Chapter Eleven – Word of Mouth
Jamie quirked an eyebrow as he read the last piece Xpress had written about him. Until now, he had thought that the guy or guys behind the gossip rag were limiting themselves to the campus grounds, but it looked like they didn't mind going out of their way to follow him. No, not just follow him. Stalk him. That was creepy as hell if he took a moment to think about it.
Sure, if the nameless sucker writing Xpress was his one and only Cottontail, Jamie was willing to be lenient. For all he knew, the guy in the pink rabbit suit had it bad for him. Whether that was a good or a bad thing was up for debate, at least at the moment. In all honesty, it made him smile, and that had to count for something. A guy was getting a wee bit obsessed with him, and that hadn't happened before.
He shrugged as he put his phone back in his pocket. He had studied the dick pic Cottontail had sent him from all angles. It was just the usual college dorm room, but there was a glimpse, a sliver of a poster like those advertising the latest blockbusters, and even though that piece of the puzzle was too small, it was still something.
It was high time for him to start hooking up again. Not in the same way as before, but that detail was something he intended to keep from Cottontail. He wanted that pink nightmare to squirm a little. If he was spewing BS on Xpress on the regular, he needed to get his just desserts.
With a satisfied grin on his face, he began browsing through his contacts.
"Do you still need someone to talk to?" he asked directly. "I'm going to make you relationship material. Yes, it's a promise I'm making right now. Just one thing. Someone helped me see the light lately. We'll hang out, we'll talk, but I won't sleep with you. Ah, and I thought you'd sound disappointed." It didn't sting as much as he thought it would. "Great. Let's hang out. I'm just asking one thing. Don't let anyone know that we're not actually having sex, but proper and mature conversation. Yes, let's say it's about my reputation. Cool beans. Bye."
Who said he wasn't capable of making a decision and sticking to it? Just like with music, he could prove his worth by offering advice to the gay boys of Sunny Hill in a laidback, enjoyable way, without giving a damn about what Xpress was yapping about him. Actually, he did care, but only because he was the tomcat playing with his food, and he had never imagined himself served as a tasty morsel for someone with an appetite for forbidden pleasures.
He snorted. Yeah, right. Cottontail was hiding his face because he was, most likely, Xpress. They were doing this dance while knowing each other as opponents. And in the off-chance that Cottontail had nothing to do with the gossip rag, he'd still have fun seeing the guy squirming in fits of jealousy.
Now, on to the next contact on his phone. Even if he was getting it on with guys who had been with him before, he counted on word of mouth to let the entire campus know that he was back in business. And then, Xpress aka Cottontail – or not – could make their next move.
This was fun. Almost as fun as playing music, although nothing really topped that. Who knew that you could have your cake and eat it, too? He was doing it right now, and it was awesome.
***
As usual, he was blending in with his surroundings so that he could listen to the latest rumors on campus.
"Jamie is really dreamy," one guy said to another in a conspiratorial manner that made him perk his ears up to catch every word.
"Weren't you saying he was sort of an asshole? Never sticking around to dry your tears properly or something like that?"
"That was in the past. He's perfect now."
"Yeah, for you and half the gay population around here," the other college guy replied with a scoff. "Don't fall for that guy. I mean it."
"Ah, you don't have to worry about me. He actually helped me get a real date."
"With him? Jamie Vayne went on a date? With you?"
"No, not with him, with a guy I'm crazy about. Jamie taught me how to find my confidence and ask him out."
"All this while he's sleeping with you? Sorry, man, but this sounds so damn weird. I mean, what sort of a weird threesomes are you getting into for the sake of this guy?"
"Ah, I'm sorry, but I can't tell you."
"What do you mean, you can't tell me? We've been best friends since forever."
"Forever meaning last year."
"Whatever, we're young. It counts as forever."
A third student joined the conversation, bringing the exchange about Jamie to a halt, which had been the only thing of interest keeping him there.
That asshole, he thought while digging into his palms with his nails. It wasn't enough that he was fooling around with a chick now, he was getting back to business as usual. He needed to load his pen with as much vitriol as he could manage and write something harsh and unforgiving about Jamie. But what? This guy talking about Jamie while staring at the world through rose-colored glasses wasn't the only one he'd overheard these days.
Instead of coming out of this with his reputation in tatters, Jamie had emerged better than ever. Sexier, more confident, and yes, more popular. Was he losing his touch on how to write a proper piece that could turn a guy or gal's reputation around? It looked like that was the case. His brother would gleefully comment on his inability to obtain proper results from his so-called journalistic activity. No one seemed to care that Jamie had been caught with an attractive woman in his arms. Only he cared. Too bad, right?
