Fame, Love, and other Lessons

by Frances, Jo

  The same car, with the same driver that had taken Jamie to the club three hours earlier awaited them at the curb now. As the players walked out, two photographers were there taking pictures. Chase had his arm around Jamie, and at the first flash of the strobe light, he instinctively shielded her. "Hey, congratulations, Chase!" a voice behind the camera called out. Chase smiled and flashed the peace sign at them, causing a flurry of lights to go off.

  As they pulled away from the curb, their driver complimented them. "That's good to do," he said. "You smile for the camera, they don't yell bad things."

  "OK, thanks." Chase said politely as he rolled up the window separating them. When the glass sealed with a click, he turned all his attention to Jamie, nuzzling her neck and running a hand up her thigh. "I told you that you were going to go home with me," he said, low and dangerous.

  Jamie drew in a breath. "Did I make you jealous in there?" she asked, playing along. She placed her arms around his neck, pressing her body against his.

  "Very. I don't like seeing you dancing for other guys." He slid a finger through her underwear and slid a finger inside. Jamie gasped and tried to squirm away but Chase held her with his other hand. She pretended to struggle, but the wetness on his finger and the flush on her cheeks was an unmistakable sign for go.

  "This is mine," he said, pushing his finger deeper inside, while his thumb rubbed her hood. Jamie was just about to give over to the sensation, when she snapped back to her senses. Grabbing his hand and pushing it firmly out of, and away, from her.

  "Are you crazy?" she said, eyes glancing over at the driver. She was heated with the excitement of what they were doing.

  "OK, I won't touch you in the car, then." he said slyly. "But," he looked out of the window at the hotel looming ahead of them. "I'm going to do what I want when we get back to the room."

  "Take your clothes off." Chase sat in the armchair, commanding Jamie.

  With a small smile, Jamie turned around to face him. She stepped out of her shoes, kicking them away from her. Then she took off her earrings one by one while Chase sighed with satisfaction, watching her. Eyes locked on his, she slid the dress off her slowly, revealing a black satin bra and a matching panty.

  "Turn around."

  She turned her back to him, showing the outline of her body: the small, nipped in waist, high firm ass, slender but powerful legs. Jamie reached behind and unhooked her bra, using her thumbs to hook the shoulder straps off her body. Chase was hard as hell. She slid her underwear slowly down her thighs, her calves, swaying her hips a little as she did so, then stepped out of her underwear one leg at a time.

  "Turn around."

  Jamie faced him again, and he drank in her perfect form. He could see her breaths coming in fast and deep.

  "Get on the bed."

  She walked over to the bed and lay down. Chase followed and stood in front of her, stroking her legs almost absentmindedly. He took of his jacket and hung it with care on the back of a chair. He unbuttoned his shirt slowly, while Jamie lay in front of him. "Open your legs for me."

  His eyes took everything in: her moistness, the perfect pink of her sex, while Jamie started to squirm in anticipation. He kicked off his shoes and socks, then began to unbutton his pants, leaving his underwear on.

  Jamie groaned. "Chase, please..."

  "Please what?"

  "Please…" she couldn't say it.

  "Tell me to fuck you."

  "Please...fuck me."

  "Tell me to fuck you hard. For teasing those other guys at the club."

  This was a new game for them, and from the flush in her face, Chase could see she liked it.

  "Fuck me hard. Show me that you can do whatever you want to me."

  He took his underwear off.

  "Turn around. Get on your knees."

  Chase came up behind her and with one rough movement, he tore into her pussy. She arched against this invasion, but he held his arm around her waist, pinning her. Chase nearly came at the sensation of her ass against his, the image of him burying his engorged cock between her mounds. He grabbed her hips and made her take the whole length of him, holding her down as she cried out. She was being strained to the limit in this position, but he wasn't done yet. Reaching over around her waist, he used his other hand to start rubbing her clit. To his surprise, he could feel her coming already, shuddering with pleasure as he rubbed her faster and faster.

  "Oh Chase. Oh baby." It was a moan of surrender, and he gave into it as well, moving with her as she rocked beneath him, her soft wails merging with his grunts until they came together in a shuddering, violent orgasm.

