“I wish I could say that this surprises me, but it doesn't.”
Amber walked over and they studied the typed labels together.
“So . . . we are going to just pretend that this is normal behavior?”
Caleb shrugged and tucked one fist beneath his chin.
“I look at it this way. Hunter is a confirmed control freak.”
Amber nodded her head in agreement.
“But on the flip side, he doesn't appear to be involved in the mafia.”
Caleb grinned.
Amber laughed and nudged him.
“Okay, so ignoring the control freak behavior it is.”
Caleb suddenly looked stricken and began to root through the fridge.
“Hey, I just noticed that he didn't leave anything in here for me!”
He sniffed dramatically.
“He finds the one girls of his dreams and then casts me aside like a . . .like a . . .like an old cell phone!”
“Aw, poor thing!”
Amber couldn't wait any longer.
“Why don't I take you to get some cheap fast food for dinner.”
She smacked the insurance card down on the counter.
“I feel a need to take the Range Rover for a spin.”
Caleb's eyes gleamed.
“I know just the place.”
He looked around as though expecting someone to overhear them.
“A certain someone who shall remain unnamed always stops me from eating there.”
“Really? There must be some incredible, mouth watering, greasy food there.”
Amber grinned.
“Enough to give somebody a heart attack,” Caleb said happily.
“And there is nothing that a certain person can do to stop us!”
Amber gave Caleb a high five.
“Just give me a second to grab my purse. I'm starving!”
An hour later, Amber groaned as they headed back home.
“Ugh! I'm starting to question our sanity in eating there.”
Caleb looked up, apparently not feeling much better.
“It was a difficult job. But it had to be done,” he said grimly.
He belched loudly.
“Um. . . excuse me!”
Amber laughed.
“I agree the meal had to be eaten. And it was excellent all the way until it hit my stomach.”
She rubbed her belly.
“But I think I'm starting to appreciate the wisdom of Hunter's meal plans.”
Caleb clapped his hands over his ears.
“No! I refuse to be indoctrinated!”
Amber laughed. Her stomach wasn't feeling great but it was certainly in good enough shape to take the long way home. The Range Rover was proving to be a pleasure to drive.
Chapter 10
The first day of art class without Hunter seemed like the worst. Amber had never even realized how much she cherished the odd little moments when he would simply walk by her easel and brush against her elbow or share a secret smile. The new TA, Jessica, was nice enough. If Amber was being fair, she would have admitted that Jessica's quiet, thoughtful comments were quite perceptive. But of course, Amber wasn't being fair because she didn't want Jessica.
She wanted Hunter, plain and simple. She wanted Hunter's mesmerizing green eyes that made her melt beneath his gaze. She wanted to press her head against his taut chest. She ached to run her fingers through his thick, wavy hair. Even the paint and turpentine smell of the classroom reminded her of Hunter.
The model that day was an older gentleman. As soon as he walked into the room with his robe, Megan moved over to nudge Amber's shoulder.
“Oh, my gosh, he's one of the ones from this summer!” she whispered so that only Amber could hear.
Amber smiled, remembering that Megan had not been impressed with the male models from her summer drawing course.
As soon as the man disrobed, Amber could see why. Her first thought was shock at the amount of body hair everywhere except on the poor man's head. His perfectly round head was as lustrous as a polished bowling ball. Sneaking a look at her classmates, Amber realized that everyone was already busy working except for her.
She forced herself to concentrate, blocking in the man's enormous stomach first because it was the largest part of his body. She followed that with his flabby, droopy breasts. The man would definitely benefit from a bra. She felt like she was drawing matchsticks when she sketched in his impossibly skinny arms and legs. Her drawing looked like a caricature but she wasn't sure how to fix it. Seriously, the man looked like an extremely hairy pregnant woman.
The model suddenly shifted positions, turning and raising one toothpick leg up so that his foot rested on the seat of his chair. His new position allowed Amber a clear side view of his bulging buttocks. And then her eyes widened as she realized that the model was quickly developing an erection. She thought she heard a small titter from across the room but Professor Collins coughed loudly at that moment and drowned it out.
Sneaking a peek at Megan, she saw the girl roll her eyes as though to indicate that this had happened the last time she saw this model. Amber pulled her eyes to the man's face, desperate to focus on something else. But then she saw that there was a light sheen on his forehead and he had the beginnings of a smile on his face. Yuck! By now he had a full erection.
This wasn't the first time Amber had seen a male model get an erection during a modeling session. But the other models had quickly changed positions in an attempt to make it less noticeable. One model had actually maneuvered it beneath his leg to cover it up. Others would simply lie flat on the platform and choose a pose that emphasized arms and shoulders while they got themselves under control. Hunter had explained to her that the most professional models would never allow the session to turn sexual.
Okay, now the model was moving again. What the hell? Now he straddled the chair, his back arched and his eyes squeezed shut.
Amber's mouth dropped open. There were a few audible gasps in the room.
And then Jessica was suddenly on the platform covering the man with his own robe. She had to give it to Jessica. That must have taken some courage to do.
“Thank you for your time today,” Professor Collins said, opening the door and ushering the man out of the room. “But we won't be needing you further.”
