Fantasy Man Pt. 05

"I didn't do anything with Sasha that she didn't want to be a part of," Corbin said, his own irritation rising. "If you're saying I took advantage of her, I didn't. I don't know what you heard, but it was just some fun."

"Jessica deserves better than you cheating on her, you womanizing little asshole. And my Sasha definitely deserves more than just a fuck and dump."

Corbin folded his arms. "Who told you that was what happened?"

"I heard her on the phone with a friend. Describing some of the... particulars," Dr. Windsor said, a bloom of color in her cheeks. "That you, her, and another... friend were involved."

"Then you didn't listen to the full story. Talk to Sasha. I didn't promise her anything. And Jessica knew. You think I'd cheat on her?"

"But you did," Dr. Windsor growled.

"She. Knew," Corbin said, trying not to get angry. "We weren't really dating dating. We're still kind of working on defining what we are. But just between you and me, I love her. I'd never do a thing that would hurt her."

Dr. Windsor stared at him, her chest rising and falling. For the first time, Corbin realized how close they were.

A wisp of that night. "Do you like imagining him filling the pussy you came from?" Brooke said to Sasha as Corbin fucked her from behind.

Corbin nearly did it. Nearly reached out to touch Dr. Windsor. That would be something, making Jessica's one random hookup the professor they were working to seduce and ending the game just hours after they talked about what came afterward. Instead, she spoke, and started around the back of her desk.

"I'll be speaking to Sasha and Jessica about this. If you've lied, and they leave me any scrap of you, I will gladly cut off your balls. And if you think that's hyperbole in any sense, it isn't. My ex-husband needed one of his replaced when I found out he was cheating on me. Don't make his mistake."

There was still fury to her eyes, but she finally gestured at the door. Corbin left, trying not to slam it behind him.

"Fuck," he muttered to himself as he walked down the hallway.

* * *

At least work was quiet and easygoing that night. The new assistant athletic director asked for his help hauling hurdles around the track, which gave Corbin a chance to get to drive one of the utility vehicles for the first time. Neither of them had a clue how the thing worked, and they laughed their way through it.

When he came back to the gym, a trio of freshman women were doing some jogging on the treadmills. Each of them was willowy and beautiful. One of them, a sandy blonde in a stomach-baring pink crop-top and deliciously short shorts that showed off her long legs, might have been from his English class. Corbin wasn't entirely certain. It was a big class. She had a pretty face, sort of girl next-door-ish with big pouty lips and honey-colored eyes.

Spontaneity. Right.

The three of them watched him as he approached. One of the two he didn't know smirked and he ignored her. "Hey," he said to the one he thought was from his English class, "this is going to sound like the world's oddest come-on line, but aren't we in the same composition class?"

"It isn't a come-on line?" the smirking one said.

"Shawna!" the one Corbin was talking to said. To Corbin, she said, "Yes. We are. I'm Kacey. This is Shawna and Mary."

"Corbin. Nice to meet you all."

"You too!" Mary said, out of breath but chipper. "Sorry, I'm..." She pointed at the treadmill and shrugged, grinning.

"Oh yeah, no problem," Corbin said. "I'll let you get back to it. Just thought I'd say hello. I work here so if you need anything just let me know."

"Do you give massages? Kacey would probably love one of those," Shawna said.

"Shawna!" Kacey said again, blushing.

Feeling emboldened, Corbin said, "Well... it's not part of my job duties, but hey, always willing to try for a pretty face. You three have fun."

He walked away, hoping they couldn't see how his hands trembled. He'd slept with Jessica, Brooke, and Sasha, and yet somehow, this simple act of flirting was about as daunting.

Not expecting anything to come of it, Corbin dug out the cleaning supplies and got to work again. Jessica bought him a new pair of earbuds a while back to replace some he'd lost, and he had them in as he cleaned, humming along.

Students streamed in and out, a slow but steady trickle of them. Some he knew, some he didn't. The problems with Sam and Dr. Windsor faded to the background as his phone shuffled through his upbeat workout mix. Four or five songs in, as he was wiping down the free weights, the trio of freshmen toweled off and looked to be getting ready to leave. He smiled and waved. Kacey gave the other two girls a look and a few murmured words.

No way, Corbin thought to himself.

But sure enough, she headed in his direction, blushing again. He pulled an earbud out, smiling. "Hi again."

