Chapter 18: More than One Way to Paint a Cat
Author's note: This story came from a prompt by anonymous: "Can you write a drabble where Klaus paints Caroline's naked body?"
Somehow, this evolved into an AU human Playboy-esque empire that features Klaroline. Enjoy!
Warning: Delightful smut!
"Art can never exist without naked beauty displayed."
— William Blake
"Of all the bizarre things I expected to see in this place, this is certainly not one of them," a crisp British accent teased, causing Caroline to sigh and mark her place in her massive textbook with her pink highlighter. She crossed her bare legs and resettled her naked body in the comfortable suede makeup chair at the vanity before regarding the intrusive voice with a raised eyebrow.
"Define bizarre. It's the Pretty Kitty Mansion — you'd have to put in some effort to come across as bizarre in this place," she retorted, not bothering to mask the edge in her tone. She was used to going on the defensive about her job; so many people, most of them hypocrites, were quite fond of telling her how awful she was to be exploiting herself. However, Caroline was a pragmatist, and when she started college years ago, she realized that the most lucrative way to support herself until she finished her degree was to pose nude for Pretty Kitty Magazine.
She hadn't expected much at first — appearing in a handful of pictorials had allowed her to pay for several semesters and even start a small savings account. What she hadn't anticipated was how popular she would become with readers. Long blonde curls, wide blue eyes and a petite, curvy body was an all-American, girl-next-door look that apparently readers couldn't get enough of. It wasn't until the Pretty Kitty Enterprises mogul himself, Alaric Saltzman, had contacted her to become a Pretty Kitty girl that she realized the extent of her accidental success.
She had been upfront with him from the start — her education came first. She also put in her contract that she was strictly a print-and-appearances model only. She had no interest in the myriad of other businesses the adult industry had to offer. She had goals and plans and none of them involved becoming a household name in the adult entertainment industry. Working on the fringes gave her the funds she needed to finish school and hopefully open her own vet clinic one day.
Today was one of her obligatory appearance days at the Pretty Kitty Mansion. They were hosting a huge football party for the typical mixture of Hollywood types and executives and Alaric expected his top Pretty Kitty girls to attend the party wearing a cropped jersey and tiny boy shorts that artists would paint onto their bodies. She had been skeptical at first that it would look like anything other than naked girls running around in Jackson Pollock's wet dream, but the test run they did the other day had surprised her with how real the paint had looked. It actually seemed as though the girls were wearing skimpy outfits rather than merely carefully applied paint. The textures, the shadows and contours with the airbrush had been breathtaking. She had been looking forward to getting painted again just to see the artist operate, but apparently the artist they'd saddled her with today was going to be a judgmental jackass.
"Well, to answer your question, I expected more of a raging orgy or at least a feisty pillow fight," the man stated, dimples bracketing his smirk which under normal circumstances she would consider charming.
Caroline snorted. "Right, well, sorry to disappoint, but the orgies and pillow fights apparently take place when I'm not around. I'm a bit busy these days and I suspect those activities would be a huge time suck." She narrowed her blue eyes at the attractive man before her, trying not to openly stare at the hard planes of his chest as he moved or the way his beautifully sculpted cheekbones accentuated his impossibly handsome face. "You must be my artist today. I'm Caroline." She held out her hand to shake and tried not to roll her eyes when he kissed her knuckles instead.
"Enchanted to meet you, Caroline. I'm Klaus." He cocked his head toward the textbook in her lap and asked, "I'm curious, love, is Understanding Zoonotic Diseases typical reading material for a Pretty Kitty girl?"
"It is when the Pretty Kitty girl is in her second-to-last year of vet school and has no plans to still be posing nude when she's an AARP member," Caroline retorted, tapping her nails impatiently against the slick cover of the textbook.
Klaus' gray eyes widened in surprise. "Color me impressed, love. Forgive me for assuming you were merely perpetuating the college girl myth that the Pretty Kitty brand cultivates."
