“We only have three new swimsuits today. Think we’ll be done in half a day.” The minion said. Sara nodded and Edmund didn’t try anything funny during the first three swimsuits. Her poses improved, so the minion only adjusted her poses a few times each, and they were done.
“Alright! We’re done!” The minion declared. “Boss, I gotta go do some stuff, alright?”
“Yeah. Sure.” Edmund said as the minion vanished.
Sara looked at Edmund. “Oh. So- so what’s left? Is there really no more new swimsuits to take? What about tomorrow?”
“Yeah. The supplier just contacted me this morning that the production for these lines of swimsuits are currently stuck in the ports somewhere, so we won’t have new swimwear for the rest of the week. So, I know about the new schedule, but- but you won’t have to come in this week.” Edmund said.
“Oh.”
“But actually, if you want, we can try to refresh the photos for our old swimwear lines. See whether a new photo would help push sales. It works, sometimes.”
“If I get paid, sure.” Sara said. She really wanted to help her husband pay off debt and raise money.
Edmund laughed. “Of course.”
***
“This series.” Edmund placed a set of two piece swimsuits. Unlike the earlier ones, these were more sexy versions that were commonly worn by volleyball players. They gave her a high V-shaped briefs that showed off her beautiful thighs.
Sara gulped, as she tried one on. She looked in the mirror and couldn’t believe herself. When she walked out, she was shy.
“I- I never wore this type of swimsuit before.”
Edmund nodded, and then held her hand. “You look absolutely beautiful. You’re gorgeous, Sara. Very, very gorgeous.”
She turned red.
“Come.” The very act of posing made her feel strange. Her heartbeat pounded. And pounded. With the minion not around, Edmund touched her, and with this set of swimwear, she could feel his hands on her.
She felt hot.
Edmund praised her whenever he took a photo. “Alright! Looking sexy! Looking great!”
An hour later, it was time for lunch.
“You were great, Sara. But I guess it’s the first time for you. So we’ll stop here today, okay?”
But if she worked half a day- would she still get paid?
“Instead, come, get dressed. I’ll take you for lunch and bring you to see another modelling studio. Where the pros work.” It wasn’t hard for Edmund to pay some money for a tour. But just as Sara walked out in her house clothes, Edmund frowned. “Okay. No. You’re not wearing that to the studio. Come.”
Edmund walked to the storeroom and found her a dress. A black one-piece sleeveless turtleneck dress. As Sara changed into her black dress, she stared at herself in the mirror. Those words from the weekend rang in her mind.
“Are you happy like this? The way you are?”
She looked at herself in a beautiful black dress, and noticed herself smiling. She was gorgeous in this dress. She pinched herself. She wasn’t going to get sucked into it. No-
“Man, you really pulled that off.” Edmund smiled. “Alright, let’s go.”
***
“We’re not doing lunch?” Sara asked.
“After- They’re having a shoot at the swimming pool. Come. Let’s go.” Edmund drove her to a nearby hotel, and the two walked to the hotel’s swimming pool which was booked out for a photoshoot. There were girls in bikinis, and photographers snapping away. “Sit and observe.”
Sara did, and she couldn’t believe it. The girls were pros. They moved and posed so quickly, and changed. Then the wildest thing happened. She noticed a few of the girls change in the corner, and were absolutely naked. The photographers didn’t even bother them. Some even helped them with the clothes.
Then they were back at it.
“The girls!” Sara couldn’t believe they were naked, but no one looked bothered. They just changed, the photographers and assistants helped fix their clothing, and they were back at the job.
“They are professionals, dear. With today’s fast fashion, models have to wear tonnes of dresses every day just to keep up. So, changing quickly is normal.”
She blushed. “Oh my.”
They watched for another 45 minutes, and it was time for a break. A few of the models and photographers approached them. “Oh. You’re Edmund Greenhat? The guy who wanted a tour?”
“Yup.” Edmund offered his hand. “We’re behind Guiltypleasure Innerwear line of swimwear and lingerie.”
“Nice!” The photographer shook hands with Edmund. “This is?”
“Ah, this is Sara, my model.”
Sara blushed as she shook the photographer and the girls hands. One of the girls said. “She looks a little chubby and could lose some weight. I’d do her job for her, if you pay well.”
Sara felt attacked, but Edmund laughed. “I think I like someone who looks a bit more human, and I can’t afford your wages.”
The photographer laughed. “Impossible. I heard you’re doing super well. You’d pay us all double! Pleased to meet you, Miss Sara. You look beautiful in that black dress. Is it a Burlerry? Or a Balenkiaga?”
Sara was stunned. “I- I don’t know.”
One of the models then walked and peeked at her dress’s label. “Oooo. A Balenkiaga.”
Sara blushed. That was a high end brand!
Edmund laughed. “Alright. Thanks for having us. It’s time for lunch!”
***
When Sara went back to the car, she immediately asked. “Edmund, how much is this dress?”
“If it’s a Balenkiaga, I think brand new, it’s $3,500. But it’s used, so maybe $500.”
Her heart almost sank. “I- I-“
“Shhh. You look gorgeous in it. So gorgeous. Let’s go have lunch.” Edmund drove her to the bento shop, and they had lunch.
“Sir, we have a special couple’s lunch menu today. Do you want to try it? There’s even a 20% off for couples!” The waiter asked.
Edmund immediately nodded and whispered in Sara’s ears. “Play along, okay.”
She blushed and nodded. Edmund nodded at the waiter. “Of course!”
The bento menu was good. It came with salmon and some fresh fish. It even had free dessert for the couple. When it was time to pay, the same waiter smiled. “Did you and your wife had a good meal, sir?”
“Yes, we did.” Edmund answered as if it was the most normal thing. “Didn’t we, dear?”
Sara flushed. She just nodded.
Once they were outside, Edmund laughed. “Thanks for playing along.”
But Sara felt her heart beat quickly.
“Alright. That’s it for today. I’m going to send you home, okay? But if you don’t want to go home we can continue our photoshoots. I still have many old swimwear that could use a refresh.”
“I’ll go home.” Sara said. She needed to calm herself down.
Once home, her mind kept thinking about how he just treated her like she was his wife, and it made her blush. Her body itched. And itched. She touched herself. She kept trying to force herself to think about her husband. “James.”
She repeated. “James.”
She touched herself, and as she rubbed herself, she said. “James.”
But only the words on her mouth was James. Her mind was Edmund.
