Fiction by Amanda Dai
Author: Amanda Dai
Title: Raise Some Magic Wind In My World
Main Character: Nick
Genre: Short Story

Resting his head on his hand, his elbow braced atop the arm of the padded office chair, Nick gave a slow yawn of fatigue. It was a little frustrating in its way - all five pieces of the original Duran Duran had not only been back in the same room together, but in the same studio, as well. The tension seemed non-existent. Every one of them were looking forward to what they could do now, with all their skills and talents growing and maturing during their years apart. And yet, all that enthusiasm had to be put on hold for a little while longer. There were still dates to be played in Japan, and anything else would have to wait.
Still, it was quite encouraging that a couple sessions of just goofing off to get back into the groove of playing with each other had already been recorded. There were quite a few moments on those tapes that could prove to be useful later on for songwriting. Not bad at all, really, for a stunted initial effort.
Tiredly rubbing his hand over his eyes, Nick took a deep breath to slow his mind down.
"Is everything alright in here, Mr. Rhodes?" a soft voice called from the doorway. He looked up to find a young woman in a knee-length grey cotton dress, cinched at her waist by a thin red belt.
"Yeah, everything's fine," Nick sighed to her, "It all just seems overwhelming until you actually get started, and can finally see yourselves getting somewhere."
"I can imagine," she offered sympathetically, "but it's after ten o'clock, Mr. Rhodes; everyone's left except for Mr. Le Bon, and he looks to be leaving in a few minutes. Don't you think it's time you called it a day?"
"I don't know, I guess I don't feel like going home just yet," Nick answered, looking back over the production board, but not knowing where to begin.
"Would you mind a little company, then?" she asked sweetly, walking over closer to the chair.
"Not at all," Nick told her, smiling to see her reflection approaching in the wide panel of glass, and looking up curiously as a soft pair of hands touched against his shoulders.
"I've seen how stressed a lot of producers can get," she explained insistently, "and I don't imagine you being immune to it."
Nick laughed quietly in response, having to admit it felt good as her hands began to slowly move in a gentle but stronger massage.
"I could make it a little more effective if I could get to your skin, Mr. Rhodes," she almost whispered in his ear. He glanced up at her slyly, considering her proposition, "I told you - no one else is here."
An edge of eagerness in her voice didn't go undetected. Out of everything he'd received for his birthday, a long massage wasn't one of them; what harm could there be in getting one from a girl ready and willing to supply it? Taking in the room's furnishings quickly, Nick figured a narrow sofa against the rear wall to be too awkward for their purposes. But, if no one else was around, what the hell...
"You mind if I just have a lie on the floor?" he asked, watching her make the same quick observations.
"Might be best, yeah," she agreed, her eyes following intently as he began unbuttoning his shirt. Without raising his head, his deep green eyes looked up at her fascination. A smile came to his face to think of how little difference there was between the attention he elicited at nineteen, and the attention now at thirty-nine. Slipping out of the opened fabric, Nick took a seat on the floor, watching her body move as she knelt down beside him.
Lying on his stomach, Nick rested his head on his folded arms. A faint shiver rippled through his body to feel her fingernails drag slowly and lightly down his back. Her hands moved up to the back of his neck, luxuriating over every inch of his skin on the way down to his waist. After a long but infinitely enjoyable while, Nick slowly moved onto his back, his voice giving off a greatly eased purr as he looked up at her.
"Feeling better now?" she asked in a knowing, sultry voice, "or would you like the full treatment?"
"There's more?" Nick asked back, intrigued.
"Oh, absolutely," she assured him.
"Then, by all means..." he instructed. She moved herself down a little farther, taking off his shoes and socks. Unbuttoning the front of her dress, she held the bare soles of his feet against her chest, occasionally lifting them to kiss against his toes and lick slowly over the arches while her hands caressed back and forth from his ankles to halfway up his pantslegs.
Moving herself back up beside him, she gave a long kiss over his throat before beginning to leave short, warm kisses over every inch of his neck, working patiently down to his shoulders and over his chest. It caught his attention when the sensations stopped just as she reached his stomach. Looking down for an explanation, Nick was met with a seductive smile as he watched her quickly and unfalteringly unzip his trousers, leaning her head over his waist.
The drape of her shoulder length hair prevented a full view, but it really didn't matter; Nick could certainly feel everything he couldn't see. Her soft lips worked strongly and carefully, causing his breathing to deepen immensely. The rush of oxygen through his lungs left him a little light-headed, but effectively erased any lingering tension throughout his body. He wanted to call out her name, but realised she'd never mentioned what it was. He didn't have long to ponder it, though, his back slightly arching away from the floor as he reached a moment of release.
He could still feel her mouth on him for a while after, before hearing the faintest sound of a swallow as she sat upright again. Nick leaned his head back against the floor, completely spent, but feeling no pain.
"Thank you," he offered graciously, watching her lean down onto her side next to him and lightly brush the back of her fingers against his cheek.
"It was definitely my pleasure, Mr. Rhodes," she told him softly, "but it's time to go."
"And what if I don't want to?" he teased with a smile.
"I'm sure you can work something out with the studio's manager," she giggled softly, "but I'm very sorry to say my own time is up."
"Wait just a minute," Nick told her, placing a hand warmly over hers as she started to stand up and rising back to his feet with her, "You never mentioned a name."
"Don't worry about it," she insisted, holding a hand gently to his cheek, "I'll be around."
Nick smiled and kissed the back of her hand, letting it slip through his hold as she reluctantly moved away. She passed through the doorway just as his friend was about to enter.
"Goodnight, Mr. Rhodes," she called back softly from her first step into the hall before continuing on her way.
Simon watched her walking down the hall for a few seconds before stepping inside, looking back to Nick a little enviously as the younger man took a moment for an intensely relaxed stretch.
"Who was that?" Simon asked casually.
"Oh, just someone who works here," Nick answered vaguely.
"No, she doesn't," Simon corrected, shaking his head slightly.
"What?"
"I've just been talking to the only two girls who work here while I was waiting for you," Simon explained, "One's married and pregnant, and the other's in her fifties."
Nick just stared blankly at him, his vision drifting slowly back to the doorway.
"We've been infiltrated, have we?" Simon asked with a curious smile, folding his arms, "Care to tell me exactly what you were 'finishing up' in here?"