Lizzy Ford (15 page)

“This is the worst job ever,” she muttered.

“Wow. He is an asshole,” Gerry said.

“I told you!” Jessi poured herself more coffee, eyes going to the blank iPad calendar.

“You’re not going to last.”

“I’m ready to quit already.”

Gerry gazed at her sympathetically. She sighed.

“Tell you what. I’ll give you my cell number. When you feel like venting, call,” Gerry said and picked up her cell. “Oh, and tell Xander I’m not hitting on you.”

“You’re afraid of him?” she asked in agitation.

“You’ve got balls. I wouldn’t throw down the gauntlet with him,” Gerry said with gravity.

“I want him to back off. I’m here for a week then gone.”
Hopefully not dead.

“You don’t seem to fit this line of work. Why take this job?”

Jessi sighed, uncertain how to answer. Her thoughts went to her cousins. She was doing her damndest not to think about what happened if she failed. Pretending this was a normal job was draining.

She went to the railing again to watch Toni throw herself all over Xander under the guise of conducting an interview.

“I didn’t really have a choice,” Jessi said when Gerry joined her. “Anyway, thanks for the offer to talk. I’ll probably be texting you this week.”

“Anytime.”

“They’re perfect for each other,” Jessi said, glimpsing Toni posing provocatively for Xander while Laurencio snapped pics.

“Ger, we’re going to do some photos on the beach. I need my other shoes,” Toni called.

“Fetch, Ger,” Jessi whispered to him. She added a snap of her fingers that pulled a quiet laugh from him.

“Come on, we’ll talk more,” he said and waved for her to follow as he went to the stairs. She trotted down the steps behind him. Gerry stopped to grab a satchel that was by the door then took it to Toni.

The clicking of the camera drew Jessi’s attention. Laurencio was taking
her
picture.

“No, none of that,” she said and held up her hand. “I’m a temp.”

“You’ve got a glowing aura. He’s trying to capture it,” Xander said from across the living area.

“You’ve got a glowing aura. I’m trying to capture it,” Laurencio repeated.

How bizarre.
“Um, thanks. But, no.” She kept her hand up.

“Don’t waste good film on someone who buys her clothes at an outlet mall,” Toni said to Laurencio. “Come on. I’m wearing my bikini under this.” These words were addressed to Xander.

I’m not going to last two days,
Jessi grated to herself. She tried to hang back, but Xander motioned for her to follow them. Grudgingly, she went to the opened doors opposite her that led directly onto the beach.

Gerry waited for her. Toni was hanging off Xander while Laurencio snapped a flurry of pictures. Jessi stopped to take off her sandals as she trailed them onto the beach. Gerry walked beside her.

“So, where you from?” he asked.

“Northern California. It’s like a whole different country.”

“I bet! I’m from Nebraska originally. Moved here to pursue my acting career.”

“You’re an actor?”

“Someday. I’ve had a few bit parts and been in a rut for awhile.”

“How is that possible?” she exclaimed. “You have problems dating
and
can’t get an acting job?”

“It takes connections for both around here,” he said. “I’m a dime a dozen. The girls all want to date people with money or family who can get them places.”

“That’s stupid,” she replied. “If you need a short, fat date for something, call me.”

“You’re not short or fat!”

Her eyes went to Toni, who had stripped off her shirt. “Um, yeah, I am.”

She was feeling insecure, and for good reason. Xander’s comments about her rear end did nothing to help, though she gave him credit for
trying
.

Jessi and Gerry stopped to watch as Laurencio’s assistant set up a tripod. The photographer coached Xander how to stand. When happy, he snapped pics. Toni watched, her hungry gaze taking in every part of Xander. It got worse when Xander removed his shirt. Toni was almost prancing with her excitement to get close to him.

Jessi saw what Toni saw, but she wasn’t going to drop at Xander’s feet. She exchanged a look with Gerry before her eyes went past him to the group of three women watching nearby. All wore similar dreamy expressions to Toni’s.

“Am I the only one with any sort of self-respect?” Jessi asked.

“Or maybe you’re immune to his … charm,” Gerry said with a grin. “I haven’t known him long, but I see this happen wherever he goes.”

“You’re saying I’m the weird one, not these girls?” She raised an eyebrow at him.

