Playing Along

by Louisa Keller

  His mouth was on me immediately, a tight, wet heat that drove me absolutely crazy. He swallowed around me, his lips brushing against the wiry hair at the base of my cock. My mind went absolutely, blissfully blank. Everything was reduced down to the sensation of Dom’s mouth around me, taking me as far into him as humanly possible. My body seemed to be singing with pleasure.

  “Smith?” Dom asked, pulling off. He sounded fucking wrecked and I wished vehemently that I could see his face—a total mess no doubt.

  “Y-yeah?” I stuttered, trying to get my brain back online.

  “You just gonna leave me hanging here?” he asked.

  His words came flooding back.

  I want to blow you. And I want you to blow me at the same time.

  “Sorry,” I muttered, reaching for his cock. I barely had to lean up to take the head into my mouth, and then Dom’s hips were stuttering down, bringing us closer together as he took me down to the hilt once more. I brought one hand to the base of his cock, jerking him as my mouth came closer and closer to my own hand with each thrust. He was getting into a rhythm, his hips moving in tandem with his mouth. We became an endless feedback loop of pleasure, thrusting into each other’s mouths while we sucked each other passionately.

  Everything became hazy and soft, the world melting away. Then, from deep within me, my orgasm began to build. There was a moment when I realized what was happening, and then I was overcome. The pleasure seemed to radiate out through each of my limbs, and I moaned around Dom’s cock as I began to spill into his mouth. He worked me through it, never wavering in his ministrations even as I felt my cum spilling out of his mouth and dripping toward my balls.

  I reached up to grab his ass, encouraging him to thrust harder into my mouth. Then, without warning, Dom was coming. He started to pull away, cum streaking across my face and catching in my eyelashes, but I gripped him firmly, keeping him from getting far. I licked at his sated cock, tasting every last bit of his release before I allowed him to move away.

  Dom collapsed onto the bed beside me, his head by my feet. We both lay there for a while, panting like we’d just finished a marathon. Suddenly, Dom began to laugh. His head was tilted back, his entire body shaking with laughter, and I couldn’t help joining in. It was all so surreal—getting kicked out, ending up in a tiny room with an even tinier bed, getting off with the guy I couldn’t stop thinking about…

  I didn’t want to think about the consequences of our actions. I just wanted to lay there with Dom, frozen in time.

  But time marched on, as it always did.

  “Smith?” Dom said tentatively.

  “Yeah?”

  “You hungry?” he asked.

  My stomach took the opportunity to rumble loudly, and I blushed as I sat up.

  “I guess you can take that as a yes,” I said.

  “Wanna go with Lola to that open mic? I bet there’ll be bar food,” Dom said, nudging my shoulder.

  What I wanted to do was to wrap Dom in my arms and fall asleep with him right then and there. But he was right, we both needed food. And the skittish part of me that was terrified by my feelings for Dom was starting to resurface, sniffing the air and telling me to get some space between us asap.

  Why does this feel so fucking complicated? I wondered.

  “You don’t think she’ll mind?” I asked.

  Dom shrugged. “She invited us, didn’t she?”

  The open mic night took place at a little bar called Le Chat Noir. It was bustling when we got there, full of twenty-somethings gathered around tiny tables. Everyone had a drink in their hand and a smile on their face, and I couldn’t help smiling as we negotiated our way toward an empty table in a back corner.

  “You come here often?” I asked Lola as we sat down.

  “Yeah, I hit up the open mic most weeks,” she said. “Sometimes I bring my guitar, but usually I just spectate.”

  “Thanks for letting us tag along,” Dom said. “I’ll get first round, do you both know what you want?”

  “Whatever you’re having,” Lola said easily.

  “Yeah, same for me,” I said, smiling at Dom. “Thanks…for getting the drinks.”

  “You bet,” he said, and then he was gone, vanishing into the crowd.

  Lola propped her chin on her hand and gave me a deep, soul-searching look. There was something about her that made me feel calm, content to just sit there and chat even though we didn’t know each other at all.

  “You two known each other long?” she asked, casual as can be.

