A Model Romance Ch. 01

As the grand finale of the fireworks display began, I turned my head to look at her, and she looked back at me with her beautiful blue eyes. Her smile was soft, her lips curving into a gentle crescent. In that moment, everything else in the world ceased to exist, and the only thing that mattered was us.

Leaning in, I kissed her. It was gentle at first, as if we were both afraid that this might be a dream. Slowly our passion increased, her hand moving to the back of my neck and pulling me closer. I felt her body press against mine. Soon our tongues met and danced together, the kiss growing even stronger still, our drinks and surroundings totally forgotten.

When we finally pulled apart, we were both breathless and grinning at each other like idiots. "Thank you," she whispered, before wrapping me in a tight hug. The sincerity in her voice, I realized, wasn't just for the kiss. It was for the entire day, being there for her when she needed it, when she was on the verge of tears and only one person cared enough to make sure she was alright.

"You don't have to thank me," I said, stroking her chin with my thumb as we looked at each other. "You kept me company all day, so I didn't have to spend my day off alone. Cheering you up was the least I could do."

Anna stared back at me, her expression somewhere between awe and something else I couldn't quite read. She leaned in and kissed me again, her body melting against mine. She tasted sweet, and I knew I didn't want to let go.

But all good things must end, and as the last fireworks dissipated into the evening air, she pulled away. "I have to go, Charlie," she murmured. "I have an appointment in the morning I can't miss. I wish I could stay longer with you."

Her words were like a splash of cold water, but I tried to hide the disappointment from my face. "Of course," I said, "it's getting late, we should get going."

We walked through the resort to the transportation center next door where we had parked that morning, the cooler night air keeping us pressed against each other for warmth. While I'm sure it made for great pictures, her outfit didn't do much to protect her from the temperature dropping. I made a mental note to bring a sweatshirt to offer her next time. Next time?

As we approached the tram that would drop us off in the lot with our cars, I took a deep breath and gathered up my courage for the second time tonight. "Anna," I said, gently stopping her in her tracks, "I don't want to sound too eager, but I have another day off in two days. I don't know what an influencer's schedule is like, but any chance you'd want to hit another park on Thursday?"

"That sounds amazing, I'm in. Do you mind if we start a bit later? I have some errands to run that morning," she responded.

"Not a problem at all. Which Park do you want to hit?" I asked.

"You pick," she said. "I'll be free around 11."

"Epcot at noon?" I asked.

Anna nodded, her smile widening. "Perfect. Let me give you my number." She took my phone and tapped it in. "Text me so I have yours? And, Charlie, thank you again for today."

Her words hung in the air as we stepped onto the tram, our bodies swaying with the gentle movement of the cars. The cool breeze kissed our faces, a stark contrast to the warmth of the day we'd just shared. As we approached the parking lot, I kissed her again, unable to resist the urge to taste her once more. Our lips met with a gentle urgency, a silent promise of what could be. The tram pulled into the drop-off point. We stepped out into the night, hand in hand.

The parking lot was a sea of cars that would soon be overrun by the people returning from the Magic Kingdom proper now that the fireworks had ended. As we walked, all I could focus on was Anna, the way her hips swayed as she walked, the gentle bounce of her breasts, her gorgeous lips begging to be kissed once more. The lights from the lampposts at the end of each aisle painted the parking lot with a soft orange glow, highlighting the curves of her body. She looked up at me as I admired her and smiled, her grip on my hand tightening.

We stopped next to her car, a sleek convertible that suited her perfectly. I leaned in and she met me halfway, our lips colliding with a fervor that said we both didn't want the night to end. Her mouth was soft and welcoming, and I felt weightless in her arms. Her hand slid up my chest, her fingertips tracing my jawline as we pulled apart. "I really do have to go," she whispered, her eyes searching my face for understanding. "But I can't wait to see you again, noon at Epcot on Thursday, right?"

I nodded, reluctantly releasing her. "It's a date," I said, trying to hide the temporary disappointment of her leaving from my voice. She reached into her bag and pulled out her keys, the metal glinting under the soft glow of the parking lot lights. She unlocked the door, but before she could slide into the driver's seat, I stopped her with a gentle hand on her arm. "Anna," I said, looking into her eyes. "I had an amazing time today."

