Behind the Mask: A Rockstar Romance(28)

“You are beautiful. The camera is going to love you.” She smiles at me then starts walking away before shouting out some directions. “Boys, go in room three. Your outfits will be in there.

“Ladies, room one. Then off to makeup.”

Makeup? They are going to wash off all this work? I follow Tegan to room one and when we get in, two women say their hellos and pass us clothes wrapped in a sheet. I unzip it, revealing a black leather jacket and black lace panties.

And nothing else.

Where is the rest of it?

“Excuse me,” I ask one of the girls. She passes me black suede heels.

“Is there a problem?” she asks me.

“I think there some clothes are missing. It’s just a jacket and panties.” I show her.

“Yeah, that’s right.”

I look at her like she’s crazy. Hell no, I’m being naked.

“I can’t wear this.” I pass her the hanger. I may be confident in my own skin, but I don’t want the world to see my naked skin.

“Stop being such a baby. Put it on.”

I watch Tegan put on leather pants and a white shirt, opened, exposing a red lace bra. Why couldn’t I wear that?

“I am not exposing my breasts,” I tell her.

She comes over checking out the outfit, biting her lip. For a moment I see she looks uncertain, but I might have imagined it as it’s gone as quickly. “They will be covered by the jacket.” The girl tries to reassure me. “It will be tasteful.”

“I warned you. I warned you what you are getting into. Just suck it up, put on the damn jacket, and deal,” Tegan says before leaving the room. This is a normal reaction. I start taking off my clothes and underwear, putting on what I’m given. I look in the mirror, zipping up the jacket. I will open it during the shoot but until then it’s staying closed.

“You look good.” The girl smiles at me.

“I look like I’m ready to pass out.” Why did I think all this was going to be fun and easy? I have watched Tegan do shoots before and I’ve seen her in skimpy outfits. I guess I didn’t realize I was going to have to also. “I can do this,” I say to my reflection. I walk out and see a room that says makeup, so I head that way. Tegan is already getting her makeup done. I see her look at me in the mirror before closing her eyes.

“You must be Star. Please have a seat.” A caramel-skinned girl with short black hair takes my hand. I follow her to a chair. In front of me is a counter full of makeup messed about. “I love your hair.” She glides her fingers through it.

“Thank you. I just got it done this morning.” I smile to her.

“It suits you. I will just tidy it up, but I need to wipe off all your makeup and start fresh for the look they are after.”

I nod in response. I watch her take cotton pads, pouring some liquid into it, and she starts wiping away the makeup.

Twenty minutes later my skin looks flawless. I have bright red lipstick and gray and blue smoky eyes with thick eyeliner. With my new hairstyle, I am still surprised how different I look every time I see my reflection. Looking down at the jacket, I feel myself start to blush.

I want to quickly do this and get back into my clothes.

Soon Naomi walks in and her mouth drops open when she sees me. “Holy shit, girl, you are so hot. If I swung that way, I would so keep this image for my spank bank.” She winks at me.

“Thanks for that.” I laugh. “I can’t believe I have to go out there in this. They want me to unzip it.”

“Now that is hot. I am sure Nate is going to like it.” She saunters over to me with pep in her step. “I also think you are going to like what he’s wearing.” She waggles her eyebrows at me.

Now I’m curious.

“What is he wearing?” I ask.

“Come out and see,” she sings, leaving the room.

I take in a deep breath and walk out. The guys are standing near a blank canvas and when they spot me, all their mouths drop open. Sam and Troy are wearing jeans, buttons undone with white opened shirts showing off their toned bodies.

They look really good.

But my eyes zoom onto Nate, who is shirtless, wearing only a pair of black jeans, his buttons also undone, showing a hint of white boxers. I find it hard to swallow as I walk toward them.

“Right places, people,” the photographer shouts, clapping her hands.

A few people adjust lights, moving equipment around. My body gets really hot. Nate’s body heat is radiating off him onto me. I stand like a statue, waiting to be told what to do. I look from the corner of my eyes and notice him looking at my legs before shaking his head and looking away.

Was he checking out my legs?

I almost laugh to myself.

“You look good, Star,” Troy accentuates my made-up name. “Maybe you should wear stuff like this more often,” he jokes.

Nate gives him an angry look.

“You are not funny, Troy,” Nate says.

“Troy, she is like your sister,” Sam scolds him.

“I was joking.” He huffs.

“Of course you were.” Sam rolls his eyes.

“Right, let’s start, I have a bubble bath and a bottle of wine calling out to me,” the photographer yells once again. People move away from the shooting area. “Nate and Star, I want you both standing in the middle. Tegan, you stand next to Star. Sam, stand next to Nate and, Troy, stand next to Tegan.”