Chapter 36: L'amour des néo-hippies heureux.

February 6, 4:00 PM. LA, 530 S Grand Ave, Dalian’s Café.
“It’s good you agreed to meet me here. I don’t like being in Dreamside physically these past months. Marissa gets pissed,” Chase Runker says, running a hand over his bald head. He wears a loose white shirt and gray pants. Across the table sits Austin Torres in a loose blue t-shirt and dark pants.
Chase swipes across his tablet screen. “Really good work… mmm… even very good. I trust Alex’s gut. Looks like that recluse from Château des Rêves didn’t let me down again. Well then, Austin—looks like I’m gonna be your literary agent now, if you haven’t changed your mind.”
Austin shifts in his chair. Sunlight through the café windows catches the subtle lines of his face. He leans forward, elbows on the table. “I haven’t changed my mind. I’ve been… I don’t know. Waiting for this to feel real, I guess.”
Chase chuckles and taps the edge of the tablet. “Yeah, I get that. It’s a lot. But don’t overthink it—just keep writing what you love. That’s the only secret.” He tilts his head, studying Austin. “You good with me handling everything? Pitching to publishers, sorting contracts, that kind of stuff?”
Austin nods, a small pleased smile forming. “Yeah. Definitely. I mean, I know I’ll have to learn a lot, but… it’s kind of wild, huh? That my little stories could actually go somewhere like this.” He gestures at the space between them—the table, the café, the city beyond the window. His fingers drum lightly against the tabletop.
Chase grins and leans back. “Yeah, it is wild. But that’s the fun part, right? That feeling when something you made—something real—goes out into the world.” He sips his coffee. “So tell me, what’s next for you? More short stories? A novel?”
He raises a hand in a stop gesture. “Just don’t tell me you’re going to write erotica. In that case you’ll become Dana Lovell’s little dog and Alex will get jealous of you.” Chase laughs. “No, seriously, there’s its own specifics there. This…” He points at the screen where one of Austin’s works is open. “This is exactly right for you. No need to imitate Alex. Alex is… 50% Kate’s property and 50% Dana’s property wrapped in the shell of a brilliant immigrant from the Eastern Hemisphere. Everything there is complicated.”
Austin nods slowly. “Yeah, I see what you mean. Alex seems… intense. Like everything with him is either black or white, all or nothing.” He leans back. “But I don’t want to be like that. I just want to write. Something real, something people can connect to.”
Chase chuckles and shakes his head. “Yeah, that’s a good mindset. And it’s why I think you’re gonna do just fine.” He lifts his coffee, takes a long sip, and sets it down with a clink. “Now, don’t get me wrong, Alex’s stuff has its own appeal. But what you’re doing? That’s yours. That’s authentic.” He taps the tablet again. “So, no erotic lit, no trying to play the ‘immigrant genius’ angle.”
Chase looks at Austin. “You’re an immigrant too, just like Alex? I mean, you weren’t born here?” He leans back. “So… 24 years old, half-Cuban, slender and muscular, average height, friendly smile, short black hair, olive-toned complexion. Just don’t tell me you fled Havana on a boat—save that legend for your fangirls, who… I assume you already have.”
Austin laughs and shakes his head. “No boat, thankfully. Grew up in East LA, moved here when I was sixteen.” He gestures at himself. “The Cuban thing—I just get the looks and dark hair from my dad. But yeah, I do know what it’s like to feel… out of place sometimes.” He pauses, fingers tapping the table. “I never had to worry about being taken seriously as a writer, though. That part’s all me.”
Chase nods. “Yeah, I get that. Being ‘authentic’ means a lot in this business. Too many try to fake it.” He studies Austin for a moment. “You grew up in East LA, but you live in Dreamside. For a 24-year-old freelance writer, that’s pretty damn good. You go to parties at Château des Rêves often, from what I’ve heard…”
Chase smirks. “Oh, don’t get the wrong idea! I work with several writers—Hank Moody, for example. Yeah, the author of that famous novel ‘God Hates Us All’. And I know perfectly well how parties and girls are needed for inspiration. Too bad my wife Marissa doesn’t think so.”
Austin grins at the mention of Château des Rêves. “I go to a few. But mostly just to talk, you know? I’m still kinda new to all this—writing for pay, I mean. That place is…” He searches for the words. “It’s something else. The people there are… interesting.”
Chase laughs, a knowing chuckle. “Yeah, that’s one way to put it.” He sips his coffee. “So what’s it like? Your first time at a place like that?”
Austin exhales through his nose. “It’s… intense. Like walking into a different world.”
Chase laughs. “Oh, I know exactly what you mean. Yeah, Mansion and Estate District of Dreamside is a special place. Not just in Dreamside itself, but in all of California.” He pauses. “Cheryl Hill is too maple and gothic, Fizzyhouse is too winemaking and aristocratic, Cocoavilla…” Chase rolls his eyes. “Oh, no comment on that one. But Château des Rêves… Oh, Alex got lucky living there. When I introduced him to Dana, I had no idea she’d end up gifting him that mansion. And his girl Kate Norwin… actress, artist, model—who looks straight out of 1940s Hollywood movies… Alex definitely hit the jackpot. By the way, how’s your personal life going? In a relationship or got someone in mind?”
Austin shifts in his seat, a slow smile spreading. “Oh, I’ve got someone in mind.” His eyes flick away for a second before meeting Chase’s again. “She’s… Kate’s caddie. Cheerful, gentle, and sweet. Before, she worked as a bartender in a hotel in Los Angeles. She’s from Russia. Her name is Daria.”
Chase chuckles and leans back. “Oh, now that’s interesting. So, you’re eyeing up Alex’s girl’s caddie? Bold move, Torres.” He sips his coffee, studying Austin over the rim. “Daria, huh? What, you like the whole exotic thing? Russian accent, Eastern European mystique, all that?”