  Afterwards, Chase collapsed on the bed next to her, heart still pounding. He threw a hand over her back, and they looked at each other in delight, like two children who had just discovered a secret toy. Chase eyes fluttered, and before they shut he mumbled, "Best. Day. Ever."

  Jamie was dreaming. She was late for class, and her alarm was going off, but no matter how far she stretched, she couldn't reach her alarm clock to turn it off. When she felt Chase lying next to her, she was really confused. Now she knew she was dreaming. But after a moment, it all came back to her. Yes, this outstretched body next to her really was Chase's, no she didn't have to go to class, and no, that wasn't an alarm but her telephone.

  "Hello?"

  "Jamie, it's Carla-how-are-you."

  "Carla?" Jamie struggled to sit up. "Hang on, Chase is right here." At the sound of his name, Chase opened his eyes.

  "No, I don't want to talk to him, I want to talk to you."

  Jamie shook her head at Chase. "Umm, ok, what's up?"

  "I've gotten six phone calls about you already, and you aren't even Steve's client and it's not even nine yet." Carla sounded annoyed.

  Panicking slightly, Jamie mentally ran through everything she did last night that could have caused a problem. "Me? What did I do?" Now even Chase was up, listening.

  "Well, everyone wanted to know who the girl with Chase Reston was during the draft, but after your picture appeared in the Post, I'm hearing from some big time modeling agencies wanting to talk to you."

  "Oh my god."

  "Yeah, it's exciting stuff." Carla said, her voice anything but. "Are you interested?"

  "I---"

  Somewhere close by, another phone began to ring. "OK, listen, I've gotta get back to my actual job, so why don't you think about it and call me back in an hour, OK?" Without waiting for a reply, Carla hung up.

  "What's up?" Chase looked up at her and rubbed his eyes like a little boy.

  "Carla said that some modeling agencies want to talk to me. I guess they saw my picture in the newspaper, or saw me during the draft with you---I'm not really sure."

  "That's awesome, baby." He pulled her back down under the covers.

  Jamie allowed herself to be wrapped up in his arms, breathing in the new-to-her smell of his skin in the morning and the scent of sex on the sheets. She nibbled on his shoulder, thinking, while he ran his hands down her sides. They had never spent the night together, and now here they were, the second morning waking up together. Jamie was struck by the intimacy of it, of how it made her feel even more connected to Chase.

  "Are you going to do it?" Chase threw a leg over her.

  "I'm not sure."

  "I think you should at least talk to them. I mean, you're beautiful, so why not? And besides," he rolled on top of her, prying her legs apart with his knee. "I've never been with a model before."

  Jamie pretended to struggle beneath him just for that comment. But the feel of his chiseled chest pressed against hers, and the tantalizing thought of how his body could make her lose control won out. With a knowing smile, she slid under the covers and took Chase in her mouth.

  As they lay spent in each other's arms, the hotel phone rang. Chase reached for it reluctantly. "Hello," he made every effort to sound as if he had just spent the past hour doing something productive, instead of making love to his girlfriend. It was Evelyn, wanting to know if
they were ready to go sightseeing. Chase silently pounded his head on the pillow. "Give us half an hour, mom, we'll meet you downstairs, OK?"

  Jamie was out of bed and in the shower before he hung up. Chase came in to join her.

  "Do you mind?!" she scolded him.

  "Why can't we take a shower together?" he asked, pushing her to get under the showerhead. "We're short on time."

  "Because I need my privacy." It was one thing to be naked in bed, under the sheets. It was another to stand in a brightly lit bathroom, taking a shower.

  "Privacy? After what I've done to you? After what you've done to me?" He began soaping her back. "I know everything about this body," he said with a sexy grin. His frank and open admiration of her triggered a rush of feeling in Jamie, as she felt even more loved. Chase was a man who didn't need artifice or tricks to become aroused---just the sight of the woman he loved.

