by Alexis Angel
I laugh. “You’re kidding, right?” Though I’m not sure she actually is. Layla strikes me as someone who takes her job very seriously. She also gives me the impression she wouldn’t let the fact that we just had hot, crazy sex override her work ethic.
She just lifts her eyebrows mysteriously.
I pull her a little closer to me. “Why are you doing this?”
“What?”
“Trying to get my show canceled.”
She sighs as she settles against me. “I’m doing my job. I’m trying to protect people.”
“People don’t need to be protected from pleasure, Layla. People deserve this kind of pleasure.”
You’d think this conversation would be awkward or filled with some kind of anger or regret considering what we just did. But it’s not at all. It feels very relaxed and natural. Just two people talking about their thoughts, their philosophies.
Layla is someone I could really enjoy spending time with. Yeah, she fucks like a champ, and she’s incredibly gorgeous. But she’s also intelligent and opinionated. I like her a lot, and even if we have differing views, I still respect her opinions.
“So, do you watch any other TV shows?” I ask.
Her head bobs, her blonde hair fanning out over my shoulder. It smells really fucking good. Some heady, sexy vanilla scent. “I actually never miss an episode of Manhattan Reign. It’s my guilty pleasure.”
“Babe, guilt and pleasure should never be in the same sentence,” I tease. Then I remember something I heard about that show. “Isn’t that the show where the two lead characters actually had sex on camera during a love scene? And it aired live? Why weren’t they fined?”
Layla nods again. “That’s the one.” She waves her hand dismissively. “But that’s just a rumor.”
I’m not so sure it is. If so, why haven’t they been slapped with a fine like the FCC is trying to do to me? They had full on sex on live TV, yet I’m getting a seven million dollar fine slapped on me for every single episode ever.
“Anyway,” she continues, “I have to uphold values. There have to be standards.” She says it like she isn’t fully convinced. Not at all like she did the first day she came to the studio and called my show obscene.
I wonder if she’s starting to view things differently now that she’s seen behind the scenes and gotten to know me personally. But still, her word choice is off.
“Values?” I turn her chin toward me and try to read her face. “Whose values are you upholding, Layla?”
Something tells me they aren’t necessarily hers. Someone with a prudent moral code wouldn’t have just had sex in a public place, let alone a quiet, exclusive restaurant.
Just then the limo pulls to a stop in front of what must be Layla’s building, and she doesn’t answer me.
“Nice digs.”
She smirks. “Yeah, can you believe it? A government agency pulling out all the stops on a place for me to live?”
Layla reaches for the door handle, but I stop her, placing a hand over hers and pulling her back toward me.
“Not so fast.” I slide my hands around her waist and grip her hips, lowering my mouth to her ear. “Is the verdict in yet? Have I been proven guilty?”
She threads her fingers in my hair and pulls me tighter to her when I start to nibble on her neck, using just a hint of teeth. I’m rewarded with a shiver racing through her body.
Pulling back slightly, she gives me a wicked grin. “Yes, Mr. Kent. You're definitely a very bad boy. I think you’re one hundred percent guilty as charged.”
“That’s what I thought,” I growl.
Then I lower my mouth to hers and kiss her softly. Her lips part with a sigh, and I sink in deeper to the kiss as she melts against my chest. Our tongues tangle and stroke, slowly and languidly, and I wonder if she might invite me up for another round.
But then she pulls back and gives me a saucy little smile. The sass is back. “You better clean up your act or you just might be looking at some serious punishment.”
I laugh. “Yeah right. I’m as filthy as they come, baby, and you know you wouldn’t have it any other way.”
“Goodnight, Jacob.”
I shake my head. Jacob. This woman still insists on calling me Jacob.
“Night, Layla.”
I watch until she’s disappeared inside her swanky building, and then get lost in my thoughts as my driver continues down the streets of New York, taking me home. I really enjoyed tonight. Every bit of it. Not just the fucking, though that was fucking incredible. I like debating with her just as much. Having a real conversation with someone that actually meant something.
I think I could get used to that. I wonder when I’ll see her again. After a night like this, I know I haven’t had enough.
Layla
I step into the shower and let the hot water pour down over me from the rain shower jets, my mind running over everything that happened tonight.
I can’t believe I had sex in such a public place. I told Jake the first day I met him that he must have a thing for voyeurism. Who knew that I did too? That was so crazy hot. Just the thrill of getting caught made everything a hundred times better. Honestly, that was probably the best sex of my life. No, I take that back. There’s no probably about it.
Sex with Jake was absolutely, positively the hottest fucking thing I’ve ever done. And I want to do it over and over again.
I slick myself up with soap, imagining my hands are Jake’s, wishing he were here with me right now. I almost asked him to come up. He seemed like he might've wanted to.
But I’m confused now too. I don’t know what to think anymore. When I first started this job for Lori, I thought I could put aside my doubts about her prudish attitude. After all, it’s just a job. Just another show to censor.
