Back to School

"That's great." He looked across the room and called out, "April could you come up here for a second?" We both watched her make her way up front and Joe said, "April Engler, this is Russ Wagner."

"Hi Russ, nice to meet you."

"April, Russ has volunteered to help you get caught up with the last two lessons and exercises. He has a very nice set up that should make it easier for you and then you won't always feel like you're two steps behind us."

She smiled at me and said, "That's very nice of you, thanks."

"No problem. If you're available we could get started tomorrow night and then do the rest of it this weekend if that's possible."

"It certainly is for me, but can you spare that much time?"

"I can make it work."

"I don't know what time you were thinking, but I could bring dinner."

"I'd love that in fact. I hate to cook and I hate to eat my cooking."

"Then we have a plan." We talked about food and where I lived, but were interrupted with the second half of class where Joe reminded us our next exercise would be with portraiture, both formal and casual using the lighting tricks that we supposedly learned earlier.

Then he finished by saying, "Then we'll review everybody's work and I'll tear them apart. Just kidding, but be prepared for constructive criticism. See everybody next week," and class was over. Will joined April and me and I made the introductions, and then told Will what I would be doing to help April.

He smiled and said, "You get all the luck I hope you realize that." April just smiled at the blatant flattery and we walked out together until with a wave and a goodnight she turned toward her car. Once again Will said, "Damn you, how did you manage that one?"

"He likes my studio."

"He's never even seen your damn studio slash bedroom."

"You're getting hostile. I told him about it, so I get to tutor her and help her with her studio work so she can catch up with the class."

"Holy crap. She's pretty easy to look at."

"Really, I hadn't noticed."

"Bullshit. You can play that broken heart thing all you want, but you can't tell me you didn't pick up on her butt in those slacks."

"Well one thing if we have a butt category in this class I have an excellent model in mind."

"Very funny. I don't suppose you need help."

"Probably not, but thanks for the offer. Oh, okay since you paid for the damn class I guess you could help this weekend."

"But you were talking about tomorrow night too."

"You sound like a whining brother you know that? You won't be home in time for that and you know it."

"Well shit. Okay tell me about it then I guess."

"I'll even let you know if we get married."

"You're just too funny."

Chapter Ten

April was only a few minutes late and we had dinner and coffee before we went to the studio. We worked until we finished her first assignment and planned to get together Saturday to help her get caught up. I also told her Will would be joining us so we could do ours as well. Just before I went to bed I e-mailed Beth and told her about helping April. Then I went on about our upcoming Saturday plan to spend the day getting April caught up and the three of us doing our assignment of portrait photography.

Will arrived just before ten and April was there about ten after the hour. We had coffee and talked about the class and then the three of us went to work on April's two remaining assignments. For all of Will's bluster and complaining, he was fairly quiet through the whole session. We took a break and had iced tea and talked about what she had done and then about the portrait exercises. April broke the momentary silence when she said, "Will I'd like to photograph you for part of my assignment."

"Me?"

"Sure if you don't mind."

"I don't mind at all I guess."

It was while April was setting up her shot that my doorbell rang and I found Beth standing there. "Hi, this is a nice surprise," and I stepped aside so she could come in.

"I found the book for the camera and I was sure it could help you. I'm sorry I didn't call first but I left my cell phone on the counter at home."

"That's okay, it's great to see you. I want to introduce you to Will and April."

"Yes I'd like to meet them." I took her back toward the ersatz studio and she asked, "Are we going to the bedroom?"

"Yes and no. It is now our studio." She didn't say anything, but was very attentive as we went in.

"Hey, I want you to meet Beth one of my best friends. This is April and that's Will." They did the nice to meet you routine and I said, "Don't let us interrupt your work. How is it going April?"

"Okay I think. I'm trying to remember what he said in class the other night. Russ would you look at my camera screen and see what you think?" She was standing very close so as I bent down my hand touched her waist lightly and then I straightened up. "What am I doing. You don't need my help for this one because you were in class."

"But I can't decide."

"Then shoot it and delete it later if you don't like it I guess."

"You can be such a hard ass."

