Loved

Hunter’s P. O. V.

” Mr McConnell, I’m so glad you could make it. The crew were beginning to worry you wouldn’t”

I met Mr Borolea, the owner of La Cherié magazines on the ground floor as I walked into the lobby at half past nine.

” I’m sorry for the delay Borolea. I encountered a minor problem”

Minor problem also known as a tremendous headache.

But it’s subsided though.

” No worries. You’re here now and that’s all that matters” he extended his hand to me for a shake and that was when he noticed Iris beside me.

” And who may this lovely lady be?” His smile transformed from pleased to flirtatious in seconds.

” My secretary” I simply replied and she looked at me with almost a pout on her lips and scrunched up brows.

” Miss Jules” Iris introduced herself now knowing that I wouldn’t do it for her.

” Nice to meet you Jules. Call me Lander” they too exchange shakes while I stood by the side and waited patiently.

” Hunter, what do you think about us giving your secretary a photo shoot of her own?” Borolea is simply looking for a charm string with her and I internally laughed at his obliviousness to her relationship status.

I rolled my eyes at his direction” if you wanna do a photo shoot with her, ask her. She’s proven very confident in making decisions for herself”

Iris caught the hidden meaning to my words without delay and avoided eye contact with me.

She even knows how to pretend to look guilty.

” Well Miss Jules, it will be my pleasure to use you as my cover one day”

Due to the fact that Iris isn’t really accustomed with Borolea, she wasn’t able to pick up on his obvious sexual innuendo.

Borolea was a good looking man in his mid thirties, but his sex addiction is a national problem.

” No thanks. Maybe some other time” My secretary nodded to him and moved to my side, but I was in no mood to stand by her.

Since they didn’t look ready, I marched to the elevator making the other two follow after me.

Iris’s heels clicking on the tiles ground loud enough for the entire floor to hear as she tried to increase her speed to catch up with me.

As the elevator opened and I stepped in, Borolea following next and standing by my right, then Iris got in to stay by my left.

I moved to the other end of the lift and punched the third floor.

I’ve been here before, I escorted Chance here on his photo shoot five months ago, so I’m well aware of some places in the building.

I maintain my position at the other end just to stay far away from Iris and she realizes because she in turn moved to the other side.

Making us far but not far enough from each other.

Iris’s P. O. V.

When we arrive at the floor for the shoot, Lander was the first to leave, but before I could count seconds Hunter was out too.

Now he’s even avoiding breathing the same air as me.

Maybe waking him up this morning was actually a bad idea.

I sighed and followed them to the direction they led and when we got there, the place was a splendor.

The prepared background for the photoshoot was all white, kind of a contrast to what he’s used to.

I checked on Hunter to know his reaction about the chosen color background and I was right.

He didn’t like it because he was literally cringing by just mere looking at it. One can almost assume him to be a vampire.

” Err- Mr Lander?” I called the attention of the man behind the work.

” Yes love?”

” Is there any other color you could use for the background? I’m not too particular about the white”

Hunter narrowed his eyes at me into two barely visible slits, but that didn’t stop Mr Lander from speaking.

” Sure we can, do you want that Hunter?”

” No.. the white is okay”

Did he just reject the change because I suggested it?

” Oh. Good. Hunter please go into that room and get dressed in the first thing you see on the rack and come back out so we can start the process. We’ve got too many to try” Mr Lander said and Hunter just walked straight to the room .

” Many to try?” I repeated his statement as a question.

” Yes. He’s got like seventeen brands to try on”

” But isn’t it only the cover?”

” Sure it is, but if you’re our cover we dedicate the whole middle page to your photos”

I nod after understanding and walk up to the crew who were adjusting the lighting or setting up one thing or the other.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

After a short while, Hunter emerged from the room he walked into, wearing sweatpants and a short sleeved white FILA polo that was fitted to his form perfectly.

He stepped out gracefully, like modelling was his true calling and the crew quickly turned to him.

The make up artists sat him down on a nearby stool and attacked his face while others took hold of his hair.

Some of the female crew who were to organize the stage were either gaping or fawning over Hunter and he gladly sent a wink their way.

Meanwhile he made sure not to look my way twice in one minute.

After the make up, not like much difference was made to his face, he climbed up the platform and the photographers joined with their camera’s.

The photo shoot started with the French/ Italian photographers pointing and calling out various styles of poses to be done.

But this very one was the most outstanding.

He was asked to raise one end of his shirt, while staring straight into the camera and biting his lip.

He did exactly just that and if his look isn’t the definition of sexy then Oxford need a new dictionary.

When he struck the pose, some girls were even dumb enough to gasp so loudly while some guys whistled.

Hunter was clearly not trying to smirk on camera but he couldn’t help his ego.

A photographer went closer to him to adjust his stance and lower the waist band of the sweatpants to go almost dangerously low.

Then the tattoo came into full view.

It was a wolf, scratch that.. a cub that looked like it was trying to howl.

The cub was actually looked like it was standing on water but the wolf’s body was literally on fire.

I just noticed the tiny and faint flames that surrounded the little creatures body and for some reason

I felt sad.

For the wolf though.

It looks like it was in pain, standing on water but yet it’s burning.

No one seemed to care about any other thing aside from how the tattoo just added to his sex appeal.

________________________________

We had finished the photoshoot and it was already seven PM at night.

Yes Hunter tried on all seventeen brands and each had at least fifty photos from each photographer.

” I’m honestly confused on which to choose for the cover, these are all amazing” Mr Lander said and earned a chuckle from Hunter.

We were all seated and watching the pictures go in a slideshow from a projector.

” Don’t laugh young man, choose something” Lander scolded.

He was actually frustrated, all the pictures looked too good to choose from.

” You’re the professional, make your pick” Hunter still was laughing.

” Fine, we’ll let the ladies choose. Jules? Please tell me which one your boss looks extremely ravishing in”

Hunter scoffed and got up from his chair and walked back into the dressing room, probably to change back to his official clothes and package the ones given to him as a token.

” Why not let the others choose, I’ll be right back”

Mr Lander nodded and I followed after Hunter. I knocked on the door and heard a gentle come in from the other side.

He may think it’s one of the crew.

I walked in to meet him shirtless for the second time today but still couldn’t stop myself from turning pink.

” What do you want?” His lips holding a scowl.

” I wanted to congratulate you. The photos aren’t bad”

” Alright, you’ve congratulated me now leave”

” How’s your head?”

He didn’t answer me, rather continued to fold up clothes here and there.

” Mind if I help you?” He paused and raised a brow as he looked at me.

Me offering to help him isn’t something I would normally do.

Or something I’ve ever done.

” No, you can leave”

” What picture would you want them to pick?” I tried again.

” Anyone of their choice” he didn’t look at me as he answered.

” Oh.. okay” it’s beginning to feel awkward.

” I-Jules, why did you ask Borolea about the background today?”

I almost thought he’d call me Iris.

” Because I know you prefer black”

” Next time don’t speak for me”

Ouch!

” Uh- okay… Sorry about that”.

I can’t believe I’m still trying, Chance this is all your fault!

” I never knew you had a tattoo” changing the subject.

” Well now you know”

” Well-”

” Jules?” He cut me again today.

” Yes?”

” Just leave”

I felt a weight in my chest and I’m very sure it’s from the embarrassment and something else.

I turned around and walked out of the dressing room with tears stinging my eyes.

I honestly don’t know, but I believe that something else is hurting me more than the embarrassment.