Caramel Flavor焦糖味
He'd first seen her about a year ago. Standing on the street in a worn coat and black boots. A short, thin brunette with perfect cheekbones and natural curls. He only saw her and didn't get a good look at her face. She was probably looking to buy something. She was counting money in her little palm and doing it very clumsy and childishly. The second time it happened was in the summer. She was in a beige linen dress, with a bunch of bags in her hands, running across the road in the city center at the last second of a green traffic light. She ran so fast that she tripped over the curb on the other side. It looked like she had hurt her leg. She didn't even cry out; it was like the sound little kittens make – a quiet second squeak. She limped away and dragged herself along.
It was curious what kind of analysis a man in a car waiting for a yellow traffic light could make. It wasn't a game or entertainment for him, rather everything happened automatically. In recent months, the routine had finally taken its toll on him. Boring monotony and frequent irritation were already familiar conditions. When you wake up..., you put on your soft robe, your machine goes to make coffee, and everything is quiet and calm around you. You take the first sip and ask yourself: what am I doing here? It happens to everyone. I don't mean to be filled with drama, but it becomes a tragedy when you're an artist. Status is a heavy burden, constantly demanding validation and approval. Adam was a middle-aged man. Having become a famous photographer, he repeatedly confirmed his talent in front of huge audiences, considering it his responsibility. He was not a man of demanding behavior except to himself. His once-red hair was already interrupted by gray, and a week's worth of unshaven was not at all uncomfortable. Adam's nature was deep; he didn't like superficial women. He didn't like artificial breasts or empty eyes. It has been increasingly difficult to find a model of natural and graceful outlines in recent times. Marketing has disfigured millions of women. Fashion and outer beauty trends began to scare him lately. And how quickly and easily this poison seeped from the internet into the real world. Finding models was getting harder and harder. Every day hundreds of messages came to direct with pleas and requests for shoots. Sorting through the mail took an average of 2 hours a day. The photos I looked at made me lose focus. All the faces seemed typical, bland, and sometimes completely tasteless. Decades of creative career pressed on my chest, and long shoots gave me puffiness. And after an active day: hours of retouching, searching for new ideas, and an annoying soft robe.
Adam waited for Eve to arrive. Formerly his favorite model. Black-haired, sultry with a hard stare and wide hips. He'd always disliked vulgarity, and Eva was always on the edge. That was what mystical magnetism was. Like an expensive wine, she was tart. She knew her own price and always won any argument. Their shoots were always only on her terms: date, duration, idea, and amount. Everything as she wished. Adam never argued with her; he liked to give in to her coquettishly, liked the way her dark eyebrows and the corners of her lips lifted. Loved feeling like he was the one who could give her even a couple of hours of joy. Maybe he had a little bit of genuine feeling for her, but he'd never been able to admit it, even to himself. They didn't see each other for three years but corresponded periodically. Her move to Italy undermined his creative potency for a couple of months. The stagnation was excruciating. He spent most of his time on set, searching for new stories online. For him, it was a creative low. After two months came a period of rehabilitation, her face was gradually erased from his obsessive thoughts, shrouded in a light haze, and ceased to radiate the brightness that shocked him years ago. As time passed, other, new, and very different faces appeared. They brought inspiration and new ideas; life became as before, in some places, even better. Despite this, after a text from Eva yesterday:
I'll be there on Monday; something trembled in the stomach area.
Sunday morning, Adam slept in for the first time in a long time. In his gut, he sensed that he had slept for a long time. The old Rolex was always on; he only took it off when he gave it in for repair, and that was only once. Lying on his stomach, he pulled his hand out from under the pillow and couldn't make out the numbers...without his glasses, he could barely see, and they were lost in the tangle of the perpetually tangled blanket. He sat on the bed, leaning forward. At his feet lay the hated soft robe. Adam sighed heavily, stood up, and through sheer force, threw it on. There was a pressure comparable to weighted weights, but the habit was sacred. That's what people call it – stability. Rubbing out the blanket, glasses with scratched lenses clattered to the laminate floor. As soon as his vision returned, Adam realized he was twenty minutes late, followed by another heavy sigh. Walking along the long but narrow room, the picture of tonight's shoot was already building in his mind.
A huge box stood in the corner and was crammed with lenses so that pulling one out would drop all the others. Adam selected the right one and shoved it into a large black bag. 'Good thing today isn't a studio shoot,' ran through his mind. He disliked studios more than anything else. There wasn't much life itself in studio photography. Primarily, the staging looked deliberate and not natural. The fixation on backgrounds had long been primitive. Today he shot in a rented apartment with natural light. By this time, the model had already written three messages but meekly didn't call for fear of waking him up. Pouring coffee into a thermos, Adam pulled on the first of the t-shirts thrown on the chair, and there were usually about 8 of them. Shabby jeans hung on a hook in the bathroom. Somehow, he pulled himself together, fell behind the wheel of his red Alfa Romeo spider soft top, and slowly drove forward.
The city was ready to welcome the fall, and dry leaves were already lying somewhere; the smell of rain was thick. The roads were dusty and empty. On weekends only, the center was pandemonium, Adam didn't digest crowds, oxygen was always in short supply, and the idle chatter was perceived as white noise.
It wasn't a few seconds short of running a yellow traffic light. There were hardly any people at the intersection. Only a couple of students were laughing down the street, and She. Again, this attractive girl caught his eye out of the blue. This time her hair was tightly gathered into a bundle; her green peasant-style dress was blown about by the wind and had a permanently raised hem. Lacy soft ballet flats emphasized her thin ankle. She had her headphones on, and just like last time, she wasn't looking around at all. The time at the traffic light was running out 3...2...1. A yellow bus had already thrown a short honk in the back. And this time again, Adam didn't have time to see her face. Slowly inching forward, he saw her entering a small coffee shop through the rearview mirror.
The phone began to ring. The model's patience had run out. Adam decided not to call back, and it was still about 3 minutes away. Turning into the courtyard, he opened the navigator, even though he had already arrived at the address. The yard was a portal to another dimension: dark and creepy, the kind often seen in horror movies. He always rented apartments by photo, so these situations happened often, but he couldn't influence them. Adam only got the driveway number wrong. Driving a little farther, he saw one of his favorite models. She was sitting on a high concrete parapet with her legs wiggling flirtatiously. Robbie was what he called her because of her obvious resemblance to Margot Robbie. A sweet, blonde angel with a snub nose and a natural blush. Such a type was always sought after by audiences. Her beauty was graceful, and her eyes were gray and empty, like a child's. And although this appearance did not correspond to Robbie's inner state, it gave the right effect in the photo.
Her face lit up and spread into a sweet, childlike smile as soon as she saw Adam.
– 'I'm sorry, Robbie...to be honest, I just overslept, Adam shrugged guiltily and said quietly.
– I'm not offended at all; I'm glad you came; her gray eyes played in the sunlight and seemed almost white, "let's go quickly," Robbie said sweetly, jumping down from the parapet.
The apartment was on the third floor. The interior didn't bother Adam; the shoot was planned in front of a large window against the light. As soon as they walked in, preparations began. Adam was taking all the equipment out of his bag, trying it on. Due to the white walls, the room was overflowing with light. Robbie quickly went into the bath, traditionally powdered herself almost transparently. It wasn't their first time together; her every move was an arrangement. And even though Adam wasn't too hard on models, she didn't want to disappoint him. Robbie brushed her white hair and spritzed it with a very little bit of hairspray. She tinted her blonde eyelashes and removed her earrings and watch. Adam knocked on the door.
– Will you be here soon? – He asked quietly.
– Yes, in a minute
Then the door opened a little, and a very short, translucent dress on a thin wire trimmer appeared.
– That's for today, Adam said, waving the dress in the air.
He often bought clothes for his subjects. Over the years, he had accumulated a decent closet of women, which he skillfully combined with the models.
Robbie walked out into the main room with the large window. The thin beige dress was loose on her slim figure, emphasizing her thinness even more. Adam immediately grabbed the camera and looked only through it. The image of the home girl was alluring and arousing. In the natural light, her skin glowed, and her eyes turned snow-white. She resembled a mythical nymph. Robbie stood in profile against the window. Her soft pink nipples swelled with the touch of her dress and the slight draft. Puffy lips with a snub nose added to the cartoonish of her appearance. They didn't need to talk. She was a professional and knew her winning angles. Adam tried on the lights passionately. She played with her hands, gently touching her face and her narrow hips. Despite being naturally slender or even skinny, her buttocks were very juicy and rounded. The sag in her lower back only emphasized her youthful sexuality. Until an hour ago, her blush was barely visible, the color of a ripe peach. By the end of the shoot, her cheeks were scarlet from physical exertion. Slender fingers with short almond nails twitched, amused as she touched her body. Standing barefoot on the cool floor, her toes turned pink. With each shot, Robbie held her breath and anticipated the sweep of Adam's hand. With that gesture, he usually ended the entire shoot. Finally, he did. Robbie's neck and back were stiff, and her feet were finally cold.
– Everything's good today, he whispered as he reviewed the photo on the camera.