"I'm a pussycat sweetie. I'll be back in time to do my assignment but I'll need you to be my model."

"I shouldn't let you."

I caressed her shoulder and said, "Now play nice and make Will look good. No that's impossible, make him look...acceptable in public," and I went out with my hand on Beth's back before Will could say anything.

We were just into the living room when Beth said, "I thought you just met her a couple of days ago."

"I did, in class."

"You two seem to be pretty good buddies."

"Well we've spent several hours together in those last couple of days."

"That must be it."

"What are you talking about?"

She smiled and stopped and then stood next to me. "Look at my camera screen Russ baby." Then she moved and pretended to be me and bent over as her hand rested on my waist and moved it around. "You don't need my help honey."

I laughed and said, "You aren't even close. She didn't call me baby and I didn't call her honey. Oh and I didn't move my hand around on her waist either."

Beth smiled and said, "That's not how I perceived your body language."

"You're just trying to rattle me."

"Nope. I'm a woman remember? I can almost guess what signals April got from you. "I'll need you to model for me sugar because I don't want to use Will who is my best friend."

"You're jealous."

"You're crazy, now why would I be jealous?"

"I'm not sure."

"Uh huh, nice try lover. Can I have a cup of coffee or a drink before I go home?" We went to the kitchen and I fixed her a cup of coffee and turned to hand it to her. She reached up and kissed me. A sweet long and tender kiss as my free hand went around her and pulled her into me.

"Damn you Russ."

"Now what, it was you that kissed me remember?"

She smiled and said, "I was just going to give you a light and harmless kiss. Then I couldn't stop and you pulled me into you."

"And that's my fault."

"If I didn't like your kisses so much I wouldn't have kept kissing you."

"Oh I see."

"Now sit down because we aren't even supposed to do that."

"I'm having trouble keeping up with you." We settled down then and talked like normal adults until she said, "I better go say goodbye to them and get home." Will had April posed so Beth just waved and said goodbye and I walked her to her car as usual. We stood at her car and shared an embrace and then she got in as she said, "It was good to see you again Russ."

"Thanks for coming over."

"Maybe one of these weekends we can chance another dinner someplace."

"I'd really enjoy doing that again especially if we didn't behave completely." Then as soon as Beth was gone I hurried back inside so I could photograph April before she gave up and left.

Will and April were just talking when I entered, so he moved aside and I went right to work. April struck a pose, so naturally I wanted to make some changes and touched her chin. "You're messing up my makeup."

I looked at her and at my hand and said, "You're not wearing any makeup."

"Well I might have been."

"You're going to drive me crazy. In fact women in general are going to drive me crazy." I carefully posed her without touching her face at all. "I know I'll pull your hair to indicate what I want you to do."

"And I'll kick you between the legs to show you what not to do."

"Will, you heard that, she threatened me."

"Holy shit I think I better go home before this gets bloody. See you two next Saturday, night."

"Night Will," April said. We continued with the photography and then I treated us to some wine.

Chapter Eleven

We quietly drank our wine and talked about cameras or whatever came to mind and I asked her, "You enjoying the class?"

"I really am. I'm learning things and just having fun experimenting and enjoying the feedback on what I'm doing."

"What do you plan to do for the human form part of the course."

"Human form?"

"Didn't you read the syllabus?"

"I thought I did. So is that next?"

"I think so. In fact it's that and then two weeks of review and freestyle."

"Freestyle as in we can photograph anything we want?"

"That's my guess, but I don't know for sure."

"What will you do for the human form thing?"

"I was hoping I could talk you into modeling for me."

"Me? Now wait a minute if you're thinking of doing nudes of me forget it lover."

"It could just be from the back or soft focus or something like that."

"Listen to you, I'm not going to get naked in front of you."

"But you really have a great shape."

"Thank you very much, but we both know my butt is too big and...what am I saying, it doesn't matter because I will not get naked with you."

"I promise to be a gentleman."

"That's very noble of you, but that doesn't change anything."

"Well shit. I could just see you lying there with your fair skin contrasting with a big piece of black velvet that we could have draped some way. Okay how about wearing a body stocking? A white one."