Austin shrugs, a faint smirk on his lips. “I just think she’s cool. She’s got this… I dunno, kind of an ironic dry humor. Makes me laugh sometimes.” He traces patterns on the table. “Plus, she’s easy to talk to. Doesn’t seem like she’s full of shit, you know? She’s got her own interests, her own thing going on.”
Chase raises an eyebrow. “Yeah, I bet she does. So, what’s the plan, Torres?”
Austin exhales slowly. “I dunno. Nothing concrete. Just… trying to figure it out, I guess… We talk sometimes at the café in the Residential District. She’s there a lot. We joke around, you know? I think she’s flattered by the attention, but she’s not in a rush to jump into anything serious.” He meets Chase’s gaze with a smirk. “And honestly, I kinda like that about her.”
Chase nods. “Yeah, I get that. Not every girl wants to be swooned over right away. That can get old fast.” He sips his coffee, eyes twinkling. “So, you just keep talking to her? Or are you planning to make a move at some point?”
Austin shrugs. “I mean, yeah. Eventually.”
February 6, 6:00 PM, Residential District of Dreamside, Sarah’s house.
Alex spends an hour studying English with Sarah, from 5 to 6 PM. This third tutoring session proves even more successful. Sarah notices his obvious progress.
“Yeah, either you’re an excellent tutor, or I’m not that dumb after all,” Alex says. He leans back against the couch in the living room. “Though Lila was purely playing matchmaker when she set this up. You’re definitely helping me.”
Alex wears loose black shorts and a loose white t-shirt. He looks at Sarah, dressed in a tight white t-shirt and light blue denim pants. She sits next to him on the couch.
“By the way… Kate doesn’t mind,” Alex says quietly. “Well… I mean, if something happens between us.” Sarah leans forward on her knees and freezes for a second. She runs a hand through her long chestnut hair and smiles shyly.
“Doesn’t mind, huh?” she says. “I mean, I’m glad she’s not forbidding you to see me.” Alex rolls his eyes and snorts. “Yeah, Lila’s plan… this whole ‘Tutoring with Alex’ thing worked. Or rather, it started working back when I gave you $10,000 for your school on our first session the day before yesterday.” He looks at Sarah. “Well yeah, Kate figured everything out. Even though she doesn’t know the details about the sneaky ‘Skype call between Lila and Sarah’ on the evening of February third.” Alex says it in a theatrical voice.
Sarah laughs. “I don’t think Lila was being sneaky,” she says, though her words waver slightly. “She was just… connecting us, I guess. Helping things along.” She shifts on the couch, nervous energy clear in the way she twists her hands together. “And… she was right. This is working. I mean, you’re learning English way faster than I thought you would.”
Alex giggles. “The photos I took on my phone during the last session worked best. It works.”
A pause. Then Alex says, “The photos are really awesome. I see you’re wearing a similar T-shirt to the one you had on yesterday. During that… photoshoot.”
Sarah smiles and brushes a strand of hair behind her ear. “Yeah, well, I figured you’d appreciate the… consistency.” She pauses, then adds with playful intent, “And I wanted you to think about it. About yesterday. About what I said.”
Alex leans back and looks at Sarah sitting next to him. “What exactly did you say? We talked about a lot yesterday. I know my $10,000 helped you. That you don’t have a boyfriend, that we agreed to meet at 3:00 PM but then you rescheduled our session to 4:00 PM…” He pauses in thought. “And you also called me ‘the guy who pretends to be an erotic writer when he’s actually just a professional wanker.’ Yeah. Exactly that.”
Sarah giggles. She looks down at her lap before meeting Alex’s eyes again. “I said a lot of things,” she admits quietly. “But I think the part you remember best is when I told you to stop pretending like you don’t want me.” She shifts closer on the couch. Alex catches the light, fruity scent of her shampoo. “You’re always so careful with your words, Alex. Always thinking about what Kate would say, what everyone would think. But you weren’t yesterday when you took those pictures.” Her fingers brush against his thigh as she moves closer. “You were looking at me like I was something you wanted. And I liked that.”
Alex snorts. “You said yesterday, ‘I’m not in the running. I’m the scenic detour. The one you take when the main road is under construction.’ But I don’t think you want to be just a replacement for Kate.” He looks at Sarah as if trying to reach the truth. “You must have someone in mind, right? I mean, you’re an administrative assistant in the art class at Dreamside High School. And you have an amazing appearance.”
Alex looks her over, lingering on her fair clear skin, average height, slim build, sweet face with thin eyebrows and blue eyes, and long chestnut hair. He studies her tight white t-shirt and light blue denim pants before meeting her eyes again.
“And you love retro games. You hang out at that store called PixelParadise a lot, don’t you? Plus you love cooking, baking, and playing the ukulele. You’re literally not a girl, you’re a dream.” Alex pauses and adds, “That was way too cliché for me, but you get the point.”
Sarah’s lips curl into a smile at the awkward compliment. She reaches over and flicks his ear playfully. “You’re terrible at this, you know? All this nervous babbling. But yeah, I like things most people my age think are dorky.” She shifts closer, close enough that he sees the flecks of darker blue near her pupils. “And I like you. I like the way you get so into explaining things. How you pick at your words until they’re just right. And how you look at me when you think I’m not paying attention.”
Alex inhales sharply as Sarah’s fingers trail from his ear down to his jaw. The room feels suddenly warmer. “You’re not helping,” he mutters, but he does not pull away. His pulse jumps when her thumb brushes over his bottom lip.
“I don’t think I’m supposed to help,” she says softly. “I think I’m supposed to make you do something brave.”
