Behind the Lens (Sexy 1)

“You were amazing. Best model I’ve ever worked with.” I pull my hand away and go in search of my phone.

“Please, stop calling me a model. I’m not. Are you ready? I could use a drink.” He laughs and we head out the door.

It doesn’t take long before we are pulling up to his house, after a pretty quiet ride. The shoot just keeps playing over and over in my mind. It’s making me question things, and that is something I do not want to do.

He parks and we get out of the car. “Wow, there are a lot of people here tonight.” He smiles and grabs my hand. We walk up to the door, and he opens it for me, letting me walk in first.

“Surprise!” What the fuck. I jump back and Jax grabs onto me and laughs. I’m so overwhelmed in this moment. I look around and see Braden, Sarah, and the girls. My mom, Brinley, her mom. Old friends and new friends. I can’t help but cover my face and start to cry. Jax is the first one to wrap his arms around me.

“What’s wrong?” I laugh through my tears and peek up at him.

“They are happy tears. Who did all this?” Before he can even answer, my mom is pulling me into her arms.

“Oh, my baby girl, don’t cry.” I hold on tight to her. “You know your brother and your, well whatever Jax is to you, did an amazing job setting this whole thing up.” I wipe my eyes and pull away from her. I look back over at Jax, and he is talking with a group of people but happens to glance in my direction. We lock eyes, and I smile and mouth ‘thank you.’ He nods and gives me that wink.

“Brinley, you are such a bitch for making me do what I had to do today.” We are all hanging outside now. The party has been in full swing for almost five hours now. Sarah and the girls left, but Braden stayed behind. He told her that since they are leaving the day after tomorrow, he was going to spend as much time with me as possible. I’m starting to worry about their relationship. I’ve never seen them argue, but that was pretty much all they did tonight. Besides that, I’ve had the greatest time ever. The food was amazing, everyone I love is here, and I’m feeling pretty drunk right about now, which is why I am yelling at Brinley for the shoot.

“Take it up with the men in your life. They are all incapable of doing shit without a woman.” We both laugh and tap our beers.

“I’ll take it up with them too. You know I had to be almost completely naked with Jax. Do you have any idea how hard that was for me? Shit, I had to go change my damn panties.” She bursts out laughing, and I join right in with her. “Brin, Brin, holy shit, it was hot. I wanted to fuck him right there. Seriously, I would have.” She chokes on her beer, and I lift my shoulders, taking a sip of mine.

“Kallie, maybe you should just go for it. I mean, shit, look at everything he’s done for you tonight. He threw you a fucking party, yes with the help of Braden, but still. You are both attracted to each other, why can’t you just let yourself be happy?” I feel a few tears run down my face, and I quickly wipe them away.

“Brin, it’s so hard. I’ve never felt this way. I’m not just physically attracted to him, no, not anymore. It’s more than that now. I have feelings for him. Do you know how fucked up that is?” I blink back more tears because I can’t believe I just admitted that out loud. I’ve been stuffing it down with everything else about Jax.

“Oh, Kallie, you are such a damn fool. You are depriving yourself of something great because of a stupid rule. Rules are made to be broken, girlfriend, shit, look at me.” She laughs, but I can’t join in, not this time.

“I just can’t.” I finish off my beer and toss it into the garbage behind me. “Hey, get me another beer, and let’s go sit by the fire with everyone else.” I need a distraction. I’m having such a great night, I don’t want it to end like this.

“Fine, keep avoiding things. You’re good for that.” I flip her

off and head over to the fire pit where Jax, Braden, Blake, Brody, and Max are with a few girls that, honestly, I don’t know. I’m not going to lie; when I see one of them sitting on Jax’s lap, the jealousy I feel is real. Good thing I’m drunk and don’t give a shit about what comes out of my mouth.

“It’s my party, and all you assholes don’t even come get me for the fire. Real fucking nice.” I sit in an empty chair and pull my legs up. “Who the hell is here anyway? I don’t even know these chicks.”

“Damn, Kallie, had a few too many?” I look over at Braden and smile.

“My big brother. Thank you for doing this. I’m going to miss you so much.” I feel myself start to tear up but quickly blink them back when the whore sitting on Jax’s lap starts talking.

“You’re leaving, Braden? That sucks, we were just getting to know you.” I look at her with confusion. She’s sitting on Jax’s lap, but sad my brother is leaving. What the fuck?

“He’s married, taken.” Brinley hands me my beer and tells me to shut up.

“Kall, maybe you’ve had enough.” I roll my eyes and take a sip.

“Braden, please don’t. I was having fun.” Max, Brody, and Blake start talking to me about photography, and that gets my mind off anything else. Max and I start reminiscing about the first time we met, and I just laugh the entire time. Brinley, Braden, and a few of the girls who I now recognize as models from the beach shoot join in the conversation. We are all talking and laughing, and that’s when I realize Jax hasn’t even bothered to say shit to me in hours. What the hell is his problem? I look over, and he’s talking quietly with lap slut. She’s like a fucking lap dog. I turn back to the conversation, but I can’t help but keep looking over at them. Her arms are around his neck, and his hands are resting very high up on her thighs. I mean, what the fuck? I thought he liked me? I guess the hard-on at the shoot today was enough to push him to anyone with a pussy.

I turn at the sound of laugher and see Braden and this girl talking and laughing. Brinley is shoving her tits in Max’s face, and Blake looks like he might screw this girl right on that bench. Even Brody is kissing a chick. What the fuck is happening? It’s like I’ve stepped into a world of flirting and sex. Yet, here I am sitting solo. “I need to get home. Kallie, happy birthday. I’ll call you tomorrow.” I get up and hug Braden tightly willing him to not go to North Carolina. I can just tell he is as miserable about leaving as I am having him leave. I just know there must be marital problems.

“Are you and Sarah splitting up?” He kisses my cheek and smiles at me.

“Not yet, but I’m not going to lie. It’s been rough. We are hoping this time away helps everything.” I squeeze him again. Here my brother is doing everything to hold onto his marriage, and I push away the only guy that I’ve been interested in, in a long time.

As he heads for the house, I feel the first raindrop. Brinley and Max say goodbye, and I’m sure they will be spending the night together. Blake throws his chick of the night over his shoulder and goes into the house. Brody gives me a tight hug goodbye and leaves. Jax, his lapdog, and I are the last ones by the fire. It’s awkward to say the least. It’s not like I can just leave, I don’t have my car, and well, I’m drunk. “Kallie, I’m going to go. Happy birthday.” I raise my eyebrows and stare at her.

“Leaving so soon? Such a shame. Night, lapdog.” I burst out laughing at myself. If I could high five myself, I would.

“Kallie. What the hell?” I look over at Jax and smirk.