Part VI - Working on Commission

Chapter 1 -- Simple Creatures

Mike hummed as he walked from his car to the entrance of Starlight Studios, feeling better than he had in months. He entered the almost empty building and found only Liza at her makeup station, packing up her stuff. He jogged over, smiling broadly at her.

"Greetings and salutations!" he said exuberantly.

She looked up at him, smiling. "Someone's had a good weekend! What did you get up to?"

Mike laughed. "What, can't a guy be happy without a reason?"

Liza arched an eyebrow, putting down a large box. "Not this happy on a Monday morning, Mike. Not unless he won the lottery." She grinned at him. "Or unless it was a single guy who got lucky on a date."

Mike gasped in mock outrage. "What kind of guy do you think I am?"

Liza snorted. "I know what kind of guy you are. Come on, tell me what happened."

"Actually, I didn't get lucky, at least not the way you think. But I did have a date, and it went well."

Liza smiled at him. "Well, about time. I was starting to give up on you. Tell me more."

"You know that girl in my apartment building, Sarah?"

Liza nodded. "You've mentioned her, but you've always said she's just a friend?"

"She is. We just hang. Anyway, on Saturday she suddenly started talking about how I never did anything except work and play Scrabble with her. Then, out of the blue, she wanted to set me up with this friend of hers."

"Mike, that's great. Sounds like she knows you better than you think." She smiled. "You do spend way too much time at work."

"Yeah, I know." He grinned at her. "I like to hang out with you, what can I say?"

Liza laughed. "Fair enough, I like it too, but I'd much rather you met someone your own age."

Mike smiled. "Yeah, I know. Anyway, Sarah and her boyfriend had planned to try this new restaurant, and before I really knew what was happening, I had agreed to do a double date with Sarah, Jake and Carla."

"Sounds fun."

"It was fun, but I was pretty nervous at first. I've never told Sarah exactly what I do, and suddenly both Jake and Carla started asking all these questions I wasn't prepared for."

Liza nodded. "Curse of the trade. I've had some awkward moments."

"Yeah. Anyway, I managed to deflect for a while, but in the end, Jake guessed it. I almost panicked, fearing the worst, but they were cool about it. It just felt so good talking about it with someone not from the business, you know?"

"Good for you. Not everybody will be so relaxed about it, but I'm glad your friends are. And Carla, of course. Are you meeting her again?"

"Hope so. Haven't made any plans yet, but she told me she'd like to." He frowned a little. "Said she had some things to think about, though. Not sure if that's a good thing."

"It might be. Steve did the same thing when I told him, but he's cool with it." She grinned. "More than cool, actually."

Mike raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"

"Yes, almost too much, sometimes." She laughed. "I mean, he's a guy, you know? You are rather simple creatures."

Mike chuckled, nodding in agreement.

"We do have vanilla sex," she continued. "But sometimes, after I've told him about my day, he gets real horny, and he wants to go 'porn mode'." She laughed. "Like Friday, we were having dinner, and he asked me how my day had been. He'd been away for a couple of days, so I knew he'd want some bedroom action later, but I thought I'd just go ahead and make sure. I told him all about the scene with Cory and Hank, in graphic detail."

"Did it work?"

She snorted. "What do you think? Of course it worked. He got all fired up, and almost carried me to the bedroom." She giggled. "He wanted 'porn mode', and he got it."

"Good for him." Mike grinned. "Steve's a lucky guy."

Their talk was interrupted as Nicky Knockers entered the studio. She was dressed in tiny shorts and a tank top, with knee-high striped socks and sneakers. She looked over at them, smiled and waved. "Hi," she said as she walked towards the door marked 'private'.

Mike waved back, repeating the greeting as she disappeared into the dressing room.

Liza looked at him, puzzled. "I didn't think you two liked each other much?"

"Nah, she's okay. I know, she's a bit bratty, but she's growing on me."

"Okay, that's good. She's been here a lot. Good to know you get along."

"Didn't know she would be here today, though. It hasn't been that long since her last film. Do you know today's plan?"

Liza sighed. "Yeah, Harry's not too pleased. We're doing a commissioned shoot today."

Mike looked at her, puzzled. "What's that?"

"Basically, it's a film for one customer. Some guy with too much money and weird taste wants a film where he decides the who and the what. It's not that common anymore, not after the internet, but back in the day we did it a lot."

"Okay? Didn't know that was a thing. How weird are we talking?"

