When Pete glanced up, Evan’s face was close to him. “What on earth made you think I want to quit?”
“I dunno. You said yourself it feels like it’s too soon, and you’re obviously not thrilled to be here.”
Evan stared at him. “Wow, you really don’t get it, do you?”
“I guess not. Explain it to me?”
“I’m not upset because I’m here. I’m thrilled to be here with you. I wouldn’t do you the disrespect of having sex with you if I didn’t want to. I’m sulking because we didn’t get to hang out this morning, but I’ll get over it.”
Pete studied his face. He looked sincere, and Pete desperately wanted to believe him. “You’d tell me if your consent was anything less than enthusiastic, right?”
“Of course.”
“Then we’re going to do this?”
Evan’s eyes blazed. “We are, and it’s going to be a hell of a ride.”
Pete took a half step toward him, but before he could reach out for him like he wanted, Colette clapped her hands. “All right, gentlemen, let’s begin.”
Pete almost cursed out loud. She had the worst timing.
She held up a blue folder. “I have a copy of the script here if either of you need to look over it.”
“I’m good,” Pete said. “I read it like a hundred times.”
Evan raised his hand like he was in school. “What are we doing about the rain?”
“Good question. We’ll have to edit the footage to show that this is a new day, but for the most part we’re still going to pick up where we left off. Your characters just had their first kiss. They’ve acknowledged that they’re attracted to each other, and they’re about to explore what that attraction means.”
Pete held back an undignified giggle. The parallels between the script and real life were uncanny.
She continued. “The scene is going to begin on the sofa.”
Evan started toward the one beneath the window.
“No, not that one.” She pointed to its twin, which was placed against the adjacent wall. “Sit over there. The light from the windows is washing you both out. Jaden, I’m excited to see what you do with your character’s emotions here. I want to see uncertainty from you, but also intrigue. And Darko, you’re looking to portray confidence. Your friend here is new to all the pleasures out there, and you want to help him discover them.”
Evan smirked, and his old, cocky self shined through. “In other words, I’m like his gay sex tutor.”
“If that’s how you want to think of it, sure. Sound good?”
Evan caught Pete’s eye. “Sounds hot.”
Pete felt a bone-deep thrum of arousal. He couldn’t agree more.
“Anyone need to warm up before we begin? Stretch? Drink some water? Do some vocal exercises?”
They shook their heads.
“Good. Get into position, and we’ll begin.”
Pete took a seat on the couch, taking stock of himself as he went. He felt the familiar side effects of Evan’s nearness: quickened pulse, shallow breathing, and his blood threatening to fly south for the winter. But he also felt comfortable. And eager. No matter the questions he had about the nature of their relationship, he wanted Evan. And he was about to have him.
Evan flopped next to him and wasted no time throwing an arm around the back of the sofa. It felt so natural, Pete didn’t even question what to do. He leaned back until Evan’s arm rested against his shoulder blades. Something tickled his skin, prompting him to glance to the right. Evan was brushing his thumb along his arm where his sleeve ended.
God. It was ridiculous what such a small touch could do to Pete. He could only imagine what it was going to be like when they were finally naked together. The thought alone made him shiver, and Evan pressed minutely closer.
“Ready?” Colette asked them.
Evan looked at Pete.
Pete nodded.
“Yeah,” Evan said, “we’re ready.”
Colette signaled to Yolanda, who flipped a switch on the side of her camera. The red recording light blinked.
Colette took a seat in front of her laptop and called, “Action!”
Pete envisioned pulling his character on like he’d pull on a glove. It was both easy and difficult, considering his character was so much like himself. He was accustomed to being Jaden on screen, not Pete. He hadn’t thought it was possible for porn to make him feel any more exposed.
He peeked to his left, obviously enough that the camera would pick up on it. Evan was watching him, of course. His face was a mosaic of emotion. There were hints of uncertainty, but for the most part, he was tense, like he was waiting for Pete to give him some kind of signal. He looked like a man who had no idea how to proceed. It was convincing.
