Skinny Dipping

Brighton

"Happy New Year, Matthew. Is Josh going to be at your party tonight?" Carol asked.

"He's already at the hotel sitting at the lobby bar."

She looked over and past his shoulder, hoping Josh might miraculously appear. "Excellent!" Carol shrieked.

Then, like it was the most natural thing in the world, Matthew reached for Sophie. He picked her up, and spun her around. She screamed in delight.

"Welcome to Brighton," he whispered in her ear. He shot her a dangerous grin and seemed thrilled to see her. He gently put her down.

Feeling flustered, Sophie turned to Carol. "Let's make the most of the daylight. I need to take shots from different angles. This won't take more than an hour," she commented, and she urged both Carol and Matthew out onto the beach.

"Do I have to be here?" Carol asked.

"You're my model." She directed Carol to walk out onto the pebbled beach. "Matthew's the client, so he can just watch."

"Really? I'm your model, excellent." Carol seemed thrilled, jumping into action, clapping her hands excitedly. There was only a flicker of uncertainty in Carol's gaze. It was almost unnoticeable, but Sophie recognised it.

Swallowing, Carol soon regained her composure. She pushed her shoulders back. She stood tall, straight and held her head high as though nothing fazed her. After all, Carol revelled at being the centre of attention.

"I need phenomenal shots to show Desmond," Sophie said stubbornly. "Matthew, scan the area and consider whether you're happy with this location because this is where we plan to film."

"Okay." He blanked his face and adopted an exceptionally serious expression. But his lips twitched, in a sexy type of way. Sophie wondered what it would be like to kiss them again, not pretending to be his girlfriend.

It was her turn to frown, trying not to get carried away thinking about Matthew's lips. "Of course. Let's get this over and done with so we can enjoy the festivities. Carol, just stand there and I'll take photos of every angle."

Carol froze like a statue and held herself with grace and elegance from her ballet training. She stood smiling, showing her long, slender neck, and expressive, elfin face. She was a natural. She really could model or be the girl for the commercial, the way her lips curved into a mischievous smile.

Sophie photographed Carol with the famous Brighton pier in the background. She snapped the horizon, with the water lapping the pebbles. After taking almost thirty different photos, she revised what she'd caught on camera, and her handiwork. Desmond would definitely have something to work with.

"Matthew, come and look," she instructed, pointing to a frame on the camera screen where Carol looked radiant. The photograph showed Carol's mass of gleaming blonde hair blowing in the wind. Her large eyes would hold anyone's attention.

"She looks brilliant. She's not the girl we're using though, is she?" Matthew said in a low voice, quietly so Carol couldn't overhear.

"No...." Sophie said slowly.

"Pity."

Sophie nodded. "Very nicely done, thank you Carol," she said. "It's a wrap."

Carol relaxed after her posing. She glanced nervously at Sophie. "Are the pictures okay?" She ran a hand through her mass of blonde hair.

"Terrific," Sophie assured her. "You're quite a natural."

Carol sighed visibly, and her eyes glittered at the compliment.

"They really look fabulous," Matthew confirmed.

"Thanks." Carol squeezed Sophie's hand. "If they're not, we can stay longer. I was so worried I might be tense."

"You were perfect."

Carol seemed to shake herself, and the worry away from her body. "Well that was fun," she enthused. "We should go back. I've got a party to get ready for. And I've got to see Josh."

***

The girls got ready in the penthouse suite. Matthew was staying somewhere else in the hotel, with a group of his university friends. Sophie didn't know the room number. All she knew was that they planned to meet at the party which was downstairs in one of the reception rooms. Sophie dressed in a short red dress and Carol wore a sleek, flashy number.

Mickey arrived, dumping a backpack on the floor as she walked into the penthouse. Her jaw dropped to the floor as she looked around. "So we're all staying here the night?" Mickey raced around the suite, suddenly hyper, like she'd consumed too much sugar. She jumped on one of the beds. "Nice spring?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Yeah. I guess," Sophie said.

"So this has to be a date," Carol insisted, "It is a date, isn't it?"

Sophie shrugged. "I dunno. He just asked us all to the party. All of us."

"You are in mass denial," Mickey said. "Tell us what's going on. We're all in Brighton in the bloody penthouse suite." She flopped onto a bed.

"There's not much to tell. Nothing has happened."

"You should have the master bedroom," Carol said, her eyes wide, innocent and rounded.

"Nope, that wouldn't be fair. Besides, I couldn't take him back to my room. That would be a promise of...."

"Ah ha. So you've thought about it. You've thought about having sex with him." Mickey prodded Sophie's shoulder. "Why not? He's gorgeous, nice, and rich."

"It's not about him being gorgeous, nice, and rich. You make me sound like a gold digger."

"Lighten up Soph, have a little bit of fun," Carol chided. "He's a good bloke."

"If it's going to work with Matthew, you'd better start by taking a risk," Mickey mused. "The situation isn't ideal, with Matthew being your client. You can't control everything and if you like him, you've wasted enough time pretending you don't." 

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