tones, was a painful reminder of my sadness.
"You know, if you'd have told me that he crossed the line, I would have kicked his ass for you." I turn to her, and if I didn't know any better, she actually looks offended. "Whether something is going on or not, you're still my friend, and I've got your back."
Now, I felt really guilty. "I-I'm sorry Elena. I didn't know how to tell you, and I didn't want him to lose his job..."
"I would never fire him over something like this, Lexie," she points out. "I just wish you'd have told me what was going on. It's not like I would have said no to it - you're both adults, and you do what you want. As long as you're happy." She glances over at the photos. "He certainly is."
I blink. "What?"
"Oh come on, Lexie, don't tell me you don't already know?" I look over at the photos once again, in awe of how beautiful they all are in their own way. "These pictures - are amazing. These pictures will always increase his demand with future clients. But the most important thing is that they are testament to how he feels about the subject - how he feels about you." I smile through my tears as she grabs my arm. "It's frustrating as hell at how little he speaks - but the photo says everything - feelings and all."
The joy inside me me melts my heart, and fills my body with immense warmth and wondrous light. Elena is right - they really do show how he feels about me. And Vivian was right - my signature was all that was needed to settle this once and for all.
I love him - and it's okay to love him.
I don't need to be afraid anymore.
Ah...how wonderful.
"I'm sorry that I've hid this from you for so long, Elena," I tell her, wiping away my tears. "I won't get into the details, but I won't hide anything from you again."
"I know you won't, and I except your apology." She pouts. "Still, there's just one thing though."
I give her a puzzled look. "And that is?"
In dramatic fashion, she places her hand on her forehead, throwing her head back. "Why didn't he try anything with me? I'm beautiful man-eating cougar too, aren't I? This was supposed to be my starring role! He was suppose to seduce me, waaaaaah!"
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" For some reason, I'm compelled to bow before her many times, even though she just told me that I did nothing wrong. "You are a beautiful man-eating cougar, and another hot photographer will come for you - but not your employee..."
Elena is dramatically inconsolable, and I have not choice but to dramatically try to remedy that. In the midst of her wailing and odd stares, I catch Vivian gazing at me from across the room. He flashes his knowing smirk before kissing his lips and sending them my way.
Ah...
I love you too, sweetheart.
------
I linger around as everyone leaves - I wait for him. He appears before me in due time, smiling but looking very tired.
"You came." He sounds very tired. "I'm glad."
"I promised you I would," I tell him softly. "I'm glad I did."
He chuckles. "Is that so? Did you like what you saw?"
I nod. "Yes."
"And does it ease you mind, finally?"
I don't nod this time. Instead, I reach out and entwine my hand in his. He squeeze right back. "Yes. Finally."
He looks quite smug and pleased with himself - and he deserves to be. "Come on then - lets go to your house. It's closer, and I really need some rest." I can't help but laugh. "What?"
"I just never though I'd see you tired, that's all. You're always so full of energy, especially after you've worn me out."
"Well, what can I say?" He wraps his arms around me as we heard for the door. "Even verifiable sluts need their beauty rest from time to time."
"Yeah, but you aren't a verifiable slut anymore, are you?"
He gives me that sly look, and my heart melts all over again. "No, but I'm your verifiable slut. Am I right?"
I give him a sly look of my own. He will rest tonight - but it's on tomorrow.
"You better believe you are."
------
I help him into bed as soon as we get to my house. He's so tired - he was dozing off on the train. He's worked so hard on his senior exhibition, and now that it's over, it's taking its toll.
He deserves all the rest he can get - especially if he really is my verifiable slut now.
I help him out of his clothes and slip into a white tank and pajama pants of my own. He curls up next to me, his head on top of my chest, and his arm wrapped around my waist. I run my fingers through his hair, and rest my chin on his forehead. As his breathing slows and eyes flutter, the needs to speak the truth of my heart blooms inside me. I can't wait any longer - I need to say it now.
"I don't know how to say this," I begin, "and I know you are a man of few words. So I'm just going to come right out and say it."
His tired eyes gaze at me. "And what is that?"
