Chapter 7
Isaac
“Why, oh why, is it so loud in here?”
My question goes unanswered, the music blaring through the walls of the house drowning out all other noise. A few plastic cups litter the banged-up table, evidence of my housemates’ pre-gaming activities at…
“Five-twenty?” I ask the empty room. “Who parties this early on a goddamn Monday?”
Todd saunters into view, his head moving along to the thumping bass. He mouths what might be, “Oh, hey.”
“The fuck?” I mouth back.
Todd shrugs. He then proceeds to act something out which I think is supposed to be him eating with chopsticks, followed by a questioning flourish of his hands.
I nod, and he disappears up the stairs. I take a minute to drop off my bag inside my own room, a headache forming at my temples. Todd meets me back downstairs, shoes on and a happy grin on his face.
Once we’re outside, the music marginally quieter, I repeat, “The fuck.”
“I think Big C aced a test. So they’re celebrating.”
“Big C?” I ask with some incredulity, the two of us setting off toward campus. “Do you mean Camden?”
“He’s trying something new.”
“Yeah… I’m not calling him that. It sounds like some sort of euphemism for an overgrown rooster, if you know what I mean.”
Todd huffs a laugh, typing away on his phone’s keypad. Probably letting Lumi know we’re on the way. “You say that as if you actually speak to our housemates.”
“Hey, I talk to them. Sometimes.”
“Asking them to turn the music down doesn’t count.”
I open my mouth to argue but find that I can’t.
Todd laughs again. “How does it feel being so close to retirement?”
It takes me a second, but then I’m punching my friend on the shoulder. “I’m not old, you dick.”
“You kinda are.”
“I’m only a year older than you guys. That’s nothing.”
“It’s a mentality, bae.”
Todd dances away from my second punch, nearly running into someone who stops to stare at him.
“It’s called being mature,” I defend. “And I’m not sure I like you very much.”
“You do, unfortunately.”
“Unfortunately,” I agree around a sigh.
We stop for Chinese food on the way to Lumi’s dorm, the air brisk during our walk.
Todd fills me in on his research project, not a lick of it making any sense to me.
But I nod along, trying not to let my mind wander too far down paths of tattooed hands and a surprisingly bold tongue.
Nor a certain upcoming lunch date that has nerves rolling around in my stomach like cotton balls in a dryer.
So what if Trevor caught me staring at his thick arms or his wide shoulders or his stupidly full mouth? I was only being an attentive listener.
“Are you even listening to me?” Todd asks, stopping outside Lumi’s door.
“Um… Yes?”
“Really? Because I just told you aliens took my V-card, and you didn’t even blink.”
Two girls passing in the hall start whispering furtively. I let out a sigh as one turns back around, eyes set on Todd.
“It’s not available,” I tell her. “The card. Aliens have a better chance.”
Todd pointedly clears his throat. “I can speak for myself, you know.”
Wincing, I wave him on. “Sorry.”
My friend faces the hopeful-looking girl. “Yeah, no. Not interested. Have a nice…life.”
The girl hastens to catch up with her friend, and Todd knocks on Lumi’s door.
“What’s taking so long?” he grumbles.
I stare at him blankly as the door flies open.
“Get in here,” Lumi demands, tugging Todd hard enough he stumbles a step, the bag of Chinese food in his grip swaying dangerously.
He makes a despondent sound. “The food, Lumi.”
“Sit your ass down,” she says, plunking Todd onto her mattress and then rounding on me.
“What?” I ask in alarm.
“We’re watching porn.”
It’s quiet for a beat before I rally. “Um… What now?”
Lumi rolls her eyes hard enough for me to feel it in my own skull before dragging me over to her dormmate’s bed. I eye the cover before relenting and taking a seat, Lumi right next to me.
“I heard about this guy you can text for a…you know, show. I just got the video.”
“What?” I ask yet again. “Lumi, did you seriously give your number to some sketchy-ass dude so you could get a free dick pic?”
“Number one, it wasn’t free. Number two, no. He actually—” She makes a jerk-off motion, much to Todd’s displeasure. “It’s like this whole performance. He even takes requests.”
“Oh God, what did you ask for?”
Todd opens his take-out, ignoring us.
“Just a little…encouragement,” Lumi says, a faux-innocent expression on her face as she opens her phone. “Avert your precious eyes, darling Todd. You won’t want to see this.”
“I’m not sure I want to see this,” I mumble, even as my curiosity has me looking at Lumi’s phone screen.
She starts the video, and yep, there’s a dick. A somewhat grainy but very erect dick.
“Jesus,” I murmur, face flushing as I resituate.
“You like that?” the man on-screen says, his voice eerily familiar. “Are you gonna touch yourself for me while I imagine it’s you here instead of my hand?”
“Oh…my God,” I mutter.
“What?” Todd asks, his focus on me now.
I can’t answer him, my pulse ratcheting as the man slides a hand over his cock, dark tattoos covering his fingers in a tapestry of art I recognize.
“Oh my God.”
Todd jumps up at my shout, coming over to the bed we’re on and promptly tripping over his feet the moment he sees the screen. “Jesus!”
“I did warn you,” Lumi says, although her eyes are on me, concerned by whatever she sees on my face.
“How fucking big is that thing?” Todd squeaks from his position on the floor.
“Big,” Lumi and I intone at the same time.
Fucking massive, more like. Because that dick me and my friends are watching? There’s no doubt in my mind who it belongs to.
Trevor. My Trevor.
And considering how huge his hands are, that cock he’s throttling has to be huge, as well. By far the biggest I’ve ever seen.
