Chapter 14: The Sex Tape

-- JANUARY 2006, SENIOR YEAR --

Casey and Carolyn crashed overnight with me, and I woke up in a tangle of girlflesh the next morning. The situation called for an encore, and after taking care of both girls, I wound up titfucking Casey until I parked both blondes on their knees side-by-side and gave them both a facial.

Afterwards, I proved myself the gentleman by going downstairs and making breakfast for all three of us while they got cleaned up. And then I kissed them both goodbye before sending them off without any firm plans to meet up again. I figured they'd both need a few days to recover at least, and all three of us knew there wouldn't be any serious relationships coming out of this.

I lounged around for the rest of the day, doing homework and watching Pittsburgh upset Denver for the AFC Championship and then Seattle beat Carolina for the NFC Championship. Kim returned to the house just before dinner, deciding to make sushi for me as a special treat.

I decided to have her do nyotaimori, which was MY special treat.

On Monday things started returning to normal. My light class schedule meant that today I had only a single class in the afternoon, so my time was spent doing a little studying, playing a little Xbox, meeting my friends for lunch, and then heading off to Isakova's class with my project team. I flirted with Casey but went home with my friends. We did a little work and a lot of chatting, and then made dinner. I flirted with Sasha throughout the day but she went home by herself. Kim and I took showers, made love, and then we went to sleep.

The whole thing seemed as good a routine as any, and I figured on repeating the same itinerary more or less for the foreseeable future. I was in no hurry to move into any serious relationships, not for the sake of being single but more because I was rather burned out on the whole concept. Kim had plenty of time during the day to hang out with her nerd/biker friends, but she would also keep me company in the evenings. I knew that she would go home on the weekends, but I figured on maintaining semi-consistent dates with Casey (and possibly Carolyn) for a little while at least. And even if those casual relationships fell by the wayside, I sort of figured I could always find another one. I AM Big Ben after all.

But the very next day, that routine got shaken up before it even started. It was late evening on Tuesday when my phone rang. Bert and Sasha had already left for home, and Kim was in the shower while I remained in the living room doing homework. I checked the display, and as soon as I saw who was calling, my schoolwork was immediately forgotten.

"Adrienne, hey!"

"Hey, Tiger. How's it going?"

"I'm good, I'm good. Long time no talk."

"I know. I'm sorry. Things have just been so hectic up here," Adrienne apologized. I had called her the day after DJ left me, after I'd gotten the parameters of my new relationship with Kim sorted out. Adrienne had consoled me over the loss of my fiancée and of my baby, although she'd known about the abortion since the day we had the procedure done. At the time she'd said she would try to find a way to fly out to see me, but in the intervening week and a half she hadn't done so. I didn't mind. I knew she loved and cared about me, but also trusted me to get through this period without needing her to hold my hand.

"It's okay, I get it. Fashion Week is just around the corner."

"Yeah, and the swimsuit issue, too. They tried to get me to fly back to the Bahamas for re-shoots, but Valentino and Marc Jacobs wouldn't let me out of contract to go. One reason why I couldn't get out to you, either."

"It's okay. I've been good, really."

"You sure? This past week and a half must have been rough on you."

"You know, it could have been. But I'm doing alright, really."

"Kim's taking good care of you?"

"You know it."

"I'm glad. You must be wearing the poor girl out. I can't remember the last time one girl had to keep your libido satisfied all by herself. Unless you're down and in the dumps and pulling some stupid celibacy thing as penance. You're not doing that, are you?"

"Me? Hell, no. But don't worry about Kim. She's had a little help these past few days."

"Oh, that's right. Wait, is Paige still a Tuesday thing?"

"Actually, Paige and her boyfriend went and got serious over winter break. She's not going to cheat on him, so no, we haven't hooked up since last semester."

"Oh! Well, that's good for her. I did always want to see that girl happy in the end, even if it wasn't with you."

"I know you did."

"So who else then? Hmm, Sasha? If so, I don't know if that's such a good idea. From what you've told me--"

"Relax. No, not Sasha. Actually, I hooked up with a classmate AND one of her friends. You'd like them: peroxide blonde, big tits. Wait, scratch that. You wouldn't like them. They're both totally straight. Even when we had a threesome they barely touched each other."

