Ready to Run

Chapter 8

If the stormy night had been for passion, the quiet dawn was for tenderness. Quietly, softly, they moved on the sheets. When it was over, they lay forehead to forehead, whispering, until an alarm roused them from their peaceful haven. Jack was expected at Nigel's in an hour and the ladies wanted to make an early trip into the city.

Returning after lunch with a car full of shopping bags, they were surprised to see the boys and Phillip waiting for them on the clubhouse terrace.

"Weren't you supposed to be spending the day in the studio?" Emma asked.

Phillip answered, "We were, but there's been a change of plans. A Nigel size change of plans." Emma rolled her eyes and waited for the bombshell.

"We're going to shoot the first video. This afternoon and tomorrow morning."

Emma sat down hard in the closest chair, then stood right up and started toward the villa. "How? Where? Why, for God's sake? We're scheduled for the Côte d'Azur at the end of the month."

As they walked, Phillip explained that Nigel wanted to use stills from the boat trip and video from the club beach. They had gotten three girls from a Miami modeling agency in. It was all underway and filming would begin in two hours.

Lexi was nonplussed. She knew Nigel could make things happen, but this was incredible.

She ran to her bungalow to shower and pick up her 'uniform' from the boat trip, which had been laundered overnight. The villa was a hive of activity when she arrived an hour later. Staff from the club's salon were working on three young women wearing white bathing suits, jean shorts, and white button-down shirts. Lexi wondered how Emma had found them matching outfits in such short time. The woman was magic.

Two cameramen had joined Fantine and they were coordinating at a table by the pool.

Lexi went looking for the guys.

*****

Inside the villa was nearly as busy as out. Phillip and Emma were both on their phones while an angry man sitting at the kitchen counter yelled in French at someone on his laptop screen. Wanting to avoid that scene, Lexi made for the bedrooms.

"Knock knock... can I come in?"

Lukas stood in his undershorts, comparing two red bathing suits.

"Come in, love. Don't mind my knickers. Jack's in the loo playing with himself. I mean his hair."

"Funny, Lukas. I like the one in your right hand. It'll make your butt look cute." He slowly stepped out of his briefs and stepped into the trunks, smiling at her the entire time. Lexi rolled her eyes, "Perv."

As she entered the bathroom Jack looked up from an array of hair styling gadgets and products and smiled. "Lukas flashing you his twig and berries?"

"You English use such colorful terms. So, how are the raven locks?"

"I can't get it right. They said the stylists are busy with the girls, and I suppose it'll just get blown about and wet anyway." He sighed, and Lexi shook her head. His thick black hair was cut in a slightly shaggy bob that just reached his chin. It always looked good, laying silky flat, tucked behind an ear, blowing in disarray. She found this little vanity of his endearing.

Back in the bedroom Lukas was flexing beneath his open shirt. Lexi just shook her head and went to see what the others were up to.

She didn't want a repeat of Lukas' striptease, so she called out before going through the door, "Ewan? Fyn? Are you not naked?"

"All dressed, my dear."

They gathered in the hall and followed Fyn through the now empty house and into the courtyard, where the boys headed straight for the models. Except for Jack.