Uncompromising Portraits

Chapter One Sydney walked into the studio with her portfolio under her arm, ready to set up for class. The bustling day was giving way to a calm evening, as she pulled herself from the tedious frenzy of her job, and the cluttered undone things at home, in order to paint for two peaceful, glorious hours. Just walking into the art studio was donning another persona, the sensuous arty bohemian woman she wished she was more often. “Sydney!” Someone drew her out of the blissful reverie, and she turned to Malcolm Eisley, her art instructor. “Yes.” “I was wondering, my dear, our model called me just a half hour ago. She’s sick and is going to have to cancel tonight. Would you like to substitute for her?” Sydney’s eyes widen as Malcolm’s message registered in her brain. The startled expression of surprise quickly faded into a pleased smile. Model naked? It was a surprising suggestion, though the thought of it was not altogether unappealing. “Of course we’ll pay you,” he said. “The usual twenty-five.” “Sure,” she answered, almost shocked to accept so readily. Twenty five dollars was one night of tips at the Espresso Cafe. “Great!” Malcolm said, pleased. He gave Sydney the once over with his eyes, certain he’d found the perfect replacement. “There’s a dressing room and a robe in the bathroom.” This is art, not s*x, Sydney thought. Even so, she was tingling sexually all the way from her breasts to her toes. “No clothes,” she confirmed. “No clothes,” Malcolm repeated. She sighed softy, thinking of when she sunbathed on a nude beach or in her backyard. Somehow that was not as suggestive as this would be, here in the classroom with people she knew. There was a strange, but very appealing intimacy between the artist and model. She’d already experienced it a number of times from the artist’s point of view. Sydney disrobed in the bathroom, putting her clothes in the closet and grabbing the soft black rayon robe that hung on a hook by the door. When she returned to the room, it had filled with a dozen students setting up easels around the small platform where she would sit passively for the next two hours. She was proud of herself, having been asked to pose. Perhaps it was a reflection of all the work she did at the gym to keep in shape; though the gym had done nothing to create the perfectly beautiful breasts that were luckily just the right amount, so she thought, and so did her husband, Gabriel. There were goosebumps the instant she sat down in the middle of the room and let the robe fall open around her. The two soft mounds rested against her chest, the n*****s, chilling a bit in the night air, and tightening just slightly into generous buds. Malcolm looked at her with an appreciative eye as he pulled the robe completely away. He was pleased with the lovely naked woman he’d just uncovered, all the more pleased with his inspired choice. He was more than a little surprised that Sydney had actually agreed to pose. For this session, Sydney would sit in the straight backed cloth-covered chair. The thought of twelve pairs of eyes staring at her sent yet another shiver of erotic arousal racing through her. Gabriel would be the beneficiary tonight, she thought, as her mind and imagination warmed her body. “Thank you for doing this, Sydney, you’ll be as perfect as the model I planned,” Malcolm told her. His natural graciousness put her at ease. Malcolm Eisley was an amazing man. Somewhere in his forties, he had a flamboyant manner, and yet a gentility that was a testament to years spent in Europe studying art. For his age, he was a most enticing man, with eyes that sparkled, a warm inviting smile, and a youthful exuberance about his well-shaped body. He moved with such grace that it was hard not to be mesmerized by the charisma he exuded to those around him. “Should I smile?” Sydney asked. “Look natural, comfortable, a little sensuous perhaps,” he suggested. “And remember, don’t be offended by the way you’re rendered, each artist will see something different in your body. Remember, we’re experimenting here.” Sydney reflected on his words, and how she loved to draw with a live model as her subject, feeling the essence of the human spirit transmitted to her in its raw form. Her job was to give it life on canvas. There was a certain sensuality to the whole endeavor, something that pervaded body, mind, emotions, down the core of her being. To experience the beauty of the human body, and put it into a tangible form of art was as natural to her as breathing, as essential as eating food. She couldn’t