Robbie smiled and silently went to change in the bathroom. While Adam was gathering all the appliances, a completely different person walked into the room. Not even a hint of the blond angel was left. Heavy dark arrows and chocolate lipstick had knocked all of Robbie's angelic spunk off. This was what she looked like in real life. The short black dress slimmed and elongated her legs even more. She pulled out her stiletto sandals from her bag and, bouncing on one foot, tried to put them on quickly. She was very fond of such images and brightness and didn't realize how she was ruining herself. Hiding her beauty and exposing her nature. Surprisingly, she took great pleasure in it.
– Shall we settle up one of these days? – Robbie asked, out of breath.
– Sure, whatever suits you. I'll text you. – Zipping up his bag, Adam said.
Robbie walked over and kissed Adam gently on the cheek with the corner of her lips, it was their ritual. Their sympathy was sincere, but it was also highly workmanlike. It was simple and easy, with no fiddling or arguing. Everyone got what they wanted.
– Do you need a ride? – Adam asked, opening the car door.
– No, they've already come for me...around the corner, I'll run. I'll see you later. – she stormed out of the driveway and ran across the yard, loudly clicking her heels.
Adam dropped into his car and drove out to the other side to not embarrass Robbie and her next beau. Turning around, he couldn't understand how such a sweet girl was wasting her life in such a strange way. A glimpse of himself in a similar context, and he abruptly decided to put those thoughts to death before they had time to make him nervous.
Driving in the opposite direction, Adam remembered the morning and glanced at the small roadside coffee shop where That Girl had stopped by this morning. With a sharp tap on the brakes and the edge of his ear hearing a couple of swear words from the back, he pulled up right in front of it. Adam carefully opened the door with an annoying bell.
The interior of the café looked very cheap and simple. In gray and wiped-white, a bar counter consumed almost the entire area. Two small, skewed, slightly rundown tables stood in the corners, and three tall bar stools at the counter. It was very stuffy in the coffee shop. There was no air conditioning, and a small hanging fan dispersed the hot air only slightly. Behind the bar was She. Standing with her back to the main entrance, she was whipping milk into cappuccino foam. There were a couple of people in the coffee shop. Adam recognized her hair and thin, sharp shoulders. He sat in the chair across from her and quietly watched as she quickly made several cups of coffee. Her morning bundle on her head was practically falling apart, her brown curly locks falling down her unbuttoned shirt. The barista's uniform was chewed up with old stains. She turned sharply to face the man at the table and shouted: Your Cappuccino. Adam saw her profile and bright green eyes. They were so green, not typical. Perfectly sharp cheekbones drew a clear line across her face.
– Can I have a latte? – Adam asked quietly.
To which the beauty only nodded. Her nimble fingers are set to work. The rolled-up sleeves were constantly falling down and had to be pulled up, exposing her swarthy, thin wrists. Long fingernails tapped on the coffee machine and cups. She was foaming milk, and the third of her face that Adam could see was focused. Her eyebrows were lowered, and the hairs of her bangs were falling into her eyes. She was blowing them away very nicely.
– Your Latte, she turned her face completely around and scalded Adam with a deep and magical gaze.
In a moment, he was numbed by her charisma. Not to say that the girl was the perfection of beauty, rather she had that very natural magnetism about her. Her eyes made him want to forget himself. Lush long eyelashes, thick eyebrows, and a thin, perfectly straight nose. Well-defined cheekbones accentuated all of this. Adam regarded her and seemed not even to be breathing. She was wiping the counter with a damp rag. Her shirt was two buttons undone, and you could see her collarbones playing.
– What's your name? – Adam asked in a whisper.
– Lisa, she said, looking up for a second.
Adam took one big sip of his latte, a little milk spilling onto the counter.
– I'm sorry, Lisa. I put you to work... said Adam jokingly.
– It's okay. I'll clean it up. – Lisa immediately wiped up a few drops that had fallen.
His thoughts were confused, and he didn't understand how to continue the dialog. There were dozens of options in his head, but he chose the most banal one for some reason.
– Have you ever been photographed?
Lisa, in response, only laughed, ringing like the other couple of visitors. The situation was embarrassing and awkward. The unwitting witnesses to the apparent flirtation were hiding their eyes.
– I know who you are...Adam. I've been subscribed to you for a long time. – Lisa said quietly with a smirk. Her lips were a light peach, a rare natural shade.
– And what do you have to say about me? – Trying to hide his surprise, he asked.
– I'll say that everyone knows about you. What you do is beautiful, but not for me. – Wiping the cup proudly, said Lisa.
– I would pay very well
Lisa took that phrase as an insult. So she sharply put the terminal on the counter.
– You didn't pay for the latte, Lisa said casually.
Adam clicked his phone on the terminal as three loud students entered the café. The atmosphere immediately became wildly tense and noisy. Adam realized it was time to leave.
– Text me, he told Lisa as he headed for the exit. But there was no reply. Lisa waved her head from side to side, clearly signaling no answer.
Adam raced home, filled with admiration. He wanted to get there sooner rather than later and try to find her out of his millions of subscribers. On the drive home, a text message arrived on his phone. It was Eva: I'll be there tomorrow. The mood improved even more. Finally, he would see his long-awaited muse and create without prejudice. Her photos were a huge success for the public. She began to receive many advertising offers, but Eva never took the chance. She was not interested in such a life, and a couple of years ago, she disappeared from social networks and stopped posting photos. She was uncompromising and always straightforward. If something went against her philosophy – she cut it off right away. It was her best and worst quality at the same time.
A spirited, Adam sent only a heartfelt reply. Going up to the apartment, the first thing he did was kick off the soft robe. He decided to spend the rest of the day working on today's photos of Robbie, uploading them, and going to bed. After a few hours of processing, there was pressure in his eyes. He got up from his desk and went to get another cup of coffee. His phone lay on the windowsill in airplane mode. Adam was used to turning it on; the background sounds disrupted perseverance. He decided to start searching for Lisa among his subscribers. He didn't know her nickname, didn't know her last name. Adam was horrified, typing in the name Lisa, an endless list of a thousand accounts with that name. He began flipping through each account. A stiff neck made him look at his watch; he had been doing this for over an hour, unnoticed. Robbie's pictures took a back seat; he could have finished them at any moment, but he didn't. He sat looking at Lisa's account all evening and almost all night until he passed out from helplessness.
In the morning, the photographer woke up in mild anxiety. He still hadn't found Lisa. Putting on a soft robe, he wanted to call Eva, but she beat him by literally 10 seconds.
– Hello, darling; Eve's languid, low, and insanely sexy voice sobered Adam instantly.
– Hello, most beautiful woman, he said with a smile.
– Meet me at twelve; I'd like some studio shots. – Eva suggested firmly
– Only in my old studio, I warn you...I haven't been there for a long time. It's not very clean. – Adam shrugged automatically.
– See you later, darling; Eva said goodbye and immediately dropped the call.
It was time to start packing. With Eva, there was no need to come up with plots. Every shoot was productive. Even though Adam didn't like studios, he would do anything for Eve. After an hour of packing, checking equipment...he went to pick out clothes for the first time in a long time. Appearance was important to him today. He put on an expensive white t-shirt with a blue collar and pulled out classic dark blue jeans from the bowels of his closet. Perfuming himself with his favorite cologne, he headed for the exit. It wasn't a long drive, but he wanted to get ahead of Eva, which would at least sweep things up a bit. He hadn't opened the studio in half a year. Rarely he rented it out. Adam drove through the intersection, approaching Lisa's coffee shop. He wanted to stop for coffee, but at the same time, he was afraid of letting Eve down. At the stoplight, looking toward the coffee shop, there was a small hope of seeing Lisa. Maybe she would come out for a second or at least open the door. That didn't happen. Driving through two yellow traffic lights, the day promised to be good. That was his omen. The uneasiness came again on the drive up to the studio; Adam didn't like this place. It was associated with hours of empty, fruitless labor years ago. He had slept there many times, searching for his style in an attempt to shoot something worthwhile.
The creaking door opened, dust hitting his nose. Adam turned on the communal light, threw the bags on the floor, and ran for a broom to clean up at least a little on the pad. A large room with a tiny window and strong acoustics. Every movement in it was booming. Adam cleaned up a bit and started setting up old dusty soft boxes. The clacking of heels started outside and got closer. The heavy, wide stride was recognizable from hundreds of others. Eve opened the door abruptly.
– I'm here! – The echo of her voice filled the room.
Adam looked at her and didn't immediately recognize her. Sure, he realized it was Eve, but something about her had changed drastically. Same hair, exact figure... But something was wrong. He decided not to let it show and smiled as always. She was wearing a tight black dress, very tight. It emphasized all her virtues, her large breasts and wide hips. Her black, coal-black hair glistened with a shade of blue, and her dark red lipstick and brown eyes created the image of a kind of Mistress. Sultry and strict, yet insanely sexy.
– I decided to shoot in a bodysuit; I don't need to change. Eva unzipped her dress from the side. She pulled her arms out and forcefully pulled it down.
