Taking Pictures

"How did that go?" She asked, picking at her salad.

"It was strained at first. She was apologetic, and I was still annoyed. By the end though, we'd made up."

"That's it? One call and you made up?"

"For now. It'll be something else, I suppose. It's always something with her."

"I hate the way she treats you. You could do so much better than her."

He stared at her without comment. "Anyway, she's coming over this weekend."

"So, tell me about what you have planned for Amanda."

"We're going into the city to get some shots."

"Go on, like what?"

"Teasing shots mostly. A flash here and there."

"Ooh, she'll be nervous about that."

"You think so? Like she won't do it at all? Will I have to talk her into it?"

"Oh, she'll do it, with guidance. I once got her to flash a passing trucker when I was driving."

He imagined that. He could see in his mind's eye her pulling her shirt up so the passing trucker had a view of her tits. "Hmm."

"Yeah, I wasn't able to get her to do anything else, but she didn't hate it."

"So, she's shy in public. How does she mesh that with showing naked pictures of herself online?"

"Online is different. You never actually see the fans, and it's all anonymous."

He narrowed his eyes.

"I know what you're thinking, and you can stop right there. I'm not telling you my username."

"Great. That's just what I needed to imagine today. My sister, the porn star."

"Heh heh heh." She looked at her watch. "Ooh, I'm late. Can you get this?"

"Yeah, yeah," he said and waved her off.

****

Simon sat at the outdoor table sipping his water and picking at a muffin.

He saw Amanda walking toward the cafe before she saw him. He couldn't help thinking that she was very pretty. Her long brown hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Her skin shone in the sunlight as she walked through the square. As he'd suggested, she was wearing a sundress. She'd picked a dark blue one, with the hem just above her knees. Her simple leather sandals matched with her small purse.

She noticed him and approached. "Hi, Simon," she said, leaning in for a quick hug. "Have you been waiting long?" He caught a pleasant fragrance in her hair, but it was fleeting.

"Not too long, just having a muffin. You want something?"

"I'll get it, be right back."

"So what do you have in mind?" she asked after sitting down with her coffee.

"Kelly said that you are kind of shy about showing yourself in public."

"Yeah, of course. Who wouldn't be? Anyone could see me."

"I get that, but I think that if you trust me, you'll enjoy it. I won't have you do anything dangerous.

She mulled it over. "All right. I guess I already knew I was going to do it, or I wouldn't be here." She wagged her finger at him. "But you better not be messing with me."

He gave her a salute. "Scout's honor."

"Okay then, let's do this."

Simon hefted his camera bag onto his shoulder as he stood.

She smiled. "Let's do it."

He led her to an alley not far from the cafe. She looked around uncertainly. The buildings loomed over the narrow alley.

He held her shoulders and turned her to the busy street. "Look over there. See the cars passing by? They'll be your backdrop to place you in the scene, but they won't actually see anything."

"Are you sure?"

"Very sure. They won't even look this way."

She turned to look. "Okay. I guess that's not so bad."

"Let's have you do a slow strip."

"Got it." She stood there for a few moments gathering her courage. She'd never put herself in this kind of situation before. There was the time Kelly had talked her into flashing a trucker, but this was more, bigger. What if someone saw her?

Pushing that aside, she focused on Simon. She kept her eyes on the lens as he recorded each step of her disrobing. Each button of her dress came undone, and the dress opened to his view.

Her bra peeked out, her tight belly, and then her panties were revealed until the dress hung open. She felt herself becoming aroused. Simon was taking pictures, directing her.

"You're doing great, Amanda. How do you feel?"

How to answer that? "I'm okay. Doing good." She risked a glance over her shoulder at the passing cars on the street. Just like he said, no one seemed to notice them in the alley.

"You look amazing like that. Pull your dress back so I see more of your skin and underwear."

She did more than that and slipped the dress off her shoulders and let it fall to the ground in a pile at her feet. She stood in just her bra and panties.

"Beautiful," he said quietly. "I think we have enough for now. You should get dressed."

"Right." The spell was broken, and she quickly put the dress back on. She looked around to make sure that no one was around. Some of the confidence was still with her, but she felt more grounded for the moment.

"Let's go to another spot."

****

She looked over the edge of the roof looking down on the street below. "How do you know about this place?"

"The photo grapevine. We share spots between each other."