"Well, since Harry's agreed to it, it won't be too weird. Maybe just a strange plot, or some very specific fetishes." Her eyes moved over to Harry's office as the door opened. "There he is, he'll fill us in."

Harry Reynolds, Starlight Studios' owner and director, smiled as he walked over to them, but Mike thought his smile was just a tad stiffer than usual, his gait a little less springy.

"Ah, Liza," he said as he approached. "You look as divine as ever. One day you really must appear in front of Mike's camera. We'll be able to retire on that film alone."

Liza laughed, shaking her head. "Never gonna happen, Harry. I'm happy right here with my brushes."

Harry sighed theatrically, then laughed. "I know, I know, you've found your place. But the world's a sadder place for it." He turned to Mike. "Mike, you look very chipper today. I trust you had an agreeable weekend?"

Mike smiled at the old man. "Sure did. Was set up on a blind date. I liked her, and I think she liked me."

"Splendid," Harry said, his voice booming through the studio. "Absolutely splendid. I hope she sees what a gem you are." His smile faded a little, and some of the usual enthusiasm left his voice. "Now, about today's scene. We're doing a commissioned shoot today. You've never done one of those, have you?"

"No, but Liza told me a little about them. Someone wants a tailored scene, right?"

"Right. Back in the eighties, we did them all the time. Good money, but I can't stand being told what to do. You know, some of the scenes we did back then had no artistic value. I mean, no one told Picasso what to paint, did they?"

Mike stifled a chuckle. "I suppose not."

"No, they didn't. However, there are financial responsibilities to think of, so we do what we must. We're just waiting for Hank, and then we'll..." He was interrupted as the studio doors opened, and Hank strode in as if summoned by Harry's words. "Ah, good. Mike, get Nicky, then gather 'round. Let's get this show on the road."

Chapter 2 -- Commission

"So," Harry began. "We're doing a special scene today. This is for one customer only, and will not be distributed to a wider audience. Our patron has requested Nicky and Hank, and has written his own script." Harry indicated a sheet of paper in his hand, a slight look of distaste on his face. He continued. "The scene isn't particularly inspired, but it includes certain elements that should fit Nicky quite well." He looked at Nicky and gave her an apologetic smile. "As we've seen many times, you have oral abilities that few match, which seems to be one of the main things our customer requires."

Nicky giggled. "I'll do my best," she said, giving Mike a sly little grin.

Harry continued. "You'll play Sylvia, a dark elf sorceress apparently. You have captured a young barbarian, and you need his seed for some nefarious ritual. He has provided us with something that looks like a bikini made of key chains." He frowned slightly. "I'm not certain it'll fit you, but if not, I'm sure Liza can make some adjustments." Nicky's grin widened as she put a hand under one of her massive breasts and lifted it slightly.

Harry turned to Hank. "Hank, you'll play Gron, a half-orc barbarian. I don't know why he requested you for this role. If I remember my Tolkien correctly, orcs are usually not very attractive, and I can't imagine anyone wanting their seed for any ritual, nefarious or not." He sighed, looking at the paper in his hand. "Still, the customer is always right. Okay, those are the roles. The plot is quite flimsy, but it boils down to this: Sylvia needs orc seed for some reason. It must be 'unspoilt', so she needs to extract it with her mouth."

Mike grinned as the scene took shape in his mind. Their 'patron' sounded like some rich D&D nerd with a very specific fantasy.

Harry continued, not noticing Mike's grin. "She has captured Gron and keeps him in her dungeon. He's restrained, she takes what she needs. Once she's preoccupied with her ritual, Gron manages to break his bonds, and is about to leave when she spots him. She..." Harry paused, rereading a section on the paper. He continued. "Sorry. Right, she casts 'hold humanoid', whatever that means, but she doesn't realize Gron is wearing the 'amulet of Elorium', so the spell backfires."

Mike's grin broadened as he struggled to keep his composure. Nicky noticed and started to giggle, while Liza gave him an admonishing look. Hank was the only one giving Harry his full attention, listening with earnest concentration.

"After the spell backfires, Sylvia is stunned, and Gron has the upper hand. The brutal half-orc grabs the vile sorceress and bends her over the table, having his way with her." Mike couldn't hold it in any longer and burst out laughing. Harry looked up from the paper, a perplexed expression on his face that made Mike laugh even harder.