She was in a light black colored muslin bodysuit, no bra or panties. Very thin and see-through. Adam tried hard not to stare at her, which would be unprofessional.
– Come on in; everything's ready, the photographer placed a rundown chair in the center.
Eve, wearing black lacquered shoes, sat down in profile.
The photographer began to try on. Her body was beautiful from every angle. Large breasts about a size four held the muslin bodysuit in constant tension. Her light-brown nipples were sharp and hard. They seemed about to tear through the underwear. The slim waist transitioned smoothly into wide hips, and the hips into large and round buttocks. Her calves were thin enough for this type of physique. High heels concealed her size 42 feet. Long fingers and broad palms touched his waist. Adam blended in entirely with the camera. He motioned for her to stand up and slowly approached her. Eve stood confidently and was taller. Adam touched her hair and let some strands out on the left side. Abruptly feeling aroused, he took two steps back. She stood with her legs spread apart in full face, hiding her face in her hair. Her legs were very long and smooth. Her figure was fully revealed. A few extra pounds adorned her, adding to her gauntness. From her flat back, the bodysuit crashed into her neck and barely held up her heavy breasts. Eve opened her thighs, her neatly trimmed pubes showing beneath the thin muslin layer. Adam didn't notice how his favorite erotica had abruptly veered into such a frank direction. Eve smoothly changed positions without prompting. The photographer was sweating from the constant movement. He often rearranged the light, looking for exciting angles; excitement quickly passed, and the work accelerated.
– Let's try by the window, Adam moved his chair to the dirty window. It radiated soft daylight.
Eva nodded and sat down on the chair; the Photographer turned her around in profile and said quietly:
– Take off your shoes, please.
– Why? We haven't done that before, and You could sense the complexity in her quiet, low tone. She very rarely went without heels for that reason.
– Believe me, you have beautiful feet. The pictures will be great. – Adam knew how to persuade at the right moment.
Eva took off her shoes and exposed her ankles. The reason for the complexes was not clear, and anyone could envy her data. The smooth toes were decorated with dark burgundy nail polish, and the foot was long but narrow.
They took a couple of simple shots in front of the window. After them, Eva became even more relaxed. She swung her legs over the ledge on the side of the window. Now they seemed even longer. The last shot was the best shot of the whole shoot.
– Thank you so much, beautiful, Adam said sincerely, flipping through the photos on the camera.
– You're welcome. I'll be honest, and I need the money now. Is there any way we can make a quick buck on these photos? - The conversation turned serious.
– Unless I can pay you right away. You know that this business has no quick money – in a moment, the photographer felt a little sorry for Eva.
– Great, I'll text you the card number later. – Eva was pulling on a tight dress, standing in one shoe. You could see she was in a hurry. Frantically buttoning and flipping her hair. She smelled of some kind of liquor or was it her perfume?
– 'I thought we'd have dinner together tonight... it's been so long since we've seen each other after all,' Adam had already realized that wasn't going to happen.
– I'm sorry, darling. Some other time, I've got a lot to do today. I'll run... – Eva grabbed her bag, ran up to Adam, and gave him a sudden peck on the cheek.
He blushed a little.
– See you later, most beautiful woman! – Shouted through the open door.
Adam realized how much things had changed in the last three years. Though she had aged a little, it hadn't affected her beauty. The only thing that had changed was that Adam felt nothing. Eve no longer touched his heart; the magnetism and lust were gone. All that remained was beauty, but that was more for sexual gratification.
Adam drove what was left of him home in a state of perfect emptiness. As he approached that very intersection, he lost the urge to go in – it was full of people. It was noticeable through the door. For the first time, he noticed the name Craft Café. Adam realized how to find Lisa online.
Arriving home, he threw his bag on the floor and ran to the kitchen for a huge cup of coffee. As he sat on a chair, the phone fell face down to the floor with a clatter. Adam picked it up carefully, the screen covered in cracked cobwebs. He shook off the micro-pieces of glass and logged into subscribers. In the search box, he typed: café Craft. It turned out that it was a whole chain, so he had to search by geolocation. Fifteen minutes later, going through all the photos and trying to find Lisa, a text message from Eva popped up on the screen with her card number. He had no idea how much to pay her and decided to transfer the first three-digit number. The search continued; all the accounts merged, and his concentration dropped, but Adam didn't stop. On the second hour of the search, he changed tactics again and looked for her in the subscriptions at the coffee shop. There was not a single Lisa in them. His patience was running out, so he started deleting one letter at a time from the search bar: Lisa, Liz, Lee...and then the only account with that nickname and a sunflower on the avatar popped up. Adam immediately sensed it was her.
– Hi! Sorry if my question seems weird...are you the Lisa who works as a barista at Craft? It was his first message, and the reply came about 20 minutes later.
– Hi. Yeah, that's me.
Adam lit up with happiness.
– I finally found you!
– Why were you looking for me?
– I wanted to invite you to the shoot.
Lee typed a message... Adam held his breath as he looked at the animation.
– No, I don't do that kind of thing.
– I wouldn't suggest anything "like that." I wanted to invite you to a normal shoot anywhere you'd like.
Adam was starting to get that chronic agitation in his stomach area again.
– In case you haven't noticed, I don't like having my picture taken.
Lisa's account really didn't have any pictures, just pictures of kitties and flowers. This being in the "shadows" was just for the sake of quiet observation.
– I don't offer shoots to everyone; believe me
– While I do not want even just to shoot, I am not photogenic – I felt a slight warming in the dialog.
– I don't want to brag, but I always see potential. I have a lot of experience. Let me take at least a couple of shots.
– I don't want to do that yet, is that all you need?
– No, we can just chat. – replied Adam with a sunflower sticker.
Throughout the evening, they were actively texting about life in general. About work, about hobbies. It turned out that Lisa had been working in a coffee shop for two years, and it was strange that Adam had only noticed her now. She lived the same way her clothes looked - very modest in a rented apartment with a ginger cat, earning pennies for the simplest necessities through grueling labor. Her workday lasted ten to twelve hours. As Adam realized, she had no personal life. With a routine like that, cop-lexes were just a side effect. Lisa was into adventure movies and floristry. According to her, her modest apartment was a botanical garden. The only pity was that she didn't want to meet. Adam didn't want to impose too much, didn't want to scare her off, ruin the impression. He was restrained unnaturally, and it wasn't how he was used to talking to girls. And empty hour-long correspondence was new to him in general.
They talked the next day, too. Even when he was on another shoot, thoughts of the phone in his back pocket constantly haunted the background. Then it became a habit; every day for a month began and ended with texting and voice messages with Lisa. They hadn't met once during that time, and Adam hadn't stopped by the coffee shop. He liked this format – non-committal, no pressure. Lisa consisted of the best qualities. Modest, sweet, hardworking, and uniquely beautiful. We never talked about shooting again. Until one day, she sent her selfies. A simple, crooked photo of her in the kitchen. But how beautiful her face was. It exuded simultaneous passion and tenderness. The green eyes drew all the attention. Adam was happy. Happy with the very fact of being with such a unique yet simple girl. He dreamed about her periodically, lusting after every inch of her body. And one day, he received that long-awaited message:
– Let's meet, take the camera
It was a small victory for Adam. He stayed up all night, thinking of ideas and possible locations. They agreed to meet outside the hotel. The idea was a light shoot in a white shirt and jeans in the lobby.
Adam wore his best: a white shirt with a blue collar and expensive jeans. It was already cold and dreary outside, and the leaves were almost gone. The gray streets washed out all the good inside the average person, but not Adam. Filled with anticipation, he was so hurried that he'd left his keys in the car in the hotel parking lot. With a large black bag, he ran into the lobby.
She stood there exactly as she had the first time he'd seen her on the sidewalk: in a shabby coat and black boots. Her curls were even longer, and her face was excited and dramatic.
– I'm happy to see you! – Adam ran up to her and didn't even notice how he didn't even say hello himself.
– Hi...me too...very much, she smiled so wide, her teeth were perfectly straight.
– Uh...we can go to the couch; I'll take a couple of test shots," he suggested, looking around for better lighting.
Lisa nodded. It was apparent how worried she was. Though the excitement felt good, she was shaken at times. She took off her coat, and she smelled so nice. Her clothes, her body, and her hair smelled like caramel. The pictures on the couch turned out pretty good. The people around her pretended nothing was happening but were sneaking glances. She was perfect. As she concentrated, Adam noticed that her face was smooth and clean. There was no makeup on it at all.
– I have a suggestion, Lisa said quietly, afraid of ruining another shot.
– What is it? – The photographer did not interrupt for a second between the camera clicks.
– Can you take a picture of me in the room? I've seen the beautiful interiors. – her face became embarrassed, and she got a taste for it.
– Sure, I'm all for it...do you want to do it right now? – Adam clarified loudly.
– Yes, Lisa replied with a raised eyebrow.
– Then wait for me here, – the photographer put the camera on the couch and went to the receptionist's desk.
