Natalie Dunbar - A Model Spy

Outside, Mackenzie caught up with her. “Wait, Vanessa,” he said. “Look, somehow you bring out the worst in me.”

“I could say the same,” she shot back. In her heels, she was nearly as tall as he was. Facing him, she could feel the tension simmering between them.

“Let me drop you off,” he said, dangling a set of keys. “It’ll take a while to get a taxi.”

She wanted to say no. She’d had enough of Mackenzie, but common sense prevailed.

When he drove out of the parking lot in a metallic red BMW Z4 convertible, she was glad she’d relented. He didn’t complain when she asked him to put the top up to preserve her hairstyle, but a question still occupied her mind. Would she be able to work with him, or would she have to work around him?

* * *

Cody was nearly finished with his work in the photography studio when he got the call from Annika. There was a get-together at her complex this evening and she wanted him to come spend time with her, unwind and meet her friends. He seized the opportunity to mingle and check out the condo crowd. He wondered why Vanessa hadn’t told him about the party, but since they were still wrestling with being partners, he let it go.

At seven o’clock that evening, Cody entered Ocean Air, the complex’s restaurant. The buzz of conversation filled the place. It had been decorated to resemble a deck on a cruise ship with oak paneling everywhere and large, port-hole-shaped windows offering breathtaking views of the ocean. Several people sat on lounge furniture and captains’ chairs off to one side of the restaurant and bar. The rest stood in convenient spots and talked while holding drinks.

Cody waded into the crowd of residents that included corporate executives, lawyers, a couple of B-list movie stars and several models. He was glad he’d worn the more expensive Sean John outfit. The dress was mostly business casual, but it was the high-quality designer stuff.

He scanned the faces for people they’d discussed at the briefing and saw none. He didn’t see Vanessa, either. Annika was deep in conversation with two women on the far side of the room. As he started toward her, one of the models latched on to his arm and started chattering in his ear about the magazine shoot.

Annika spotted him and came to meet him. Her effusive hug and the quick hello kiss that followed were enough to send the other model on her way.

She didn’t know him that well, but Cody took it all in stride. He knew that Annika had been pushing for input on which of her photos would be used in the magazine. So far, she’d been unsuccessful, but she was a determined lady. She was beautiful, with long legs, enhanced breasts and green eyes, but Cody was unaffected. Working with some of the world’s most beautiful women on the magazine shoot had made him more discerning in what he wanted in a woman. Annika had a hard edge beneath her beauty that prompted him to examine everything she said and did.

Annika drew him over to the other side of the room and introduced him to her friends Sharon, Tasha and Toni. Toni, an exotic dancer, was the only one who wasn’t a model. She had a lush, sexy body that was centerfold material. Cody avoided staring.

The conversation started with the modeling business and moved on to music. Annika made sure that some part of her touched him at all times, and when she started talking about a “smaller gathering” in her condo, he knew what was up.

Cody had been seated for a good half hour before he saw Vanessa. The crystals on her pants sparkled in the light as she stood and talked to a Latino guy. As if she felt his gaze, she looked across the room and saw him. He suppressed a grin at the momentary flash of annoyance on her face. Then he put in a controversial comment about the rapper 50 Cent and used the resulting distraction in the form of arguments from the group to give him time to watch Vanessa ditch the Latino guy and make her way across the room.

Annika waved to Vanessa as she approached, then introduced Vanessa to her friends. When she presented Cody, Vanessa explained casually that she already knew Cody and that he was doing some of her photo shots, too.

Annika put a possessive hand on Cody’s arm. “We’re going up to my condo in a little bit to socialize,” she announced. “Want to come? You can bring a date.”

Speculation lit Vanessa’s eyes. Cody wondered if she thought she was being invited to a wild party or an orgy.

Vanessa inclined her head. “Sure, I’ll tag along. I’ll stop by my place on the way and get some champagne.”

As the group chatted about vacations, the Latino man wandered over. Vanessa had her date.

After a while, the crowd started to thin and then the group left for Annika’s condo. Along the way, Annika’s friends found companions and reduced the ratio of men and women to half and half.

Annika’s condo was built pretty much like Vanessa’s, but the colors and the furniture were different. Annika’s condo had lacquered Asian furniture and splashes of red throughout. Chinese rugs covered most of the hardwood floor in each room she passed.

Everyone sat in the entertainment room, which also served as the living room and dining room. Annika had used room service to order more appetizers. She drew several bottles of wine from a rack on the counter area in the kitchen. Vanessa placed her bottle of Cristal champagne with the others. The bar in the entertainment room was stocked with virtually everything else.

With a charming Spanish accent, Estevan, the criminal lawyer she’d met downstairs spoke to Vanessa about his legal exploits. One of his clients was big in the Mafia and was on trial for ordering a hit on a rival. What began as an interesting conversation turned boring as he began to repeat himself. Vanessa tried to change the subject, but he only wanted to talk about himself.

Several exchanges were going on at once. One couple was openly making out in a corner of the room, another couple was out on the terrace, smoking a joint. When Estevan palmed Vanessa’s breast and tried to put his tongue down her throat, she pushed him away and asked him to take it slow. Two minutes later he was grabbing her ass as she reached for her glass. She lost it—one backward jab of her elbow to his chest and he was coughing and gasping for breath.

“Would you like some water?” she asked in a voice made to sound concerned. She was glad when Estevan declined and left her to join the group out on the terrace. Across the room, she caught Mackenzie watching her. He looked amused. Apparently he’d seen the whole thing.

Scanning the room, she saw that everyone was engaged one way or another. It was the perfect time to check Annika’s condo. She stood and casually walked to the kitchen.

The room had been decorated in the zen fusion style, which Vanessa remembered meant beautiful materials simply used to transmute the ordinary into quiet grace. There was a stainless-steel refrigerator, matching stainless steel oven and a hardwood floor. Dark granite covered the counters.

Opening a honey-colored hardwood cabinet, Vanessa scanned the contents. It was filled with strawberry, vanilla and chocolate diet drinks, diet soda and enough powdered shake mix to last a month. Vanessa understood what she was looking at; she’d gone to the grocery store this morning and now her own cupboards looked like Annika’s.

The opposite kitchen cabinet was filled with every kind of vitamin imaginable, as well as a number of diet drugs and medicines to clean out the body. So far nothing seemed unusual.

Reaching up, Vanessa opened the small center cabinet and stared. Front and center among the spices was a clear glass bottle with a label that read “Caribbean Mama Spice Mix.”

Her pulse sped up and she suddenly felt hot and sweaty despite the air-conditioned room. She tore off a sheet of paper towel and, securing the bottle, opened it and poured about half a teaspoonful on to the paper towel. It certainly looked like spice. Folding it carefully into a packet, she slipped it into the pocket of her jeans. Then she closed the jar. As she placed it back in the cabinet, she heard a noise behind her.