  “What, me and Dom?” I asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “Uh…we met yesterday, actually,” I admitted. Lola let out a tinkling little laugh.

  “You don’t say,” she said.

  “Why?” I asked. “Does it seem like we’ve known each other for a while?”

  “Not necessarily,” said Lola. “There’s just obviously a lot going on between the two of you.”

  “I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said, examining my fingernails.

  “Right,” said Lola with a smirk.

  I sighed heavily. “Alright, alright, there’s a lot going on. But it’s…stupid.”

  “Oh, come on, it’s clearly not stupid,” argued Lola.

  “It is though,” I insisted. “You wanna know the truth? I met Dom yesterday and I can’t keep my fucking mind off of him. Or my hands.”

  Lola reached out her free hand and squeezed mine gently. “That doesn’t sound stupid. It sounds like you like him. You know, that human emotion where you can stand to be around another person?”

  “Aw, fuck off,” I said lightly. “It’s just…I can’t like him. I can’t like anybody like this. I shouldn’t even be touching him.”

  “Okay, King Midas,” Lola said, rolling her eyes even as she smiled at me.

  “No, seriously,” I said. “You don’t get it.”

  “Then explain it to me,” she said.

  “Oh, come on, you don’t wanna hear all this,” I said, stalling.

  “Uh, dude, I’m a total sucker for gossip,” Lola said. “And as someone who works at a fucking youth hostel, I have an extremely high tolerance for drama. So, spill.”

  Jesus Christ, she was like a female version of me.

  “Alright, alright, fine,” I said, pretending to be put-upon. “We both make YourTube videos about queer life. Mine are all about, you know, slutting it up. And I love my job, it’s the best thing in my life right now. I spent so many years feeling shame and guilt about sex. And now, not only do I get to have as much sex as I want, I also get to empower other people to do the same thing.”

  “That’s goddamn awesome,” Lola said.

  “Right? It’s just…amazing. Every damn day I look around and feel so fucking lucky that I get to do something I love. I’m living the dream, and I can’t imagine giving that up for anything. For anyone.” I bit my lower lip, thinking hard.

  “How does Dom factor into all of this?” Lola asked, leaning forward.

  “Dom? He came out of nowhere and swept me off my goddamn feet yesterday. It’s been like nothing I’ve ever experienced up until now. He’s making me feel things that are quite frankly terrifying,” I said.

  “Like what?”

  “Like I want more than just one night with him,” I confessed.

  “And that’s a problem?” Lola said, her eyebrows raised.

  “It’s a fucking catastrophe. I have a strict one-night-only policy, and I have it for a reason. I’ve worked goddamn hard to get where I am, and I refuse to be one of those people who uproots their personal philosophy at the drop of a hat. I am a slut, I love being a slut, I want to keep being a slut and helping other people to embrace that lifestyle. And here I am having feelings, and they’re making it fucking difficult to remember that I love sleeping with a different guy every night.”

  Lola let out a low whistle.

  “What?” I snapped.

  “That’s just a lot. I feel for you, man,” she said.
>
  “I was kinda hoping you’d have some sage advice,” I admitted.

  “I mean, I’m sure I can come up with something,” said Lola. “Do you want me to validate your feelings? Tell you a story from my own love life? Convince you that everything’s going to be okay?”

  “Ugh, I have no idea what I need to hear right now,” I said.

  “Well, here’s what’s coming to mind right off the bat. You’re holding yourself really goddamn accountable for a whole bunch of things here. But I think maybe you can let that all go, at least while you’re on vacation. Like, maybe you could consider this conference a single ‘night’ as far as your one-night-only policy is concerned. Lots of slutty people have flings while they’re in Paris for the week, dude. Trust me, I see it all the time at the hostel.”

  Holy shit, I thought. That never even occurred to me.

  Before I could even begin to process that fucking bombshell, Dom was sidling up to the table with three glasses of wine in his hands.

  “Sorry that took so long,” he said, handing Lola and I our drinks and plopping into the seat between us. “Did I miss anything?”