The first line of dialogue was his. Show time.
“So,” he began. “That happened.”
“Yeah,” Evan agreed. “I think our friendship might be in jeopardy.”
Pete laughed. “I’ll be honest, I’m not sure how to act around you now.”
Evan smiled. “Me neither. And to think, I’d just convinced myself I could live with being only friends . . .” He quickly shut his mouth, like he’d said something he hadn’t meant to.
Pete leaned closer. “What was that?”
“Nothing.” Evan turned his face away, and when he looked back, his expression was neutral. “Do you regret kissing me?”
Pete didn’t even need to act this next bit. It was true.
“No. I could never regret you.”
“Cut!”
He jumped and looked at Colette. “What’s wrong?”
“What’s with you two?” she asked in lieu of an answer.
“What do you mean?”
“You feel . . . different. Not necessarily in a bad way. I just feel like I’m watching you have a conversation.”
“Isn’t that the point?”
“No, I mean, where’s the tension? The anxiety? Your chemistry is still there, but it doesn’t feel quite how it used to. Jaden, you in particular seem different. Much less jumpy than before.”
Well, that was easy enough to explain, though Pete had no intention of saying anything. They’d gotten to know each other. They were comfortable now. He hadn’t expected Colette to pick up on it. He prayed that was all she picked up on.
He asked, “What do you want us to do differently?”
“I’m not sure exactly. It’s not like it’s bad. I’m just used to you guys having this twitchy sort of energy around each other.” She cocked her head thoughtfully. “This might actually be for the best. Jaden, no offense, but before there were times when I thought you were going to piss yourself. Having you be more relaxed will help the audience relax. Just try to ramp up the energy a bit. This isn’t a long scene, so if the sexual tension isn’t built right, it’ll seem forced.”
“Not enough sexual tension,” Evan paraphrased. “I never thought I’d hear that. Whatcha think, Jaden? Can we do better?” He slid a hand onto Pete’s thigh.
Pete gulped. “I think we got this.”
They reset their positions, and this time, when Colette called action, Pete channeled the emotions Evan had made him feel when they’d first met. Back when he’d known him as Kyle, a man with a bewildering amount of sex appeal and a predilection for leaving him wanting more. The memory alone gave him goose bumps.
He shifted a bit toward Evan, making it look like he was solely focused on him. Which, honestly, he was. Evan’s body language had changed as well. Both arms were on the back of the couch now, and he’d spread his legs a bit. He looked more confident, commanding. More in control. Pete had to admit: it was hot.
“So,” he said, lacing his tone with nerves, “that happened.”
They went through the dialogue again, and this time, their attitudes were completely different. When they reached the part where Evan asked if Pete regretted it, it sounded more like a tease, like he already knew the answer and was daring him to deny it.
Pete p
aused, nibbling on his lower lip. “I could never regret you.”
Right on cue, Evan’s eyes swept to Pete’s mouth. “Good.” His voice was all darkness and sin. “Kissing is the tip of the iceberg, you know. There’s so much more we could do.”
Pete looked down. “I dunno. I’ve never, um, you know . . . with a man.”
“I could show you. Teach you.”
Pete let out a shaky laugh. “Is that what you want?”
“Oh, I want.”
Evan slid his fingers into Pete’s hair, grabbing a handful. He used it to tug him closer, and Pete didn’t hesitate to follow his lead. They kissed slowly, deeply, and then feverishly. Pete melted into it. Evan’s lips were every bit as wonderful as he remembered: soft and firm and insistent against his. The best part was the flash of stubble he felt whenever Evan shifted to get a new angle. It scraped his skin in the most delicious way.
Pete expected Evan to push him onto his back at some point, but instead he inched closer until Evan’s chest was pressed to his side, one hand in Pete’s hair while the other rested on his chest. Pete didn’t care what positions they were in. He’d flip upside down like a bat if Evan wanted.
