Page 12 of Stroked Hard
What I was hoping would be a fun new chapter in my life with my new apartment and residing so close to the ocean, has now become a game of looking over my shoulder, checking to make sure I don’t run into Hollis.
It’s been a week since our dumpster run-in where I tweaked his nipple, and I have yet to see him. A blessing in my eyes. That was until today.
“Where is my swim cap? Melon! Bring me my cap.” Bellini’s voice rings through the production crew as she sits in her chair in a ridiculously fluffy robe, her saintly dog on her lap.
I was beckoned early this morning to primp Bellini for a production shoot of her swimming in a pool with Reese. I have no idea how Jasper, the producer, was able to get Bellini even near a pool, something that makes her skin shrivel up, but here she is. Despite having to put her hair in a swim cap, she still made me wash it, blow-dry it, and curl the tips only to wrap it all up into a swim cap.
Do I wish I could have slept in? Yup, that would have been nice, but then again, I’m getting paid and that’s one more dollar toward my lip-stain production.
Reese bypassed hair and makeup today, not that he really needed anything done, but he said since he was going to be in the pool, there was no need. Bellini had other ideas.
The good thing about today? I will be paid for a full eight hours but only have to work this morning.
After I pack up my supplies, I plan on hitting up the nearest Panera, grabbing an Asiago bagel with butter and a strawberry smoothie, and heading home to look over the packaging options for my makeup line.
I can’t freaking wait to leave here.
“Oh Popey, I’m pretty sure this is the end of me. They are going to make me flop around in that pool of rotten sperm water.”
With my face buried in my makeup brushes, I roll my eyes. This woman. If only someone was brave enough to walk up to her, throat punch the hell out of her stuck-up ass, and take off without a word. I would worship that person and then hope and pray Jonathan caught it all on camera so I could watch it every night before bed. Best night-time lullaby ever: Bellini being throat punched.
“I did extra squats this morning just for this photo shoot. Check out my ass, it doesn’t get better than that.”
Shit.
That voice.
Glancing up quickly, the man I’ve been avoiding at my apartment complex just happens to be at the same pool as me today. I saw a photographer setting up some kind of photo shoot but just thought it was for Bellini and some narcissistic idea she thought of to take more pictures of herself, but clearly that’s not the case.
Pieces of the photo-shoot puzzle start to blend together as Bodi Banks walks on set as well, looking fine as hell. He has this dark brooding thing about him that captures your attention. To be honest, Bodi, Reese, and Hollis all in the same area is any woman’s wet dream. Reese, although more like a brother to me these days, has a bad-boy look with his tattoo, beard, and dark features. Bodi is a beautiful mystery just waiting to be cracked open, and then there is Hollis. Smart-ass extraordinaire, with the body of incredible contours and sinew that keeps your mind racing. They are all dangerous.
This was the GQ photo shoot Reese was talking about the other day. I didn’t realize they paired the two days together. That explains why I didn’t know Hollis would be here.
Keeping my head down, I clean my brushes and prepare the lip stain I’ve chosen for Bellini today. Luckily, she’s come to trust me on my choices. I’ve learned quite quickly what she doesn’t like, thanks to the water she’s tossed in my face on multiple occasions. Yes, like a dramatic soap-opera star, a quick chug of her water to my face ensures not only my makeup is ruined, but I get water up my nose as well. She’s a freaking treasure.Did you hear my sarcasm?
“What are we wearing? Is this a naked shoot? I’m cool with that if it is. I just got done manscaping.” Hollis continues to talk at a nearby distance and I pray he doesn’t come over to see me, especially with Bellini only a foot away. It would be a complete disaster.
“Melon, for Christ’s sake, what is taking you so long? Swim cap and lips. I have places to be today.”
Retched woman.
Smiling brightly, I turn to her with my lip stain on the back of my hand and a lip brush in my hand. She puckers up like always and I have to carefully remind her just to keep her lips normal.
“Bellini, don’t pucker.”
She rolls her eyes. “Just helping you out, but whatever.” Contrary to what she believes, she’s not helping me out one bit, but I don’t correct her.
I paint her lips with a light pink, a color slightly darker than her lips to make them stand out against the light color of her skin. Even though I hate the woman, she does have a nice complexion to work with. Every day I see her, I pray she has some kind of zit but she never does. She must sleep with a life-preserving chamber over her head. I wouldn’t put it past her.
“Rub your lips together.” She does as told while I grab her swim cap to put on her head. In the background, I hear Reese and Hollis discussing their upcoming Olympic trials, which happen to fall on the same days but in different states.
“Coach Ted is a bastard,” Hollis says. I don’t dare look in his direction, anything to avoid him as much as possible. “He had me practicing my back handstand for an hour yesterday. I don’t know if there is any blood left in my head.”
“Was there any in there to begin with?” Reese asks with a chuckle.
“Fuck off.”
“Uh, earth to Cantaloupe. My swim cap.”
