The Makeup Artist Ch. 05

The following is a fictional parody, not approved of, nor authorized by, the celebrities named.

None of the events are true.

This fictitious parody is protected speech under Hustler Magazine, Inc., et. al. v. Jerry Falwell.

No harm is intended toward the celebrities named.

Furthermore, publication of any and all trademarks contained herein are not authorized by, associated with, nor sponsored by the trademark owners.

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Chapter 5: Amerie needs a suitable replacement.

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First thing Monday morning, I awoke to the most awesome realization:

I was having the time of my life in Las Vegas.

The day before, I helped style Christina Milian during her very hectic day of promotion. She skillfully made her way through several interviews and posed for a stunning photo shoot, all before co-hosting the pre-show for the MTV Video Music Awards.

With our help, Christina looked stunning in every outfit and her sexy, sultry look broke hearts all over Vegas. I was delighted to be a part of her style team and I was ecstatic when everyone complimented us on her amazing looks.

Later on, just when I thought the night couldn't get any better, I met the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, Nicole Scherzinger.

As it turned out, Nicole's stylist, Saadia Jeffries, was one of my sorority sisters. Once Saadia and I met and got acquainted, she introduced me to the gorgeous Nicole. Delicious shivers ran through me at the thought of both Saadia and Nicole and their natural, yet exotic beauty.

And if Nicole Scherzinger wasn't lovely enough, later that night I met the famed songstress, Amerie.

Amerie, the gorgeous and successful chart-topping R & B singer, was also in Vegas enjoying MTV's festivities. Looking absolutely stunning, she served as one of MTV's award presenters and seemed to enjoy interacting with all of the fans. However, always the businesswoman, like most Black starlets, she was maximizing her fame by also conducting other interviews, photo shoots and autograph signings while in town.

Along with Amerie, I also met Krystal Pennington, her fill-in makeup artist. Krystal and I hit it off when she needed some assistance in order to finish styling Amerie. I helped her out and we became fast friends. Being a new solo makeup artist in this business, I needed as many allies as possible.

I smiled as I thought of Krystal's toffee-brown skin and tight, toned frame. I also loved her soft, easy style. I looked forward to getting to know her better, but she'd already hopped on a plane to Japan. She was on her way to Tokyo to help style Janet Jackson.

Since we were sharing a room, Krystal and I spent the rest of our time together simply talking throughout the night. Her favorite subjects were politics and finance, and since those were mine as well, we talked all night about money, business and even the upcoming election. She later shared several investment tips with me and I was impressed with her business acumen.

I was especially surprised but pleased when she admitted her attraction to women. I loved that she was as open about loving beautiful and exotic African-American women as I was. Lying on the bed next to her just talking, I felt a strong attraction to her but for some reason, I held off on pursuing it. There was something about this gorgeous woman that convinced me to take my time, so we just continued to talk throughout the night until we both fell asleep side by side on the bed.

Krystal woke me up briefly around 4am to hug me goodbye, but she then she was gone. Her freelance work as a makeup artist kept her literally traveling around the globe. After she left, I went back to sleep, safe in the knowledge that we had each other's number. I definitely looked forward to talking with her later.

This morning, however, was for work. With Krystal gone on assignment, and Amerie's regular makeup artist still out ill, Amerie's team asked me to fill in. Though I'd just met them the night before, their conferences with Christina Milian's people, namely Christina's manager Tonya Jessup and her lead stylist Jasmin Ramirez, coupled with quick calls to my other clients, satisfied their questions about me and I was in.

Just before we all turned in for the night, Amerie's publicist, Karen Corbin, and her lead stylist, Joi Dixon, gave me a quick rundown of her busy day:

At 6am, the entire team would meet and begin getting Amerie ready. At 8:30am she was scheduled for an in-studio interview at a local radio station. At 11am, she had a 15-minute call-in radio interview, but that would be done back in her hotel room. At noon, she had a major photo shoot right in our hotel. Then from 5pm to 6:30pm was an autograph signing at a local record store. Finally at 10pm, she would make an appearance at a MTV event that would be held at a local night spot.

With a busy day ahead, I awoke at 5am sharp to a beautifully golden Vegas sunrise. Taking the sunny sky as my cue, I showered and dressed quickly in a sheer, canary-yellow button-up silk blouse. I left the buttons open, showing my snug, white tank top underneath. Because I loved my ripe, firm breasts and lickable chocolate drop nipples, I definitely wanted to show them off. I also slipped on tight jeans that hugged my round ass and jeweled sandals that decorated my tiny feet and manicured toes.

