The Masterpiece

I had seen works of art before. Masterpieces that take one’s breath away. I aimed to create such pieces every day. Rarely are such things created by nature, but Jessica Sinclair was exactly that.

The slender blonde walks into her husband’s study with the practiced strut of a runway model. Her eyes are the color of the ocean, able to drown any man who’d stare into them for too long. Underneath is a petite nose and a full set of lips that wore red lipstick. For now, she hid that masterpiece of a body of hers underneath a pink satin robe, but I knew it wouldn't remain for long.

“Hello Mr. Debicki.” She said, her tone ever so sultry.

“A pleasure to meet you, Jessica. And please, Tony is fine.”

“Okay then, Tony. Shall we begin?”

After I gave her a nod, Jessica strutted over to the 19th-century canapé. Before taking a seat, Jessica dropped her robe, revealing the set of black lingerie waiting underneath. They left very little to the imagination, putting Jessica’s hourglass figure on full display. She truly was a timeless beauty, with curves in all the right places somehow still packed on her slender frame.

I snapped photos of her striking all manner of seductive poses. Her husband wanted what he called a ‘stylish portrait’. He was vague about what he actually intended for me to create, so I took it that he just wanted to give me complete creative control. So long as he was happy with the end result, I’d earn one hell of a payday.

Then again, this was about more than just money. This was my legacy. This will be my next big piece since I won the Costa Rosa Institute of Art’s Fresh Artist Award last year. I had more eyes on my work than I ever had before, so whatever I create might just define me as an artist.

“Beautiful, isn’t she?”

I turned to see Jessica’s husband, Vincent Sinclair, standing in the doorway. He was old enough to be Jessica’s father, a fact he seemed to revel in. Although it was the weekend, Vincent made sure to flaunt his wealth with designer clothes and a flashy watch that had cost at least six figures, if not more.

“Indeed she is.”

Vincent looked over to his wife. “Having a good time, my dear Jessica?”

Jessica smiled at her husband. “Nothing like lounging around all day."

“I suppose I shall leave you both to it. If for some reason you need me, I’ll be in the living space."

"Well I'm sure we'll want to join you for a drink after working so hard."

"I'm sure you will, my dear."

Vincent left me to my artistic devices, whatever they may be. I don’t think he cared how I captured his trophy. In fact, I figured I could do anything from Botticelli’s ‘Birth of Venus’ to Matisse’s ‘Blue Nude’. So long as Vincent could claim he commissioned a piece from Costa Rosa’s hottest new artist, he’d have another trophy to display to the world.

I kept snapping photos of Jessica, who took to the shoot like a professional model. She knew how to make a man’s heart race. How to show off her body. How to look into the camera as if she were peering into a man’s soul. I took as many photos as I could, making sure I’d have everything I needed for my piece.

“Okay. I think that’s enough photos.” I said.

“Are you sure, Tony?”

There was a hint of deviousness in Jessica’s voice, which was further accented by a sinful little smile. A part of me wondered if she was daring me to make a move, which was probably the effect she had on every man she met. Rather than give in to temptation, I took a deep breath and said, “I-I’m sure.”

“Well, if you do need me, I’ll be at the bar. Do feel free to join us for a drink."

As Jessica put her robe back on, I looked through the hundred or so pictures I had taken. Each shot looked like it belonged between the pages of a centerfold. Instead, it would be my reference for my next piece. It’d be hard to narrow down what I should use for my art piece, but truth be told, it was a damn good problem to have.

When I left the study, I found a petite Asian maid waiting outside the room. She had delicate features, from her heart-shaped face to her stubby little nose and her nervous smile. Bashfulness fell upon her face upon seeing me, so I waved at her. She gave me a slight wave before saying "Hey Tony."

"Hey."

"I-I just wanted to say that I'm a big fan of your work."

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

"No problem. I uh… I better get back to what I was doing."

The maid turned away from me, but I got a feeling she wanted to say a whole lot more. Despite what she had said, I'm sure Vincent was too busy drinking with his wife to care what the maid was doing, so a little chat wasn't going to get her fired. Then again, keeping my most prestigious client to date waiting was an unprofessional look that might hurt me down the road.