***
"Are you on for today's livestream?" Jamie asked directly the moment Cottontail answered the phone. Bunny boy had been silent over the last few days, which meant that either he was pissed at Jamie or didn't care at all. The former seemed to be the truth, as it was confirmed by the reply he got right away.
"Why would I be when you lie with half the campus?"
"Lie? Are you trying to be cute now? When and where did I sign an exclusivity clause?"
Cottontail said nothing for a while, and Jamie waited patiently. He couldn't explain why he enjoyed playing with this guy, but it made him all giddy inside to know that someone could get jealous over him. His plan had worked like a charm. All the guys he met supposedly with the purpose of hooking up had so far kept his secret, and his reputation as a guy who slept around was intact. No one even cared about the BS Xpress was writing these days. Even Jamie thought that the ink was wasted – figuratively speaking – on his account, because Xpress had proven ineffective as far as he was concerned. How did that saying go, about people buying ink by the barrel? It looked like Jamie had singlehandedly annihilated whatever venom Xpress thought to possess and let flow from the tip of their pen.
Such victories needed to be celebrated, preferably with a stream during which a certain bunny boy would be pushed to the limit of his desires. That was the plan, at least. All that remained was for Cottontail to say yes. The rest depended on Jamie's skill, and lately he believed he was a very skillful man in many areas of life.
"You didn't," Cotton admitted, not without obvious reluctance. "I should have told you I wanted you all to myself."
"Too bad you didn't think of that before," Jamie teased him. "You've never given me the impression that you'd want that."
"It's true." Cottontail was talking through his teeth, showing his frustration. "But you should have realized it."
"How so? If I had mentioned it, you'd have surely told me I was mistaken. Ah, bunny boy," he drawled out, "is this your roundabout way of telling me that you have a crush on me? And let's face it. It's my bad boy image that makes you hard, right? You wouldn't want to change me only to discover that you didn't want me changed in the first place."
"You're not a bad boy, only a liar and an asshole."
"Chill, babe," Jamie laughed, "you don't want to get all wrinkled and unattractive at such a young age."
"If I told you I wanted you all to myself, what would you do?"
"Hmm, I'd say that you're too late. I mean, no one has ever asked me to go exclusive before, but I would have considered it."
"Why then and not now?" Cottontail sounded anxious, for lack of a better word.
"Because now, Xpress is shitting on me, and I have to prove to those assholes that they shouldn't mess with me." The bait was set; now the prey had to take a bite.
It didn't happen.
"I suppose," Cottontail said with a heartfelt sigh. "Damn Xpress, ruining my chances with you."
"Honey, nothing is lost. How about you show me that you're serious about me?"
"I'm not unmasking myself for your sake," Cottontail said dryly. "What exactly do you expect me to do?"
"I'm not going to give you a guide on how to seduce me. See? I can speak like I'm from another century, just like you. Do your best, bunny boy. Are you joining me on livestream tonight or not?"
"I will come. But this time, I don't care about your protests or so-called consideration. I don't trust it or you. You will have to put it in."
"Do you want me to fuck you in front of the guys?" Jamie had to move the phone from one ear to the other. Not that he hadn't been hoping for this answer, but Cottontail's boldness still took him by surprise.
"Yes, that is exactly what I'm asking you to do."
"Even if it's your first time, and I'm a well-known scumbag who sleeps around?"
"Even so."
Jamie hadn't expected that tinge of bitterness in the other's voice. He sobered up. "You don't have to force yourself to do it. Whatever you think you have to prove with this, just drop it."
"Why the change in tone? I thought you didn't care."
"Maybe I do." He hadn't intended to sound harsh or upset, but his words proved him wrong.
"Then don't and do what I want you to do. Don't think that I'm sacrificing myself or my virginity or whatever. I can change you, Jamie Vayne."
"Wow, you're quite delusional," Jamie replied in a clipped manner.
"Let that be my worry. You only have to play along. I will use you, and that's a promise."
"Well, if you put it like that, I don't think I can refuse you." Cottontail was a stubborn little thing; if he was behind Xpress, he was one crazy mofo, too. Or he was lying about being a virgin to up the stakes, although Jamie didn't think that to be the truth. While bold, the guy was inexperienced, and the anal challenge, so to speak, would shed plenty of light on the topic. He would know then.
"Then it's settled. The loss of my virginity will be documented on livestream."
"Geez, you're making me limp with your weird comments."
