My Cousin's a What?

"Yeah, whatever." She lowered her voice. "Hold on while I go upstairs so I can have somewhere private where we can talk. I don't want my mother or the rest of the family figuring out what we're talking about."

"You haven't told them yet? Sara, love." The voice was mildly chiding. "That's not a good idea. Secrets always get out sooner or later. Trust me on this. I've worked with a lot of girls over the years. And the ones who try to hide what they're doing are always the ones who get hurt the most when their families find out what they've been doing. Arguments, yelling, buildings on fire. It's terrible."

"Yeah, yeah," she muttered into the phone as she opened the front door and stomped the snow off her boots. Wonderful aromas assaulted her nose, and it was all she could do to keep from drooling. "I've heard this sermon before, Jake. Maybe you should get a different one." Waving to her mother and aunt, she mouthed the word 'agent' to them on her way to the staircase that led to the second floor, and then felt a sudden, sharp pang of guilt as her mother's eyes widened in happy speculation.

Because Jake wasn't her agent. Not really. She didn't have one. What she did have, though, was a career as an adult actress for Jake's film company, Sweet Seduction Studios, and a reputation as one of the best and brightest young starlets to hit the adult entertainment industry in years. Despite what she had told her family, she wasn't working in mainstream movies or television. To be honest, she wasn't even trying. She was a porn star, and loving every evil minute of it. In the six months since she had graduated from college and moved to the coast she had been in nearly a half a dozen different movies, and the download numbers for her scenes were through the absolute roof.

Of course, calling them movies might be giving them a little too much credit. But Sweet Seduction was high-class, at least by the standards of the porn industry. Jake had always aspired to be more than a guy who sold wanking material on the internet. Even in an industry which, by its very nature, gave women a high degree of power, his studio was notable for the amount of control it gave its female stars, its high production values, the quality of the scripts, and films which at least tried to have plots. Until a few years ago, it had been the home studio for the legendary Heather Fawxx herself, who had practically built a one-woman empire there before her retirement. For a woman who had been turned on by the idea of working as an adult actress from the time she was barely out of puberty, it was practically heaven for Sara. Shooting a scene with the guys and girls at Sweet Seduction was barely work, as far as she was concerned. The only problem was remembering her lines when all she wanted to do was fuck.

"All right, Jake," she said as she closed the door of her borrowed bedroom behind her. "What was so important that it couldn't wait until I got back to LA? And make it quick."

"Fine. How would you like to headline your own movie when we get back? Your first starring role? I've already got the title and the plot, and I'm working on the script now. I think it would be perfect for you." She could almost see the Englishman's cheeky grin. "Especially when you consider how...enthusiastic...you are when it comes to a certain naughty genre."

"Oh?" she asked noncommittally, though her heartbeat sped. Taboo. He's talking about a taboo film. Fuck. "What's the plot?"

"Oh, it's absolutely delish, love. You'll love it. You are going to be Sara. You've had a rough life. You know, the usual. No father. Abandoned when you were young by a deadbeat mother, raised by the system, no one to look after you, so sad. But through the miracle of DNA testing you discover that you actually have a family that you never knew about. Your father knocked up your mother and then deserted her, the cad. But he had a wife and children through another relationship. And when you are reunited with your 'real' family, you find out not only that you are now going to be rather disgustingly rich, thanks to a fortunate inheritance, but also that your brothers and sister and step-mother are all incredibly hot and want you join in some family fun. And you welcome the invitation with open arms." He snickered. "And open legs, too, of course."

"Of course." If her teasing of Tommy earlier had made her hot, this was almost enough to make her panties catch fire. Inside her bra, her breasts felt hot and heavy, and her nipples were almost painfully sensitive. "What's the title?"

"Adopted Desires. Until I can think of something better, at least."

"Not bad," she agreed grudgingly. "At least it's better than that silly prison movie I did when I first started with you."

"Cuffed and Stuffed? I don't know, sweetie. It made a profit. And that's all that matters. Some films don't, you know."

"Right," she drawled. "So who else is going to be in this little masterpiece of yours?"

Jake cleared his throat. "Well, I wanted to make sure I had you on board before I asked anyone else. But I was thinking about Piper Pepper as the sister. She's got such a sweet, innocent look. No one would expect her to try to seduce your character. And her black hair and tan skin alongside you, that would work out really well. And Tara Summers as our sexy, horny family matriarch."