Now I’m not sure censoring A Cunning Linguist is actually the best idea. What if it’s not the right thing? What if I’m making a huge mistake following Lori blindly on this whole fining business? Today was eye opening. The way Jake really and truly seemed to care about the women he was selected for his show was the last thing I expected. He really believes in his cause—it’s not just lip service to make him look like he’s not an asshole who just tried to seduce women on national television.
I’m starting to wonder what the women who’ve been on his show feel like after he’s shown them what they’re missing out on. This time for real—not because I want to use their experiences against Jake.
I actually don’t want to use anything against him at this point. This entire situation hasn’t turned out at all like I expected. Yeah, I thought Jake was hot from day one, and yeah, I might’ve been kidding myself when I said any research into what he’s really like was just for business. I totally wanted to bang him. Why lie about it now?
But now that I have, I’m feeling all kinds of chaos and confusion in my mind. If I’m being completely honest with myself, what I’m really doing is developing feelings for Jake. I’m not sure what it means, or why, but I can’t just deny it.
Not only was he able to handle my body like no other man ever has before—and OMFG did he know how to handle it—but there’s something else there. Something more.
Jake makes me laugh, makes me smile, knows how to have a good time. And even more than that, he stimulates my mind. Makes me think. How many times in the past few days have his questions made me reconsider everything I thought I knew. About myself, about other women and sex, about what is and isn’t appropriate. And especially about this job.
As I get out of the shower and wrap myself in a fluffy robe, towel drying my hair, I think about what I’m going to do next. I still have a few weeks before the next episode of A Cunning Linguist airs. More time for Jake to try and prove his point to me. I really want that time. And not just so I can figure out how I really feel about trying to shut down his show, or if that’s even the right thing to do. But I want that time with him.
The only thing complicating matters is Lori. I can already feel it in m
y bones that she’s not going to be convinced so easily if I determine that we shouldn’t fine Jake. Could I lose my job over this if I fail to do as she wishes? She holds a lot of power. I was well on my way up the bureaucratic ladder.
And now I’m more confused than ever. What I thought was a simple in and out, one and done kind of job has turned into much more than I could've imagined. And the craziest part is that I don’t know if I’d want it any other way.
Because that would mean giving up the time I’ve had with Jake. That’s something I know I’m not prepared to do.
As I drop my robe and climb naked into bed, my hair still damp from the shower, I push all the troubling thoughts from my head. At least for now. I can worry about it more tomorrow. But right now all I want to do is fall asleep to the memory of how expertly Jake worked my body over and hope that I can relive it all again in my dreams until I see him again.
Jake
Toby glances at me from where he’s sitting in the chair next to my desk, his eyes conveying all the worry and concern that I’m feeling right now. Not that I’m going to let these douches in on that.
I smile condescendingly at the two lawyers seated across from me, using the intimidating wooden desk to my advantage as I stare them down. “How can I help you gentlemen today?”
Like I don’t know exactly why they’re here. These ass wipes work for the network. They only reason they’d be here looking like they want to rip me a new one is because of the pending investigation with the FCC.
The prick on the left, whose slimy grin is as fake as the hair plugs of the guy next to him takes his time before answering me. He looks down at his designer suit and plucks at an imaginary piece of lint. Then he studies his fingernails.
What a dick move, trying to intimidate me by acting like he holds all the cards. He’s dead ass wrong. I want to jump up and tell him to get the fuck out of my office, but I know it wouldn’t go over well with the studio heads, and as much as I may not like it, they’re the ones who make the final calls at the end of the day. Well, them and the FCC, apparently.
Finally, the other lawyer, Adam Wolff Jr., speaks up. “On behalf of your employers,” he says snidely, “we’re here to tell you that they’re not happy about the possibility of a fine.”
Like I fucking am? Who do they think is paying the fucking money if we do get fined? I decided to take on that liability when Toby and I made the choice to show it all for the cameras. I want to tell them to get the fuck out of my office, but instead I bare my teeth in some semblance of a smile.
“Don’t worry about it. I’ve got it covered.” He starts to speak up again, but I cut him off before he can. “I mean I’ll pay the fine. If it comes to that, which it won’t.”
“Mr. Kent,” the lint plucker says, apparently deciding he'll speak to me after all, “we’re more concerned about the bad publicity. The network just doesn’t need that right now. The network has requested you tone it down.”
Seriously? They think my show will bring bad publicity?
Toby guffaws at that, then seeing the lawyers’ expressions, tries to cover it up as a cough. Yeah. Really. People actually do that shit.
He gives the suits an incredulous look. “You really think that’s bad publicity? You’re crazy if you do. And you can go straight to the network heads and tell them I said it. This is exactly the kind of publicity that gets better ratings. And I know that’s all they care about. As soon as people heard about that episode, it went viral. More views on YouTube than any other shows in network history. The amount of people tuning in live the next night was twice what it was any other night for the entire run of the show.”
I nod. “Toby’s right. And I’ll remind you that my show is the top rated talk show on TV. Not just for this network. Across all networks.”
