Long Blonde Hair, Sky Blue Eyes Pt. 08

They made the run to St. Thomas on a leased ferry, arriving just before sunset. The makeup and fittings were much more demanding and time consuming for the evening wear and cosmetics, and they were shooting among a crowd that included local extras as well. The director, cinematographer, and photographer were also more demanding, giving Erik insight into the stress under which models often perform.

It was dark, the music was romantic, the clothing suggestive, and the setting rife with sexual inuendo, yet Erik felt only admiration for the ability of the actors/models to compel the watcher while on camera, and then go about getting ready for the next part in a businesslike manner as soon as the director yelled cut.

This was the 'sausage making' and it was difficult for him to envision the end products, given what he saw.

To his surprise and consternation, as soon as the full moon came up he was informed his love scene with Annika was next, on the beach west of the club. Maybe that last rum drink was a mistake, he thought, or maybe it was a good thing. He was horny and his inhibitions were reduced significantly; convincing the audience he wanted his beautiful wife would not require great acting skills.

The cinematographer was set up in the shallow water, the photographer beside him, with the sound boom hanging over the water's edge. They changed and had a touch of makeup applied in tents near the site, and then Annika took her place along the water's edge. He stood back by the vegetation, watching her almost naked body in the moonlight with the still waters reflecting lights from the bar and the full moon.

He wasn't acting when he approached her, placed his hands on her hips, and began kissing her delicate neck and shoulders, and she wasn't acting when she whispered words of passion. Her moan when he whispered into her ear was real, as was his decision to push her tiny thong down over her hips and onto her thighs.

He was almost confused when the director yelled cut, but he stopped, and obeyed when she told him to pull her thong back up so her pussy wasn't exposed. The director murmured, "I'd call for a second take, but I doubt they could improve on that, and I'm afraid they might not stop if they do it again."

Then, speaking more loudly to the few crew members present, he proclaimed, "Unless someone knows something I don't, that's a take! Let them get dressed, and then we will take this back to the hotel."

Still holding his beloved, Erik whispered, "He's right - I'm so turned on I might have finished what we started, right here on the beach." Annika's whispered reply was, "I'm ready. Give them time to pack and move, and we'll give those watching from the bar a show!"

They didn't, more because the moment passed waiting for the others to leave than modesty. Annika put on a cover up, Erik a tee, and they barely made it to their beachside cabana before reliving the scene, for real.

It was another day with a later start; they had breakfast delivered and made it by nine, the assembly time. "Come in, come in! You two are so good together we decided to film another scene in daylight! Take a look at the script!"

Nothing challenging about this one either, Erik thought. They are facing each other, standing in knee deep water. Annika, wearing another bikini with a thong bottom and string plus patches top, leans over, smells his cologne, and asks what he's wearing. He says the name, she turns and walks a few steps while he looks disappointed, and then she looks over her shoulder, unties the top, lets it fall, and beckons him with a finger. He follows her to the open door of a grass shelter, they embrace, she moans the name of the cologne, and pulls him inside. Her thong and his shorts are tossed into the light of the doorway, and that's that.

"Okay, I only have one question; how am I getting to be in these commercials? Don't I have to belong to some organization or guild?"

"Yes, Honey, and we enrolled you in an affiliated performers association last month. We didn't know if you would be interested, but Darrell and Tom thought you had potential, so we took a chance. We're glad we did; you're a natural!"

"Yeah, that I am - as long as all I have to do is lust after you! Easy peasy!"

It took two takes this time, but not because of the actors; because the sun was at a bad angle to the camera set up. And then the professionals took over and the work commenced. Erik programed for a while, and then set up a hot spot so he could visit with his partner and new COO. Thing were good in Minnesota, and better on St. Thomas, where Annika was modeling sundresses, rompers, and a new fragrance for which she was the chosen spokesperson.

The day had a late start and late finish, with a slew of models in addition to the big three parading Mr. Tom's evening clothes at the Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas. Erik intended to stay away, but he relented when Mr. Tom offered to let him keep the custom tux he would be wearing. He was pleased: the tux was classic and classy. He remained in the background, chatting with attractive extras and watching the true stars shine in front of the cameras.

