We walked in silence as I led him to the back room, where we kept all the clothes and “grease,” aka, baby oil.
Castings were held at the downtown office, where Zia owned another space which housed the admin offices, studio space, and storage. I enjoyed working at the office much more than the house, because I didn’t have to deal with the guys constantly flirting or getting in my way. They apparently all thought I was trying to play hard to get, but in fact, I was playing stay-the-fuck-away-from-me.
“Solo is an interesting name,” Adam broke the silence, as I shuffled through drawers to find some underwear.
“Yeah, my parents have an obsession with Star Wars,” I said, pulling out a white pair of briefs and studying Adam’s size. “Medium?” I held them up and he nodded.
“That’s some good decision making on your parents’ part, but why not Leia?”
“Having two gay dads who are head over heels in love with Harrison Ford and his character Han Solo will do that to you,” I shrugged my shoulders and smiled.
“Well, I think your dads are bad ass.”
“You like Star Wars?” I asked, not holding my breath, because the guys who usually walked through these doors didn’t even know what an ewok was.
“Star Wars, like I do,” Adam said in a pretty lame Yoda voice, but I gave him credit for trying as I laughed.
“Wow, I never met a guy who came around here who had an interest in anything other than his muscles.” That wasn’t necessarily true, most of the guys were pretty nice, I was just jaded from a previous relationship.
Adam laughed a deep baritone laugh as he twisted the underwear in his hands. I couldn’t help but notice the little dimple that peeked out of his cheek and his adorable smile that made me want to cuddle up right next to him.
Whoa, slow down, sister. A guy says he likes Star Wars and you start to lose your mind, has it really been that long?
“Serious question,” Adam said, while cutting off his laughter. “The new sequence of movies coming out, are you excited?”
I thought about it for a second and said, “I’m sorry, I believe there are only three movies in the Star Wars trilogy. I refuse to acknowledge any other editions after the eighties.”
Adam gripped his chest and said, “My God, a girl after my own heart. I couldn’t agree more. Fuck the other trilogies; give me Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, and Carrie Fisher, none of this Jar-Jar Binks bullshit.”
I held up my hands and said, “I could not agree more.” I waved them in front of my face and said, “Oh shit, I’m totally geeking out right now.”
Adam laughed again, a sound that I was starting to become addicted to.
Adam looked around and leaned forward as he said, “How come you’re the only normal one here? I’m sorry if this sounds bad, but holy shit, the people here are weird. I tried to have a conversation with some of the guys in the waiting room and they were talking about omega things and fish oil and tanning beds. What the hell is all of that?”
I laughed at the distressed look on his face and patted him on the shoulder. “Welcome to the world of modeling; they’re not all bad, though. There are some really nice guys out there. I take it this must be your first casting?”
“Yeah, I’m not really into all of this, but could use the cash.”
I nodded in understanding. “That’s why most of the guys get started. Believe me, if you’re picked up by Teeg Models, you’ll be set.” I pointed at the underwear and said, “Put those on, and when you’re done, come out to the hallway so I can rub you down.”
Clearing his throat, he asked, “Rub me d-down?”
“With baby oil…you know, to make you all shiny and defined.”
“Oh, Jesus,” he responded, while holding his head with his hand. “I’m sorry, but this has been, by far, the strangest experience of my life. I was asked about my penis size, if I was into porn or something like that, and then they asked about me being naked on camera. When you said rub me down, I thought it was a test to see if I could get it up for everyone in the other room.”
My head flew back and I laughed so hard that a little tear rolled down my face from the look on Adam’s face. He was not the typical model that I ran into, not even close. He was sweet, funny, and damn it, he liked Star Wars. He was almost my type, except for the fact that he was about to be standing in a scrap of underwear, rubbed down in oil in front of Zia and Meryl. He was a model, and that meant off limits.
I waited outside for Adam to get changed. I sent Nolly a text message to let her know that I wasn’t the only geek who liked Star Wars, which garnered me a “You’re still a nerd” text back from Nolly. Such a loving relationship that we had.
Adam poked his head past the door, hiding his body, as he said, “Uh, are these britches supposed to ride low…on the ass?”
“Britches?” I crinkled my nose and laughed. “Yeah, they’re not supposed to be old man whitey tighties. Let me see.”
“I’d rather not.”
“Seriously? If you can’t show me, then there is no way you will be able to step out into the casting room. It can’t be that bad; just step out here.”
Taking a deep breath, Adam opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. My breath escaped me as I took in his entire body.
Holy. Shit!
I felt myself literally gulp as I took in his physique. He was toned from his head to his toes. The deep V cut in his waist was mesmerizing, and his legs matched his upper body. He most definitely didn’t forget his leg workouts. The underwear sat low on his hips, showing off his brilliantly sculpted stomach, but what really gained my attention was his package that was sitting on display. I could feel my tongue wanting to lick my lips in appreciation, but I stopped myself. Instead, I told him to turn around, which he did.
He was right, the underwear rode low on him, but it wasn’t because they were a bad fit; it was because the man had the ass of a god. To see such a round and sculpted butt on a man was rare, so I made sure to take the glorious piece of man meat in.
