Image Is Everything

Chapter Four

Brian lined up the eight by tens and flipped down the cover. It made the pictures look like a series of framed portraits. Brian had had someone design this little rig for him a few months ago. It saved the cost and bother of framing the photos, but gave that finished look to them. It always seemed to impress his clients.

Brian stood back and admired the pictures he had taken. They were all of Justin Taylor, and they were all very good. His favorite was still the angel picture, as he had taken to calling it. It was the one of Justin looking up from the couch with that radiant smile and the halo of light. He had included three of the full body shots he had taken the day before. They showed Justin's slender, lithe body. Even one of the ones where he was wearing that school uniform had turned out pretty well. He thought Justin would like them, and he was pretty sure Mark Phillips would too. He knew he liked them, but he liked the real thing better.

All day his thoughts had wandered to Justin Taylor. In the darkroom, on the phone, arranging these photos. It didn't seem to matter what he was doing. He could always picture Justin Taylor, and he wanted him.

He couldn't remember a time when he had felt like this before. Maybe that one time with Rex when they had both been in university had come close to this. He had believed in love back then, in happy ever after. Well, he hadn't really believed in that. He had hoped that there might be such a thing, but Rex had proved that he had been right all along. There was no such thing as fidelity and love. It was all crap, as Rex had shown him so clearly, when he had found his "so-called boyfriend" fucking one of the professors in their bed. He had never made that mistake again.

He believed in fucking not love. He had demonstrated that belief every day of his life since he had walked out on Rex and the good professor. Justin Taylor would be his next fuck. He had decided and that was how it would be.

And yet…? Justin Taylor seemed so sweet and innocent and lovable. But it was all an illusion. Brian knew it was. It always was. And yet…? That face would not stay out of his mind. It called out to him, promising something that he didn't even want, something that wasn't even possible.

Maybe if he fucked the blond he could stop thinking about him. That must be it. That's what he needed to do … and fast.

He had looked at these photos this morning and he knew he had found the model for Mark Phillips' line of clothing. He had called Mark and arranged for him to come to the studio at two o'clock. He had called Justin and left a message for the blond to be at his studio at the same time. He had said it was extremely important, and if Justin had to cut a class to be there, then he better do it. As an afterthought he had added that it would be a good idea to leave the boyfriend at home.

Brian had instantly disliked Ian or Efrem or whatever the fuck his name was. He could tell that the greaseball didn't want Justin to get into modeling. He probably didn't want Justin out of his sight. Brian could understand that … on some level.

The two men should be there soon. He had a good feeling about Justin Taylor as the face of Mark Phillips Clothing. And he would be the photographer.

Justin was the first to arrive. He walked in wearing a nice pair of slacks, not the fucking cargo pants. Apparently he had understood the importance of dressing up a bit for this meeting. Brian must have got that across in his message. He wore the white shirt that he had had on under his blazer the other night. It looked freshly laundered. Justin must have changed just before he arrived. That pleased Brian.

And there was no Ian with him. That pleased Brian even more.

"Hey," Brian said with a smile.

"Hey." The sunshine smile was still intact.

"Close your eyes," Brian said suddenly.

"What?" Justin asked looking confused.

"Trust me. Close your eyes. Nothing bad will happen. I think you may even like it."

Justin closed his eyes and waited. Brian walked over to him. He studied that face with the closed eyes. He wanted to touch the cheek, and brush the soft blond hair off the porcelain forehead, and kiss those sweet full lips. He shook his head and took hold of Justin's shoulders. He felt the boy tense up at the contact.

"It's all right," Brian said in his most reassuring voice. He felt Justin relax a bit. "Let me guide you."

Justin nodded. Brian turned him and gently maneuvered him so he was standing in front of the wall of photos he had carefully displayed.

"Open your eyes."

Justin's eyes fluttered open, then they got really big, and then that blistering smile beamed at Brian, and then Brian's arms were full of ecstatic young man. And suddenly they were kissing, deeply, softly, profoundly. Neither could get enough.

Suddenly Brian felt Justin stiffen and push away. Reluctantly he released the blond.

"I'm sorry," Justin stammered. "I … I don't know where that came from."

"Same place the kiss I gave you came from," Brian said with a smirk. He wasn't sure which one of them had started the kiss, but he knew they had both enjoyed it.

"It … it shouldn't have happened."

"Then let's say it didn't," Brian stated seeing the worry in the blue eyes. He was willing to let the young man off the hook … for now. He saw Justin noticeably relax at his words. "Did you like the display?"

"I fucking loved it! Couldn't you tell?" Justin asked.

"I thought maybe you did," Brian replied with his tongue in cheek.

Justin turned to stare at the wall of pictures of him. He could hardly believe his eyes. They looked so great.

Brian heard the door to the studio open. He knew it would be Mark Phillips. Justin continued to study the photographs oblivious to anyone else. Brian moved over to intercept Mark. He put his finger on his lips to indicate silence. Then he pointed to the wall of photos and to Justin. He watched Mark's reaction.

At first Mark wasn't sure what he was looking at. As he studied the wall of photos, Brian saw him smile and nod. Then his attention turned to Justin and he raised his eyebrows to Brian.

"Mark," Brian said breaking the spell. "I'd like you to meet Justin Taylor, the new face of Mark Phillips Clothing Inc." Brian hit the "K" sound at the end of Inc, giving it a punctuation that caught Justin's attention.

"What did you say?" he asked turning to face the two men.

"Justin, this is Mark Phillips."

"How do you do, Mr. Phillips," Justin said holding out his hand but looking questioningly at Brian. "What do you mean … the new face?"

