‘Sorry,
the bangles, and all the belts too, if you don’t mind. And that necklace. I want to see clean lines, no details. While you’re doing that, I’ll just set up a camera.’
He went off to his study and I sat forward, fascinated.
I could see that Rosie was looking a bit pale. Perhaps she felt forced into a corner, or a bit sick at the idea of watching him in action with Trix? I knew I wouldn’t be keen to see Jasper whipping another woman.
Dimitri, without his accessories, was all lean and limber, like a gymnast or a ballet dancer. What a stunning body he had, I thought, trying not to ogle.
He was wearing a sleeveless T-shirt, black with various anarchic symbols daubed all over it, and tight, rather distressed, dark-red canvas jeans. He felt so at home here that he had been walking about the place barefoot. He looked sexy and dangerous, a bit of a bad boy, and his moustache added character to the mix.
I wondered what Jasper would do about the tattoos, though. I didn’t think his upright, uptight Victorian gent was supposed to be tattooed with hydras and dragons and whatnots.
Trix got up from her chair but Rosie spoke up, suddenly and stammeringly.
‘No, I …’
Everyone looked at her. Jasper came back into the room with his equipment and sensed the little wave of tension. He looked around at us and asked if everything was OK.
‘What’s the matter, Rosie?’ said Dimitri. ‘You know why we are here. You said you are cool with it.’
‘No, it’s not that. I mean, I am. I’m cool with it.’
‘Then what is the problem?’
‘I just thought … well, Jasper has seen Trix on film today. He doesn’t need to see her again.’
‘Yes, but he needs to see me,’ said Dimitri with exaggerated patience. ‘And Trix is going to play opposite me. So …’
‘Yes, in the film,’ said Rosie. ‘But there’s no need for her to play opposite you here. What I’m trying to say is … I’ll do it.’
She turned to Jasper, still pale but with her cheeks beginning to turn pink.
‘If that’s OK with you. Is it OK with you?’
Dimitri clasped her from behind and kissed her neck.
‘My brave Rosie,’ he crooned into her ear.
‘Fine with me,’ said Jasper. ‘But have you done public scenes before, Rosie?’
‘Yes, I have,’ she said, and I gasped.
‘Have you?’
She nodded, not quite able to catch my eye. ‘At Kinky Cupcake, now and then,’ she muttered.
‘In front of strangers,’ I clarified. ‘Not friends.’
‘Well, acquaintances, I suppose,’ she said. ‘But it’s OK. I’m happy to do it. It’s not like you’re making the actual film right now, is it?’
‘No, it’s just a form of screen test,’ said Jasper. ‘And it’s Dimitri I’m looking at, not you.’
‘Right.’ She nodded vigorously and lifted her face to Dimitri’s. ‘For you,’ she said softly. They kissed and I felt a little lick of flame at my heart. As if I hadn’t been worn out by the afternoon’s activities, which I had.
‘OK,’ said Jasper, having set himself up. ‘Dimitri, what I want to see is two things. One, an over-the-knee hand spanking. Two, a few strokes with an implement with you standing and your girl bent over something, I don’t mind what. Just to give me an idea of your style. So, first of all, why don’t you pull up a chair opposite me and put Rosie over your lap?’
Dimitri found a Chippendale number with pale-blue satin upholstery, sat on it and pulled Rosie down with one swift tug so that she looked rather startled as she lay draped over his thighs.