Keeping Sweets

by Cate Ashwood

  He walked closer to the surf, careful not to get wet. Driving the rest of the way with soggy socks wasn’t his idea of fun.

  “Ev?” he asked quietly.

  He turned back to face him, smile widening. “So fucking beautiful, Bran. I didn’t know how amazing it could be. I don’t know if I’ll ever leave.”

  Bran chuckled gently. “Well, this might be bad timing then, but we should go. Should make it to the house before dark, but tell you what, the house is right on the ocean. We can visit the beach every day. Spend hours here if you want.”

  “Yeah?”

  “’Course.”

  “’Kay, let’s go. I guess I am getting a little cold anyway.” He turned and walked to stand next to Bran. His shirt clung to his chest, damp from the mist, and his pants were soaked up to his knees. His lips were tinged blue.

  “Let’s get you inside and warmed up, c’mon.”

  Bran placed his hand on Evan’s lower back, steering him back toward the vehicle. His body was shaking under Bran’s fingers, shivering against the cold.

  Bran pulled a fleece blanket from the backseat and wrapped it tightly around Evan, making sure he was warm before continuing on their way. The remainder of the trip went quickly, with Bran blasting the heat and Evan wrapped snugly in his blanket.

  They pulled up to the house just as the sun ducked below the edge of the world. The last vestiges of sunlight were filtering through the tall evergreens that surrounded the house. Bran thought the large wooden cottage looked even better in person than it had been on the rental website. It would be perfect for the shoot and the heavily treed property provided ample privacy for some outdoor scenes as well. Bran was pleased.

  Evan had seemed withdrawn during the last part of their trip. Part of him hoped Evan wasn’t having second thoughts about being there. Bran tamped down the niggling feeling that Evan wasn’t happy. He didn’t have time right now for doubts. There was too much to do before tomorrow. First he would need to unpack all the gear and set up for the shoots. Then it was playtime. He had brought enough beer and whiskey to supply a small army. They had a night of bonding ahead of them. He hoped the added time together would read well on camera once they were fooling around together.

  He planned to film the festivities as well. It would make for great filler video between scenes on the DVD, and he could use some of it as teasers for the website to build up interest before the release of the DVD.

  BEFORE long, they were gathered in the living room surrounded by film equipment and suitcases.

  “Alright, guys, in case you don’t remember me from casting, I’m Noah. Welcome to the Newport project. This will be my first time trying my hand at directing. We’ll see how it goes. This isn’t going to be like a regular porn shoot. We’ve made some changes to the format in the hopes that it’ll come across as more natural, and therefore a lot hotter.”

  Bran reached into his bag and pulled out an armful of colored file folders, one for each of the boys.

  “There is a file for each of you. Inside you will find a tentative scene schedule. I have tried to group scenes together for you as much as possible, with enough downtime in between of course, so that you will all have some time off to do whatever you want while we’re up here. Newport is beautiful and it would be a shame to spend the whole time working.”

  Grunts of approval could be heard from the guys, as most were appreciative of the consideration.

  “Along with your schedule is an outline of the scenes you will be shooting. Most of them are pretty typical scenes. If there is anything listed on there you are not comfortable doing, please let me know and we’ll change it up for you. These are only suggestions and we encourage you to improvise as much as possible. We want these to look natural and unrehearsed, so just do what feels right, okay? If any of you have ideas for additional scenes, feel free to come to me with those as well. I’ve left the last three days of shooting for extra scenes to be determined later. I’ve found that once you have a feel for who you’re working with, often connections will form and we can get some really good shots later on.

  “Since we are all living in close quarters, I ask that you be respectful of the people that you are living with. The sleeping arrangements are pretty tight and the house is fairly isolated, so if there are any issues that arise, I want you to let me know as soon as possible so we can sort through them. We have arranged for meals and housekeeping, but please try and keep things as neat and tidy as possible since the house is doubling as our set. Think of this as summer camp, just with more fucking than usual.”