  “Nothing worth repeating,” I said hurriedly. “Thanks for the wine, dude.”

  9

  Dom

  DOM: Guess who got kicked out of his hotel?

  >>DOM: And then ravished in a tiny bed at a hostel?

  >>FINLEY: shut up

  >>FINLEY: you did not

  >>FINLEY: jfc dom i’m so ducking proud of you

  >>FINLEY: fucking*

  >>LEO: yassss

  >>CARSON: kicked out?

  >>CARSON: tell us the whole story!

  >>PORTER: !!!

  The group chat was blowing up by the time Smith, Lola, and I got back to the hostel.

  >>DOM: I’ll give you the deets later…

  >>DOM: Smith and I are about to go back up to the room ;)

  They are chimed back in at once.

  >>PORTER: Get some, buddy!

  >>LEO: u harlot

  >>FINLEY: you’re my hero dom

  >>FINLEY: making your boys back home proud

  >>CARSON: hell yes!

  I slipped my phone back into my pocket, smiling.

  “I’m gonna call it a night, boys,” said Lola. “Here’s my number, shoot me a text if you want to hang out tomorrow after your conference. I’m not working and my evening is completely open.”

  “Nice,” said Smith, grabbing the business card she was holding out. “Thanks so much for, uh, everything.”

  “You bet,” she said, waving us off. “Get some sleep.”

  I snorted, heading for the stairs. Smith was right behind me, practically corralling me toward out room. I fumbled with the key, laughing as his hands came to rest on my hips.

  “What’s taking you so long?” Smith teased, pressing close enough that I could feel his cock hardening up through his jeans.

  “I’d like to see you get the door open with my body pressed up against yours,” I grumbled, giving the key a violent jerk. It did the trick, and the door flew open.

  I turned in Smith’s arms, pulling him into a filthy kiss. We stumbled across the threshold, licking into each other’s mouths feverishly. Smith had the presence of mind to kick the door shut behind us, and then I was pulling him onto the tiny bed.

  “Dom,” he groaned, settling on top of me.

  “Put your hands on me,” I panted.

  Smith didn’t need telling twice. He got both of us undressed in record time, and then he laid down atop me so that we were touching everywhere. Our cocks were both steadily dripping precum, and they slid together so sweetly as he began thrusting his body against mine. It was filthy and primal and a complete relief. I needed him so badly, and there he was, giving me exactly what I was asking for.

  It didn’t take long for us to come. Afterward we lay there, tangled up in each other on the twin-sized bed, our breathing syncing up.

  “Smith?” I asked, breaking the silence.

  “Mhmm?”

  I took a deep, centering breath. I had to ask, had to know what was going on between us. But I didn’t want to send Smith toppling over the cliff’s edge into panic. He was so set on being the guy who never slept with anyone twice…so why was I lying in his arms once again?

  “I think we need to talk about this,” I said gently.

  “Dom—”

  “No, I know you don’t want to. I get that. But…I just need it. Please, Smith.”

  He inhaled shakily, his arms tightening around me.

  “Okay,” he whispered.

  “I have to know what this means. What I should expect,” I said, proud of myself for keeping my voice steady.

  “I don’t know what to tell you,” Smith said, stroking my chest idly.

  “Smith, you asked me to share this room with you—this bed. You asked me to stay for the rest of the week, and then you hooked up with me. Forgive me if I’m being dense, but this doesn’t seem like a one-night stand anymore.”

  He ran a finger over one of my nipples and I hissed at the contact.

  “I don’t do relationships,” Smith said slowly.

  “So, you’ve said,” I replied.

  “But…I don’t want to stop. I want to keep touching you, making you come. I want to spend the week in bed with you,” he said.

  I ran my fingers through his hair and he pushed into the touch.

  “I’m not asking for a relationship, you know,” I pointed out. “I’ve only known you for a couple of days, I’m not insane.”

  “Yeah,” said Smith. “I just don’t know where this falls, you know? I’m kinda breaking all my rules here.”

  “What do you want Smith? If you could have anything, what would it be?” I asked.