Her smile was like sunshine after a long storm. "Me too, Charlie," she murmured, her gaze dropping to my lips for a fraction of a second before snapping back up to my eyes. "See you tomorrow." With a final peck on the cheek, she slid into her car and started the engine. I watched her drive away, the taillights of her car shrinking into the distance until they were swallowed by the night.

My journey home was a blur of highway light posts and half-remembered conversations replaying in my head. The quiet hum of the engine and the coolness of the evening air washed over me like a wave, carrying me away with the whirlwind of emotions swirling in my mind. My thoughts were a jumble of her laugh, her touch, and the way she looked at me. It was a feeling I hadn't felt in a long time, a feeling that made my chest tighten in the best way possible.

"Goodnight, Anna," I texted her as I walked back into my apartment. She responded almost immediately. "Goodnight, Charlie," was her response. I was walking on air as I made my way to bed.

Exhaustion began to seep into my bones as I fell onto my mattress, the events of the day playing out in my mind like a highlight reel. The smell of popcorn and cotton candy lingered on my clothes, a sweet reminder of the magic we had shared. I could still feel the warmth of her hand in mine, the softness of her lips on my cheek. My eyelids grew heavy, and my mind drifted to the kisses we had shared. I was the kind of tired that only comes after a long and fulfilling day. My head hit the pillow, and the world around me faded into darkness.

***

My alarm woke me up early the next morning, the beeping pulling me from a dream in which Anna was the star. I rolled out of bed and plodded into the shower, still wrapped in a feeling of contentment from the day before. After a quick shower, I got dressed in my work uniform and brewed a cup of coffee. While it brewed, I pulled a pop-tart out of the box and threw it in the toaster. My usual morning routine continued, and I wasn't sure if it was too soon to text Anna. She did have a breakup yesterday, so maybe I shouldn't rush, said one voice in my head.

Another voice quickly responded that we made out yesterday and had a second date lined up, so it was clearly fine. A solid point, I thought, as the first voice rebutted that the date hadn't happened yet, and I didn't want to give her reason to cancel, right? I'm an overthinker, I guess. The war in my head continued for a bit and thankfully I was saved from picking a side when my phone buzzed. I opened a text from Anna, which was an image of her smiling in a waiting room of some kind and a "Good morning."

"Good morning, you weren't kidding, you are out early," I responded.

"Yep. I'll tell you why when I see you, big day today," she responded. "Off to work?" she asked.

"Yeah, headed out in a minute," I responded. I snapped a photo of myself with my hotel-branded shirt and tie on and my coffee in hand and sent it over.

"Love a man in uniform," she joked back. "I'm going in, have a good day, can't wait to see you tomorrow," she sent right after.

"You too," I sent back, but it went unread, as expected. I grabbed my bag and walked out the door to go to work.

***

I got off late due to a minor staffing crisis, and didn't get home until late evening. I texted Anna to ask how her big day went. "Awesome," she responded. "I'd call you up to celebrate but I'm still super busy, we'll talk about it tomorrow morning."

"Good to hear, looking forward to it," I sent back. I made some dinner and played some online games with a couple of friends until I was ready for bed. "Goodnight, Anna," I texted.

"Goodnight, Charlie," she responded. This time she added a kissing emoji. Goddamn, I wanted to see her again. Tomorrow, I told myself as I drifted off to sleep again.

***

My alarm woke me up again, this time a bit later than yesterday. It was 10am, and I had an hour to get ready for our date. I checked my phone, where I had a message from Anna waiting. It was another picture, this time of her sitting at a kitchen table with a Starbucks cup, already clearly dressed for our date. She had on a tight white T-shirt with a deep-V cut showing off her impressive cleavage again. It was adorned with a little picture of Figment, the purple dragon that was the unofficial mascot of Epcot. I couldn't see the rest of her outfit past the table, but she looked amazing -- I almost couldn't believe she was my date today.

"Good morning, beautiful," I responded. The only response was a blushing emoji. I walked into the kitchen for a quick snack. Once again, I grabbed a pop-tart and brewed some coffee. I snapped a picture of myself shirtless with my hair all messed up from sleep and a pop-tart hanging out of my mouth. I sent it over.

A laughing emoji, followed by "It's too bad the park dress code requires shirts," with a winking emoji. Then another, "Hurry up and get dressed, I'll see you soon!"

