Sofia had posed for Alan twice more. When he asked her to do another book cover, she arrived early, and he pointed to the partition. Hanging on the hook was a satin nightgown. The spaghetti string straps weaved through the back of the gown and tied similarly to laces in a shoe. The pale blue complimented her coloring, but she felt conspicuously naked dressed in the flimsy material.
Beyond the screen, Alan laughed, and she heard a male's deep laugh.
"Sofia, come out, darling."
Taking a deep breath, she emerged from her privacy.
Alan stood with a perfectly gorgeous man. "I told you she's perfect."
The man didn't hide his head to toe assessment of her. She reciprocated as she took in his broad chest and narrow waist. She had been having hot dreams about the triste man, but the man in front of her was chiseled beauty.
"Jace, Sofia. You'll be together for the shoot. Jace just take off your shirt and shoes."
She watched as he took his shirt off. He stood in just his jeans, which rode down his hips, leaving a glimpse of his designer boxer above the denim waistband. It took every ounce of willpower to tear her eyes away from the spot where his defined abs disappeared behind the waistband.
Alan rubbed his hands together. Averting her eyes, she noticed he replaced the settee with a bed. A wave of uneasiness washed through her.
"What do I have to do?"
Alan laughed. "It's not porn." She let out her held breath. "Start standing. Jace, hold her hips. Good, now, nuzzle into her neck. Sofia, look like you're in love with him."
He smelled so good, she might be in love with him. His pheromones caused her pulse to race. She wanted to arch into him.
Alan gave directions and she or Jace moved a hand or head as he told them. Meanwhile, his camera clicked constantly.
"Okay, let's try a few on the bed."
Jace smiled. "Don't worry. We should grab a drink when we're done."
"Sure." She wouldn't pass up an opportunity to spend time with the hot man.
She posed, reclining against Jace's hard body. The last position was the most awkward with Jace on top of her, propped up on his elbows. He apologized for crushing her.
Once changed into her own clothing, Alan handed them each an envelope and Jace held the door for her on the way out.
"Not bad for a few hours of work." His voice was deep. "You up for a drink?"
"Sure."
They walked towards Huntington Ave. together. He pointed to a restaurant, and she nodded. At four, the place was almost empty. They sat at a table in the bar and a server materialized out of thin air. She ordered a cranberry martini and him a Sam Adams.
"Do you work for Alan a lot?"
He shrugged. "It's an easy gig. He works around my schedule. I do some acting and other modeling."
"I'd like to do some legitimate modeling."
Jace smirk. "You think Al isn't legitimate."
"What are these books? Why so many covers? I can't imagine a publisher like Roche-Sumner using a guy like him."
He laughed. "They're for independent authors. What do you know about publishers?"
"Nothing. I met a Sumner once."
Somehow red wine had been split on Mrs. Sumner's dress, and Bea brought her to the kitchen. Her husband followed behind and watched while Sofia sprang to action and blotted the stain. The man and his wife were so appreciative they slipped her money.
"Tell me more."
"Nothing to tell. I met them at a party. I was afraid we were doing porn today."
"That's not porn, but it was hot." He reached for her hand. "I think you and I could sizzle together."
His finger brushed up her arm, causing goosebumps to spread across her skin. He stroked her cheeks with his velvet fingertips.
She felt the effects and crossed her legs. "What do you have in mind?"
He whispered in a husky voice. "My place. Us. Naked."
Sofia enjoyed sex. She didn't feel the need for a relationship. Unlike her sister, who strung poor Julio along until he proposed. The sisters shared details about their lives, but Sofia wouldn't tell Rosa about her night with the model.
It wasn't a night, because he walked her to the green line before eleven. He kissed her at the entrance.
"I'll call you to hang out again."
Be cool. "Sounds good." It sounded more than good. She had experienced the body she lusted over all day. As she sat in the near empty train rocking back and forth with a smile on her face, a guy with the briefcase and suit gave her a funny look. Did he know she had just had amazing sex?
She saw Jace a few more times. They were booty calls, but she liked the booty. It wasn't only sex, because they talked. She told him about her niece and he spoke about his family in Indiana. He came to Boston for college, but quit when he started making money modeling.
He admitted. "My family isn't happy with my choice."
"My family thinks I should get a job."
"What kind of job?"
"Maybe a nanny. My sister is a personal cook for a wealthy family. The daughter is having a baby."
"How wealthy is wealthy?"
"Have you seen shipping containers with PC&S or Petersen on them?"