Adam chose one of the deluxe rooms and paid for 2 hours, hiding from the manager's judgmental stare. Taking the key card, he noticed Lisa was no longer on the couch. There was only his camera. He grabbed the camera and the bag next to it. Her coat from the coat rack was gone too. He looked around the room, and she was gone. Then from behind him, he heard:
– I'm here! – Lisa was standing by the elevator, holding her coat.
– I was afraid you'd left... said Adam worriedly.
– You what...I would never do that, and she looked on with great bewilderment.
They smiled at each other and went up to the third floor.
The room was classic, understated except for the outdated candelabra – a square bed in the center of the room decorated with wrought iron monograms. A small champagne-colored couch stood by the window. The room was in beige and white colors. In this setting, in the daylight, Lise's hair shimmered red.
– I need to brush my hair, she motioned toward the bathroom. Adam meekly unpacked his bag again. He looked around the room, searching for the best place to sit. Then it was decided to move the couch even closer to the window. Adam opened the curtains, and the room was bathed in warm light, and the large windows overlooking the parkland were perfectly positioned.
– I'm ready, sounded very quietly from behind him. He turned around and saw a completely naked Lisa. From mutual embarrassment, they started laughing loudly and couldn't stop.
– It's been a long time since I've been so surprised, Adam said through his laughter, Why did you suddenly decide to get naked?
– I decided to beat my complexes, Lisa giggled.
Both stood awkwardly laughing. Adam blushed and averted his embarrassed gaze.
– Come sit on the couch; let's try it out
Lisa sat down sideways. Through her clothes, her thinness wasn't as noticeable. Her ribs really stood out, as did her spine. Sharp shoulders, thin collarbones...Her thinness was not painful, more like a ballet figure. Her hands disappeared into the thickness of her luxurious hair, and she lifted them, arching her back. Her toes fidgeted and clenched. Adam could see the slight shaking.
– Relax, we're not working, just relaxing. – He said.
Lisa swayed from side to side, shifting her feet.
– Don't look down; look at the camera – Adam was crazy about the color of her eyes.
Green, deep, they were addictive. Wanted to shoot more and more.
She stood up from the couch, two hands lifting the roots of her hair, crossing her legs. All her beauty lay bare before the viewer. Playful collarbones glistened in the light, and her breasts were tender, about a size three. The peachy nipples were not expressive, making her breasts seem more round. A shadow fell across her slightly sunken belly and went over her pubes. There wasn't a single hair on Lisa's body. Her swarthy face, thick eyebrows, and eyelashes painted a slightly exotic image. How much she had changed in this apartment. It was as if she had always been here. Adam decided to take one last portrait, he moved closer, and the smell of caramel hit his nose. Such a properly shaped face was easy to work with; the clean lines set the overall symmetry. Lisa put her hand on Adam's shoulder. He pretended not to notice it. Then she lowered the camera, pushing it down with her fingers. They looked into each other's eyes; Adam couldn't stand it and kissed her passionately. It was mutual. Passion, crush, lust – the concentration of these feelings poured into a long kiss. Her lips were sugary, similar to feelings the photographer had experienced only in his youth. Too bad this moment was so short. Lisa stood up carefully.
– Thank you for the photo shoot, she said coquettishly and went into the bathtub. Adam sat red and confused. He could hear through the door how she was getting ready. He wished he could burst in on her...but he'd never dare. He wasn't that classic hero-lover. And he'd always been convinced that such behavior hurt professionalism.
Lisa came out fully dressed, even throwing her coat on top. Her curls were again tied in a tight ponytail.
– Well? Shall we go? – Lisa asked with a smirk.
Adam scratched his eyebrow, picked up his bag, and walked toward the exit. A yellow cab was already parked outside.
– I called an Uber for myself
– I'll walk her out, Adam opened the car door for her. He didn't understand why she'd called a car. He was ready to take her anywhere in the city.
Lisa stood by the door and held out her thin arms. They hugged so tightly that the seams on the photographer's jacket made a small cracking sound. She scratched the back of his head a little with her long fingernails.
– I'll write you back today; thanks for everything. I had a wonderful time. – Lisa broke out into a smile again.
– 'Thank you so much; I'll text tonight. – Adam said goodbye, breathing in the sweet smell of her hair. Just like that, she left.
At home, Adam tossed his bag into the corner of the room and, putting on his annoying robe again, simultaneously began to process today's photos. He savored her charisma, so visceral and sensual. Her body didn't even need to be photoshopped; for him, it was perfect. Until late in the evening, he went through the photos one by one and dumped them all to her when the job was done.
– Can I put your pictures up? – Adam texted close to midnight.
– Yes, but only one; Lisa left sunflower emoticons everywhere.
Adam did just that. Hundreds of comments from delighted viewers. Thousands of likes and reposts. They were happy to see a new, atypical face. The photographer was very tired. Both physically and emotionally, he was exhausted. That's why he collapsed to sleep right in his hated robe and glasses.
In the morning, Adam woke up, and the robe was on the floor. He picked it up, carried it to the kitchen, and threw it in the trash. Finally, he felt free. All the jammed routine had been thrown away along with the robe, and the irritation was gone. Breathing was easier. His cell phone lay nearby, practically dead. Adam put it on charge and went into the kitchen; today, for the first time, he felt like having tea. The phone charged up, he went into the messages and, to his surprise, found no dialog box with Lisa. He couldn't access her page either, and he couldn't call her. Adam realized that she had blocked him. But why? Why was she doing this to him? Maybe he'd said something wrong? Behaved unculturally? He couldn't come up with a single convincing answer. There were still a lot of pictures of her on the flash drive. Adam considered posting them all in a fit of mild aggression. But it subsided smoothly after a couple of sips of tea. She'd only asked him to post one, he thought confusedly.
The next few days were difficult; he thought of her constantly. It was decided to stop by the coffee shop and find out what the reason was for such a low act on her part. Adam made it there in his home clothes in less than ten minutes. He saw a young guy behind the counter when he opened the door. The new barista had no idea who Lisa was. It was his second day working at this establishment, and he knew no one. Adam didn't even know her last name or at least the neighborhood where she lived.
After a week of self-abuse, the search efforts stopped. A couple of months later, a new wave of creativity swept over him. Stories and ideas were born nonstop. New faces found him. Success became even more, as well as earnings. There was no time to think about personal tragedies, and life was always moving forward. He had time for nostalgia only at night before going to bed. Usually, Adam spent this time watching mindless videos to chase away dark thoughts. Suddenly, after one of the videos, he saw Lisa in an automated commercial. It was a perfume commercial. The girl looked even better than before. Her hair was longer, and her haphazard curls were more coiffed. The commercial lasted 15 seconds. She was in a chiffon mauve sundress twirling against an expensive chromakey backdrop. Adam was so taken aback that he didn't even take a screenshot. It was hard to describe the emotion he was feeling. It was a mixture of elation and inner aggression. Flipping through a few more videos, he hoped to see the commercial again.
A couple of days later, while filming a new standard blonde in a huge dark apartment, the phone in his back pocket vibrated. It was a text from an unknown number:
"Call you on Tuesday. Lisa."
Adam was confused and didn't immediately realize it was the same Lisa. After a couple of seconds, he even laughed a little audibly. Putting his phone in his pocket, he continued to take pictures.
It seemed to him that the room had a slight smell of caramel.
