Fantasy Man

Jessica adjusted the collar of Corbin's form-fitting navy blue button down. When she had it just right, her fingers slid down his chest, his stomach.

"You've always looked good," she murmured, "but you look incredible tonight, baby."

"My stomach's not bulging too much for this shirt?" he asked, genuinely nervous.

"There's no stomach left."

"There's a little stomach left."

Jessica leaned up and kissed him. "You need to look at yourself hard in the mirror sometime. You have no idea how handsome you are."

Corbin wrapped his arms around her and squeezed her to him, drinking in the tender scent of her perfume. "And you," he murmured, "are the most beautiful woman I've ever met. Every time I look at you, I think I'm going to wake up from the best dream ever." He pulled back and eyed her up and down. Jessica wore a black mesh dress so gossamer her thin, wispy panties and bra underneath were completely visible. Her lips were plumped and emphasized by a deep shade of red, and her eyes smoldered with extra makeup and attention to her already beautiful lashes. "God, you are incredible tonight."

"Flatterer." She studied him. "Are you ready for this?"

"No," he said. "Not even remotely. You?"

"No," she said.

He drew a deep breath and nodded. "You'll be in the room with me?"

"Yes. That was part of the agreement with Dr. Madison."

"A professor," he said, his voice distant. "I'm actually going to sleep with a professor."

"Yeah you are," Jessica said, and this time her grin lost its nervousness. "And soon... Dr. Windsor."

He shivered theatrically at that. Both Dr. Madison and Dr. Windsor were among the most beautiful women on campus, and the latter had been a part of Corbin's fantasies since he started college and landed in her history class.

She held his sport coat for him to shrug into, and pinched his butt in his black slacks. They headed downstairs and tried to entertain themselves with an episode of Futurama, one of his favorites and a show she'd never watched until recently. Now they watched at least a couple every night they could manage it when they both didn't have to work and weren't slammed with homework. He'd been thinking about asking Sam, his roommate back in the dorms, about borrowing his Simpsons DVDs after they finished, but he hadn't spoken to Sam in a while. Truth was, Corbin wasn't sure how to mend things between them after some awkward tension once he became popular on campus.

"You all right?" Jessica asked him.

"Hm?"

"You had a distant look to you."

He sighed. "Thinking about Sam, actually."

"Aw. I'm sorry."

"Me too. I keep trying to think of some way to reach out to him, but I don't know." Corbin smiled faintly. "He'd flip his lid if he found out what I was doing tonight."

"I think you mean who."

"Boom."

They returned their attention to the TV, but it wasn't long before Jessica said, "You know..."

"What?"

She chuckled. "I can think of one easy way to make him deal with you."

"How's that?"

"We actually sleep there from time to time."

He paused the show again and looked at her. "You'd do that for me?"

She took his hand. "Of course."

"Best gir-"

Her phone rang, but she ignored it and poked his hip. "Finish that thought."

"-girlfriend ever," he said, and kissed her shoulder.

"Damn straight." Jessica picked up. "Hey, Josh. Okay. Yes, we're ready. Okay. Thanks." She hung up and grabbed Corbin's hand. "We can't bring anything with us other than what we're wearing."

He dug out his wallet and his keys and dropped them on the coffee table. "They really like this to be a secret, huh?"

"Professors sleeping with students at an orgy? Yeah. I'd say they do." She squeezed his hand. "Corbin, I..."

He waited, but she hesitated. "You okay?"

"Yes. Yeah. Just... I love you."

"I love you," he murmured back. "Tell me no, and we don't do this. At any point tonight."

"No, I want to. I guess... hm. I'm always going to be scared about us. I'm learning to deal with that every day, but it still grabs me now and again."

"I'm scared too," he said. "You know? I'm a freshman. I know damn well I'm not going to last four years without proposing to you at some point, and what does that look like? Me doing work-and-learn while you bust your butt babysitting and going to grad school, you'd be crazy for sticking with me through that."

"Well," Jessica said, "good thing I'm crazy then."

He laughed. "Yeah, same here. Someday we're going to wake up and not be scared of this."

"Mm hm. And in the meantime..." Her grin widened. "You said you're going to propose."

"Not, like, today!" Corbin protested.

"No, I know. But you said it. That's, like, my go-fuel for months. Come on, we got to get outside. We're the last ones being picked up and Josh already sounds cranky."

* * *

They huddled together as they waited. Jessica' s coat could only protect her bare legs so much from the cold, and she shivered against Corbin. He drew her in close and wrapped his arms around her as her fingers danced on his back.

