Model Perfect Passion

She whirled around and looked up into the face of one of her dear friends, Antoine Brown, a point guard for the Chicago Bulls. His wife, Chloe, was a college classmate of Billie’s and she had been close to the couple for years. Billie laughed at the mock-stern expression on his face and gave him a big hug.

“I’ve been here since December and I promise you I haven’t been ignoring you on purpose! I’ve talked to Chloe a couple of times, as a matter of fact. You were on the road and I know she’s been too busy to mention it. I’ve just been going a million miles an hour, is all. My sister got married and I’ve started a whole new career and I’ll tell you all about it later,” she said with a smile. “Where’s Chloe?”

“She’s sitting over there—” he pointed “—waiting for me to drag you over. She’s got a surprise for you,” he added.

After introducing Antoine to Nick and Dakota, Billie went with him to greet his wife. She was a petite, pretty woman whose pregnancy was just beginning to show. Billie gave her a tight hug while expressing her joy. “This really doesn’t qualify as a surprise, you guys. I was expecting this,” she told the beaming couple. “After the first baby I knew you couldn’t wait too long. How is my goddaughter, anyway?”

She was deep in conversation with her friends until she was claimed by another old friend. This time it was Kareem Davis, a linebacker for the Chicago Bears. He didn’t waste time chiding her in the way Antoine had, because he knew she was now living in Chicago. Still, he was pleased to see her, which he demonstrated by picking her up in a huge bear hug.

“You’re looking extra-fine, girl. Seems like the Windy City agrees with you,” he said once he’d put her down.

She smiled up at him. “I love it so far. I’ve been working with my brother-in-law to learn how to rehab houses and I’m learning more than I did in four years of college,” she told him. “He’s going to let me be a project manager once we find the right house.”

Kareem nodded his approval. “You’re at the right place tonight, then. Jason Wainwright is like the real-estate god of Chicago. Have you met him?”

“Not yet, but I’m hoping to,” Billie answered.

“Well, come with me and let me introduce you,” he said.

Billie’s face lit up and she took the hand he offered her. “Let’s go. He’s the reason I came here tonight.”

Jason was heading toward Billie like a guided missile when Patrice stepped in front of him. “I’ve been looking for you,” she said in her low, modulated voice. “Where have you been?”

She was looking at him calmly, without a hint of recrimination in her voice or anger in her face. It was one of the things he liked about her, actually. Patrice had the demeanor of a well-trained geisha. She was virtually without emotion of any kind and if she ever desired more passion from him she never expressed it. In a way being with Patrice was like being with an android, a beautiful empty shell that would only do what she was programmed to do. He had to force himself to smile at her and pay attention to her words, because all he wanted to do was find Wilhelmina. There was something irresistible drawing him to her and he couldn’t wait to find out what it was. He couldn’t be rude to Patrice, however.

“I’m sorry I was gone so long. I was talking with some people. Are you enjoying yourself?”

She gave him her usual automatic smile that didn’t express amusement or humor; it merely seemed like another programmed reaction. “It’s a wonderful party, Jason, but I’m getting a little tired. I had an early call this morning,” she said.

Jason looked at her solicitously. “If you’re tired why don’t you go home? I can have the limo take you now, if you like.”

Her eyes, made larger with the clever application of individually applied false lashes, blinked. “If you’re sure you don’t mind, that would be nice. You’re so thoughtful, Jason. Will you be coming by later?”

He took her hand and squeezed it gently, which was for him an overt public display of affection. “Sure, honey. If it’s not too late I’ll come by. You go get your coat and I’ll have the limo in front in two minutes.”

In minutes he was looking around for the elusive Wilhelmina again. His date was gone and there was nothing to prevent him from resuming his trajectory. He caught sight of her on Kareem’s arm and he frowned slightly, although he wasn’t aware of it. That was the third man he’d seen her talking to that night. He could certainly understand the attraction, because she was the most desirable woman in the building. He couldn’t hate all the men who were salivating over her, but if he could he’d tell them that their efforts were futile. He was a man who’d gotten what he wanted out of life by learning to trust his instincts and go after what he wanted, and what he wanted was the laughing woman in the spectacular blue dress.