I took a shower, the hot water washing over me and invigorating me for the day. I took my time, letting the water beat against my skin as I thought about the day ahead. When I finished, I quickly got dressed. I opted for some khaki shorts and a dark blue T-shirt, then grabbed some socks and my walking shoes. I checked myself out in the mirror. The expression on the reflection staring back at me looked more like a hopeful high school kid going on a first date than a man about to turn 30, but the excitement bubbling in my chest felt all too familiar.

The drive to Epcot was filled with a mix of anticipation and nerves. I blasted music that made me feel alive, drumming my fingers on the steering wheel as I sang along to the chorus. The sun was already beating down on the pavement, a promise of a warm day ahead. When I pulled into the parking lot, I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. I stepped out of the car, the noon heat wrapping around me like a blanket, and made my way to the entrance, hoping I wouldn't start sweating through my shirt.

The park was already crowded, families and couples and groups of friends streaming into the gates as fast as they could scan their tickets. I made my way inside and found a bench just under the iconic geodesic sphere that was the centerpiece of the park to sit and wait for my date. My gorgeous, perfect date.

"Here," she texted me a few minutes later. My heart skipped a beat as I looked up and saw her walking towards me, the sun shining down all around her. She looked stunning, her light brown hair pulled back in a ponytail that swished as she walked. Her tight white t-shirt and even tighter yoga shorts screamed sexy, and I couldn't help myself.

"You look amazing," I blurted out. "Good morning, by the way," I added sheepishly.

Anna's smile grew wider, and she did a little twirl. "Thank you," she said, her blue eyes sparkling. "I figured if we're doing theme park dates, I'd better dress the part. Couldn't come to Epcot without at least one piece of Figment gear on." But her playfulness was short-lived, as a look of nervousness crept over her features. She took a deep breath. "Charlie, before we go have fun, there's something I need to tell you. A couple things, really. Some good news, some just news, I guess?" she said nervously.

Her sudden seriousness made me stand up. "What's up?"

"Alright, so good news first. I bought a house yesterday!" she smiled, although it didn't quite reach her eyes, which still looked nervous.

"That's awesome! Was that appointment your closing, then?"

"Yeah! It's really nice, I was with the movers until late yesterday getting my furniture set up and moving boxes to the right rooms. I still need to unpack but I waited because I had cleaners there this morning," she explained.

"You should be really proud of yourself, that's a huge step," I said, genuinely happy for her, "I didn't realize the influencer game was that lucrative, what are you, 26?" I asked.

"28 actually, so thanks for that. But that brings me to my other news, which I have to tell you before we go on a date today. I'm not just an influencer, I have a pretty successful OnlyFans account. I make a really good living off of it, like really good. But I want you to know before today, because I don't want to blindside you if we get serious."

Her words hung in the air, the echo of the nearby laughter and park music seeming to fade into the background. I looked at her, trying to gauge her expression, but all I could see was vulnerability and hope. "You're an OnlyFans model," I said, trying to keep my voice even, "like, you're a porn star?"

"No, I don't do porn, not really," she laughed nervously. "I mean, it's not like I have sex on there. It's mostly just me being me, in outfits like this or swimsuits, maybe lingerie, with some nudity. My ex pushed me to do more sexual stuff, but I resisted, I haven't crossed that line yet. I'm not morally opposed to it but I'm doing well without it, so I haven't. But, yeah, it's definitely... adult content. Is that, ok? I understand if you don't want to see me again, I didn't want to get invested in you and then tell you only to have you not be alright with it."

I took a moment to process her confession. The shock of it had left me momentarily speechless. "Look, let's not get ahead of ourselves," I said finally. "How about we go enjoy the park and let this sink in for a bit? I still really like you, just give me a bit to process this?"

Her shoulders visibly relaxed. "Okay," she said, smiling gratefully. "Thank you for not freaking out."

We started walking towards the aquarium ride, her hand in mine. The warmth of her touch was a reassurance that she was real, that this day was happening. I felt the comfort of the familiar park sounds around us, the distant screams of thrill-seekers and the cheerful tunes of the background music. The asphalt path beneath our feet led us through a lush garden that had recently been added to the park, the smell of fresh flowers in our noses.

"So," I began, breaking the silence. "Can I ask a question or two?"