really explain it, but now, posing as the artist’s model, she felt as much the artist as the art itself. The exposure was not all that alarming after the first half hour. She was so delighted with the experience, she could have pranced about without a stitch and not even care—though that opportunity did not present itself. This was such a delightful state of freedom that she wanted to leave her clothes aside forever, and walk nude through her life. In this tiny place, this small sliver of time, she felt as unfettered as she’d ever been, and only wished it would go on forever. Two hours before the twelve pairs of eyes went by much faster that she expected it would. It seemed they were just getting started when it was time to end. However, seeing Gabriel’s face in the doorway of the art room, just before ten o’clock, she looked back at him shocked. She was instantly back to the reality of her own life. When the class finished, and Malcolm dismissed the students after a brief lecture on form versus substance, Sydney dashed to the bathroom and quickly dressed. “What the hell are you doing?” Gabriel shouted in his loudest whisper as they walked out of the studio toward their car. “Malcolm’s model canceled,” Sydney said evenly. She was a little surprised by Gabriel’s reaction, though maybe she shouldn’t have been. “So you’re eager to step in?” “You’re upset?” “You’re damn right I am.” “That’s really sweet, but this is life drawing, it’s art, not s*x,” she informed him. It was probably not a good idea to mention how sexually aroused she was. She’d even planned to begin a little oral s*x in the car on the way home, but she opted for a more subdued approach. “Sydney, it’s you, naked, in front of a dozen people,” Gabriel came back angrily. She smirked at him, gave him a peck on the cheek, and a pat on his bottom as she climbed into the car. “I’m serious, Syd,” Gabe said, reading her amusement, as he climbed in the driver’s seat next to her. “It’s twenty five dollars,” she informed him. “Like a w***e!” he snapped back. “That’s enough, Gabe! It was nothing like that at all.” She was about to turn away from him, but decided on a better revenge. Putting her hand between his thighs, she began to rub him lightly. Then reaching in further, she felt his c**k rising as she stroked him through his pants. “Stop it, Syd,” he said. “No,” she snapped lightly. She had her fingers at his zipper, carefully drawing it down. “My, you dressed fast tonight.” He wasn’t wearing underwear, so she popped his hard c**k out, seeing the deep purple head as she went down on it with lips and tongue. “How am I suppose to drive?” he protested. “Carefully,” she purred, coming up for a breath. “This has never bothered you before,” she said, and she went back to work, massaging the hard shaft with her lips. She ran her tongue over the head, just under the rim, and Gabriel pulled at her to stop. “You can have it all when we get home, but I can’t drive now,” he said. He would seem to have forgiven her, so she agreed to stop, as long as she could slowly stroke his erection while he drove the rest of the way home. In the driveway, Sydney refused to let Gabriel out of the car, as she went down again on his erect p***s. As she did, he ran his hand through the soft curls on her head. The close cropped mop of ash blonde hair looked rather lovely, the way it moved so sensuously in his lap. She used her hands and mouth on his throbbing p***s, until he felt the explosion about to take over. A sudden raw surge, a wild gasp of pleasure, and when Sydney’s face appeared to him again, her mouth was bathed with his juice. “I think my modeling nude made you horny,” she suggested, as she took a Kleenex and wiped away the c*m. “That doesn’t mean you’re going to do it again,” Gabriel warned tersely, the s****l mood quickly broken. “Don’t act so jealous,” Sydney said. “It doesn’t become you.” “You’re my wife!” “I know, and I didn’t f**k a soul tonight. Maybe you should come watch next time. You might have a completely different feeling about it.” “Next time!” he said. “If there is one.” “You didn’t schedule something, did you?” “No, but if he asked again, I’d probably say yes.” “If he asks again, you say no!” The two argued about it all the way into the apartment, with Gabriel finally slamming the back door behind them once they were inside, just to punctuate his anger. Sydney turned to see her husband’s Latin eyes gleaming. He was such a hot headed asshole sometimes, although maybe this was what made him such a hot lover. And it was the lover side of him she