Pete could spend all afternoon kissing him, but Evan clearly had other plans. The hand on Pete’s chest moved to one of his nipples and rubbed it through his shirt. Pete jolted at the sensation, cock thickening, and belatedly remembered to moan for the benefit of the camera. He’d have to do a better job of remembering it was there, that there were other people around. He wanted to forget, to dissolve into Evan and just feel.
Evan moved his lips to Pete’s neck. “Do you like that?” He thumbed Pete’s nipple again, harder.
“Yes,” Pete rasped.
He nibbled on his earlobe and then whispered, “What about that?”
There was no way the microphones had picked that up. Pete couldn’t respond without confusing the audience. Colette would call cut, and they’d have to start over. Not that he would mind that.
Pete moaned again for lack of anything better to do.
Evan laughed, soft and breathy against his ear, and murmured, “I know they can’t hear me. I don’t want them to. Answer the question.”
Pete nuzzled his face into Evan’s neck—out of view—and mouthed, “I don’t mind it, but ears aren’t really my thing.” He put a hand over the one Evan had in his hair and guided it down. “But I am sensitive here.” He pressed down on Evan’s fingers until the nails scraped the nape of his neck. A quiet, pleasured noise escaped from him. To his ear, it sounded completely different from the ones he affected for the camera. He glanced at Evan for his reaction.
Evan was watching him with wide, wondrous eyes. “Christ, what am I going to do with you?” He freed the hand from Pete’s nape, slid it down his chest and stomach, and dipped between his legs. “At least I know what to do with this.”
Pete hissed and arched into the touch. His cock, which had been plenty interested in what they were doing before, filled with blood so quickly it left him dizzy. “Oh God, don’t stop.”
“Wasn’t planning on it.” Evan palmed him expertly through his jeans. He lowered his voice. “You feel so perfect in my hand. Just the right size, and so warm.”
Pete threw his head back, partially out of enjoyment and partially to hide his mouth as he asked, “Why are you whispering? Colette would want you to speak up.”
There was a beat of silence. Then, Evan said, “I want some parts of this to be just between us.”
An unfathomable emotion grabbed Pete’s heart and squeezed.
One-handed, Evan expertly popped open the button fastening Pete’s pants and slid the zipper down.
“Fuck,” Pete said, dazed. “That was hot.”
Evan snickered. “Just you wait.” He slipped his hand into Pete’s underwear.
Pete was far from camera-shy, but it dawned on him that Evan was about to see his dick for the first time. He tensed up, preparing to contain a bout of self-consciousness, but then Evan’s hot fist circled around him, and his bones turned to jelly.
At that point, Yolanda took her camera off the tripod and moved closer with Colette and a hand-held microphone on her heels. Undoubtedly, they were trying to capture all the embarrassing little noises Pete was making. He tried to control them, make them less needy and more sexy, but with Evan’s hand wrapped around his cock, there was no stopping the soul-searing moan that resonated from deep within him.
He shuddered from head to foot, and Evan cursed in his ear, fingers tightening around him, which only made Pete moan more. It was like a feedback loop, one that was quickly threatening to overwhelm Pete. He already felt like he was about to—
“Cut!”
Pete made a frustrated noise as Evan’s hand withdrew from his pants. Shit, he’d never gotten that close that quickly before. They hadn’t even done that much.
“What’s wrong now?” Evan asked.
“Nothing to do with you two, don’t worry,” Colette answered. She surveyed the windows. “The sun went behind a cloud, and we need to wait for the light to come back. Just hang tight.”
Easy for you to say. Pete looked around, blinking as the room came back into focus. It had definitely darkened. He hadn’t even noticed. But then, it was hard to think about anything other than Evan’s hand resting on his thigh. It was tempting to angle his hips toward it, but they had to hold their positions. Both for easier editing and because they couldn’t very well keep getting off when the camera wasn’t rolling.
Get it together, Griflow. He leaned his head back, staring at the ceiling. They still had a lot of filming to get through.
“Hey.”
Reluctantly, he returned his head to its upright position. “Hmm?”
Evan gave his shoulder a gentle rub. “All right?”