"What about the buildings around us?" Towers rose to either side, windows looking down on the section of roof they were on. Anyone in them could see what they were doing.

"They're office buildings, empty on the weekends. No one will see."

She looked again at them. In the light of day, it was impossible to know if he was right, but it made sense, and she put her trust in him.

"Okay, here we go." He raised the camera to his eye.

"Tell me what to do."

"I want you to imagine that you are teasing your boyfriend. You've brought him here and you are giving him a show."

She nodded and pulled her dress up one thigh. "Like this?"

"Perfect! Just like that. You are teasing, trying to tantalize him."

She seemed to get it, and as she moved her body to seduce an imaginary boyfriend, he snapped picture after picture.

Her hands ran up and down her body, sliding over the dark fabric of her sundress. He was focused on her, watching her tease her pretend boyfriend.

"You are doing great. How are you feeling about this?"

"Better now. I'm in the mood and it's time for this." She turned away from him and looked over her shoulder giving him a devious smile. Her hands reached under her dress and pulled down her panties. He watched as the red lace appeared.

"Stop! Hold that position, and look at me." Her underwear were halfway down her thighs. "That's a keeper, I'm sure of it."

She worked them down to the ground and picked them up. "Here, hold these for me." She tossed the wadded-up panties to him.

They landed right in his hand. He quickly stuffed them in his jacket pocket and went right back to taking pictures of the siren before him.

Without prompting, she sank down to her knees. Her dress covered everything. Her hands slid down and under the hem until they were hidden as well.

Simon stared. From her motions and the look on her face, he knew what she was doing, but he wanted her to say it out loud. "Amanda, tell me what you are doing. Describe what you are feeling. Can you do that?"

She nodded and closed her eyes. Her head lolled back. Her hands were moving under her dress now. "I'm touching myself now. My hands along my thighs. They move up slowly, so slowly. As they get closer to the spot, I get more excited. I can feel the breeze between my legs, it's tickling me.

Simon kept taking his pictures while she described touching herself.

"What do you want to do?"

"I want to make myself scream for my boyfriend. If I had one." She looked at him as she said it.

Simon gulped. "How will you make yourself scream?"

"I touch myself. I tease my wet pussy while he watches me. He can't see, but he knows what I'm doing. And knowing that anyone in the building could look out and see me. It's scary, but also thrilling."

Her dress just barely covered her hands between her legs, but they were moving steadily now, the fabric moving with them. He maintained the presence of mind to keep taking pictures, but just barely.

"And then?" He asked.

"Then I finger my pussy, I slide a finger in, wishing it was his cock, while I rub my clit with the other hand."

Simon sat hard on the ground. He couldn't concentrate on pictures anymore. He wanted to know how this ended. His cock was tight in his shorts, fully erect from her show and what she was describing.

"Keep going, Amanda."

"I want him to take me, right here, out in the open. I'm scared we'll get caught, but I don't care anymore. I need him." Her fingers moved furiously under her dress, working on her pleasure. He imagined that he was the one fingering her pussy.

She stopped talking and Simon watched her obvious pleasure. Suddenly, her body convulsed in orgasm. Simon rushed over and held her. Her body shook, and she relaxed in his arms.

After a few moments, she settled and looked up at him. "That was something. I've never done anything like that before."

"It was something to watch." She brushed against his pants, his hardness tantalizing.

She smiled. "I'll bet. I can't wait to see the pictures."

"Oh yeah. I might not have gotten all of it," he said sheepishly.

"Can I see?"

"Yeah, sure." He handed her the camera. She reviewed the pictures, seeing where he had stopped shooting while she masturbated. She saw herself from his vantage point and smiled at the thought that she had aroused him.

She looked around. "Maybe we should go. Is there anything else you want to get?

"No, I think we are good." He stood and offered his hand to her. Effortlessly, he pulled her up off the ground.

They walked back to the garage where they had both parked.

"Thank you," she said to him. "I don't know if I could have done that on my own."

"You did all the work. Putting yourself out there when you aren't comfortable is huge. I know we got some great pictures."

"Just...thank you again." She reached out and hugged him. Her head snuggled into his neck. He smelled the fragrance in her hair. Something floral.

He moved to release her and before he did, she gave him a quick kiss on the lips. It just lasted a moment, and it was over almost before he registered that she had done it.