他第一次见到她是在一年前。她穿着破旧的大衣和黑靴子,站在街上。她是个矮小瘦弱的黑发女孩,有着完美的颧骨和自然的卷发。他只看到她,没看清她的脸。她可能是来买东西的。她正用小手掌数钱,动作笨拙而幼稚。第二次是在夏天。她穿着米色亚麻连衣裙,手里拿着一堆包,在绿灯的最后一秒跑过市中心的马路。她跑得太快了,以至于被对面的路边绊倒。她的腿好像受伤了。她甚至没有叫出声,就像小猫发出的声音--安静的 “吱吱 ”声。她一瘸一拐地拖着自己的腿走了。
一个坐在车里等黄灯的人,能做出什么样的分析,真是令人好奇。对他来说,这不是游戏或娱乐,而是一切都自动发生。近几个月来,例行公事终于让他付出了代价。单调乏味和经常性的烦躁已经是再熟悉不过的状况了。当你醒来......,你穿上柔软的睡袍,咖啡机开始煮咖啡,周围的一切都安静而平和。喝下第一口咖啡,你会问自己:我在这里做什么?每个人都会遇到这种情况。我并不想充满戏剧性,但当你是一个艺术家时,这就成了一个悲剧。地位是一个沉重的包袱,不断要求得到肯定和认可。亚当是个中年人。在成为一名知名摄影师之后,他多次在众多观众面前证实自己的才华,并将此视为自己的责任。除了对自己,他并不是一个苛求的人。他曾经的红发已经被白发打断,一周不刮胡子一点也不觉得不舒服。亚当的天性深沉,他不喜欢肤浅的女人。他不喜欢人造的乳房和空洞的眼睛。近代以来,要找到一个轮廓自然优美的模特越来越难。市场营销毁了数百万女性的容貌。最近,时尚和外在美的潮流开始让他感到恐惧。而这种毒药又是如何迅速而轻易地从网络渗入现实世界。寻找模特越来越难。每天都有数以百计的邮件向他发出拍摄请求。整理这些邮件平均每天要花费 2 个小时。我看的照片让我失去了注意力。所有的面孔都显得典型、平淡,有时甚至完全索然无味。几十年的创作生涯压在我的胸口,长时间的拍摄让我浮肿。经过一天的忙碌:数小时的修图、寻找新创意,还有一件恼人的柔软睡袍。
亚当在等待夏娃的到来。她曾是他最喜欢的模特。黑发,闷骚,眼神凌厉,臀部宽大。他一向不喜欢庸俗的东西,而伊娃总是处于边缘。这就是神秘的磁性 她就像昂贵的葡萄酒,酸甜可口。她知道自己的身价,总是在争论中获胜。他们的拍摄总是按照她的条件进行:日期、时间、想法和数量。一切都按照她的意愿。亚当从不与她争论;他喜欢娇嗔地屈服于她,喜欢她那乌黑的眉毛和嘴角上扬的样子。喜欢自己是那个能给她带来几小时快乐的人。也许他对她有一点点真挚的感情,但他从未承认过,甚至对自己也是如此。他们三年没有见面,但定期通信。她搬到意大利后,他的创作力被削弱了几个月。这种停滞不前的状态令人痛苦不堪。他把大部分时间都花在了片场,在网上寻找新的故事。对他来说,这是创作的低潮期。两个月后,他迎来了康复期,她的面容逐渐从他痴迷的思绪中抹去,笼罩在淡淡的阴霾中,不再散发出多年前震撼他的光彩。随着时间的流逝,出现了其他崭新的、截然不同的面孔。他们带来了灵感和新的想法;生活变得一如既往,在某些地方甚至更加美好。尽管如此,昨天伊娃给我发了一条短信:
我周一会到那里去;胃里有什么东西在颤抖。
星期天早上,亚当很久以来第一次睡了个懒觉。直觉告诉他,他已经睡了很久。那块老劳力士表一直戴着,只有在送修时他才摘下来,而且只摘下来过一次。他趴在床上,把手从枕头下抽出来,看不清数字......没有眼镜,他几乎看不清,而且眼镜也被永远纠缠在一起的被子弄丢了。他坐在床上,身体前倾。他的脚边放着那件令人憎恨的柔软长袍。亚当重重地叹了口气,站起身来,用力把袍子穿上。有一种堪比负重的压力,但这种习惯是神圣的。这就是人们所说的--稳定。擦掉毯子,镜片被刮花的眼镜哗啦一声掉在了复合地板上。视力刚刚恢复,亚当就意识到自己迟到了 20 分钟,随即又是一声沉重的叹息。走在狭长的房间里,他的脑海里已经浮现出今晚拍摄的画面。
角落里放着一个巨大的盒子,里面塞满了镜头,拉出一个就会掉下其他所有的镜头。亚当挑选了一个合适的,然后把它塞进了一个黑色的大袋子里。幸好今天不是在摄影棚拍摄。他最不喜欢的就是摄影棚。棚内摄影本身并没有什么生命力。最主要的是,摄影棚的布置看起来很刻意,不自然。对背景的执着早已过时。今天,他在租来的公寓里用自然光拍摄。此时,模特已经写了三条信息,但因为怕吵醒他,所以温顺地没有打电话。亚当把咖啡倒进保温瓶,穿上扔在椅子上的第一件 T 恤,通常有 8 件左右。破旧的牛仔裤挂在浴室的挂钩上。不知怎么的,他振作起来,坐在红色阿尔法-罗密欧蜘蛛软顶跑车的方向盘后,慢慢地向前驶去。
这座城市已经做好了迎接秋天的准备,干枯的树叶已经不知道躺在哪里,雨水的味道很浓。路上尘土飞扬,空无一人。只有周末,市中心才会乌烟瘴气,亚当不消化人群,氧气总是供不应求,闲聊被视为白噪音。
就差几秒钟就闯黄灯了。十字路口几乎没什么人。只有几个学生在街边有说有笑,还有小谢。这个迷人的女孩又一次突然映入他的眼帘。这一次,她的头发紧紧地拢成一束;绿色的农家风格连衣裙被风吹得飘飘荡荡,下摆长期翘起。花边软底芭蕾平底鞋突出了她纤细的脚踝。她戴着耳机,和上次一样,她根本没有四处张望。红绿灯的时间快到了,3...2...1,一辆黄色的公共汽车已经在后面按了一阵喇叭。这一次,亚当又来不及看清她的脸。他慢慢地向前走,透过后视镜看到她走进了一家小咖啡店。
电话开始响了。模特的耐心已经耗尽。亚当决定不回电话,而且还有大约 3 分钟的路程。转进院子,他打开了导航仪,尽管他已经到达了地址。院子是通往另一个空间的入口:黑暗、阴森,是恐怖电影里经常出现的那种。他总是按照片租房,所以这种情况经常发生,但他无法左右。亚当只弄错了车道号码。又开了一段路,他看到了他最喜欢的模特之一。她正坐在高高的水泥护栏上,双腿妩媚地扭动着。他叫她 “罗比”,因为她长得很像玛格特-罗比。她是一个甜美的金发天使,有着小巧的鼻子和天生的腮红。这样的类型总是受到观众的追捧。她的美是优雅的,她的眼睛是灰色的、空洞的,就像一个孩子的眼睛。虽然这样的外表与罗比的内心状态并不相符,但在照片中却起到了恰到好处的效果。
一看到亚当,她的脸上就露出了甜美、孩童般的笑容。
- 对不起,罗比......说实话,我只是睡过头了,亚当内疚地耸耸肩,轻声说道。
- 罗比甜甜地说着,从护栏上跳了下来。
公寓在三楼。室内的环境并没有让亚当感到困扰,拍摄计划是在一扇逆光的大窗前进行。他们一进门,准备工作就开始了。亚当从包里拿出所有设备,试穿起来。由于墙壁是白色的,房间里光线充足。罗比很快就进入了浴缸,按照传统,她几乎是透明地给自己上了粉。这不是他们第一次在一起,她的一举一动都是安排好的。尽管亚当对模特并不苛刻,但她不想让他失望。罗比梳理了一下她的白发,喷了一点发胶。她染了染金色的睫毛,摘下耳环和手表。亚当敲了敲门。
- 你马上就到吗?- 他轻声问道。
- 是的,马上就到
这时,门开了一下,一件半透明的超短裙出现在她面前,裙子上还系着一根细铁丝。
- 这是今天要穿的,亚当说着,把裙子在空中挥了挥。
他经常给他的臣民买衣服。多年来,他已经积累了一个像样的女人衣橱,他巧妙地将这些女人与模特结合在一起。
罗比走到有大窗户的主厅。薄薄的米色连衣裙穿在她苗条的身材上很宽松,更加凸显了她的瘦弱。亚当立即拿起相机,只通过它看了一眼。家中女孩的形象诱人而撩人。在自然光的照射下,她的皮肤闪闪发光,眼睛变成了雪白色。她就像神话中的仙女。罗比靠窗站着。她粉嫩的乳头随着衣服的触感和微微的气流膨胀起来。浮肿的嘴唇和翘挺的鼻子使她的外貌更加卡通。他们不需要交谈。她是专业人士,知道自己的制胜角度。亚当满怀激情地试着灯光。她玩弄着自己的双手,轻轻抚摸着自己的脸和窄窄的臀部。尽管她天生纤细,甚至可以说是瘦弱,但她的臀部却非常丰满圆润。腰部的下垂更凸显了她的年轻性感。直到一个小时前,她的脸还几乎看不到红晕,就像成熟的水蜜桃一样。拍摄结束后,她的脸颊因体力消耗而变得绯红。纤细的手指带着短短的杏仁指甲,在她抚摸自己的身体时有趣地抽动着。赤脚站在冰凉的地板上,她的脚趾变成了粉红色。每射一次,罗比都屏住呼吸,期待着亚当的手扫过。他通常会用这个手势结束整个拍摄过程。最后,他做到了。罗比的脖子和背部都很僵硬,脚也终于凉了。
- 今天一切都很好,他边看相机里的照片边低声说。
罗比笑了笑,默默地去浴室换衣服。就在亚当收拾所有用具的时候,一个完全不同的人走进了房间。连一丝金发天使的影子都没有了。浓重的黑箭和巧克力色的口红把罗比天使般的灵气都抹掉了。这就是她现实生活中的样子。黑色短裙使她的双腿更加纤细修长。她从包里拿出细高跟凉鞋,单脚跳着试着快速穿上。她非常喜欢这样的画面和亮度,却没有意识到自己是如何毁了自己。她隐藏了自己的美丽,暴露了自己的本性。出乎意料的是,她却乐在其中。