Mr. Tom's evening wear was being pitched to the three-percenters and top wage earners, not people like him, or even people like the Olssons. The thought of paying somewhere between $50,000 and $300,000 for clothing you would wear once, or possibly a couple of times, left him shaking his head.

The beaded evening gown Annika wore in the first scene was valued at $280,000; she looked good in it, especially with the 'chain of ice' dangling in her décolleté, but he thought she looked better in the dress she was wearing the first time he saw her. Of course, that might have cost six figures too, since designers tended to give her what she modeled for them.

Still, pretending was fun, and seeing scores of people wearing his incredible clothing made it all seem less outlandish. Scoring a $10k tux for a couple of hours of hobnobbing and sipping drinks was also nice - much better than his normal hourly wages!

When the witching hour arrived, the fun ended, and it became business again. Every dress, pants set, suit, and tux, save his, was returned and checked off by the wardrobe crew. Female models undressed and went to get their own clothing wearing bras and panties, and some without bras, while the males wore socks and underwear. Modesty was not a virtue in their world.

Mr. Tom announced the final shots would be taken around the pools and beach at the same hotel, from 7:30 until 11, after which they were invited to a lunch buffet and free use of the pool and amenities that afternoon. He also invited everyone to a black-tie party in Ballroom B from eight to midnight, and announced transportation to the airport would begin at eight the next morning.

It had been an adventure and a learning experience, but Erik was ready to get back to his world. Annika was raised in this one, and she found his world fascinating but alien, just as he now saw her world. She was adapting, evolving, moving from celebrity model/endorser to businesswoman, designer, and producer of her own lines of clothing and associated products. She had the money, she had the brains, she knew the world into which she intended to intrude, but she lacked adequate education and experience in the business and marketing side. He would have to help her with that.

The Nordic beauty emerged from wardrobe wearing the clingy gold-trimmed white cocktail dress she had modeled yesterday. She spotted her betrothed and ran, in 4" heels, to him. "At last!" she cried, as she leapt into his arms. He held her off the ground and spun her around as if they were in a movie. After a long, wet kiss, he set her down, teased that they were both going to have to fix her lipstick, and asked if she was happy with what they accomplished today, and throughout the week.

"Oh, Erik! Having you here was wonderful! It makes such a difference when I can look around and see you, knowing I'm going to lie in your arms that night, and awaken to your handsome face watching me! That part is a little creepy, but it reinforces that you love me, so I like it! I hope you enjoyed it, because I may make you come with me on some of the longer jobs!"

He chuckled. "I wasn't a child prodigy, so I don't have millions in the bank. In fact, we're about running on fumes, finance wise, waiting for the increasing sales of the logistics program to offset the costs of designing and producing it, and of personneling it, the green module, and our increasing administrative and marketing needs. We'll need more people to fabricate the module, assuming we make it work as envisioned, which means more costs with lagging income.

"My point is, Darling, as much as I love watching you show off and act sexy, and having you in my bed at night, and as much as I worry about the obvious intentions of the pretty boys swarming around you, I'm gonna have to work more and party less!

"So, let's go up to your fancy suite with balcony, peel you out of that expensive dress and me out of this custom tux, hang them up carefully for tomorrow night, and jump in that overstuffed four-poster bed. We may or may not sleep, but I'll do my best to show you a good night!"

Lazing around the pool Friday afternoon incorporated naps on the loungers to offset the lack of sleep the night before, and the lazy, hot day inspired another nap in their bedroom. After that one, they lounged in the shade on the balcony for a while, staying out of the tropical sun until they were ready to exercise and swim. The workout room was well equipped for both their regimens, and the running path through the vegetation and along the beach was as nice as any they had used.

A quick rinse in an outdoor shower, a quick change into swimsuits, and they dove side-by-side into the 80-degree pool water. Neither said anything that could be overheard, but they went through the drills that made Annika a good swimmer, and she rejoiced at how well she could swim now after all the years of being afraid of deep water.