“Mmm, fucking good,” Trevor growls. “Wish you were here, baby. You’d feel even better.”
I’m not proud of the sound that escapes me. “We should…we should stop watching this.”
“What? Why?” Lumi asks.
Todd is peering at the phone through parted fingers.
“Just, uh, trust me?”
I go to pause the video but press the wrong button, sending it forward instead.
Trevor’s hand is moving swiftly now, a litany of words falling from his lips, deep and rough like gravel.
“Are you close, baby? Fuck, I need to come. Would you come for me? Imagine I’m down on my knees with your taste on my tongue and come. ”
“Oh my God,” Todd whispers, his gaze pinging to me. “Is that…”
“Fuuuck,” Trevor rumbles, spilling over his fist as Lumi lets out a delighted gasp.
“Holy shit!” Todd exclaims, trying to scramble away and ending up flat on the floor, his hands covering his face. “There he went, huh.”
Lumi manages to speak through her laughter. “Okay, babe?”
“Yep. Yeah,” Todd croaks. “You did warn me.”
“How did you find this?” I ask Lumi, my heart beating like a drum.
“Just heard about it from a friend,” she says, setting her phone aside. “Why? What am I missing?”
I scrub over my face as my thoughts ping every which way.
“That,” Todd says succinctly, “is Library Guy.”
Lumi’s eyes shift to me, wide, before a grin takes over her face. “Oh, damn. Damn, Isaac. Please tell me you’re not about to pass on that?”
I shake my head, but I can’t get my mouth in working order to explain it’s not Trevor’s dick I’m interested in. Or, at least, not just his dick. It’s him, as much as I hate to admit the man intrigues me. I wasn’t looking for complications right now.
And this? Trevor?
Well, let’s just say my lunch date got a hell of a lot more complicated.
My palms won’t stop sweating on the way to Sunset Sandwiches. No matter how many times I’ve tried to clear the image of Trevor’s hand wrapped around his cock from my head, it won’t budge.
Nor will his voice rumbling for me to come.
Not that he was talking to me.
Oh, God. I will not get a boner. I will not, I will not, I will not.
By the time I arrive at the sandwich shop a good ten minutes early, I’ve worked myself into a frenzied state of anxiety. I give the inside of the restaurant a quick check to confirm Trevor isn’t inside, and then I pace. My phone starts pinging at five to.
Lumi: You’ve got this, babe.
Todd: You’ve so got this.
Lumi: Just be honest with him.
Todd: Honesty is always best.
Lumi: Everything will be fine, you’ll see.
Todd: So fine.
I roll my eyes.
Lumi: How are you feeling?
Me: Like I’m about to make a huge, huge mistake.
It takes a beat for a reply to come through.
Todd: Are we calling his dick a mistake now?
Me: Oh my God, Todd! That’s not what I meant.
Lumi: You listen to me, Isaac. Are you listening?
Lumi: Isaac!
Me: Jesus, I’m listening.
Lumi: You deserve happiness. And that can come in any form. So get your fucking father’s voice out of your head, and sit on that goddamn massive mistake!
I groan, even as I type furiously back.
Me: I’m not riding the man next to a pastrami sandwich, for fuck’s sake.
Todd: See, now I’m confused. Because you both seem to be calling his dick a mistake.
Me: It’s not a mistake!
Lumi: Damn right it isn’t. Ride it, babe. Ride it hard.
“You two have lost the damn plot!” I hiss.
“I hear talking to yourself is what all the greats do.”
“Jesus fuck,” I growl at Trevor, my heart trying to beat outside my chest. “Do you have to be so…sneaky?”
He watches me calmly, amusement lighting his dark eyes. “I walked up quite slowly. I even waved to try to get your attention first.”
“Well…next time try a bullhorn. And holy fuck, that’s not a turtleneck.”
No, Trevor is wearing a deep-cut V-neck sweater that looks painfully soft to the touch, the dark crimson color a stark contrast to the black tattoos covering his chest and neck. It takes me a second to bring my stare back to his face.
Trevor’s mouth is set in a small smile. “I think you like the tattoos.”
“I think your uncle is very talented,” I reply, clearing the hoarseness from my voice. “Shall we?”
With an amused hum, Trevor waves me toward the front of the sandwich shop. He grabs the door for me, holding it open, chivalry in a devilish bodysuit. I let out a quiet breath as we approach the counter, my eyes snagging on the pastrami sandwich option before skittering away.
Trevor insists on buying, as the date was his idea. Which only serves to remind me that’s what this is.
A date.
I have to forcibly calm myself as we head toward an open table in the corner near the front windows. The shop is mostly empty, just employees and a lone diner at the other end of the space.
Honesty. Just be honest.
I can do that. No big deal.
Fuck, it’s such a big deal.
“You seem nervous,” Trevor notes, his voice low.
“Not because of you,” I hasten to say, unfortunately confirming his observation.
Trevor appraises me for a moment before standing and making his way to the counter. I’m left in suspense for half a minute before he returns, flattening a small sticky note onto the table between us.
It reads “Ours.”
“Just pretend we’re in the library,” Trevor says, the damn sweet man with his sweet smile and all-too-knowing eyes. My heart thumps viciously as he rests his tattooed hands on the table, dark ink covering his fingers. Fingers I saw wrapped around his cock just yesterday.
My mouth is opening before I can even run through what I’m going to say. “I saw you come.”
Trevor raises an eyebrow slowly as horror washes over me.
“Your video,” I hasten to explain. “I saw one of your videos.”
Jesus Christ, in for a penny…
Huffing out a breath, I place my hands flat on the table opposite his. “I know about the porn.”