A Daring Reporter

(This chapter continues the story of TV anchorwoman Lisa Marvell. It will be helpful to read Chapters 1 and 2 first.)

*

The Friday Night Special Edition broadcasts with Lisa Marvell were a ratings success, with the "red carpet" segment getting the largest number of viewers yet. Each week Lisa had appeared in the studio in some new and more daring outfit. But this was commercial television, and there was only so far she could go with that idea. So producer Bill Reinhart began pushing for a change in format that could expand the range of possibilities. "We're coming up against the limits of what Lisa can get away with live on air," he had explained. "I want to see some ideas about features that can be shot outside the studio and edited in advance." The writers had been given the assignment to come back with a list of stories that could be handled that way, and by the weekend, Bill and Lisa had checked off four or five that they thought could be made to work.

In reviewing that list of ideas, Lisa realized she had to make some choices about just how far she really was willing to go with this. As long as she was appearing in the studio, she was protected by what the rules of broadcasting allowed. She could push those limits, but it wasn't within her power to break them. But now, with a switch to features that would be shot outside the studio and edited later, she could do -- and show -- pretty much whatever she wanted to and then simply edit the footage in a way that made it safe for broadcasting. So, the question that confronted her was this: just how much did she want to bare for her reports?

Lisa spent most of the weekend following the "red carpet" special pondering that question. One moment she was convinced that they could sustain the ratings boost they'd seen by simply continuing to come up with new ways for her to tease her viewers with revealing outfits. But the next moment she'd remember the secret thrill she'd felt going braless on camera, dropping her skirt on air, or appearing almost naked in a see-through dress, and she wanted to keep going farther. Finally, she realized that the only way to handle this was to put herself in a situation where the camera was on and she was filming the story. Then, she'd see if she really had the courage to show even more of herself to others. In a late night phone call with Bill, they settled on the ground rules that would allow her to keep all options open.

When the team convened Monday morning to outline the plans for that week's Special Edition, Bill began by reviewing the general plan. "We've decided that going forward, we'll have Lisa do a series of interviews with women whose regular activities involve some sort of nudity. Our writers have given us the clever line of women who 'dare to bare.' And each featured report will involve giving Lisa the opportunity to join in."

"So," Lisa continued, "this week I'm going to interview a woman who poses naked for an art class. I'm going to talk to her about how she got started doing that, what she likes and dislikes about it, and in general how she feels about modeling." She paused, and blushed slightly. "Then, I may decide to take a crack at it myself."

One of the stage crew emitted a low whistle, and Bill jumped right in. "We're going to have some pretty strict rules around this. First, everyone keeps their mouths shut. We'll be shooting days in advance but I'll control the timing of when we publicly announce the particular interview for that week."

"Second, the video that's shot never leaves this studio." He turned to look at Clayton and George, the camera crew that he had assigned to this week shoot. "Clayton, I've known you for more years than either of us wants to acknowledge, and I know I can trust you. And you've vouched for George," he said, turning to the young assistant. "So, I'm sure that will go well. But if footage shows up where it shouldn't be, you're both out of a job."

"Finally, and most important of all, Lisa has absolute say on what she does during the filming and what makes it into the final cut. She's selected Tony to work with her on the editing, but she calls the shots. I'll review it and approve it for airing, but only the footage that she okays makes it into the final broadcast." Bill paused a moment and looked around the room. "But for now, the plan is to do an interview with an art school model. Anything else is strictly up to Lisa, and she will make that decision on location."

He looked directly at his star reporter as she nodded in agreement. "Any questions, team?" he concluded. "If not, let's get to work."

*****

The next day, Lisa, Clayton, and George met at the station and headed across town to the art studio where they were going to film the afternoon class on "sketching the human nude." On the drive over, Lisa thumbed through her notepad, apparently checking to see if she had all of her questions ready for the interview. In fact, she was trying to avoid any conversation with the camera crew as she grappled with the decision about how far she would go with today's report. Could there be some alternative to posing totally naked -- appearing perhaps with a sheet or towel carefully draped over her? She tried to imagine how that might come across in the report, but finally she had to dismiss that possibility. "The audience would think I'd chickened out," she thought to herself. "And after all, the class is called the human nude."

As they pulled up to their destination, Lisa and the crew were greeted by the studio owner, Michael Lancaster. Aware of the free publicity that this report could generate for his business, he had gone out of his way to prepare for the visit. Michael had arranged with their model, Beth, to be interviewed before the class, and he already obtained signed permissions forms from her as well as all the students giving their consent to be shown on camera. As he handed over the paperwork to Lisa, he explained that he would be leading today's class and proceeded to show George and Clayton where they could set up without interfering with the session. Lisa looked up to see Beth, barefoot and wearing a modest robe, approaching her. In contrast to the calm demeanor of the model, she could feel her own sense of nervousness and fear growing. Her other broadcasts had left her wearing at least a small amount of clothing. But now -- within the next hour -- she was going to have to decide whether she was content to simply report someone else's description of how it felt to be a nude model in an art class or if she was going to follow through and experience it first-hand.