Alex rolls his eyes. “Yeah. Between the Scarecrow and the Lion, your favorite is the Lion.” He recalls their first conversation the day before yesterday and the Oz metaphors. “But you weren’t exactly active yourself all these four years we’ve known each other. You came to our parties all those four years and still… didn’t give any signals.”
Alex crosses his arms and looks slyly at Sarah. “And only on the evening of Saturday, February 3rd this year, you decided to act by agreeing to Lila’s whole tutoring idea. Listen, I… I get that I scared Lila. But that’s Aria’s fault. If Kate had talked to me first…” He makes a vague gesture in the air. “I mean about this whole Brian situation—that Kate and Brian have known each other since September, that they became friends, and that Brian is Aria’s boyfriend, and that Aria suggested Kate fuck her guy, and that Kate agreed… If Kate herself had told me everything, instead of Aria—I wouldn’t have had that panic and breakdowns past Saturday and Sunday. You know Aria loves to embellish and scare me.”
Alex sighs. “You like me, Lila wants to set me up with you under the pretense of helping improve my grammar, Kate loves me but wants to spend more time with Brian, I love Kate and…” He looks at Sarah. “I’m not going to break your heart. I like you, but I love Kate and don’t want to leave her. Kate isn’t just a girl…” He runs his hand over his face. “Listen, I’m not from a rich family. I came from a shitty country in the Eastern Hemisphere and I was damn lucky to become who I am now—and Kate played no small part in that. Why do I need to spell out all these obvious things?”
Sarah watches him with quiet attention, nodding slightly as he speaks. Her fingers still rest lightly against his jaw, and when he stops talking, she does not pull away. Instead, she moves her thumb along the line of his cheekbone, considering her words before answering.
“You don’t have to spell it out,” she says softly. “I see it in how you talk about her.”
Sarah leans back against the couch cushions and pulls her legs up under her. “But I think you’re leaving something out.”
Alex snorts. “Oh, come on, let’s not do the Lila cosplay, okay? Lila calms me down one minute, then the next she says Kate doesn’t love me. Then she apologizes and claims she meant something else…” He sighs. “Basically, Lila plays both good cop and bad cop these past few days. Kate isn’t dumping me—why would she settle for one boyfriend when she can have two? It’s just…”
He leans back against the couch and stretches his legs out. “Now my publisher Dana hides me in Cambria for a couple months because of Erodreamarts, so no one finds out I’m the greatest erotic prose writer in California. And during that time Brian hangs out at our Château. I’m scared they’ll get way too close. Probably that?” Alex shrugs. “Erodreamarts starts March 1st. I leave for Cambria February 28th, and Brian moves in with us even earlier. Kate wants to live in the same room with him starting next week already…” He looks at Sarah. “Yeah, go ahead and laugh if you want. Alex and Kate’s room becomes Brian and Kate’s room, and Kate sends me to one of the guest houses until I leave for Cambria. Says it’ll be more convenient that way.”
Sarah doesn’t laugh. Instead, she reaches over and squeezes his wrist gently. “That does sound complicated,” she says. Her thumb traces small circles against his skin. “But I get why she wants to do it.”
Alex sighs and adjusts his loose black shorts and white t-shirt with his other hand. “And why does she want to do it? I know she’s always loved experimenting and pushing boundaries, but this is even non-standard for her. And the fact that all this has been brewing since September only proves it.”
Sarah leans forward slightly, still holding his wrist. Her soft pink nails feel cool against his skin. “Because she likes him,” she says simply. “And she thinks he can give her things you can’t.”
Her eyes flick to his, searching for something before they slide away. “I mean—“ she hesitates, fingers tightening briefly. “Look at you. Five inches, and she’s never once complained, but you have to admit—“
Alex snorts. “Yeah, I admit it—every girl is fucking dying to feel a horse cock inside her. Well, almost every girl.”
He sighs. “His dick is… it’s not normal. Fifteen inches. Thirty-eight centimeters. Come on, a little more and he’ll have health problems. It’s some freakish anomaly shit.”
Alex makes a vague gesture with his hand. “You know, like women with macromastia or something.”
Sarah nods slowly and finally releases his wrist. “You’re right, it is big,” she says. “And yeah, probably not good for him long-term. But Kate—“ she hesitates, then continues, “Kate likes big. And new. And complicated.”
She leans back against the couch cushions, arms resting on the back. “She’s always wanted to try everything, and this is something she’s never had before. Something you can’t give her.”
Alex sighs. “In an erect state he’s 15 inches, but soft it’s smaller… Judging by the photos Aria shows everyone. But still, it could be…” He rolls his shoulders. “No, I’m not trying to gloat or wish anything bad on Brian. I just think he could completely take Kate away from me. I mean, black basketball player, boxer, and rapper—he’s obviously not the type who likes sharing girls. Though considering he’s in an open relationship with Aria, that calms me down a little.”
Alex pauses and adds, “And the day before yesterday, on Sunday, during our talk at his house in Beverly Hills, he seemed pretty nice and intelligent. Maybe I’m just winding myself up for nothing?”
Sarah tilts her head, watching him closely. The late afternoon light filtering through the floor-to-ceiling windows catches the golden highlights in her long chestnut hair. “You’re probably right,” she says. “About the size. I can’t imagine it would be comfortable long-term.”
Her fingers tap against the couch cushions rhythmically. “But Kate—well, you know her better than anyone. She’s always been drawn to extremes. The more complicated something is, the more she wants to try it.” Sarah’s lips curve slightly. “I mean, look at the two of you. You’re not exactly a simple couple, and that’s what she loves about you.”
Alex shifts uncomfortably. “Yeah, I know.” He says, “Like I already told you, Kate is okay with me having sex with you.”