Harry cleared his throat. "Well, ahem. This is what passes for a 'plot' these days, and while I can't say I understand it all, I suppose it looks grand in our customer's imagination." He smiled, looking at Mike. "You, on the other hand, seem to find something familiar in all this." He paused for a moment, studying him. "Tell me, Mike. Do you know anything about this sort of fantasy?"

Mike managed to regain his composure. "Some. I mean, I've played a little D&D."

Harry's eyebrows rose. "Have you indeed?" He glanced down at the script, then back at Mike. A smile slowly spread across his face. "Perhaps I've been looking at this the wrong way. Maybe today calls for a younger artistic vision."

Mike looked at Harry, not sure what the old man meant.

Harry continued. "I learned long ago that there's no shame in admitting when you're out of your depth. Mike, care to take the reins on this one?"

Mike blinked. He glanced at Liza, then back to Harry. "Wait, what? You want me to direct?"

Harry beamed at him. "Sure, why not? You've done splendid work behind the camera, but I think it's time you broadened your horizons."

Mike wasn't quite sure how to react, but he couldn't keep from smiling. "Uh, well, I guess I could try. But you'll still be here, right? I don't think I want to go solo just yet."

"Of course, of course. I'm not going to retire anytime soon, but I really believe you have a clearer idea of how something like this could work." He smiled at Mike, offering his hand. "We'll do this as equal partners, what do you say?"

Mike looked at the old man. The maestro trusted him and wanted his help. He took Harry's hand and shook it solemnly, unable to stop smiling. "It would be an honor."

Nicky was the first to react. She took four quick steps toward them, threw her arms around Mike and kissed him on the cheek. "Congratulations," she said. "You got promoted."

Chapter 3 -- Hold Humanoid

The set had been transformed into something that could, with some suspension of disbelief, pass for a dungeon cell. Liza had done an admirable job making Hank look like something that, while not exactly orcish, at least appeared more brutish than his usual handsome self. She had found some leather garments from an old fetish shoot they deemed sufficiently barbarian-looking, and an old belt buckle tied to a leather string would serve as the amulet of Elorium.

Nicky was clad in what was actually a pretty good chainmail bikini that managed to, barely, hide most of her breasts. Chainmail was effectively a collection of holes, so it left little to the imagination. While she wasn't technically naked, Mike didn't think the patron would learn anything new when she shed her bikini later. Her loincloth, made of the same collection of holes, was just as symbolic.

"Right," Mike said to the pair on stage, his handheld camera ready for the close-ups. "Nicky, the scene starts with you taunting your helpless prisoner. Say your lines, then start the extraction process." Nicky giggled a little, holding a hand over her mouth.

Hank, hands tied together and secured to a ring high on the wall, looked at Mike, awaiting his instructions.

"Hank, you're a warrior, used to battle, but now you're helpless. You are strong, but even you can't stop your own body betraying you. You try to resist, but your cock is no match for her mouth." Hank nodded. His usual thumbs-up response was hard to manage given his current predicament.

Mike looked over at Harry, gauging the veteran director's expression. Harry looked ready to burst with pride, his eyes glistening. Mike looked back to the stage, smiling to himself.

"Action!"

Nicky took a step closer to Hank, snarling, "You pitiful creature. Your strength is of no consequence; I will have what I desire."

Hank scowled at her, baring his teeth in a surprisingly orcish grin. "Fuck you, bitch."

Nicky gave an evil laugh as her hand reached out and tugged away his loincloth. "Fuck me? You jest. I'm Sylvia, the sorceress, and I would never let a filthy creature like you have his way with me. But alas," she said as she dropped to her knees. "You have something I need."

She grabbed his cock in one hand, while the other cupped his balls. Mike came in close, framing her face. Nicky almost closed her eyes, moving her head closer to Hank's penis, never looking up at him. "Oh, yes, you have something I need," she repeated, then engulfed the head of his cock with her mouth.

Hank groaned as Nicky sucked his cock into her mouth, slowly and methodically. She moved her head closer, taking it deep in her mouth, then withdrew, sliding her lips up his shaft. Her head moved back and forth, each time allowing his cock to slide farther into her mouth. Finally, her lips were at the root of his penis, the entire length lodged in her throat. She held him there for several seconds before pulling her head back, letting his cock almost all the way out, then taking him back in.

The blowjob continued for several minutes, Nicky displaying an impressive variety of moves. Mike caught it all on camera. Little actual direction was required; Nicky knew what she was doing, and Hank's job was easy enough. "That's good," he said to Nicky. "Make him come. We've got what we need."