  His answer came at once. “I want to be with you this week, while we’re in Paris.”

  “Okay—”

  “I’m not done,” he interrupted. “I want to be with you this week, but I want it to be casual. I want to part ways amicably and without heartbreak. Do you think you can do that?”

  My heart clenched in my chest.

  Suddenly I was back in college with Harris.

  You’re a nice guy, Dom, but you’re just so damn needy. Why can’t you just chill the hell out? Nobody’s ever going to want you if you can’t rein it in.

  “Dom?” Smith’s voice pulled me back to the present. His brows were furrowing in concern. “Did you hear me?”

  “Uh, yeah,” I said, looking away from him. “Yeah, I can do casual.”

  “You sure?” Smith asked.

  “Yep, totally. We have one week together, that’s it. Count me in.”

  “Okay,” said Smith dubiously. “If you’re sure you’re okay with it.”

  Harris doesn’t get to hold me back anymore, I thought. I’m going to be the best casual fling the world has ever seen.

  “I’m more than okay with it,” I assured him. “But if we only have one week together, we’d better get back to work.”

  Smith’s eyes widened as I repositioned myself between his legs. “Holy shit—”

  “Think you can get hard again already?” I asked, not giving him a chance to answer. I took his cock into my mouth and swallowed around it.

  “Fuck yes,” moaned Smith. “You’re perfect, Dom.”

  The words echoed around my head.

  You’re perfect. You’re perfect. You’re perfect.

  I woke up the next morning to the incessant vibration of my phone.

  I was lying on my side, Smith spooning me from behind, his arm thrown possessively across my chest. For a moment I just stayed there, enjoying the intimacy. Smith was breathing slow and steady against the back of my neck, and I could feel the contours of his chest pressing into my back. I wanted to stay there forever, squished in that tiny bed with him.

  But my phone kept on buzz-buzz-buzzing away, so I careful extricated myself from Smith’s embrace and climbed over him to get out of bed. He didn’t stir, so I grabbed my phone and heade
d out into the hallway.

  “Hello?” I said without looking at the caller ID.

  “Dom, holy shit man,” said Carson.

  “What’s going on?” I asked. “Is everything okay?”

  “Uh, you could say that,” said Carson. “Have you been online at all? Checked your social media or anything?”

  “No, it’s…god, I don’t even know what time it is,” I muttered. “You woke me up, actually.”

  “Yeah, I’m not gonna apologize for that, it’s like almost noon your time,” he said.

  “Fair enough,” I said, stifling a yawn. “Wanna tell me what’s so urgent that you’re calling? You’re not exactly the phone call type.”

  “Your video about one-night stands, the one you recorded yesterday? It fucking blew up, dude,” said Carson.

  I sucked in a quick breath. “Seriously?”

  “Yeah, that smorgenstern guy posted it yesterday and people are freaking out. It’s going viral, dude.”

  “Fuck,” I said, running a hand through my hair. “Oh my god. What are people saying? Is it good?”

  Carson let out a little laugh. “They’re, uh, wondering why you both look like you got fucking ravished just before shooting.” I groaned. “And, quite frankly dude, I’m wondering the same thing.”

  “Don’t start,” I said, but there wasn’t any bite to it.

  “Yeah, good luck with that. Dom, you’re covered in hickies. There’s a fucking bite mark on your neck. I’ve never seen you leave the house looking anything less than immaculate, what gives?” asked Carson.

  “Smith and I…we woke up late that morning—”

  “So…you really fucked each other? Because fans are speculating like crazy and shipping you with each other, whatever that means. They wanna know where the footage of the sex is,” he said.

  “Ha ha, very funny,” I said, rolling my eyes.

  “Hey, don’t shoot the messenger, man,” said Carson.

  “They’re not really saying that, are they?” I asked.

  “Uh…hate to break it to you, but they are,” he said.

  “God, people need to mind their own business,” I muttered, rubbing at my eyes. “If I had thought it through I would’ve put some concealer on or something, but I was running late that morning, and I had no idea Smith was the guy I was supposed to be collaborating with.”