Steve kept glancing at the bulletin board while the photographer tried to take their Christmas card picture. This year's picture would not be the best. Marissa was only briefly in town between business trips and had hurriedly joined him for this quick photo session. Christmas was not for a while but he'd scheduled this appointment early to make sure it got done.
The reason Steve kept glancing at the bulletin board was a message that read:
* Naughty Pictures $99.99. The perfect present for anniversaries, birthdays, or just to say I love you. *
Steve very much wanted to find a special gift for their wedding anniversary next month. Maybe some sexy pictures would be unique.
Sometimes when he felt flirty he'd take selfies and sent them to her, especially when she was away on business and he was missing her.
Professionally done naughty pictures would be higher quality, though.
The problem was that Steve was shy at the thought of posing in any sort of sensual fashion before a strange photographer. Yet the owner of the studio seemed to be a nice, ordinary middle-aged man, so maybe there was nothing to worry about.
Having some sexy pictures made for his wife was an intriguing idea, but it would remain just an idea.
They finished up their session and the photographer showed them the pictures on the computer screen. Marissa selected the one she liked best and they left. They walked out into the downtown Miami strip mall.
The mall was in a so-so part of town, and he'd wondered about leaving their new car parked in public where it might get stolen or vandalized. He and Marissa weren't snobs, but you never knew the number of low-quality people were hanging around in neighborhoods like this. But the car was waiting just where they had left it.
They were almost to the car when Steve realized he had forgotten his phone. He told Marissa he'd be right back and he hurried back to the photo studio. He grabbed his phone, relieved it was still there, and thanked the photographer. As he turned back to the exit his eyes paused on the bulletin board again. Before he knew it he had walked back over to the photographer.
"Excuse me," Steve said quietly, in case anyone overheard. "I'm curious about the pictures."
"They'll be ready in plenty of time for Christmas," replied the photographer.
"Not them," Steve said lowering his voice almost to a whisper, "the $99.99 special."
"Oh, the naughty pictures," said the photographer a little too loudly. "Well, for the $99.99 I'll go to your home and take sexy pictures of you in various poses and outfits."
"I'm not sure I would be comfortable wearing anything too revealing."
"That's no problem," said the photographer smiling. "We can find something conservative and take it from there. Many husbands wear their best suit, and many wives even like wearing their wedding gowns. Others prefer bathing suits or towels or sensual robes. Whatever you're comfortable with."
Steve still wasn't sure he wanted to do this, but Marissa was waiting and he made an appointment anyway. The photographer wasn't giving off any weird vibes, so he didn't seem like any sort of threat. He gave the photographer a day the following week he knew Marissa would be away. Steve could always cancel the appointment later. The photographer wrote the date down on a calendar and Steve left. He was vaguely aware of a black man holding the door for him and was careful not to look him in the eyes or say anything to him as he hurried back to his wife waiting in the hot Florida sun.
* *
On the day the photographer was supposed to show up, Steve got out of bed late in the morning and took a shower. His wife had left on a business trip the night before and he was alone in their big house. She was away a lot, but their combined salaries sure paid for a nice lifestyle. He got out of the shower and toweled himself dry. Still nude, Steve walked over to the mirror and looked at himself critically. He knew he had a physique most men would kill for, and he was secretly proud of that. But walking around his house naked and checking himself out felt a little too exhibitionistic, and he felt a desire to cover himself more.
He walked back to the bedroom and rummaged around in the back of the large walk-in closet.
He put on his bathing suit and pulled a sweat-shirt and baggy pants on over it. He felt exposed until the sweat-shirt and pants covered his body. He had a funny feeling in his stomach at the thought of posing for the photographer. He was surprised to realize that half was nervousness, but the other half was excitement.
Steve checked the time. He still had a few minutes until the photographer was due to arrive. He went downstairs, knowing it was a bit early to start drinking, but he wanted something to boost his courage and settle his stomach. He fixed a margarita. He was finishing it when the doorbell rang.
* *
Steve swallowed the rest of his drink and hurried to the door. He gulped when he pulled the door open, surprised to see not the middle-aged studio photographer but a somewhat younger black man standing at his door--and even more surprised to see a camera tripod hanging over his shoulder.
"Hello, Mr. Johnson," said the black man, "I'm Ike. I'm here to take your pictures."
Steve stood there for a second with his mouth open in shock. The black man was about thirty and he was huge. When Steve had opened the door, he had found himself staring at his chest.
"There must be some mistake," Steve said. "I wasn't expecting you." He vaguely remembered a black man at the photography studio opening the door for him.
"The boss took ill and asked me to fill in for him. He's taking some time off. Trust me, I'm a great photographer. You'll love the pictures."
"I don't think this would be appropriate."
"You have a problem that I'm black?" he asked.
"No! Of course not. Not that at all," he exclaimed. Already he had said more words than he intended to. "I was expecting the other photographer. I mean, I'm married."