"What a waste. You're not serious with them, are you?"

"No, not at all. Pure booty call, although I did go on a date with Casey just to give it a shot. Cleaning the pipes for me, good orgasms for them. Everybody wins."

"That's nice. Well then, it sounds like you're managing to survive just fine without me."

"I'm a big boy now."

Adrienne giggled.

"So what's up? Or are you just calling to check in on me?"

"Partly. I should have called sooner, what with DJ and all that. I wish I could have been there for you. Really, Tiger. I mean it."

"Hey, hey. I know. You don't have to worry. It's fine. I'm fine."

"Good, because we can focus on me then for a minute."

I arched an eyebrow and sagged against the couch's backrest. "Sure thing. What's going on?"

"I need a favor."

"For you? Anything."

"Don't be so quick to agree, because this favor might require you putting a video of your penis on the internet."

My jaw dropped. "Umm, I don't think I heard that quite right."

Adrienne laughed. "Yes, unfortunately. Yes you did."

While John Wayne Airport was only a short trip from home, San Francisco International was a good 45-minute drive from the campus in regular traffic. Adrienne had already made a habit of catching a taxi or hiring a towncar to run her to the Berkeley house instead of make me take a couple hours out of my day to pick her up, and this trip was no different. It wasn't like she couldn't afford the expense.

But this meant that I had no idea when she would arrive. Sure, her flight schedule plus reckoning the time needed to pick up a cab could allow me to estimate her arrival, which would put her at the house just after my friends and I returned after Isakova's class. But her flight could be delayed and I might have to wait around a little longer. Or possibly worse, her flight could land early and with good traffic she'd actually beat me to the house, let herself in with the key she'd never given back to me, and give me a helluva surprise when I walked through the door.

It would be just like her to do that, to not call me and just meet me at the door wearing some ridiculously-expensive ensemble of lingerie she'd modeled on a catwalk somewhere in Italy, nevermind that I told her I'd be returning to the house with Bert, Sasha, and Kim in tow.

I didn't know.

Pain suddenly blossomed in my right hand. I jerked upright in my chair, gritting my teeth as I realized just in time that I probably shouldn't scream in a filled classroom. With wide eyes, I looked down at my hand, half-expecting to find it severed at the wrist with blood spurting out of it like a fountain.

But my hand was still attached. And there was no blood. There was a little black ink on the back of my hand, more or less between my second and third knuckles. And Sasha was just removing her ball-point pen, the sharp conical metal tip gleaming like a surgical instrument.

The beautiful brunette smirked at me. At the front of the class, Professor Ice continued on uninterrupted.

"I wasn't even sleeping!" I hissed, shooting my classmate a glare.

"You weren't paying attention, either!" Sasha hissed right back.

"You okay man?" Bert asked from the other side of me. "You seem kinda distracted."

"I'm fine. Just nervous."

"About what? Adrienne? You said she's dropping by the house this afternoon, but it's not like she's ever made you nervous about her arrival before."

I bit my lip and stared straight ahead. I hadn't told my friends the reason for Adrienne's arrival. Perhaps I should have. After all, if things went according to plan they'd certainly know soon enough. But there was still a chance things wouldn't go down the way Adrienne had said, and if that turned out to be the case, it would be better for all parties involved that they remain blissfully ignorant of any wild and crazy plan ever existing in the first place.

"I'm fine," I repeated and then sat up straighter to pay better attention, ordering myself not to worry. Worrying would do me no good. After all, the LAST thing I needed right now was performance anxiety.

As it turned out, Adrienne's flight WAS delayed. New York airports are notorious for weather delays, especially in January, and this day was no different. Apparently her plane had been stuck on the ground for over an hour before it was cleared for takeoff, and she didn't make it to the house until just before dinnertime.