He let out a low whistle. "That's wealthy."
"And all their friends too." She thought of Monty. She hadn't seen him in over a month.
"Are you going to Alan's Christmas party?"
Sofia shrugged. "Are you?"
He nodded. "It's fun."
"What's his apartment like?"
Based on his dentist office scary elevator building, she expected a stained beige rug, slipcovers on the sofa and bare walls.
"It's an apartment. He knows a lot of interesting people. Not the kind you know, but they have connections."
"Connections? For modeling?"
"Some. Splurge on a nice dress."
Sofia didn't need to splurge, she had Sage's leftovers.
"Could we go together?"
He smiled. "As long as I get to take your sexy dress off you afterwards."
That alone was a reason for Sofia to attend.
The night of the party, Sofia dressed in a short red dress made of lace. Like a halter, it hooked behind her neck, but left her back open. Sofia had read the designer was new to the scene in recent years. Sage was thinner in the hips, so the dress clung more than it should.
Jace was waiting for her when she reached street level from the station. They both wore coats because of the December cold. Alan's apartment was in a red brick row house in the South End, close to his drab photography studio. The decor was modern Ikea. It didn't match the man with the mustache.
The man had lied to Sofia, because draped on each arm of their host was a beautiful woman. Everyone arrived with a bottle. Most were liquor, but she had brought a bottle of wine. A man behind the kitchen counter was mixing drinks and tried to get Sofia to try his concoction. Something about him made Sofia uncomfortable. She was always hypervigilant about what she drank.
She looked around for Jace and found him talking with an older gentleman in an expensive suit. She had an eye for spotting quality. As she approached the two men, a woman stepped to the man's side.
The woman smiled at Sofia and commented on her dress. "I didn't know there were knock offs."
Sofia lifted her chin slightly. "It's an original."
The woman laughed. "I thought we were the only ones who could afford designer clothes in this crowd. My brother attracts an odd group."
"Your brother?"
"Yes. He's very talented but has made some poor choices. Now he... Oh dear, he must photograph you."
Sofia nodded. "Several times."
"You are pretty. I wish I could help you, but even your dress knows models need a different shape."
"Who are you?" To insult?
"John and I run the Daly Agency."
Sofia's mouth formed an 'oh'. It was the biggest, most reputable agency in Boston.
"Are you telling me I'll never be a model?"
"You can continue to do soft porn with my brother."
Soft porn. She felt uncomfortable.
"Mary, don't scare her." Jace put his arm around her.
"I'll bet you two melt his lens."
Alan appeared. "Are you scaring my golden couple?"
Mary said, "Jace is mine. You just borrow him." Sofia looked at Jace, who blushed. He was an actual model. "She is beautiful, but not the right type. Her dress tells me she doesn't need to work."
"I get out-of-date styles from someone else's wardrobe."
"That dress is hardly out of style."
Jace said, "The girl's a Petersen."
"I've met Bea at a Children's Hospital benefit. She's something."
"Everyone loves... Bea." She paused to eliminate the Miss and hide that she was basically hired help."
"Her daughter is beautiful, but not tall enough to model. She's thin enough."
Sofia laughed. "Not now. She just gave birth."
"How lovely."
Bea had become a grandmother just two days before. The baby, Daniel, weighed in at over nine pounds. Lina had only been seven. Rosa had already asked if Sofia would care for the newborn on New Year's Eve. She was tempted to decline, but there was no guarantee she would have a date.
"Who are you talking about?" Alan asked like a child being left out of a secret.
Mary dismissed him with her hand. "No one you would know. You aren't even on the short list to photograph Bea Petersen's grandchild."
Alan glared and walked away. Mary kissed Jace's cheek. "Darling, we made our appearance. Don't stay long or you'll be associated with this riffraff. Not you, dear. You're lovely. Just pick a new career."
Sofia felt angry. How could she carelessly squash her dreams? She hated when her bossy older sister was right.
Jace put his arm around her. "Cheer up. I'll let you do anything you want with my body."
She shook her head. "Not tonight. I just want to go home."
He nodded. "I get it." He leaned in and grabbed her by the hip and pulled her into him. His hand shifted to the small of her back. His heat seared her skin. He whispered. "Can I change your mind? I leave at the end of the week. Home for Christmas."
Alan appeared. "You two have chemistry. You look amazing together. Monday afternoon, I need you both."
Jace said, "I can be there at two o'clock. Sofia?"
"Yeah. Okay." She'd think about her future in the new year.