She snorted, rolling her eyes as she set the book back on the counter. "Yeah, Alaric was thrilled when he found out I was actually in college pursuing a degree that I could discuss with guests when it's warranted. Apparently, Pretty Kitty readers believe that all intelligent, sexy coeds love nothing more than posing nude while harboring a burning desire to date them."
She laughed when she thought of the lengths some of the other Pretty Kitty girls would go to just to play up that fantasy for readers. "Some of the girls stalk university websites and memorize course descriptions and degree requirements before appearances, just to sell the myth that all Pretty Kitty girls are in college. In the time they spend to learn enough about college to lie about it, they could actually have a degree."
Klaus gave a short laugh. "I wondered about that. Earlier, I was painting this dull blonde who was spouting some nonsense about psychology and Freud that sounded a bit off."
She smiled knowingly. "You had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Wiki. Well, her name's Cami, but she spends all of her time online researching psychology in a Herculean effort to obtain some semblance of a personality. I keep telling her that Wikipedia isn't a legitimate site for authentic research, but she just babbles at me about my mommy/daddy issues until I get bored and leave."
He shook his curly head laughing, motioning for Caroline to stand on top of the platform to begin the intricate painting process. "Tell me, sweetheart, what led you to veterinary medicine? Was it a love of kitties," he asked with a cheeky grin, garnering a well-deserved eye roll from Caroline.
Huffing, she said, "Actually I decided large animal medicine was the way to go; seeing as how I have such extensive experience interacting with jackasses and other moronic barnyard inhabitants with this job."
"You are a delight, Caroline," he said in an amused tone. His brow furrowed for a moment as he regarded her naked body and asked, "Now then, did you properly hydrate today? Have you eaten? Don't want you fainting on me, love. Also, did you remember to avoid any lotions or oils for the past couple of days? I want to make sure we have good coverage."
"Yes, yes and yes," she answered with a smile. "Alaric drilled your instructions into our heads during our pre-party meeting earlier this week. In between encouraging us to learn something about football to help sell the Pretty Kitty girl fantasy, of course," she wryly added.
Klaus paused from repositioning her body to ask confusedly, "There's a Pretty Kitty girl football fantasy?"
Caroline shook her head, sighing dramatically. "Oh yes, haven't you heard? Apparently in addition to all Pretty Kitty girls being sexy coeds, we're also obsessed with football." She wrinkled her nose, adding, "And for some reason, there's this weird component where guys like to hear about how we either have several older brothers from which we learned about football or we were Daddys' girls and our fathers taught us all about the game. It's rather disturbing, to say the least."
Appalled, Klaus began loading his airbrush with the base coat of body paint. "Where on earth did you get that disconcerting idea from?"
"Extensive market research. I'm sure it comes as no surprise, but Alaric has a top-notch marketing team at his disposal and they apparently have some fairly impressive scientific data to back up their claims, no matter how ridiculous they sound." She rolled her eyes and continued with, "Besides, I've seen their theories in action. Works like a charm every single time. If you're attending the kickoff party this evening, you'll get a front row seat to how easy it is for a Pretty Kitty girl to take a guy's vulnerable ego for a ride."
He murmured in his delicious British accent, "I wouldn't miss it, sweetheart." The soft hum of the airbrush compressor began as he sprayed a narrow swath of black across the tops of her hips. He jerked his chin toward the stack of index cards near her textbook. "Being such an apt pupil, I assume you took Alaric's suggestion to heart. Would you care to dazzle me with your vast knowledge of American football?"
She closed her eyes briefly as she enjoyed the pleasant sensation of the cool mist against her soft flesh. "Let's see...the Patriots have yet to throw an interception on any of their 216 passes this season. Also, Seattle's offense has an extremely porous offensive line and is a giant mess. Unfortunately, the Saints don't possess the kind of defense needed to take advantage though."
Klaus laughed, a slow, easy laugh that made Caroline fight a blush that wanted to erupt across her ivory cheeks. "Impressive, love. Although I must admit I do not follow American sports, so I'm at a bit of a disadvantage. I suspect it's more than enough to convince the average guest at the Pretty Kitty Mansion." He added a layer of antique gold to the edges of his design, dipping a tiny paintbrush in water before carefully removing hints of overspray from her smooth skin.