He looked up at Hank while keeping his camera on Nicky. "Hank, we're ready. Nicky will take you over the edge, getting the cum she requires. When you come, say your line, then hang your head in defeat, okay?"

"Sure," Hank said. "I'm almost there."

Mike focused on Nicky, ready to capture the moment. Harry leaned forward in his chair, arms on his knees. "Beautiful," he muttered, a small quaver in his voice.

Nicky took Hank's cock out of her mouth and started jerking it, slowly at first, then quicker. Hank moaned over them, clearly getting close. A couple more jerks, then his cock exploded. Heavy, white jets of cum shot out, hitting Nicky square in the face. She opened her mouth, pointing him directly at it, and caught the next spurts while moaning in evil triumph.

"You bitch," Hank roared. "I'll kill you."

Nicky let go of his cock. She rose before him, face dripping, and showed him her mouthful of cum. She winked at him, and Hank let his head drop, defeated.

"Cut!"

Chapter 4 -- Payback, Bitch

"Marvelous," Harry cried out. He rose from his chair. "Absolutely marvelous." He walked over to Mike, hand outstretched. Mike smiled and shook it. "That was absolutely splendid," Harry continued. "I couldn't have done it. You understood what the customer desired, and you brought his vision to life."

Mike turned back to the stage and handed a towel to Nicky. "Great job, Nicky. The client's gonna love it."

Nicky quickly swallowed Hank's cum and smiled at Mike. "Thanks," she said, wiping her face. "Actually, that was fun. I think I'll have to try something like this on my OnlyFans channel. It's so much easier to do a proper blowjob when the guy is restrained."

Mike grinned and turned to Hank. "Hank, that was splendid. When you dropped your head in defeat, I had goosebumps."

Hank grinned sheepishly, his hands still raised, tied to the ring on the wall. Mike reached up and undid the knots. "Short break, everyone. Get some water, stretch your legs."

He headed over to Liza, who looked proudly at him. She gave him a quick hug. "Harry's very pleased," she said. "He doesn't get this D&D stuff, but he understands that you do." She smiled. "He trusts you."

Mike smiled. "It was fun trying something more than filming. I just hope the second act will go as smoothly." He glanced over at Hank, who stood at the far end of the room drinking water while literally stretching his legs. "Hank will be the most active participant. I'm not sure how that'll work out."

Liza also looked over at Hank. "I think he'll do fine. He's not stupid, you know, just... uncomplicated?" She turned back to Mike, smiling. "Don't worry about it. I don't know the customer, but even if Hank's the active one, he's probably gonna be watching Nicky."

Mike snorted. "I guess you're right. As you said, men are simple creatures." He turned and walked over to the stage. "Gather 'round," he called. "Break's over."

The set was the same, and Hank was back at the wall, his hands tied to the ring. The ropes had been cut almost all the way through in preparation for his escape. Mike had repositioned the cameras slightly, pointing them toward the sorceress's altar. "Okay, Hank, this is your scene. You're defeated. The sorceress has gotten what she wanted, but the battle's not over. Tug at the ropes a little, as if testing them, then roar and yank with all your might."

He turned to Nicky, still in her chainmail bikini. "Nicky, when you hear him roar, come running. When you see he's free, look as outraged as you can, then prepare to cast your spell. We'll add some sparks in post. As soon as you've cast it, give a pained shriek and fall to the floor."

Harry watched from his chair, nodding in satisfaction. He might not understand exactly what Nicky's spell was, but he knew good direction when he saw it.

Mike turned back to Hank, continuing his breakdown. "Okay, Hank. When Nicky's cast her spell, it bounces off your amulet, and she falls to the floor. You start to leave, but then you look at her motionless body and change your mind. Grab her and lift her onto the altar." He looked to Nicky. "Nicky, you wake up and start cursing, but after a while, let that turn into moaning."

Nicky nodded. "Should I turn around and suck him again?"

Mike shook his head. "No, not this time. This will be a short, quick fuck. Hank's not doing it for pleasure, he's doing it as payback. He'll fuck you for just a few minutes, then finish on your back. When he's done, he'll run out. We could've come up with a much better scene, but this is what the client requested."

Nicky smiled. "His loss," she said.

"All ready? Aaand, action!"