"Well, Justin, I have been looking for a new fresh face to represent my clothing line. Brian has been scouting for me. Based on these photographs, I'd say you're my man."

"What does that mean exactly?"

"It means that Brian will be photographing you in my line of clothes and your face and form will be in all the fashion magazines, billboards. Who knows?

"But I can't do that," Justin said with a frown. "I'm a student."

"Brian?" Mark asked looking at Brian intently. "I thought this was a done deal."

"How could it be? You've never seen Justin before, let alone a picture of him."

"But I want him."

"I gathered that."

"Will you please stop talking about me like a dog you're about to adopt," Justin said, angry that they were discussing his future like he wasn't even there.

"Justin's new at this whole modeling thing. Now that I have your approval, Mark, why don't you let me talk to Justin and explain what's involved. I'll get back to you."

"You better. I want him," Mark stated pointing to Justin. "I'm prepared to pay … well. So don't let me down young man."

"Yes, sir," Justin replied hardly knowing what he was answering too.

"The two of you would look fabulous together," Mark said. "I hope you haven't forgotten what else I want … from you!" Mark said directing that comment to Brian.

"I haven't forgotten," Brian sighed. "I'll call you tomorrow."

"You better." Mark shook Justin's hand and then Brian's, as the photographer walked him to the door. "He's the one," Mark said looking over his shoulder at Justin as he went out the door.

"What the fuck just happened?" Justin asked as soon as Mark was gone.

"You have a job if you want it," Brian said simply.

"But what kind of job are we talking about? It sounded like a big, time consuming sort of thing."

"It could be."

"Brian, please, I'm new at this. Explain."

"Okay," Brian said with a small smile. "Mark has a new line of clothing coming out. It's meant to appeal to a younger demographic, like you. He wanted me to find him a new face to represent that line. When I saw your photos, I knew it should be you."

"Really? That's great, I think, but you still haven't told me what I'll be doing."

"It would start with photo shoots to get pictures of you in most of the clothes from the new line."

"How long would that take?"

"With me doing it, maybe three days."

"I guess I could do that."

"Sure you could. Then, there might be a shoot with someone representing the more traditional line of Mark's clothes, someone older."

"Like you?"

Brian grimaced. "No, not like me."

"I heard what he said. He wants you."

"Well, I don't model anymore."

"You used to?"

"Christ, yes! How young are you?"

"Show me some pictures of you as a model?" Justin requested.

"Don't have any," Brian said quickly.

"I bet you do. Please, pleeease?" Justin flashed his best puppy dog eyes.

"You trying to look like that dog we were adopting?"

Justin burst out laughing. "Come on, Brian. I want to see what you looked like. Was it anything like my pictures?"

"Hell, no! I was totally different from you, much more sophisticated, worldly."

"You calling me a baby?" Justin asked with a grin.

"He could be my baby, and I could be his daddy," Brian thought as his cock twitched. "Oh, for fuck sake! Here!" Brian pulled a portfolio out from between a filing cabinet and a wall. "Go for it."

Justin took the portfolio and unzipped it. It was like a brief history of Brian as a model. He had started when he was about Justin's age. He seemed young and a bit gangly in the early stuff. Before long his innate sense of style and handsome face made him mesmerizing in the photos. Justin could hardly force himself to turn the page. His eyes were stuck on Brian's face. Somehow he flipped through all the pages seeing Brian much as he looked today as he got closer to the end.

"Wow!" Justin said as he closed the portfolio. "You were so handsome." He saw Brian grimace. "You are so handsome," Justin amended. "You look just like you did in those last photos."

"You don't have to flatter me," Brian said testily.

"I'm not. I mean it. You look just the same, maybe better."

"You have the job if you want it. So cut the crap."

Justin sighed. He could see that Brian didn't want to be reminded of his age or his past glories. "If you were me," Justin said thoughtfully, "would you take this job?"

"I'm not you. But if you want to be a model, this is the chance of a lifetime."

"Really?"

"Really."

"I don't know," Justin said shaking his head.

"What's holding you back?" Brian asked puzzled by Justin's reluctance to accept an offer that any other model would give his eyeteeth for.

"Ethan doesn't want me to model at all. He says I should spend my time on my art."

"You're an art student?" Justin nodded. "Can't you do both?"

"That's what I was asking you? Do you think it's possible to have it all?" Justin asked with his endearing naïveté.

"You could try."

"I know Ethan is going to be mad, but I really would like to do this," Justin said sincerely.

"Then do it."

Justin stared into Brian's eyes. Brian could tell that the young man was weighing his options. He wasn't going to influence him one way or the other.

"Yes," Justin said finally. "Yes, I want to do it."

"You're sure?"

"Yes, I am."

"Then I'll let Mark know. There will be some contracts to sign. I'll try to work up a schedule that will suit you and not interrupt too much of your class time."

"I'd appreciate that," Justin said with a smile.

"What will you tell Ethan?"

The smile faded. "I don't know, but I'm not going to let him stop me from doing this."

"Good for you."

"You will be taking the photos of me, right?"

"Absolutely."

"But what will happen if you decide to be the other model?"

Brian noticed that Justin didn't say older model or more mature model. He appreciated that. "I won't be doing that," Brian stated. "So you don't need to worry about it."

"But … I'd like you to do it." Justin flashed one of those smiles.

Brian shook his head as they walked towards the door. "I'll call you when I get the contracts."

"Thanks," Justin said as Brian closed the door behind him.

Each of them was thinking about that unexpected kiss. It was something not easily forgotten.

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