Adrienne had to endure a trip from lower Manhattan to JFK, interminable delays at the airport itself, a nearly seven-hour flight across the country, and finally an hour-long towncar ride in Bay Area rush hour traffic. But leave it to a world-famous supermodel to walk through the door looking as radiantly beautiful as if she'd just stepped out of her bedroom ready for a night on the town. Nevermind that her golden blonde hair had been tucked into a baseball cap for the past ten hours. Nevermind that her makeup was minimal. Nevermind that she was clad in loose sweatpants and a matching zip-up hoodie. She was still unfreakingbelievably gorgeous, and her attitude was all bubbly and perky from the minute she stepped into the living room.

"Hey guys! Long time no see!" she greeted merrily.

It was quite true. Most of her recent visits had been quick overnight trips to fuck my brains out and then leave first thing in the morning, or holiday trips to see family. I honestly couldn't remember the last time she'd seen Bert or Kim, and I didn't think she'd ever met Sasha in person AT ALL.

Bert was the first to bounce to his feet, and he quite shamelessly moved in for a hug, relishing the feel of those sweater puppies pressing up against his chest. I still remembered the deer-in-the-headlights expression he'd had when first meeting her back during Freshman year, and the boy I knew back then would never have been so bold. But then, he HAD just spent nearly four years hanging out with ME.

Kim was a little more demure, but still gave Adrienne a welcoming hug. Well, Adrienne went and gave HER a hug, as well as whispered something into the other girl's ear. Kim smiled and patted Adrienne's back. Sometimes I forgot the two of them had actually been in the same circle of friends our Freshman year, back when Adrienne first started dating Grace Choi.

Paige was next. Since it was a Wednesday, we'd picked her up by Sather Gate on our way home and she was hanging out with us for dinner. We were making it a routine for her to drop off Bert at the BART station and then give Sasha a ride to San Bruno on Monday and Wednesday evenings. She was super-excited to see Adrienne and did her little fireball-of-energy jumping thing into the taller girl's arms. Sometimes I forgot the two of them had been roommates back during Sophomore year when Paige got kicked out of her parents' home.

Sasha then stood, introduced herself, and offered a hand. Adrienne simply rolled her eyes and bear-hugged the girl, much to Sasha's surprise. She didn't quite hug back.

"Mmm, what's for dinner?" Adrienne asked, now that the introductions were out of the way. "It smells delicious!"

"My supermodel special," I replied, leaning against the kitchen doorway with my arms folded across my chest.

Adrienne left Sasha and sauntered over to me, a little smirk on her face. "Supermodel special? You made a macrobiotic salad with a couple of cigarettes?"

I barked a short laugh and shook my head. "Nope. But really, cigarettes? Tell me you haven't started smoking."

"I haven't started smoking," she reassured me. "Nor do I hook up with any models who smoke. Mouths that taste like ashtrays? Yuck!"

"Agreed. Anyway, I made the sort of thing your publicist would KILL me for if he knew I was serving it to you: Mom's meatloaf and scalloped potatoes. At least there are also steamed vegetables."

"Just like home. Thank you, Ben." She smiled sweetly and pulled me in for a warm hug, a sibling's hug, along with a simple peck on the cheek. Instantly all the tension I'd built up since Isakova's class melted away.

"It's good to have you back, even if it's only for a little while," I sighed happily.

"So what is the special occasion?" Bert asked from behind her. "Ben's been rather mum on the subject."

"Oh, he didn't tell you?"

Bert, Kim, Paige, and Sasha collectively shook their heads.

Adrienne giggled and then turned back to me. "Should I tell them?"

I rather vigorously shook my head in the negative.

But Adrienne cackled and turned around, wrapping one arm around the back of my head while more or less wrapping a leg in front of and across my hips. She managed to press her cheek against mine, and with a grin she explained, "Ben and I are going to make a sex tape."

Although I'd already heard the story, Adrienne wound up repeating it to my friends over dinner. I wondered to myself why she would reveal something so intimate and personal, but right at the beginning of her explanation she said, "It's only fair that you all know about this before we go and actually do it. Once the tape hits the internet, everyone on this campus will know about it and be talking about it. As his friends, this will probably put you all in the line of fire. I'm sorry about that, but I tend to think that simply by BEING his friends you all are sort of used to this kind of attention, and I hope it won't put any undue burdens on you. Really, this isn't a decision I'm making lightly."

"Why ARE you deciding to do this?" Paige asked first.

