Cam Boy

by Quinn Anderson

  Mike opened the door without waiting for a response and strode into the room. It was crammed with filming equipment and the people who operated it, but the set was clear: a simple faux leather couch set on a white rug in the center of the room. Box lights and boom microphones hung above it, ready to highlight every curve and capture every moan. Off to the side, Colette was setting up monitors hooked up to the cameras, on which they could review the footage in real time.

  She caught Mike’s eye and raised a brow, asking a question: You ready? He nodded. She flicked a hand toward the sofa. That was one upside to working with Colette for so long. Mike could follow her vaguest instructions.

  But first, Mike stopped off at a table that had been set up on the right side. Half of it was covered in bottles of water and snacks, and the other half acted as a mini wardrobe station. Mike removed his shoes and socks and tucked them out of sight before depositing everything in his pockets onto the table: phone, keys, wallet, gum, all of it. He couldn’t very well have it falling out of his pockets or jabbing anyone in any unfortunate places.

  To his delight, Josh followed suit without needing to be instructed. He dumped a similar assortment of personal belongings onto the table, removed his shoes, and pulled off his socks. As he bent over, his shirt rode up in the back, making it apparent once again how tight and compact his body was. Mike was looking forward to seeing all the parts he hadn’t gotten to yet.

  He caught himself staring a second too late and looked up to find a full-blown smirk on Josh’s face.

  He glowered. “Shut up.”

  “I didn’t say anything.”

  “Brat.”

  They made their way over to the couch. Mike sat down first while Josh hovered like he wasn’t sure what he should do. Mike sighed. There was still plenty his new mentee didn’t know. He patted the seat next to him, and Josh took that as permission to flop onto it. A photographer appeared as if from nowhere, snapped some shots of them sitting together, and then disappeared only to be replaced by a light tech with an umbrella lamp. Mike blinked spots out of his eyes. Fucking lighting, always blinding him.

  Josh was sitting on the edge of his seat like they were watching an action film together. “What now?”

  “Colette will let us know. I’m sure we’re not going to do anything too complicated today. There aren’t any scripts, since we never know who’s going to make it past orientation. She’ll keep it short and sweet.”

  Josh squirmed. “Do you think she’ll have us . . . go all the way?”

  Mike raised a brow at him. “I’m sorry, I don’t speak high school. Are you asking if we’re gonna fuck?”

  “Uh, yeah.” His flush was back, creeping up his neck.

  “Maybe, but I doubt it. Colette likes to ease the newbs in. Last time I did one of these, we had oral.”

  “One of these? You’ve mentored a newbie before?” Josh shook his head. “I dunno why I’m surprised. You’ve probably done this hundreds of times.”

  “I wouldn’t say hundreds.” Mike did some quick math in his head. “Dozens.”

  Josh was looking down at his hands, which were hanging between his legs. His expression was caught somewhere between resignation and uncertainty. There wasn’t a trace of the bravado he’d plastered on before.

  “Hey. Look at me.” Mike waited until he did before asking, “What is it?”

  “Do you wish Colette had paired you with someone else? Someone better?”

  Mike blinked. “What?”

  “You have all this experience, and here you are, stuck here with me.”

  Mike stared at him. “This isn’t like you. Where’s the annoying cockiness?”

  Josh laughed, but there was no mirth behind it. “I’m not feeling like myself. Problem is, I’m not feeling like Dick Reams either. I’m about to have sex in front of a room full of people, and I can’t stop thinking about that mole I never got removed, or how my bare ass is going to be plastered on the internet forever.”

  “If it’s any consolation, I’m sure it’s a great ass.”

  Josh snorted but didn’t look any less panicked. Mike’s heart throbbed. So much for keeping things professional. But he was the mentor here. It was his job to be responsible.

  “You can still leave, you know. It’s not too late.”

  Josh startled. “Huh?”

  “You don’t have to go through with this. If porn isn’t the right job for you, there’s no shame in that. Plenty of people try it and don’t like it.”

