NUDES

Audrey

“I’ve decided to take up nude modeling.”

My mother’s mouth must have fallen to the floor, but I knew she retired to her room to pray her rosary or summon a priest or call the cops. When it came to my mom, the theatrics ran amuck.

My father simply left the house in a huff. No doubt to pretend like he didn’t go to the nearest bar to have a drink.

“Audrey, are you serious?” My older brother Charlie glared at me as I confirmed with a nod as my mouth was full of roast and potatoes.

“Why?” My sister Carlita asked me as if she wasn’t the god given golden child my parents longed for, “Can’t you do something more productive?”

“Money making is productive and it’s honest work. It’s art. It’s part of my major. What is wrong with you people?” I slammed my fist down on the table, the silverware vibrating as I did so.

“I’m cool with it,” My younger brother David walked in and made himself at home, “Finally! I’m not the one in trouble with the folks.”

“Both of you need help,” Carlita snuffed her nose at us as David winked at me.

“As long as I ain’t gotta look at it, I don’t care,” David joked.

Carlita huffed and pushed herself away from the table.

“I love it when she gets mad,” David said, taking a plate and filling it with some food, “I’m proud of you, Audrey. Don’t back down now, sis.”

“I don’t plan on it.”

Archer

“Nudes? Anyone hot sign up?” Brayden asked me as I checked the roster. The playboy himself wanted to sit in on my sessions, but it wasn’t allowed unless he was taking the class.

“I don’t know, man,” I chuckled, “I don’t recognize any of the names.”

“Audrey Mason! His voice rang out in my quiet studio as the name rolled off his tongue, “Hot damn! I gotta sign up for this class now. She’s in my psych class, dude. Hot as hell. Long leggy blonde!”

I laughed, “Do you know how many long, leggy blondes I’ve seen in the last year, my friend?”

Brayden shook his head, “I can’t even see how you don’t take these broads home, Archer. Handsome devil like you? You could get laid every damn day if you wanted to.”

I sighed, “Painting is my life, Brayden. Not the way to get girls in the sack.”

“You’re too good, my friend. Let me sit in on Audrey’s session.”

“No and no when you ask me again,”I told him, pointing towards the door, “Until you pay for a class, you’ll have to jet.”

Brayden smiled and handed me the roster, “Tell me how it goes, man.”

“Good bye, Bray,” I ushered him out the door as my next class came sauntering in.

I didn’t know who Audrey Mason, but I would soon find out.

Audrey

“You naughty slut!” Petra said as we spoke over FaceTime, “I can’t believe you actually signed up for it.”

“It’s 500 dollars a gig! If the guy likes me, the school is paying my tuition for an entire semester,”I told her, “It’s art and I’m not a slut.”

“Well, you are....” Petra laughed at my expense. I’d been around—yes, but I was looking for Mr. Right and he was always Mr. Oh My God What the Fuck Have I Done?

“Are you a little nervous?”

“I was more nervous about telling my parents, but then David came home,” I told her about dinner and Carlita’s antics.

“Oh joy!” Petra rolled her eyes, “I am sure DaddyWarbucks wasn’t too happy with that.”

“That’s an understatement. It’s a good thing I live on campus because I’m pretty sure my mother has called a priest to the house.”

“Exorcise the inner whore right out of you.”

“You have such a mouth.”

“I’m not the nude model.”

I sighed, “I’ll let you know how it goes. I go in to talk to the instructor tomorrow.”

“Wait a minute! He’s an instructor?”

“Well, he’s a grad student.”

“What’s his name?”

“Archer Groves.”

Petra paused, her jaw dropping.

“Archer Groves? Have you not had a class with him?”

“No, he’s new this semester for grad school. I just said that,” I laughed, shaking my head.

“Honey, you’d better get ready to take some cold showers because the heat is going to be too much for you to handle. I need to calm down,” Petra pretended to fan herself and I giggled.

“Look up his social media. He’s all over the place with his work,” Petra told me, “Oh I have to go. Denton’s here! Love ya!”

I proceeded to look up Archer’s social media and he was cute, but he didn’t have any pictures that struck my libido, however his artwork was amazing. He was a very talented man.

I knew other people had signed up for the modeling and I was nervous that I wouldn’t be chosen for the job. I really needed the money and I joked to Petra that I would damn near do anything for it—and I was only half-joking.

Archer

I waited patiently for Audrey Mason to show up. She wasn’t late, but it was nearing 2 and all of the potentials had been early.

When I heard the sounds of footsteps clattering up the stairs, I straightened myself out and braced for the knock on the door.

Instead, the beautiful, blonde bombshell flung open the heavy metal door as if it was nothing but a small barrier standing in the way of her day.

She was soaked to the bone from the rain, her eyeliner running and making small black streaks down her pale face. Her hair was frizzy, but as an artist, I could see right through the rain damage. She wore a brown raincoat and black boots, a messenger bag was draped over her shoulder.

“Are you Archer Groves? Am I late?”

“Are you Audrey Mason?”

Suddenly, she chucked the messenger bag to the side and opened her raincoat—letting it fall to the floor.

Her nude body stood before me and I was taken by her natural goddess-like beauty.

“I am Audrey Mason,” she smiled, “Do I have the job?”