‘Oh, no, everything’s under control,’ I said. Under Jasper’s control, I thought. Everything’s under his control. Including me. ‘I’ll just go and get another bottle.’
‘That’s Dimitri’s fault,’ said Rosie, smiling adoringly at him. ‘He drinks far too quickly.’
‘You complain about me?’ he said playfully, tickling her chin. Jingle jingle.
‘Never,’ she said. ‘But you’re drinking all the wine.’
‘I’ll get more, don’t worry.’ I hurried back into the kitchen as Jasper was loading plates of prosciutto-wrapped, cheese-stuffed chicken breasts on to a tray.
‘Dimitri drinks like a fish,’ I told him. ‘We need more wine. Any preferences?’
‘Bring a couple,’ he said off-handedly. ‘A red and a white. I don’t mind.’
‘Red with chicken?’ I said in mock horror, knowing that Jasper was a stickler for this sort of thing.
‘Oh, I don’t expect my guests to live by m
y rules,’ he said. ‘Only my submissives.’
We exchanged an ‘I could rip your clothes off right here and now’ look, from which it was difficult to retreat. But I managed it somehow.
Back in the dining room, Trix was holding forth on the subject of her previous filming experience, but all conversation stopped while everybody helped themselves to food and drink.
‘So, you were saying, Trix,’ said Jasper, putting the salad tongs back in the bowl, ‘you’re used to being in front of the camera?’
‘That’s right. I haven’t done a mainstream movie, I admit, but I’ve done a lot of spanking porn. The people I work with are friends, and we’re all enthusiasts, so there’s a great atmosphere and I think it makes for a better end result.’
‘I’ll bet it does,’ agreed Jasper. ‘I’d like to see some of your films. Are they available online?’
‘Oh, sure. The website’s called Spanking Dreams. I like it because it caters to all tastes – not just men who want to see tight teenage bums. We do the school fantasies but we do a lot that appeal to women too – you know, spanking pirates in big billowing shirts and all that kind of thing. I loved that one. I think it was my favourite. Dimitri would make a brilliant spanking pirate – I should put you in touch with them.’
‘Ooh, you would,’ agreed Rosie. ‘I could just see that.’
‘Would you mind?’ asked Sarah. ‘If Dimitri did spanking films with other women?’
‘You know, I don’t think I would,’ she said, after a short pause during which Trix smirked as if she knew different.
‘Are you sure?’ said Trix. ‘I thought you were the jealous type.’
‘And I know how wrong I was now,’ she countered, a tad frostily. ‘I trust Dimitri completely.’
‘Hey, it is all good now,’ said Dimitri. ‘All cool. If you will pay me to be a spanking pirate, of course, I will consider it.’
‘So these films are spanking only?’ asked Jasper politely. ‘No further business?’
Trix coloured. ‘Well, there is if all parties are happy to do it. But it’s completely up to the actors involved. Everything is agreed beforehand.’
‘I’m intrigued,’ said Jasper. ‘Is the director anyone I know? Though I must admit I’ve been very peripheral on the Kinky Cupcake scene these past few years, so probably not.’
‘Do you know Persephone Bax?’
‘Oh, I know of her. Yes, we have friends in common.’
‘She’s the motive force behind the outfit. You must take a look at her work, it’s rather beautiful. The highest production values she can afford and such an imagination.’
‘I will. Perhaps a screening after lunch? I’d love to see some of your work. Dimitri, I gather yours has been of a more mainstream nature?’
‘Just bit parts, you know. The foreigner. I have an audition for a theatre company in Hackney next month. I hope that will work out.’