Sara hummed in approval. "Yeah. That could work. I've worked with both of them before. And the men?"

"Um. Maybe Gowan Commando for one?"

She grunted noncommittally. "Fine. And the other?"

"How about Brock Rockhurst?"

Her lips tightened. "No. Absolutely not."

"Oh, come on, Sara," Jake wheedled. "He's not that bad. And he's got a lot of fans. If he's in the movie, it's practically guaranteed to do well."

"It's not his movie," she retorted, walking across the room to look out the window. She smiled as she saw that Tommy had made his way back to the front yard, and that the rest of the kids had decided to gang up on him. As she watched, her handsome cousin was tackled to the ground, and Taylor dumped an armload of snow down the back of his coat, making him thrash around on the ground like a landed fish. Even through the double-paned window, she could hear his incensed howls, which she was fairly sure were at least half-faked. Honestly, he could be an actor himself. "It's mine. And if you want me to headline, you won't let Blockhead Rockhurst on the same set as me." She wheeled away from the window. "I told you, Jake. I told you three months ago. I'm not working with him again. I don't care how big his cock is."

She paused a moment, then nodded. "Actually, you know what? That's a lie. Because I do care. And it's too big. But I could deal with that. The problem is that he's stupid and he smells like a pig and he doesn't listen to what women say on set and he can't remember his lines and he treats everyone like shit."

"But Sara..."

"But nothing," she hissed, trying to keep her voice low as she turned away from the window. "Listen. I appreciate what you've done for me. Really. You didn't have to take a chance on me. You could have told me to go to a low-rent outfit like White Night Films until I had some experience. But you didn't. You gave me an opportunity.

"I know that some of the other girls think I'm pervy. Especially about the way I absolutely love to fuck when we're shooting a scene, and sometimes forget to stop when you say 'cut.' I don't care. But believe it or not, I do have standards. And I won't pretend that I'm okay with Brock. Especially if Tara and Piper are going to be on the shoot. I respect them too much for that."

"My. Someone certainly has a high opinion of herself," Jake said sardonically.

"Well, I damn well think I should," she snapped, goaded. "I'm perfectly happy to screw people on-camera for money. Hell, I actually enjoy it, which is more than most of your other actresses can say. But I'm not going to work with a man who is one step up from being a rapist. You know Brock's rep, Jake. If I'm going to pretend to be a horny teenager who screws every member of her long-lost family, the least I can do is do it with actors who I actually respect instead of..."

She trailed off as she turned. Tommy was standing in the doorway of the bedroom, melting snow dripping off his hair, which hung over his forehead in lank strands. His mouth was hanging open with shock, and his eyes were as big and round as saucers.

"You...you..."

"Jake," she said hollowly. "I'm going to have to call you back."

Chapter 3: O Holy Crap!

"You...you..." Tom stuttered, unable to form compete sentences.

Or complete words. Or even a coherent thought.

"Jake," his lovely cousin said into the phone. "I'm going to have to call you back, okay?" A flick of her thumb, and the phone disappeared into her jeans.

"So," Sara said, her eyebrows raised. "How much of that did you hear?"

"Um." He swallowed. "A lot of it, I think? When I came in, you were reaming someone out about how you didn't like some dude."

"Some people might have knocked."

"I did!" he snapped. "You were too busy to hear me. And it's my room anyway!" He waved to his sodden sweater. "Your rotten sister shoved enough snow down my back to give me hypothermia. All I wanted to do was get dry and change my clothes. And the next thing I know I'm listening to my cousin talk to somebody about how she actually likes to screw people in front of a movie camera. What the fuck, Sara? You're a porn star?"

"Well. Not a star. Not if you want to get technical about it." The corner of her mouth lifted a fraction. "Though I'm on my way." She frowned forbiddingly at him. "Does it make you mad at me?"

"Not mad." He answered slowly, trying to piece together his fragmented thoughts. "Just...disappointed."

"Disappointed?" his cousin retorted. "What gives you the right to be disappointed in me, Tommy? You're not my father or my boyfriend, so who do you think you are?"