wanted most right then. Getting him off didn’t do a thing to alleviate the gnawing ache between her legs. Remembering her evening of sitting naked, watched intently by such appreciative eyes, there was a sudden a rush of arousal she couldn’t hold back. She didn’t like the fact that she’d have to pacify him to get what she wanted, but she would. Sidling up to her husband, Sydney raised her lips to his. She ran her tongue against them as she pushed her groin into his thigh. “I already came,” he reminded her, with a disinterested tone of voice, still nursing his righteous indignation. “Yes, but you can’t leave me hanging?” “Oh, yes I can,” he told her. “Don’t be upset, pleeeese,” she whined a bit. “We’ll figure this out. What I really need now is you.” She pulled him toward the bedroom, walking backwards, looking into his deep, brown eyes with her most seductive expression beckoning him on. He let her lead him into the bedroom, where she lay back on the bed and began pulling off her clothes. “It’s throbbing darling, please.” She crooked her finger, urging him toward her, while a pair of dancing hazel eyes led him closer. She was spread out and waiting, her pink cunt, just shaved below the tuft of silky hair above, glistened in the dim light coming in through the window. Gabriel teased her a bit, as if he wasn’t going to help her out. “We can go on all night, Gabe,” she whispered to him. “You think you deserve it?” he asked her, remaining aloof. “You had a pretty good time in the car, didn’t you?” she reminded him. “Just think, there’s a lot more of that.” Gabriel hedged a moment more, then crawled up on the bed and hovered over Sydney’s spread out legs. He had a sassy smirk on his face, and she knew then that he’d go down between her thighs and take care of the fierce desire that was waiting to be released. When his mouth descended on her, he surrounded the swollen bud of her clit and flicked his tongue against the throbbing thing. Then he settled in with two fingers going inside her dark, damp hole. “Ah, gawd yes!” Her soft moans and whispers ascended into the air. Short gasps of breath gave way to a long ecstatic cry. She writhed against his invading hands and tongue, then twisted away when the orgasm made her clit too sensitive to suck. “Oh, you wonderful man!” she gasped. Her body tightened then released, several times, then finally relaxed with a wave of sensation that washed from her breasts to her belly, into her thighs and beyond. Seeing the sight of Sydney’s satisfied body, Gabriel crawled up next to his wife and rested at her side. “Don’t do it anymore, Sydney,” was the first thing he said. “That’s all you have to say?” she asked. “You’re being much too sensitive about this. I love you and that’s all that matters. Besides, you can’t tell me it didn’t turn you on.” “That’s beside the point. I still don’t want you naked in front of a bunch of ogling eyes.” “God, Gabriel, you’re so unimaginative. This could really be fun for both of us, and you’re letting your jealousy get in the way.” “I don’t want to talk about it anymore. The discussion is closed,” he said flatly. With that, Gabriel’s barrier of silence went up, and Sydney might as well have been talking to a wall if she said anything more. The next week, the regular model was back in class, which was a disappointment to Sydney. She had thought about her two naked hours many times since that night, and her fingers would find a wet p***y waiting to c*m with just a few swift strokes to her clit. She hadn’t realized what an exhibitionist she was, but the idea of modeling again was a constant thought in her mind in the days that followed that amazing night. Two weeks later, as Sydney was cleaning her brushes after class, Malcolm approached her. He wanted to talk to her, personally. Leading her into his adjacent private office, he motioned for her to sit down. The longer Sydney had taken Malcolm’s classes, the more she’d been attracted to the older man. His lively blue eyes, slightly graying hair and expressive mouth were quite hypnotizing. She was not beyond lusting after men other than her husband. In fact, she decided early in her marriage that it was silly to shut down her natural female passions just because she had made her vows to Gabriel. She wasn’t going to screw around on him; that thought didn’t even cross her mind. But she could still enjoy the active fantasies in her head. After all these months of working with Malcolm, it didn’t surprise her that she was feeling her body respond to him, even though it was rare for her to find a man his