by Cate Ashwood
After the hostess had left, Bran turned his attention back to Evan, who was looking at him shyly.
“Well, we’re here, and I know you’ve eaten, but you might as well get your strength up. The mall is always hellish torture, and I can’t have you passing out on me from the exertion of the shopping. Swear to God I don’t understand how people actually enjoy it. ’S horrible.”
“Oh, no thanks. I’m good. I promise I’m not going to pass out on you.”
“Seriously, Ev, if you want something to eat, go ahead and order. My treat. Actually, this is a business lunch, so it’s on Sonic. Get whatever you want.”
Evan nodded quickly and opened his menu, looking like he was going to start devouring the plastic booklet at any moment.
“What are you going to get, Noah?”
The name surprised him. He had said it was a business lunch, but it didn’t feel that way. He hadn’t expected his other name to come off Evan’s lips, but realized Evan didn’t know his real name.
“Bran.”
Evan looked confused. “You’re ordering bran?”
He laughed. “No, my name is Bran. Brandon.”
Evan’s eyes got really wide. “But I thought….”
“Yeah. No one in the industry knows but Les, and now you. It’s usually just easier to keep it separate. So keep it to yourself on set, okay?”
“Okay.”
“Do you know what you want to eat?”
“I can’t decide. Everything looks good.”
“That’s because it is. This place has the best food around, but if I could recommend something it would be the burgers. And chocolate milkshakes go great with burgers.”
“That sounds amazing.”
When their food arrived, Evan dug in with gusto, effectively cleaning his plate in the time it took Bran to get through half of his burger.
Bran watched as Evan took the straw into his mouth, sucking rhythmically, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down as he swallowed the sweet ice cream. It was borderline pornographic. Images of Evan on his knees, his pretty mouth stretched around Bran’s cock, flashed through his mind. He imagined Evan’s mouth, cold from the ice cream, warming quickly around his heated flesh. The sound of Evan’s moaning pierced his memory.
He had tried, uselessly, to stop that sound from echoing through his head since the audition. He couldn’t help how he felt about the kid, but he could help whether or not he acted on it. He knew he would be in trouble when the month was out, though. If he was this worked up from a hand job and a milkshake, how would he feel once he had been inside him, tasted him, felt the tremble of Evan’s body as he quaked and shook beneath him?
Evan chose that moment to lick a drop of ketchup that had escaped his burger from the palm of his hand. Fuck. Bran’s appetite for food went out the window. He pushed his plate across the table toward Evan. He was pretty small, but he could definitely eat.
“Want some more?”
“You don’t want it?”
“Nah, I had a big breakfast,” Bran lied.
“If you’re sure. I guess I was hungrier than I thought.”
“Dig in. After this we’ll head out and get the rest of the stuff on the list finished up. There’s still so much to do before Saturday. Makes my head spin a little.”
“Yeah? Anything I can help with?”
“Just the stuff today. The rest I have to do on my own. Nothing I haven’t done before; just usually we have more lead up time than this. Newport is the biggest project we’ve ever done and unfortunately it’s a rushed one. Some of it can be improvised once we get to the house, but you would be amazed at how much planning goes into a shoot.”
“Well, let me know. It’s not like I’ve got anything to do in the next few days. The motel is supremely dull. You wouldn’t believe the crap they run on daytime TV.”
“Days of our Lives not your thing?” he prodded amiably.
Evan laughed, a low easy sound of amusement that made Bran’s groin tighten under the table. “Not really.”
When Evan was finished, Bran dug out his wallet and left some bills on the table to cover their meals. They walked out to the car and climbed in. It was a short drive to the mall from the diner.
“So what are we shopping for?”
Bran needed quite a few things, but given Evan’s lack of familiarity with all things sexual, he didn’t want to spring anything on him too quickly. Poor kid, didn’t know what he had gotten himself into. He would figure it out before the day was up, though.
“Well, first we need to get you some clothes. Then we’re headed to the drugstore for some supplies. Last stop will be for some of the equipment for the shoot.”
“Clothes? For me?”
“Yeah, think of it as wardrobe for the film. Porno clothes fit a little differently than regular clothes. We need your shorts to be a bit loose in the waist. Makes for easier access before they come off completely.”
Evan’s face colored. “Oh.”
Bran felt bad about embarrassing Evan, but figured it was the lesser of the two evils in the end. The kid needed to be clothed and fed. He already had a meal in his belly, so it was time to get him some clothing that wasn’t falling apart.
They hit the first store they came across. Bran loaded Evan’s arms with a dozen pairs of jeans and shorts, and twice as many shirts. When Evan ducked into a changing room, Bran made himself comfortable on the sofa just outside the room.
A few minutes later, Evan emerged in jeans and a black T-shirt.
“Nice. Turn around for me?”
Evan did as he was told, turning around so Bran could see how well his ass fit in the pants. And Jesus did it ever.
“Now lift up for me so I can see the fit?”
Evan turned back to face Bran and lifted his shirt so he could see the pants slung low, clinging in all the right places to his hips. His tight abdomen moved slightly as he breathed a little harder under the scrutiny.