"Lots of reasons, but first and foremost it has to do with my reputation."

Paige frowned. "Putting a sex tape on the internet is going to help your reputation?"

"In this case, yes. Here's the thing about a career in modeling: success is entirely dependent upon desirability. Either women want to be you, or men want to fuck you. Now that's simplifying things a bit, but it's more or less true."

My friends glanced at each other for a moment before nodding their agreement.

"Now while there is a small percentage of lesbians out there in the world," Adrienne continued, "most of my target audience is comprised of straight men and women. I'm not a high-fashion model. I've got serious curves. So I do lingerie and swimsuits and the occasional sexy dress. Women buy the clothes I model because they want to look like me and seduce their husbands and boyfriends. Men buy my magazines because they want to visualize having sex with me. Everyone on the same page so far?"

Bert shrugged, his eyes yo-yoing like he was visualizing having sex with her right now. Kim, Paige, and Sasha were a little more direct in their nods of agreement.

"Two weeks ago, the New York Daily News outed me as a lesbian. It's a tabloid, really, but one that semi-approaches the respectability of a real newspaper. I guess I'd been seen out in public enough with Caroline for somebody to put two and two together, or maybe some source within the industry let it be known that I only played the 'other' side of the field. Whatever the reason, I got outed, the word spread, and then four days later my agent called to tell me that Sports Illustrated was pulling me from the cover of this year's swimsuit edition. Yeah, I was supposed to have this year's cover, but the magazine doesn't want the backlash of negative publicity for having a lesbian be the cover model of a very male-centric issue."

"Ouch. I'm sorry," I said, reaching over and patting Adrienne's hand.

"Not your fault. That wasn't even the worst part. One week ago, Caroline broke up with me. Because of the article she was getting hounded by paparazzi, and her bosses at Vogue told her she needed to keep a low profile for a while until everything blew over. It's not like there aren't a TON of homosexual people in the fashion industry, but for some reason, people decided to make a big deal out of me having a girlfriend. And it was just too much for her to take."

"Adrienne..." My palm was still on top of Adrienne's hand, and I squeezed it while giving her a serious look. "I read about the lesbian thing on the net, and sort of shoved it into the back of my mind along with the other hundred rumors out there about you. But why didn't you tell me about Caroline?"

Adrienne gave me a pained expression. "It happened two days after DJ left you. As much as it sucked to have my girlfriend break up with me, nothing could compare to what you'd just gone through. I'm alright, really. Caroline and I weren't even together a year. I'll bounce back, and this tape is one way I'm doing it."

"Pardon me for being dense," Bert interrupted. "But how is a sex tape going to help?"

"It turns her back into a straight model," Kim explained while staring straight at the table top, her eyebrows furrowed. "Or even better, it makes her bisexual. Guys get turned on by the idea of girl-on-girl action, but for her to be a full lesbian kills the fantasy. A guy needs to be able to fantasize that he might someday nail her, even if the odds are astronomically bad. A guy jerking off over her magazine can conjure up some crazy idea about running into her in an airport or at a coffee shop and somehow wooing her into going back to his place for a nightcap. To be told that she's only into girls neuters that idea. But if there's a sex tape out there, visible proof that Adrienne can take a good dicking, then he can once again believe. Even better, if she's proven to be bisexual, then that same guy can dream up a threesome."

Sasha and Paige nodded thoughtfully. Bert seemed in a daze, as if he were dreaming up that threesome right then and there. But I was frowning.

"I know I agreed to do this over the phone, and there's no way I'm going to back out on you. But since you called, I got to thinking: Isn't there some other way you could provide evidence of your heterosexuality? Like get a boyfriend?"

"I'm not getting a boyfriend and you know it," Adrienne replied while leveling me with a look.

"I don't mean an actual boyfriend. Just..." I shrugged before adding, "arm candy."