“Unfortunately. It might not be that good of a thing,” he said. “From that exchange in the kitchen I overheard, I’d say you drew his attention.”

“He’s interested in every woman. Just because I’m the only one who doesn’t …oh.
Oh.
” She frowned fiercely. “So because I don’t act like everyone else, he noticed me.”

“No one else talks to him like you do and lives to walk away.” The words seemed to be meant as a joke, but there was an edge in Gerry’s tone that made her think he knew Xander much better than he let on. “Maybe if you were like everyone else, he’d let you go after your week is up.”

Let you go.
Fear slid through her. She never considered she was getting into something she wasn’t going to escape. She assumed Jonny was the only danger. Her instincts warned her that she didn’t want Xander’s attention.

Whatever was going on, Gerry was somehow involved. Jessi wasn’t able to figure out how Jonny, Xander and Gerry were connected, except that they had to be. They just weren’t normal.

“You’re saying that, instead of treating him like I do my teenage cousins, I should pretend I’m dealing with a five-year-old who’s convinced his stick figure drawing is a masterpiece.”

Gerry laughed.

“Okay. I’ll play along. I’ll try anyway. I don’t think I can look that desperate if I tried,” she said, amazed at Toni’s brazen attempts to flash Xander.

Jessi studied Xander’s body once more, forced to admit that the man had the perfect combination of rugged beauty and flawless form. Even the muscles along his back were roped, defined. They rippled with his controlled movements.

Laurencio finally motioned a preening Toni into the shot. The woman lost no time in running her hands over Xander’s body. She unsnapped the button of his jeans with one flick of her fingers and plunged her hand down his pants. She gave another high-pitched whinny and posed beside him. Laurencio was encouraging her.

“Omigod!” Jessi stifled a laugh.

“Yeah. Wow.” Gerry rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. “This is getting awkward, isn’t it?”

She’d hoped to see Toni drive Xander crazy. He seemed at ease with the female attention or at least, unconcerned with where Toni’s hands went. The photographer issued them a few directions, with his assistant helping them pose. Toni was almost shimmying up and down Xander’s body in her excitement.

Jessi’s mouth was agape at the erotic poses Laurencio called for them to do. Xander pretending to bite her neck while she lay on top of him, the two of them spooning, even one where the massive man straddled her and pretended to hold her down.

Toni’s face was glowing. Xander looked bored.

“How about a beauty and the beast shot,” Xander said. “Innocence and danger.”

“Toni, this last one might work better if you’re wearing a shirt,” Laurencio said. “Sort of a beauty and the beast, innocence and danger.”

Jessi was perplexed by the verbatim repetition of Laurencio. Gerry muttered something. She glanced at him.

“Toni isn’t innocent looking,” Xander added. “How about Jessi?”

Laurencio copied him again. Jessi wondered if she was the only one who heard Xander, which made no sense, considering the photographer stood between her and the massive man.

“Or Toni could put on her clothes,” Gerry suggested. The edge was back to him again. He tossed the model her shirt. She pulled it on with a dirty look at her assistant.

Jessi covered her mouth but ended up faking an outburst of coughs to keep from laughing out loud. Xander looked at her again, a flicker of something she thought might be cunning crossing his features.

The photographer seemed to be considering.

“Jessi’s got that look,” Xander prompted.

“Jessi’s got that look.”

“Absolutely not,” she replied.

“I can be innocent looking!” Toni replied. “I’m an actress.”

Laurencio, however, was looking at Jessi. “You’re right, Xander. Tell your assistant to come down for a shot.”

“Tell your photographer no,” Jessi shot back.

“She does need to lose double-digit pounds,” Laurencio said.

“Sorry, Ingrid. I’ve got the number to the best weight loss doctor in town.” Toni gave Jessi a triumphant look.

Gerry caught Jessi’s eye. He shook his head.

What a bitch.
Jessi bit back her words. She knew very well she had some physical assets that drew men, even if her body wasn’t ideal like Toni’s.

“She has a sweet aura,” Xander said.

“Toni, I think he’s right,” Laurencio said. “She has that very sweet aura. Will make for a great Bella and the Beast photo.”

Play along.
Gerry mouthed the words to Jessi then added for her ears only, “I’ll take you to lunch tomorrow, if you do it.”