He looks at Sarah. “And it’s not like I’m against it.”
He crosses his arms over his chest and asks theatrically, “Well? Lila’s plan and your dream are almost coming true. I’m not seeing much joy here. Or did I already lose my charm in the last 24 hours?”
Sarah laughs softly, shaking her head. “No, you didn’t lose your charm,” she says, shifting closer. Her knee brushes against his as she moves. “But… I don’t know if it’s really what I want anymore.”
She looks at him with a teasing glint in her eyes. “I mean, if you’re just doing it because Kate said you could… that’s not the same as you wanting to.”
Alex opens his mouth, then closes it. He hadn’t expected this. The room feels suddenly warmer. Sarah reaches up and brushes a strand of hair from his forehead, her fingers lingering just a second too long.
Alex sighs, then lets out a small snort. “You know, this isn’t fair. I didn’t have any girls before Kate. For all four years I was only with Kate and we love each other very much. I agreed to her ‘explorations’ with Brian, and now this Brian gets both Kate and Aria at the same time just because he has a big dick. And yes—he also got all the necessary permissions from everyone around. But I have to prove something. You know what Kate said a few hours ago, right before I came to you today? To my question ‘Should I expect to have sex with you when I come back from Topanga after Erodreamarts… after some time?’ she answered ‘No, I don’t think you should expect anything. But I think you should hope for something.’ You know, that’s a bit… unfair. Everyone around is mocking me.”
Sarah doesn’t reply immediately. Instead, she watches him with a mixture of sympathy and something else—something warmer. “That does sound unfair,” she finally says. Her fingers toy with the hem of her tight white t-shirt, a nervous gesture Alex recognizes from years of knowing her. “But Kate isn’t trying to hurt you. She’s just—“ Sarah stops herself, then tries again. “She’s always been like this. Always pushing boundaries, always testing what she can get away with. And right now, with Brian, she’s testing something new.”
Sarah shifts closer. Afternoon light catches the gold flecks in her blue eyes.
“And maybe,” she says softly, “maybe you’re right.” She inhales slowly, her fingers still playing with the hem of her shirt. “Maybe you’re right about Kate. Maybe she starts to prefer Brian. Not because he’s better or more interesting, but because he’s new. Because he has something you don’t.”
Her knee presses lightly against his thigh.
“And maybe that scares you. Not just for what it means for your relationship, but because it forces you to face what you want. What you’re willing to do.”
Alex swallows. Her words hang between them, heavy with unspoken implications.
“I’m not scared,” he says, quieter than he intends. “Just… realistic.” He chuckles. “I know Kate better than anyone. Including her sense of humor. It’s just a little uncomfortable right now, given the circumstances.”
He looks into her blue eyes with his green ones. “And what do you mean by ‘maybe you’re right’?”
Sarah’s fingers pause. “I mean maybe you’re right about Kate’s feelings changing,” she says softly. “Not that she stops loving you. She does, in her way. But…” Her gaze drops for a moment before returning to his. “Brian offers something different. Something she’s curious about. And right now that curiosity wins out.”
She watches him carefully. “Does that hurt to hear?”
Alex’s face darkens. “Sarah… You, like everyone else, don’t understand one thing. Kate isn’t just a girl to me. She becomes my anchor when I land here from that piece of shit called Russia. Yes, Chase Runker does a lot for me. Dana gives me the Château des Rêves mansion. But Kate is gravity. Because of her I take root in this country, in this state, in this town… and in this.”
He taps his own head with a finger. “You don’t know what panic attacks feel like. When your heart feels like it’s going to stop or explode. Kate accepts me back when I’m not yet the cool anonymous superstar writer of Sogni Nudi. She’s like the Prince, and I’m her Rose.” He smirks, referencing Saint-Exupéry. “Except I’m not capricious at all.”
“That’s why it pisses me the fuck off when everyone mocks me about it.” His voice stays quiet. “It fucking pisses me off. Kate knows this. She loves me… but I’m still scared. Can you understand that?”
Sarah’s face softens. She reaches out and rests a hand lightly on his knee. The touch comforts, yet carries an undercurrent of growing tension between them.
“Of course I understand,” she says softly. “Kate is your whole world, Alex. And now everything changes.” She studies his face. “But that doesn’t mean it’s wrong. Or that she stops loving you.”
Alex chuckles. “Yeah, I know. I just love winding myself up.” He scratches his head and adjusts his loose white t-shirt while glancing at her tight white one. “I get why she agrees to Aria’s idea.”
He looks Sarah straight in the eyes. “We’ve been living super-stable for four years. Like, she’s a model, actress, artist, golfer… Even if the routine is super glossy, it’s still routine. She’s on the golf course, she’s in the gallery, she’s on ad shoots, series or movie sets, she’s at another weekly party… She has fame and money. And I’m the genius anonymous erotic writer grinding for Sogni Nudi—I only have money. We only fuck each other, we own this huge French-style mansion-slash-artistic-commune, and around us everyone is in open relationships…”
Alex makes an unclear gesture in the air with his hand. “When the hippies finally take over California in the 1980s and 1990s, traditional relationships become rare, even if they are still approved. People are different. Take Chase, for example—he loves jumping on new women from time to time, and his wife Marissa is pissed about it. And Aria loves fucking all the ‘bad boys’ of California and… well, you get it.”
Sarah smiles, a small, knowing tilt at the corner of her mouth. “I get it,” she says softly. “And you’re right about Kate. She’s… adventurous. Curious.” She shifts on the couch, crossing her legs. The movement pulls her tight white shirt against her chest. “She’s lived this fairy tale life with you, Alex. And now she wants… more. Something different.”
