Disclaimer: Not mine, title's stolen from Drop It Like It's Hot-Snoop D O double G, yo. ;) The idea for the painting is however, I bags it. :D

A/N: Sorry it's been a while between updates but I've been trying to study so that I can actually do something with my life because as much as I'd like to write for a living I don't have the attention span or the skillz. If only I did. But this lovely venue for me to post my writings is a decent substitute. Enough whining. Hope you enjoy it! :)

Chapter 9: Drop It Like It's Hot

It was close to noon when we reached the summit of my father's law firm, the sun positioned securely in its zenith.

I took in the view with relish and I heard Jared and Nina's gasps of surprise. I knew personally that this was one of the most magnificent views of the city and few were privy to it, so I let the two of them have a few minutes to enjoy themselves. I motioned to Jared to drop my stuff near the easel I set down and told them that I needed a few minutes to get ready.

I meticulously unfolded my easel, securing the wooden legs on even ground before pulling out my drawing paper and securing it with pegs on all four sides. I pulled out a variety of brushes and set them in the crevice that extended out from the base. Next an empty jam jar went into a hole in the piece of wood that jutted out and I pulled out a bottle of water to fill it with. My beautiful set of watercolors came out next and I set it on the concrete ledge beside me. Everything was in place. I called out to the models.

"Hey guys, can I get you over here for a sec?" The two of them had been huddled together by the railing but they wandered over and looked at me quizzically.

"Where do you want us?" Jared asked, tilting his head ever so slightly. It was incredibly endearing and I almost forgot my question.

"Ah, so I was hoping I could convince you to let me dress you for this?" Jared stared at me in shock while Nina took a second glance at my outfit before nodding vigorously.

"If I get to wear anything like those shoes you're wearing, then it's a yes from me." She exclaimed and for the first time seemed truly excited to be here and I grinned at her. Then I turned to Jared who seemed hesitant.

"What does the costume entail?"

"Well okay, how about I detail my idea before I let you decide?"

Nina seemed less interested but Jared motioned for me to continue.

"So the idea for the painting is that I want Nina to dress up in a business suit, and these fantastic loafer pumps. She'll be standing, leaning against the balcony, with a cigarette in her hand and a fedora on her head. You'll be dressed in an opened shirt, partially unbuttoned and baggy jeans and doc martins. You'll be mirroring each other. The idea is that I want to describe the spectrum of masculinity through the years and how the changing environment has made the more appealing hero more and more feminine. The backdrop for you Jared will be fictitious while Nina gets Seattle. I'll continue the topical lines to mirror the geography as closely as I can with its natural equivalents, the skyscrapers will turn into trees, the steel railing, to bushes, and the cement floor to grass." I took a breath. That was the longest I'd ever spoke in front of either of them. Jared looked slightly stunned. I shuffled my feet and took a step back from them.

"So I get to wear heels right?" Nina checked in smirking and I chuckled at her before tossing her a bag, and telling her that everything in there should fit. She disappeared into the door we came in through to the bathroom that was off the corridor to the left. Jared paused before me.

"Shirt unbuttoned?" He looked at me slightly annoyed and as if it was an unusual request. I'd seen him playing sports plenty of times and he was consistently a skin as opposed to a shirt, I knew for a fact he had no problem being topless. I stayed steady, it was for the sake of art after all, I would not compromise.

"Yes." I nodded to ensure my message came across.

"I dunno, feels kind of weird…" he trailed off. I rolled my eyes, trying to relay to him that my feelings for him were entirely platonic.

"Come on, Jared," I pleaded. "I wouldn't ask you to do it, but I've been having difficulty with the male torso lately and it really helps for me to have a visual to follow." It was true, for the most part, I thought to myself.

"Isn't making shit up part of being an artist?" He sounded dubious but shot me a resigned smile. Yes! He was softening.

"I guess." I surrendered before an idea popped into my head.

"But…you do owe me one." I mentioned wickedly and he leaned back slightly in surprise.

"I thought that was what this was." He said, his voice slightly husky, his large hands gesturing to the space between us but I shook my head flippantly.

"Please, you came into this all on your own, you still owe me one, but you won't after this. Consider your debt paid." I waited and then part of me wished I hadn't used up my one favor, he would have no reason to be nice to me after this. But I stuck resolutely to it; art came first. There was no other reason I was being so adamant, really.

"Fine." He conceded. "You drive a hard bargain, Kim." He shifted back on his heels, before taking a final step forward. I sucked in a breath, he was suddenly very, very close.

"But you better keep your mouth shut." The words were harsher than I was expecting and I nodded quickly. My eyes flickered up to meet his gaze briefly and I was shocked at the intensity in them, he was serious. I gulped and took a step back and he stood back up before departing. I shook my head. I never wanted to be on the other end of that stare again, it was so…persuasive. And not in the good way.

I had forgotten again that Jared and I were no more friends than Tracey and I. He was just tolerating my presence for my silence and I had just given him permission to stop being nice. I shivered slightly in the cool air, perhaps I should have kept my favor, at least then I had the benefit of knowing he would be congenial. The unpredictability of his nature frightened me a little. I took a deep breath. Oh well, what was done was done; now I just had to remember to tread carefully. I no longer had a guarantee of safety.

Nina stepped out first, her business suit in place and I darted over positioning her against the balcony. She handed me the tie blankly.

"I don't know how to put this on." She muttered, her eyes darting behind her.