The second act went as smoothly as the first. Hank's roar of triumph as he broke his bonds echoed through the studio, and Nicky entered, a look of pure hatred on her face. She made some complex hand gestures, and her 'spell' hit Hank, then rebounded on her. As she fell to the floor, her massive boobs could no longer be constrained by her far too small bikini, and she made sure to land on her back in a very suggestive pose, making Hank's change of mind all the more believable.

Hank started to run for the door, but a glance back at Nicky made him stop. He turned, his eyes settling on Nicky's exposed boobs. A look of pure, unadulterated lust crossed his face, and he bent down and picked her up. As he put her on the altar, Nicky opened her eyes and started cursing.

"Get off, you filthy creature. You're not worthy to touch me."

Hank didn't react to her curses, but gave an extra roar, just to be sure. He held her down and ripped her chainmail bikini bottom off. Nicky kept yelling at him as he rammed his cock into her from behind. "Stop it, you brute. Curse you to hell." Hank kept going, ignoring her protests. After a while, 'Sylvia' started to moan as 'Gron' kept ravaging her.

"Great," Mike said. "Exactly right. Nicky, turn your head to the camera. Close your eyes and bite your lip. Hank, don't linger. She's helpless, and you're enjoying this payback, but her lair is full of dangers. You need to get out. Finish, then run offstage."

Hank just grunted, and upped his pace. In just four or five thrusts, he was close. He pulled his cock from her pussy and gave it a couple of strokes, then sprayed her back with cum. He looked at her and, in a moment of inspiration, bared his teeth and snarled. "Fuck you, bitch." He turned and ran out through the fake cell door. Nicky uttered a final moan and went limp on the altar.

"Cut!"

Chapter 5 -- Shawshank

The studio erupted in applause. Hank came back through the fake door, a grin on his face. Nicky opened her eyes and rose. She stepped down from the little stage, smiling at Mike. "That was fun," she said. "You didn't say how I should fall, so I went tits up." She giggled a little. "I got a glimpse of Hank as he looked down at me. I think it worked."

Mike smiled at her. "It was perfect." He looked over at Hank. "Hank, great job. That final message to the wicked witch was inspired."

Hank grinned, obviously pleased. "Thanks, boss. I just figured he had to say something, you know?"

Mike nodded. "Yep, good call."

Harry was talking with Liza, but now he came over, a broad smile on his face. "Fantastic, Mike," he said. "I'll still be the director here, but the next time we do any of this dungeon stuff, you'll be in charge."

"Thanks," Mike said. "It was fun bossing them around a little." He chuckled. "Not that they seemed to mind what I had them do." Harry laughed.

As the studio emptied, Mike checked his phone. He'd gotten a message from Jake.

Hey bro. Day's been boring as hell, I need a beer. Wanna join?

Mike smiled. It was probably true that Jake's day had been boring--the life of an accountant wasn't Mike's idea of an exciting career--but he suspected Jake was really hoping to hear more about his job. On their double date, he'd certainly been the most interested in the graphic details.

Sure, just finished a shoot. Need to put my gear away, then I'm off. O'Connor's in an hour?

Great, see you there.

He put the last piece of equipment back in its crate, turned off the lights and locked up. Harry had skipped his customary cognac after the shoot. Maybe he'd considered this more Mike's film than his own. He drove home and managed to find a parking spot right in front of his building. The day just kept giving.

O'Connor's was their regular pub, just a five-minute walk from his building. He'd been there with Sarah and Jake on a few occasions, but this was the first time he'd gone there with just Jake. As he entered, he saw Jake already there, sitting at a table with an almost empty beer in front of him.

"Hi," he said as he approached. "Got Sarah home safe on Saturday?" He smiled. "She had high hopes."

Jake smiled back. "Yeah, got her home to my place. And my hopes were as high as hers, maybe more." He grinned. "We were quite... inspired, both of us."

Mike laughed. "Good to hear." He looked over at the waiter and pointed to Jake's almost empty beer, holding up two fingers. A minute later, the beers arrived and they settled in.

"So," Mike said. "Sorry to hear about your boring day. I wasn't aware accountants were capable of feeling bored."

Jake snorted. "Ha! I know. It's not a cool job, but it pays the bills. Still, today was more boring than most. If you've got four seconds, I'll tell you all about it."

Mike chuckled. "I'll take your word for it."

"Good call, you're not missing out. Anyway, as you probably guessed, I'd like to hear more about your job. You said you did a shoot today?"

"Yeah, we did. In fact, we did something new--a commissioned shoot."

"Oh yeah? Sounds like a custom job."