All of her instincts told Lisa that it was her direct involvement that would really make this story -- indeed it was what would make the whole series of interviews -- work. She had to become one of the women who "dared to bare." It would make for terrific television, and she could imagine how the ratings would go through the roof. She also knew that she would be exposing herself to a roomful of strangers as well as to the camera crew that she worked with every day. A sudden sense of excitement came over her, like a surge of electricity going through her body. "Yes," she realized, "I'm going to strip completely naked in front of this class and stand there for thirty minutes while they study every bit of my body." A warm glow engulfed her, and she knew there would be no turning back.

"Okay," Lisa began, calming herself as she motioned to a table where she and Beth could be seated. "The crew is setting up and we'll do the interview here. Then, we'll film part of the class and get some comments from the students. At the end, I'll probably get back to you with a few final questions. And we'll be choosing our angles in the classroom to avoid any direct view of your body. So, no need to worry there. And we can pixilate anything that gets through when we edit the footage. Sound okay?"

"No problem," Beth replied. I've been doing this for over a year now, so the nudity thing is no big deal for me."

"Good," Lisa responded, "then let's get the camera over here and start the interview."

For the next ten minutes, with Clayton and George keeping a camera on each of them, Lisa went through all the basic questions -- how Beth got started (she replied to an ad posted online through the local college where she was a student), why she did it (the money was good and the hours flexible), and what was her least favorite part (holding a pose for a long period of time without moving). The model, an attractive brunette in her early twenties, turned out to be both thoughtful and articulate, an ideal subject for a television interview.

"So tell me," Lisa asked as the conversation concluded, "you're sitting here wrapped up in a full length robe, and in a few minutes you're going to remove it and be naked in front of fifteen or twenty people you've never seen before. What does that feel like?"

"It feels great, actually," Beth replied. "I feel like I'm helping them with their work, that I'm part of what they're trying to create. They're all very serious about this and they couldn't do it without me. You should try it," she added, "if you really want to know what it's like."

Lisa realized that Beth's line was a perfect set up for what she was planning, so she looked straight into the camera and replied, "Hmmm, seems like someone has just offered me a challenge. Let's see if I decide to accept it." With that, they wrapped up the interview and started moving the equipment into the classroom where students were busy setting up their easels and getting out their materials.

Michael came up to Lisa and took her aside. He had been told by Bill that Lisa might want to pose for the class but that no decision had been made. The instructor was certain that a prominent local TV reporter would never want to get naked in this situation, but taking full note of Lisa's stunning appearance, he thought it couldn't hurt to offer a few words of encouragement. "Look," he said, "I don't want to put any pressure on you, but we'd love to have you stand in as a model. We usually take a break about halfway through to change poses and you could consider taking over from Beth at that point. You don't have to commit to anything now," he continued, "but if you're thinking of it, you'll need to get out of your clothes and put on a robe. You can always see where clothes have been pressing against your skin, and it can take twenty minutes or so for those marks to disappear."

Lisa glanced down and remained silent, deciding that as a matter of professional pride it was best not to appear too eager. Seeing her hesitation, Michael thought that perhaps he had gone too far with his suggestion and was about to apologize when Lisa looked up at him and replied, "Good idea." His face must have betrayed his surprise and pleasure, because she quickly added, "Best to be prepared in case I do decide to do some modeling. We can shoot some footage now of me going into the changing room and have that ready if we decide to go with it in the final piece. Thanks for the suggestion."

Clayton and George looked as surprised as Michael, but they lost no time in making their way down the hallway and into the room designated for the models. Several dressing screens were set up, and Lisa inspected them all looking for one that was just high enough to cover her breasts. "Perfect," she smiled as she ducked behind it and peered back over to the top at the camera crew. "You guys can shoot from out here and I can provide some narration while I change into my robe. Let's go, boys."

In just a few minutes, they had the video rolling. Lisa was shown walking down the hallway, a robe over her arm. "Beth arrives about a half hour before the class, using one of these changing rooms to prepare." Lisa undid the first three buttons on her top, allowing a peek at her bra before stepping behind the screen. She then peered back over the top and continued removing her shirt, carefully draping it over the screen. "For the model, it's important to allow time for the skin to recover from any marks left by clothes and undergarments." She paused to allow for the microphone to pick up the very audible sound of her skirt being unzipped before she dipped down out of sight. She reappeared and continued with her narration, "So, she'll remove her street clothing in here, with the dressing screen preserving her modesty," then slowly hanging her skirt next to her top added, "at least for the time being."

The camera crew continued their filming while Lisa completed her disrobing, gently pushing her bra straps off her shoulders and then reaching behind her back to unhook it. With the screen still providing protection for her, she once again ducked down out of site. A few more seconds passed before her smiling face peeked out over the top of the screen. Making sure that her bare shoulders could be clearly seen, Lisa held her panties aloft in one hand, then let them drop. "Once she's undressed," Lisa continued, "the model will then put on her robe and wait for session to begin." With that, Lisa put on her dressing gown and stepped out from behind the screen, revealing a thigh high terrycloth robe tied in the front but opened just far enough to give a glimpse of her generous cleavage. "Now, let's get to class."

