Page 32 of Presidential Bargain
“That’s unacceptable,Jameson.”
“Well, too fucking bad. All I want to do is take a shower and go to bed because tomorrow, we have to go and meet SierraSimmons.”
“Luckily, you’re good atlying.”
He gave me a hard look before disappearing into the bedroom weshared.
I remained immobile, sitting at the table, waiting for him to return. Waiting for him to come back out, apologize for being an asshole, and explain everything to me. I wanted him to come back and put his lips and hands all over my body because I felt my own control begin to slip andfracture.
I don’t know how long I continued to sit at the table before I finally gave in to find refuge in the second bedroom. I went through my bedtime routine like a robot and slipped under the heavy comforter, letting the weight settle overmybody.
I awoke to screams. Myown screams. I clawed at the blankets covering my body and at the arms holding me,shakingme.
“Georgie! Georgie, wake up.” The voice was deep and vibrated across my body, echoing inmymind.
My eyes popped open and I was immediately met with Jameson’s intense, icy blue stare. “Jameson?”
“You were having anightmare.”
I sat up in bed and brought the comforter up to my chest, clutching it in myhands.
“I didn’t mean to wake you.” As much as I was relieved to have him near me, to find comfort in his protection, I was still angry at him for lying to me about his meeting and then shuttingmeout.
I fell back against the mattress, pulled the comforter over my body, and turned away from him. His weight, heavy on the bed, remained motionless. I could hear him breathe and occasionally sigh. He placed a hand on the curve of my hip and left it there for a moment before he removed it and left. I immediately felt bereftwithouthim.
I only got a few more hours of dreamless sleep before I had to get up. We needed to pretend today, and I didn’t know if I had itinme.
I took a long, hot shower, hoping to coax some relaxation back into my body. Itdidn’twork.
I placed silly patches under my eyes with the promise of tightening up the puffiness.Theydidn’twork.
I dried my hair, hoping to achieve the same glossiness, but instead it fell flat andremaineddull.
Nothing felt right. Nothing feltthesame.
Jameson and I walked into Sierra Simmons’ bright, airy loft-studio. It was a gorgeous industrial space with exposed brick, duct work, pipes, and well-worn wooden floors that promised a splinter or two. Jameson and I had moved around each other that morning with great care. I sipped my coffee and nibbled on a muffin in the living room while he read the papers and scowled at his phone in the dining room. When we had to leave, I walked dutifully behind him, keeping my eyes down. We had barely said more than two words to eachother.
Sierra greeted us enthusiastically. She was tall and thin with a shock of white hair that was styled in a severe bob. She wore thick black glasses that seemed to swallow up her face but somehow it still looked chic. She was dressed in a striped black T-shirt and loose jeans with the cuffs rolled up. I noticed that her feet were bare.Yikes.
“Welcome! I’m so happy to have you both here.” Her smile was infectious and genuine, and I found it hard to not smile back. She enveloped me in a warm hug and shook Jameson’s hand. Then she surprised me and said, “Can I be honest with you? You both looklikeshit!”
I let out an embarrassed laugh.Nail hit firmly onthehead.
“It’s been a rough few weeks, Ms. Simmons,” Jamesongrowled.
“Doesn’t matter. I’ll make it work. We have several different setups today.” And then she proceeded to walk us through the shoot and the studio. I immediately let myself get lost in her words and her wildgesticulating.
There was a team of stylists waiting to spruce us both up. We were informed that, for the most part, the photoshoot would be entirely natural. Natural light. No makeup. Very littlestyling.
“And nudity. Lots of nudity.” Sierra Simmons cackled and I looked at Jameson with wide eyes. Could we tell her no? Nix the nudity? Before I had the chance to object, Jameson stepped forward and held upahand.
“No to the nudity. We respect your vision as a photographer and an artist but neither of us is getting nakedtoday.”
Sierra Simmons pouted for a good ten seconds before she waved her hands in a flurry and proclaimed, “Movingon!”
Jameson and I stood in the middle of her chaotic studio while she yelled at her assistants about moving things around the set. “Both of you go and get changed.” She snapped her fingers toward us. Jameson gave me an apologetic look before he took both of my hands in his and kissed thebacks.
“FUCK, you two! I cannot handle all the feels you’re giving me right now!” Sierraexclaimed.