"No. No," he said hastily. Jesus, the way she was looking at him, he'd be a smear on the floor if he didn't say something quick. "Not disappointed in what you're doing. But why didn't you feel like you could tell me, Sara? We've shared everything. So why did you hide it from me?"

"Oh." Her eyes, a deep dark blue, just like his, softened. "I don't know. I didn't think you'd understand."

"I don't. Not really." He shivered, and not entirely for effect. "Listen. We can talk about this if you want. Or I can leave. But do you mind if I get some dry clothes and change first? I think my balls are getting frostbite."

Sara's smile was like a spring sunrise. "Well, that's an interesting image." She waved a hand. "Sure. Go ahead."

"Um." He wavered between discomfort and shyness. "Do you want to turn around?"

Sara grinned. "No."

"What?"

"You've been perving on me since we were in middle school, Tom. About time I got a peek, isn't it?"

A dozen replies sprang to mind. But after the episode in the back yard, where Sara had practically made out with him, to his everlasting shock, he didn't think he could put together a reply which gave him the moral high ground.

"Fine," he grumbled, though he was secretly excited by the prospect of disrobing in front of his sexy cousin. He hung his leather jacket, still dripping with snowmelt, from the doorknob, then prudently pushed the door closed. After a moment's thought, he locked it for good measure. The last thing either of them needed was for any of the kids to wander in. Or, God help them both, their parents.

As quickly as he could, he stripped off his cold wet clothes and threw them in the hamper, and dressed in clean boxers, socks, a button-down shirt, and slacks. He couldn't make out Sara's expression as he covered his shivering body in warm clothes. It certainly wasn't revulsion. But also, he thought glumly, not the sort of awestruck desire he might have wanted. All in all, it seemed...assessing. But since he was dealing with the eternal male curse of shrinkage, maybe his cousin was wondering if he was really as small as the cold weather made him look.

I'm not. She must have felt that when we were outside. Hell, she actually complimented me on how big I was.

Sara eyed him with amusement as he put on his belt. He was, he noted with pride, using a notch three full sizes smaller than he had back in June. "Kind of fancy, aren't we?"

"Mom's going to insist I put on nice clothes for supper," he shrugged, running a towel over his head. "And for when we open our presents. Might as well take care of it now.

"So," he said, crossing his arms and leaning against a wall. "Who else knows?"

"Just you," his cousin said quietly. "Though Mom suspects something, I think. I told her halfway through my junior year that I didn't need her to send me money anymore. That I had a job." Her chin rose. "It was draining her dry, all that money to send me to Northwestern, even with the scholarship. I didn't want her to blow her money on my education, when she needed to take care of everyone else. And herself, too.

"I started as a camgirl," she said to his inquiring look. "I was a sophomore. And I was feeling really guilty about asking Mom for spending money. I decided that I needed to get a job. But you know how college is, Tommy. It's hard to find a job that pays decent, but will let you set your own hours. I didn't want to end up washing dishes twenty hours a week in the dorms, or something gross like that.

"And I thought, well, I'm pretty cute-"

"You're more than cute," he interrupted. "You're gorgeous."

"Thanks, Tom. And you're a good-looking man yourself. Just my type, you know?" Her quick, heart-stopping smile glimmered for a moment. "But anyway. I thought, how about a camgirl? You know how people joke about getting jobs like that. Stripper, or escort, or that sort of thing. And mostly it's just that. A joke.

"But I did a bit of research and it seemed like a decent deal. So I gave it a shot. And it worked out pretty well. I worked a couple hours, three or four nights a week, and maybe a weekend morning once in a while. And I made more money than I ever would have as a checkout girl at the grocery store or working as a phone drone at some telemarketing place."

"So what..." His voice cracked, and he swallowed. "So what did you do? As a camgirl."

"Not much. At first. But if you're going to make money camming, you got to have a hook. So I would borrow costumes from the theater department and dress up for my shows. But sexy. One night I pretended I was this bored housewife from one of those old TV shows and walked around cleaning my apartment wearing nothing but a frilly apron. God, I made so much money that night." She grinned. "It helped pay for spring break. And another time I was Ariel from The Little Mermaid. But I pretended I didn't know what sex-toys were for, so I was discovering how to use a dildo and a vibrator and nipple clamps for the first time."