“Yeah. It’s just, um, hard, for lack of a better term. To stay in place.” He squirmed against Evan. “I didn’t want you to stop touching me.”
Evan let out a tight breath. “The feeling is mutual.”
Just then, the room brightened again. Pete’s eyes stung a bit as they adjusted.
“We’re good to go,” Colette called. “Start back up where you left off. Jaden, you seemed close just then. Were you?”
He felt more than saw Evan watching him. “Yeah, sorry. I got carried away. I’ve got it under control.”
“It’s okay. Just try to hold off for another ten minutes or so. We need to get some varied shots of you.” She turned to Yolanda and started discussing angles.
He took a deep breath and flexed his toes to distract himself from the dull ache in his groin.
Out of his periphery, Evan’s grin was unmistakable. “Did you really almost come?”
Pete huffed. “Wipe that look off your face. It happens to the best of us.”
Evan’s grin only grew. “I’m not complaining. I’m taking it as a compliment.”
Colette shot them a stern look. “Save it, gentlemen. If you can behave, we might finish by lunchtime, pardon my word choice.” She glanced at Yolanda, who nodded, and then called, “Action!”
Evan’s hand was back between Pete’s legs before he could even blink. “Oh fuck.”
“That’s it,” Evan said, pulling him out of his underwear, “tell me how it feels.” He formed a loose fist around Pete’s dick but didn’t stroke yet. Pete tensed, body taut with need. Being touched by him without any real satisfaction was torture.
“Kyle, please, do something,” he pleaded. “I need it.”
Evan laughed. “Listen to you. First time with a guy, and you’re already making demands. I hoped you’d be one of the needy ones, the ones who once they have a taste, they can’t get enough.”
He gave Pete’s cock a slow stroke from root to tip. Pete grabbed his shoulder, holding on for dear life. Pete made the mistake of looking at Evan’s face. He was staring at Pete’s cock, watching the head peek in and out of the circle he’d made with his fist. He looked rapturous.
I wish I could taste you
, Evan mouthed, face tilted away from the camera. Audibly, he said, “You make me so hot. How does it feel?”
“Good,” Pete responded. “Can you tighten your fingers a little, and— Ah!”
His hips bucked of their own volition. It was like Evan had read his mind. Just as he reached the base of Pete’s dick, he gave him a soft squeeze, and pleasure crackled up Pete’s spine. Fuck. He really wasn’t going to last long.
“I love the sounds you make,” Evan said, watching him. Pete almost wanted to look away, his gaze was so intense. “I can’t decide which I want more: to tease you until you’re whimpering, or fuck you fast and hard, make you come undone so I know what that sounds like too. What do you want?”
“Kyle, I want, ah,” Pete babbled, trying and failing to express the jumble of half thoughts in his head. “Just, please, can you—”
Evan buried his face in Pete’s neck and breathed in deeply. His hand started moving faster, stroking Pete in earnest. No matter how hard he tried to control himself, Pete kept getting louder and louder. He pressed a hand to his mouth, but there was no smothering his moans.
“Don’t,” Evan ordered. “I want to hear you. Move your hand.”
Pete wrenched it away but replaced it with Evan’s mouth, kissing him sloppily. It was all he could manage right now, clouded as he was by desire. Something was coiling low in his belly, getting ready to spring. He bucked his hips shallowly in time with Evan’s thrusts.
“Kyle,” he whimpered, pressing his sweaty brow against his cheek. “I’m close.”
“What do you need?”
Pete had no idea how to communicate it. He couldn’t think straight with Evan’s hand working him. He exhaled raggedly. “More. I need more.”
Evan let go of him, and Pete almost sobbed. But then Evan scooted a little away and got into a sitting position: feet on the floor, legs spread. He snaked his arms under Pete, lifted him easily, and deposited him in the space between his legs. He wrapped his arms around Pete and pulled him back against him until shoulder blades hit solid chest.
Before Pete could settle, Evan yanked his jeans and underwear down to his knees. Then his hand mercifully returned to Pete’s cock. Pete gasped and canted his hips up into it, desperate for more.
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