Campus Visit

Chapter 1-2

Alex Murphy leaned against the wall in the corridor of the Engineering building at UC Santa Cruz, stifling a yawn. Professor Whalen was late as usual, her office door locked. Tired of reading the same campus movie posters and housing ads over and over on the bulletin board, Alex considered walking away and emailing the professor the latest draft of his programming project so she could review it later. It was past noon, and his mouth watered for one of the mesquite turkey sandwiches they sold in the Memorial Union’s deli.

He’d give her five more minutes. Might as well check messages while he waited. Sliding his pack to the floor, he retrieved his phone from the side pouch and opened the email application.

His mood improved upon glimpsing a new message from Damian, the subject line merely the word “Question.” His buddy attended Fresno State, a three-hour drive away from Santa Cruz, and they didn’t see each other as often as Alex would have liked.

Alex opened the message.

This is a crazy request, Damian had typed, not even bothering to start with Hi Alex. As Alex kept reading, his heartbeat accelerated, thundering in his ears like the Pacific surf.

I’m bi. I’m basically certain about this. I’m sorry I never said anything before, but hopefully you can understand it was hard for me to face.

I’ve never done anything with a guy, not even a kiss. I really want to—kissing and more. And I want it to be you, because I trust you, and you’re cute—weird to hear me say that, huh?—and at least I know you’re gay.

We’ll be done with college soon, and this is when I’m supposed to try these things. I feel like my time’s running out. Is there any chance you’re interested in hooking up for a weekend, no strings attached, just for fun and to give me some experience?

I told you it was crazy. It’s okay if you’re not interested. No hard feelings. But I’ll drive over and see you anytime if you do want to.

Let me know. Thanks, man.

“Holy s**t,” Alex whispered.

As he tried to catch his breath and reason out whether hooking up with Damian would actually be smart, his body was already sprinting toward accepting. A few flashed fantasies—tangling his hands into Damian’s dark hair, drawing Damian’s tongue into his mouth, watching him arch and gasp in orgasm—were enough to send heat rushing to Alex’s groin.

No no no, he couldn’t get distracted like this. He had to think carefully. Alex was super busy this term; he had projects to finish before he could graduate and find a job. And he’d better get himself fully employed soon, given the student loans he needed to pay off. Plus, ideally his new job would be somewhere more exciting than the few sleepy areas of California in which he’d spent nearly his whole existence so far. His life had been irritatingly lacking in excitement lately—but then, fooling around with Damian would be exciting…oh, hell.

“Hi, Alex. Sorry I’m late.”

Clutching the phone against his chest to hide the message—and his backpack against his crotch to hide his erection—Alex lifted his gaze and met the round, congenial face of Professor Whalen. “Hi,” he echoed, unable to remember for the moment why he was here.

She unlocked her door. “Let’s have a look at that program. Plus I have some updates on the Swiss job.”

Computer science. Right. College degree, impending career, all that stuff he was supposed to be thinking about. Alex tucked the phone into his pocket, and, with his mind in a scramble and his c**k aching to be touched, he followed the professor into her office.