  “Shooting stars, right? I’d hate for Colette to think I was one of those after she gave me another chance.”

  “Fuck what Colette thinks. And hey, you’re only a shooting star if you quit after we film this scene. That kissing scene didn’t count. You can quit now, and it’s like it never happened.”

  That was supposed to be comforting, but Josh’s brow furrowed. “I think I’m uncertain. There are things about this that I don’t get. I don’t want to sound judgmental, but I don’t understand how you . . . detach. Like, how do you have sex with all those people and not—you know?” He gestured at empty space as if the rest of his words could be found there.

  Mike thought he understood what Josh was going for. “You just do. We all perform with whoever we’re told to perform with that day, and you can’t get invested in your costars.” Including me. “Can you handle that?”

  “I think so.” He chewed his lip. “I knew what I was getting into when I signed up for this, but I guess I’m still figuring things out.”

  “Well, it’s not going to make any more sense after, trust me. I’ll get Colette, and we’ll call this whole thing off.”

  Mike climbed to his feet, but Josh grabbed his arm. “No, wait. I want to do this.” He hesitated. “I want you.”

  Mike’s whole body flashed hot. “I’m flattered, but you don’t know me.”

  “I know.” Josh wet his lips. “But I’m still glad it’s you.” He didn’t elaborate; he didn’t need to.

  Had Mike been a stronger man, he would have reminded Josh what he’d said about not getting invested. Wanting him could only complicate things. Then again, it was good for costars to have chemistry. Wasn’t that why Colette had paired them together?

  A smile curved Mike’s lips. “I thought you weren’t into gingers.”

  Josh burst out laughing, and the uncertainty between them shattered like thin glass. Mike took his seat again and threw an arm over the back of the sofa. When Josh leaned into it, Mike pretended not to notice.

  Colette walked over then, heels clicking on the tile floor, and stood next to the main camera with her hands on her hips. “We’re almost finished setting up. Do either of you need anything before we get started? Water? Food?” She looked at Mike. “Medications?”

  It was no secret that Mike usually took Viagra before a performance. This time, though, he was certain he’d be able to perform without it.

  “We’re all set,” Mike said.

  Colette nodded and turned away to check something.

  It took him a moment to realize Josh was staring at him. “What?”

  “Way to answer for me.” His ridiculous pout was back. The urge to bite it was getting harder and harder to resist. “Gonna order for me at restaurants too?”

  “Of course not.” He grinned. “I would never take you to a restaurant.”

  “Good point. I can’t see you picking such a boring first date.”

  This time, it was Mike who flushed. “Date? Getting a little ahead of yourself, don’t you think?”

  “Ooh, am I embarrassing you, Mikey?”

  Mike whipped his head around to see if anyone was close enough to hear them. No one was. “Dude, shut up.”

  “What? That’s not technically your name, so I’m not breaking the rules.”

  “You still can’t call me that when we’re on set.”

  “Then when can I?” He batted his eyelashes. “When we’re alone?”

  Is he trying to flirt with me or annoy me? Mike honestly
couldn’t tell.

  “Stop that.”

  “Make me.” He leaned closer and mouthed, Mikey.

  God, he’s such a brat. Mike got a wicked idea. “You know what? I’ve changed my mind. You’re welcome to call me Mikey.”

  “I am?”

  “Sure. And I’ll call you Joshie.”

  The horror that crept over Josh’s face made Mike’s entire day. “I’ll never call you that again.”

  “Good boy.”

  Mike wasn’t sure if he imagined it or not, but he thought he saw Josh shiver at that.

  Colette reappeared, laptop in hand. “All right, gentlemen, I think we’re all set. How’s everyone feeling?”

  “Fine,” Mike said.

  “Nervous,” Josh admitted.

  “Relax. This is an informal shoot. All you have to do is look pretty and follow directions, one of which you already have down.”

  Josh preened at the compliment. Mike took note. He’d wondered before if praise was the way to coax a good performance out of Josh. He might need to put it to the test.