“Do they fit alright?” he asked self-consciously.
“Perfect,” I said, while prying my eyes off of his ass and looking him in his eyes, which were smiling from my perusal.
“Were you just checking me out?” he asked, while turning around completely.
“It’s part of my job,” I shrugged my shoulders and grabbed a baseball hat that I put on his head backwards. “There, that will keep the ladies from being distracted by your hair.”
“What’s wrong with my hair?” he asked, offended.
“See this?” I asked, touching his hair that flipped out from the side. “That needs to be cut. Zia likes her models with styled hair.”
“Some people like the scruffy look,” he defended himself.
“Hey, I think it’s cute, but I know what Zia likes.”
“You think I’m cute? Just cute? And after everything we’ve shared…”
I rolled my eyes, pumped some oil into my hands, and attacked his chest, which I instantly congratulated myself for because the feel of his skin under my hands was incredibly pleasing. His sharp intake of breath led me to believe that he was just as affected as I was.
My hands glided across each contour of his well-defined chest and down his stomach, where a detailed six pack rippled under my hands. I cut my hands down to the V of his hips and right above his waistline where my fingers danced dangerously with the waistband. His sharp intake of breath informed me of the effect my hands had on him. Retreating from the danger zone, I worked my way back up to his arms and finished up on his pecs to avoid any embarrassment for the both of us.
When I rubbed near his armpits, he laughed and jerked away.
“Don’t tickle me,” he accused.
“I wasn’t tickling you; I was trying to get oil everywhere.”
“Yeah, right. You’re totally someone who would tickle an innocent bystander.”
“And why is that?” I said, while putting a little more oil in my hands.
“You hav
e that devilish look about you. You’re trouble,” he joked.
“You have no clue what trouble is,” I replied, while rubbing his shoulders
“I’d like to find out,” he said, while looking down at me with those devastating eyes.
My hands stilled on his shoulders as I looked back up at him. He really was so incredibly handsome, but he also obtained a addicting boyish charm at the same time. His mouth quirked to the side, showing off that lonesome dimple of his, making me melt a little on the spot. It’s been a long time since I felt like kissing one of the Teeg models, but at this moment, with Adam looking down at me with lust in his eyes, I was tempted to stand up on my toes and plant one right on his lips.
Still looking at each other, my hands glided to the center of his chest, where they connected with the dog tags dangling from his neck. I was just about to ask him why he was wearing them when Nolly came down the hallway calling out my name.
In an instant, I tore myself off of Adam and started wiping my hands with a towel.
“Where is Adam?” Nolly called out. “Zia is about to lose her damn mind.”
“You better get a move on,” I said, as I turned away.
Adam’s body came up behind mine and said, “Is there any chance I can get your number, Solo?”
I turned toward him and said, “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Models and me don’t mix.”
With that, I walked down the hallway with Adam’s eyes burning a hole through my back. His heavy steps came up behind me, and I could feel the heat of his breath on my neck as he leaned down next to my ear.
“I’m not really a model, Solo, just a guy trying to stay afloat.”
I hated how the way he said my name made me tingle from head to toe. I hated how his voice vibrated through my chest and I hated how I could practically feel the burn his muscles left behind on my hands.
With mixed emotions, I watched him walk up to Nolly, who nodded in appreciation, and then escorted him back to the casting office. He was right, he wasn’t a model for sure, because by no means did he act like one. He was genuine, sweet, and there was something dark and complex about him that had my mind reeling, trying to figure out his story.
Damn.
Chapter Three
Adam
My mind was still dazed from the “job interview” I went through two days ago. When my friend told me about the casting, I wasn’t expecting to be stripped bare, sexually questioned, objectified, and “rubbed down.”
When I walked back into the casting room, the minions’ mouths fell open and Meryl nodded in approval, while a giant smile spread across her face. The only person I couldn’t read was Zia, who apparently was the one person I had to impress. I had no clue what I was getting myself into when I entered that casting room, and it was definitely something that I would never forget.
Once they got their first look, Meryl came up to me and started tracing different muscles on my body with her pen, saying where there would be perfect places for tattoos, where I could work out a little more, and what my best angles were. I had no clue what she was talking about, but I just nodded and smiled, because I didn’t want to come across as rude.
After I put my clothes back on over the baby oil, which was extremely uncomfortable, I listened to Meryl and Zia talk about all the changes they wanted to make to my body. I didn’t get it, why did they want to change so much? If they didn’t like me, then they should look for someone else that fit the description they were looking for.
While I drove to the hospital, I thought about the one good thing about that confusing day: Solo. She was an unexpected breath of fresh air. I was totally digging her style too. She was a girl that you could be real with, and I liked that about her.
Ever since I left the studio, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about her and the way her hands glided across my body, rubbing that damn baby oil everywhere. I was lucky I was able to keep myself refrained from becoming too excited.
She wasn’t your typical in-fashion kind of girl; she could care less what was on her body, which was the same way I felt. As long as it was comfortable, I was good with it. Even though her style was very hipster-esque, it still showed off her amazing legs and tight body.