A few minutes on, a sleek long van came around a corner down the block. It wasn't entirely dissimilar to the one they rode in to go dancing with a group of Jessica's ex-girlfriends from another life, though they would find out fast this one was meant only as a people hauler and not a party van like that one. Josh pulled to a stop at the curb and hopped out, a pair of college-colored hoods in hand.

"Son of a bitch, it got cold," he muttered, handing them each one of the hoods. "My tits are going to freeze off. Okay, put those on. Do not take them off, not even when we arrive. There will be people there to help you inside. There will be security posted at the doors, so don't try to sneak out when you get there. Break the rules or try to get handsy with anyone who isn't interested, your evening and your education here are pretty much finished. Corbin, there will be condoms everywhere. You'll be using them. The professor has requested you, so you'll be available to her first, and then you can sleep with whoever agrees to it after that."

"We're only in this for Dr. Madison," Corbin said. He pulled on his hood and Josh sighed.

"Dumbass, you can get in the van first and then put it on."

"Oh. Okay."

"Call him any name again," Jessica said sweetly, "and I'll dick punch you. Test me."

Josh grunted and gestured at the van. Most every seat was filled by students wearing hoods. The front row bench seat was the only one not already occupied, so they occupied it and tugged on their hoods. Jessica's hand brushed against Corbin's and he took it as Josh closed up the van and headed around for the driver's seat.

"Not even going to say hello?" Billy called up to them from the furthermost seat.

Corbin turned his head and grinned though his friend couldn't see him. "Hey, Billy."

"Didn't see you back there," Jessica said.

"Someone's got to keep an eye on the buffet and make sure you goofs don't take off your masks."

A soft-spoken woman with a hint of a Southern accent asked, "Is that Jessica?"

"It is! Hey Nia!"

"Hey yourself! I didn't know you were into this sort of thing."

"One time only," Jessica said, squeezing Corbin's hand. "When we get to the party, we'll have to catch up."

"You know it."

Jessica and Corbin both played a mental game of trying to guess whereabout in the city they were going, but Josh took such a zig-zagging path that it defied any attempt at figuring out a general direction. It was clear he was avoiding the Interstate and major highways, though ten minutes in, the route straightened for a long stretch.

Despite the crazy hoods, the atmosphere inside the van was festive. Jessica introduced Corbin and there was some good-natured grumbling about him getting an invite as a freshman. And Josh, despite his sourpuss exterior, had an upbeat Halloween playlist going. Billy did a downright impressive impersonation of Bobby Pickett when he sang "Monster Mash," and Jessica discovered Corbin knew all the words to the Ghostbusters theme to her delight.

Josh slowed and turned. The dull thrum of pavement shifted into a harder tactile feel - not quite like gravel, but close. "Almost there," he said. "Remember what I said about not taking your hoods off, and feel out the running board with your foot before you step out."

They slowed again, this time to barely a crawl, and made a slow, sloping turn. Jessica squeezed Corbin's hand tighter. Flashes of what was to come flickered through her mind, and she had a hard time not squirming. Much as she was anxious for her and Corbin to be exclusive, this would be something incredible and she couldn't wait to see it.

The van eased to a stop and Josh killed the engine. The side door to the van slid open, and a hand fell on Corbin's arm. A cheery woman said, "You're first, big man. Feel for the step, then the ground."

"Got it," Corbin said. "Wait, Bethani?"

"Oh hey Corbin! Didn't recognize you. Looking good!"

Billy's fiancée kept hold of his arm as he stepped cautiously out and hit the pavement. They chatted briefly as she led him down a long sidewalk and up a short flight of rounded stone stairs. A door opened to them and a man Corbin didn't recognize said cheerily, "Welcome to the Phantom Masquerade. You are...?"

"Corbin Block," Corbin said.

"Ah, our special guest. We've never had a freshman before. Trust you can keep quiet?"

"Oh, yes sir. I don't want to screw anything up for anyone, especially not with my girlfriend here too."

"That's the spirit. All right, bring him in, Beth."

Bethani guided him in and down a short hallway and around a corner. "Annnnd ta-da!" she said, pulling his mask free.