"Russ do you realize just how much I'd still show in one of those things?"

"You could still wear a thong and some kind of whatever over your breasts."

"I really am flattered that you want to take my picture like that but I don't know."

"Please? I'd make sure your face didn't show and I'd keep our secret."

"I don't even know you all that well."

"We know each other pretty well. Well enough to harass each other at least."

She smiled at that and conceded, "You got me there, I do love to get after you."

"See we're good friends."

"How about your very good friend Beth?"

"She'd be great, but she's still in the suffering stage of a divorce."

"I thought you were too, but you seem to be rebounding very nicely."

"Thanks to Will signing me up for this class I am doing a lot better now."

"So that's why you're doing this."

"It was, but like you I've been having a great time with it."

She got serious then and asked, "Was yours a tough situation?"

"Depends on what you consider tough I guess. I discovered that she was having a torrid on line and in person affair with Beth's husband."

"Oh my God. And that's how you met Beth then?"

"That's how and believe me we became close friends very quickly."

"I'll just bet you did. So she's still suffering and you're doing much better."

"I'm doing much better than I was at least. I was really in love with my wife and I thought we had a great marriage. I found out the hard way that I was dead wrong about the marriage."

She came over to me and putting her arm around me she bent down and kissed my cheek. "I'm sorry Russ I'm sure it still hurts. Okay I'm willing to try on the bodysuit, but I can't promise anything. I mean I've never had one on. That means that you might spend the money on one and still not get the photos that you want."

"I'm willing to chance it."

"What about Will?"

"I just can't see him in a body suit."

She laughed and admitted, "I wouldn't want to see that either. Naked maybe but not a woman's body suit. So will he see me almost naked too?"

"That's up to you."

"Okay let's do it this way. I'll come over the Friday before the next class and try the bodysuit on and decide. Then based on that I'll decide about Will too. If I feel I can handle being almost naked in front of both of you we'll do the shoot Saturday. But that means I get to shoot both of you in briefs."

"Oh April no, not that. Nobody wants to see my nearly naked ass."

"See now it's a little different isn't it."

"But you're good looking and sexy. Me? I'm just a guy with hairy legs."

"Thank you, but you have a nice butt so you'll make a good model."

"Damn. Okay it's a deal for my part at least but no faces right?"

"If that's what you want."

"April are you sure you won't mind seeing me in nothing more than briefs. I mean in front of you and..."

She laughed and said, "I know what your alluding to. I can't promise I won't stare or smile, but I'll do my best to be professional."

"Damn I'm ready to blush can you believe that? I've been around and done my share of crazy things but I'll be nervous."

"I know what you mean, believe me."

"But you won't have the problem of your...well you know. Okay enough of this, it's on for that Friday night and I'll have the white bodysuit."

"You better get me a pair of white thong panties too because I don't own any."

"Oh shit, okay. Damn I have to go into Victoria's Secret and ask for white thong panties and a white bodysuit."

She almost laughed and said, "That's right. Oh, okay I'll go with you and make it easy for you, but you have to buy me dinner."

"Damn this is getting expensive."

"Wait until you see the prices at Victoria's Secret."

"How do I get myself into these messes?"

"Because you're so sweet and loveable."

"You say that now because you get your way."

"I'm a woman so I'm supposed to get my way." She got up and said, "I'm going home."

"I walked her to the door and waited until she pulled out before closing my door and calling it a night.

Chapter Twelve

Joe followed the syllabus exactly and we spent a good part of that class talking about photographing the human form. "I'll just say this. I know the guys in here have visions of finding some unfortunate woman and do your best to photograph them in the nude. Ladies unless you object I'll allow that on certain conditions. They have to be artistic and tasteful and I'll have final say whether or not the class sees them. I'll also remind you that the human form can be very challenging to photograph and believe it or not men you can even photograph other men or women with their clothes on." He lost control of the class of fourteen immediately. He gave us a minute and then sent us packing.

