A Dark Beginning: A China Dark Novel by Paula Hawkes Page B

angle just right. Everywhere he touched, her body betrayed her desires. She was glad he couldn’t see the rampant waves of gooseflesh as her senses reeled.
    “Ok,” he said. “Let’s start.”
    When Mark had finished his professional and almost dispassionate titivating he backed away, looking at China the whole time. She sat self-consciously not quite sure what to do with herself.
    "What do I do now then?"
    "Just sit still for a few test shots. I need to get the lighting right."
    He moved the flash guns around, adjusting the height of the lighting stands on which they sat. He then moved behind China and adjusted another flash, which China hadn't noticed was even there.
    "There. Let's give that a go."
    He switched his Nikon on and peered through the viewfinder, adjusting the lens back and forward. When he pressed the shutter for the first time the flood of sudden light made China jump and blink hard. Starry blooms of green-blue-white light burned into her retina for a few moments. Before they had fully gone he fired off another shot, the high-pitched sound of the flashes warming up between each shot wining in the background.
    "You're a blinker!" He said, laughing. "But don't worry, you'll get used to it, and if I take enough shots that will stop. And if it doesn’t we’ll try without the flashes, that’s often better anyway." He was closely checking the screen on the back of the camera.
    "Too harsh," he announced. "I think we will go for natural light."
    China was relieved that she wouldn't be blinking into the blinding light of the flashes for the rest of the session. Those harsh flashes of light had completely taken her mind off of the lustful sensations that had been plaguing her just minutes before. Mark had been totally unaware of the effect he was having on her, and she was relieved that she now felt more in control. Once Mark switched off the flashes and started to take his pictures China felt herself relaxing a little. She even started to pull some funny faces at the camera which, from the delighted expression on his face, appeared to please Mark.
    "That's it, China, work the camera," he joked.
    After about ten minutes of this, with Mark slowly moving around her, taking pictures from all angles, some with her looking directly into the lens, some with her looking away, he stood back and spent a few moments checking the back of his camera again.
    "May I see?" she asked.
    "Not yet. I need to process them, get everything just right. But I've got what I needed for now."
    China sat still, a strange feeling of disappointment flowing over her. It was a bit of an anti-climax. She was expecting more pushing from Mark to take pictures that were a little more adventurous. Although she was of course ready to refuse such requests, she was still disappointed that he hadn't at least tried.
    "Is that it?" she asked, unable to hide the disappointment in her voice.
    "What were you expecting?"
    "Nothing. I mean, I didn't know what to expect. I just wondered if that was it." She was struggling to recover from the shame of her own frustration.
    "There will be some lovely portraits in this lot," he reassured her.
    "I must admit, I didn't know what kind of photographer you were."
    "In which case I'm very flattered that you agreed to pose for me. Have I disappointed you?"
    China went bright red as the heat of embarrassment flushed her body. He had seen right through her. Again.
    "No. Not at all. I just thought... Well. You know. I saw the picture in your room and was worried you were going to ask me to pose, er, like that!"
    Mark laughed loudly, the sound rich and booming in the room. "I would love to do a more artistic session with you. But not now."
    China bristled at this. "I know I'm no model, but there's no need to be quite so blunt."
    Still laughing, Mark responded. "It's not that. You would make a fantastic subject. But you do need to be a little more prepared for a session like that. We'd need more time too. When a woman does a