  “What are we going to be doing?” Mike asked. “Something ending in ‘job,’ I’m guessing.”

  Colette was looking down, cradling her laptop with one arm and pressing keys with the other. “Nope. Anal.”

  Mike tensed. “What?”

  “Can you not hear me?” Colette snapped her fingers at one of the sound techs. “Are the microphones giving off feedback on your end?”

  “No, I heard you. I’m, um, surprised.” Mike snuck a peek at Josh. He was staring at him with a lost look on his face, like he was waiting to see what Mike did before he reacted. “You don’t usually have the newbs do penetrative sex on their first run.”

  “Well, I think Dick here can take it, no pun intended. Besides, if I’m going to take time out of my day to coach a newb, I might as well be thorough about it.”

  “Does that mean I’m going to have to bottom?” Josh asked.

  “’Fraid so. Sean is known for being a power top, and since you have no reputation to defend, you’ll have to fall on that sword. Forgive my word choice.”

  Damn. As much as Mike’s cock was already swelling at the idea of getting to top Josh, he felt bad for him. Josh’s first porn experience was not only going to be a bang instead of a whimper, but he’d have to switch sides too. This could go all sorts of wrong.

  Josh leaned closer to him, lowering his voice. “Should I be worried?”

  “No.” Mike swallowed. “Why?”

  “Because you look as nervous as I feel.”

  Fuck. His face must have slipped. He affixed it back into place and wondered why he was feeling what he was. There were a few obvious answers: Josh was showing all the classic signs of confusing fantasy with reality. If Mike were smart, he’d nip that particular bud before it got messy. But it wasn’t his job to protect Josh, no matter how much he wanted to. And if he were being honest with himself, the chemistry between them was real. No wonder Josh was confused.

  Josh hadn’t listened to any of the advice Mike had given him thus far. If Josh insisted on going through with this, what more could Mike do?

  You can leave. You can do exactly what you told Josh to do and call this whole thing off.

  But that wasn’t the way professionals acted. He’d be setting a bad example in front of one of the new recruits. If he did that, Colette would remember it the next time she was picking leading men. And she’d never cast Mike with Josh again. For some reason, the thought of never getting to work with Josh was painful, and not just to his bank account. God, he hoped he wasn’t starting to feel something for the newbie. Who was he to lecture Josh on staying unattached when he couldn’t manage it himself?

  The clock was ticking. He needed to make a decision.

  Should he take a more hands-off approach? Stop meddling and let Josh learn for himself what this industry was really like? Mike wasn’t his babysitter, plain and simple.

  He looked over at Josh, as if he were hoping to find the answers written on his face. Josh met his gaze, and in his light eyes, Mike saw the memory of what he’d said to him moments before. “I want to do this. I want you.” So much for hands-off.

  “Sean?” Colette gave him a curious look. “Everything all right?”

  Mike swallowed hard. “Yeah. Let’s begin.”

  During the days since his audition, Josh had often thought about what Mike had told him: having sex and filming porn were different things. At the time, he’d assumed Mike was referring to the surface differences: the other people in the room, the lack of intimacy, and the safety procedures they were expected to follow.

  He’d never expected, however, that the act itself would be different. Within the first hour of filming, however, he discovered exactly what Mike had meant.

  Porn was, without a doubt, the least sexy and most uncomfortable thing he’d ever done.

  It’d started when he had to strip down to his underwear in front of the entire crew. He’d known he was going to have to do that, but he’d thought they’d avert their eyes or something. But no, they all watched him with the attention of a dozen hawks. No one was leering or anything, but he still felt every eye on him like a damp touch.

  And sooner or later, he was going to be naked. He could imagine how much more vulnerable he’d feel without his boxers acting as a thin cloth barrier.

  It didn’t help that Mike showed not the slightest shred of self-consciousness. He’d thrown off his clothes and lounged on the couch like he did this every day. Which, now that Josh thought about it, he might.

