Getting Her Back

“I did.”

He waits for a couple of people to pass us through the door. “Will I have to be naked for this?”

I start walking out of the gallery, and I don’t keep my voice down as I say, “Absolutely, completely, buck naked.”

He catches up to me just as I reach the door. “Audrey, are you serious?”

“No, I just like to bluff about things.”

Christian sighs. “You want me to pose naked in front of your entire art class?”

“I already volunteered you, and I honestly didn’t think you’d have a problem with it,” I say. “We both know you have no problems with body image, and frankly I thought you might like the attention.”

He laughs. “My main concern isn’t being naked in front of people, it’s being naked in front of you.”

“It’s not like I haven’t seen you naked,” I say, snorting a laugh.

“Of course you have, but it’s not that either. It’s that… With me naked, and you looking at me, I’ll have a very hard time keeping myself… Soft.”

I can’t help it, I burst out laughing. People passing us on the street look at me like I’m crazy, but then again, this is New York City, so I can’t be that far off the mark. I have to stop and sit on a bench, on the verge of collapsing into hysterical giggles.

Christian is laughing too, but not quite as hard as I am. “Okay, it’s not that funny.”

“It really is though.”

“It might be better this way though,” he says. “I’m much more impressive when I’m fully erect.”

“And just think, I’ll have to draw you in whatever state you’re in.”

“I do like that,” he says.

“You haven’t told me why you’re here.”

“I thought I might come by and convince you that we could head uptown.”

I shake my head. “I have a date with Ellen. Besides, business only, Christian. And our business is finished for the month.”

“And the art class?”

“That is pure pleasure.”

He shakes his head, taking my avoidance in stride. “I’m not so sure about that.”

“I am. I’ll see you on Monday at seven.”

He watches me until I can’t see him anymore.

* * *

I spend the weekend painting and sketching, experimenting to make sure I have the style I want solidified before class. Obviously I knew I was going to have to draw Christian when I volunteered him, but it didn’t fully sink in until the next day. I’m going to have to draw him. Look at every detail of him, and lay it to paper.

I now understand why he’s so worried about getting aroused, because I’m probably going to have the same problem. Looking at him like that, analyzing him, dwelling on the lines of his body, it’s going to remind me of all the things you can do with that body. It’s a good thing that we’re meeting up afterwards.

I spend Monday strangely anxious, wondering how the class will go. Will he be a good model? What if he’s not, and Mr. Prince thinks less of me because I chose poorly? I’m hoping he’s not that petty, but you never know.

My nerves are so bad that I barely eat, by the time I get to class I’m starving. But still, even though I’m hungry, there’s no way I’m going to be able to eat before the class. I’ll throw it all up. Hopefully this isn’t what morning sickness is going to feel like.

I get there early, and wait for Christian outside the building. He’s prompt, arriving fifteen minutes before the class starts. He walks down the sidewalk in New York like he belongs there, and he does. I remember that he’s a CEO now, and I’m not sure how I didn’t catch the subtle changes in his movements and appearance. The way he walks—it’s a lot more confident then when we were together, and thinking back on our recent interactions, his clothing has been impeccable.

Even now, he’s wearing a suit that was clearly tailored to his body. The Christian I knew didn’t care very much about clothes, and wouldn’t be caught dead in a fitting for suit. Clearly, more has changed than I even realized. And if simple things like that have changed, what else has changed?

He approaches me with a small smile. “Hello there.”

“Hi.”

“So, I guess I’m getting naked, then?”

“Yeah, I guess so.” This all feels incredibly awkward because it’s not every day you set somebody up be naked in front of a group of strangers

“Shall we?”

I nod, nerves still gnawing in my stomach.

Inside and upstairs, Mr. Prince is waiting for us both. “Ah, I’m happy you’re here. Ms. Audrey tells me that you’re willing to be our model.” He extends his hand for Christian to shake, and Christian takes it.

“Yes, sir,” Christian says. “I can’t say that I’ve done any nude modeling in the past, but I’m certainly willing to give it a try. I hope I don’t disappoint you.”