"Hey," she said, fidgeting with her hands. "Look, um, Corbin, you, um... want to hang out, um, sometime?"

"Sure," he said, smiling wider. "But I need to be up front with you. I'm seeing someone, Jessica Nakamura."

"Oh," Kacey said, her hands stilling. "Oh God, I'm embarrassed."

"Don't be. She and I have a... well, this is going to sound like a lie and a line to sleep with you, but we have... sort of a weird arrangement."

"What do you mean?"

He clicked his tongue, trying to think how best to phrase it. "As long as what you and I had was just a casual hookup and a one-time thing, there's no harm in it."

"Um, you know, I think that sounds... sounds like, um, you're..."

"Cheating on her?"

She nodded, back to fidgeting with her hands.

"I'd think the same thing. Look, I'm going to be at the swim meet tomorrow taking tickets. If she has the time tonight, I'll have her send me a video or something."

"This is so weird," Kacey said.

"I know," Corbin said wincing. "I'm really sorry. It's not just awkward for you. Me too."

"I don't really think it is. Okay, well... see you."

"Yeah," Corbin said, feeling glum. Fucked it up in record time. Great.

* * *

Corbin tried to return to his dorm, but Sam was playing video games with his two friends and clearly didn't want to talk. Feeling more and more defeated, Corbin decided to head to Jessica's and crash there that weekend.

She called when he was halfway there, melting off some of his mood. "Hey baby," he said, then immediately groaned. "Oh God, that sounded weird."

"Totally weird," Jessica agreed, "but it doesn't mean I don't like it. You can drop a baby on me anytime you want to. Wait. Now I made it weird."

"We're a couple weirdos together," Corbin said, grinning.

"That we are. The kids fell asleep twenty minutes ago. I think they're down for the count but if I have to jump off, it's not you."

"Totally get it," Corbin said agreeably. "How's it going?"

"Not bad. They're old enough to know what's going on and why their parents left. It's weird because they're super excited for their game tomorrow but then one of them will suddenly remember their relative died and then it's crying fits for a while."

"Aw, poor kids."

"Mm hm. Lot of blow-ups. Lot of emotions. Oh hey, going to take them to breakfast tomorrow. I can't have you over here, but it's cool if you come to the diner to see us. if you have time, come say hi and meet them."

"I wouldn't get you in any trouble?" Corbin asked.

"Don't make it weird," she said fondly. It was something of a catch phrase from their earliest days together, something he'd almost forgotten, and he chuckled. "How's your booty quest coming?"

"Ugh. Terrible. I thought I had someone hooked tonight, then I tried to explain us and how it could only be a one-time thing." He explained what happened with Kacey.

"Mm," Jessica murmured, and the sound sent him straight towards hardness. He loved when she got breathy like that. "I like that you didn't try and play her. Swing and a miss, but at least you were honest. I'll send you a video of me saying it's okay to hook up for the weekend. You all right? You seem kinda down."

"Yeah. Just a cap to the crappy evening."

"What happened?"

By the time he got to her house and let himself in, he filled Jessica in on Sam but hadn't yet started in on Dr. Windsor. Jessica's house seemed so empty without her. Too quiet, too lacking in her spirit. He kicked off his shoes and headed upstairs to drop on her bed as they talked about Sam.

"Sounds like maybe he felt like he was being pushed out of the conversation," Jessica said. "It's probably more complex than that. From what I've seen, he has some trouble making friends?"

"Yeah."

"So he probably saw your friendship as a sort of, mm, bubble. Someplace he could be himself and be safe. Bringing a lot of new elements into that, it would be scary for him. Or maybe not scary, but intimidating."

"I think you're right. It's almost like you're a psychology major," Corbin said. "Do you still talk to your first roommate?"

"Oh, I went through three of them," Jessica said. "Had the worst luck. My first one had a nervous breakdown over grades by Thanksgiving. I lived alone until after Christmas break, then they saddled me with a party girl. She was fun, but she got kicked out fast. Then there was Alma, and she was great, but we just didn't really get to know each other all that well. By that point we both had our own social lives."

"Mm," Corbin said, nestling back into her pillows.

"Speaking of Thanksgiving, what are you doing that week?"

He laughed softly. "My dad was just asking me earlier what my plans were."

"Wait, really?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Want to road trip with me up to my parents and spend the week there?"

Corbin sat up. "You're serious."

"If you have other plans-"

"No. No no no. I'd love to," he said. "The two of us. On a road trip. And me definitely not being terrified of your parents."

