'Hi, does Brooke work here?' Pip asked at the counter, gazing around at the piles of books stacked against
'Yeah, you can find her doing the stock taking over in True Crime.' The woman barely glanced at Pip as she nodded towards the back of the bookshop. Pip smiled a thank you and walked through carpeted alleyways of bookshelves, browsing past travel and self help, until he turned a corner and his heart skipped several beats.
Brooke stood on a short ladder counting out books on an upper shelf, glasses perched on the end of her nose and a pen dangled between her lips as she furrowed her brow in concentration. She wore a slim pencil skirt, tight white blouse and a red kerchief around her neck. Pip gazed up at her for a few moments, relishing the sight.
'Hello,' he said.
Brooke glanced down, and a flutter of confusion and disappointment showed on her face. She climbed down the steps, and Pip heard an audible sigh.
Pip forced himself to keep his smile natural and his palms dry, but he was failing at both. 'Hiya,' he continued, 'I remembered that you worked at this book store and thought I would pop in.'
Brooke approached him, tucking a book under her arm. 'That's nice. But I am a little busy.'
'Yep, I can see that. Just thought it would be nice to see you again. Y'know, after the basement party.'
Brooke curled a long strand of hair behind her ear and moved closer. 'Listen, that was a one time deal. I am not wifey material so please don't go asking me out.'
'Ha,' Pip blurted. 'No, nothing like that. I was just wondering if you, ummm, if you wanted to come along to our D&D group? Dungeons and Dragons on Thursday night.'
'Savannah mentioned something about that. How did you get her to agree?'
'I think George asked her. It'll be fun.'
Brooke shook her head and smiled. 'It sounds weird to me, but I'll see. Now, if you will excuse me I have books to wrangle and an alphabetical issue to deal with.'
Brooke turned back to her work, and Pip lingered for a moment, then turned and walked out of the shop, not understanding why his emotions were flipping like burgers on a hot plate.
* * * * *
Brooke crept down the basement stairs and peered round the corner. The lads all looked over, faces grinning. Savannah was already sat at the table, huddled over and rolling dice. She yelled in delight and clapped her hands together.
'Three sixes mean I get a maximum, huh. Eighteen to add to my already impressive statistics.'
Pip, who introduced himself as the DM (short for Dungeon Master, which made the girls giggle), was running the game. He had developed a fantasy world, and each person created a character to play within that world.
Brooke sat down amongst the group, and after a quick and confusing introduction, rolled dice and jotted down her character. She was playing a Paladin who wore white armour and had a passion for justice,
The evening was, surprisingly, fun for both the girls. Their adventure started in a tavern, full of lusty serving wenches and craven barkeeps, in a town ruled by grumpy town elders who controlled the passing trade through deceit and murder, and by the end of the night the patriarchy had been over thrown, every woman in the town now had access to free education and a democracy had been firmly established.
The boys heads had spun, as this was both the best game they had ever played, and the most game-changing. Hardly a dice had been rolled in combat, and yet lots had changed in this little part of Pips world. And Pip was ecstatic! He revelled in the challenges, and the role play, and upturning of his carefully prepared adventure.
Brooke was quietly impressed by Pip too. The way he inhabited character, the way he was commanding, but fair. Never a bully, but firm in his decisions. And flexible too, with a fair amount of humour thrown in.
At the end of the session Savannah and George sat at the table, discussing their characters. Brooke took Pip to one side.
'This is going to sound crazy, but I have a favour to ask. And it's a no-questions kind of favour that, if you say no too, you can never breathe a word of it to anyone.'
'Okay,' Pip said. 'I'm good at secrets. And favours.'
Brooke took a deep breath. 'I'm setting up an adult web cam account.'
She waited for the reaction, the puzzlement, the outrage. But Pip just nodded, a look of earnest interest on his face.
'Oh, that's cool,' he said.
'Well,' Brooke continued, 'I have made a few solo videos, but have not released them yet. To be honest, the quality is not the best, and I really need to up the game in that department.'
'And, you know I have to ask, but have you thought this through?' Pip asked.
'I have, and thank you for the concern. I've repeated this in the mirror so many times, my answer seems so rehearsed.' She smiled and glanced to the floor, building up courage. 'But I see it as a golden ticket, really. If it takes off and I can build up quite the following, then the projected figures are going to change my life. Sure, I have a nice job, and rent an apartment in a nice-ish part of town. But there is a big wide world out there that I need to see. And I have dreams for my own business.'