I quickly curled my jet-black shoulder-length hair so that the loose curls bounced with my every move. But rather than let them all hang loose, I used two gold hairclips to secure my hair behind my ears for convenience.

Just before 6am, I quickly gathered my makeup case and my portfolio and rushed to leave. Opening the door, I was delighted to see that the hotel surprised me with an elaborate fruit basket. Gingerly, I picked it up and set it on the table. The care that went into delicately tying the huge pink bow and decorating the pink cellophane wrapping made me smile. My stomach rumbling, I ripped it open, grabbed a ripe, juicy apple, and took a great big bite. Groaning at the crisp, delicious taste, I headed off to work.

Thankfully, we were all staying at the Palms Hotel, so at 6am sharp, I was upstairs knocking on the door to Joi & Karen's suite. Joi Dixon was Amerie's lead stylist and Karen Corbin was Amerie's publicist. Fifteen minutes later, Amerie came down from her suite to join us.

There was little time to waste since she was due at the radio station in less than 2 hours.

I waited patiently while Joi styled Amerie's hair. For convenience, Amerie's naturally curly hair, jet-black and waist-length, was washed and lightly blowdried with a diffuser to preserve her gorgeous, bouncy curls. Joi then spritzed her hair with a glosser for shine and left it to flow freely. Amerie's ebony ringlets shook and shimmied as she moved.

Once Amerie's hair was finished, Joi began to press her outfit. While she waited, I went ahead and started on her makeup.

Amerie sat in a chair in front of the large, mirrored vanity wearing only a sexy black tank top and tiny satin shorts. Her lean, honey-colored legs looked deliciously tight and toned. Over the years, her fit and trim frame fueled many of my erotic fantasies. I imagined using my tongue to trace wet circles over her taut nipples. That same tongue would lap up all the sugary wetness deep between her legs. Shaking my head to clear those images, I focused back on work.

I thought that Amerie's honey-brown skin would look wonderful in pink and purplish tones. So for her eyes, I decided to use rosy pinks mixed with deep lilac and pale lavender shades. I also used deep violet eyeliner along with several coats of jet-black mascara to make her eyes really pop. Finally, I applied sheer pink blush to her cheeks and candy-pink gloss to her lips to give her skin a radiant glow.

Joi then came in carrying the crisply pressed garments. Amerie changed into a deep violet sleeveless top that had a cute mandarin collar. The light, cotton fabric hugged her lean frame beautifully and the shirt's deep v-neck showed off her creamy honey-brown skin. A tiny pair of white cuffed shorts displayed her long legs perfectly. A matching pair of sexy high heels completed her conservative day look.

During the entire time we styled her, Amerie was a perfect lady. Her polite demeanor and caring nature made a huge impression on me. She continually asked us how we were doing and if we were comfortable. She also entertained us with stories of being on tour and the many gracious fans she'd met.

Even though I'd only known her for a short time, I found her enthusiasm to be infectious. Though it was an early hour and though we'd all just met, she laughed and joked with us, especially me, like we'd all known each other for years.

Once she was ready, we all hustled to the radio station. I loved that we arrived with several moments to spare. I was especially impressed that she was such a stickler for being early.

As it turned out, the in-studio interview went very smoothly. The DJs loved her music and many of her fans called in to wish her well. She gave tidbits about her upcoming album and hinted about an international tour. The DJs kept the atmosphere fun and a bit crazy and the time flew by. The program director wanted her to stay longer, but her schedule was just too jam-packed. Promising to come again, she graciously ended the interview and we were on our way back to the hotel.

As we walked back into the lobby of the Palms, I heard a familiar voice call my name.

"Nikii!"

I looked over to see my sorority sister Saadia Jeffries and the Pussycat Dolls' lead singer, Nicole Scherzinger, walking straight toward us. My luck was getting better and better.

"Hey Soror!" Saadia said as we hugged. "Nice to see you. We were just leaving for an event." She paused to stare at Amerie. "Amerie? Wow! You look great! Your makeup is fierce! Nikii, you do such great work!"

Nicole agreed. "You really do, Nikii. You have a lot of talent."

I was loving it. "Thanks!"

Nicole continued. "I've heard a lot about you, Nikii. I need to get you to work on me," she winked.