The warmth of his calloused fingers against her toned belly made her shiver slightly. Concerned, he asked, "Is the temperature ok for you? I know it can get a bit chilly standing still for so long during the process. I could send for some tea or coffee if you like."
Caroline smiled at his question. During her career, she had worked with a variety of makeup and bodypaint artists, but rarely did they treat her as more than a blank canvas or saw her body as anything more than an object. It was nice to be treated like a person for once. "I'm fine, thanks. And yes, the sports jargon the girls memorize usually is enough to leverage whatever advantage they're after. In fact, they usually just borrow my index cards to review before an appearance. Although sometimes their ambition is puzzling to me."
"I assume you're referring to Alaric's infamous stable of girlfriends that live with him in the Pretty Kitty Mansion," Klaus asked, slowly moving the airbrush nozzle across her full breasts with another application of black paint.
She grinned, trying to stay still on the pedestal. "Yes, being one of Alaric's girlfriends is apparently a so-called prize a lot of these girls are after. I try not to judge, but they could have so much more going for them if they just applied themselves. You know, Alaric approached me not long after I started posing to see if I wanted to join his stable of Pretty Kitty girlfriends." She snorted, explaining, "I declined, and told him that it was a clowder of girlfriends, since they're kitties."
He laughed, applying a fine dusting of antique gold along the band of her cropped jersey design. "How droll. Tell me, do you think he'll end up marrying any of his girlfriends?"
She blew a strand of blonde hair out of her face, hoping that her sloppy bun of curls wasn't about to fall and smudge Klaus' work. "Who knows. A lot of these girls are looking for some guy to save them. Alaric has six divorces behind him, but he's 56, so he's got plenty of time to rack up a few more if he wants." she said with a cheeky grin.
Klaus picked up a wide-tipped paintbrush to begin the slow process of adding thin stripes to his work. With a lazy smile that made his gray eyes twinkle, he asked, "And what about you, love? Do you need saving?"
Caroline scoffed, "Please. I do my own saving." She glanced down at her body, admiring Klaus' incredible work. "I don't feel any shame with my job. It's just naked people. Once you get past the initial social construct of guilt that inexplicably surrounds nudity, it feels almost normal."
Klaus favored her with a slow once-over glance that lingered a bit too long to be completely professional. However, she was again struck by the thought that she felt completely at ease around him and that his interest did not make her feel objectified. If anything, she felt powerful under the intensity of his gaze, and wished fervently she could take the time to immediately explore this electric connection she felt between them. Unfortunately, her contractual obligations demanded her attendance at the kickoff party, but she felt a small thrill of excitement at the prospect of what might happen afterward...
"You have nothing to be ashamed about, sweetheart," Klaus replied, jarring her from her daydream before it could become too heated. He carefully drew his paintbrush down the center of her chest, creating the illusion of movement with white numbers emblazoned upon the cropped jersey motif.
"I use a variety of mediums to express my art, but bodypainting is a personal favorite," he revealed, carefully edging the curve of a numeral with the flat of his bristles. "It's a four-dimensional experience in that it moves through time and space with the graceful flow of a dancer. A stunning partnership between artist and model in which we work together to breathe life into the creation." His reverent tone took her by surprise as he regarded her with a serious, if somewhat heated gaze. "Thank you for sharing my art, Caroline."
She nodded mutely, unable to form words after his passionate speech. Once the bodypainting was finished, Klaus left her to the hair and makeup team, promising to seek her out at the party. Several hours later, Caroline and the rest of the Pretty Kitty girls were making the rounds at the kickoff party, strategically positioning themselves with various groups of guests to achieve what Alaric called "maximum kitty coverage". No guest was left alone for too long, and there always seemed to be an eager Pretty Kitty girl nearby to offer a flirty smile.
