“Were you using any other... enhancements?”
Cami cocked her head, squinting. “Like what? I didn’t light my candles, if that’s what you mean.”
He smiled, but it was friendly, not like he was laughing at her. “I mean the visual kind.”
“Oh, like...” She glanced around them again to ensure no one had tuned in, then leaned forward across the table to close her part of the distance between them, and whispered: “porn?”
The corners of his smile deepened into dimples, and now he was definitely laughing at her. “Yes,” he nodded, “that’s what I mean. Anything like that?”
She shook her head. “No. I don’t really like it. It’s very graphic.”
“Not always. Have you tried looking for anything softer? More romantic? It’s out there, if you look.”
She’d watched porn twice in her whole life. The first time had been before she’d lost her virginity just after high school graduation, when she thought maybe she could pick up some tips and tricks if she saw pros at work. It had been a slobbery blowjob that involved more of the man thrusting into the woman’s face than the woman actually sucking anything. Her eyes had been watering, her eyeliner smeared across her cheekbones, and all Cami could think about was how much that poor woman’s throat was going to hurt afterward. The second time involved actual intercourse, but was similarly rough, with the man jackhammering away at a woman obviously going out of her way to sound eager. At least then, she could see how both parties involved might find it pleasurable, but she had her doubts that the woman’s extremely vocal orgasm was authentic. In neither case was she eager to relive the experience of watching while she was trying to achieve orgasm herself.
Her skepticism must have shown on her face, because Des leaned forward and braced his arms on the table. “If you don’t want to sift through it all, I could help. Can I see your phone?”
She hesitated only a moment before she pulled her cell from the side pocket of her messenger bag, unlocked it, and passed it to him. He fiddled with the buttons along the side for a moment, then tapped away at the screen with his index finger, murmuring, “You have so many apps on your home screen, this is a disaster,” but he was quick to pull the phone toward himself with a grin when she tried to grab it back. “Just an observation! I’d have thought your phone would be more organized.”
“Keep your observations to yourself,” she countered.
After a moment, he held her phone back out, but to the side so they could both see the screen. Then he opened her webbrowser to show her several waiting tabs. There were three, all from the same porn site. It must have been his favorite.
“I’m not going to go into details here for obvious reasons,” he explained, using his fingertip to scroll a bit. “But I’ve got three videos here for you to look at. Maybe one of them will strike your fancy. If not, no harm in trying. But none of them are what I could consider gross.”
Des was handing her porn recommendations. Instead of the usual cheek flush that she was used to, her whole body heated like the blush was full-body. Her clothing felt too hot, and she gripped her sweating drink like a life raft.
“Um.”
“Maybe give it a shot next time you’re in the mood.” He placed her phone on the table between them and nudged it back to her, then took up his own drink. He took a long, slow tug off his straw, cheeks hollowing out as he sucked, and she couldn’t help but note the way his throat bobbled as he swallowed.
“Okay,” she said, as though he was offering a Netflix recommendation.
He stood, pushing his chair back as he did. “I’ll get out of your hair, then.” His smile was back, relaxed and unconcerned. “I’ve gotta get back to work. I’m sure I’ll see you soon.” He stooped to pick up his briefcase, and then lifted his cup toward her in farewell. The door swung shut behind him.
“What has happened to my life?” Cami asked her porn-filled phone.
ROMANTIC MASSAGE TURNS SEXY,it said.
She turned the screen off, then lifted her drink and pressed the cool plastic against her cheek.
She’d give herself a minute to shake it off, whatever it was, and then she’d study. She was not going to let Des and his orgasm inspo fail her out of college, no matter how much pornhe found for her. She might not be able to get off, but she could at least graduate.
6
Evening was Des’s favorite time to run. The sun didn’t go down until late in the summer, but Des always held off until dusk to strap on his running shoes, put in his airpods, and hit the pavement. The heat wasn’t as oppressive and the sidewalks not as crowded when he jogged out of his house and aimed for the Pacific Ocean. He thumbed his phone to pull up a podcast about bizarre medical cases but only got twenty seconds into the host’s intro before he changed his mind. He wasn’t going to be able to focus anyway.
He settled on music instead. At least listening to the same playlist as always wouldn’t have him missing anything when he inevitably zoned out. He wouldn’t have to waste energy trying not to think about Cami.
This thing with her, whatever it was, had escalated quickly. He’d been attracted to her from the moment he saw her the first time he walked into Sex on the Beach, but he’d never intended to act on it. How could he, given his job?
He groaned aloud as he rounded a corner to head north, and a man waiting for the bus cast him a concerned expression. He never should have let Lenny lie about him, but it had happenedso fast. He’d left her office after his first time speaking with her, stopped to flirt a little with Cami, and Lenny had swept out of the office to introduce him as a sex toy salesman. Ridiculous. But he’d gone along with it, because his whole job was to get Lenny to do what he wanted, and if pretending he sold sex toys would get him on her good side, what was the harm?
He hadn’t anticipated giving Cami masturbation advice.
He hadn’t anticipated this deal taking so long that he got slammed with a deadline.
His feet pounded on the pavement as he picked up his pace, the shock of the sidewalk reverberating up through the soles of his shoes and into his shins. His heartbeat was thumping steadily in his chest. Running usually cleared his mind, but now all he could think of was the shocked purse of Cami’s lips when he handed her a cell phone filled with porn.