This woman whom he had a fractious history with had kissed him. And he didn't hate it. In the shadows, he felt his lips as he watched her walk to her car. Leaning against his car, he closed his eyes. "Fuck me."

****

"So, how did it go?"

"Kelly, it was amazing," Amanda said over the phone.

"Amazing, how? Tell me everything," Kelly said.

"So, you know how shy I am in public, right?"

"Of course. It's cute, in an infuriating way. Hot girls like you shouldn't be that shy, especially ones that strip on the internet."

"Yeah, well, it is what it is. So anyway, he took me to this alley with a busy street behind me. I get my dress off and he's taking pictures."

You got naked in public? I'm so proud of you, Amanda. That's huge." Kelly grinned to herself.

"It was scary. I thought someone would come down the alley and see me."

"Did anyone?"

"No, it was just the two of us there."

"And?" Kelly asked.

And Simon was there looking through the camera. Me in just my bra and panties, standing in my sandals."

"I so want to see those, I bet you looked hot."

"I hope so."

"Then what?"

"He took me to this rooftop. It was surrounded by towers, but he said it was all offices, so no worry about being seen. I kept the dress on though."

"Wow, twice in public. Good for you."

"Thanks. But that's not the best part. I got excited pretending that he was my boyfriend and I was teasing him. I took my panties off right there!"

"You didn't! Oh my god."

"I knelt down and I was teasing him on the roof."

"Teasing him how?"

Amanda was quiet for a moment. "I kept my dress down and I reached under. And I was touching myself. Oh god, Kelly, I was so fucking wet. I couldn't believe it."

"Woah." Kelly whistled through the phone. "What then?" she whispered.

"I made myself cum right there on the roof, where anyone in those towers could have seen me."

"What about Simon?"

"Kelly, I was thinking about him touching me, his fingers in my sex, on my clit. That's when I came. He watched the whole thing."

"Wow, that's something else, Mandy."

"I know, I've never done anything like that before. But he was a perfect gentleman, very professional. He even held me after. I wanted him to take me right there."

"Damn."

"But that's not all."

"What else is there? Did you jump him?"

"No, I kissed him. In the garage, I kissed him really quick."

"Oh, Kelly. I'm so happy for you. How was it?"

"It was just a quick peck on the lips. It was over before he knew what hit him. And I left."

"You know you have to tell him, right?"

Amanda sighed, "I know, but I'm scared. All this time, and he hasn't shown any interest in me. I don't know if he even likes me. He won't ever give me the time of day. Our sessions have been the most he's talked to me since..." she trailed off.

"Oh yeah, one more thing."

"What?"

"He has my panties."

What?! How?"

"When I took them off, I tossed them to him, and he stuffed them in his jacket. In all the excitement, I forgot about them until I was in my car."

"You dirty girl. How was that ride home, being bare under your dress?"

"I kept thinking about him holding them. He must have sniffed them and smelled me. I barely made it home. I knelt right inside my door, thinking of him, and I made myself cum again. Kelly, do you think he did too?"

"Well, I don't know what my brother does, but I'm sure he was thinking of you," Kelly reassured her friend.

****

Cindy opened the door to Simon's house. She let herself in with her key.

When she went to hang up her jacket, she saw something. Sticking out of the pocket of Simon's jacket was a bit of red. She reached for it and pulled. Her blood boiled instantly when she saw what it was.

"SIMON!"

"What's up?" He came running and skidded to a stop when he saw her hand.

"What's up? What the fuck is this?" She waved the red panties around.

He was about as red as the underwear, the color creeping up his smooth scalp. "Oh shit."

"You asshole. These are hers, aren't they?"

Simon held up his hands defensively. "I know this looks bad. But it's not what it looks like."

She threw the panties at him as he ducked out of their way. "It looks to me like you fucked her, Simon!"

"Cindy, wait. Hold on, nothing happened."

"So why is that skank's underwear in your jacket? That's not nothing."

"Look, we were shooting today, and while we were taking pictures, she took them off and threw them to me. I put them in my pocket and forgot about them."

"Bullshit, Simon. I don't fucking believe you. I can't believe that you would fuck her and then keep her panties like a fucking trophy. I knew I should have nipped this in the bud from the very beginning." Her face wore an angry look that scared Simon.