Billie and Kareem had to work their way across the floor because they kept getting stopped by one person after another. She had caught a couple of glimpses of Jason Wainwright, but it didn’t seem like they were ever going to meet. He was busy circulating, the way a good host should. She was chalking the near miss up to simple bad timing when she saw him talking to a stunning woman who looked like she had a claim on him. Oh, he’s got his lady with him, she thought. Well, why wouldn’t he, at a big bash like this. I’ll just have to meet him some other time when it’ll be easier to talk business. Once that decision was made, she was about to tell Kareem that she was going back to her sister and brother-in-law when the sound of a deep voice stopped her.

“Kareem, I’ve been trying to get an introduction to this beautiful lady all night. What does a brother have to do to meet her?” Jason said with a debonair smile.

Billie raised an eyebrow and hesitated a second before extending her hand for a shake. “All you have to do is say hello. I’m Billie Phillips.” There was an odd gleam in his eye that she couldn’t quite interpret and she was waiting to see what he was going to say.

Jason brought her hand to his lips for a brief kiss and missed the look on Billie’s face. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Wilhelmina. I’m surprised to see one of the most sought-after models in the world at my event. I’m honored,” he said in a low, silky voice as his thumb stoked the back of her hand.

Billie’s smile vanished. “I’m Billie,” she said firmly. “Wilhelmina is the woman they pay to pose. I’m the real person.” She waited for Jason’s reaction. Some people got it right away that she wasn’t trying to trade on her publicity and that she wanted to live a normal life. Some people took a little bit longer to catch on and some never got it. She truly hoped that Jason Wainwright wasn’t going to be one of those.

He was still holding her hand and she gently took it back, resisting the urge to wipe it on the back of her dress the way she normally did when someone glommed their mouth on it. This wasn’t going as well as she’d hoped. He was a man who could give her all kinds of valuable insight into the world of real estate and she didn’t want to write him off because he was proving to be as big a player as Nick and Dakota had tried to warn her. Okay, he’s kinda stuck on himself but so what. I’ve worked with much worse, she thought. It was true, a career in the fashion industry certainly equipped one to work with beautiful people who were overly vain, overly attentive and just plain lecherous. Billie had encountered plenty of men who behaved just like Jason Wainwright and it was no big deal. She knew how to extract the information she wanted while holding a pushy man at bay, so she wasn’t worried. Besides, he had a woman. Billie had seen him talking to her and it didn’t look casual. Even the most dedicated hound in the world wouldn’t just dump one lady and try to hit on another one. At least that was what she figured.

Keeping a pleasant expression on her face, she tried to engage him in useful conversation. “I’m not modeling anymore, Mr. Wainwright. I work with my brother-in-law, Nick Hunter. Since I’m in construction now, I’d like to learn more about real estate, and if you can spare the time, I’d really appreciate an opportunity to talk with you about the market here in Chicago,” she said. She thought she’d done a perfect job of expressing just what she wanted in a concise and professional manner, so when he pulled out a business card, she was pleased.

“If you’re going to be in town, how about we have lunch tomorrow?” he asked.

“Well, I hadn’t planned on leaving town anytime soon, so lunch would be very nice. What time looks good for you?” she asked.

Jason raised an eyebrow. “You’re living in Chicago now?”

Billie nodded as she wrote her cell phone number on the back of his card. “I moved here in December. Here’s my cell number. Why don’t you call me tomorrow morning and tell me where you’d like to meet? I really appreciate your time, Mr. Wainwright. This is very kind of you. It was nice meeting you,” she added. “I hate to meet and run, but I see my sister over there and she has that time-to-leave look on her face,” she said. “I’m looking forward to tomorrow.” She shook his hand again and turned to leave, completely missing the look on his face. If she’d seen it, she would have been much better prepared for the next day.

The ride back to Nick and Dakota’s house was much livelier than the ride to the gala. It started when Dakota asked her about Jason.

“So you met Jason Wainwright,” she said. “I saw the two of you talking. What did you think of him?” She turned around in the front seat so she could look at her sister.

