I strip out of my shirt too.
“This is humiliating.” I toss my flannel on the ground.
“That’s because you’re not looking at it right. It’s fun, man. Lighten up a little.”
Maybe it’s fun for him, but not for me. I’m always so in my head and feeling awkward. The most comfortable one I did was this morning, and that was because I thought of Grace and only Grace… not the hundreds of thousands of other people who might see my post.
I’ve learned a lot about lighting since I started making these videos, and the sun is perfect for a quick reel right now. Being a content creator is exhausting. It takes me three tries to get my cell camera aimed in a flattering way, but I manage to lean against the tub, shirtless, and stare into the screen.
“As much as I love you dirty, baby, how about a soak in the tub?” I cut the video and look over at Nick, feeling his gaze on me. “What?”
“Is that the best you got?”
“What’s wrong with it?”
“Give me your phone.” He snags my cell from me and balances on the rim of the tub, hovering over me. “Try again.”
“And say what?” I’m flustered and annoyed. We have too much work to get done. Distracting ourselves with thirst traps is going to make me fall behind more.
“Oh, grumpy Dean is hot.” He snaps a picture. “Work it, baby, work it.”
I flip him the bird and try to sit up. “This is ridiculous.”
“Lay back down, man. Give me a chance.”
“To do what? Make me feel like more of an idiot?”
“You never give yourself enough credit. Put your arms back up over your head and bend them. Don’t flex, but don’t… not flex.”
“You’re annoying me.”
“There it is…” He snaps more photos and then I assume starts a video. “Say something.”
“Like what?”
“Anything. Talk dirty.”
I’m out. “Nick.”
“Come on.” He doesn’t budge from balancing on the tub rim and if I knock him down, he might get hurt. He’d deserve it, but…
Fine. I’ll give him what he wants so we can get back to work.
Lying flat on my back, I stretch my arms out and tip my head back. “Feels good, doesn’t it, baby?”
He doesn’t say a word.
I imagine Grace in the tub with me.
“You like it when I get you wet, don’t you?” I tip my head forward and stare at the camera. Nick’sgone. It’s just Grace’s image I’m concentrating on. “Bath time is more fun with two, isn’t it?”
No one can tell that this tub isn’t filled with water or even hooked up properly. And if they’re paying attention to the porcelain, then I’ve failed at my mission.
I blink a couple of times, waiting for Nick to stop the recording.
He’s still frozen above me.
“That’s it,” I say. “That’s all I got.”