Alex sighs. “And that’s the thing. Okay, she won’t dump me, thank God. For me that would be a catastrophe equal to death. No, but…” He raises his index finger and laughs. “I’m left without sex. I mean, listen…” Alex runs his hand over his face. “I don’t know. She says she’s not against us fucking. You’re very sexy, but… I love Kate. She’s not replacing me with Brian, and I’m not replacing her with someone. I can’t leave Kate, but I can’t force a throuple on you or…” He pauses, thinking. “I don’t even know what to call relationships with this many people and complicated connections anymore. Bottom line… you like me, and I like you too, but… are you sure? That you want me? Or did you just not know how to say no to Lila? You’re actually an excellent ‘English grammar teacher’, by the way. You could really become a teacher instead of just being an administrative assistant in high school… Yeah, you already said it’s more convenient for you. But still.”
Sarah’s fingers stay still as she processes his words. Her blue eyes never leave his face. She shifts on the couch again, smoothing her tight white shirt over her thighs. The way she watches him now is different—more direct, more assessing.
“Alex,” she says softly yet firmly. “I don’t do anything I don’t want to do.” She pauses, choosing her next words carefully. “You know Lila has a habit of pushing people into things they’re not sure about. But this…” She gestures between them. “This isn’t one of those times.”
Alex brings his face closer to Sarah’s. “You have blue eyes,” he says. “But not like Kate’s. Different. You both have dark eyebrows, but yours are a little thicker… And yes, your chestnut hair is definitely different from Kate’s blonde hair. You turn me on.”
His cock hardens under his loose black shorts. “But are you sure we should start right now? Or this weekend? I’m leaving for Cambria on February 28 anyway, for several months.”
Sarah moves closer. Her fingers trail lightly up his forearm. “I’m sure about what I want, Alex,” she says softly. Her blue eyes search his face, lingering on his lips for a moment before returning to his gaze. “And I think you are too.”
Her hand rests on his thigh, just above his knee. The heat of her palm seeps through the thin fabric of his shorts. “You’ve been honest with me about everything—about Kate, about your feelings, about your fears. That means a lot to me.” She speaks with quiet intensity.
Alex leans forward and pushes Sarah. She falls onto her back on the couch. He presses down on her lightly.
He turns his head. “So… the back of the couch. We either need to unfold the couch or move from your living room to your bedroom.”
He looks her in the eyes. “In Château, in my and Kate’s room, we have a couch-bed that’s 12×20 feet. We call it the Sexodrome. I don’t expect that size from you but… we need comfort.”
Sarah’s breath catches as Alex pins her to the couch. Her fingers dig into his biceps. She parts her mouth slightly, her blue eyes dark with want. “There’s a spare bedroom,” she murmurs, her fingers trailing up to his shoulders. “But right here works too.”
She shifts her hips slightly, feeling the growing bulge in Alex’s shorts press against her thigh. “Unless you want to be gentlemanly and move this to a bed?” Her challenge hangs in the air—she wants to see if he will take control.
A minute later, Alex walks out of the living room into the corridor on slightly bent legs. He carries Sarah carefully, his arms wrapped around her back while she presses against him from the front. She wraps her arms around his neck and hooks her legs around his sides above his hips.
He looks over Sarah’s shoulder, checking the path ahead and breathing heavily. “So… I’m not saying you’re heavy, but I’m definitely not in great shape. Show me the way to the bedroom quick!” He chuckles. “And if I get a hernia—Kate, Madi, Amy and Lila will kill you!”
Sarah giggles breathlessly, her face buried against his neck. “Right there,” she murmurs, pointing to a door on the left. “I swear it’s not far.”
Alex adjusts his grip, his fingers pressing into the soft flesh of her ass as he shifts her weight. She wriggles slightly, feeling his cock strain against his loose black shorts and her light blue denim pants. “You’re taking your time,” she teases, her lips brushing his ear. “I thought you were stronger.”
He groans good-naturedly as he kicks open the door with his foot. “My tongue is strong. And it’s gonna annex your ass and pussy. Maybe you’ll like my cock. Yeah, when erect it’s 5 inches, that’s almost 13 cm… Fuck, soon the whole California will know the size of my dick! They won’t know I’m a successful erotic writer at Sogni Nudi, but they’ll know the size of my cock!”
He gently lowers Sarah onto the spacious bed in her huge cozy bedroom. The room is dominated by white, soft pink, and light purple tones. It is about 6:15 PM—and through the huge floor-to-ceiling window the rays of the evening sun filter in. Outside lies a standard cute backyard with well-groomed lawn and a fence, and beyond it the neighboring typical two-story house, just like Sarah’s.
Sarah laughs as Alex positions her on the bed, her hair spreading across the plush white pillows. “Your tongue is strong, is it?” she teases, arching her back slightly to push her chest up. Her blue eyes darken as they meet his. Her fingers play with the hem of her tight white t-shirt. “That’s good. Because I want to feel it everywhere.”
“How great that your bedroom is on the first floor,” Alex says as he pulls off her light blue denim pants. “I was afraid it would be on the second floor. I wouldn’t have been able to carry you up there.”
He looks at her non-lace seamless white briefs. “Briefs instead of thongs? I’m intrigued. So, let’s see what we have here…”
He gently slides Sarah’s panties down. Her breath catches as his fingers hook into the waistband, his touch light yet deliberate. She lifts her hips slightly to help him, watching as he pulls the fabric down her thighs. The fading sunlight streaming through the window catches the gold highlights in her chestnut hair and spreads a warm glow across her face.
“Briefs are more comfortable,” she says softly, her hands moving to the hem of her tight white t-shirt. “And I don’t always want to feel like I’m wearing a thong.”
Alex’s eyes flick up to hers as he slides the fabric down her legs, his fingers grazing her sensitive skin. She trembles at the contact. He scans her smooth, bare skin and the rest of her—clean and practically perfect.