"Exactly. Harry says they did it a lot back in the day, but not so much anymore. Anyhow, we had this customer that ordered a D&D-themed film, with a sorceress and a barbarian."

"Go on," Jake said, his voice cracking slightly.

Mike grinned. "Yeah. He had this elaborate plot about a sorceress, Sylvia, that needed the barbarian's seed for something. It was important that the seed remained 'unspoilt', so she had to get him to come with her mouth."

"Oh, man!" Jake muttered, leaning forward.

"He had specifically asked for Nicky Knockers to play the sorceress. Ever seen anything of her?" Mike asked innocently, fully aware that most guys knew about her.

"Oh my God!" Jake almost moaned. "She's the hottest!"

Mike grinned. "Yeah, she is. Anyway, she was working her magic on Hank Hammer, extracting his cum quite spectacularly."

"Oh my God," Jake repeated. "What did she do?"

"Ah, you probably mean what didn't she do." Mike grinned, enjoying Jake's pained look and deliberately dragging out his answer. "Well, it was a light BDSM scene, so his hands were bound over his head, and she was on her knees in front of him."

Jake blinked rapidly, enraptured.

"She gave him an amazing blowjob." Mike watched Jake over the rim of his beer. He took a slow sip, savouring Jake's hungry expression. "She spent most of her time deepthroating him." He nodded sagely. "That's her trademark move, you know."

Jake swallowed. "Yeah," he croaked. "I know."

Mike felt he'd tortured Jake long enough and decided to let him off the hook. "So, I told her to take him over the edge. She did, catching his cum in her mouth, then..."

Jake interrupted. "Wait, what? You told her?"

Mike grinned. "Yeah, I was promoted. I'm now a director." He paused. "Well, not really, but I was today. Harry doesn't really understand fantasy. I don't think he knows anything's happened since Tolkien, so he let me do it."

Jake looked at him, impressed. "Wow, that's great. Congrats, dude."

"Thanks. Harry's probably gonna call the shots for years to come, but it was fun while it lasted. It's not Shawshank, but it had some interesting challenges."

Jake grinned at him. "Yeah, I remember the chainmail-bikini scene in Shawshank. Very tasteful."

Mike laughed. "I said it wasn't Shawshank."

Jake sighed, his gaze distant. "Still, I'd love to see Nicky trying to cheer Andy up in his cell."

Chapter 6 -- To Wait or Not to Wait?

To wait or not to wait? Mike sat on his couch, phone in hand. He'd never been a very active dater and had never quite figured out the rules. He remembered girls back in high school being absolutely distraught if they didn't hear anything the day after a date. Then again, he'd heard girls scoff at guys who texted too soon, calling them desperate. He sighed, hoping Carla would rather hear from him too soon than too late.

Hey Carla :-) It was really nice meeting you Saturday. Hope you feel the same way.

He didn't expect an answer right away. Carla was probably working, but his phone buzzed almost at once.

Hi Mike :-) Yes, it was super nice. We must meet again. How's your week looking?

If there was one advantage to working in porn, it was the hours. Their budget didn't allow for exotic locations, and since all their films were made indoors, a night scene required little more than dimming the lights. And Harry's weekends were sacred, so they worked a strict Monday-to-Friday, nine-to-five schedule.

Like most weeks. Mon-Fri, 9-5. I'm a creature of habit :-)

Ooh, I'm so envious. I'd love to have that. I've got shifts back-to-back from tomorrow through Thursday, but I'm free Friday night. Wanna do something?

I'd love to. I understand bowling is the go-to activity for many early dates, but I detest bowling. What do you say? Is it okay if we skip the bowling date and go straight to dinner?

What? No bowling? Really, Mike, are you even an American?

He grinned, typing his response.

Tell you what. Saturday was fun, but this time I'd like to spend time with just you, without Jake and Sarah. Dinner Friday, and I'll suffer through bowling with you next time. Deal?

Deal :-) Actually, I detest bowling too, but I love paintball. Got the balls for that?

Never tried, but how hard can it be? :-)

Ha ha. Hard? Was that a porn joke?

Mike laughed.

You tell me :-) I'll do a little restaurant research and send you the info. See you Friday.

Great. Looking forward to it :-)

Mike smiled. He turned on his laptop and pulled up his browser.

Oh, shit, almost forgot. He picked up his phone again and typed a message.

Hi, Sarah. This may be too late, but be warned. Jake's gonna be inspired tonight.

He laughed to himself and continued browsing restaurants.