My alarm woke me up at five the next morning. I should've slept earlier but I couldn't resist myself when I saw her text.
After almost one week, Goddamn.
I start my day with a short morning run, before my photoshoot for the new ad campaign my agent booked me with weeks ago.
"Allen, you are one good looking stud. I don't know how you keep women away from you." Clara, my trustee manager cheerfully said when she arrived at the scene.
"Francois darling, do make his bum visible. We want to sell these swim briefs to women and men who would appreciate his beauty."
I laughed at her comments. She would have me do this skimpy shoots couple of times a year nearing my championship date. She said that we need to remind my fans.
"Don't you think I'm too old for these kinds of ads though? Just don't put me on the billboard again. I think I shocked my mom last year."
Then it was her turn to laughed at me.
"You are my favorite client Allen. You're making me too much money that my husband didn't even complain when I have your half-naked pictures scattered on my desk." She told me, while she was getting behind Francois' laptop and looked at our photoshoot progress.
"Allen, you can change to the darker shades now... the sun is getting too bright. And put more lotion on your body, I'm going to make you glow." Francois ended his words with a grin.
I laughed at him and go to the makeshift tent which his team prepared on the beach for the shoot. I quickly stripped and changed to the navy blue swim briefs, and put on more lotion. He also brought his team of make-up artists, and they made me presentable for his view.
From all of the photographers that I've worked with, he's the best one in the business. He always captures my pictures at my best, and make my profile book worth higher, and secured more jobs with it. He knows how to bring sexy in the most artistic way.
Clara said to me months after he has been taking my pictures, that Francois actually works full time as a photographer for a high-end escort agency that caters to billionaires.
"Okay Allen, pose for the sexy women. Right...very good... a little bit to the left. Wait...okay, now flex those abs for them. Nice....tone down on the smile, exactly..."
The photo session ended just a little after lunch hour, and Clara told us to join her for lunch and talk more about the ad campaign. She was arranging our lunch at the seaside lavish bed and breakfast, where we just took the shoots on their beachfront.
Francois was tidying up his stuff, while I decided to take a quick swim to wash away the lotion and hair product after the shoot, before joining them for lunch.
I was walking away from the beach still wet with a towel hanging on my shoulder, and my gym bag with clean clothes on the other hand. I was going to go change in their restroom, as the makeshift tent was already being dismantled by Francois' crew.
My mind was elsewhere when I was walking through the restaurant gates. And I surely didn't expect to receive a whistle from two businesswomen sitting by the restaurant patio.
Wait...that ponytail brunette.
No...can't be.
She was wearing her sunglasses, but I could tell that she was shocked when she sees me looking at her with a questioning look.
Grinning wide I decided to walk to her table, I could see her friend was smiling looking her way.
"Well...well...didn't expect you to stalk all the way down here."
"Wait...you..." her friend looked nervously at her now.
"Cherise this is Allen, Allen...this is Cherise. I apologize for her rudeness I hope you won't take any offense." She looked at me, taking off her sunglasses.
Their table was filled with brochures and her laptop was open. I could see that this was a business meeting.
"None taken..." I dropped my bag to the floor, and take my towel to cover my briefs and make myself decent. I chuckled when I hear Cherise sighed.
"Cher darling you don't even like men. Please, could you get the manager and ask him about our schedule?"
"Okay boss, I'll give you some privacy. You could just ask you know." She winked at her, then get her tablet and walk to the lobby area.
I decided to take my seat next to hers, and get more up close and personal.
"So, do you usually stroll around the seaside restaurant in your swimming attire? Not that I'm complaining...I was liking the view until you put your towel on." She said roaming her eyes to my chest.
"I'm a model, I like to spread my beauty." I teased, making her let out her raspy laugh.
"You are something Allen...so, you're day-tripping too?" she asked closing her laptop, giving me her undivided attention.
"Nope, been lounging since yesterday. You?" l asked looking to the other side of the restaurant, seeing Clara and Francois who were waiting for me.
"Just got here, we're having lunch while doing some office work then probably sightseeing around the area a bit later." She said while picking up her tropical-looking alcoholic beverage.
My eyes scanned her sexy lips as it touches the end of her tall glass, I clear my throat and continue on with my question.
"Want a personal guide? Look, my manager and photographer are waiting for me to have a lunch meeting. But I'm free afterward. Come on say yes?"
"You're good being the third wheel?" she smiled sexily, making me want to bite that plumped lips of her.
"I'm good. So, I'll call you once I'm done with my thing." I quickly got up and grab my bag, but then decided to lower myself down and cupped her cheek.
She looked into my eyes waiting, and that was when I kissed her again after days of longing and missing her.
She tasted like the sweetest margarita I've ever tasted, and I didn't expect her hand to grab my neck and kissed me back. She finally let me go with a sigh.
"Later my beauty..." she said patting my cheek playfully.
Her lips were swollen, her cheeks were blushing. She's the real beauty between us.
"Damn, I was wrong. You can't keep your woman away, is she your new stalker?" Clara definitely saw me with Louise.
"I met her last week in the city, she's different. Look give me ten minutes, let me get changed then we'll talk."
Clara waved me away, and continue on talking to Francois. I smiled at them and walk to the lobby, and finding Cherise in a deep discussion with Randall the Manager.
I've known Randall since my teens, he's one of the local kids who didn't bully me growing up.
"There's my favorite celebrity...wait, let me get you a key," Randall said, pausing his words with Cherise while she looks at me and smiled.
"I'm good Randall thanks, I'll just use the restroom. My manager is waiting for me. Later Cherise." I said greeted both of them, then walk past them to the restroom.
The lunch was productive as always whenever Clara is handling me. She's one fierce businesswoman, she's always on schedule and blunt with every one. That's why she was giving me her warnings before we ended the meeting.
"I know you said she's different, but you still need your head in the game. I need you to focus, you have a couple of more years in the surfing championship but you can be a legend and have few more decades if you keep your eyes on the prize. And I want you to hold the winning streak and decorate your career with a perfect score."
She was giving me her pep talk, she always keeps me grounded. She didn't get mad when everything falls apart with Myra the socialite. But she did give me two hours of lecture on the relationship, suffice to say I had learned my lesson.
I still couldn't believe I told her that Louise was different. I really need to take things easy and non attached.