Billie shrugged. “He’s okay. He comes across as being a little overconfident, but if I had his résumé, I would too, I guess. He’s supposed to call me tomorrow for a working lunch.” She looked at the lights of the city as the big car glided silently through the streets. “How well do you know him, Nick? What’s your take on him?”

Nick glanced at her in the rearview mirror as he answered her questions. “I basically only know him through business. I know he’s got a real good reputation for being honest and reliable. He seems to have real good instincts about the business. We’re not like drinkin’ buddies or anything, so like I said, I really don’t know him. But I do know that he likes beautiful women and he has a big rep as a player, so watch yourself. I don’t want to have to deal with him.”

Billie knew that he meant every word he said, too. Nick was undoubtedly the most protective man she’d ever met outside of her brother and her father. She thought she’d better reassure Nick before he decided to make a preemptive strike of some kind against Jason Wainwright. “Look, this is strictly business, Nick. I’m just trying to get the inside scoop on Chicago’s residential real estate picture. I’m not trying to get with him and he already has a lady. But that’s not an issue because I’m not looking for a man. He’s nice-looking, but I know plenty of handsome guys. It’s not like I just fell off a turnip truck. I can handle myself,” she said.

It was Dakota’s turn to look in the backseat at her sister. “Nice-looking? Were we looking at the same man? He’s a little more than nice-looking, Billie. He’s handsome, honey. Almost as handsome as my husband, but not quite,” she said with a sultry laugh. “Nobody’s that fine but my Nick.”

“Ooh, you newlyweds need to quit,” Billie groaned. “You forget I’ve worked with some of the best-looking creatures on the face of the earth and some of them were just that, creatures. Most of them were genuinely nice guys, but some of them, whoo-wee! Some of them were dumber than a box of rocks, honey. And some were stuck up and evil, too. Just because somebody looks good doesn’t mean they have a good personality or morals,” she said, yawning slightly. “Mr. Wainwright is handsome, I guess, but trust me, he could look like a cartoon and I wouldn’t care as long as he shares some knowledge with me.”

They had reached the house and Nick told her to stay put while he warmed up her car. “I’m going to follow you home to make sure you get there okay.” Billie leaned into the headrest and watched as Nick put his arm protectively around her sister and walked her to the door. It took him a few minutes to get back to the car because he was walking through the house to make sure it was secure before leaving Dakota, even for the short time it would take him to trail Billie home and return. She felt a tiny pang in the region of her heart as she wondered if she would ever have what Dakota had, a man who loved her beyond measure and would do anything for her, would protect her, would cherish her always.

Nick’s hand on the door jarred her out of her daydream. “Come on, little sister, I got your whip warmed up so let’s hit it. I don’t like to leave my bride alone too long.”

She smiled up at him as he helped her out of the car and led her to her own vehicle. They hugged briefly and she slid behind the wheel. The smile stayed on her face as she drove to her town house. There was something really nice about having Nick worry about her, even for a few minutes. One of these years I’m gonna have to think about getting one of those for my very own, she thought. But first, I’m getting a good night’s sleep.

Chapter 3

The next day, Billie rose early, as she always did, and as soon as she brushed her teeth she went in search of food. Breakfast was always the first thing on her mind when she woke up. The rumbling of her stomach usually woke her from a dream about food before the alarm clock went off. Today was no exception to that routine. After making an inspection of the refrigerator’s contents, she assembled a bowl of granola with strawberries, a carton of yogurt, a slice of seven-grain bread, toasted, with peanut butter and a glass of pineapple juice. That was actually a light breakfast for Billie. She worked hard and played hard and she liked food. She didn’t miss a meal if she could help it. While she was drinking the pineapple juice, she looked at her kitchen clock while contemplating making another piece of toast.

“I’d better not,” she said aloud. “I have too much to do.” She got up from the work island that doubled as a breakfast bar and quickly washed the few dishes she’d used. She swept the floor and made sure everything was in place in the kitchen before tackling the dining and living rooms. All she really had to do in those rooms was dust, and she could have actually skipped that step. Billie was a very tidy person and preferred that everything around her stay that way. This was partly because it was her nature to crave order, and partly because she was practical down to her bones. If she kept her abode spotless it allowed for more spontaneity in her life. She could entertain drop-in guests without running frantically from room to room trying to push things under beds and into closets, which was the practice of some of her friends. And she was too frugal to pay someone to clean up after her; that was money she could put into her IRA or her investment fund or her savings. Billie had a plan for her life and frivolous spending wasn’t a part of it.

