“Don’t worry, even if the photographer doesn’t show up or respond, I’ll repay whatever funds you gave the photographer and you can stay safe on the private, penthouse floor of the nightclub,” Adrian reassured Serena, reaching out and caressing her face affectionately. They weren’t exactly a. couple, but they weren’t not a couple. He believed the term was ‘friends with benefits’, but that minimized the admiration he had for the lingerie model despite their age difference and rather different career paths. He found Serena engaging and amusing, having a good sense of humor - much to his delight. She also had a sensitive side, worrying like she was about the photographer not arriving anywhere near on time. He kissed her forehead, gently and chastely, lingering with his lips there for a moment.
Money wasn't exactly an object for her anymore, not since her career took off. But there was still a part of her that was the teenager wearing hand-me-downs and pushing pennies just to make ends meet. It was a past she'd freely shared with Adrian even before they ended up being what they were, whatever that 'were' was. Naturally, her concern was for the wasted time that could have been spent finishing the photoshoot. "Even just staying in the penthouse would have been enough," Serena told him, the warmth of his lips on her forehead a comfort. "I just hope he isn't scamming other models. Not everyone can afford to lose that amount of money, especially if they're just starting out."