"Thought about it. One of my gay guy friends who isn't out of the closet even offered to be my 'beard'. It would help him too. And I may ultimately take him up on it once I go back to New York. But Fashion Week is in three weeks. So is the SI cover. Designers are getting skittish about having me model their outfits, and the longer I wait the more likely it is that I won't get that swimsuit cover back. Now a sex tape may or may not work. Hell, the scandalous nature of a sex tape alone might keep me off the SI cover by itself. But they say in New York that there's no such thing as bad publicity, and even the lesbian outing has at least put my name out there a million times more than it would have been otherwise. If I can nip the 'lesbian' part in the bud before that term comes to define me, I can not only reverse any damage it's done but ALSO come out ahead, even more famous and popular than I already am."

"Is that really so important?" Paige asked. "I mean, I'm playing devil's advocate here for a minute, but you ARE a lesbian, aren't you? Is that something to be ashamed of?"

"Well, lesbian plus Ben. Really, it has nothing to do with being ashamed of my sexuality so much as that I'm a public figure in the limelight and this sort of thing has a direct impact on my livelihood. It's not like I'm forcing myself to do anything I wouldn't want to do in private anyway. I fuck Ben all the time."

"But you don't have videos of you having sex on the internet just yet. Are you ready to do that?" Paige asked. "To have recorded for all time, never to be deleted, video and images of your naked tits and pussy available for the world to see?"

"Pssht. You haven't seen some of the outfits I've already worn on the runway or in magazines. Some of those pieces are downright see-thru. I make a living out of putting my body on display, and really, I can handle it. The hardest part was convincing Ben to let HIS junk be out there for the world to see."

Kim looked at me. "And you agreed?"

I nodded with a sigh. "For Adrienne."

"Sex tapes happen to celebrities all the time," Adrienne commented, "and they always go about their lives just fine afterwards."

"Ben is not a celebrity," Kim pointed out.

Adrienne shrugged. "Nobody watches a sex tape to check out the guy's equipment, unless it's like 12 inches or something. Sorry, Tiger. I love your cock, and it's a beautiful one, but nobody's really going to be staring at it."

"They'll all be staring at YOU."

"Precisely."

"And me," Sasha suddenly said out of the blue.

Four heads abruptly swiveled over to the brunette seated across from me. "Excuse me?" I asked in surprise.

"Kim said it: a threesome would be even better. It validates your relationship with Caroline while proving you can take a dick at the same time. We'd probably have to keep the focus on Ben just to make sure the world believes your leanings are primarily straight, but we can have enough play between you and me to keep things interesting. Or do you not find me physically attractive?"

Bert's jaw was on the table.

Adrienne was a little less nonplussed. "You'd do that for me? Really? You don't even know me."

"You're his adopted sister," Sasha replied. "You're important to him, and that's good enough for me. As a benefit, you're absolutely gorgeous, and believe it or not, I HAVE seen your magazines and Victoria's Secret catalogs. Really, everyone has, and a lot of Ben's inflated reputation currently comes from the fact that everyone knows you're his ex-girlfriend. Lots of girls are curious about the guy who was banging a famous supermodel."

Adrienne laughed. "Sorry, Tiger."

I shrugged, having come to terms with the reputation for a while now.

"Plus, I'm as bisexual as anyone Ben's ever been with," Sasha continued. "And you can count me among those who've fantasized about having sex with you while flipping through one of those magazines."

"You're quite flattering," Adrienne said with a blush.

"You're quite sexy," Sasha replied with a grin.

"But are YOU okay with having your naked tits and pussy out there for posterity?" Adrienne questioned.

Sasha winced immediately. "Okay, that part I'm a little squeamish about. I'm not actually worried about being naked in front of a camera. I'm a stripper; I'm used to putting my body on display even more than you are. But it's the whole 'for all of time' thing that worries me just a bit. That said, I have an idea about it: I wear a mask, so nobody can figure out my identity. Heck, maybe I wear a whole getup, so that it looks like we're playing out a fantasy together."

"I can wear a leash and collar, and get tied to the bed to be used and abused," Adrienne breathed, her eyes glittering as she stared a thousand yards past Sasha's right ear.

Sasha giggled. "Sure, although we'll probably have to make a trip down Telegraph to get me the right costume."

"Oh, I've probably got something that'll fit you stashed in Ben's closet already."

"Really?"

Adrienne giggled. "I could tell you some wild stories of the things we've done in this house. Things you wouldn't believe."

