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Armand swallowed hard. “Perfect.” He took several shots and then pursed his lips thoughtfully. “Let’s have you straddle the bench now and pull up your skirt to again accent your beautiful legs. Roberto, where’s the cologne? I want you to hold the bottle, place it on the bench in front of you. Good, I want a few with both of you looking into the camera.”
Santos tickled her to make her laugh, and Armand snapped photos quickly to catch it. “No one can laugh on cue, but that was delightful. Now let’s take a look at what we’ve done this morning.”
Santos took a chair in front of the computer, and Libby leaned over his shoulder. “Santos looks so damn good alone, you don’t need me.”
Santos had a different concern. “I look more like my father than he did. Was that your intention, Armand?”
The photographer raised his hands. “You do resemble your father. I couldn’t hide it if I wished to. You’ll be pleased with the campaign, I’m sure of it. Now let’s look at the rest.”
Libby held her breath, but she felt as though she were viewing a stranger. The beautiful woman with Santos had a variety of sultry expressions, but she recognized none as her own. The photos were spectacular, but she couldn’t take any credit for them. Teresa and Armand had turned her into someone else, and she was eager to become herself again.
When they had seen all the shots, Armand raised his hand. “I want only a few more of Miss Gunderson alone. There’s a high-necked, long sleeved dress on the rack. Put it on please, and I’ll take the last shots.”
Santos gave her an encouraging nod and being a good sport, Libby changed her clothes with Teresa’s help so she didn’t smear her makeup or tangle her hair. This time Armand wanted her to lie face down on the bench, kick her legs back, and hold the bottle of cologne in front of her. He took profiles and other shots of her looking into the camera with as sexy an expression as she could possibly produce. Nothing in the studio was real to her, and her stay in Barcelona grew stranger every day.
When they were finally finished, Libby hurriedly donned her own clothes and shoes. She thanked Teresa for her help before leaving the dressing room. Santos and Armand were still huddled by the computer, and she waited for them to look up.
“We’re discussing your fees,” Santos said.
“My fees?” Libby repeated, thinking the quality of her work didn’t deserve more than minimum wage.
“Armand’s photos prove you’re worth every euro Ana was paid.”
Libby clamped her jaws shut rather than shriek in frustration. She wondered if Santos actually believed she was that good, or whether he was simply doing it for her. “May I speak with you, please?”
He turned his back to Armand. “Of course, what is it?”
“I posed as a favor to you,” she whispered. “It wasn’t about money, and I don’t expect to be paid. In fact, I refuse to take a cent, or euro, or whatever it is.”
He frowned. “It could go into your college fund.”
Apparently he thought she’d really earned the money, which was flattering but unnecessary. “True, but I won’t take it.”
Balancing on his crutches, Santos shifted position to speak to Armand. “Libby won’t accept money for helping out today. However, I may pay her in cologne.”
Libby laughed. “I won’t accept more than a single bottle.”
Armand kissed both her cheeks, and insisted she sign a release before they said goodbye. “This campaign could lead to a very successful modeling career. Will I be able to contact you through Santos?”
“Yes, but I’m not interested in doing anything more than we did today.”
“What a pity. When the ads appear in magazines, you’re sure to hear from modeling agencies.”
“I’ll have to disappoint them.” Santos gave her arm a tug, and she walked with him to the elevator. “I hope they use the shots of you alone.”
They entered the elevator and Santos pushed the button for the first floor. “I won’t have much say in it, but I like the ones with both of us. It’s better for the image of the cologne.”
“Guaranteed sex in a bottle?”
“If a man uses it right,” Santos replied. “It has something to do with pheromones combined with the scent. I didn’t take chemistry in school, but a great deal of work went into combining the ingredients to create the scent. My father chose the final formula, so his name is rightfully on the label.”
If Miguel Aragon’s reputation with women was widely known, which Libby thought it was, the cologne could probably have smelled like dried seaweed and still sold to men hoping to have Miguel’s phenomenal success with women. “It’s a killer scent, but I don’t need more than a single bottle to take home.”
Santos teased her with a wide smile. “I’ll send you a case.”
Manuel was waiting for them at the curb, and once they were seated in the SUV, Santos suggested they stop at one of his favorite places for lunch. “They have a delicious paella in a city known to prepare the best.”
Libby was more anxious to get home. “Please, I look too silly in this clown face to be out in public.”