Once the man had left, Jessica spoke up. “I am so sorry everyone. I should have vetted this guy more thoroughly.”
“Damn Pervert!” shouted one of the guys in the back row. “Like any of us needed to see that.”
Professor Collins returned to the room. “My deepest apologies everyone. I know that was offensive and I can assure you that individual will be banned from the school.”
“I am so sorry, Professor Collins,” Jessica said, wringing her hands. “I didn't have time to check his references this morning.”
Professor Collins suddenly looked angry. “There is no need for you to apologize, Jessica,” he said. That man knew what he was doing. He willingly signed a contract based on our guidelines.”
He took off his glasses, pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket, and carefully polished the lenses.
Wow, Amber thought, seeing him without glasses for the first time. Professor Collins was one hot tamale! She looked sideways at Megan.
Megan held up two thumbs and winked.
“Let's do something a little different today for the rest of class,” Professor Collins continued, seemingly unaware of the new tension he had just created in the classroom.
“Break up into pairs and let's work on faces for the rest of class.”
Megan immediately dragged her easel over. This was a rare opportunity for the two girls to talk during class time.
“I guess we're pairing up?” Amber teased.
She turned her easel so that she faced Megan.
As she studied her friend, she noted for the first time just how pretty Megan was. She would make a great model. Her skin was so smooth and pale it was almost translu
cent except for the fine line of soft brown freckles across her nose. Her eyes were like sparkling blue gems, so deep that it was as though light bounced off them. If you really studied her face closely, you could see that her delicate, pale lashes were quite long and curled at the ends. She didn't seem to want or need even a drop of makeup. A cascade of brilliant red curls dropped around her face.
“So, now you know why I wasn't impressed this summer,” Megan said with a giggle.
“Hairy Pop-Up was there too and the same thing happened.”
Amber smirked.
“The only good thing about his . . .um . . .excitement . . .was that it detracted from that poor dead animal on his back and chest.”
Megan snorted with laughter and then tried to cover it with an exaggerated cough with Professor Collins glanced over in their direction.
“He could shave himself and weave a wig for every day of the week,” she said with a small giggle once she caught her breath.
Amber started sketching madly as she saw Jessica start to move in her direction. She gave a small cough and Megan got the point. She picked up her own charcoal and got to work.
After class, Megan gave Amber a hug.
“I know Hunter's internship must be tough for you,” she said sympathetically.
“If you ever want to hang out, just give me a call.”
“Thanks, I really appreciate that. Are things okay with you? You look a bit tired.”
Amber knew that Megan was struggling just to keep up in class. She worked as a waitress in one of the local restaurants in town most nights and weekends.
For a moment, Amber felt a bit guilty. She would be in Megan's position if it were not for Hunter's generosity. She still couldn't believe how quickly her own life had turned around.
“I could really use a whole day to sleep,” Megan said ruefully.
“You should. I've got notes up to chapter 20. I'll e-mail them to you tonight.”
Megan brightened.
“That would be awesome! I've only had time to skim over the material before class.”
Amber shrugged with an embarrassed smile.
“It's a lot easier for me this semester because I'm only taking the two classes. Even with work I've got a lot more time on my hands than you do.”
Megan waved as she hurried off to her next class.
The art room was empty now and even Professor Collins had returned to his office. Amber wasn't even sure why she was lingering. She slowly gathered her things and prepared to leave. But before she got to the door she was surprised to find Kayla waiting just outside.
Kayla with the gigantic boobs. Kayla with nails painted like bloody talons. Amber immediately flashed back to her last encounter with the girl. Kayla had been furious to discover that Hunter was dating her. Amber had assumed that Kayla had moved on to lick her wounds somewhere else. But now here she was. Was it a coincidence that she showed up the very first day that Hunter was gone? Of course not.
Chapter 11
Kayla sauntered in the room and casually sat on the corner of Professor Collins' desk. Crossing her slim legs, she placed both hands primly on her knees. She wore high heels which clashed considerably with her surroundings. When she smiled, Amber could see a smear of lipstick on her front tooth.
“Poor little Amber,” she cooed. She made a sad face. “You must be so lonely now that Hunter is away. I was surprised that you didn't tag along.”
Amber knew she was being baited but she couldn't help herself.
“It's an internship, Kayla. He's working there and I'm going to school here.”
She shrugged her shoulders.
“No big deal.”
Kayla pursed her lips.
“Oh, but you must be looking forward to spending the holidays visiting the city with his parents. Paris is so beautiful any time of the year. But I think it's particularly romantic at Christmas. Don't you?”
Amber felt her pulse quickening, part with alarm and part with anger. Where was Kayla going with this? Of course Hunter's parents were probably spending Christmas there. But Kayla was acting as if she knew that Amber would not be there? How would she know? Amber wanted to simply walk away. But she didn't want to appear weak or afraid either.
“Hunter and I'll have our own special celebration when he gets back,” she said, trying to keep emotion out of her voice.
“Oh, that's a shame!” Kayla said, her voice dripping with fake sadness.
“And here I was hoping that you and I could meet up in the city of love and do a little shopping together.”