"Oh, I'd believe them all right."

"Still," Kim spoke up, "there's a good probability than anyone who recognizes Ben in the video will make the connection to you, Sasha. As wild as his reputation is, you're the busty brunette seen hanging around him most often. At the very least, you'll be the prime suspect."

"We can fudge the timestamp on the camera," Bert put in. "Or otherwise make people think the video was filmed two years ago. Everyone knows Adrienne left school after sophomore year, and have you even been back on campus since you left?"

Adrienne shook her head in the negative.

"Then that's perfect." Bert looked at Sasha. "You didn't start hanging out with us until the project team Junior year, so anyone who sees the video will figure it's from before you and Ben became friends. Sure, some people will still speculate, but you can just deny, deny, deny."

I stared around the table in amazement at my friends. "Did that just happen? Did you all seriously seem to agree this is a good idea?"

"It can work," Kim replied. "There's a certain logic to doing so."

"But you should only show enough to get the point across," Paige cautioned. "Don't go wild and crazy. Like, no anal or bondage or toys. You just need to convince people you're straight enough without being too kinky."

"Oh, poo," Adrienne moaned, with an ironic twinkle in her eye.

Bert chimed in. "As for the aftermath, as long as you handle it carefully, I think you can accomplish what Adrienne needs without causing a problem for us being your friends."

"And I get to fuck Ben again. Period," Sasha breathed, her eyes glittering as she stared at me with undisguised lust.

"So what do you think, Tiger?" Adrienne clapped her hands together and rubbed them briskly. "You, me, Sasha ... wearing sexy costumes and getting dirrrty for a camera? Are you ready to make a sex tape?"

I took a deep breath and looked around the table. Adrienne and Sasha both looked eager. Kim and Paige were thoughtful. And Bert looked like his head was about to explode from the imagery.

I chuckled and then pointed to my best buddy. "Do we need a cameraman?"

-- 4:41PM, THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2006, SENIOR YEAR --

JOSH

"Alright, alright. I'm clicking on it. I'm clicking on it. But if I get spyware off this thing I'm gonna fucking kill you." Josh Kohn sighed and rolled his trackball to the hyperlink Joel had sent him by instant messenger, thumbing the button to click it.

"Even if you did, it would totally be worth it," Joel drawled through the phone connection.

"Not if it's bullshit."

"It's not. I'm fucking looking at the video right now. It's HER. It's THEM. This isn't a fake."

"Yeah, well, I still have my doubts." Josh sighed, waiting for the page to load. He didn't recognize the domain name, and he internally braced himself for an avalanche of pop-ups that would refuse to ever completely go away short of a hard boot on his computer. But eventually the screen resolved into an ordinary blog site called Everwander's Lair. Later on, Josh would peruse more of the blog entries written by this guy with the handle "Everwander", but at that particular moment on that particular Thursday, Josh was only interested in the most recent entry titled: Adrienne Fucking Dennis Sex Tape, along with a video box just awaiting his mouse click to start playing.

Josh clicked it.

While the video buffered, Josh glanced down at the accompanying text. In two short paragraphs, Everwander claimed to have bought a used laptop on E-Bay. Some stupid moron had left the hard drive inside, its contents wiped. But such rudimentary attempts at erasing the evidence had proven no match for Everwander's LEET skills. Old term papers and downloaded jpegs of celebrities in various states of undress had not interested him. But the nearly hour-long video that consumed a significant chunk of the hard disk space certainly had. The mpeg's time stamp showed it as being recorded in November 2003, back when supermodel Adrienne Dennis was a college sophomore at UC Berkeley. The specific location of the video was unknown, as were the identities of her two partners.

"Dude, that's your girlfriend's BEDROOM," Joel put in helpfully over the phone. "And the guy is BEN."

"DJ's not my girlfriend," Josh spat back. "And she wasn't even in college in 2003."

"Whatever. So Brooke's and DJ's eldest sisters were upstairs back then and THAT was Adrienne's room. Point is: you've been in that bedroom a bunch of times. TELL me it isn't the same place."

"Video hasn't loaded yet."

"Man, you must have a really slow connection at your place."