The room stretched high to a vaulted ceiling. The arched windows looked like something out of a castle or a monastery, definitely right up Corbin's alley. Large recesses around the room held bench seats and petite bookshelves. Between these recesses, black and orange sashes had been hung for the holiday, with tassels at each end dangling down and ending in tiny decorative pumpkins. At the center of the room were a pair of couches and four armchairs, all in a rough circle. A salt-haired gentleman in a suit sat talking to a pair of pretty, middle-aged women. A few people Corbin's age stood around near one of the bookshelves holding drinks, though from the sounds of it, the bulk of the party was happening throughout the rest of the mansion.

Bethani was looking particularly gorgeous that night in a velvety blue single strapped dress that nearly dropped to the floor, save for a pair of slits that revealed quite a bit of her legs, almost all the way to her waistline.

Corbin kissed her cheek, grinning. "Good to see you."

"You too! Can't believe they let you in." She pinched his arm. "You're charming everybody on campus, seems like. Josh went over the rules with you?"

"Yes. No leaving, use condoms, I'm Dr. Madison's first."

Bethani gave him an impish smile. "That's it. And Nicco must be bringing in Jessica."

"Hey, Bethani," Jessica said, her voice muffled. The guy with her, Nicco, was familiar to Corbin, but he'd never heard the name. Nicco was a tall, powerfully built man with long braided hair. Corbin usually saw him with the theater and music students.

A moment later Jessica was standing beside Corbin, free from her hood. The middle-aged man looked over in their direction and raised an eyebrow at Jessica's good looks, but returned his attention quickly to the women he was with.

Bethani stepped in and used her fingers to brush Jessica's hair into place, then gave her a kiss on the cheek. "You look incredible, Jess."

"You do too!" Jessica said. She looked all around at the great room. "Wow. This is nice."

"it really is. Find me later. I need to go help unload the others and then the Representatives will be around helping run things."

"Okay, thanks, Bethani."

Jessica held out her arm for Corbin, and he grinned as he took it. "I feel way outclassed."

"Me too," she said. "My ex-girlfriends have amazing houses, but this..."

"Yeah," he breathed, staring up at the waffled ceiling.

"Should we get a drink?" Jessica asked him.

"This makes me sound twelve, but do you think I'm allowed?"

"You're about to sleep with a professor at a sex party. I think you having a cocktail is probably okay."

They found their way to what Jessica called an entertaining area, which seemed to Corbin like another great room. Seating was kept around a pair of ornate crackling fireplaces. The windows were more grandiose here, and a pair of massive double doors led down a long hallway and a stairwell. Here was the center of activity in the mansion, with more professors and students lounging around and talking animatedly. In an attached room were a buffet and a manned bar. They headed for the bar, and Jessica murmured in Corbin's ear, "That's Dr. Howell. He's one of the psychology professors."

The professor in question, a boyishly handsome man with a dimpled chin, caught her eye and gave her a nod. She smiled tightly back.

"And that's Dr. Eve," Corbin murmured to Jess. The woman in question was a redhead in a skintight strapless latex dress, her tits nearly dropping out of the top. "She teaches computer science. Sam has a class with her. I don't know her first name."

In the midst of a cluster of people at the bar was a honey-haired woman with her back turned. She wore a sequined blue dress with a cutout in the back that nearly exposed the top of her ass. A student in a suit next to her murmured into her ear and she turned. Dr. Madison. Corbin instinctively sucked in his gut. With her classic angelic good looks and soft, sultry eyes, the professor belonged on a red carpet in Hollywood, not some obscure party college. Then again, she was at a sex party, so maybe her moral ambiguity meant she was right at home.

And he'd be sleeping with her soon.

"Dr. Madison," Jessica said, smiling wide. "Nice to meet face to face."

Dr. Madison excused herself from her companions and came to them. "Ms. Nakamura. It really is a pleasure. Quite the move, reaching out to me the way you did. I respect a woman who knows what she wants and makes an effort to get it."

"I think you mean who, not what," Jessica said. She leaned in and brushed Dr. Madison's lips with her own. Corbin stood even straighter, imagining these two together. Imagining him together with Dr. Madison.

God. Damn.

"And this must be the man of the evening," Dr. Madison said.

"Your man of the evening," Corbin said. Jessica gave him a surprised, pleased look, and he stepped in to kiss Dr. Madison too, his hand going around to her lower back, splaying against her warm skin. He held the kiss a moment longer than Jessica had, and when he pulled back, Dr. Madison's cheeks had slightly flushed.

"Bold and handsome. And deliciously young. You are over eighteen, yes?" Dr. Madison asked.

"Nineteen. I got a late start to college," Corbin said.

"Is there a story behind that?" Dr. Madison asked. She gestured at an open spot at the bar and they headed for it as a trio.