"It's okay, a lot of girls don't, I'll do it for you." I replied back but quieted when she shushed me. She motioned behind her and I smiled in understanding. Jared must not know she didn't know how to tie one. It was sweet that that embarrassed her.

In a repulsive sort of way.

I shifted her shoulders and then tied her hair deftly into a bun before setting the fedora angled on her head and then pulled a single curl down. She'd enhanced her lips with the dark red gloss I'd left in the bag and her lashes were large and black. I slipped the tie over her neck quickly and knotted it with practiced ease.

When I was younger my father had always allowed me to tie his ties. In the mornings, he would stand me on his bed while he faced me on the floor and he'd tell me his plans for the day and all the important people that would see the tie. But no matter how terribly I tied it, he would wear it out the door with pride. He always came home with it undone but I was certain he waited until he got to his office before retying the knot. It was ages before I learned to tie one properly but now I couldn't forget if I wanted to. Windsor, half Windsor, the pratt, the four, I knew them all.

I sighed, missing them so suddenly that it weakened my knees. I leaned against the barrier and shut my eyes against the invading sunlight. I needed to find them. I didn't want to be here doing this stupid project when I could be looking for them. I had half a mind to turn back then, to stop this stupid, ridiculous masquerade and search for them.

But then Nina cleared her throat behind me and I snapped myself back to reality.

"Sorry." I muttered softly but she just dismissed me and waved me on. I grabbed the ends of the tie again and started wrapping a half Windsor.

'Over, around, over, around, through.' I recited in my head and then leaned back to adjust the height.

I ran back to my painting station for my sketchbook and then returned with the watercolors, time to match some shades up close.

"Hey I'm just going to match some shades real quick and then I can get started with the preliminary sketches while we wait for Jared."

"Sure. That's fine." Her voice was flat and she sounded inexplicably bored.

"It won't take too long, I'll just do the sketches now and then take a few photos, I'll paint the actual image later. I don't want you two to stand around for too long."

"Thanks." And then she looked at me suddenly.

"Look, Kim, your whole male spectator thing is neat and all but this wasn't really what I had in mind." Spectrum, I intoned in my head but stayed silent.

"I was kinda hoping for something a little more romantic, you know?" The words were said carefully as if she was waiting for a reaction.

It wasn't like this project was for a grade or anything. In fact, lets just throw artistic integrity out the window; I'll just paint a portrait of the two of you.

But I didn't say any of that out loud. Instead I nodded apologetically and then smiled at her.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I didn't really think about that."

"Maybe you should have." My hand slipped at that and I accidentally jabbed her with the paintbrush. It really was an accident. Really.

"Sorry, sorry." I muttered before she could say anything about it.

"It's okay." She paused before starting up again.

"Kim?" Her voice was distinctly more determined this time. What, now?

"Yeah?"

"I know you have a thing for Jared but he's my boyfriend, and I'd prefer if you remembered that."

You're kidding me. There's no way we're actually having this conversation right next to the edge of a 27-story building. I wasn't sure if I wanted to pitch her or myself over the edge. I settled for taking a step away for her, slightly less dramatic than jumping over the iron partition.

"What would make you think that?" My voice was carefully even. Where was Jared? He couldn't possibly be taking this long to change.

"Isn't it obvious? I mean really, 'Jared, take your shirt off, it's not for me, silly, it's for art!'" She mocked, her fingers curling painfully over my wrist. Her nails pressed into the side and I tried to wring free of her grip but the girl was surprisingly strong for being so slight.

"I'm just trying to get a decent image, I didn't mean anything by it." I ground out as I let my wrist go flax hoping it would reduce the pressure but she only seemed encouraged by it. She tightened her grip and I felt her nails pierce the skin slightly and my eyes started to water at the acute pain.

I blinked rapidly before they could betray me. Nina Russet was the last person on the planet I wanted to cry in front of right now. I listened carefully, desperately hoping for Jared lazy, slightly dragged steps but it was silent save for the two of us.

I tried to step back but she pulled me closer.

"Jared is mine. Is that understood?" Each word was said quietly but excruciatingly slowly and she punctuated her speech with steps closer to me until we were nose to nose. Her flowery shampoo washed over me and I let out a breath. It was a bit strong up close. Her left eye was smaller than her right eye, I noted dully. I tugged again trying to get her to let go.

"I know. I'm just painting the two of you. I promise, I wouldn't do that to you." I tried to smile and get her to relax and I let out a huge breath when she dropped my hand like it was burning her.

"Like you could." She volleyed back before turning her head quickly and donning a blinding smile.

Jared must be back. I felt so relieved for a second that I forgot his coldness earlier. Naturally, Nina would behave while he was around. I shivered at her words before shoving my hand behind my back. I kept it carefully away from my sweater; it was cashmere after all. Mom would be upset if I got that bloody.

If she ever saw it again.

I blinked fiercely shoving that thought from my mind. They were all right and in a few short hours I would be sure of that because I would find them. I just had to patient just a little while longer.

I straightened my shoulders and silently thanked Jared in my head for showing up just then. I wasn't sure what I would have done if he hadn't.

"Jared! We were just discussing how lovely that shirt is going to look on you, weren't we Kim?"

I turned to agree and was met with the sight of Jared sans the shirt in question, his perfect, ochre skin rich in the sun's warm rays, the white linen fabric tossed carelessly over one shoulder.

And my brain turned to mush. Suddenly everything seemed a great deal better.