  Josh tried to mirror his relaxation, but there was no faking that kind of experience. Where Mike was relaxed and confident, Josh was stiff and weird.

  Things had only gotten more awkward when they’d started fooling around. Josh had been instructed to lie on the couch with Sean on top of him—which was the most pleasant part of the whole thing—while bright lights blinded him and Colette shouted endless directions at him.

  According to her, he couldn’t do anything right. His angles were off, his limbs needed rearranging, and his facial expression showed every shade of his discomfort. Within minutes, his head was spinning from trying to remember everything he was supposed to be doing.

  Then there was the sex itself. Or the distinct lack thereof. They’d been at this for hours, and they still hadn’t gotten to the main event. Josh was beginning to think he and Mike were never going to fuck. Every time they got going, Colette would call cut because Josh had made yet another mistake.

  By their sixteenth take, irritation was radiating throughout the room. It came from Colette, the crew, and even from Mike, who was whispering almost as many instructions to him as Colette. Josh knew he was trying to be helpful, but if anything, the added commentary was making him more confused.

  “You know what?” Colette announced after bad take number seventeen. “We’re gonna roll with it. We’ve wasted enough studio time as it is.”

  Josh was almost too afraid to ask. “What does that mean?”

  “It means I’m not directing you anymore. It doesn’t seem to be helping, so do whatever feels right, and we’ll piece something together postproduction. Right now, we’re burning money. Sean, keep doing what you’re doing. Dick, please try to follow Sean’s lead.”

  She took a seat at a table with her laptop and zeroed in on it instead of them.

  “Um, Colette?” Mike said.

  She didn’t glance up. “Oh, right. Action, or whatever.”

  Josh bit his lip. That stung more than he’d thought it would. He was doing such a bad job, Colette didn’t want to look at him anymore.

  Mike’s weight shifted on top of him. “Hey. You doing okay?”

  Josh glanced at him. From this close, it was easy to pick out the natural brunet lowlights in his red hair. “I’m sorry.”

  “What for?”

  “For fucking this up.”

  Mike bent down and shushed him with his mouth. It would have been a romantic gesture under
other circumstances, but they’d done so much kissing in the past hour, Josh’s lips were starting to hurt. “Don’t worry about what happened before. Think about what we’re about to do. You don’t need Colette’s direction. You need to relax.”

  “You think so?”

  Mike brushed his lips along Josh’s cheekbone. “When we performed together before, you got the hang of it when you stopped thinking and started doing.”

  Josh smiled. “No, it was when you kissed the thinking out of me.”

  “I can do that again.” Mike moved down to his neck, and the feel of his hot breath made Josh dizzy. “Pretend it’s just us. What would you like for me to do to you?”

  Well, that got Josh’s attention. Between the small touches Mike was delivering to all the right places and his sexy, deep voice, Josh’s cock perked up. The last hour had been as confusing for his cock as it’d been for Josh. One minute, he and Mike were going at it. The next, Colette had been killing his buzz. With her warming the bench, he might be able to get going again.

  “Well, you’re the expert.” Josh did his best to mimic Mike’s seductive tone. “Tell me what you want to do to me.”

  Mike smirked. “We don’t have time for all that, trust me. I think I know a fun way I can learn what turns you on.” He spoke between kisses down Josh’s neck. “I’m going to touch you, and if you like it, tell me I’m getting warmer. If not, say colder. Got it?”

  “Yeah, even I can follow those directions.” He stretched his head back to expose more of his throat. “Warmer, by the way.”

  “I was hoping you’d say that.” Mike latched on to a tender section and bit down.

  Josh gasped and arched his back. “Fuck, warmer.”

  “Good. I’ve been wanting to leave marks here ever since I met you.”

  “Did you guess I’d like that, or—”

  “No, I remember. You said you like having your neck bitten.” Mike lowered his voice to a whisper. “During your audition.”

  Josh almost asked why he’d whispered, but then remembered the microphones all around them. They probably couldn’t allude to other performances on camera without confusing the audience.