“Yes, but that won’t matter when—”
“Let me ask you this? What’s more important? Pleasing a few prudes who probably just need a good hard fucking, or giving our viewers what they tune in for night after night? The viewers are the ones who really matter. If the network knows what’s good for them, they won’t try to censor the show. Because the viewers won’t stand for being treated like children who are being told that ACL is too naughty for them.”
The lawyers exchange a glance, then Adam leans forward. “Look, I get that your viewers watch your show for a reason. But don’t you think it might have gone a little too far this time? You could put the network in jeopardy. Like my colleague said, you need to consider toning things down. At least until this blows over.”
I shake my head. At first I was almost amused, but now I’m starting to get pissed. “They’re missing the point. The whole purpose of my show is to liberate people from the sexual restraints society has put on them. You think censoring the show is going to further that purpose? Fuck no. It goes against everything I represent. How am I supposed to help people break free of the shame and discomfort society places on sex when the very network the show is on is okay with censorship?”
How does no one get this? Well, except Toby. My man has my back.
“What Jake is trying to say,” he says calmly, “is that what you’re proposing will have the opposite effect from what you want. You risk alienating the very viewers our show appeals to.”
I jump back in, unable to point out the obvious. “Besides, don’t you think you’re getting ahead of yourselves? We haven’t even been fined yet. It’s very possible we won’t be. Layla happens to be reasonable and forward thinking. She might end up seeing the value of the show and decide not to fine us after all.”
“It’s a possibility,” Adam concedes, “but her boss Lori is one of the higher-ups with the FCC. She has a reputation for being relentless. It may not even matter what Layla concludes if Lori really wants to push the issue.”
I just stare at him. Do they really think I’m going to go along with their suggestion? That I’m going to be a total hypocrite and defy everything I stand for by allowing censorship?
“I’m just telling you,” Adam continues,” that if this goes to court and we have to deal with Lori, I’m billing extra.”
I don’t even blink. Who the fuck do they think they’re talking to? I’m Jacob fucking Kent, the fucking Cunning Linguist for fuck’s sake. Whatever they can throw at me, all I have to say is bring it.
Because I know what I stand for, and there’s no way in hell I’m backing down.
Layla
Walking into the reception area of Jake’s office, I pass two official looking dudes who don’t look very happy. They grimace at me as they walk by, not even saying hello.
I knock on the door that’s still open and walk in. Jake and Toby are sitting at the desk, and they don’t look too pleased either. Something’s up for sure.
“What’s going on?” I ask, my eyebrows drawing together.
“Hey,” Jake says, the rough expression on his face melting into a welcoming smile the minute he looks over and sees me. He’s out of his chair and standing in front of me the next instant, taking my hands and pulling me inside the office before shutting the door behind me. “Haven’t seen you in a few days,” he adds teasingly. “Thought you might have already made up your mind about me.”
Yeah. I sure have. My mind is one hundred percent certain that a few days are way too long without him. But there’s obviously something going on, and I want to know what it is.
“What’s the deal? Why do those guys—and both of you, for that matter—look like you were just told you can’t have sex for the next six weeks?”
Jake laughs. “Well, when you put it like that, I guess our problems are nothing, isn’t that right, Toby?”
Toby snorts, and amused grin spreading across his face. “Yeah. This is next to nothing in that context.”
“Seriously, though. What’s up?”
Jake sighs. “Those were the corporate lawyers coming to talk to us about the FCC fine. Don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m fully prepared to fight the FCC if I have to. Thoug
h I hope it doesn’t come to that.”
I shake my head, surprised. “I haven’t made my decision yet.”
I don’t say it, but the truth of the matter is, I don’t want to get into a court battle any more than Jake does. I especially don’t want to have to fight this out with him. What I really want is to just get him back in my bed.
He smiles at me. “Then why don’t we get some work done and see if that helps you along?”
We sit down at his desk, much like we did the other day, and Jake and Toby start going through more letters and emails.
“Are there even more today than there were before?” I ask, surprised.
“Yeah.” Jake nods. “They’ve been pouring in after the increased popularity of the show. It’s pretty awesome that our reach is spreading. Just think how many people out there are realizing what they’ve been missing out on. All these women are desperate to have the sex they deserve. With us reaching more people, we could change society’s entire worldview when it comes to sex.”
I just stare at him for a minute. That’s a pretty lofty goal. It’s also kind of inspiring. Now that I’ve seen just how many people out there aren’t reaching their best potential, I kind of want to get behind Jake’s mission. I’ve taken my awesome sex life for granted it seems.
“Do you mind if I help you guys?” I ask, gesturing toward the pile of letters.
Jake grins. “That would be awesome. You know what you’re looking for?”
I nod. I actually do. Now that I’m seeing the value of A Cunning Linguist, I’m looking at these applicants in a whole new light. I start reading through the letters, and soon I’m totally consumed in the process. It’s kind of exciting thinking about helping all these women get the sex they crave and deserve.
Jake and Toby do much as they did the last time, throwing out comments about the applicants and sorting them into categories. At one point Toby starts laughing.