Anna nodded, her eyes still a little nervous, but maybe a bit hopeful. "Of course," she said, her voice a soft caress.

"So, you don't do any sex acts?" I asked, trying to keep my voice casual as we strolled along the path. Her hand tightened in mine, and I squeezed it gently, trying to reassure her that everything was okay.

"No, not unless you count a striptease," she said, a blush creeping up her neck. "I've done a few, but nothing too explicit." She looked up at me, her eyes searching for a reaction. "It's mostly just me being free. I've always been a little bit of an exhibitionist. I said before, I'm not morally opposed to doing more, but I haven't felt the need to yet, even though I could probably make a lot more money."

Her honesty was refreshing, and I found myself more intrigued than concerned. "How long have you been on OnlyFans?" I asked, trying to gauge how much of her life was wrapped up in this.

"A year or so," she replied, her gaze drifting off to the horizon. "It started off slow, just a fun little side hobby to make some extra cash, you know? But then, about six months ago, it just... exploded. I don't know what happened, but suddenly, I had more subscribers than I could count, and the money started rolling in. Now it does feel a little bit like golden handcuffs, but I'm still having fun doing it."

Her candidness was refreshing at least. "And if we decide to be officially together," I began, swallowing a sudden lump in my throat, "you'll keep doing it?"

Anna paused, her eyes searching mine as if gauging the depth of my question. "For now, yes," she said finally. "It's a way for me to secure my future. I want to invest in real estate, maybe even start my own business. I don't want to rely on anyone else. I need to do this for myself. Can I show you something?"

"Sure," I responded. She pulled out her phone and showed me a couple of images. I was nervous that she was going to show me content, but it was pictures of a house. A nice house.

"This is the house I bought yesterday. It's in a nice neighborhood and it's a really great place. It even has a pool and a nice yard. All paid for with my earnings. I'm going to be set for life from this -- would you give it up?"

Her determination was admirable, and I found myself nodding along. "I get it," I said, meaning it. "It's a shock, and it is a little weird if we get together that there would be naked images of my partner on the internet, but I think I'm mostly alright with it? It might take a while for me to get to 100%, if I'm honest. As long as you're happy and safe that's all that matters to me."

Her shoulders relaxed, and she leaned into me slightly as we walked. "Thank you," she whispered, the sweetness of her breath tickling my ear. "You're so understanding. I know we just met but I had a feeling you were one of the good ones. So, let's get on with our second date?"

"Yeah, absolutely. Thanks for sharing that with me now," I responded.

The day rolled out in front of us like a red carpet, filled with excitement and the promise of adventure. We wandered through the different countries of the World Showcase, tasting exotic foods and sipping on drinks that made our cheeks rosy. The conversation flowed freely between us, a mix of laughter and stories that grew increasingly personal as the hours ticked by. We shared our dreams and fears, the kind of intimate details that usually took weeks or months to uncover. But there was something about the magic of the park, the anonymity of the crowds, and the connection between us that made it feel right.

As the sun began to set, we found ourselves in the Japan Pavilion, the soft glow of the lanterns lighting our way to a nice sushi restaurant. The scents of cooked rice and soy sauce filled the air as we slid into our booth, our legs brushing together. The menu was both intimidating and inviting. I deferred to her, knowing that she was more well-traveled and adventurous with her palate. Anna's eyes lit up as she pointed out her favorites, and I nodded eagerly, ready to try anything she recommended.

We ordered drinks, and it turned out that while we both loved sushi, neither of us was a fan of sake, so we skipped the traditional drink. The waiter instead brought us a bottle of crisp white wine. Anna raised her glass in a toast, her smile as bright as the setting sun. I clinked my glass against hers, the sound echoing in the quiet corner of the restaurant. We sipped the cool wine as we talked.

"So, Charlie, you know what I do for a living," she said with a smirk. "What do you do? Something with hotels, I assume from your snap earlier?"

Her question brought me back to reality, and I realized I had been so caught up in her that I had forgotten to tell her about my own life. "Well, I'm the general manager of a chain hotel just outside the park," I said, taking a sip of my wine. "It's nothing glamorous, and pretty stressful, but I enjoy it. I majored in hospitality in college, worked my way up, got the general manager position last year when my boss retired. One day I was hoping to run a Disney hotel, but that's a tough job to get."