Page 18 of Taylor
Chapter Four
Taylor
Irollover and stretch my arm out to find him, but what I find instead is a cold and empty other half of the bed. I sit myself up on my elbow and look around theroom.
He’s done arunner!
And to think, I’m the one with the badreputation.
I try to give him the benefit of the doubt so I swing my legs over the side of the bed and head out to the living area of his flat. That’s empty, so I move towards his bedroom, hoping he’s in his en suite shower.That could actually be pretty perfect, I think as I glance down at my bobbing morning wood. I’m majorly disappointed when I get there and find it empty, lookingunused.
“Caleb, where the fuck are you?” I mutter to myself as I head into the kitchen to make a coffee. I know he often goes to the gym before a shoot, but after yesterday, I really didn’t think he’d just up and leave without so much as a goodbye kiss…orblowjob.
Fuck, his mouth on me yesterday was sogood.
I fist my cock as I stand waiting for the coffee machine to wake up. I see movement out of the corner of my eye and look up. Staring back at me from her kitchen is our nosey neighbour across the street in just a towel. I’m unsure if she looks fascinated or concerned with my body covered in colourfulbruises.
Fuck!
I give her a quick wave before moving away from the window that’s allowing her to see me in all my naked glory. I’m confident it’s not the first time she’s seen my bare arse, but I don’t need to give her the wrong idea. I may have indulged in one or two—or loads—of women in my time, but they were just a body when I needed one. Women are gorgeous, all those soft curves, but it’s men that really get me going. Hard lines, muscles, cocks. If I’m being honest, it’s not men; it’s one man. One man who left my bed while I was sleeping. I really fucking hope he’s not regretting it already. He’s spent so long fighting what’s between us that I guess doing a one-eighty isn’t going to go as smoothly as I thought itmight.
I glance up at the clock. In just over an hour, I will see him at the studio for his shoot. At least I should be able to read his reaction to me being there even if I don’t get a chance to talk tohim.
I finish making myself a coffee before heading for a shower to sort myselfout.
* * *
Although I thinkI’m early, I’m actually the last to the studio. Everyone’s already getting everything set up. The shoot is happening in an old warehouse with massive windows over looking the city behind. The props are all vintage. There’s an array of old looking light fittings, ladders and furniture. Unfortunately, Caleb is nowhere to beseen.
“What the fuck happened to you?” Paul says when he looks up at me. Until I saw the look on his face, I’d almost forgotten about the state ofmine.
“It’s nothing. I got jumped on Friday afternoon,” I liesmoothly.
“Shit. Did you get a look at them? Call thepolice?”
“No, they were gone as quick as they came. I wouldn’t be able to identifythem.”
“That’s shit. Are you sure you’re okay to be here? That looks pretty sore,” he asks, nodding towards myface.
“I’m fine. I’d rather be distracted than sat focusing onit.”
“Fair enough. Right, go get the equipment. The van’s just outside,” he instructs and I head off to do as I’m told, pleased that my first job of the day isn’t to find the nearest coffeeshop.
Unfortunately, that request comes in once I have the contents of the van inside the studio. I grab my notebook and take everyone’s coffee and breakfast orders before leaving, feeling disappointed. I strung out asking for everyone’s orders for as long as I could but Caleb didn’t appear and I couldn’t put off going anylonger.
When I get back, laden with coffee and Danish pastries, the photo shoot is in full swing. I take a few seconds to appreciate the person under the spotlight at the other side of the room. The lighting is perfect and picks up every line and muscle of his lean body. The only problem is that he isn’t alone. Leah is stood way too close for my liking with her hands on his chest. It takes a while for me to identify the feeling that starts weighing me down the longer I stand there looking at them, but I soon realise it’s jealousy. I’ve never been jealous over a man before, and I’m not sure I like it. Sure, there’ve been times in my life where I’ve been jealous of others. I used to look at other kids at school and wish my life was like theirs. To be fair, I would have had any life that didn’t include my stepdad. But this kind of jealously isnew.
Someone barks an order, making Caleb and Leah move and for me to step farther into the room. My movement catches Caleb’s attention and his eyes narrow slightly as they lock on to mine. I’ve no idea if he’s pissed off or just shocked to see me. I’m hoping for the latter and that it’s a nice surprise, but I’m not sosure.
“Are you waiting for them to get cold before you give them to us?” some smartarse asks when they see me with my arms full of theircoffee.
I swear to God, when I do get promoted I will never talk to any assistant the way some of these lot do to me on a shoot. The majority of the photographers I work with are incredible. It’s the others, the creative directors and the models. It’s like I’m a piece of shit on theirshoes.
I politely dish out the coffees, hoping I give the correct one to each person, before joining Paul where he’s changing the lens on hiscamera.
I look at the set up of the shoot and around the room for a few minutes before I notice something. “Wouldn’t it be better to shoot over in that corner? I know the window wouldn’t be in the background but the light isincredible.”
Paul looks over to where I’m pointing and pauses for a minute before agreeing with me. “Good shout, Taylor. Let’s let this guy do his thing,” he says, referring to the man clearly in charge of this shoot, “before suggesting changes, but I think you’reright.”