“You know, we’re similar in a way. Neither of us needs to shave,” he chuckles. “Though science helped me… I mean laser hair removal… But you apparently just have killer genes.”
Alex runs his nose along the inside of her thigh. “And our hair color is almost the same. I mean, if I put in blue contacts and grow my hair out—I’d basically be your flat-chested twin sister.”
Sarah giggles, her fingers tangling in his short dark hair. “God, I can imagine it. You’d look ridiculous.” She laughs again, her breath hitching as his nose brushes higher up her inner thigh. “But you’d probably get a lot of attention from women who like butch lesbians.”
Her thighs tremble as his breath grows warmer, closer to where she wants him. Alex slowly runs his tongue along the inside of her thigh, not yet reaching her pussy.
“Seriously? ‘Butch lesbians’? I’m not that masculine.”
He keeps licking, moving closer. “If I were masculine enough, I would’ve overcome my fear of panic attacks, shown up at almost every party Kate throws in our own house, and… maybe there wouldn’t be any Brian.”
He pauses thoughtfully, still licking. “But then I probably wouldn’t be here right now either. So… it’s good that I’m not masculine enough, isn’t it?”
Sarah inhales sharply as his tongue finally reaches the apex of her thigh, his mouth hovering right there, so close. Her fingers tighten in his hair as she arches her back slightly.
“Yeah,” she breathes, her words unsteady. “It’s good.” Her free hand trails down her stomach, fingers hovering just above her wetness. “Because I wouldn’t want some macho guy right now. I want you—exactly as you are.”
Alex’s tongue slides along her folds, then pushes forward slightly. “You’re my second girl after Kate and… you taste different. And I don’t mean metaphorically. It’s nice, but… different.”
He pushes his tongue back inside her again. “And you’re a little tighter than Kate. I’m scared to even imagine what she’ll be like after a few months with Brian…”
Sarah gasps as his tongue works inside her, his nose pressing against her most sensitive spot in slow, deliberate circles. Pleasure builds quickly.
“God, Alex,” she breathes, her hips rocking slightly against his mouth. “You talk too much.”
Alex answers without stopping. “Sorry, it’s just that during sex with Kate I always talk to her. I’m 29, you’re my second girl in my life, and I’m a chronic virgin, figuratively speaking.”
He keeps licking in silence, increasing the pace and tracing patterns deep inside her. Sarah moans, her back arching as he works between her legs with surprising skill. Her fingers tighten in his hair, pulling slightly as the pleasure builds.
“Mmm, stop talking,” she breathes, her words shaky. “Just… just do what feels right.”
Alex groans against her, the vibration sending fresh waves through her body. He licks in a steady rhythm, his tongue pressing firmly against her most sensitive spot before plunging inside her again. Her thighs tremble around his head, her breath coming in short gasps.
God, you’re… you’re good at this,” she pants, her hips rocking against his mouth. Alex stays silent and keeps eating her out. He curls his tongue into a tube and thrusts it in and out, drawing in and releasing air. Over four years with Kate, he develops this technique himself. Now his rolled tongue acts like a drill, plunging rhythmically into her.
His curled tongue pushes deeper while his lips seal around her, creating strong suction. He clings to her like a leech and reaches as far as his coiled tongue allows. Sarah’s back arches hard as his technique hits the perfect spot. Her fingers twist in his hair, pulling him closer. A strangled cry escapes her. “Oh fuck, Alex—right there, just like that—“
Her hips buck against his mouth, chasing the pleasure. Her thighs clamp around his head, holding him exactly where she wants him. Alex groans against her, the vibration shooting fresh waves through her body. His hands grip her thighs, keeping her spread open while his tongue keeps working inside her. He feels her tightening, senses her getting close.
Sarah’s fingers dig into the bed. Her moan fills the bedroom. Alex stretches his tongue as far as it goes and pounds her from different angles despite the resistance of her muscles. He curls it into a tube and uncurls it again, jabbing in every direction and tracing different patterns. He gives it everything, desperate for her to squirt. A raw moan rips from him as he tries to reach even deeper.
Sarah arches violently. Her whole body convulses as the orgasm tears through her. She clenches hard around his tongue and gushes warm fluid against his face. Alex groans and tightens his grip on her thighs. He drinks her in, his mouth moving to catch every drop. Her breath comes in ragged gasps. Her legs tremble around his head, hips jerking as the pleasure pulses through her.
He swallows every drop, then pulls his face away and props himself up. Sarah lies on her back, staring at the ceiling, still catching her breath.
Breathing hard, Alex says, “What a fountain! So, in physiological terms, I take it I did good?”
Sarah laughs breathlessly and turns her head to look at him. Her fingers brush through his damp hair. “Good? Alex, that was incredible. I didn’t even think I could squirt.”
Alex wipes his face with the back of his hand, a pleased smile on his lips. “Well, I’ve had four years of practice with Kate. And I have this technique I came up with…” He demonstrates, curling and uncurling his tongue. “It creates suction and helps me reach deeper.”
Sarah pulls him up by the hair until his face reaches hers. “You’re brilliant,” she murmurs before kissing him. Her tongue slides into his mouth, tasting herself on him.
After the long kiss, Alex looks into her eyes and pretends to be embarrassed. “Well… Maybe now you’ll try my ‘little guy’? Five inches at maximum erection. Fits in the vagina like a tampon, or in the mouth like a lollipop.” He adds, “Well… so, the mouth or…?”
His cock strains rock hard under his loose black shorts. Sarah’s fingers trail down his chest and rest just above his waistband. She moves closer, her breath warm against his neck. “Mouth first,” she murmurs, teeth grazing his earlobe. “Let me see if I can make a lollipop out of that ‘little guy’ of yours.”