- 我们要不要找个时间好好谈谈?- 罗比气喘吁吁地问。
- 当然,随便你。我会给你发短信的。- 亚当拉上包的拉链说。
罗比走过去,用嘴角轻轻吻了一下亚当的脸颊,这是他们的惯例。他们的慰问是真诚的,但也是高度工作化的。他们的慰问简单而轻松,没有纠结和争执。每个人都得到了自己想要的。
- 您需要搭车吗?- 亚当打开车门问道。
- 不用了,他们已经来接我了......拐个弯,我就跑。回头见。- 她冲出车道,跑过院子,高跟鞋发出嗒嗒的响声。
亚当钻进车里,把车开到另一边,以免罗比和她的下一个男友尴尬。转过身来,他不明白这么可爱的女孩怎么会以这种奇怪的方式浪费生命。他瞥见自己也有类似的遭遇,于是突然决定,在这些想法还来不及让他紧张之前,就把它们扼杀在摇篮里。
朝相反的方向开去,亚当想起了早上的事,他瞥了一眼路边的小咖啡店,那个女孩今天早上曾在那里停留过。他猛地一踩刹车,耳边听到后面传来几句脏话,便把车停在了店门口。亚当小心翼翼地打开门,门铃恼人地响着。
咖啡馆的内部看起来非常廉价和简单。灰白相间的吧台几乎占据了整个区域。两张歪歪斜斜、略显破旧的小桌子立在角落里,柜台前放着三张高高的吧凳。咖啡馆里非常闷热。没有空调,一个悬挂的小风扇只能稍微驱散一下热气。吧台后面是 She。她背对着正门站着,正在把牛奶打成卡布奇诺泡沫。咖啡店里有几个人。亚当认出了她的头发和瘦削的肩膀。他坐在她对面的椅子上,静静地看着她快速地冲好几杯咖啡。她头上的晨间束发几乎要散开了,棕色的卷发顺着解开的衬衫垂落下来。咖啡师的制服被咬得满是旧污渍。她猛地转过身,面对着桌旁的男人喊道:"你的卡布奇诺: 您的卡布奇诺。亚当看到了她的轮廓和一双翠绿色的眼睛。它们是那么绿,不是一般的绿。完美利落的颧骨在她脸上划出一道清晰的线条。
- 能给我一杯拿铁咖啡吗?- 亚当轻声问道。
美女只是点了点头。她灵活的手指开始工作。卷起的袖子不断往下掉,不得不拉起来,露出她黝黑纤细的手腕。长长的指甲敲打着咖啡机和杯子。她正在发泡牛奶,亚当能看到的三分之一的脸是专注的。她的眉毛低垂着,刘海的头发垂到了眼睛里。她把它们吹得非常漂亮。
- 你的拿铁咖啡,她把脸完全转了过来,用深邃而神奇的目光灼烧着亚当。
一瞬间,他被她的魅力麻木了。并不是说这个女孩是完美的美人,而是她身上有一种非常自然的磁性。她的眼睛让他想忘记自己。郁郁葱葱的长睫毛,浓密的眉毛,细长挺拔的鼻子。轮廓分明的颧骨更突出了这一切。亚当看着她,似乎连呼吸都没有了。她正在用一块湿抹布擦柜台。她的衬衫解开了两颗扣子,可以看到她的锁骨在晃动。
- 你叫什么名字?- 亚当小声问道。
- 丽莎,她抬起头说。
亚当喝了一大口拿铁咖啡,一点牛奶溅到了柜台上。
- 对不起,丽莎。我让你工作了......亚当开玩笑地说。
- 没关系,我会清理干净的。我来擦干净。- 丽莎立即擦掉了掉落的几滴牛奶。
他思绪混乱,不知道该如何继续对话。他脑子里有几十个选项,但不知为什么,他选择了最平庸的一个。
- 你被拍过照片吗?
作为回应,丽莎只是笑了笑,像其他几位来访者一样响起了笑声。场面既尴尬又窘迫。不知情的目击者们都把目光藏在了这明显的调情行为中。
- 我知道你是谁......亚当。我已经订阅你很久了。- 丽莎笑着低声说。她的嘴唇是淡淡的桃红色,是难得的自然色调。
- 你对我有什么看法?- 他努力掩饰自己的惊讶,问道。
- 我会说,每个人都知道你。你做的事很美,但对我来说不是。- 丽莎得意地擦了擦杯子,说道。
- 我会付很高的价钱
丽莎认为这句话是一种侮辱。于是,她利索地把终端机放在了柜台上。
- 你没付拿铁咖啡的钱,丽莎随口说道。
亚当在终端上点击手机时,三个吵闹的学生走进了咖啡馆。气氛立刻变得紧张而嘈杂。亚当意识到是时候离开了。
- 给我发短信吧,他一边告诉丽莎,一边向出口走去。但没有回音。丽莎左右摆了摆头,显然表示无人接听。
亚当满怀钦佩地飞奔回家。他想早点到达那里,在数百万用户中找到她。在回家的路上,他的手机收到了一条短信。是伊娃:我明天就到。心情顿时好了许多。终于,他可以见到期待已久的缪斯女神了,可以毫无偏见地进行创作了。她的照片在公众面前大获成功。她开始收到许多广告邀请,但伊娃从未抓住机会。几年前,她从社交网络上消失,不再发布照片。她不妥协,总是直来直去。如果有什么事情违背了她的理念,她就会立刻断绝关系。这是她最好的品质,同时也是最坏的品质。
亚当很有骨气,只给她发了一条发自内心的回复。回到公寓,他做的第一件事就是踢掉柔软的睡袍。他决定用剩下的时间来处理今天罗比的照片,上传后就上床睡觉。处理了几个小时后,他的眼睛有了压力。他从办公桌前站起来,又去倒了一杯咖啡。他的手机放在窗台上,处于飞行模式。亚当习惯于打开手机;背景声音打乱了他的坚持。他决定开始在订阅用户中搜索丽莎。他不知道她的昵称,也不知道她姓什么。亚当惊恐万分,输入丽莎这个名字,无穷无尽的列表中出现了上千个这个名字的账户。他开始翻阅每个账户。僵硬的脖子让他看了看手表;他已经这样做了一个多小时,却无人注意。罗比的照片被放在了次要位置;他随时都可以看完,但他没有。他整晚都坐在那里看着丽莎的账户,几乎整晚都是如此,直到他无助地昏睡过去。
清晨,摄影师在轻微的焦虑中醒来。他还没有找到丽莎。穿上柔软的睡袍,他想给伊娃打个电话,但她比他快了 10 秒钟。
- 你好,亲爱的;伊娃慵懒、低沉、性感的声音让亚当瞬间清醒过来。
- 你好,最美丽的女人,他微笑着说。
- 十二点见;我想拍一些摄影棚的照片。- 伊娃坚定地建议道
- 我警告你,只能在我以前的摄影棚里拍......我已经很久没去那里了。那里不太干净。- 亚当自动耸了耸肩。
- 再见,亲爱的;伊娃说了再见,就立即挂断了电话。
是时候开始收拾行李了。和伊娃在一起,根本不需要想什么情节。每次拍摄都很有成效。尽管亚当不喜欢工作室,但他愿意为伊娃做任何事。经过一个小时的打包、检查设备......他去挑选衣服,这是他很长时间以来第一次挑选衣服。今天,外表对他来说很重要。他穿上了一件昂贵的蓝领白色 T 恤,从衣柜里拿出了经典的深蓝色牛仔裤。喷上他最喜欢的古龙水,他向出口走去。车程并不长,但他想赶在伊娃前面,这样至少能让事情变得简单一些。他已经有半年没有开工作室了。他很少把工作室租出去。亚当驶过十字路口,接近丽莎的咖啡店。他想停下来喝杯咖啡,但同时又怕让夏娃失望。在红绿灯处,他向咖啡店望去,看到丽莎的希望渺茫。也许她会出来一下,或者至少打开门。但这并没有发生。驶过两个黄色交通信号灯后,这一天有望成为美好的一天。这是他的预兆。在开往工作室的路上,不安再次袭来;亚当不喜欢这个地方。亚当不喜欢这个地方,多年前,他曾在这里进行了数小时空洞而毫无结果的劳动。他曾多次睡在这里,寻找自己的风格,试图拍摄出有价值的作品。
吱吱作响的门打开了,灰尘扑鼻而来。亚当打开公用灯,把包扔在地上,跑去拿扫帚,至少要把垫子上的灰尘打扫干净一点。房间很大,窗户很小,音响效果很强。里面的一举一动都是轰轰作响。亚当稍微打扫了一下,开始摆放布满灰尘的旧软箱。高跟鞋的嗒嗒声从外面开始,越来越近。那沉重而宽阔的步伐可以从数百人中辨认出来。夏娃突然打开了门。
- 我在这里!- 她的声音回荡在房间里。
亚当看着她,并没有立刻认出她来。当然,他意识到这就是夏娃,但她的某些地方发生了巨大的变化。一样的头发,一样的身材 但有些不对劲。他决定不让它显露出来,并一如既往地微笑着。她穿着一件黑色紧身连衣裙,非常紧身。它凸显了她所有的优点,她丰满的胸部和宽大的臀部。她煤黑色的头发闪烁着蓝色的光泽,暗红色的口红和棕色的眼睛营造出一种女主人的形象。闷骚、严厉,但又性感得令人窒息。
- 我决定穿着紧身衣拍摄,不需要换衣服。伊娃从侧面拉开了裙子的拉链。她伸出双臂,用力将裙子拉下。
她穿着一件浅黑色薄纱连体衣,没有胸罩和内裤。非常薄,而且透视。亚当努力不让自己盯着她看,那样会很不专业。
- 进来吧,一切都准备好了,摄影师在中间放了一把破旧的椅子。
夏娃穿着黑漆皮鞋,侧身坐了下来。
摄影师开始试穿。从各个角度看,她的身体都很美。大约四号的大乳房将薄纱连体衣紧紧地束缚住。她浅棕色的乳头又尖又硬。它们似乎要撕裂内衣。纤细的腰部平滑地过渡到宽大的臀部,臀部又过渡到又大又圆的臀部。她的小腿很细,很适合这种体形。高跟鞋掩盖了她 42 码的双脚。修长的手指和宽厚的手掌抚摸着他的腰部。亚当完全融入了镜头。他示意她站起来,然后慢慢靠近她。夏娃自信地站了起来,个子也更高了。亚当摸了摸她的头发,让左边的几缕头发散开。他突然感到兴奋,后退了两步。她双腿分开,满面春风地站着,把脸藏在头发里。她的双腿修长光滑。她的身材一览无余。她身上多了几斤赘肉,更显憔悴。从她平坦的背部看去,紧身衣撞进了她的脖子,勉强托起了她沉重的乳房。夏娃张开大腿,薄薄的薄纱下露出修剪整齐的阴毛。亚当并没有注意到他最喜欢的情色片是如何突然转向如此坦率的方向的。夏娃在没有提示的情况下顺利地变换了姿势。摄影师因为不停地移动而满头大汗。他经常重新布置光线,寻找令人兴奋的角度;兴奋很快就过去了,工作也随之加快。