"And my brother," Jessica said, chuckling and sniffing. "He's still a teenager but he'll murder you if he thinks you're wrong for me."

"Thanks!" Corbin said cheerfully. "Not going to have nightmares. Nope. Not at all. Oh, hey, speaking of family murdering for family, Dr. Windsor called me up to her office tonight before work."

"Oh noooo."

"Oh yes. She heard Sasha talk about hooking up with me to a friend. She went ballistic. And she was defending you too, by the way."

"Aw. That's... sort of sweet?"

"I told her I didn't trick Sasha into anything or mislead her. She was still pissed when I left but I think she was more confused than anything."

"Hm. Maybe I'll drop in again sometime and help clear things up. I'll talk to... sorry, Corbin, I need to run. Little one needs some water."

"Text me where you want to have breakfast," he said.

"I will. And I'll send moral support for your homework assignment."

"Huh?"

But Jessica had already hung up.

* * *

In the morning, Corbin's parents reacted... well, pretty much the way he expected them to react. Howie, his father, put him on speakerphone so his mother, Jill, could join in on the impromptu party they decided to throw.

"Of course you should go with her!" his dad bellowed, like the phone might not pick up on him if he spoke like a normal, rational human being.

"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!" his mom screeched.

"You wouldn't be upset?" Corbin asked, grinning. He was shirtless, fresh off a shower before he went and met Jessica and the kids she was babysitting for breakfast.

"Heck no!" his dad bellowed even louder.

"You're going to have such beautiful babies!" his mom cried out. Actually cried. Corbin could hear the tears in her voice.

"I... we're not talking about... we just became kind of an official couple. It's not really like that," Corbin protested.

"She's got those beautiful Asian eyes," his mom said right over the top of him.

His dad jumped in. "Honey, honey, he just said they're not talking about kids. But a girl like her, you have to be thinking about how to get a ring on it. Isn't that what the song says?"

"If you like it you should put a ring on it!" his mom sang. "Ohhhh oh oh ohhhh!"

"Jesus," Corbin said, laughing into his hand. "I love you two goofballs. Simmer down. It's just a road trip."

"Over one of the sweetest holidays of the year, and you'll be meeting her family, and maybe talking to her dad about marrying her," Howie said. "No pressure at all."

"I'm not going to be talking to her dad about-"

"Do you need money for a ring?" Howie asked while his mom kept humming in the background.

"Nope. Nope. Nope."

"Well, she has to come up here sometime. Christmas, or spring break. Or even just a long weekend."

"Yes!" Jill shouted gleefully. "Ohhh, I bet she's just the sweetest."

"She is," Corbin said.

"We'll pay for her flight," his dad said. "Let her know that. And I know you two would want your independence. Toby wouldn't mind you using his house while he's cooped up."

"Cooped up" was family slang for "in prison." Toby, Corbin's uncle, was the family screwup. On a business flight, he got blackout drunk and tried to grope one of the flight attendants. His seatmate got involved and Toby started throwing punches. The whole thing got tens of thousands of hits on YouTube, so Toby was also sort of the family celebrity. He would be getting out of prison about the same time as Corbin graduated.

"I haven't even asked her yet," Corbin protested. "Let's get that out of the way. And if she does come up there, I'm sure the house will be fine."

"Well, give her our love," Jill said. It sounded like she was choking up.

"We'll send some money in November to help with the meal and gas," Howie said.

"No, you don't need to. I've got-"

"We want to!" Jill said. "Love you."

"Love you too," Corbin said, fighting off a fit of longing and laughter all mixed up into one. "Can't wait to see you guys at Christmas or spring break."

They hung up, and Corbin finished up getting ready, now absolutely terrified of the day his mom and dad met Jessica and bowled her over in their excitement like a couple of overeager dogs.

The restaurant was across the city, in a small, upscale suburb he didn't know. He found a spot behind Jessica's vehicle and caught a glimpse of the booster seats inside. That was... heartwarming. He knew Jessica had a long list of parents who used her babysitting services regularly, enough that she was generally booked out weeks in advance. That must mean the kids liked her too. He bet she would make a great mom someday.

The restaurant was a bright, cheerful family place with about as little personality as a generic Americana restaurant came with, but the smells coming out of the kitchen were nothing short of heavenly. The scent of bacon fat led him like a man in a trance to Jessica's table, where she sat with a tall, skinny boy maybe nine or ten with close-cropped hair and a rounder girl with red, curly hair a year or two younger than the boy.