Alex turns over on the bed and pulls off his shorts. Sarah removes both her shoes and his. Now he lies on his back, staring at the ceiling, while Sarah lies on her stomach between his spread legs. He wears only his loose white t-shirt. She wears only her tight white t-shirt, the plain white non-lace bra visible underneath.
“I wash it with strawberry soap, especially the tip,” Alex says. “So it should be… um… tasty.”
Sarah smiles, her fingers tracing slow circles on his inner thigh. “Strawberry, huh? I love strawberries.” She leans down, breathing in his scent before her tongue flicks out to lick the underside of his length.
Alex inhales sharply. His hands fist in the sheets as Sarah’s warm mouth envelops him. Her tongue swirls around the head, exploring every contour before she takes him deeper. The suction feels perfect—not too tight, not too loose. She hollows her cheeks and bobs her head in a steady rhythm.
Alex gasps, staring at the ceiling. “Fuck… Sarah, what are you—some kind of blowtechnician? God, that feels so good… How many cocks have you had, Sarah?”
Sarah pulls off with a wet pop and looks up at him with a playful smirk. “Just enough to know what I’m doing.” She licks a stripe up the underside of his shaft, circles the tip with her tongue, and takes him deep again.
Alex’s hips jerk. His fingers twist in the sheets while Sarah sucks him with steady suction. His outstretched legs tense, muscles contracting in his thighs. “Yeah… So that’s what an administrative assistant in the art class at Dreamside High School can do… Holy shit… And Lila never told me about your… skills…”
Alex lets out an aroused sigh, staring at the white ceiling of the bedroom.
“I’m already thinking that Brian’s appearance and my relationship with Kate turning into…” He pauses, thinking. “I don’t even know what to call it anymore—how open it is between all of us. But… oh, Sarah, have you been training for this your whole life?!”
His voice drowns in excitement. Sarah hums around him. The vibration shoots through him. She pulls off with an obscene wet sound and looks up with half-lidded eyes. “Just for you,” she says. Her fingers trace the outline of his hardness. “I’ve always wanted to try a virgin-turned-writer. Something about that story arc…”
Alex chuckles and moans at the same time. “Your comments are only turning me on more… Okay, this is too much power for me, so I’m about to surrender…”
He feels the orgasm building fast. “Choose where I’m gonna surrender—in your mouth or on your face.”
Sarah smiles wickedly, her hand stroking him slowly. “I want it all over my face,” she murmurs, breath warm against his leaking head. “Let me see how much you can give me.”
Alex groans, hips jerking. “Fuck… okay… just… give me a second to warn you…” His breathing quickens as he fights it. Sarah keeps stroking, watching his face twist with pleasure.
“Sarah… I’m gonna… I’m gonna cum…” Alex gasps. His whole body tenses. Sarah moves closer. Her tongue laps at the tip as the first spurt hits her cheek.
Alex groans. “Fuuuuck…”
He lifts his head and sees her face. Streaks of his cum cover both cheeks, her forehead, nose, and lips.
He sits up on the bed and moves closer.
“Oh shit… what a mess!” he chuckles. “Good thing your students and colleagues from school can’t see you right now.”
He kisses her on the lips, wipes the mess off her face with his fingers, and licks them clean.
“Well… at least it’s not bitter,” Alex says, tasting his own cum on his tongue. “I was afraid it would be bitter. But I think it’s too salty. Or is it not?”
Sarah laughs breathlessly. She wipes her face with the back of her hand before licking it clean. “Perfectly salty,” she murmurs. She moves closer and kisses him again. She tastes her own essence mixed with his on his tongue. “Like the ocean… or tears… or both.”
Alex pulls her onto his lap. Her thighs straddle him as he looks up at her. His hands settle on her waist, thumbs rubbing small circles. “So… we’ve established that my tongue works wonders on you,” he says, grinning. “And your mouth is apparently blessed by the gods of fellatio.”
Sarah smirks and rocks her hips slightly against his semi-hard length. Alex hums. “Ocean or tears… I don’t like tears. Actually, I hate them. I like the ocean more.”
He looks into Sarah’s eyes. “My eyes are green, and yours are blue. Like Kate’s. Green and blue. Like plants and water. Or forest and sky. I mean…”
He pauses, kisses her on the lips again, then continues. “Kate and I are a couple, but now with Brian appearing… and with what just happened between us two… Um… I mean, I love both Kate and you… Kate is crazy about me, but she’s drawn to Brian… It’s some kind of weird quadrangle, isn’t it? I mean, I don’t want to ruin anything and…”
Alex falls silent, not knowing what words to choose. Sarah places a finger over his lips, stopping his rambling. She shifts her weight slightly, pressing down against the growing hardness beneath her. “You don’t need to explain anything,” she murmurs, her breath warm against his skin. “I know how complicated it is with Kate. I know you love her. And I know…” She grins and rocks her hips just enough to make Alex gasp. “…that you’re enjoying this too.”
Her fingers trail down his chest, nails lightly scraping his skin. “Kate gave you permission to do this with me, didn’t she?”
Alex nods. His hands slide up her sides. “Yes, she did. She said I could.” He chuckles. “Well… So on the fourth year of my exclusive relationship with Kate, she and I finally became traditional hippies…”
He pauses, thinking. “Only clean and not too hairy. They say the early hippies had hygiene issues. Though by the time Dreamside was founded in the 1990s, they didn’t have that problem anymore.”
Alex looks at Sarah. “Damn, seriously though—how many cocks have you had? That was way too skilled… And you know—I’m gonna keep tormenting myself with this question until you answer.”