Alaric was at the center of the party, lounging upon an enormous red leather sectional with several of his "stable" paying court to the Pretty Kitty mogul. They simpered, feeding him hors d'oeuvres and fetching him tumblers of scotch or the occasional cigar. Caroline managed to keep from rolling her eyes, shifting her gaze toward the beautiful artwork Klaus and his staff had created with the Pretty Kitty girls' shapely bodies.
She spied cropped jersey and tiny boy shorts with Patriots, Seahawks, and Chargers logos and another group on the other side of the cavernous room was sporting Broncos, Bills and Saints uniforms. Wearing the gorgeous bodypaint designs was actually a nice change of pace from the usual Pretty Kitty ensemble of whiskers, cat ear headband, tail and sexy lingerie. She didn't mind the furry tail too much, but the bell around her neck was irritating as shit after a couple of hours of jingling with even the smallest of movements.
A tap upon Caroline's shoulder caused her to turn and she managed to avoid taking an immediate step back when her nostrils were overwhelmed by the reek of far too much Creed Aventus. The musk blended with a hint of patchouli jarred her senses, and she tried to keep her eyes from watering too badly as she smiled brightly at the guest before her.
Heartthrob Jeremy Gilbert flashed her a cocky grin, clearly still reveling in his supernatural TV series' renewal despite a stunning lack of support from viewers. The show was more famous for its confounding ability to alienate its audience, but Caroline's theory was that the showrunner had made some sort of Faustian bargain to ensure its continued, baffling success. Hollywood was built on Faustian bargains, Caroline surmised, and a quick glance around the room seemed to prove her theory.
Jeremy leered at her, clearly trying to find her nipples underneath the carefully applied layers of body paint. He finally seemed to give up his 'Where's Waldo' tit search, and slurred, "Hey there, Pretty Kitty. What's a pretty kitty like you doin' over here with a guy like me?"
She chuckled and said teasingly, "Obviously waiting for you to tell me all about your birthday party last weekend." She read the headlines online just like everyone else, and knew all about Jeremy's 21st birthday bash that had gotten completely out of control at one of Hollywood's infamous underground clubs, Hunter's Mark. Jeremy and half of his entourage had gotten arrested and the mug shots had been online almost instantly.
His booming laugh echoed throughout the party, almost drowning out the various flat screens on the walls. "Oh yeah, it was off the hook, yo! We had us some fine bitches and a hella ton of shots before five-oh came down on us hard, dawg!"
"How utterly charming," interjected a dry British voice that Caroline would recognize anywhere. Klaus stood next to the sloppily drunk actor, not bothering to hide his distaste.
Next to their awkward group, Caroline overheard Vicki, a fellow Pretty Kitty, robotically spout off the lines she had rehearsed from Caroline's index cards: "The Patriots haven't thrown any interceptions this season, which is really impressive if you think about it," the brunette said with such wide-eyed enthusiasm that it managed to capture Jeremy's attention.
'Patriots! Yo, that's my team," he crowed, slinging a muscular arm around Vicki's red- and navy-painted shoulders as he nearly dropped his drink in his eagerness. Vicki eyed him with interest, obviously recognizing the celebrity, and she silently looked at Caroline to see if she was interrupting anything Caroline wanted to finish.
Caroline gave a slight shake of her head, signaling Vicki that she should feel free to "poach" away, and with a wicked grin, Vicki casually whisked Jeremy away to a more private area. That was one of the reasons why Caroline felt at ease with this job — she had expected a certain amount of cattiness between the Pretty Kitty girls as though they would view everything as a twisted competition, but that was mostly avoided among the more seasoned girls.
There was an unexpected amount of mutual respect and protectiveness in the group of Pretty Kitty headliners, and they had developed a series of subtle signals to use for various situations such as bailing out a fellow Pretty Kitty if a guest got too grabby and a bouncer wasn't handy, and of course, backing off if someone was genuinely interested in one of the guests.
"You look amazing, love," Klaus murmured, snagging them both a glass of champagne from one of the waiters circulating drink trays. "It's understandable that even that brainless git would be enamored by your beauty."