- 亚当把椅子挪到了脏兮兮的窗户边。它散发着柔和的日光。
伊娃点点头,坐在了椅子上;摄影师转过她的侧面,轻声说道:"请脱掉鞋子:
- 请脱掉鞋子。
- 为什么?你可以从她平静低沉的语气中感受到她的复杂心情。为此,她很少不穿高跟鞋。
- 相信我,你的脚很漂亮。照片会很棒的 - 亚当知道如何在适当的时候说服别人。
伊娃脱掉鞋子,露出脚踝。她的脚踝很复杂,原因不明,任何人都会羡慕她的数据。光滑的脚趾上涂着深酒红色的指甲油,脚长而窄。
他们在窗前拍了几张简单的照片。拍完之后,伊娃变得更加放松了。她把双腿摆到窗边的窗台上。现在,她的双腿显得更长了。最后一张是整个拍摄过程中最精彩的一张。
- 非常感谢你,美女,亚当翻着相机里的照片,真诚地说道。
- 不客气。老实说,我现在需要钱。有什么办法能让我们用这些照片赚上一笔吗?- 谈话变得严肃起来。
- 除非我能马上给你钱 你知道这一行没有快钱--一瞬间,摄影师觉得伊娃有点可怜。
- 很好,我一会儿把卡号发给你。- 伊娃穿着紧身连衣裙,单脚站立。看得出她很着急。慌乱地扣着扣子,甩着头发。她身上有一股酒味,还是她的香水味?
- 我以为我们今晚会共进晚餐......毕竟我们已经很久没有见面了,"亚当已经意识到这是不可能的。
- 对不起,亲爱的。改天吧,我今天有很多事要做。我走了...... - 伊娃拿起包,跑到亚当面前,突然在他脸上啄了一下。
他的脸红了一下。
- 再见,最美丽的女人!- 隔着敞开的门喊道。
亚当这才意识到,三年来一切都变了。虽然她老了一些,但这并没有影响她的美丽。唯一改变的是亚当什么也感觉不到了。夏娃不再触动他的心弦,磁性和情欲都消失了。剩下的只有美貌,但那更多的是为了满足性欲。
亚当在一片空虚中开车回家。当他驶近那个十字路口时,他失去了进去的冲动--里面挤满了人。透过门缝,他发现了这一点。他第一次注意到 “工艺咖啡馆 ”这个名字。亚当知道了如何在网上找到丽莎。
回到家,他把包扔在地上,跑到厨房喝了一大杯咖啡。当他坐在椅子上时,手机 “哐当 ”一声掉在了地上。亚当小心翼翼地捡起来,屏幕上布满了破裂的蜘蛛网。他抖掉玻璃碎片,登录用户。他在搜索框中输入:Café Craft。结果发现这是一个完整的连锁店,所以他必须通过地理位置进行搜索。15 分钟后,当他翻阅所有照片并试图找到丽莎时,屏幕上弹出了伊娃的短信,上面有她的银行卡号。他不知道该付多少钱给她,于是决定把第一个三位数的号码转给她。搜索还在继续,所有的账户都合并了,他的注意力也不集中了,但亚当没有停下来。在搜索的第二个小时,他又改变了策略,在咖啡店的订阅资料中寻找她的身影。里面没有一个丽莎。他的耐心越来越少,于是他开始在搜索栏里一个字母一个字母地删除: 丽莎、丽兹、李......然后,唯一一个昵称是丽莎、头像是向日葵的账户出现了。亚当立刻感觉到是她。
- 你好,我是亚当!如果我的问题看起来很奇怪,请原谅......你是在 Craft 担任咖啡师的丽莎吗?这是他的第一条信息,大约 20 分钟后,他收到了回复。
- 是我。对,就是我。
亚当开心地笑了。
- 我终于找到你了
- 你为什么找我?
- 我想邀请你参加拍摄
李输入了一条信息... 亚当看着动画屏住了呼吸。
- 不,我不做那种事。
- 我不会建议你做 “那样的事” 我想邀请你去任何你想去的地方进行一次普通的拍摄。
亚当的胃部又开始长期躁动了
- 如果你没注意到 我不喜欢拍照
丽莎的账户里确实没有照片,只有小猫和花的照片。躲在 “阴影 ”里只是为了静静地观察。
- 我不是每个人都能拍到照片的,相信我
- 虽然我甚至不想只是拍摄,但我并不上镜--我在对话中感到了一丝温暖。
- 我不想吹牛,但我总能看到潜力。我有很多经验。至少让我拍几张吧。
- 我还不想这么做,你只需要这些吗?
- 不,我们只是聊聊天。- 亚当用向日葵贴纸回复了我。
整个晚上,他们都在积极地发短信谈论生活。关于工作,关于爱好。原来丽莎在咖啡店工作了两年,奇怪的是亚当现在才注意到她。她的生活和她的衣服看起来一样--非常简朴,租住在一间公寓里,养着一只姜黄色的猫,通过艰苦的劳动赚取几分钱来购买最简单的必需品。她每天工作十到十二个小时。亚当意识到,她没有个人生活。有了这样的生活规律,警察工作只是副作用。丽莎喜欢冒险电影和花艺。据她自己说,她那简陋的公寓就像一个植物园。唯一遗憾的是,她不想见面。亚当不想强人所难,不想把她吓跑,破坏她的印象。他不自然地克制着自己,这不是他习惯的与女孩交谈的方式。而且长达一小时的空洞通信对他来说也很陌生。
他们第二天也聊了聊。即使他在另一个拍摄现场,对背兜里手机的思念也一直萦绕在心头。后来,这成了一种习惯;一个月里,每天都以和丽莎发短信和语音信息开始和结束。在此期间,他们没有见过一次面,亚当也没有去过咖啡店。他喜欢这种形式--没有承诺,没有压力。丽莎有很多优点。谦虚、甜美、勤奋,还有独特的美。我们再也没谈过拍摄的事。直到有一天,她发来了她的自拍照。一张她在厨房里的简单、歪歪扭扭的照片。但她的脸是多么美丽。同时散发着热情和温柔。绿色的眼睛吸引了所有人的目光 亚当很开心 和这样一个独特而又单纯的女孩在一起,他很开心。他时常梦见她,对她身体的每一寸肌肤都充满欲望。有一天,他收到了期待已久的信息:
- 我们见面吧,带上相机
对亚当来说,这是一个小小的胜利。他彻夜未眠,想着各种点子和可能的拍摄地点。他们约定在酒店外见面。他们的想法是,穿着白衬衫和牛仔裤在大堂进行一次轻松的拍摄。
亚当穿上了他最好的衣服:蓝领白衬衫和昂贵的牛仔裤。外面的天气已经又冷又沉闷,树叶都快落光了。灰暗的街道冲淡了普通人内心所有的美好,但亚当没有。他满怀期待,行色匆匆,以至于把钥匙忘在了酒店停车场的车里。他拎着一个黑色大包,跑进了大堂。
她站在那里,和他第一次在人行道上看到她时一模一样:穿着破旧的大衣和黑靴子。她的卷发更长了,脸上洋溢着兴奋和激动。
- 我很高兴见到你!- 亚当跑到她面前,他自己都没注意到自己怎么连招呼都没打。
- 嗨......我也是......非常高兴,她笑得很灿烂,牙齿也非常整齐。
- 呃......我们可以去沙发上,我来拍几张试拍照,"他建议道,同时环顾四周,寻找更好的光线。
丽莎点了点头。很明显,她很担心。虽然兴奋的感觉很好,但她有时也会动摇。她脱下外衣,身上的味道真好闻。她的衣服、身体和头发都散发着焦糖的味道。沙发上的照片拍得不错。周围的人都装作若无其事,但都在偷偷地看她。她太完美了。当她聚精会神时,亚当注意到她的脸光滑干净。脸上根本没有化妆。
- 我有个建议,丽莎小声说,生怕又毁了一个镜头。
- 什么建议?- 摄影师在照相机咔嚓咔嚓的声音之间没有打断一秒钟。
- 能给我在房间里拍张照吗?我见过漂亮的室内装饰。- 她的表情变得尴尬起来,她尝到了甜头。
- 当然,我完全同意......你想现在就拍吗?- 亚当大声澄清道。
- 是的,丽莎挑着眉毛回答。
- 那就在这里等我--摄影师把相机放在沙发上,然后走到前台。
亚当选择了一间豪华客房,支付了 2 个小时的房费,同时躲避着经理评判的目光。拿着钥匙卡,他发现丽莎已经不在沙发上了。只有他的相机。他拿起相机和旁边的包。衣帽架上她的大衣也不见了。他环顾四周,她也不见了。这时,他听到身后传来
- 我在这里 - 丽莎站在电梯旁,手里拿着大衣。
- 我怕你走了......亚当担心地说。
- 你什么......我绝不会那么做的,她非常困惑地看着我。
他们相视一笑,上了三楼。
房间很古典,低调,除了过时的烛台--房间中央摆着一张方床,上面装饰着锻铁字母图案。窗边放着一张香槟色的小沙发。房间以米色和白色为主色调。在这样的环境中,在日光下,莉丝的头发闪烁着红色的光泽。
- 我得梳梳头,她朝浴室示意了一下。亚当温顺地再次打开行李。他环顾房间,寻找最佳的坐位。然后决定把沙发移到离窗户更近的地方。亚当拉开窗帘,房间沐浴在温暖的光线中,俯瞰公园的大窗户位置也非常合适。
- 我准备好了,声音从他身后悄然响起。他转过身,看到了全裸的丽莎。由于彼此的尴尬,他们开始放声大笑,怎么也停不下来。
- 我已经很久没有这么惊讶过了,亚当在笑声中说道,你为什么突然决定脱光衣服?