  Chapter 9

  As expected, Evelyn was already waiting for them in the lobby when they got there, joined by a middle-aged couple. Seemingly overnight, the stress and strain of the past 20 years had been erased---instead of a tight, wary expression, Evelyn looked relaxed and youthful. She greeted Chase with a hug, patting his forearms as if she didn't believe he was real, and gave Jamie a kiss on the cheek.

  The couple introduced themselves as the Wilburns, and were pleased when Chase recognized them as the parents of Nate Wilburn, a late first round draft pick. After they congratulated Chase, Mrs. Wilburn took out the morning's newspaper. "You know, I just had to come over here and introduce myself to your mama, Chase, and show her this picture of you and your girlfriend." She handed him the newspaper, folded to reveal a picture of Jamie and Chase leaving the newspaper from the night before. The headline read, "Some Guys have all the Luck!" Chase read the blurb out loud: "Chase Reston, the NBA's 6th round draft pick out celebrating with his smokin' hot girlfriend Jamie. Guess that's one guy who's not going to need to upgrade!"

  Mr. Wilburn looked at Chase. "You're famous, now, son," he said admiringly.

  Chase threw an arm around Jamie. "Yeah...for my girlfriend!" They turned to go. "Hopefully I'll be in the papers for my basketball soon."

  They said goodbye to the Wilburns, who were still waiting for Nate.

  In the taxi, Chase had to break the news to his mother that he was going to have to leave that afternoon. "The coach wants me to fly out tonight," he told her. "so I'm not going to have much time today, Ma."

  "Well, then I want to go shopping." she said it as petulantly as a child.

  Chase exhaled loudly. "Did you see anyone handing me a check yesterday?" he asked sarcastically.

  Jamie, sitting in between them, pushed herself further back into her seat. She didn't like to see Chase disrespecting his mother.

  "Alright, alright!" Evelyn raised a hand up in protest. "I didn't mean shopping with your money. I just meant I wanted to go shopping, period. You know I love to shop, Chase." she said, hurt. Chase took out his wallet and took three of the hundred dollar bills from the money Steve had given him at the airport.

  "Take this and go shopping," he said, handing his mother the money without looking at her. "We'll drop you off, and Jamie and I can go get lunch or something before I leave."

  Evelyn pocketed the money. "So you're not going to take me to the airport tomorrow?" she whined.

  Chase ignored the question. "Tell the cab driver where you want to go."

  "Well I don't know where to go!---"

  Jamie couldn't stand it any longer. She leaned forward. "Fifth and 56th, please," she told the driver. The cab driver shrugged and turned the car around. They were going to go in a big circle.

  Turning to Carla, she said patiently, "The taxi will drop you off on Fifth---that big shopping street we drove down with Carla yesterday, remember?" At Evelyn's nod, she continued. "You'll be about four blocks from the hotel, so you won't get lost or anything."

  A minute later, Evelyn was deposited in front of a department store and Chase said an abrupt goodbye to his mother. As Jamie asked the driver to take them to SoHo, Chase breathed a sigh of relief. He took Jamie's hand and kissed it. "I'm sorry," he apologized. "I wish she wasn't like that."

  Jamie would never comment on Chase's relationship with his mother. "It's fine," she said, wanting to believe the best. "I think she's just excited to be here, and wants to bring home something nice to show to all her friends."

  Chase looked doubtful, but pulled her close to him as if she could shield him from the thought of Evelyn. "Speaking of money..." he said teasingly. "Are you going to call Carla back about the modeling thing?"

  Although she hated to admit it, a flutter of excitement went through Jamie at the thought. "Yeah," she said, keeping her voice casual. "I'll call her when we get to the restaurant."

  The speed with which people did things in New York, and the amount of activity they crammed into one day, amazed Jamie. Carla had given her the names of two agencies. "These two are legit, major players. I wouldn't even consider the other ones, they'll probably try to book you in a porno or something," Carla had said in her typically blunt way. When Jamie called them, they wanted to meet with her that day. Not wanting to give up her time with Chase, she explained that she wouldn't be free until 3:00 that afternoon. "Fine," came the reply, and she found herself booked for an appointment at 3:30 and 5:00.

  They walked through the park before it was time for Chase to leave; the most normal thing they had done in several days. "I'm going to miss you," she told him.