Sarah grins. She rocks her hips again, drawing another gasp from Alex as she grinds against his growing erection. “Only three,” she admits softly. Her fingertips trace the line of his jaw. “But I’ve watched a lot of instructional videos and practiced with cucumbers and dildos.”
Alex chuckles. “Let me guess—one of them was your classmate when you were still in high school… The second time was in college… And the third time…”
His eyes glint mischievously. “Was it a coworker? Someone from the teachers at the high school where you work? Or maybe some producer at one of our parties in Château des Rêves?”
He waggles his eyebrows. “Or was it someone you met at PixelParadise? Another retro gaming nerd? And your evening playing Sega Saturn or Dreamcast took a rather interesting turn?”
Alex deftly pulls off Sarah’s tight white t-shirt, leaving her in just her plain white bra. “Did I guess right?” he asks.
Sarah giggles and squirms as he peels the shirt away. “Not bad,” she admits, leaning back to give him better access. “The high school one was first—with a French teacher.” She bites her lip, watching his face for a reaction.
“College was with a guy from the music department who collected records.” She undoes the clasp of her bra with one hand and lets it fall away. “And the third time was at a party last year.” She presses closer, her bare breasts brushing against Alex’s chest. “Someone from the art department. We made out in a storage closet while everyone else partied in the main room.”
Alex pulls off his loose white t-shirt. “Too bad. I thought your third time was with someone from PixelParadise. You could’ve roleplayed as Blaze Fielding with him. Or Lara Croft. Or…”
He pauses for a couple of seconds, thinking. “Or Alisia Dragoon. Though she’s already Sega Mega Drive and kinda red-haired. Anyway—that would’ve been a very fun evening of romantic ‘Sega sex’.”
Sarah laughs, the sound bubbling up as she nuzzles against his neck. “I’m not into roleplaying,” she murmurs, her breath hot against his skin. “But I like this—just two people exploring each other honestly.”
Her hands slide down his chest, fingers trailing over his smooth skin. “You’re so soft everywhere,” she observes, her voice dropping to a husky whisper. “Yes… Kate told me you got laser hair removal.”
Alex chuckles, his hands settling on her hips. “Yeah, I did. No more morning shaving routine.” He chuckles again. “What, you doubted me? As you can see, I got it done everywhere. Except my head, of course. And my eyebrows. That’s why they call me ‘The Shaved Dolphin.’ And that was even before I met Kate. Anyway…”
He glances out the window. “It’s probably already 7 PM. Let’s get to your pussy and ass, otherwise I’m afraid you have to wake up early tomorrow. Tomorrow is Wednesday, February 7… And you’re still an administrative assistant in the art class at Dreamside High School. You know, it’s not too late to become my second assistant alongside Lila and start a career as a model or actress. Kate would be happy to help with that. A life without a strict schedule. Or…”
Alex pauses. “You could become a writer. Be the public face of my books. Since I’m not allowed to show my face because of the risk of panic attacks and Sogni Nudi’s policy regarding male erotic writers.”
Sarah laughs again, the sound light and warm as she straddles him more firmly. “I’m happy with my job,” she says, guiding his hands to her breasts. “But I do like the idea of being your muse. And your model.”
She leans down and kisses him deeply as his hands explore her body. Her tongue traces his lower lip before she pulls back just enough to murmur, “I love how you talk while you touch me. It’s… different.”
Alex rolls his eyes and smiles good-naturedly. “You’re my second girl after Kate. Have you already forgotten that fact?”
He continues, “And yeah… I talk a lot. Sometimes my English is weird. And my syntax used to be really strange for a very long time. Maybe it still is.”
He closes his eyes for a moment. “Unfortunately, English is not my native language. I’m ethnically Ukrainian. I lived in Russia for some time and not only there… But that’s not important.”
He looks Sarah in the eyes. “Now I live in the best country in the world, in the best state, and in the best town. I have Kate Norwin as my girlfriend—she’s a golfer, an artist, an actress. I have you as my second girl. And on top of that, this huge French-style mansion with a staff of over five hundred people and my sexy boss, Dana Lovell, the head of Sogni Nudi publishing house.”
Alex frowns for a second, then laughs. “Although in reality I’m basically Dana’s slave, and these five hundred servants are just Kate’s friends and friends of her friends who make fun of me. But still, life is pretty good.”
Sarah smiles and traces circles on Alex’s chest with her fingertips. “You’re cute when you’re insecure,” she murmurs. “And yeah, you talk a lot. It’s not a bad thing. In fact…”
She presses closer, her breasts brushing against his skin. “I like how you narrate everything as we go. Like you’re describing a scene in one of your books.” She shifts position and guides Alex’s hands to her waist. “But don’t think you need to convince me you’re lucky. I can see it all over you—the way you carry yourself, the way you look at Kate when she’s not paying attention.”
Sarah laughs softly. “And now you’re here with me.”
Alex hums. “Oh, Kate does pay attention to me. That’s actually why for the last four years she’s been more of an artist than an actress—she wanted to be around me all the time. And I’m not downplaying what Madi and Amy did, but it was mostly Kate who helped me get rid of my panic attacks. You know, she started this trend in our mansion of using weird syntax. Apparently so I’d worry less about the grammatical mistakes I sometimes made when I tried not to slip into an accent.”
He sighs. “That’s why I understand her. I mean… about this whole situation with Aria’s idea regarding Brian. Kate really needs to refresh. And that’s why she’s not against me being with you.”
Alex pauses, thinking. “We should arrange a threesome sometime—you, me, and Kate, skipping Brian’s black cock. Maybe in the future. Who knows.”
Sarah giggles, her fingers trailing down Alex’s chest. “Sounds fun,” she murmurs, settling herself more comfortably in his lap. “But let’s focus on us for now.” Her hands slide up his torso, pausing to pinch one of his nipples playfully.