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Ashley smirked when he took in the scene, but Damian's eyes
lit up with creative fervor.
"Technically that's a crop, but hold that thought. Gabe, get
Nick ready, would you?" Damian directed. He didn't enjoy
watching Nick laughing with Mistress Bettie, but he was torn;
once he'd seen them struggling for possession of the crop, he
had to capture the dynamic image. He would deal with his
own feelings later.
"Pretty please with a cherry on top?" Bettie pouted prettily
at Nick.
"I don't know. I might feel better hanging onto this
myself." Nick grinned. "I might need protection."
"We're waiting for you for the next shot, Bettie," Ashley
said deliberately.
Bettie pouted prettily for the two men. "Nick and I were
just getting acquainted. Where have you been hiding him?
He's a very cute boy and I haven't noticed him in any shots."
"With you?" Ashley laughed.
"Yes, with me. We're the best two models you've got. I
think we belong together." Bettie gave Nick a sidelong,
appraising look, as if she was still trying to figure out his
sexuality.
"That can be arranged," Ashley agreed silkily. He seemed
amused, glancing between Nick's face to Bettie's flirtatious
one. "It could be very interesting."
"Nicky sweetie, come give mama some sugar," Gabe said,
grabbing Nick's wrist and dragging him bodily into the
makeup room. "Sorry, bebe, it took me a minute to get in
there. What was that bitch saying to you?"
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Nick stared at him in disbelief. "What are you? The cavalry,
coming to the rescue?" He giggled at the image of Gabe, who
was wearing a purple silk poet shirt with ruffles today,
prancing about in the role of hero, even though he was
touched by the other man's concern. He'd no idea that Gabe
felt anything toward him other than a desire to taunt him
until he blushed and ran.
"Why did you let her get to you like that?" Gabe asked,
serious for once.
Nick couldn't bring himself to confide in Gabe that he didn't
like watching her flirt with Damian. "I don't know; she just
got to me."
"She calls herself Mistress Bettie but don't get misled by
the window dressing," Gabe said, starting to powder Nick's
face. "Where's that eyeliner?"
"I don't wear eyeliner." Nick spoke absently, his mind
consumed with the new information. "I just assumed that
she "
"You will for this shot, honey." Gabe pulled the skin taut
near Nick's right eye with his thumb and started smudging
the liner into the lash line. "Just because she wears that
fetching leather bustier and those killer heels doesn't mean a
thing. She's a wannabe."
"How well does Damian know her?" Nick could have bitten
off his tongue at how that came out. Jealous didn't even
begin to describe it. He found his fists clenching around the
forgotten crop.
"He doesn't have to know her; he knows how to read
people." Gabe smiled as Nick writhed uncomfortably,
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remembering how well Damian had read him. "It comes with
the territory."
"Are you into this S&M thing too?" Nick asked before he
could stop himself.
Gabe smiled secretively. "Maybe it's better that you not
know."
"Maybe," Nick muttered. He suddenly remembered that if
Gabe answered his question, perhaps the stylist might be
asking the same thing of him. And Nick was quite sure he was
not ready to share.
* * * *
When Nick came out to the set, Mistress Bettie's face was
prettily flushed as she flirted outrageously with Ashley, who
was being most courtly with her, considering his lack of
interest in the fairer sex.
Damian took in a quick breath when he saw Nick, his eyes
dark and mysterious ringed with the black liner. Nick was still
a bit uncertain about being hauled out here to be in a shot
with Mistress Bettie. He wasn't afraid of her; she wielded
none of the erotic power over him that Damian did. But that
didn't mean he had to like her ragging at him or having to
pose with her.
"Come over here, pretty boy, and get on your knees,"
Bettie called enticingly to Nick.
Nick opened his mouth to retort but Damian forestalled
him. "If anything, I might put you on your knees to him."
"Oh no, I think "
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