  That got a few laughs out of the guys.

  “The cast is going to be staying here in this house. You guys each get your own bed, but there isn’t enough space for you to have your own rooms. Again, if for any reason things are not working out, please let me know and I’ll get you switched, okay?”

  Everyone nodded, but Bran didn’t expect there would be any problems. The guys were all getting along just fine, and this shoot would be a lot less stressful than some of the other projects Bran had been involved with. There was less room for conflict if the guys were relaxed and happy.

  “Riley and Cooper, you’re in the first room down here on the main floor. Jackson and Kellan are in the second room on this floor. Colt and Ryan are in the first room upstairs. The rest of the crew will be staying just a few minutes down the road in one of the other houses nearby. Everyone good with that?” he asked, looking directly at Evan. The boy looked a little nervous, but nodded his understanding before bending to pick up his duffel bag.

  “Relax for a bit and then later tonight we’re going to get some filming done. Kind of an impromptu interview session before anyone really gets to know everyone. Most of you did interviews at casting, and those are going up on the website, but we want an informal conversational time so everyone at home gets to know you in this setting. So unpack your stuff and just hang out for now, and later we’ll have some beers and get to know one another a little better, yeah? Filming starts tomorrow.” Bran glanced at his watch. “Dinner’s in an hour. Hope everyone is okay with barbecued steaks.”

  The boys all murmured their approval before gathering their things and making their way to their respective rooms. Bran did the same, hauling his suitcase up the stairs to the master suite on the second floor. He had taken the largest room for himself, with a king-size bed and huge en suite bathroom complete with Jacuzzi tub. They could do a scene in here; the rainfall shower would be perfect for a wash-up scene.

  Trudging back down the stairs, he grabbed the first case of computer equipment. He would set up all the editing equipment in his bedroom and just push it over to the side. They would likely film most of the conventional bed scenes in there. There was much more room to maneuver.

  He lay down on the bed and looked up at the ceiling, tracing the thin cracks in the plaster. His mind wandered back to Evan as it always seemed to do lately. He wondered how he was handling all of this. He had looked a little overwhelmed once he had been thrown in with all the guys.

  He pulled up the tentative schedule he had drafted to double-check the scene list. True to his promise, he had delayed Evan’s first scene by two days and he was scheduled to work with him for the first time. Bran was a bit apprehensive about it. It was frightening how badly he wanted to touch him, how eager he was to make him feel good, and that was a double-edged sword. There seemed to be more at stake with this than with any other scene he had done before.

  There was the added pressure that this would be Evan’s first time. First times were scary enough without other people watching and having a camera shoved in your face. Bran hoped he could make Evan so mindless with lust that he wouldn’t notice the cameras. He would have to pull out all the stops on this one.

  Bran closed his eyes for a moment, reliving the afternoon of the casting, remembering how Evan trembled in his arms, the soft sounds he made as Bran pushed him closer and closer to the edge, the way his body arched against him as he came, how Evan
’s come, sticky and warm, coated his hand. He was hard at the thought of it, a painful reminder that it had been days since he had gotten off.

  No time for that now, though. Bran wasn’t much of a cook, but he wanted the guys to relax the first day so he had volunteered to make the first meal. Not a lot involved in slapping some meat down on a grill.

  AN HOUR later Bran dished out plates of bloody steaks and double-baked potatoes to the boys who had arranged themselves on the leather stools around the high marble countertop of the kitchen island. There was a formal dining room just off the kitchen, but the bar seemed more casual and easy. Bran tried to hide his smile as he saw Evan’s face light up at the sight of the food.

  The boys dug in with fervor, and for half an hour, the only sounds that could be heard in the kitchen were the scraping of cutlery across porcelain plates. Gradually the ravenousness was sated and the guys fell into comfortable conversation with one another. The hiss of bottle caps twisting off beer bottles signaled the end of dinner and the beginning of the evening’s events.