"Jesus Christ, Sara!" His face felt like it was going to catch fire. "You made Disney into an R-rated camshow?"

His cousin shrugged, her strawberry-blond hair dancing as her shoulders moved. "It worked. And I found out," she said, and stared at her feet, her voice almost too low to catch. "That I liked it. I mean, I really liked it. Any time I did something sexy on my cam show, I got horny. Really horny. I guess I'm an exhibitionist. So when I sat on my couch in my apartment and aimed the camera in my laptop between my legs and played with myself, I wasn't acting. Every single time I came, it was for real."

He watched as her face went soft and dreamy. "There was one time. I was using a vibrator, just having a nice little time, and one of my guys offered me ten thousand tokens to use an anal plug on myself. Which is like five hundred dollars."

"And you just happened to have one handy?"

She shrugged unconcernedly. "My last boyfriend had been a little bit kinky. And I still had some of his things at my place. So I did it. I didn't even think twice. I lubed it up real nice and slid it into my asshole, and I came real hard and squirted like a fire hose and all the tokens came pouring in, and I remember thinking, You know what? This could be a career."

"So when I graduated and moved to California, I wasn't thinking about getting into the movies, or even on one of the television shows." She smiled sadly. "That was always going to be a long shot, to be honest. I wanted to do porn. And I fucking love it, Tommy. It makes me so fucking hot, knowing that hundreds of guys, maybe thousands, will be watching me, will be getting turned on by me."

"So you're...Sara Staxx?"

"Yeah. I am." Her dark blue eyes were wise as she smiled up at him. "And the first thing you're going to do when you leave the room is look up my movies, aren't you?"

"No! Of course not! What kind of perv do you think I am, Sara?"

"I don't know," she teased, wrapping a strand of hair around a finger. "The kind of perv who tried to watch me changing clothes when we went swimming when we were in middle school? The kind of perv who got all big and hard inside his pants when we were fooling around outside?

"The kind of perv," she said, lowering her voice until it was barely a whisper, "who wants to fuck his cousin. The same way I want to fuck you, Tommy.

"I've done a couple of films for Sweet Seduction. Really naughty films. Films where I pretend I'm fucking my step-brother. Or step-father. But doing it for real." She shivered. "That would be so freaking hot."

"Well, it's not going to be now. Not with everyone else around," he said, trying to get a grip on his raging libido. Could this day get any weirder? Two hours ago, it had seemed like a normal day. But now his cock was an aching bar inside his slacks. And if Sara hadn't commented on it, it was only because she was being polite. "But yeah. I would like to see one of your films, if you don't mind."

"Sweet!" Sara jumped up and dug through her suitcase. In seconds she had a laptop on his desk. The sleek design practically oozed money.

"Let me just log in to my Sweet Seduction account," she said, her fingers flying over the keys. "I got a free membership."

"Oh." He shook his head. "So how well does this gig of yours really pay, Sara?"

"Why? Interested in getting in front of the camera and doing some work?"

"Ew. No."

"Why ew?" she said. "Why no?"

He shrugged uncomfortably. "I don't know. I just can't imagine doing that with a bunch of people watching. And you're changing the subject."

"Am I?"

"Yes."

"Party pooper." She smirked at him. "I'm doing all right. And Jake promises that things are going to get even better. Once you're established and you have a fan base, there's all sorts of ways to take advantage of it. Shows, memorabilia, subscriptions to a private channel. And Jake is a pretty good guy, at least as far as taking care of the talent is concerned. He knows that it's better to pay well and have a bunch of happy people working for him than to pinch every nickel until everyone is pissed off at you and looking to jump to a better studio."

"Really? It didn't sound that way when I came into the room. It sounded like you were about to jump through the phone and choke him to death."

"Well." A faint flush warmed her cheeks, and her lips curved in a sweet bow. At that moment, he wanted her with a sudden, aching urgency. To claim her as his own and protect her at the same time. "Jake just needed a little...reminder. That just because a guy has a great big horse-cock and gets good download numbers because a lot of men like to pretend that they're him doesn't mean he's actually a good person to work with." She shuddered delicately, as if she had just seen something rather disturbingly disgusting. Like a seagull eating a rat. "I did, one time. Never again. You look into those eyes, and there was nothing looking back. I've had more interesting conversations with an espresso machine.