The tranquil blue-green sea began calling to Erik after a while, so they dashed to the beach and then into the water. They played and splashed and laughed, before Erik challenged her to swim out to a raft anchored in mid-bay. He swam beside her for assurance rather than insurance, but she never broke the crawl stroke that propelled her so flawlessly and slithered up onto the raft without effort. For a sissy model deprived of even childhood games, with training she had proven to be an elite athlete, and shooter.

Rhonda and Andi were with a group of youngsters playing water volleyball, but they were keeping an eye on the lovebirds from land, and some combination of Don, Marcus, and Arnulfo were doing the same from the yacht anchored further out. Erik lay back on the raft, feet still dangling in the water, and pulled his fiancée back to lie beside him.

He kissed her briefly, lay back down, and asked, "See anything shiny circling up there, high above the parasails? Something like a drone?"

She spotted it and teased, "Well, I guess no hanky-panky out here!"

"Only if you want the security team to watch," he replied with raised eyebrow.

Maybe she did: the makeout session she initiated and controlled stopped just short of naked sex, but anyone watching had a good idea of her hotness, and a hardon.

Back in the room, with the drapes closed, she reminded Erik of that natural hotness, beginning in the shower, thence sitting on the bathroom counter, and finally kneeling on the sofa. Erik needed a break and a nap, but she returned to the shower and then began the process that would result in her looking like a goddess when they arrived in the ballroom.

She woke Erik forty minutes before so he could shower, shave, and dress, and was resentful that he could look like that with no other preparation!

Rather than the one she brought from wardrobe, she chose a cocktail dress Erik hadn't seen. Another Mr. Tom creation, this fit and flare silk dress was red, with matching lipstick. She wore a single strand of pearls that matched her stiletto heels, and her pulled-back hair reached to midback. Tonight, she was letting everyone see why she was one of the top models and most desired women on earth.

Irrepressible Erik, who had weathered seeing her in every style of dress, and nude, was stunned when she appeared. He stared: she posed, turned, looked over her bare shoulder, and then faced him again, hands on hips, one leg out in front. "Dang, Girl! You do clean up nice!"

That made her laugh out loud. "Sometimes the Texas country boy just can't be contained, can he? I present a sophisticated modern young woman, and you go for 'you clean up nice?' That's cute!"

"I could have said, 'Annika, my love, your allure takes my breath away! When I see you, I hear a chorus of angels singing of your exquisite beauty, and my heart races like the clouds race across the sky! You are the divine in divinity, the apple of my eye, the "

"Enough, enough! I'll accept 'clean up well' and I'll say the same for you! Now, take my arm like the gentleman you are dressed as, and let's go make our grand entrance!"

"I could be wearing cutoffs and a tank top and no one would notice! We both know you are inestimably gorgeous when you go all out like this, and in that dress - WOW! I know how perfect that body is, and you've been running around practically naked on the beach all week so everyone else does too; but watch what happens when you walk in tonight!

"I'm just glad this jacket is custom tailored to hide my pistol!"

She scoffed, but her smirk said she knew he was right, and she was pleased by his estimation. The smirk ended, however, as they neared the red carpet leading into the ballroom and was replaced by an attitude of superiority. It seemed that the 'old Annika' had returned, and he wasn't pleased by the possibility.

A photographer took pictures before and after they were formally announced, and he continued until they were well into the room before returning to his post by the doorway. This was a room full of beautiful people, yet Annika brought a hush to the crowd, which then began tittering, obviously about her. She ignored everyone but Erik, yet he sensed she was basking in the excited adulation.

Mr. Thom was unusually effusive in his praise of her looks tonight, and of her work throughout the week. Annika was usually warm in her response, and in praise of the clothing she had modeled. The director joined their lovefest, as did the cosmetics representative, the photographer, and the cinematographer. Erik watched, hiding his amusement at the melodramatic and extravagant way people in this industry communicated and congratulated one another.