The closer it got to Friday night the more I questioned my sanity. I had no problem with seeing her in the bodystocking at all. In fact I wanted her to be naked. The problem I was having was having her see me in my briefs because I had little doubt that I would embarrass myself right from the start. She had a nice shape even if her butt was a touch large, and seeing her nearly naked was going to set me off.

When she arrived Friday night she came breezing in and asked me, "Ready to go stud?"

"You're going to make this whole thing hard for me right?" She just stood there smiling at me. "Now damn it quit that, I mean make it difficult for me."

She kissed my cheek and her smile grew even larger as she said, "To answer your question, yes I'm going to make it very hard for you."

"What have I gotten myself into now? Okay where are we eating."

"I have a choice?"

"You might as well because we'll end up going where you want anyway."

"Russ you can take us anyplace you'd like."

"Okay then it's Sam's Cajun."

"No not spicy."

"See what I mean? Okay where."

"How about the Butler's Pantry?"

"Why didn't you just say that in the first place?"

"I wanted to give you a chance first." It was my turn to kiss her cheek but I said nothing. I just smiled and followed her out.

The Butler's Pantry was a good choice. I even told her as much and then it was on to the mall to get her bodysuit and panties assuming she would need them. When she came out of the dressing room she just smiled and whispered, "I think I found something that will work very nicely, but it only comes in nude so no white, but I think you'll be okay with it."

"What about panties?"

"I think I'm all set there too."

"Good, let's get out of here. While I waited, everywhere I looked I saw very sexy things and women shopping and looking at me."

"I'll bet they weren't looking at you."

"Well it felt like they were, and on top of that I tried to guess what they might buy or were wearing. This isn't the place for me that's for sure." I paid for the merchandise and as we walked out she said, "Russ you are so vulnerable right now you can't even think straight. I think all of this is a bad idea for you, but you're a big boy so it's your call."

"I may have to resort to a very generous double of scotch or something, but I'll be okay." She just smiled and hooked her arm through mine and we left the mall and headed home.

As soon as we were inside I didn't even ask, I just mixed two potent vodka and tonics and handed one to her. "I think I'm going to need this and I hate to drink alone if I don't have to." She tasted her drink and raised her eyebrows and then took a long drink.

"More than one of these and you might have to drive me home."

"If we have two of these I might not be able to drive you home." It didn't take her long before she finished her drink and stood up.

"Well here I go for better or worse," and she headed toward the bathroom to change.

"April change in my bedroom because I have a long mirror in there," and a moment later I heard my bedroom door close. It was probably less than ten minutes later when I heard it open again but it seemed like it had been an hour. She came out as far as the end of the hall and peeking around the corner she said, "God Russ I don't know if I can go through with this or not. I feel so totally naked."

"But you aren't unless you left everything in the bedroom."

"I have it on but my God."

"It's just you and me April."

"I know but...damn it Russ I'm not used to showing my body to a guy like this even if the guy is you."

"I can't make you come out," and I just waited her out. Then she appeared with one hand covering herself between her legs and her other arm across her breasts. She stopped and looked at me as I studied her. "Damn you look good April. No bad jokes or smart assed remarks. You just look so damn good."

"I feel so fat."

"Well I certainly don't see it. Turn around for me."

"Oh Russ."

"Please?" She did a slow turn and I could see just enough of her butt to make me stare even harder. With the right lighting I would see more of her I was sure. "Damn you look good and I mean it." She finally let her harm drop and I could see her nipples peeking out at me as they pressed firmly against the stretchy fabric, but her right hand stayed between her legs. Her cheeks were flushed but she was showing a hint of a smile as I continued to look at her. "Want to go in and take a couple of shots to see what it would be like tomorrow?"

She was nearly whispering but I heard her say okay, and she moved toward the studio. I followed her nearly exposed ass back down the hall, but said nothing until we were in the room. I quickly spread the folded up black velvet and asked her to lie down. She lay on her back but kept her hand between her legs, so I knelt down and kissed her softly as my left hand gently moved her hand and kissed it. I just looked at her then and put her hand down by her side. She really was embarrassed and uncomfortable lying there so I didn't understand why she was going through with it. I just knew that I really appreciated her courage and her curves. "Baby you look so hot just lying there."