  Bran was not a big drinker, but he found that getting to know a group of strangers was a lot like sex, always a bit easier with a little lubrication.

  He led the boys into the living room where everyone settled into the plush furniture, getting comfortable. They all stared at Bran, obviously expecting instructions. The cameramen were waiting, cameras poised, ready to record everything that happened. There would be a lot of editing to do when filming was finished, but it would be well worth it.

  Chapter 9

  EVAN followed Bran to the living room where the other men were sitting. There were two guys on the soft leather couch, both looking relaxed as they leaned back comfortably against the overstuffed cushions. The one on the left was big, and a little scary looking with dark hair, dark eyes, and a bar pierced through his eyebrow. His expression was blank, giving nothing away.

  The guy sitting next to him also had dark hair, but that was where the similarities ended. He was medium height, medium build with wide shoulders, and corded muscles that ran along his forearms. He was smiling, a broad smile that reached his eyes, which were a striking shade of green.

  Perched on the arm of the sofa was a tall man with short brown hair. His posture was ramrod straight and he had an air of authority about him. He immediately brought to mind a soldier. Maybe he was ex-army? Though DADT had been repealed, it still couldn’t be easy to be openly gay in the military.

  Looking around the room, he took in the other two men. Both were blond and tall, but one was scruffy, with stubble and messy hair that looked like he had just spent the last two hours in bed. The blue T-shirt he was wearing looked soft and paper thin, laying across his stomach as he reclined in the chair next to the fireplace, fabric clinging in all the right places, showing off the tight abdomen underneath. His skin was tanned and smooth. The man looked as though he smelled like the ocean.

  The other blond was Colt, the southern man Evan had met back in Portland. Evan was a bit overwhelmed with the situation. The men gathered in the living room were gorgeous. The level of testosterone was overpowering. Evan started to feel a bit panicky. Usually this many large, muscular guys were bad news for Evan, who had never fit in with the athletic types at school.

  Logically he knew this was a different type of situation and that he had no reason to be afraid of these guys, but he couldn’t help the way his heart beat a little faster. Unconsciously, Evan was expecting to be pushed around or teased by the other guys. He shrank to the back of the room, trying not to be noticed as he took everyone in, organizing his thoughts and hoping no one would notice how obviously he didn’t fit in. He was scrawny and a bit nerdy, inexperienced and out of his element. Bran must have been insane when he chose Evan for the project.

  Bran crossed the room and sat next to him.

  “You okay, kid?” he asked. Evan nodded and gratefully took a swig of Bran’s offered beer and winced as the alcoholic must of yeast flooded his tongue. Bran smiled and turned to address the room.

  “Alright, so I guess the best place to start is with names, ages, what brings you here, and what you’re looking forward to most this week? Give us the details that tell us who you are outside of the porn studio. I’ll go first, I guess, to get the ball rolling, yeah?

  “I’m Noah, I’m almost twenty-eight and originally from South Dakota. Been doing porn for almost ten years. Started out because my boyfriend told me I was hot and could make some money. Turns out I was pretty good at it, so I’ve been doing it ever since. Began my career at a less than reputable studio, but Les, who most of you have met, took me in after I was legal. Been with him since the start. I’ve done a lot of porn, but I’ve never directed before, so bear with me and try to keep the lines of communication open. I’m still learning too, so if there’s something you do or don’t want to do, or something you think would work better if done differently, speak up. The part behind the camera is actually one of the things I’m looking forward to most this week.

  “Alright, so that’s my little spiel, who’s next?” Bran looked at Riley who was sitting next to him.

  He threaded his fingers through his dark hair. “I guess I’ll go. Uh, my name’s Riley and I’m twenty-five. I’m originally from Ireland, just a bit outsida Dublin. I moved here with my boyfriend, but he was a bit of a dry shite, so he went back, but I stayed. Like living ’ere, but had to pay the bills somehow, so started doing porn. I can switch, top or bottom, doesn’t much matter to me, s’long as I get off. Actually think it’s quite hot to have sex in front of a camera. A bit naughty.”

