Claire sailed home from her meeting with Davis Edward’s like a schoolgirl who’s just found out she’ll be homecoming queen. She didn’t as far as she knew have the job. In point of fact she had nothing to show for the afternoon save a dinner date with Davis and a destroyed blouse she was covering with her leather jacket. Still she sat on her seat on the train looking at the city rushing past her and seeing nothing except Davis Edwards deep set gray eyes looking at her from between her legs. She still had the pleasant feeling of his tongue as it had lapped at her tingling against her clit and she was blissfully unaware of the lascivious smile that played across her face. She had every appearance of a thoroughly satisfied woman and more then a few men who had passed her on the train had given her a knowing glance.
She missed her stop daydreaming and ended up having to walk a block back to the little apartment above the gallery she shared with Jack, but Claire wasn’t bothered. It gave her a chance to clear her head, think of what she was going to say to Jack when she got there. Claire supposed she ought to tell Jack about what had happened with Davis, felt almost obligated to. True, she and Jack weren’t exactly a “ couple” but he was the closest thing to a boyfriend she had. They were if nothing else friends and it seemed dishonest to keep the events of the meeting from him. Things hadn’t been great between them lately either and maybe this would be what they needed to decide where exactly the relationship was going. If Jack could accept that she would want to be with other lovers’ maybe he was a keeper. Or maybe he would realize at last that she wasn’t ever going to commit to just him and move on to someone who would. As she turned the key in the lock to open the back of the gallery up Claire played out the ways to explain things to him in her head. Truth was best, after all Jack had no right to be jealous or possessive of her, but it seemed cold to just blurt it out. Claire realized in the span of time it had taken her to walk through the gallery and upstairs to the apartment every ounce of the pleasantness leftover from the morning had evaporated from her. She was tense and suddenly tired as she opened the apartment door, hoping against hope that Jack would be out with one of his starving artists or at a coffee-house discussing politics so she could sleep and gather herself together.
As Claire opened the door she knew instantly Jack had to be there. Soft candlelight filled the small apartment, and the strong smell of jasmine hung heavy in the air. There was a plate of half eaten bread and cheese and a few leftover pieces of fruit on the low table in front of the futon though Claire noticed all the pillows and the beautiful Indian slipcover had been pulled off. Pushing her way in and dropping her jacket in the foyer Claire walked into the apartment and called Jacks name quietly. She could hear Enigma playing on the stereo in the back of the apartment and smelled the slight odor of oil paint under the jasmine.
“ Back here darlin.” came Jack’s sleepy southern drawl from the rear bedroom. Jack used it mostly as a studio, something about the fantastic light that came in through the eastern window.
He’s painting, Claire realized. She couldn’t help but wonder about the missing cushions and half-eaten food and the candlelight though. Maybe he’s had a date she thought; surprised at the slight pang of jealousy that accompanied the thought. At least she wouldn’t have to deal with the interview situation tonight though. Jack was single minded when he painted and he wouldn’t want to be disturbed by anything else. She cracked open the studios door and was nearly floored by the smell of jasmine, and honeysuckle. No sooner had her senses recovered from that then she found herself confronted with the subject of Jacks latest work.
Seated on a pile of the cushions from her futon was perhaps one of the most striking women Claire had seen in a long time. She was nude beneath the Indian slipcover, of that Claire was certain. Her luxurious red hair hung softly over her shoulders though Claire could make out the outline of at least one full breast. Her back was to Jack, one long arm draped across the serpentine curve of her hips and her other holding up her head. She was glancing at him over her shoulder, her deep eyes smoldering. The slipcover draped itself across her small heart shaped rear and most of her long legs but it did nothing to hide the beauty of her body.
“I didn’t realize you were working.” Claire stammered. “ I’ll just go find something to do and stay out of your hair.”
Jack laughed softly. “ Darlin’ don’t be such an idiot. You know I love having you with me when I paint.”
He walked over and pecked her softly on the mouth and Claire was certain she could taste and smell this woman on him. Again she found it odd that the thought of Jack with another woman not only made her jealous, but also turned her on. She brushed the thought aside.
“ Rachel, this is my friend Claire, the one I’m always going on about at the shows.” Jack said as he slipped back behind the canvas, “ and this of course is Rachel, an old friend from art school. She was sweet enough to model for me when inspiration seized.”
“ Inspiration,” Claire snickered, “ Is that what you arty types are calling it these days?” she wanted to take it back as soon as she’d said it, but as soon as she saw Jacks face she knew it was to late. He looked briefly to Rachel and gave her a smile and then turned to glare at Claire.
“ Yes Claire. Rachel inspired me.” He moved closer to Claire now, stepping behind her, his hands snaking onto her shoulders. “ I needed a beautiful woman to paint and you were nowhere to be found and so Rachel stepped in. Does that bother you?” he dropped his hands abruptly from her shoulders and walked back to his canvas. “It shouldn’t. We’re not a couple or anything right?”
His words were hard and sarcastic, mocking the very lecture she had given him only days ago. Claire deserved it and she knew it, but it hurt all the same to have Jack lash out at her. She put on her best smile and walked up to Rachel. “Well it’s nice to meet you. “ she said pleasantly. “I’d offer to shake your hand but Leonardo here would lecture me about ruining your positioning.”
Rachel smiled back at her. “Oh it’s okay. I was actually going to go beg for a break, grab a little coffee,” she looked to Jack scowling from behind the picture “ If that’s okay with you of course.”
Jack sighed dramatically, hoping it would mask his delight at having Rachel and Claire so close together. Claire could be a real bitch at times, but she turned him on like no other woman he knew. If she didn’t want a ‘relationship’ with him Jack was ready to finally accept that, but he’d be damned if he were going to let her go without at least trying to fulfill a few fantasies first. Rachel and Claire together were at the top of that list.
“ If you must, but I need you back here as soon as you can. I’d like to finish this tonight.”
Rachel nodded her agreement and stretched herself out languidly before rising off the cushions. Unabashedly she allowed the slipcover to fall from her body, revealing herself in front of Claire. Her stomach was flat and her hips full and curved. Unconsciously Claire found herself looking at the hair between her legs.
“ Yeah, I’m a natural redhead.” She chuckled.