Once she was satisfied that the living and dining rooms were perfect, she went to the bedroom and changed the sheets before making the bed. After the bedroom was tidied to her satisfaction, it was time to think about her own beautification. She lay across the bed and thought about what she should wear for her lunch meeting. She turned onto her back and stared at the ceiling while she mentally assessed her wardrobe. “Hmm. Jason Wainwright is brilliant, educated and sophisticated,” she said while she ticked off these points on her fingers. “He dresses like a million bucks.” To underscore this point she turned over on her stomach and reached for the magazines that were stacked neatly on the bedside table. Each one had a story about Jason Wainwright and there were some very nice shots of him in business attire, as well as casual dress. “Business or casual? It’s Saturday, so it should be not so dressy. But this is business, so it should be kinda upscale,” she murmured.

She looked down at her long legs in her favorite plaid flannel pajama pants and then pulled out the hem of her pajama top, which was an old football jersey. “I’ve got to get some new sleepwear,” she said. “And I’ve got to get a dog or a cat or a bird or something. I obviously need someone to talk to because if I keep talking to myself someone is going to have me committed.” She put the magazines back and went into the bathroom to shower. A nice hot shower with her favorite bath gel would get her head together and probably solve her wardrobe dilemma, too. Sure enough, once she bundled her hair into a shower cap and stood under the pulsing hot stream, she figured out what to wear.

After her shower she wrapped a thick bath sheet around her dripping-wet body and went back to the bedroom to slather her skin with body butter and lotion. She’d learned from her mother that putting moisturizer on damp skin helped it absorb better. Billie wasn’t vain about most things, but keeping her skin smooth and moist was a must. Once that was done she picked up the remote control and turned on the flat-screen TV mounted on the wall. She smiled when she saw that one of her favorite shows was on and she danced along to the theme song as she put on underwear. “It’s time to pimp my ride,” she sang loudly, although she stopped when her cell phone rang.

“Hello?” she said breathlessly.

“Good morning. You sound bright and cheerful this morning.”

Billie smiled widely when she heard Jason’s voice. She sank onto the bed and focused all her attention on him. “I’m always cheerful in the morning,” she said. “I have to confess to being one of those obnoxious people who wake up early in a good mood every day. How are you, Mr. Wainwright?”

The sound of his rich laughter had a strange effect on Billie. An odd tingle started somewhere in the vicinity of her navel and an equally foreign warmth radiated from the same place. His words lured her back to reality and she had to stifle a soft sigh as she listened to him.

“Wilhelmina, please call me Jason! When you say ‘Mr. Wainwright’ I think my father is in the room.”

Billie raised an eyebrow. “Only if you call me Billie. That’s what’s on my birth certificate. Wilhelmina is the name I used for modeling and only people who don’t know me call me that,” she said in a pleasant voice that was nonetheless firm.

“I apologize, Billie. I assumed, wrongly it seems, that Billie was a shortened version of the other name,” he said silkily. “I certainly meant no offense.”

“None taken,” she assured him. “It was something my agent made up to make me seem more exotic,” she admitted.

Jason laughed again and the effect on Billie was even more intense. She shivered a little and looked around for her green terry-cloth robe. For some ridiculous reason talking to Jason in her sheer, scanty underwear made her feel exposed even though there was no possible way he could see her.

“How about lunch at one o’clock—does that work for you? I can pick you up and we can go from there.”

Billie deftly issued a counter suggestion. “I’m going to be running errands all morning, so why don’t I meet you at the restaurant?” He seemed to hesitate for a second, but he agreed to meet her. The name of the place he was taking her was Pax and he gave her excellent directions.