"Hold up, I've been upfront with you the whole time. You know everything that I've done with her, I've told you everything."

"Except for the trophy you kept after fucking her, you asshole."

Simon rubbed his face. "What would make you believe me? Do you want to talk to Amanda? She'll tell you nothing happened between us."

"I'm not talking to that skank, and I know what you did. You've probably been doing it the whole time."

"Please, Cindy. Listen to reason--"

"No, fucker, you listen. We're done." She turned to leave. Before the door slammed, he heard her parting words, "Lose my fucking number."

"Fuck. Fuck." He stood there in shock at how quickly she had ended their relationship.

****

Simon stared at his sandwich. He'd only take a single bite out of it.

"Earth to Simon." Kelly snapped her fingers in front of his face. He shook his head, clearing away the cobwebs.

"Sorry, sis. Just thinking about Cindy."

"So, what happened?"

He went through their argument and her proclamation that they were through. She listened attentively. "So, she thought you were fucking Amanda the whole time?"

"Apparently so."

"What a bitch."

"Kelly, please."

"What? She dumped you after having a jealous fit and she wouldn't listen to your explanation. She doesn't deserve any of your remorse, bro."

"Yeah, I know, but still. You don't have to be mean about it."

"You're too nice, Simon. You are free of her now, and she isn't holding you back anymore. You know I never liked her."

"You don't say?" He smirked at her and looked again at the sandwich. His appetite was completely gone now.

"I never gave her a reason to distrust me. I don't know, maybe it was for the best. If she didn't trust me not to do anything, it just would have been something else later. You know she didn't even like my normal photography?"

"Your architectural stuff? I love that. What a bitch."

"Yeah. Anyway, it's over now. Time to move on I guess.

"It's good that you can say that. She was never your forever girlfriend."

"I suppose."

****

Simon opened his door. Standing there on the stoop was Amanda.

"Hi, Simon. Can I come in?

"Oh yeah, sure." He stepped aside for her.

She stood there awkwardly.

"What's up, Amanda? Did you like the pictures?" He motioned for her to sit.

"They were great! I can't believe how sexy they were." A blush crept up her face. "I've never done anything like that before."

He smiled. "I knew they'd be great. A beautiful woman being naughty in public, you can't go wrong."

"Yeah. Anyway, Kelly told me about your girlfriend."

His face clouded over for a moment before he pushed that away. "Yeah."

"Was I the reason she broke up with you?"

"The short answer is yes, you are. The long answer is not really. We were having trouble for a while. She hated my job and was jealous of the models I shoot. She accused me of sleeping with you."

"Simon, I'm sorry. I never meant to break you guys up."

Simon held up his hand to stop her. "It's not your fault. It's her, not you. She hated that I was taking pictures of you and her first thought was that we were hooking up. When she found your panties in my coat it sent her off the cliff."

She leaned over and hugged him. "I'm sorry about this and the other thing," she said softly.

He held her shoulders and looked at her questioningly. "What other thing?" Though he had a feeling.

"Back in college, after you called me a slut in front of all your friends, I started a rumor about you."

"Syphilis."

"I was so mad at you for what you said that I told everyone that you had it." She had tears in her eyes.

"I came by your dorm room the next day to apologize, and your roommate dropped that on me. You know I couldn't get a date until after I graduated?"

She held her head low. "I was just so mad, and I wanted to get back at you. But I felt bad afterwards and I wanted to apologize but you wouldn't give me the time of day. After a while, I didn't know how to bring it up. And you've ignored me ever since.

"Well, that was a long time ago, and I've had a long time to get over it. I appreciate that you felt bad, and for what it's worth, I'm sorry for calling you a slut to your friends. It was a mean joke and I never should have said it. I didn't even mean it."

They sat for a few moments in silence.

Amanda said, "This is kind of awkward, and I'll understand if you don't want to, but would you do another shoot for me? I mean, you don't have to worry about a jealous girlfriend anymore," she said with a grin.

"Hehe, you're right. Nothing holding me back now."

"Awesome, thank you." She leaned over and hugged him. Her body pressed against him, and he let himself relax into it. Though he'd said he had let it go, what remaining bad feelings he had melted away during the hug.

She snuggled into him. "I wish we'd done this a long time ago." She felt the tension leave his body, and also felt something else, a stirring in his pants. She smiled to herself.