  He stopped and held her close. "Me too," he answered. "Tonight's going to be hard. I've gotten used to sleeping next to you."

  Despite herself, Jamie felt tears coming to her eyes.

  Chase cupped her face in his hand, looking concerned. "Baby---what???"

  "Things just seem so up in the air. I mean, OK, I'm flying back to North Carolina tomorrow, you're going to L.A., and then what?" Before he could say anything, Jamie cut him off. "I know you--we, love each other. But I just feel kind of lost, you know? Like our old life of just hanging out, going to school is over."

  "It is over." Chase said quietly. "We're not going to be in school together anymore."

  Jamie took a deep breath. "Should we---should we just take a break until everything is settled?"

  Chase took a step away from her. "That's the second time you've brought this up," he said roughly. "I'm beginning to think you're the one who doesn't want to stay together."

  "Come on, Chase..." she began.

  "Look, maybe you want a boyfriend who can hang out with you, who can go to the football games, who can meet you at the library." He looked at her, the differences in their lives suddenly obvious. "I mean, I could understand that. But don't insult me by saying you're doing it for me."

  Jamie reached over and put her arms around his waist, burying her face in his shoulder. "Please, let's not fight." she told him, knowing there was a truth in what he said.

  "Don't you understand?" Chase asked. "I want you with me all the time."

  She nodded happily. "I know."

  "OK, then." Chase took his thumb and wiped a tear from her face. "Let's go," he said in a drill sergeant voice. "You've got a job interview."

  An hour later, she was in a cab heading to meet with her first agent. Carla, and a quick Google search had provided her with some background. Liz Everett had grown her modeling agency from a one-woman shop to one of the most exclusive agencies in Manhattan. She was known for her roster of superstar models, but they were not poached from other agencies. Instead, Liz Everett had a knack for discovering new talent and then cultivating all aspects of their careers---from the jobs they took to the shade of their hair---and developing a star.

  Jamie walked into a reception room painted in a bold blue and decorated with the framed covers of fashion magazines. The receptionist looked up, recognizing her. "Jamie?"

  "Yes--hi."

  "Hi. David will be with you in just a moment. Would you like some water; something to drink?"

>   "No, thank you---"

  A door opened and a slim, graceful, man peeked his head around the corner. "Jamie, I'm David." He extended a hand which he allowed Jamie to shake. "Let's get you back here to take some measurements." She followed him past a large, open room where three women sat facing each other, their desks forming a triangle.

  "That's our war room," he explained. "Those girls are our bookers. If Liz decides to sign you, you'll be speaking to them all the time, and they are going to know more about you than your own mother." The women all had head phones attached to their ears, and all looked to be in the midst of providing instructions to someone on the other end. They didn't bother to look up as Jamie and David walked past. David led her into his tiny office where a camera was already set up.

  "Alrighty then, why don't you take your shoes off, and stand over there," he gestured to the opposite side of the room. "Now, I'm going to turn the camera on." He did so, then began speaking, obviously for the benefit of the camera. "OK, Jamie, why don't you step on the scale here...I read 115. Now if you could line up with that chart over there, very good...I read five feet eleven and a half inches tall. Now, I'm going to take measurements. I will be touching you as I take measurements, are you OK with that?"

  Jamie nodded.

  "I need a yes or no, Jamie..." David hovered, his tape measure in hand.

  "Yes."

  David went on to measure her waist, hips, chest size as well as her neck and shoulders, writing everything down on a notepad. Finally, he seemed to have measured everything there was to be measured and flicked the camera off. "OK, follow me." he said. "Let's take you to Liz."

  Liz Everett was a tiny woman wearing glasses and accessories that almost seemed to overpower her. She looked at Jamie as she walked in, missing nothing. Turning to David, she asked without greeting her, "How tall?"

  "Five feet, eleven and a half."

  Liz nodded approvingly. "Great, I couldn't tell how tall you were from the picture and I was afraid you wouldn't even be five feet seven." David seemed to melt into the walls as Liz spoke to Jamie. "So you've probably been contacted by some other agencies. Let me tell you why you should sign with me."