(continuation of Smile for the Camera.)

I tried to manage a smile despite my embarrassment, and Derek seemed impressed with the photos he was getting. “Cmon, honey, stroke your leg… give us some sexiness…. I know you have it in you!”

I was almost ready to cry, but I tried, touching my ankle and caressing the side of my calf. Massaging myself calmed me down a bit, as did the slightest tingle of excitement I felt at Derek’s interest in me.

I got up like a newborn doe, legs wobbly on my high heels and, bending forward to obstruct his view as I lowered my skirt back into place. Then, I dusted myself off and looked into the camera. “I can do this,” I thought to myself.

Derek was looking over the controls of the camera, and looked mighty fine in his white long-sleeve shirt with tiny blue flecks, sleeves rolled up to show his attractively hairy and muscular forearms, and narrow gray pants. His hair flopped over his eyes when he looked down and he was forever running his hand through it to put it back where it belonged.

“I’m ready,” I pronounced.

“Just a sec, Janie. I’m gonna turn on the fan.”

With my hair blowing in the wind, I started posing. Derek, blond hair falling forward and almost covering the camera as he held it to his eye, was moving around, saying things like “You’re hot! Smile at me like you mean it! Show me how you want me! Feel how beautiful you are! Oh, yeah, like that baby!” The shutter was clicking with each command.

Slowly, but surely, the instructions got more provocative. “Run your hand along your neck like you’re in heat… overcome with passion… Lick your lips… yeah, like that… Unbutton your top… Caress your hips… Oh, yeah… Hot!… Now look in the camera like you’re overcome with lust…”

“No problem there,” I thought to myself. It was all coming quite naturally to me right then.

He moved in closer with each statement, eventually lying on the floor in front of me to get that last upskirt shot.

“Really Derek,” I said, “That’s an awful lot of trouble to go to to see something you saw ten minutes ago!” It was as much a question as a statement as I was still unsure exactly how much he’d actually seen.

“Oh, but it’s so much more arousing when you let me do it. I loved the view when I came in, but your embarrassment took the joy out of it for me.”

I knelt down, gently placed my hand on his cheek and planted a sweet, soft kiss on his mouth. “You’re a darling.”

“Am I interrupting something?”

Heather had come to pick up her check. “She’s a boy, you know.”

The words hit the floor with a thud. I felt naked, like she had just ripped all my clothes right off and thrown them out the window. I instinctively withdrew back onto my haunches and covered myself up even though I was fully dressed (except for an open button or two).

I could see the gears turning in Derek’s mind through his evocative eyes. I guess he didn’t see much after all. A few, very long seconds passed; then, Derek reached up with those strong arms and pulled me hard towards him, throwing my body right on top of his. He kissed me passionately, genuinely, hugging me closely.

“Sicko,” she muttered. “So anyways, where’s my paycheck?”

“Terry was gonna swing by your place on his way back and drop it off. He has it with him. Didn’t he tell you?”

She took off in an exasperated huff, slamming the door as she left.

I was breathless, realizing what a gallant and compassionate gesture Derek had just made for me. It brought a tear to my eye. My heart was fluttering too. Was I off-base in thinking he wanted to do that to me anyway?

As we got up off the floor, I looked at Derek with a guilty look on my face and he looked back at me sternly. “I adore you, Janie, and I would never do anything to hurt you. But what makes you think I would be ok with this deception?”

“I don’t do deception,” I countered. “This is me, everywhere and always. I am what I am; I just don’t advertise my intimate details unless… well, sex becomes an issue.” My voice trailed off…

I had one more thing to say. “I’m sorry I kissed you before I told you, but I was moved by how sweet you were to…”

He cut me off, grabbing my arms above the elbows, and looking earnestly into my eyes. “Your skirt was above your waist when I came in and those pantyhose don’t leave much to the imagination.” He smiled boyishly at me.

I smiled back, blushing just a little, and shoved him away playfully. “You could have told me!”

He laughed a bit. “Sorry about that. How ’bout I buy you dinner and we’ll start again.”

He reached out his hand and I offered mine, my eyes smiling into his.