Drinks, hor d'oeuvres, chit chat, more drinks, and then the local band began to play. The USVI are located just east of Puerto Rico, along the same lines of latitude as Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Jamaica to the west, southeast of Cuba, and just west of the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, St. Bart's, St. Martin, and Barbuda. Quite a wide variety of music is played over those areas, and the band reflected that. No classic country or rock, no disco, no orchestral music, and no Top 40 Pop down here, so they learned to sway and move to what they dubbed 'island music,' although some of it had a salsa sound, and some would identify as reggae or reggae fusion.

It didn't matter; the drinks were flowing, and they were all having fun. Carlos and Afton made runs at Annika, who danced with them and with a couple of the more brazen extras. While Erik was watching her or dancing with Andi or Rhonda, it was all great fun; but when the cute redhead who had captured his attention on the beach came into play, she made her way back, waited, and then cut in on their third dance. Lightening flashed in those sky blue eyes, and Red quickly retreated to the sidelines with the other extras.

"I saw you with her at the formal and on the beach this morning; do I need to worry?" she asked bluntly. He smiled, but it reminded her of a shark's smile. "I don't know; do I need to worry about all those buff men fawning over you before, during, and after each scene?

"Sandy is from Marble Falls, Texas, she graduated from the UT School of Theater and Dance, and she's a Longhorns Baseball fan, so we have things we talk about. She took pity on me when I was standing alone because all the other extras were ignoring me. She introduced me around, got me included in her circle, and that's about that, although I won't pretend she's not well above average in looks.

"Meanwhile, you're in embraces and snuggled up with your first lover AND a guy who acts as possessive as a lover, and that isn't mentioning the plethora of young suitors who swarm around you when I'm not nearby!"

"Ooooh," she cooed, "I love it when your jealous side shows! So, you were paying attention to me, not just flirting with all the young girls?"

"I've had one eye on you ever since you walked through the restaurant door in Minneapolis. However, I'll admit being around a slew of girls all of two or three years younger than you was kind of exciting!

"Do Carlos and Afton still ring your chimes?"

"In spite of what you think or how he acts, Carlos never once 'rang my chimes.' Yes, we made out one time when I was eighteen and testing my boundaries, but nothing beyond second base. Afton? We've had that conversation; we were still children when he 'rang my chimes' and nothing has been rung since!"

"You didn't address the plethora of young suitors," he said with raised eyebrow.

"Oh, I'll admit that being around a slew of men two or three years younger than you was kind of exciting, but I'm sticking with my old fella! I know he's reliable, even if he is beginning to slow down a little."

"Is that a challenge?" he asked. "Take it as you will," she replied, and then wished she hadn't. Challenging Erik's sexual prowess had never turned out well for her, although it was amazing until the next day when she got out of bed.

At one, Mr. Thom and Suzanne, the L'Oreal rep, declared the party had ended and wished them well 'until we meet again,' which made Erik quietly sing the Roy Rogers classic, "Happy Trails" (to you, until we meet again). Annika gave him a curious look; he asked if she recognized the song, and smiled when she had no idea. "That's right - you had no time to watch RFD-TV or The Cowboy Channel; you were getting pageant-ready! I noticed all six seasons and several Roy Rogers and Dale Evans movies are available on Prime now, so I'll stream them for you! A bit of Americana you'll come to love!"

She had been hyper before and during the party, but now she wanted to cuddle. As soon as they got in their room, she invited him to sit on the couch and then sprawled across his lap. Rather than kiss him, or wiggle in his lap to get him excited, she tucked her head under his chin and quietly told him, "This was a relatively easy shoot, but I'm worn out. I don't know why, but it takes so much out of me now to pretend, to get hyped up, be enthusiastic, or sexy, or sweet, or whatever they want.

"I have to lay my real feelings aside and just do it, and I do, but I used to love that; but now I just want to be with you, doing things together, making our dreams come true rather than someone else's! It's not that I don't appreciate Tom and Suzanne support of me, and their willingness to change the shooting schedule like we did. I'm just not as enthusiastic about my career as I used to be."

"Dad has a friend who is career Air Force. He visited our house from time to time and I overheard he, mom, and dad talking one time. He had finished twenty years and was trying to decide whether to retire. He had been offered a promotion to continue his career, and it was a big one; the kind that leads to earning a star, he said.