Caroline snorted, taking a sip of her champagne. "Please. All that kid's after is trolling for his first future divorce."
Klaus laughed, shaking his head as he took in the over-the-top buffet towers, NFL logo ice sculptures, and painted ladies of extraordinary beauty flitting in and out of groups of famous faces. "Are you sure you'll be able to give this up when you finish your degree? There's a certain intoxicating energy that could be very seductive to some."
"Without question," Caroline said decisively. "This is a means to an end. I've formed friendships here and I'll take some great memories with me, but none of this is really me." She flicked her blue eyes to a television and was ecstatic to see enough time had passed that no one would mind if she disappeared from the party a bit early. She licked her lips, mouth suddenly dry. "Would you be interested in seeing the real me?" She cocked her blonde head, letting her curly mane tease the sides of her neck. "Maybe we could make another memory," she asked coyly.
He visibly swallowed, trying to mask the surprise on his face at her unexpected forwardness. "It would be my pleasure, sweetheart." He allowed his gaze to sweep over her exquisitely painted form until she became uncomfortably warm. "Perhaps we could start with sliding you out of my creation," he asked, holding out an elbow for her to grasp.
She was charmed by his old-fashioned manners and reminded herself to walk at a normal pace in her ridiculous sneaker-inspired high heels that Alaric had specially commissioned for the Pretty Kitty girls to wear at sports-themed events.
They went upstairs to the studio and Caroline settled back into the same suede makeup chair where she was first introduced to Klaus. Making herself comfortable, she crossed her legs and asked, "Will the paint removal take very long? I was hoping we could make our escape soon," she finished with a teasing lilt.
Klaus moved in front of the vanity and set down a large ceramic bowl with water and two hand towels. With a grin, he answered, "A bit eager, are we? A little soap and water should do the trick, but in my professional opinion, a hot shower is probably best. A nice, long shower," he rumbled, gripping the edge of the marble counter as he stared down at her, gauging her reaction to his blatant invitation.
Smiling coyly from under her thick lashes, she uncrossed her legs slowly, propping the pointed toe of her high heel upon his jeans-clad knee. "Well, then. Who am I to argue with a professional?"
The tip of his red tongue touched the middle of his upper lip as he bent over to unlace her shoe, easing it off of her foot before gently caressing the aching skin. She let out a small groan of relief as he repeated the blissful treatment with her other foot as well. Catching the gleam in his eye, she grabbed both of his outstretched hands as he pulled her out of the chair, allowing him to lead her to a private spa oasis complete with an enormous shower whose walls mirrored the carved rock of the downstairs grotto.
Klaus lovingly caressed her face, whispering with reverence, "What you do is extraordinary, love. You are extraordinary. You bare more than just your skin. You share a piece of your beautiful soul with the world." He gently kissed her lips, pulling away slightly when he felt her hands curl around his.
She sighed sweetly against his lips. "Thank you. It means a lot, that you search for more than what's just on the surface." She nibbled on his lower lip playfully, eliciting a low growl from him as he felt her small hands unbuckle his belt, squeezing the prominent bulge she found. One hand flattened against the small of her back, pressing her firmly to his firm body as his other hand began fumbling with his zipper.
Growing impatient, she gripped the edges of his casual navy shirt, ripping it over his curly head and tossing it carelessly behind them as she began to grind against his erection. He stepped out of his shoes, shedding the rest of his clothes quickly as he yanked her into the shower.
Caroline flicked on the multiple shower heads, savoring the steady water pressure that started massaging their bodies with delightfully warm water. Small rivers of black, white and antique gold dripped down her curves and Klaus brushed his long artist's fingers down her supple skin. He rubbed tiny circles, gently brushing away the remnants of his handiwork as she sighed contentedly, completely under his spell.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down into a heated kiss that fanned the growing flames between them. He moaned into the kiss, digging his fingers into her hips as he unexpectedly spun her around to face the rock wall. Pressing the muscular planes of his chest against her back, he hoarsely whispered, "I want to mark you, sweetheart. I need to. Will you let me?"