"There he is," Jessica said cheerfully. The kids looked up, momentarily interested.

"Hi!" Corbin said. He leaned in and gave Jessica a peck on the cheek before sliding into the chair next to her. "I'm Corbin." To the girl, he said, "You're... hold on, Jessica told me... Tyrannosaurus, right?"

She burst into delightful giggles and said, "Noooo, I'm Norah."

"Norah? Are you sure you're not Tyrannosaurus?" Corbin asked, raising his eyebrows sky high. She giggled again, and he turned his attention to Jackson. "So you're going to tell me your name isn't Armadillo, right?"

The boy grinned as Norah nearly fell sideways with fits of the giggles. "I'm Tyrannosaurus, she's Armadillo," he said.

Jessica reached for Corbin's hand and squeezed it. "We ordered your food. It was... hm, liver and bratwurst, right?"

"Bingo," Corbin said, winking at her.

It was a good breakfast. The kids were energetic and bounced around in their seats, and at one point Jessica had to talk Norah into not showing off her soccer moves in the middle of the aisle, but overall, they were really well behaved. Their talk centered around their game in a couple hours, and they invited Corbin to come watch. He had to decline because of his own job, but told them he hoped that they had lots of fun and he'd be rooting them on from college.

All the while, Jessica stayed mostly quiet, a tiny smile etched on her face. And when they weren't eating, her hand never strayed far from his.

* * *

The half-circle entry booth for the swimming complex was barely big enough for two people to stand side by side. It was simply adorned, with a stool under the counter, a computer affixed on top, and a small fan for the warmer months. After checking in with the athletic staff member watching the swimmers warm up, Corbin headed there, expecting the day to be a snooze-fest.

And for a while, it was. He had to show up half an hour before the meet got its start, and people only really trickled in twenty minutes later, leaving him bored and doing homework.

But to his surprise, one of the first people to show up was Sasha in tight cream-colored leggings and a jacket zipped nearly to her chin. She stormed right to Corbin's booth, her heels clacking on the tiles. Her very high heels. Her very stiletto heels.

For a moment, he thought she was pissed at him, given the dark look on her face, but as she approached, she looked around and started to unzip her jacket. Just an inch or two, but when she stopped in front of the window, she leaned over and Corbin could see just enough of her cleavage to make his cock lurch.

"Jessica said you needed, mm, moral support," Sasha said, and winked. She glanced around again and unzipped the jacket the rest of the way. "Open up the door back there. Hurry."

"What?"

"Want a blowjob? Or not?"

Corbin whipped around and unlocked the door to the booth. She hurried out of her jacket, revealing the slinky camisole top underneath. It could barely hang on to her big breasts.

"You need to come out first," she said, peering into the space.

Corbin did. She hurried in and dropped hard when someone opened up the doors to the complex, coming in and laughing. On her hands and knees she scurried under the lip of the counter, folded her jacket neatly underneath her knees, and spun around. Her finger made a "come here" motion and Corbin darted back inside, closing the door behind him.

Her slim hands went for his belt the moment his ass settled back down on the stool. Corbin smiled tightly at the incoming spectators. College kids, all of them, so all they needed to do was swipe their ID cards through a reader. By that point Sasha had his belt free.

"Jesus, Sasha," he hissed at her. "They could see your hand or your head if they were tall enough."

"So warn me," she said lightly. She unzipped him and though he felt like he should protest, he pushed up and tugged down his jeans just far enough she could spring his cock free. He scooted closer to the counter. The pads of her fingers stroked under his tip and he shivered with the feel of it. "By the way, Mom told me what she said to you last night." Her fingers disappeared, replaced a moment later by her warm, wet lips. She popped off him just as fast and added, "Sorry about that."

"She was pretty pissed. But she was looking out for you. I can't blame her for that."

"Mm hm," Sasha said, stroking his tip again with her fingers. "But it was my business and she had no right."

"People," Corbin said, tapping her wrist.

A pair of parents he recognized from prior meets greeted him. He replied in kind, trying not to will them to hurry up as they took a look at the schedule posted on the wall nearby. Finally they moved on.

"Give me your coat," Sasha said. Corbin sat up just far enough to pull it free from the stool and handed it down to her. She draped it over his lap and dove under it. "Can people see that?"