She smiled, her eyes hard. “I know all the exclusive little shops. With a good hair dresser and some decent clothes, I bet you're quite cute.”
Amber laughed.
“Oh, I don't worry about clothing,” she said brightly, carefully watching Kayla's face. “Hunter and I like to play with no clothes on at all.”
That got Kayla. Her eyes widened and then she smiled tightly.
“I shouldn't be surprised. I suspected this was all about sex from the beginning.”
Crap! Amber walked right into that one. She put down her bag and dragged over a stool to sit on. She needed to move around so that Kayla couldn't see how much she was unnerving her. Was Kayla really going to be in Paris for the holidays? Was something planned with Hunter's family? Or was Kayla simply lying again?
“So, Kayla, what's the point here? With you and me, I mean?”
Amber forced herself to sit upright. Sitting down was a huge mistake because now Kayla towered over her.
Kayla uncrossed her legs and smoothed her skirt with her fingers. She flexed her feet and the sequins on her heels glinted.
“Oh, sweetie, you have me all wrong,” she said, with an exaggerated sigh. “I know I got off on the wrong foot with you earlier.”
Amber squinted at Kayla in confusion. Where the hell was Kayla going with this? Was she really going to suggest that the two of them be buddies now?
“Telling someone to keep their hands of their non-existent boyfriend tends to alienate people,” Amber said drily.
“Especially when it seems that there was never even a single date with the non-existent boyfriend in question.”
Kayla winced at that part, Amber noted with satisfaction. Obviously, even Kayla herself had not imagined a real date at any point in time.
“I said some things I shouldn't have,” Kayla said candidly. “Yes, I was jealous of Hunter's attention. You came out of nowhere and suddenly he was all over you.”
Amber was starting to grow a little wary. She didn't trust Kayla as far as she could spit. What was she up to?
“You should understand that I've known Hunter since middle school,” Kayla continued, continuing to palm her skirt as though she was nervous. Her foot was jerking up and down, making it hard to concentrate on her face.
“Hunter's dad hired my father to take over as the Chief Financial Officer. Naturally, we met at some functions. Our parents started hanging out and became good friends.”
Amber sighed in frustration. “Nice story but what does this have to do with now? Hunter isn't even interested in working at his father's company.”
Kayla's eyes narrowed. “Oh, don't be so sure about that. He is already on the board of directors there. So he has influence whether he talks about it or not.”
Amber stood up. “So, you're telling me that Hunter is so interested in his father's business that he decided to get his degree in art? And then spends all his time drawing and painting?”
She picked up her things, preparing to leave. She couldn't believe she had allowed Kayla this much of her time as it was.
“Be that as it may,” Kayla said.
“But I doubt if Hunter would ever do anything to bring down the image of his father's company.”
She slid off the desk with a small smirk on her face.
“Still not getting your drift,” Amber said, turning her back on Kayla, her big boobs, bloody talons, and ridiculous high heels.
Who th
e hell wore high heels to class anyway?
“Oh, I can see the headlines one day,” Kayla said evenly.
“Daughter of trailer trash to wed into wealthy Webb family. A regular Cinderella story.”
Amber felt like Kayla's words were a knife slicing through her. How had Kayla known? Had Hunter told her? Had the girl hired someone to search her past?
In spite of feeling like she was crumbling inside, Amber simply kept walking. When she spoke it was with a fake strength and confidence.
“Go to hell, Kayla!”
Behind her, Kayla simply started to laugh.
Amber had to fight not to run. She slipped out the front door and then backtracked to another side door. Escaping into an empty restroom, she barricaded herself into a stall and started to sob.
She had pushed away the thought that Hunter had not introduced her to his parents yet, telling herself it was much too soon in their relationship. But what if there was more to it than that?
Hunter was willing to forget about her past to date her. But could he put his family in the position that Kayla hinted at? Would she want that?
She reached up to wipe at her eyes and the fluorescent light caught on her bracelet, making it twinkle. Hunter had said that this bracelet was the sign that she was his one and only. Why had he given it to her if he was simply playing with her for the time being? If she believed Kayla, then she had to suspect Hunter's intentions.
She massaged her throbbing forehead with her fingers. Ugh! If she only had kept walking when she first saw Kayla. Sniffling, she got herself together. She washed up at the sink, splashing her face with cold water until her eyes were not so obviously red from crying. Damn that girl!
Amber slipped quietly into the hallway, not wanting anyone she knew to see her tear-stained face. Fortunately, this side of the building was mostly offices. As she made her way down the long empty corridor, she was surprised to hear Kayla's voice again.
Ugh! What was Kayla still doing here? She wasn't even an art major.
Amber looked back, looking for a place to hide. She certainly didn't want Kayla to see that she had been crying.
There was nothing behind her but candy and soda machines. Sprinting forward, Amber dodged to the side of the candy machine. Lucky for her, someone must have moved the machine to service it. Seeing an opening, she wedged herself in, smearing her shirt and jeans with what she hoped was simply dirt. If it was grease, one of her favorite tee shirts was now ruined.
Portrait of Jealousy (The Art Models Club Book 2) Page 6