"I don't believe you." And then, with hesitation, "I will keep my mouth shut when it comes to it, then. I want you hard, not limp."
"Your ass will be able to tell," Jamie promised. "Get ready. I won't go easy on you tonight. You'll have to beg to be left alone." He was lying about going limp. That haughty tone the rabbit was taking with him acted like an excellent teaser for his cock. His old friend twitched in agreement.
"I am not that weak-willed. If I'm saying that I want you to fuck me, I mean it."
"So brave. I like it. Then, are we in an agreement?"
"Deal. Are you okay with it?"
"Why shouldn't I be? I can hardly wait to put my dick in you. As much as you talk big, I'm sure you're going to moan so prettily when you realize how good it feels to get fucked."
"Let's end our conversation here," Cottontail said breathlessly.
"Why? Are you in danger of coming in your pants?"
"Shut up. Goodbye. See you tonight."
Jamie smirked as he threw the phone on the table. Since he wasn't hooking up with anyone, he had saved up quite the load for his livestream partner. He had a strange feeling, like he was getting ready for a perfect storm, as he played with his cock, giving it a friendly tug. Jerking off was off the table, because he wanted to show Cottontail how he performed at his best.
Was bunny boy a player or the real thing? Details wouldn't matter once they started going crazy. Yeah, it sounded about right. He knew from experience that guys who acted like prudes tended to be the naughtiest in the sack once they discovered what they were missing out on.
Not that Cottontail could be called a prude at all. He'd been quick to put his tongue in Jamie's ass, and then a willing learner when it had come to giving head. It was only his personality that made him so strange and quirky. In his sexual dealings, he seemed surprisingly genuine.
All the more reason to look forward to tonight. He'd have bunny boy come undone.
***
His heart was hammering in his chest again. They had established all those details as if they were talking about a business transaction, which, in a way, it was. Well, maybe for Jamie, not for him. He would use everything he had to make Jamie feel something, too, even if fucking a dude in the ass was most likely as ordinary as putting on pants every day for a guy like him.
He opened the browser on his phone and began typing. If there was any valuable piece of advice on the Internet about how to get a bad boy and a manwhore like Jamie to fall for him, even a little, he would find it and munch on it vigorously.
***
When they were on the phone, they were chatty, but it looked like everything changed when they were face to face. Jamie found it odd, but he couldn't entirely blame it on bunny boy because it looked like he had a severe case of tied tongue, too. It couldn't be that he was experiencing any last-minute jitters, because he had fucked too many guys in his life for this to count as a new experience.
He waited patiently for Cottontail to get ready on his own.
"Guys," he said into the mike, "tonight is going to be special, which is why my interaction with you will take a back seat. I will perform for you, but in a different way. I have with me tonight the same guy you've seen on my stream the last few times. I talked with him, and he's determined to go all the way. So, you will forgive me if my undivided attention will be focused on him. And, as a peddler of fantasies, I suggest that you imagine yourself to be in his place. This is how I do it, when it's for real."
He leaned back in his chair and read the comments that started pouring in. As expected, most of them were excited about witnessing a new experience. A few, the cynical ones, blamed him for acting, but in good humor. Jamie wished it was only acting for the camera, though. Those jitters from earlier were now back in full swing. For this guy, he had opted out of sleeping with other guys, even though he had no idea why and he'd never learn the truth. He had experienced the feeling of being followed, stalked even, in case he was right about who the guy behind Xpress was.
In a nutshell, this strange dude had made him feel important in ways others hadn't managed to make him feel. Each and every time, it was always about the other guy, his problems, his anxieties, his wishes. And Jamie was great at providing everything that was needed without asking for something in return. Excepting maybe a few strokes only to please his vanity.
Compared to all that, this felt acutely real, and he wanted it with the trepidation he felt when going out on the stage to perform, even if it was only for a few people. It was for his subscribers, he told himself, but he knew he was lying. It was for him, above all else.
"I'm ready."
The soft words reached him a moment later. He had been too caught up in staring at the skinny body and the trembling bottom lip. That was the only thing he could properly see from behind the sexy bunny mask.
"Come here," he said just as softly. "Straddle me and help me put on a condom."
He felt the other's warm breath on his face and then a pair of skinny arms wrapped around his shoulders.
"Don't worry," he whispered as his hands moved down the arched back and came to rest above the enticing crack. "I'll be good to you."
For the sake of providing his audience with an excellent performance, he always observed himself in a second camera. This time, he had to take his eyes away from it. If he witnessed tonight's live session like that, he'd risk losing it all in one go. And for someone else's sake, he had to make everything perfect.
TBC