Animate Me

But next thing I know I feel her stroking me outside my pants.

“Is this okay?” she looks up into my eyes.

I swallow hard and nod.

“Let me tell you…you feel so amazing, just right. Do you understand?” The look of lust she gives me sets me on fire. She tightens her fingers over me for a long moment before slowly removing her hand.

My body is screaming for more, but I know we’re done. She’s pulling away. “That felt so good,” I whisper.

“When you touch yourself later, remember how good that felt, okay?”

I nod with a grin as she gets into her car and pulls away. She looks a bit flustered herself. Could she be feeling aroused too?

As she passes through the lot gate I fight the urge to run after her like Superman, so I can pull my Lois out of the damn car and into my arms. But in reality I’m Clark Kent, bumbling and slow, and she’s just turned onto San Fernando Road and out of my sight.

I quickly get in my car, anxious to get home and spread out across my bed. The vivid image of her hands on me, wrapped with her seductive words, echo in my head all the way home.

Oh, I’ll remember all of this when I touch myself Brooke. Will you?

Animate Me / Chapter Eight / Hearts Unfolding

“You’re afraid to tell Wilma, aren’t you?” ~Barney Rubble to Fred Flintstonevii

In Saturday’s sober morning light I replay what will forever be termed “The Smokehouse Fiasco” in my mind. The single picture that will accompany this memory is of horror-struck Brooke, with her mouth gaping open, after I’ve revealed that I’m a sexual failure. I might as well have a flashing neon sign that says “loser” installed right over my forehead. The fact that she goes onto explain that she was raised in a sexually charged atmosphere only a few steps above a brothel didn’t help. She is a writhing, pulsing, sexual creature while I’m an amoeba whose cell hasn’t yet divided.

Not only did I not explain the faux Dani romance as I’d intended, but I agreed to a pity fuck so Brooke can fulfill her community service hours for the romantically and sexually disenfranchised, of which I’m a fully vested member.

I only crawl out of my cocoon long enough to grab a bowl of Captain Crunch. Then I go back to bed to eat and watch the Spongebob Squarepants marathon on Nickelodeon. The happy sponge in the little shorts is the only thing preventing me from falling into a funk. My phone rings just past noon and thanks to my curious nature, I surprise myself by answering it.

“So Nathan, what the hell is up with our date tonight? I haven’t even heard from you.”

“I’m sorry, Dani,” I moan.

“If this deal is off, it’s fine with me. I just need to know cause I need to get out tonight one way or another, and the girls are going clubbing.”

I can’t mess this up now. “How about a movie?”

“You’re paying, right?”

“Of course. I’m a gentleman.”

“A gentleman, now that’s a novelty these days. Good for you. Keep that up cause I bet Brooke will get off on that too.”

My head starts pounding. How will I ever keep this up? “So can I pick you up at seven? I ask. “We can eat something and then see a nine o’clock.”

“Right-e-O,” she confirms.

All in all it wasn’t a bad first date, despite the fact that it really wasn’t a date, the movie sucked and I spilled the popcorn. At least the Mexican food was good and Dani gave me the lowdown on the various love co

At the end of the evening, when I walk Dani to her door, I start to laugh.

“What’s so fu

“Well, Brooke’s been teaching me how to kiss you goodnight for our first date. The irony of all of this is just too much.”

She puts her hands on her hips defiantly. “Wait, you said minimal kissing and I thought it was only for PDA’s.”

“Chill, I’m not kissing you.”

“Why don’t you tell Brooke that you chickened out and you need more training?”

“I may just do that,” I tease her. If I am ever able to face her again, I groan inwardly. I reach out and give Dani a hug. “Thanks again for everything.”

“You’re welcome. See you Monday.”

• • •

Curtis never shows up for te

“What’s up, Bro?”

“Aren’t you coming?”

“Coming?”

“To Mom and Dad’s—it’s brunch time.”

“No shit, it’s Sunday already!” He appears to pull the phone away as his voice gets softer. “Baby, did you know it’s Sunday?” She squeals. In a million years I would have never imagined hearing Billie sound giddy like that. Curtis gets back on the line.

“Hey Bro, will you tell Mom and Dad that I’m tied up and can’t make it.” More loud squeals from Billie. Holy shit, does she really have him tied up?

I swallow hard. “Do you mean literally tied up?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know,” he taunts. “Let’s just say that Billie thinks I’ve been naughty.”

“Too much information!” I yell into the phone. “I’ll see you next week.”

• • •

Wary doesn’t begin to describe my mood Monday morning. Three times I pick up the phone to call in sick so that I don’t have to face Brooke yet, but I finally man up and head out the door. After all, I can’t avoid her forever.

It helps that when I wander into the break room mid-morning to get more coffee that Dani and Ge

“He was hot Dani, really I would do him without a second thought,” Ge

“Really, that dude from Tangled?” Dani responds. “From the commercials he looked obnoxious.”

“Yeah, but he grows on you. And he’s got the moves.” Ge

I silently sigh too. Yeah, those animated leading men always got the moves.

“Well, haven’t you ever seen a cartoon character you’d do?” I challenge Dani. I notice Nick at the back of the room trying to get a vending machine to work.

She thinks for a moment. “I would say Tarzan. Yeah, most definitely.”

“Oh yeah, he was hot,” Ge

“What a body. And I’d finally get to see what was under that loin cloth.”

I notice Nick is lingering, leaning against the vending machine eating his newly purchased granola bar.

“So how about you Nathan?” Dani asks. “Who have you dreamed about, besides me of course.”

Ge

“I bet you liked that Jessica Rabbit from Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Am I right?” Dani asks.

“Close,” I admit. “My favorite is Tex Avery’s Red Hot. Now that’s a body…and the way she moved. She was hand-drawn sex for sure.”

“So you like the girls with the curves, some meat on their bones,” Ge

“Yes, I do,” I say with conviction.

“If only more guys felt that way,” Ge

“That girl in the movie Saturday was pretty lush,” Dani points out.

“You guys saw a movie Saturday?” Ge

“Yeah, Nathan took me out on a date.” She says dramatically.

We hear a rustle and all three of us turn to see Nick leaving the room.

Fuck.

Dani gives me a knowing look. I can’t tell if she’s happy or scared.