Chapter 9
Alice finished her shoot at the Nuru Center and dismissed her crew. It was an amazing combination of relaxation and tantric sex. Singles and couples alike were engaged in a meditative physical experience that seemed to evoke primal groans and powerful orgasms. The Nuru master was also well versed in Kama Sutra, Zen, and Yoga. Alice had started the video intending to expose the center as a scam designed to release the few resort attendees who needed an excuse to enjoy sex. She half expected the “Zen Master” to have a 1970’s porn star mustache and shorts that were way too tight who used the center as a way to choose his conquests. Yet after 30 minutes at the facility and a convincing interview with the 40-something female yogi, Alice now believed the center was actually helping people reach new pinnacles of tantric pleasure. She made a note to book a session later to see for herself.
“Fuck!” As she arrived at her room, she realized the key Temptations provided her was no longer attached to her wrist. She had no bags or pockets so she must have left it somewhere. She retraced her steps, stopping first at the Nuru Center where it had not been turned in.
“Think, Alice… Oh, that’s right. I put it in a locker at Pleasures.” Alice ran back to the spa. Sure enough, one of the staff had turned it into the front desk and Alice sighed with relief. As she walked out, she bumped into a stranger who was standing just outside the door, as if waiting for someone.
“Oh, I’m sorry.” Alice apologized, looking up into the handsome man’s blue eyes. The guy was wearing just a bathing suit. His muscular body was painted with pastel colors in what appeared to be tribal feather patterns.
“You should be!” Alice was taken aback by the unexpected anger from the stranger. His face suddenly flushed red. “You have some nerve seducing my friend and then sneaking out in the night. Especially when you knew about what happened.”
Suddenly, the cylinders clicked. This was the same guy who was passed out on the couch when she left. She felt her face turn a deeper shade of crimson as her heart suddenly felt squeezed in a fist. She hadn’t thought about Jake being left at the altar when she had left. Suddenly she felt extremely guilty.
“So what are you even doing here? Come back to put him through another emotional wringer? Save us both the trouble.”
Sean’s eyes were flashing fire. Another revelation dawned on Alice. “You’re jealous?” It was half accusation, half question but the look in Sean’s eyes gave her theory affirmation.
“Shhhh,” Sean cautioned, his tone calmer. He glanced around as if worried Jake was going to appear around the corner at any moment. “Please don’t say anything to Jake. He has no idea, and I would like to keep it that way. I don’t want either of us getting hurt.”
Alice suppressed her normal urge to tease as joking about blackmail just didn’t seem appropriate. She already hurt Jake, no sense digging the knife into Sean as well. Instead, she took his hand and led him over to a bench. She sat down, but Sean remained standing until she tapped the seat next to her.
“Tell me.” Alice’s voice left no room for Sean to refuse. Suddenly his anger turned into a confession and he shared with Alice what he had kept repressed since high school.
About the time that he hit puberty, Sean realized he was bisexual. As he grew up in a bible belt town, it was not something you spoke about. The only person he ever told was Jake. True to form, Jake was a good friend and even though he did not seem to feel the same way, he had never made Sean feel uncomfortable about it, often pointing out guys he thought Sean would like. When Jake, Sean realized he was very attracted to Jake. Of course, by then, Jake was heading to college at a prestigious university. Sean wasn’t quite as gifted academically as Jake so he enrolled in a state university near Jake’s campus. They hung out together almost every weekend until Jake met Charlotte. After that, Sean was lucky to see Jake once a month. He understood, even found it easier to deal with the lust he felt in Jake’s presence. He respected Jake and valued their friendship too much to ever make any kind of pass at him.
Watching Jake suffer from the wedding was extremely hard for him. Even being at Temptation resort, Sean found he was not interested in hookups with any of the available men or women at the resort. He told Jake that he was abstaining from sex at the room because he didn’t want to rub Jake’s face in it, but the reality was that Sean found he was uninterested in anyone else but Jake.
When he came home last night and saw Jake fucking Alice, all he could think about was joining them. His feelings became too real. Then when he woke to find Jake alone, he was livid Alice hurt him. It took all his willpower not to confront her then. Part of him had hoped Jake needed comforting but he just seemed defeated.
Alice put her arm around Sean’s shoulders and handed him her towel as there was a tear rolling down his cheek.
“I have to go before Jake gets out. I need to figure some things out. Clean yourself up. You don’t want to make the glow paint run.” She gave Sean a wink and hurried off back to her place, a naughty plan already hatching in her mind.