Dan could see the edges of the page. The white corners with the exact page number, he had it memorized. The stage hand in front of him tilted the page slightly so that he could get a better view. And Dan caught a glimpse of her thigh. The stage hand sitting in front of him handed the magazine to his friend sitting beside him.
"Oh yeah…" He said as he received the magazine.
"Oh yeah is right…" The stage hand said as he popped another nicotine lozenge into his mouth. It was his third one in an hour Dan noticed. "Look at the legs on her."
Dan could feel the heat emanating from his back. Dan jerked his head slightly as he bit down on his lips and clenched his fist. He repositioned himself so that he was no longer looking over the guy's shoulder. He didn't want to be there but he didn't want to get up and leave. That would be too obvious. He closed his eyes and tried to think of other things. Unfortunately all he could think about her were thighs. And that wasn't helping the situation.
"I heard she might be getting nude in this shoot." The first stage hand said.
"Really?" The second guy asked in astonishment.
"Well…I don't think she'll be showing anything but think about it… wardrobe changes, we're here, we have angles the camera doesn't…" The first guy continued.
"I wonder what her bush looks—Ouch!" He shouted as he felt a hard kick at the back of his chair. "What the fuck?"
He turned around to look at Dan. Just then the sound of heels and the rhythm of the stride caught his attention. And then the voice.
"Dan, you're here." Serena said as she entered the main stage with her assistant.
Dan stared right back at the guy now mortified as he started to put the pieces together in his head. Dan leaned forward and said: "Next time I'll collapse your face."
Dan got up to greet Serena. He positioned his body as to obscure the view of her from anyone except himself and her assistant.
"Wow…" Dan said. "Look at what you're not wearing…"
"You don't like it…" Serena deduced.
"No no, I think it's great." Dan said. "You know, if you're into the whole transparent curtain wrapped around you while you wear a skimpy one piece underneath which I might add is more like a half piece or even a one thirds piece—"
"Dan…" Serena interrupted.
"I'm sorry. You look… magnificent. You really do." Dan said as he slowed his breathing. "I'm not thrilled that my girlfriend is going to be goggled by every man in the room. I counted what fifteen… twenty of them?"
"Do you want me to not do it?" Serena asked.
"No, no. I want you to do it. I want you to do what makes you happy." Dan said. "I would never… but do I really have to be here? I can just go… wait in the car, are you know hang out with the stoners in the parking lot. Or grab something at Taco Bell…"
"Okay, you're nervous. I get it." Serena said as she placed a reassuring hand on his cheek. She leaned in and gently kissed him. "Everything's going to be okay. I promise."
It took a second for Dan to calm down but once he did he signalled it with a genuine smile.
"Okay. Thank you, Serena." Dan said. "And for the record... you look so… so very hot."
Serena smiled and kissed him again. "Thank you. And who knows, maybe they'll let me keep it. I'll just tell them my boyfriend loves it so much."
She slipped away with her assistant giving Dan a sultry stare as she traveled again from him.
"Yes… of course… big fan. I love… itsy bitsy bikinis… on my… girlf—I should shut up now, who am I talking to…" Dan's voice faded.
He walked over and sat down again in the row of seats. There was a girl sitting in front of him. There was something odd about her. Something… familiar. That frizzy black hair, that frame…
"Vanessa?" Dan asked.
She turned around to look at him.
"Oh hey Dan." She greeted him casually. "I didn't think you would come to something like this."
"Why wouldn't I? It's Serena." Dan said defensively.
Vanessa smiled. "I know…"
"Yeah it totally sucks. But said it was important for me to come to at least one of these shoots, just to see what it is all about. I'm trying really hard not to be the jerkface jealous boyfriend." Dan explained.
"Must be hard… all those guys staring at her." Vanessa egged him on.
"Yeah… wait. Why are you here?" Dan asked.
"I'm the photographer." Vanessa explained.
"Oh…" Dan said in a confused voice.
She picked up her camera polished the lens one last time and without a word got up and approached the main stage. Dan stood up to get a better view. He could see Serena's expression as noticed Vanessa approaching her with a camera. She looked over at Dan with an expression of confused. Dan simply returned with a shrug.
"Serena, this is Vanessa Abrams." Daria, the art director introduced the two.
"I know, we've met." Serena said less than enthusiastically.
"Oh good." Daria replied. "She's going to be your photographer today."
Vanessa smiled smugly as Serena was caught without words.
Finally Serena panicked and said: "Ah, actually Daria. Can Dan be one of my photographers as well?"
"What?" "What?" "What?" Daria, Vanessa, and Dan voiced respectively.
"Does he know how to shoot?" Daria asked.
"Yeah, he was a war photographer for a couple of years. His photos were in the New York Times, National Geographics… he's a great photographer." Serena explained.
"Dan?" Daria asked as she turned to him.
"Uuuhhh…" Dan was speechless.
Please, Serena mouthed to him.
"Uhh, sure why not. I've always wanted to shoot Serena like this." Dan teased.
"Great, can you shoot Canon?" Daria asked.
"I can shoot most anything." Dan said confidently.
"Talented." Daria said impressed. "Lucky girl… Can we get Dan here the Mark II and a Pocket Wizard."
"Yep… that's why I love him." Serena declared in a loud audible voice. Her eyes darted towards Vanessa.
Vanessa said nothing. She simply rolled her eyes and walked away. Dan approached Serena.
"What the hell was that?" Dan asked.
"I panicked…" Serena tried to explain. "It's Vanessa…"
"Come on…" Dan said. "You're better than this."
