Anchor Me

by J. Kenner

  That afternoon, Wyatt spoke with Cass and Siobhan for over an hour. Showing them examples. Describing the emotions he wanted to evoke. Listening to their suggestions, and taking satisfaction from the fact that they were obviously loving the concept. They'd ended the conversation with Cass posing for another hour as he burned through three rolls of film, certain he was capturing some of his best work yet.

  Then they'd walked to Q, a Santa Monica restaurant and bar known for its martini flights. They'd toasted his project, Cass's pictures, and Siobhan's career, and by the time they ended the evening, he was feeling pretty damn good about his little pet project.

  The next morning, he'd felt even better. That's when Siobhan had come to him with a formal offer from the Sunset Fine Arts Center. He'd said yes on the spot, never once thinking that by doing so he was tying another person to his success--or, more to the point, his potential failure.

  "I'm serious," she pressed now, as his silence continued to linger. "Whatever you need."

  "I'll find her," Wyatt said. "I have time."

  "Not much," she countered. "I need the prints ahead of time for the catalog, not to mention installation. Keisha's already getting twitchy," she added, referring to her boss. "We don't usually cut it this close."

  "I know. It's going to be--"

  "Twenty-seven days to the show, Wyatt." He could hear the tension in her voice, and hated himself for being the cause of it. "But about half that before you need to deliver the prints. We're running out of time. If you can't find the girl, then you need to just find a girl. I'm sorry, but--"

  "I said I'll find her. You have to trust me on this."

  Right then, she didn't look like she'd trust him to feed her goldfish, but to her credit, she nodded. "Fine. In that case, I just need to see the latest print so I can think about the promotional image. And you'll email me a file for the catalog?"

  "Sure. This is it," he added, walking to a covered canvas centered on the nearest wall. He pulled down the white coversheet, revealing a life-size black and white photograph of a woman getting dressed. At first glance, it wasn't the most provocative of his images, but that was because it was such a tease. The woman stood in a dressing room, and hidden among the dresses and coats were at least a dozen men, peering out to watch her.

  The woman, however, was oblivious. She was bending over, one foot on a stool, as she fastened a garter. The view was at an angle, so at first glance the audience saw only her skirt, a hint of garter, and the woman's silk-sheathed leg.

  Then they noticed the mirror behind her. A mirror that revealed that she wasn't wearing panties under the garter belt. And even though absolutely nothing was left to the imagination, it still wasn't a particularly racy or erotic photograph. But then you noticed the reflection in the mirror of another mirror. And another. And another. Each with an image of that same woman, and each slightly more risque, until finally, as the mirror approached infinity, the woman was nude, her head thrown back, one hand between her legs, the other at her throat. And all those men from the closet were out in the open now, their hands stroking and teasing her.

  Most important, the mirror was so deep in the image, that you had to stand practically nose-to-print to see it.

  Wyatt couldn't wait to see how many people did exactly that at the showing.

  "This is fabulous," Siobhan said with genuine awe in her voice.

  "It was a hell of a photograph to set up and then develop. Lots of work on the set and in the darkroom."

  "I believe you." She met his eyes, hers full of the kind of genuine awe that reminded him of why he didn't just take photos for himself. "I want to take it back with me right now and show Keisha," she added.

  "Soon." Although Siobhan and Keisha had wanted him to deliver each print upon completion, Wyatt had balked, explaining that he needed the art surrounding him in order to ensure the continuity of story in the overall exhibit. And the size of the canvas and particulars of the way he handled the image in the darkroom were such that duplicates weren't adequate.

  That meant that when Siobhan needed to see a piece, she came to him. And now that she was not only putting together the official catalog, but also doing promotional pieces from the images, she was coming a lot.

  Wyatt was adamant that the images not be revealed prior to the show, but Siobhan's team had promised him the rapidly expanding catalog mockup would be kept locked up. More important, the pre-show promotion wouldn't reveal any of the artwork--while at the same time, teasing the art's provocative nature.

  So far, they'd not only managed to do just that, but the campaign was already a success. The gallery had been releasing one image a month--one of his photographs, yes, but only a sexy snippet shown through a virtual barrier laid over the image. Once, it was yellow caution tape. Another time, it was a keyhole in a hotel room door. Clever, yes, but also effective. Wyatt had already been interviewed and the exhibit pimped out in no less than five local papers and magazines. And he was booked on two morning shows the day the exhibit opened.

  Not bad, all things considered, and he told Siobhan as much.

  "If you really want to see a bump in our publicity," she replied, "we should get your grandmother on board."

  "No." The word came swift and firm.

  "Wyatt ..."

  "I said no. This exhibit is on my shoulders. I can't hide who I am, but I don't have to advertise it. If we trot my grandmother out, book her on morning shows, make her sing little Wyatt's praises, then everyone is going to come. You know that."

  "Um, yeah. That's the point. To get people to your show."

  "I want them to come for the show. Not because they're hoping to get Anika Segel's autograph."

  "But they'll see your art. They'll fall in love then. Who cares what brings them through the door?"

  "I do," he said and was relieved to see that she didn't seem to have an argument against that.

  She stood for second, possibly trying to come up with something, but soon enough she shook her head and sighed. "You're the artist." She made a face. "And you have the temperament to go with it."

  "See, that's how you wooed me into doing the show with you. That embarrassingly sentimental flattery."

  "You're a laugh a minute, Wyatt." She hitched her purse further onto her shoulder, then pointed a finger at him. "Don't fuck this up."

  "Cross my heart."

  "All right then." She leaned in for an air kiss, but caught him in a hug. "It's going to be great," she whispered, and he was surprised by how much he appreciated those simple words.

  "It will," he agreed. "All I have to do is find the girl."

  Her grin turned wicked. "Like I said. Happy to help. Just say the word and Cass and I will start the search."

  "A few more days like today, and I'll take you up on that."

  "A few days is all you have," she retorted, then tossed up her hands, self-defense style. "I know, I know. I'm leaving."

  She headed for the front door, and he turned back to the print, studying it critically. A moment later he reached for the canvases that covered the prints on either side of the first image, then tugged them off, revealing the full-color photos beneath.

  He took a step back as he continued his inspection, ensuring himself that there were no more refinements to be made. Slowly, he stepped back, wanting all three in his field of vision, just like a visitor to the exhibition would see. One step, then another and another.

  He stopped when he heard the door open behind him, cursing himself for not locking up as Siobhan was leaving. "Did you forget something," he asked as he turned.

  But it wasn't Siobhan.

  It was her.

  The girl who'd filled his mind. The girl who'd haunted his nights.

  The woman he needed if he was going to pull this exhibit off the way he wanted to.

  A woman with the kind of wide sensual mouth that could make a man crazy, and a strong, lithe body, with curves in all the right places. Eyes that could see all the way into a man's soul--and an innoc
ent air that suggested she wouldn't approve of what she saw there.

  All of that, topped off with a wicked little tease of a smile and a sexy swing to her hips.

  She was a walking contradiction. Sensual yet demure. Sexy yet sweet.

  A woman who one minute could look like a cover model, and the next like she'd never done anything more glamorous than walk the dog.

  She was hotter than sin, and at the same times she was as cold as ice.

  She was Kelsey Draper, and he hadn't laid eyes on her in over ten years, and as far as he was concerned, that was damn good thing.

  Her lips twitched in a tremulous smile. "Oh," was all she said.

  And in that moment, Wyatt knew that he was well and truly screwed.

  FIND YOUR HEART'S DESIRE . . .

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