Bran slid three fingers into the waistband and tugged. They fit well, but there was enough give that if he’d wanted to, he could have thrust his hands inside.
Bran was hit hard with lust. How would Evan react if he dragged him back into the changing room and sank to his knees for an impromptu blowjob? Bran wanted nothing more than to feel the slide of Evan’s prick across his tongue, but he doubted Evan would welcome it as eagerly. He mentally checked himself.
“I think those are keepers. Put them in the yes pile.”
Evan looked uncomfortable, but pleased. “Okay then, if you’re sure. Lemme just get changed and we can head to the pharmacy.”
“Oh no you don’t. Won’t get off that easy.” Bran smiled at his double entendre. “You still have more to try.”
“All of these?”
“Yep. All of these.”
Evan just sighed as he turned back toward the small fitting room.
An hour later, Bran walked out to the car to drop off the bags of clothing he had chosen for Evan. He had ended up buying everything Evan had tried on. He just looked so good that Bran couldn’t make up his mind. It was only money anyway, and he had more than enough.
Evan had protested, but in the end Bran insisted that it was necessary and another business expense for the production company. Evan didn’t need to know it wasn’t Sonic Street footing the bill for his “set wardrobe.”
He laughed to himself at how closely the last hour had resembled a scene right out of Pretty Woman, with an older man outfitting and providing for someone he couldn’t help but want to take care of.
“THE drugstore next? What do we need there?”
“Condoms and lube,” Bran replied.
“But, I thought that’s why you make us get tested. It’s not like you can get pregnant or anything,” Evan said.
“The testing is just to make double sure, but we want all our boys to be as safe as possible. You can’t be too careful when it comes to your health. Gotta be certain.”
“Oh, yeah, I guess that makes sense.”
Evan looked uneasy, glancing from right to left as if to ensure no one would see them buying the contraband. His unease over condoms served as a reminder to Bran of just how new this all was to him. He needed to tread carefully, but he also didn’t want any surprises once they got to the house either. If Evan needed an education, Bran would have to be the one to give it to him.
Next he moved to the shelves of lubricant, choosing mostly water based, but some waterproof as well. There was a hot tub at the house, and Bran wanted to be prepared for anything.
As they headed to the checkout, he glanced at Evan, whose face was alternating between tomato and fire-engine red.
“Everything okay, Ev?”
“Uh huh, but, uh, aren’t you worried that the cashier is going to think we’re, uh, together?”
Bran’s mood soured. They had been having such a nice day so far it had been easy to forget that Evan didn’t think of him like that. This was a means to an end for Evan.
“Evan, if you’re going to have a problem with it, you need to tell me now. In a few days, we are going to be doing things together that are way more intimate than a prophylactic purchase.”
“No, I know. I’m fine, it’s just a bit new for me, you know?”
“Yeah, I know.”
Bran felt bad for snapping at Evan. He couldn’t help it, though. The boy was going to have to be prepared if this was the life he wanted. Bran could only provide him with the information and let Evan make his own choices.
In the meantime, he liked to think he had some semblance of control over himself, all evidence to the contrary, and would try not to get attached to the kid.
It was a strange thought to entertain, that he could form attachments to anyone, co-star or not, but the middle of a pharmacy while shopping for sex supplies was not the place for self-examination.
“Are we all finished?” Evan asked.
“Not quite yet. We still have one more place to go, but it’s not in the mall. We have to drive across town.”
“Okay. What are we picking up?”
“Some necessary equipment for filming.”
“Oh, like lights or extension cords or something?”
“Not exactly….”
Bran wasn’t really sure why he was being so evasive. Perhaps it was because of Evan’s reaction to buying condoms. If he knew where they were headed next, he may not want to come. If standard sex supplies made him nervous, Bran couldn’t wait to see the look on his face when he realized what they were picking up at the next place.
They piled back into the car together after dumping the bags of supplies in the trunk next to the clothes. The sex shop was across town, but it didn’t take long for them to arrive and for Evan to realize exactly where they were.
The bright neon signs were less garish in the light of day, but the mannequins in the window wearing nothing but leather and lace were a dead giveaway as to what was hidden behind the barriers put in place for patron privacy.
They climbed out of the car again. After Bran slammed his door, he leaned against the car and turned to face Evan over the roof. He was still a bit sore from the comments made earlier and said stiffly, “You gonna be alright going in here?”
Evan looked a little pale, but put on a brave face. “Yep, I’m good. Sorry about before. I’m really not embarrassed about all this stuff; it’s just not really something I’ve ever had the chance to get used to thinking or talking about. It’s not like my parents were the most open and communicative people in the world, and well, you know about my experience level. It’s just a period of adjustment for me.”
Bran hit the button on the remote to lock the car and walked over toward Evan. “I know. Just making sure you weren’t going to pass out the first time you see a pair of nipple clamps.”
Evan gulped audibly. “Nipple clamps? What’s the draw of those?”
Bran laughed, his good humor returning despite his best efforts to remain impartial and distant. He slid his hand through Evan’s hair, ruffling it slightly as he pulled the other man toward him. “We really do need to get you an education, don’t we? Now’s as good a time as any.”