Saadia piped up. "Yes! We have to get you while you're still in town."

I smiled. Saadia and Nicole just moved to the top of my calendar.

Then Saadia frowned. "Wait. But weren't you just working with Christina Milian? So now it's Amerie too?"

I told her about meeting Amerie while I was styling Christina, and how she hired me that same day.

"Wow! You're, like, famous!" Saadia laughed. "You're a good luck charm. I guess I need to stay close to you, huh?" She grabbed my hand. "Actually, I'm not gonna let you out of my sight!"

I smiled harder. Her soft hand felt wonderful in mine. We stood there for a second, eyeing each other and loving the connection.

"No, but seriously." She let go of my hand and I was strangely disappointed. "We're going to hang out soon, I promise," she said as she stroked my hair. "I've still got my eye on you!"

While Saadia and I flirted, Joi and Karen chatted animatedly with Nicole, wishing her luck on her upcoming projects. However, Amerie was quiet. She looked at Saadia and me curiously, but remained silent. I hadn't mentioned my love of women to her, but I wondered if she caught on to what was happening.

Though I tried my best to remain professional on jobs, because I always met such beautiful, gorgeous women, my personal life was always present. Though I didn't flaunt my encounters with women, I wasn't one to hide it either.

Finally, after a few minutes of chatting, we all said our goodbyes and our group went back up to Joi and Karen's suite.

After a quick breakfast, Joi and I began styling Amerie for her photo shoot at noon. I discovered that the biggest challenge wasn't going to be her clothing or her makeup. I learned that I just needed to do a light, natural look for now, and then style her formally once we saw what the on-set wardrobe looked like.

Our biggest challenge now was going to be her hair. Her wild and curly mane needed to be tamed for this job. I learned that the client specifically requested that her hair be blown straight for the first half of the shoot, and have full waves for the second half.

It took Joi just over an hour to get Amerie's curly hair bone straight. Once it was accomplished, however, she looked gorgeous. The soft, silky strands cascaded over her shoulders and all the way down her back. I imagined gathering them up in my hands, lifting them, and kissing her soft, smooth neck.

In the midst of all the chaos, Amerie conducted her 11am interview with the second radio station. I marveled at how extremely professional, yet fun and enthusiastic she was. After a few minutes, she warmly wished all of her fans well and promised to call in again.

Finally, she was ready for the photo shoot. We all packed up our equipment and took the elevator upstairs. Once we got to the suite, I found out that this was no ordinary photo shoot.

Amerie recently inked a one-year endorsement deal with the National Basketball Association. As such, she was to be featured in several print ads as an honorary NBA cheerleader. The deal required her to travel to various cities for photo shoots with the league cheerleaders in that particular city.

Since she was already scheduled to be here in Vegas for the VMAs, both parties decided to shoot the premiere photo spread in the famed Hardwood Suite right in the Palms hotel. The popular suite featured an athletic-inspired layout, complete with a NBA-approved basketball court and other sports memorabilia.

The person in charge, the Executive Vice President of Marketing for the NBA, Barbara Cole, was warm and welcoming to all of us.

Barbara Cole looked to be in her mid-forties and she was in fantastic shape. She wore a dark, tailored business suit but she paired it with deliciously high heels. I also loved her mid-length, feathered haircut and her warm, brown complexion.

She first introduced us to her production staff and then to the photographer. She showed us around the suite and explained each of the looks they wanted to achieve. Ms. Cole also explained all of the camera angles and the lighting direction. She then introduced us to Dana Wright, the young woman in charge of the wardrobe. Dana's beautiful brown skin was flawless and her bright blonde hair, cut into a short, tapered style, looked fabulous on her.

We learned from Ms. Cole that Amerie would be solo for the entire shoot. She would model a fun, sporty attitude while wearing several pieces of the NBA's licensed activewear.

The sexy outfits would consist of fitted tank tops, brightly colored tankinis, tight half-cut jerseys, tiny satin shorts and small, pleated cheerleading skirts. All of the pieces were designed to show off her incredibly fit and sexy body. Amerie would also use several vibrantly colored pom pons, mini megaphones, basketballs and other accessories as her props.

After reviewing the wardrobe, Joi and I decided that Amerie would look best with a lightly polished, yet still natural face that would let her natural femininity show through. This formal launch needed to be tame and relatively kid-friendly. Therefore, although her wardrobe was a bit on the revealing side, her makeup and hair would definitely need to be toned down.

