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Geez. He was simply too pathetic to be angry with, Riley decided as she rolled her eyes and turned away. The kid was on his own for now. He’d either deal with is jitters or he’d scram. Honestly, Riley didn’t know which she’d prefer, she could only hope that either way he’d chill the hell out and stop being a creep.

Just in time, the photographer stepped up and called them to attention. It was time to start the shoot.

Thank. God. At least now they’d be able to get down to business.

The photographer did what photographers do, and Riley adopted the pose she’d been asked to adopt.

Then Aquaboy got his instructions.

Seriously? Seduction was the name of today’s game? It figured.

Shooting eye daggers at the photographer only made him grin, so Riley settled for what she hoped was a pretty pout and waited for her “colleague” to make his move.

And then there was a whole bunch of comic book nonsense that she could have cared less about. Riley tried her best to nod politely while staring off into the space over the skinny kid’s shoulder. Some of the words sunk in despite her efforts, though, and Riley gathered that they were apparently enemies. Awesome, that meant she could stop pretending as soon as they got on the set.

Only…that was apparently never going to happen, and this guy was just going to keep on talking. Familiar names started to crop up and Riley tuned back just in time to hear a laundry list worthy of her resume being recited.

Okay, this was getting borderline creepy.

”You….are thorough.” she said, still trying to put on a good show for the photographer and crew. Man, they were asking a lot today. As if the costume wasn’t bad enough.

”Yeah, well, whatever pays the rent, right?” she said, fighting down mingled horror and amusement that she was actually standing in front of someone who paid that much attention to her work.

They really had to change the subject before the clenched fist by her side accidentally ended up in his face.

”So, is this your first time around the block?”

Oh for the love….

Riley groaned out loud as she peeked out the office window at the growing crowd inside the building where the shoot was taking place. Sure, this particular magazine loved to do their own version of blockbusters soon to be in theaters, and sure she’d done such shoots before. That was part of the reason she was here. They were professional, they were reasonably decent shoots, and the money was awesome.

They’d never pulled this kind of crap before though.

An open casting call for the male part in the shoot? What the hell were they thinking. Every 18 year old mouth breather in the outer Burroughs had shown up for this, and they were all in their worst interpretations of a super hero. Some were nervous wrecks, but others were stalking around like they owned the place. Idiots.

As if she had room to talk.

Heaving a sigh, Riley turned and looked in the mirror. Two pert little cat ears peeked out from her hair, which had been meticulously poofed and sprayed until it fell around her shoulders like a mane.

The costume itself …made her lip curl.

Animal print didn’t belong on anyone let alone animal print that was laid over the top of a pink and purple gradient. Thankfully, the building was cool, because the body suit was made out of some kind of pleather or latex or something ridiculous and would have been sweltering in the wrong circumstance.

Riley didn’t even know who ‘Cat-Lady’ was, but apparently comic book nerds too her seriously.

“You’re on sweetheart.” one of the staff called into the general direction of the casting room.

Riley made her way outside, directing a glare at the idiot who’d spoken, trying her best not to wobble on the ridiculously high heels they’d handed her with the costume. At least there wasn’t a mask.

”Watch it, or I’ll test these out on you” she said, wiggling her ridiculous nails in his general direction and drawing a grin.

Riley rolled her eyes as she stepped out into the studio. Apparently they all got a chance to pose.

It was going to be a long day.

3 months? Holy cow. Wasn’t that just great?

Riley smiled and nodded, doing her best to fake interest in the story. Of course the two of them had met in court. Of course the two of them had hit it off when she’d been defending him in a contract dispute, and of course he’d demanded to take her to dinner in thanks. The rest had been history.

Her and Aurum? God…Riley wanted to roll her eyes. Just a little bit. She didn’t though, she was really making an effort here…and man Aurum was going to pay later.

”I dumped a glass of ginger ale in his lap in a bar.” she said. Still smiling.

"Of course I can." Riley said, plastering a huge smile across her face before turning and making her way to the door. Oh she'd get along just fine with the woman...to her face. This was Aurum's boss after all, and she'd never do anything to embarrass him in front of colleagues. Image was important to a lawyer, and it was bad enough that they were probably going to have to explain her line of work at some point.

The door opened and Riley almost groaned out loud at the sight of the woman and her date standing in the hallway. Of course this was what Viletta looked like...and dressed like. The woman had obvious taste, and was tall, even without the heels she was obviously wearing. She was very pretty in a very crisp way, and it was enough to be intimidating without the smile plastered across her face.

Her boyfriend was okay too. Or fiancé. Whatever.

"Hi!" Riley said quickly, to establish herself as having the upper hand. "You must be Viletta. I've heard so much about you. Come on in, Aurum's just putting the last few things out on the table."

”As if you even need to ask.” Riley said, trying not to talk with her mouth full, but feeling the need to praise the maker of the present.

”This is the first present I’ve gotten in years.” She said, casting a grin in Aurum’s general direction before leaning over to give him a quick kiss in thanks.

”And I’m pretty sure it was worth the wait.”

Oh good. Now she didn’t have to feel awkward about getting him something.

Riley winced, ”Yours is still at my place...” she said, refusing to elaborate.

”I hadn’t planned on staying the night.”

Her present, on the other hand, was sitting on top of Aurum’s chest of drawers...and it didn’t look like he was going to be the one getting up to get it.

So...

Up Riley got, completely unashamed of her lack of clothing. What was he going to see that he hadn’t already seen? Besides. She looked good, and knew it. The trip was short, but chilly, and when she got back to the bed, Riley snagged one of the blankets to wrap up in as she settled back down.

”Should I go ahead and open? Or do you want me to wait until you have yours?”

Sure, the second option made the previous trip useless..but Riley figured it was nice to ask.