In a few minutes, Michael started things off by explaining that today they were going to be working in charcoal, which should allow them to focus on light and shadow as well as the musculature of the human body. He then casually announced that Beth would be their model, at which point, Beth (who had been sitting to the side of the room) nonchalantly dropped her robe and strode fully naked to an elevated platform and the front of the room. The instructor gave her a few directions regarding the pose, and sketching began.

Meanwhile, Lisa moved around the sides of the room trailed by her lead cameraman. In part, Clayton was capturing the students' work, but just as often he had his lens trained on Lisa. Sensing the camera's presence, she would occasionally bend over to get a better view of a sketch while making sure that her movement allowed the bottom of the robe to creep up, almost revealing the bottom of her butt.

Lisa added little bits of commentary during the first half hour, remarking how Beth had to maintain a pose but was allowed to take a break every ten minutes to stretch. Working a second camera, George took some shots from behind Beth, showing her from the waist up and catching just the hint of the curve of her breasts. That footage could be used without editing and would actually make a perfect visual for some of Lisa's remarks.

Finally, the moment of truth arrived. Lisa could sense the excitement building inside of her, a feeling of warmth spreading across her body. The instructor approached her and, with the camera rolling, asked if she wanted to pose for the class. She took a deep breath and with a shrug of the shoulders answered, "Well, why not?" With that, she turned to Clayton and George and nervously whispered, "Okay, gang, here goes. And watch where you point that camera." Slowly she unfastened the robe and let it slip to the floor. Several students literally gasped, having recognized her from the evening news but never thinking that the beautiful TV reporter would actually go through with the challenge to pose for them. But there she was, moving to the platform as Beth stepped down.

Lisa automatically assumed the pose she used for beginning the evening broadcast. -- facing forward with her body turned slightly to the right, her left shoulder and foot forward. This had the effect of presenting a glorious view of her breasts to the class, with her hardened nipples clearly responding to the cool air in the studio. It also allowed her to cross one leg over slightly in front of the other, revealing the top of the neatly trimmed landing strip she had groomed the night before but obscuring a direct view of her slit. Sensing her increasing excitement, Lisa deliberately held this position. If there was any evidence of her growing state of arousal, she really didn't want the class to be aware of that.

Standing there in front of the students, she had time to reflect on exactly what she was doing. In the weeks leading up to this report, she had certainly displayed far more flesh than she ever thought she would. But always she had kept her most intimate areas covered. But now, in front of this class of strangers and with the cameras rolling, every bit of her anatomy was on display. Yet it was as if all her fear and hesitation had vanished. She found herself with a heightened awareness of her body, her skin sensitized to every little flutter of air as well as to the sensation of her own hands against her body. "I don't see how models can stand so still during a session," she thought to herself. It certainly wasn't helping her to remain detached from the experience, but then again your typical model wasn't expecting the footage to be used in a television show that would be seen by tens of thousands of viewers. With that thought, Lisa felt a tingling sensation spreading through her body, loving the thought of being the center of attention. "Whoa, girl," she thought to herself, "you better slow down."

She moved her eyes around the room, noticing that most of the class was busy glancing back and forth between her and their easels. But there were a handful -- both men and women -- who were just staring at her. She had to smile when she noticed one older man in his late fifties seated at the back of the room, who had given up all pretext of trying to draw. He had pushed his easel to the side and sat there staring straight ahead at her, a smile spreading across his face.

"Why you dirty old man," she thought to herself. "You're treating this like your own personal peep show."

Lisa also noticed that George was totally ignoring her instructions, filming her from every angle possible. He even clambered behind the elevated platform to take some shots, no doubt making sure her ass was fully on display. She felt an odd mixture of humiliation and excitement. Here she was, completely nude and in one sense powerless to stop her coworkers from filming every inch of her body. At the same time, she knew she had the complete attention of every person in that room, all of whom seem mesmerized by her courage to bare it all. Both sensations worked to heighten her awareness; her skin seemed to be almost on fire and it took great effort to prevent her hands from moving across her body.

Over the next half hour, she found her mind drifting off, thinking about everything that had happened in the last month. Standing there naked, she felt brave and totally fearless, ready to tackle any assignment that she and Bill could come up with. She thought of the other ways she could show off her body to her viewers and fantasized about becoming the most talked-about reporter on television. Looking up at one point, she noticed George's camera pointed directly at her; she looked directly into the lens and smiled.

Eventually, the class came to an end, and Michael clapped his hands to signal completion of the day's sketching. He walked over to Lisa and draped the robe across her shoulders. "That was an amazing session for a first time model," he congratulated her. "You know, you're welcome to come back any time."

With that, the class spontaneously burst into applause, and for the first time that day, Lisa blushed. She hurriedly slipped her arms into the robe and tied it across her front. Some of the students approached her with their sketches, and a couple asked her to sign them. Meanwhile Clayton made a point of collecting several of the better drawings, getting the names of the students and promising to return the sketches at a later date.

The crew then accompanied her back to the changing room, where Lisa offered what she assumed would be the closing lines of her report. "Whew, that was very different from what I expected. I can tell you, it's not easy work."