age that held her attention. “Sydney, you’re developing into quite a talented artist. Your progression is steady and inspired. It’s really been a delight having you in class.” “Why, thank you.” This was nothing he hadn’t already told her, but it was nice to have him single her out especially for the compliment. “You’re a waitress when you’re not painting?” he refreshed his memory. “Yes. I guess I’m one of many artists going after that elusive dream. But I do have to help Gabe with expenses. It wouldn’t be fair otherwise. He does support my art, but…well you know.” She felt kind of funny going into this with a man she didn’t really know, but he did ask. “I have a proposition to make that might suit you,” Malcolm said. “It will put you in the art world more hours a day, perhaps give you a little more liberty and, hopefully, I can replace the funds you’d otherwise make at your other job.” Sydney was definitely interested in anything that would get her out of the cafe’s lunchtime crowd. The job had once been a lifesaver, but anymore, it was only getting in the way. “I’m considering a major project, a series of nudes, male and female. I found a few weeks back that your body had exactly the shape and lines that I’m looking for in my female model. I’d like you to be my subject.” “You’re serious?” Sydney looked at the man amazed. “Absolutely. And perhaps you’d even gain some satisfaction being the subject of my work.” “And what kind of time are you talking about?” she asked. “This would require several hours of posing several times a week. The compensation would be generous. I’ve secured a rather fat grant that I was not expecting, but I’ll gladly spend it. I’d pay the going hourly rate for models, which would be good part-time money, I would think, for twenty hours a week?” “Sounds interesting,” Sydney replied cautiously. “Then can I count on you, to at least consider it?” “Malcolm, I’m floored and flattered, but I have no idea if I could do it.” “It is a commitment,” he agreed. “How long do you think?” “Six months, not less, and it could go on as long as a year. There’ll be more at the beginning, less as things develop, but perhaps it will give you more free time to pursue your own work.” “I don’t know what to tell you.” She had to admit her heart was racing, and she was terribly aroused. “Just tell me yes,” Malcolm insisted. “I really should talk to Gabriel about this,” she said, with a look of concern on her face. “Will he object?” “I’m afraid so. He wasn’t pleased at all with my posing last time.” “Jealousy?” “I guess so. Protectiveness, perhaps. It surprised me, but then he’s from a rather traditional background, and I know he thought it was rather slutty, especially for his wife.” “Then he doesn’t understand the art world. We’re all sluts within it,” Malcolm joked. She laughed. “Yes, I’m afraid that’s exactly what Gabriel thinks.” “Perhaps I could talk to him,” Malcolm offered. “No, if I’m going to do it I’ll just have to put my foot down and insist.” “If it weren’t for Gabriel, would you?” “Yes,” she found herself saying so readily that she could hardly believe how easily it was to make this kind of decision. “Then I think you should consider what his saying no would mean.” “Oh?” She didn’t understand. “I’m not in a position to advise you on your marriage, but this is a defining moment for you, don’t you think?” “Like…if Gabriel wins on this, what else will he win on?” Sydney suggested. “I don’t know, these things are hard for him, but I’m deeply in love with him. We do have some moments…” She stopped abruptly. She didn’t want to go into this with Malcolm. It was really none of his business, although he’d pretty well defined the problem she faced in a nutshell. She wasn’t married to have to look out for everything she said and did. She didn’t want to upset Gabriel, but Malcolm’s offer was terrific, both professionally and financially. The only thing that could possibly get in the way was Gabriel’s antiquated idea of women, and she didn’t want to make that a factor in her life. “I’ll give you an answer in a couple of days. It might take a little time to break this to Gabe, but I’m certainly going to try.” “Take all the time you need. I don’t need to get started for a couple of weeks, but once I do, it will be an all out effort.” Sydney nodded. There was a very satisfying feeling along with all the sexually arousing ones. This seemed like a piece of a puzzle fitting neatly into place in her life, even if it was fraught with the difficult challenge of bringing her husband’s thinking along with hers.