After they ended the call, she continued to sit on the bed to collect herself. Jason Wainwright had a remarkably potent voice. It had the same heady effect as a sip of brandy. She thought about their brief conversation at the party and wondered why she hadn’t noticed how sexy he sounded last night. Too much background noise, she thought. There was also music, noisy chatter and just too much going on. After talking to him today, though, she understood why Dakota and Nick felt compelled to caution her about Jason. It wasn’t just his voice—he had some serious sex appeal happening.

Shaking off the feelings generated by the phone call, she stood up and went to the closet. There was no time for idle daydreams. She had to get dressed to impress and she finally knew just what she was going to wear: a pair of high-waisted black trousers with her favorite turtleneck sweater, which was ivory cashmere and midriff length. She would wear her low-heeled lace-up boots and a short, black leather jacket for the perfect business casual look.

Billie arrived at the restaurant first and looked around with a little apprehension. Pax was light and airy with a minimalist lack of decor. Other than simple pale-oak tables and chairs and a few austere green plants, the place was devoid of decoration. There was soft music playing. Unfortunately it was the tinkling, quasi-classical, new age stuff that drove her mad. There wasn’t a hint of anything cooking in the place, although there were a few people scattered about the room who seemed to be chewing. In Billie’s opinion, a restaurant should smell like food. The servers wore neat khaki slacks and white tunics with mandarin collars and they spoke in soft, soothing voices that made her want to scream. I just hope he’s on time, she fretted. If I have to be in this place too long I’m liable to flip out.

Her worry dissipated when Jason walked in. In the broad light of day she could see him without any interference and this time she understood what Dakota had meant. As he greeted her and took his seat across the table, Billie took a good hard look at his smooth dark skin and his chiseled features. It hit her that he was one of the best-looking men she’d ever seen, and that was saying something, considering all the pretty men she’d modeled with. His tawny eyes were seductive and his lips were beautifully shaped. They looked like they would be the sweetest things in the world to kiss.

Heat surged into her face as she tried to squash all inappropriate thoughts, but it was difficult. He smelled clean and masculine and he was dressed almost like she was. He had on a pair of expensive-looking black jeans, an ivory crew-neck sweater and a black lambskin blazer. He also had on a pair of black leather boots that looked both costly and comfortable. He smiled at her again.

“You look beautiful,” he said. “I think you’re going to really enjoy this restaurant.”

“It’s pretty,” she said as she looked around again. “What kind of food do they serve?”

“Raw.”

Billie made a face before she could stop herself. “Raw? Like raw meat?”

Jason laughed gently at the horrified tone of her voice. “No, no, no. This is a vegan restaurant. They specialize in raw foods, totally organic and uncooked but prepared in a gourmet style,” he explained.

“Oh,” Billie said with a slightly deflated air. “So you’re a vegan?” This time she tried to sound interested and neutral, but she didn’t quite achieve that goal. The question hung in the air like a guillotine about to fall.

Jason laughed again. “No, I’m not. I follow a mostly vegetarian regime but I do eat fish and poultry.”

A look of pure relief swept over Billie’s face.

“So you’re not morally opposed to eating chicken or fish or cheese or eggs and things like that?”

“Not at all,” he said.

“Can we?” she asked eagerly.

“Can we what?”

“Go eat some cooked chicken?”

“Your wish is my command,” he said with a slight bow in her direction.

Jason was still smiling at Billie an hour later as they finished their meal in a cozy bistro that served great soups and sandwiches. He’d had a cup of minestrone and half of a turkey sandwich while Billie had devoured a bowl of chili and a grilled ham and cheese. Her appetite was good and her table manners were impeccable, something he noticed right away. He’d had an opportunity to observe many women dining, and the number of them who lacked social graces was appalling. This was definitely a point in her favor, although she didn’t need any more. He’d noticed other things about her, like her sense of humor and that she’d been direct enough to let him know she couldn’t deal with the raw-food experience at Pax. The women he was accustomed to were so eager to be accommodating that they wouldn’t dream of demonstrating their own opinion about anything. They also shared a tendency toward eating very little, especially the models. He was used to being around women who picked at their food in tiny little bites. To see Billie really enjoying her meal was a new experience for him, new and very sexy.