Just in Time Read Online Free Page A

could tell. Or trying not to. Like he was funny. Clearly, standing close to him wasn’t doing nearly as much to her as it was to him.
    “So what’s this all about?” he asked.
    Calvin sighed. “Time’s a-wasting,” he said pointedly.
    “And I can leave right now. Or you—I’m sorry,” Will told the assistant-girl. “I don’t know your name.”
    “Faith,” she said.
    Calvin sighed again. “Faith Goodwin. Which I still say is a perfect name for our girl. Innocence sullied. Oh, I love it. I want it.”
    “Well, you can’t have it. You are not using my name. We’ve had this discussion. Forget it.” She turned back to Will and said, “We’re doing sexy pictures for a new website, a subscription-based thing. The site won’t just be about the pictures, it’s going to have stories, too, because it’s also a writing contest. That’s the big idea. That’s the new angle.”
    “A writing contest,” Will said slowly.
    “Yes. Where people can submit their episodes of their own unfolding story every week, as new pictures go up. Erotica, or erotic romance. Whichever.” She was smiling at him encouragingly again, like she was talking about some kind of kids’ writing contest, describing their Best Christmas Ever. “We give the two characters names, and people write stories about them. They write about what’s going on in the pictures, do you see? And the viewers get to vote on which stories they like best. The most popular stories show up on the site first. Fun times reading, and looking at pictures of sexy people being…well, sexy. Win-win for everyone.”
    “Isn’t there a basic flaw in that idea?” Will asked.
    “What’s that?” She looked startled. She hadn’t thought of it? Seemed doomed to fail to him, although what did he care?
    “Why would somebody pay for this?” he asked. “Isn’t there porn online for free? I mean,” he added hastily, “I’ve heard.”
    Her eyes danced with merriment. “Yeah, I’ll bet you have. But there’s nothing like this. It’s surprising, I know, with all the free stuff out there, but erotica’s about the most profitable genre people can write in these days. I did the research. The new idea is the…full-service aspect. You get the pictures, and the stories to go with them, and you get to vote. Interactive. Nothing too dirty either way, don’t worry. There’ll be rules.”
    “Well, not that many rules,” Calvin said, and she made a shushing gesture at him that Will didn’t miss. Who was running this show, anyway?
    “Well, you think there’s money in it, anyway,” Will said, although he still doubted it. “Or you wouldn’t be paying people to pose for it.”
    “And I wouldn’t be sitting around yapping to somebody about it, either,” Calvin grumbled. “Instead of getting on with it.”
    “I can leave,” Will reminded him. He crossed his arms again, realizing he hadn’t put his shirt back on, which Gretchen had already done, quick and businesslike. “How much does it pay?”
    “Four thousand,” Calvin said. “Full model release.” Whatever that meant.
    “Wait a minute.” Faith held up a hand. “You’re on vacation, right? From…somewhere?”
    “Yeh. From New Zealand.” He thought about explaining why he was here, about the football, and the rugby, and abandoned the idea fast. Who knew what kind of extra visibility they could get out of that? That would be the last thing he needed.
    She sighed. “Never mind, then. We’re wasting our time. No work visa.”
    “Hang on,” Calvin said. “I didn’t hear that. Payment in cash, is what I meant to say. Of course,” he added smoothly, “in cash, it’s thirty-three-fifty, because I can’t deduct it.”
    “Wait.” Gretchen spoke up. “You said four thousand.”
    “For you,” Faith said, “four thousand. And Calvin—No.”
    “Oh, yes,” Calvin said. “Yes. You say yes now,” he told Will, “and you’re in.”
    “Me too?” Gretchen asked.
    “No,” Calvin said. “Not