- 我决定战胜我的情结,丽莎咯咯笑了起来。
两个人都尴尬地站着笑。亚当脸红了,转过尴尬的目光。
- 过来坐在沙发上,我们来试试看
丽莎侧身坐了下来。隔着衣服,她的消瘦并不明显。她的肋骨和脊柱都很突出。尖尖的肩膀,细细的锁骨......她的瘦并不令人痛苦,更像是在跳芭蕾舞。她的双手消失在浓密的秀发中,她抬起双手,弓起背部。她的脚趾躁动不安,紧紧夹住。亚当可以看到她在微微颤抖。
- 放松,我们不是在工作,只是在放松。- 他说。
丽莎左右摇摆,移动着双脚。
- 不要低头,看着镜头--亚当为她眼睛的颜色疯狂。
绿色,深邃,让人上瘾。想拍得更多更多。
她从沙发上站起来,两手撩起发根,双腿交叉。她所有的美丽都裸露在观众面前。俏皮的锁骨在灯光下闪闪发光,她的乳房很娇嫩,大约有 3 号。桃红色的乳头没有表情,使她的乳房显得更加圆润。一道阴影穿过她微微下陷的腹部,掠过她的阴毛。丽莎的身上没有一根头发。她黝黑的脸庞、浓密的眉毛和睫毛勾勒出一幅略带异国情调的画面。在这间公寓里,她的变化真大。仿佛她一直都在这里。亚当决定拍最后一张肖像,他走近一看,一股焦糖的味道扑鼻而来。这样的脸型很容易塑造,简洁的线条衬托出整体的对称。丽莎把手搭在亚当的肩膀上。他假装没有注意到。然后她放下相机,用手指把它按下去。他们看着对方的眼睛;亚当无法忍受,热烈地吻了她。这是相互的。激情、暗恋、欲望--这些情感的集中体现在一个漫长的吻中。她的嘴唇含糖量很高,类似于摄影师年轻时才体验过的感觉。可惜这一刻太短暂了。丽莎小心翼翼地站了起来。
- 谢谢你的拍摄,她娇媚地说,然后走进了浴缸。亚当满脸通红,困惑地坐在那里。他隔着门都能听到她是如何准备的。他真想冲进去看看她......但他从来不敢。他不是那种典型的英雄式情人。而且他一直坚信,这种行为会伤害专业精神。
丽莎穿戴整齐地走出来,甚至把外套也披在了身上。她的卷发又扎成了一个紧紧的马尾。
- 怎么样?我们可以走了吗?- 丽莎笑眯眯地问。
亚当挠了挠眉毛,拿起包向出口走去。一辆黄色出租车已经停在了外面。
- 我给自己叫了辆 Uber
- 我送她出去,亚当为她打开车门。他不明白她为什么要叫车。他已经准备好送她去这个城市的任何地方。
丽莎站在车门边,伸出她瘦弱的双臂。他们紧紧地拥抱在一起,摄影师外套的接缝处发出了轻微的破裂声。她用长长的指甲轻轻挠了挠他的后脑勺。
- 我今天会给你回信,谢谢你为我做的一切。我度过了一段美好的时光。- 丽莎又露出了笑容。
- 非常感谢;我今晚会给你发短信。- 亚当告别时,呼吸着她头发的香甜味道。就这样,她离开了。
在家里,亚当把包扔到房间的角落里,重新穿上那件讨厌的睡袍,同时开始处理今天的照片。他细细品味着她的魅力,如此内敛而感性。她的身体甚至不需要拍照,对他来说,这就是完美的。直到傍晚,他一张一张地翻看照片,完成后把照片都扔给了她。
- 我可以把你的照片放上去吗?- 临近午夜,亚当发来短信。
- 可以,但只有一张;丽莎到处都留下了向日葵的表情符号。
亚当照做了。数百名观众欣喜地发表了评论。成千上万的点赞和转发。他们很高兴看到一张非典型的新面孔。摄影师非常疲惫。身心俱疲。这就是为什么他穿着讨厌的长袍,戴着眼镜,倒头就睡。
早上,亚当醒来时,发现睡袍掉在地上。他把它捡起来,抱到厨房,扔进了垃圾桶。终于,他感到自由了。所有卡住的例行公事都和长袍一起被扔掉了,烦躁也消失了。呼吸也变得顺畅了。他的手机就放在附近,几乎没电了。亚当把手机充上电,走进厨房;今天,他第一次有了想喝茶的感觉。手机充好电后,他进入了信息栏,令他惊讶的是,没有发现与丽莎的对话框。他也无法访问她的网页,更无法给她打电话。亚当意识到她屏蔽了他。但为什么呢?她为什么要这样对他?也许他说错了什么?行为不礼貌?他想不出一个令人信服的答案。U 盘里还有很多她的照片。亚当曾一度想把它们都贴出来,以示自己的轻微攻击性。但喝了几口茶后,他的情绪平稳了下来。他困惑地想,她只让他发一张。
接下来的几天很难熬,他经常想起她。他决定去咖啡店看看她如此低调的原因是什么。亚当穿着家居服,不到十分钟就赶到了那里。开门后,他看到柜台后面有一个年轻小伙子。这位新来的咖啡师不知道丽莎是谁。这是他在这家店工作的第二天,他谁也不认识。亚当甚至不知道她姓什么,至少不知道她住在哪个社区。
自虐一周后,寻找工作停止了。几个月后,一股新的创作浪潮席卷了他。故事和想法层出不穷。新的面孔找到了他。成功变得更多,收入也变得更多。他无暇顾及个人悲剧,生活总是在不断向前发展。他只有在晚上睡觉前才有时间怀旧。通常,亚当会利用这段时间看一些无意义的视频,以驱散阴暗的思绪。突然,在看完一个视频后,他在一个自动播放的广告中看到了丽莎。那是一个香水广告。这个女孩看起来比以前更漂亮了。她的头发更长了,杂乱无章的卷发也更整齐了。广告持续了 15 秒钟。她穿着一件淡紫色的雪纺太阳裙,在昂贵的铬合金背景下旋转。亚当大吃一惊,连截图都没来得及。他当时的心情难以言表。这是一种欣喜和内心侵略的混合体。他又翻看了几个视频,希望能再次看到这个广告。
几天后,当他在一间昏暗的大公寓里拍摄新的标准金发女郎时,后口袋里的手机震动了一下。是一个陌生号码发来的短信:
"周二打给你 丽莎"。
亚当很困惑,没有马上意识到这就是那个丽莎。过了几秒钟,他甚至笑出了声。他把手机放进口袋,继续拍照。
他觉得房间里似乎有一股淡淡的焦糖味。
艺术家
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