“Really?” she asked, surprised the handsome man wanted anything to do with her after Xander’s warning.

“Date?”

“Yeah,” she said, unable to help the smile that crossed her face. “Date.” Her first date in five years was with someone who looked like Gerry. She was unusually pleased by the idea.

“Give Xander what he wants. Figuratively, not literally. Pretend like you’re an actress, like Toni.” He rolled his eyes.

She choked back another laugh then turned her attention to the photographer.

“I’d
love
to do this, Laurencio!” she exclaimed with all the enthusiasm she could. “Xander is my all-time
fave.
I’m his biggest fan girl!”

Toni looked her over in irritation as Jessi walked towards Laurencio. The photographer was pleased, Xander suspicious.

“All time fave,” she repeated and batted her eyelashes at him the same way Toni did.

“We’ll have to do some post-photo work,” Laurencio said, looking her over.

Jessi forced herself to keep smiling. He’d just called her ugly after insisting she participate in this stupid photo shoot.

“Quite a bit, I’d say,” Toni added. “You may want to focus on a headshot.”

“I got an idea,” Xander said. “Similar to the last shot but a bit more … provocative. I’ve got my fangs.”

Jessi refused to flinch. “Omigod, that would be awesome!” She pretended to fan herself.

“Oh, we haven’t seen those yet,” Toni said in a honeyed voice. “You’re welcome to bite me, Xander. I’ll warn you that I bite back.”

“I look forward to that,” Xander replied.

Laurencio stepped back and was alternately gazing at Toni and Jessi through a box he made out of his hands.

“You’re both right,” he declared with enough self-importance that Jessi wanted to scream. “She’s got the innocence but not the body. Headshot, close-up of Xander and his fangs.” He motioned to his assistant.

“I can do innocent,” Toni whined.

“Not this kind of innocence,” Laurencio replied. “Those big eyes are the key. You’re a little too ...”

“Whorish,” Jessi supplied with a sweet smile.

Toni stared at her. Xander chuckled. Laurencin’s assistant took Jessi’s arm before she could see how red Toni’s face turned. Disappointed, she turned her attention to Xander, whose half-smile was one of warning, not comfort.

“On your back,” the assistant said, motioning to the sand.

“Total fan girl moment,” Jessi said.

“What’s the name of my show, fan-girl?” Xander challenged.

Jessi pretended to take her time settling on the sand, struggling to recall what Gerry said the name of Xander’s show was. She lay down.

“Vampire something,” she said then gave a breezy sigh. “I’m too excited to remember!”

The assistant squatted over her mid-section and fanned out her hair, positioning and repositioning it around her head.

“Makeup,” he said without glancing up.

Someone tossed him a small kit. He dipped a pinky into it and roughly spread lipstick across her lips then dipped his pinky again to smear something on her cheekbones.

“Eyes closed.”

She obeyed. He swept something over her eyelids.

“Rub your lips together.”

She did. He took her hands and positioned them over her head. She opened her eyes. He was frowning and glancing back at Laurencio for direction. He positioned her hands on either side of her head.

“Good,” Laurencio said. “To keep this a headshot, Xander will need to be lower than last time.”

“Best day of my life!” she exclaimed. Toni appeared pissed while Gerry was a cross between amused and concerned.

“We’re about to make your dreams come true.” This came from Xander. He kicked one of her feet with his. “Spread ‘em.”

“Excuse me?” she raised her head.

“No! Don’t move!” the assistant cried.

She lowered her head. The last pose with Toni was far too …intimate for Jessi’s taste. She hoped they took her picture and left her alone.

“We’re all professionals here,” Xander said, a smile crossing his face.

“We’re all professionals here,” Laurencio echoed. “Xander, your head needs to be level with hers. We’re doing an extreme close-up, so we don’t have to do too much post-photo work.”

The assistant left, and Xander replaced him. He didn’t hesitate to straddle her hips and rest on his haunches. The nearness of his bare chest and feel of his strong thighs on either side of her made her heart flutter. The smile she plastered across her face was starting to falter.

“It’s like sex,” Xander added. “You have had sex before, Ms. Tuesday?”

Toni sighed.

“Don’t call me that!” Jessi flushed, cursing him under her breath. She tried to look towards Gerry and silently beg him to help her.

“Don’t move your upper body,” the assistant ordered.