Page 12 of His Choice

I narrowed my eyes at him. “It’s not like I’ve been hunting him down. I just…look his way when I see him around.”

“Fine. I’ll rewrite it. I suppose it did make you sound desperate. Speaking of lame, they’re requesting a photo, and the only one I could find is that terrible one of you on your company badge. Do you have something that doesn’t look like a DUI mug shot? Maybe a shirtless pic?”

I blanched. “Why can’t it be one where I’m fully clothed?”

“Don’t be stupid,” Aaron replied. “You aren’t applying to be on some bake-off show. You land this gig, there’s going to be scenes where there’s forced semi-nudity. That’s how they draw in the viewers. If the producers don’t think you have the bod, you’re getting a reject faster than…” He paused to think of something that made sense. “The Jonas Brothers proposing an album of Metallica covers to their record label.”

I chuckled. “Did you really just come up with that?”

He grinned. “I did, actually. Impressed?”

“No,” I answered straight-faced, causing him to frown. “I guess I hadn’t thought about the whole shirtless thing.”

Aaron sighed. “Dude, I’ve seen you in a tank, remember? You’ve come along nicely since I met you. In fact, your shoulders and triceps are better than mine now, and that says a lot.” He winked. “Come on. What are you worried about? Do you have one of those strange-looking belly buttons, or something? Need me to vacuum years of lint out of it for you?”

“No!” I flushed. “It’s just, people would be watching this show. My parents. My coworkers. My friends.”

He squeezed my neck. “Stop exaggerating. You already admitted you don’t have friends besides me. Oh, right…and Malady. But she’s not into you that way, so who cares? People at work might perk up and notice you for a change, and your parents have seen you naked.”

“I was a baby…”

He continued. “You’re showing your chest, not your asshole.”

“It’s about context. Nobody pays attention to someone shirtless at the beach. If I’m on a television show, every viewer would be evaluating my body.”

“Bro, everyone would be judging you at the beach, too. They just wouldn’t be sharing their opinions on social media.”

I scowled. “Was that comment supposed to encourage me?”

“So, do you have a photo or not? Do I need to take one of you?”

“Um…” I stammered.

“Oh, don’t get all giddy. I’m not pulling an Epstein.” He jumped off the chair, then kneeled before me, holding up his phone. “Take the shirt off, dude.”

“Now? Here?” I asked. “My hair doesn’t look good.”

“I’m not waiting the hour it takes you to groom it. Now quit stalling. I’m not in the habit of begging another guy to strip.”

I bit my lip, then decided I might as well. Aaron wouldn’t stop until I gave in. I pulled the shirt over my head and tossed it to the floor. When I looked over to him, he was quiet and expressionless. “See, I knew this was a mistake. Can we just forget this whole thing?”

Aaron lowered the phone. “Why? You’re more jacked than I thought. Let’s hope Cliff Walker is into smooth dudes, though.” His expression turned sour. “That pattern on the chair is bothering me. It’s obnoxious and distracting. Funny, I never noticed how ugly it is. Where did you buy that piece of shit, anyway?”

“My nana gave it to me,” I replied, feeling bad for her, even though she wouldn’t know of his criticism.

“That explains it. She probably bought it when houses looked like the set of The Brady Bunch. Stand by the wall instead.”

I exhaled, then stood as Aaron rose from his crouching position. I moved in front of a blank space. “Better?”

He approached, positioned me so that I wasn’t straight-on to the camera, then backed up. “Give me that pouty look you always have. You know, the one where you wish I was gay and you could suck my juicy dick.”

“Shut up,” I snapped with a mix of annoyance and amusement.

“Ah yeah, that was the shot. Just the right amount of surprise, innocence and burning emotion. I think we’ve got our winner,” he announced. When he glanced at the photo on his camera, he seemed convinced. “See, just do as I tell you and you’ll win this thing.”

Chapter Five

Cliff