Caroline quickly nodded, letting out a breathless gasp as she felt him part her thighs just enough to nestle his throbbing cock at the juncture of her sex, allowing her thighs to cradle his slickened tip. He began smoothly thrusting, grunting, "Squeeze those delicious thighs for me, love. I want to feel you get me off." He rested his forehead against her neck, panting, "Just like that, nice and tight."
She felt a thrill of excitement at Klaus' foreplay, loving his adventurous side and need to mark her thoroughly. She squeezed her thigh muscles, savoring the feel of his thickness as it moved just under her folds, teasing the sensitive flesh. He stiffened against her, cursing as he reached his peak. His sticky essence spilled down her thighs, painting them liberally.
He turned her to face him, dropping to his knees to place butterfly kisses at her navel, causing her belly to flutter pleasantly. Easing her thighs apart, he ran his strong hands appreciatively up and down her legs, delighting in the feel of his mark upon her delectable body. "I want to taste you, love. Every dripping, aroused layer." He placed his index fingers at her entrance, experimentally parting the quivering folds as the water from one of the shower heads rained down pleasurably.
She grasped his soaked curls, pulling his head toward her and gasped at the first touch of his sinful tongue. Every nerve in her body came alive under the feel of his demanding mouth, and she ground her pelvis onto his impatient lips. Her startled cry at the first feel of his nipping teeth nearly sent her careening over the edge, and she tightened her grip on his blonde locks. "I want you," she panted brokenly. "Inside. Now!"
His answering grin was wicked as he paused briefly to rake his gray, lusty gaze over her soaked, trembling form. "As the lady commands," he growled, suddenly plunging his tongue deeply within her core, swirling and teasing her aching passage.
She bucked her hips fiercely, feeling her orgasm build until she had no choice but to fall over the edge into ecstasy, calling out his name as she rode out each pleasurable wave. As she came down from her high, she noticed his smug face as he took his time licking his swollen lips. "Not exactly what I meant," she chastised, breathing heavily.
Klaus slowly rose to his feet, reaching down to fist his hardening cock as he gazed at her unabashedly. She was mesmerized by each stroke, delighting in how he shivered under her hungry stare. The thick head peaked out from his palm, beads of desire gathering once more. "Tell me what you meant, love," he taunted in his delicious accent, pausing to squeeze his tip just so, emitting a sexy little growl.
Caroline cupped her wet breasts, squeezing her hardened nipples as she watched him increase his strokes. She tugged at the aching tips, the sweet, painful rush causing her to moan. "I want your cock. I need it," she crooned, widening her thighs as she continued to toy with her slick flesh.
He groaned at the tempting sight of her, and quickly pushed her back against the wall, yanking one toned thigh around his waist as he guided his heated tip into her welcoming passage. He dipped his head down to deliver a fiery kiss, savoring the taste of her upon his tongue.
Caroline tightened her grip with her leg, pulling him closer to her as she followed the smooth rhythm he set with his hips. He groaned against her neck at the feel of her, so warm and pliant against him, and she cried out as he delicately nibbled along her collarbone. She could feel herself building toward another explosive release and met each powerful thrust eagerly chasing her high.
"Almost there, sweetheart," Klaus whispered hoarsely, reaching down to rub her swollen clit as he bucked against her. "You just need a little more," he declared, increasing the pressure of his talented fingers just right before she felt her body began to spasm once again. As her release washed over her, he let go as well, groaning into her mouth as he pulled her in for another kiss that left her breathless and trembling.
As they held onto each other underneath the warm spray, he gazed down at her fondly. "You are a revelation when you come, sweetheart." He grazed one of her sensitive nipples lightly, his reverent gaze never leaving her lovely face. "But I've been a bit remiss in my professional capacity. I spy a few places where my artwork still clings."
Caroline curled her lips into a teasing smile. "Well, you did recommend a long shower. Perhaps we should try again..."