They walked into the store, closer together than two platonic friends should be. Evan didn’t make any attempt to pull away with Bran so close. It made Bran feel warmer, happier. He was totally fucked.
Evan’s first foray into sex toys was quite the experience for him, or so Bran assumed. He had taken all the teasing and ribbing like a champ, smiling and laughing instead of freaking out every time Bran tried to shock him with a story or new toy.
They explored the world of cock rings first—something relatively innocuous—and picked out a few to use on set. For the most part, cock rings weren’t needed, but they came in lots of colors, and Bran let Evan choose a handful to buy.
The next destination on their journey of discovery was the dildos. Bran tried his best not to crack up at Evan’s expression. Bran of course had seen it all before, but watching Evan experiencing the different shapes, and especially sizes, was a sight to behold. He was like a kid at the zoo, seeing an alligator being fed close up for the first time. There was deep fascination thinly veiling sheer horror painted across his face.
In the end, Evan seemed to have made a smooth transition from naïve and innocent to curious and horny as hell. He wasn’t a small guy in the dick department, and he was visibly excited over some of their purchases. Although when you were an eighteen-year-old, it was tough to hide your enthusiasm over anything, so Bran tried not to put too much stock into his reaction. He remembered being eighteen. He might have even fucked a girl if one had let him.
Thinking about it now sent chills through him. He was able to turn off emotion and preferences when he was working, even sleeping with guys he didn’t particularly like because that was the job, but he drew the line at pussy. Had never happened. Would never happen. He just wasn’t built that way, much to the disappointment of every member of his family.
When all was said and done, they had dropped hundreds of dollars at the adult toy store and had enough bags that they needed to make two trips back to the car to pack it all away.
The sunlight was starting to fade, reminding Bran of just how much he had left to do and how little time he had to do it. He should probably get Evan back to the motel, even though the thought of him having to sleep there, especially alone, made his skin crawl.
He needed to back off, though. He wasn’t the kid’s keeper and he had to stop thinking of Evan as someone who needed to be nurtured and protected. After today they had crossed the threshold of coworkers into the realm of friends, but it needed to stay as such. Bran knew he would have to take Evan under his wing to some extent; it just made good business sense.
Virginal guys sold big in the porn world, but not clueless ones. He would need to know the ins and outs of sex before the actual ins and outs started. Bran reached into one of the bags, pulling out a small blue package. Once they were seated in the car, he tossed the small blue plug over to Evan.
“What’s this for?”
“It’s for you. You need to use it before we get up to Newport. It’ll help you get used to feeling something inside you.”
The blush was back, staining the apples of his cheeks. He mumbled his thanks before depositing the box on the floor next to his feet.
Silence hung in the air for most of the drive back. Evan was deep in thought, probably still overwhelmed and processing everything he had taken in that afternoon. It was a lot to sort out, and Bran was a little glad he had had the chance to take Evan with him and coach him a little before they got up to Newport. Once they were there, there would be a bit of downtime, but the schedule would be pretty hectic, and he didn’t know how much time he would have to spend with the kid.
After a while, Bran’s thoughts were interrupted by Evan. �
��Have you started working on the scene list yet?” he asked quietly.
Bran felt a surge of disappointment wash over him. Was Evan having second thoughts after today? Maybe he had pushed too much on him too quickly.
“No, why? You want out?”
“No… I mean, I don’t know how everything works with the set up and shooting, or even exactly what your role is, but I was sort of hoping that maybe it would be okay with you if, well, if you were the one that did my first scene with me,” he spat out as if he was bracing himself for Bran to reject him.
Bran was distinctly thrilled that he had been so wrong about Evan’s feelings on the project. Bran knew he was getting in over his head, but there was no way he would be able to say no. Besides the fact that he undeniably wanted to be Evan’s first, that even the thought of it made him painfully hard, it would read well on screen.
Thinking about it for a moment, he realized he would never have paired Evan with one of the other guys for his first time. He wouldn’t trust them to be as gentle or understanding as they needed to be, and he didn’t want Evan getting hurt.
Too late, he realized he would likely be the one getting hurt, but after ten years of feeling the numbness of maintaining that separation from people, the hurt was almost a welcomed change. He was sure he would be singing a different tune a few weeks from now, but at this moment, it didn’t seem to matter.
“Of course, Ev.”
Evan leaned back against the seat, head tilted back, eyes closed. “Thanks,” he whispered.
Chapter 7
IT WAS Friday evening, and Evan was still muddling through the war of feelings mixing in his belly. He was bored out of his skull, having given up on finding anything on TV that would hold his interest for longer than seven minutes. He called it boredom, though if he was truly honest with himself, he would realize it was distraction. Nothing held his attention.
It had been three days since he had spent the afternoon with Bran, and while he scolded himself for being silly enough to think he would hear from the guy after that, he secretly had held out hope that Bran would call and want to get together with him before the weekend. Yet he knew Bran was busy getting ready for the shoot. Still, it stung a little.