Fuck. I ran my hand over my face as I pulled into the hospital parking lot. She needed to be forgotten because she clearly wasn’t interested in me. Although, she wasn’t interested in models, and after I left the studio, I was pretty damn sure I wasn’t going to be a model. I didn’t fit in, and it was blatantly obvious.
The signature sterile smell of the hospital hit me once I crossed through the doors. It was a smell I was starting to grow accustomed to. The walk to the sterilization room was the same one I took almost every single day. Family members of loved ones scattered the waiting rooms, nurses and doctors walked up and down the hallways checking their charts, and the soft sound of someone crying occasionally filtered through the air.
Hospitals were a contradiction of life and death. On one floor, the miracle of birth could be taking place, where a couple are instantly turned into parents by greeting a little one into their lives, and on another floor, a teenager could be fighting for their life after a horrific car accident.
I’ve been frequenting the hospital for the last few months and nothing has changed; it was the same circle of life, and right now, I was the one trying to hang on by a thread.
After I washed my hands, which was now routine, I stared down the door to room 308. It seemed like, when I opened the door, I could see a life slowly being taken away with every day that passed by, and it absolutely gutted me.
I walked through the door and saw my mom, lying on her hospital bed, looking weak and frail with tubes attached to her, helping her live. My Aunt Sarah was next to her, with her head on my mom’s hand, and a rosary in her clutch. It was a picture I could paint by memory by now. It was the same picture I saw almost every day.
I cleared my throat and walked up to the bed. “How is she today?” I asked softly, not wanting to wake my mom up.
Aunt Sarah lifted her head and looked up at me with tears in her eyes. “She’s been better.”
I lifted Aunt Sarah into my arms and hugged her tightly. “You have to have faith, Aunt Sarah. She will get a new heart; she just has to.”
My mom was suffering from coronary heart disease, and now it was just a waiting game. We prayed for a new heart every day, but the guilt that surrounded those prayers was insurmountable, because in order for my mom to get a new heart, someone had to lose their life. It just wasn’t fair.
“I have faith, sweetheart,” Aunt Sarah patted my chest. “How did the job interview go?” she asked, while pulling away and sitting next to my mom again.
“I don’t think I got it,” I admitted honestly. The look of hopelessness that crossed Aunt Sarah’s face was devastating.
We were suffering when it came to keeping up with all of the financial issues. My Aunt Sarah has been living with us ever since my dad was killed in Afghanistan during a night raid. She helped my mom raise me while she went to work. Now that my mom was in the hospital, the income from my dad’s death and my mom’s savings were now depleted, and we were in the midst of selling my childhood home and living off of Dollar Store meals, where Aunt Sarah had taken up temporary employment.
I dropped out of college the minute I knew my mom was sick and started looking for employment, but I needed something that was going to pay well and fast, because we were about to be kicked out of the prime hospital spot we had, since the bills were stacking up.
“That’s okay, sweetheart. Something has to turn around for us.”
There was a knock on the door and one of the nurses who I’ve grown to know as the bill collector came through the door with a sullen look on her face.
Shit.
“Mr. James?”
“Yes,” I said, walking toward the door. I didn’t want my Aunt Sarah to be a part of our conversation. She was already stressed as it was.
“Mr.
James. I don’t mean to be insensitive, but your latest bill is thirty days past due, and there is only so much we can do to prolong the bill collectors.”
“I understand and I promise we’re working on it. We couldn’t be more appreciative of everything you’ve already done for us. I just need a couple more weeks. Can we at least just make the minimum payments to hold the collectors off?”
“The minimum is five hundred and fifty dollars.”
“What?” I felt like my eyes popped out of my sockets. Five hundred and fifty dollars might not be a lot to some people, but to people who were scraping the sidewalks for pennies, it seemed like thousands. “We don’t have that. How did it get so high?”
“Partial life support isn’t cheap, Mr. James. We’re putting in all of our efforts to keep your mom alive, and unfortunately, it costs a lot of money.”
“Jesus,” I ran my hands through my hair and turned to look at my mom. I couldn’t fail her, I couldn’t lose her…there was no way. I had to get the money somehow. “How long can you hold off the collectors?”
“Two weeks tops, after that, I don’t have a choice, your mom will have to be moved.”
My phone, which I forgot to turn off, started to ring in my pocket. I pulled it out of my pocket to silence it, but saw a local number calling me.
I looked up at the nurse, who was giving me the stink eye for having my phone on, and I gave her an apologetic look before pulling away to answer.
“Two weeks, I promise to have the money for you.”
I walked out of the room and down the hallway while pressing the accept call button.
“Hello?”
“May I speak to Adam James please?”
“Solo?” I asked into the phone. I would know that sultry voice anywhere.
“Yes, actually. How are you Mr. James?”
“Mr. James, really? You rubbed baby oil all over my body; I think we’re past pleasantries,” I said with a smile.
“You have a point. How are you, Adam?”
“Much better now that you’re calling. Did you change your mind about giving me your phone number?”