After a quick conference, Amerie took a seat at the vanity table set up at the end of the room and I quickly went to work. I used warm browns and honey golds on her beautiful, sultry eyes. The classic colors gave her a sporty, yet feminine and elegant radiance. I carefully groomed her eyebrows and curled her thick, full eyelashes. After a few swipes of jet-black mascara, her eyes were simply gorgeous. I also used similar honey gold tones on her cheeks and lips. As a final accent, I spritzed a bit of glittery body oil on her satiny skin.

After I was done, she shook out her long, jet-black hair and admired her reflection in the mirror. "It's perfect, Nikii. Very nice." She looked me in the eye. "I've really liked your work so far."

"Thanks," I said shyly. Damn. Here I go again. Beautiful women were always my weakness.

Next, Amerie went over to see Dana and take a closer look at the wardrobe. Her angelic face glowed with excitement as she fawned over the outfits. Each set, consisting of a sexy top and a matching bottom, was decorated with a NBA team logo and bright, vibrant colors.

"These are so cute!" she exclaimed. "I have to get some of these for myself."

"Help yourself," Ms. Cole said. "Compliments of the NBA." Amerie smiled and graciously thanked her for the gifts.

Amerie's first outfit was a fire-engine red fitted crop top with matching satin shorts. Her honey-brown skin looked radiant against the vibrant color. I watched her stretch and turn to adjust the clothing on her body. I held my breath as I gazed at her beautiful figure. Her stomach was taut and when she turned, I saw her slender back and tiny waist slope down into her firm, well-rounded ass. As I watched, I silently thanked the Universe for my good fortune.

Once she was ready, Amerie walked to the center of the basketball court, in front of the cameras that were set up there. Once the photographer was ready, he gave us the thumbs-up sign. As she began to pose, a familiar heat rose in me. I smiled as my chocolate nipples hardened into stiff peaks. I knew my body wouldn't be able to control itself.

As it turns out, I wasn't alone. Every person in the room was mesmerized as Amerie totally rocked the first part of the shoot. Thankfully, someone brought a CD player, so we put her latest single on. Her body rhythmically swayed to the hip-hop sounds coming from the speakers.

She placed one hand on her hip and looked directly into the lens. As the photographer snapped, she turned and looked back seductively into the camera. Winking at him, she hit a few more poses and he kept clicking away until he gave us a second thumbs-up sign.

As we changed her into the next outfit, I overheard Ms. Cole talking on her cell phone behind me.

"Oh, they're here in Vegas?" she said. "Here at the Palms? Great! Tell them to come on up to the Hardwood Suite. I'll call down and clear it with the front desk."

After a couple of quick calls, Ms. Cole turned to us. "Amerie? We have a couple of the official NBA cheerleaders here in the hotel. They're in Vegas for some of the MTV festivities. I'd like for them to come up and take a few pictures with you. Is that ok?"

Karen, in full publicist mode, motioned to Amerie and they worked out the plans with Mrs. Cole. As they were talking, the doorbell to the suite rang. After a few moments, I heard the distinct click of high heels and my jaw dropped at what I saw.

In walked two of the most gorgeous women I'd ever seen.

The taller creature was a satiny, chocolate brown. She had midnight-black hair that dipped just below her shoulders and was cut into long, easy, swinging layers. Her delicate features were set off by a firm jawline and a bright smile.

The smaller woman had a creamy, light brown complexion. Her hair was a rich chestnut shade and lay in full, soft waves down her back. She smiled warmly, making her hazel eyes twinkle.

Both women wore official NBA t-shirts with tiny shorts. I felt a delicious shiver run through me as I admired their lean, toned arms and legs.

Ms. Cole spoke. "Everyone meet April and Anika. They're with the Los Angeles Lakers dance team, otherwise known as the Laker Girls. They're going to shoot a few frames with Amerie."

"Hey everybody!" Anika called out, her dark brown skin gleaming. April just waved shyly. Her caramel skin was just as radiant.

"Ladies, I want you to meet Amerie," Ms. Cole said. After all of the introductions were made, Ms. Cole turned back to April and Anika. "Ok, ladies. Please see Dana to get fitted for your wardrobe. You'll be wearing some of those outfits over there." She pointed to the racks of clothes. "And as far as your makeup?" She looked over at me. "Nikii? Would you be able to do them?"