  “What are you looking forward to most this week?” Bran asked.

  “Well, looking around the room, there are some right good-looking guys, so I guess I’m looking forward to being buried balls deep in most of ya.”

  “Trust me, the feeling is definitely mutual.”

  This came from the rough-looking guy, who eyed Riley with hunger lighting his gaze. He was almost threatening, his size and tattoos making him seem gruff and intimidating.

  “Alright, Kellan, why don’t you go next?”

  “Sure. I’m Kellan, and I’m twenty-three. I’ve been doing porn for about three years, got into it because I was good at it, and it seemed like a lot better deal than picking up strangers in a bar somewhere. Where I’m from, people are mostly open-minded, but pickings are slim. When I was old enough, I moved to L.A. and started working with an adult film studio there. Guys were assholes, though, so decided to switch as soon as my contract was up. Here I am. As much as I love fucking, and fucking for money is even better, I’m enrolled in a medic course starting in September. Gonna be an EMT for the fire hall in San Diego.”

  “So you’re after the adrenaline one way or another?”

  “You could say that, I guess. There’s nothing wrong with porn. I’m proud of the things I’ve done, but I’ve seen some bad shit in my life. I just wanna be able to make the world a little bit less horrible.”

  Kellan might be covered in tattoos and lean solid muscle from head to toe, but Evan got the impression that he had a soft heart and wasn’t afraid to tell it like it was.

  Bran turned to face Cooper who was sandwiched between Ryan and Colt on the couch. “So we’ve got a couple of heroes in our midst. Cooper, you wanna go next?”

  “Sure, I guess. But I’m not much of a hero. My name’s Cooper. I’m twenty-five and was navy until last year.”

  “Don’t ask, don’t tell?” asked Kellan.

  “Nah. I fucked up my knee during a patrol. I had a couple of surgeries to fix it, but it’s never been the same. They threw me behind a desk, but that wasn’t for me. I’m not an office kinda guy, so when it was time to re-up, I got out.”

  “So what brings you here now?” Bran asked.

  Cooper’s cheeks flushed. “Making up for lost time, I suppose. I enlisted when I was straight outta high school. I was barely eighteen before I was in basic training. I saw the ad for this project and it sounded like a good time.”r />
  “And what are you looking forward to most this week?”

  “The opportunity to let loose and be myself, I guess. I’ve had to be so careful, so buttoned up, for the last few years. It’ll be nice to be out and spending time with people who understand what it’s like to be gay and horny all the fucking time!”

  The guys laughed. “Yeah we do,” said the scruffy blond.

  “Jackson, you wanna go next?”

  “Uh, okay,” Evan said quietly. He readjusted himself, pulling his knees under himself and sitting up a little taller. It was finally his turn to introduce himself.

  He kept the details to a minimum, remembering Bran’s advice to keep as close to the truth as possible, but remembering again to use his new name, Jackson, rather than his real one. It made him feel a little bolder, like he could reinvent who he was as Jackson. He didn’t have to be the loser kid with the drunk for a mom.

  “I’m Jackson. I think I’m the youngest here. Eighteen. I just graduated from high school and I’m heading to college in Eugene in the fall.”

  “What are you taking?” asked Riley.

  “Microbiology and ecology,” he replied.

  “That’s awesome. So this is your summer job?” the blond asked with a crooked smile.

  Evan’s blush was back. “Yeah, kinda.”

  “And what are you looking forward to the most?” Bran asked.

  Evan thought about it. If he were being honest, he would say that spending more time with Bran was high up on his list. He couldn’t very well say that, though. “Spreading my wings a little. The place I grew up in was small. Until a few days ago, I had never even met another gay person. I couldn’t come out while I was living there, so I’m ready to find out who I am.”

  “Well, there’s nothing quite like jumping in with both feet,” agreed Bran.