"I know, I know…" Serena pleaded. "Just make me look good."
"Serena, there's nothing Vanessa can do with that camera to make you look bad right now." Dan said.
She smiled again and leaned him to kiss him. There was a tap on his shoulder that broke their kiss. Dan looked over to find Daria holding the camera that she had for him to use.
The shoot began and Serena took to the center of attention like a natural. Vanessa and Dan circled her as she posed. She had a very Serena way about her and it translated to the pictures. Dan loved it. Vanessa wasn't impressed. But slowly as the minutes went by they settled into a comfortable rhythm. In their quick little breaks Dan and Vanessa compared their shots and gave each other notes as they had once done. Needless to say Serena was not thrilled.
"Alright, take a break people." Daria declared. "The nude part is coming up next, let's not have everyone staring."
"Great…" Dan whispered under his breath.
"I didn't take you for a camera man Humphrey." Vanessa said as they took their break to dump their CF cards onto the drive and give their arms a break.
"Yeah well, I put that old Pentax you left behind to good use the last few years of college." Dan said as he polished his lens.
"Istanbul?" Vanessa asked.
Dan took a deep breath. "Yeah… Istanbul. Did Jenny tell you?"
Vanessa nodded.
"God damn it Jenny…" Dan said.
"I'm sorry…" Vanessa said.
"Thanks…" Dan whispered.
"Hey, what are you guys talking about?" Serena said as she finally got a moment away from her assistant and Daria.
There was an awkward silence.
"Istanbul." Dan said as he searched his mind for an excuse but found none.
"Dan, can I have a moment with you?" Serena asked.
"Sure" Dan got up.
Serena leaned towards Vanessa and said: "Really Vanessa? What is your problem? I know Jenny, Rufus, and Dan have forgiven you but I sure as hell haven't. Don't ever bring up Istanbul again."
Serena quickly caught up with Dan.
"Are you okay babe?" Serena asked as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
"Yeah I'm fine. " Dan said trying to snap out of his funk.
"Good." Serena said in a low sultry voice that caught Dan by surprised.
She closed her elbows around his neck and tossed her body across his carrying him into a roll and landing him onto the soft fluffy carpet surface of the main stage. She planted her tongue deep into his mouth and pinned his arms to the carpet trapping him completely underneath her, completely within her control.
She slipped off her bathrobe that had covered up until now. She wore nothing underneath all the while making sure her explicit parts were firmly planted against his body so as to still remain hidden. Immediately the hollers and jeering of the stage crew attracted to attention of everyone including Vanessa and Daria.
"What… are…. You…. Doing?" Dan asked in between kisses.
"Just go with it." Serena said quickly as she returned her mouth to his.
"I… don't… know… what's… happening." Dan again tried to say.
Vanessa stood there staring at them rolling around on the main stage. Daria seemed intrigued.
"You should probably be getting this." Daria nudged.
"What?" Vanessa exclaimed uncomfortably.
"This is…. Hot!" Daria said. "Start snapping."
Dumbstruck, Vanessa did as she was told. Serena's hand traveled down to Dan's collar and started to undo his tie. As soon as she could get a grip in she tore the buttons off of his shirt.
"Whao whao whao whao whao!" Dan protested. "Serena…. What are you doing?"
All the while Vanessa continued to shoot despite her awkward position.
"Do this for me…" Serena said as her breath traveled across his newly freed chest. "Please Dan."
"Is this because of Vanessa? Are you just trying to piss her off?" Dan asked frantically.
"Yes Dan. I really want to piss her off. Now please, do this for me." Serena said as she dug her nails into his shoulders.
His head flung back. He was completely frozen, he had no idea what to do in this situation. Serena crawled over him and kissed him gently, as she had always done to calm her down. It always worked. And it worked now.
"Now please…" Serena whispered. "Do this… for me?"
"Oh what the hell…" Dan said as his arms wrapped around her and turned her over so that she was pinned under him now. Their lips met and wrestled. Serena's eye traveled to search for Vanessa without breaking their kiss. She slid her leg up his thigh and wrapped around him. She then grabbed his shirt and destroyed it with a loud rip. An expression of primal conviction appeared on her face.
She could see her posture weakening. She could tell that Vanessa was becoming ever more uncomfortable. Good.
Serena stood him up on his knees and tore his shirt over his left shoulder to reveal a huge scar from a bullet that he had once received for her sake. She slid down his body and turned her head to face the camera while pressing her ear against his heart. She gave the camera and by extension Vanessa a ferocious look. The sight of the old wound startled and dismayed Vanessa. But not Serena, she had nursed that wound, she had cared for it, she healed him, she knew him intimately in a way that Vanessa had no idea. And she wanted to prove it.
She finally turned around and as she did Dan's hands slid across to cover her breasts and down to cover her privates. Dan kissed her neck as she picked up Dan's camera that he had dropped and aimed it directly at Vanessa. She looked through the viewfinder and Vanessa actually took a step back. She growled as she snapped pictures of Vanessa with Dan's camera, with each slap of the shutter Vanessa physically retreated more. She was actually afraid of Serena. What had come over her? Dan held her completely and utterly in his embrace losing himself to her as Serena smiled her signature seductive smile at Vanessa with the camera as if to say… he's mine bitch.
A/N: As per request for D/S to bring the sexy more often, here you go. A couple of things to note, first I know this isn't exactly sticking with The Space Between theme, dully noted. And second, there's a couple of references in the story that may not immediately make sense. It comes from my other D/S fic, Sink or Swim. But I don't think it is necessary to read through that long and arduous story just to enjoy this one.