H-Here it is. "I-I love you." There - I said. I've said it. "I love you, Vivian. I don't know what happens next, but I know that I love you."
Even in his exhaustion, he can laugh. "Well, I knew that."
My eyes flew open. "What?"
He reaches over and cups my cheek. "You wouldn't be so affected by me if you didn't love me. And I would have made you the center of my exhibition...if I didn't love you."
Jesus... "Say that again."
"You just said I was a man of few words, Lexie."
"I know what I said. But please, tell me again."
He reaches over, and kisses my forehead. "I...I love you too, Lexie. Don't you know what you do to me?"
And just like that, the heaviness within my heart dissipates into nothingness. I pull him closer to me as tears of happiness form in my eyes. I still don't know what will happen after this. I'm too old and too wise to predict the future, and take every day as it comes. But for now, for now, I'm the happiest I've been in a long time, and I intend to keep that feeling with me for a long as I can.
"I think I'm getting an idea," I say with a yawn. "A very good idea."
------
I wake up before he does for a change.
He looks so peaceful, resting there, snug in the covers. As he dreams his dreams, he looks so content, with a small smile on his face.
I wonder, if possibly, he's dreaming of me.
I lean over and softly kiss his forehead. He's mine - he's all mine. And I know that now. And you know what - I couldn't be happier. I deserve to be happy and it's been a long time coming.
I'll proudly wear the badge of a cougar if it means I get to be with this delicious man. We may not live happily ever after, but we will live sexily ever after, and that's fine by me.
I have a lot to learn - from him and from myself. It's going to be a fun ride.
He stirs as my fingers run along his face. "Careful - I think I'm well rested now. Energetic even."
"Lucky me." I watch as he sits up, smiling at me. "Did you rest well?"
"Of course, I did. You're a very comfy pillow - very warm and very squishy."
"I don't think I've ever been referred as 'squishy' before. Is that a good thing?"
"Madame, it's a very good thing." He sweeps me into his embrace. "It's the best compliment of all."
I can't but giggled like a schoolgirl - the thought comes to me in a flash. "Hey, wait a minute. I just realized something."
"And that is?"
"The photos - I mean, the other photos of me. If you weren't going to use them for your exhibition, then what are you using them for?"
At first he says nothing. The room is dead quiet, and I wonder if I've gone and ruined the mood by asking the question. But then I notice it - a blush that spreads from one part of his face to another, until he is completely red.
He's - embarrassed?! The calm, cool, and collected photographer is blushing?
Where the hell is my camera?
"Well...they weren't for b-blackmail," he begins shyly, and I can't believe what's happening. "You look so good when I'm inside you...and I needed something for the nights when we aren't together, so..."
My eyes widen to the point where even a blind man could see the whites of them. Did he say that? Did he really just say that?
All this time I was afraid of him sleeping with other women, and now I find out the the only thing I was even remotely my rival was a naughty photo of me.
I will not laugh. No, I'll save that hearty belly laugh for later.
But now, I have this idea in my head that I don't want to put away, and I know he won't be opposed to it.
"Well in that case..." I kiss him on the nose. "We'd better add to your collection, now, won't we?"
He watches as I slide out of bed. "What? What are you talking about?"
"I believe I still owe you a private photo shoot from last week," I purr. "I'm going to take a shower, and then I'm going to put on my best lingerie. I'm afraid you'll have to use my camera, though, but I'm sure you'll make it work.
"Oh, and by the way." It's my turn to give him a knowing smirk. "I think we should start up my lessons again, don't you? After all...I've still got a lot to learn."
He may look calm, but I can tell that he's beside himself. "You definitely are a sexy beast."
We stare at each other - hungry, yearning, lustful. I beckon him to the shower, and he can't hop out of bed fast enough.
And we lived sexily ever after.
=The End=
Author's Note: There is a sequel in the works - so please stay turned to this page. Thank you all so much for your support. You are all awesome! - Belle Nuit
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Cámara Sensual (Completed)
General Fiction"Here, look this photo. It's one of my favorites. I caught you at all the right angles. You look so hot...but then again you're always hot when you're with me. I wanted you to see - how much the camera loves you. You must let me do this again...