Brooke sighed. 'And besides, I'm not afraid of the stigma or judgement. Ha, if people find out it means they have had to pay for access, right?' She laughed.
So - - what do you want from me?' Pip asked.
'To put it bluntly,' Brooke's tone was whimsical, and she trailed a finger down Pip's chest, 'I want your cock.'
Pip blushed, and the butterflies that nestled in his stomach suddenly flew south for the winter. 'Wow. Errr, wow.'
There was a loud crash beside them - as Jack had been swinging his chair closer, all the better to hear what was being said. Obviously the shock had made him collapse in a heap at their feet. He got up, brushing imaginary fluff from his pants. He grinned at the two of them.
'I'm in,' Jack said.
And before any of the others could object, Jack continued 'But... not as a stunt cock, or for my brawny body or anything like that. I'm a whizz at tech, so can ensure things run smoothly, and have an interest in filmmaking. I can get the lighting set up and sound systems as professional as a small budget will allow. I will get the production values into kick-ass mode.'
'Errrr, I won't be able to pay you, at least, not straight away.' Brooke said, biting at her bottom lip as she processed the situation.
'Ha - I should be paying you! No, I had fun tonight, and I help friends any way I can. Besides, the side benefits may be cool. Imagine if you start going to conventions? I'll be able to meet lots of other Only fanners. Awesome!'
Brooke smiled at the enthusiasm. 'Ok, Jack. I would love to have you onboard.'
'And Pip, I'll have a mask for you. I want you to feel comfortable, but I also want any man involved to have an anonymous persona. You'll be a faceless character. You good with that?'
* * * * *
Brooke's Apartment
Pip, dressed in a loose fitting black suit, straightened his tie, unsure of what he was supposed to do. He fiddled with the black and gold mask in his hands, large enough to cover half his face, and stylish. Like a billionaires dom mask from the cover of one of those adult fiction books.
Brooke was busy with a camera set up, chatting to Jack about focal lengths and the subtle lighting. She was dressed in a patterned summer dress that hugged her figure, showing off her legs, with calf length white socks and slim plimsolls. She looked gorgeous, with her dark hair tied in a bouncy ponytail, leaning over a table in deep conversation. He couldn't stop staring at her ass, the perfect shape of it beneath the summer dress. He was suddenly aware that she was looking at him. She flashed him a smile, and he quickly looked away.
There were three cameras set up in the large loft apartment, all rigged with halo lights and a couple of larger lights behind to bounce illuminations from the ceiling. The entire flat was set up like a movie studio, coils of cabling strung from devices, lights, microphones. As professional a set up as Jack could make it.
Brooke straightened up, letting out a long breath between pursed lips, releasing the nerves she felt. Is this going to be the biggest mistake of her life? Or will it be the answer to her dreams?
'Ok,' she said. 'I think we are almost ready to go.'
Jack nodded. 'Alright people. I want to remind everyone that there needs to be absolute silence while we are running the cameras.' He glanced up, 'Apart from the actors, of course.'
Brooke walked around the open plan bedroom, stroking the set of large teddy bears and cuddly toys propped by the headboard. She patted Pip on the shoulder as she passed him, about to say something, but changed her mind and let the silence hang.
Pip placed the mask over his face, slipping the elasticated band around his head. Something about putting the mask on gave him a weird sensation of - - not power, but a differentness. Like he had stepped outside his personality and could be anyone he wanted to be.
Brooke sat on the edge of the bed and stared up at Pip. She tugged at the hem of her summer dress, pulling the material taut across her tanned thighs, and crossed her feet together, feeling the calf length socks rub against each other. Cute as fuck, she thought.
'Silence on set,' Jack hollered. 'Sound, speed, and cameras are... ' he pushed a button on the console '... rolling.'
Pip approached Brooke, drinking in her looks, her smooth skin, the way the dress strained to keep her breasts in place, the curves beneath bulging. He reached out his fingers, ready to grope her tits, maul at her body.
But he hesitated.
It just didn't feel right. He backed away, looking around the bedroom, pacing slowly around the bed, and the array of cutesy soft toys cluttered against the headboard..
Jack watched the scene, unsure of what was happening. His finger hovered over the pause button, but Brooke shook her head imperceptibly. Let it play out.
Pip picked up a large teddy bear, playing with it in his hands. It tinkled as he moved it - a small bell on a pink ribbon around its neck. He deftly untied the ribbon, threading his fingers around the ribbon. He grinned. What is a DM without a prop or two?