All characters are adults over 18
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Tina was girly.
All the women who posed for Don were very sweet and ladylike, but Tina was special. On a scale from 1 to 10, Tina ranked 11 on the femininity scale.
She always wore an impish little smile. She giggled a lot. She loved wearing sexy outfits, and she loved when Don looked at her in a way that made her feel beautiful. Anytime Don needed a model who looked bubbly and uncomplicated, he knew he could rely on Tina.
She was a 19-year-old freshman at the university where Don found most of his models. She'd never lived away from home before, and she was enjoying everything about her new independence. Tina felt that her life became perfect when Don asked her to model for him. She'd always wanted to be a model. Being paid to pose in pretty clothes was almost unimaginably wonderful.
"I like the way that dress makes you look older," Don said. "Give me a more restrained kind of smile. Don't show any teeth. You are a confident, sexy, dynamic woman. That dress says it all."
Tina was wearing an item of clothing called "a little black dress." They are based on a simple, classic design that is appropriate for functions from parties and clubs to upscale restaurants. She loved it, and she loved hearing Don praise the way it made her look.
"Can I keep this one?" Tina said. Don had already explained that she could keep anything after she posed in it, but this dress was particularly expensive, so she wanted to make sure.
"Of course you can keep it," Don said. "Honey, I've got a whole room full of clothes I've already photographed, and I'm going to give all of it to charity. Take anything you want. You'll be doing me a favor."
Tina flashed the girly grin Don had seen so many times. Don hadn't had sex with Tina - yet - but he had a feeling that would happen eventually. Don could tell modeling aroused her.
He could also tell she was attracted to him. To Tina, Don was a sophisticated older man who knew how to make her feel good about herself. He was fit, well-dressed, and listened to every word she had to say.
He really makes my heart go pitter pat!
she thought to herself. Tina worried that Don would never want to spend time with her because he might think she was just a kid.
"Thank you. I love this dress. I wish I had someplace to wear it," she said.
Don paused. Was Tina letting him know she wanted Don to ask her out? That's the kind of comment Don's older, more worldly models made if they wanted to show interest in him. Tina seemed a bit young and innocent to use her feminine wiles in such a way. Don decided to act on her comment.
"Tina, there's a fancy restaurant I like, but I haven't been there in a long time. I'd love to take you. It's a perfect place to wear that dress."
Tina could barely believe what she'd just heard. She hadn't been fishing for an invitation when she said she had no place to wear the dress. She was just stating a fact. But the idea that Don wanted to take her out was unexpected and thrilling.
"That would be wonderful," she said quietly. "I'd love that."
"Then it's a date," Don said. "We can go anytime you want. Let me know when to make reservations."
"Friday?" she asked.
"Friday would be perfect," Don said. He smiled at Tina in a way that she thought seemed to convey feelings of attraction. Tina needed to know if that's how he actually felt.
She walked over to Don and stood very close to him. "I think you can probably tell that I really like you," Tina said. "It would be very nice if you felt that way about me."
Don knew that what he said next would be very important to Tina, so he wanted to get it right.
"Tina, I love it when you come to my studio," he said. "You bring a happy, sexy vibe into this place. Being with you is a joy. Of course I'm attracted to you. Hearing you say I can take you to dinner makes me happier than you can know."
Tina swooned. Lots of guys pursued Tina, and she'd had a few boyfriends. But none of them were anything like Don. They were all boys. Don was a man. She'd never been with a man.
"I wish the shoot wasn't over," she said. "I don't want to leave."
"Then stay," Don said. "Let's have a drink and talk."
Don hadn't been on many dates since he started his photography business. He worked long hours seven days a week. He didn't want a steady girlfriend because he didn't have time for one. The fact that some of his models liked to sleep with him meant he didn't lack intimacy. But he had enough dating experience to know that the thing women like most is a man who listens to them.
Most men spend so much time talking or bragging about themselves that women often feel ignored. Don had become very good at listening - really listening - to things women said. When there were silent moments in the conversation, Don was happy to remain quiet and wait. That usually got women talking again, and once they realized Don cared about what they had to say, they went on and on and on. Tina opened up to him, and he was genuinely fascinated by everything she said about herself, her life, and all the dreams she hoped to achieve.
Don said little and listened a lot. He preferred it that way. Don spent more than enough time thinking about his own life; hearing about Tina's was a wonderful change. He gave her one cocktail, followed by a second, and saw her become increasingly happy and relaxed.
She was charming. Don enjoyed having a beautiful woman visit. It was almost as pleasurable as having a girl stay for sex. Don didn't think Tina wanted to have sex that night, although it seemed likely that she'd want that someday. Maybe even Friday, when he took her to dinner at the fancy restaurant.
Things happened faster than Don expected.