"Nothing I'm sure you haven't heard," Corbin said. "My dad runs a Best Buy. I worked there part-time over the summer. They ran short on help and I stuck around to earn some money and make sure my dad wasn't swamped."

Jessica looked surprised at that. "You never told me that. That's so sweet."

"It is," Dr. Madison said. "And a smart move. Never hurts to have some extra spending money."

"No ma'am, it doesn't," Corbin said.

"Ooh, strike one. It's Rosamund tonight and Dr. Madison otherwise."

Corbin smiled. "All right, Rosamund."

Working the bar was a black man in one of the finer suits Corbin had ever seen, gray almost like silver with a black vest underneath. Age suited him well. His long goatee was spotted with white and the wrinkles at his eyes and along his bald head emphasized his wide eyes and a one-sided smile. He dealt with a throng of students and professors alike first, then sidled his way down the bar, his fingers drumming on the countertop as he approached.

Rosamund ordered a New York sour, Jessica a glass of wine, and after a moment's hesitation, Corbin a hard cider. He was mostly trying to just fit in, and heard a couple people down the bar order some earlier.

They got their drinks and Rosamund guided them away from the bar. As Corbin gave the bottle of cider an experimental sip, Rosamund asked Jessica, "Did you explain to him what it is I want?"

"Only that I'm going to be in the room," Jessica said.

"There's more?" Corbin asked.

Rosamund nodded, smiling. "Nothing extremely kinky, I promise you. I like to be in control at these things. You're going to find that out very quickly."

Corbin looked to Jessica. She pinched his butt with her free hand and murmured, "Trust me, it'll be... interesting."

"I do," he said.

"You two are cute together," Rosamund said. She glanced up at a clock, then back to them. "I need to steal Jessica away. Let's meet up in private at... oh, fifteen after. The rooms are all marked by city names. Our room will be Hallstaff, on the first floor. I'm sure you can find it."

Jessica leaned up and kissed Corbin. She smiled against his lips, eyes closed, but despite her smile, her chest hitched. "Corbin, I... I love you."

"I love you too," he said, mystified. "Jess, are you okay?" He pulled back and held her shoulders. "Are we okay? It's not too late to say no to this."

She blinked up at him. "We do that, and our futures..."

"Fuck that," he said, aware Rosamund was still right there, listening and watching. "If I said no, they could only blame me. So maybe they kick me out or whatever, but nothing would change. I'd do whatever I had to do. I don't care if I'm making millions or mopping floors, so long as I got to come home to you, do you understand me?"

Her arms came around his neck and she pulled him in for another kiss, a deeper, longer thing that left him powerfully aware of just how sheer her dress was. His big hands roamed her back, pulling her even tighter as their tongues danced, her eyes fluttering. When she finally pulled away, her smile was much firmer and the hint of tears in the corners of her eyes vanished.

She reached down and squeezed him through his slacks. "Thank you. That was what I needed to hear. We're going to have so much fun tonight. I promise. I'm sorry I have such a problem believing there's always a tomorrow for us."

"There always will be," Corbin said, still wildly confused. He glanced at Rosamund and back at Jessica. "I'm serious. I'll say no."

"I believe you. But I want this. I do." Jessica pulled back and took his hands in hers, squeezing them before letting go. "See you in about twenty minutes."

Rosamund gave him a sly wave of her delicate fingers and turned to place the hand on Jessica's lower back. Then lower. Both women glanced over their shoulders at him as they walked away, Jessica out and out grinning now. Rosamund leaned in to whisper something in her ear and Jessica giggled. Actually giggled.

"Weirdest goddamn night," Corbin murmured, and finished off his cider in one long drink.

It was about to get weirder. He wandered the first floor, at first to find a garbage can, and then just to explore, trying to work out some of his nervous energy. Unlike the party at Jessica's at the start of their relationship, this party was sparsely attended and he could move without any real fear of bumping into anyone. He stopped by a buffet loaded with appealing appetizers and desserts, but lacked any sort of appetite and kept moving.

He wound up passing by a study of sorts, or maybe it was a library. In either case, one wall was lined with bookshelves while a great big desk centered the room. In front of it, rather than singular chairs, there was some kind of lengthy bench seat, almost like a loveseat. Two gorgeous young women, one black with long braided hair, the other a pale redhead, knelt on the seat facing each other, making out in earnest while a man in a button down and nothing else sat on the edge of the desk, jerking his thick, short cock to them.