“That’s sweet. What about the car you mentioned? What kind is it?”

“A 1969 Pontiac Firebird.”

John whistled. “I admit I don’t know much about cars, but that sounds nice.”

“She is,” Zack said. “She’s a beauty and a beast: a cherry-red, two-door hardtop with a 5.3 liter V-8 and a two-barrel carburetor. Two hundred and fifty horsepower, and she tops out at a hundred and twenty miles per hour.”

“I didn’t understand a word of that,” John said, “but it was hot.”

“If you think that’s hot, then you should imagine me bending over the engine, sweaty, shirtless, and covered in grease.”

John moaned. “Fuck, that’s an image I won’t soon forget.”

“Good. So, now that the pleasantries are out of the way, why don’t you tell me about this plan of yours? Unless you want to listen to me talk about cars all night.”

“It’s just an idea I had,” John said dismissively. His usual cocksure attitude seemed diminished. “You impressed me the last time with your versatility and how easily you went along with my scenario. After we hung up, however, it occurred to me that it’s your job to act like you’re enjoying yourself, and you might not have meant what you told me.”

Zack started to interrupt, but John cut him off. “Don’t bother reassuring me. I have no way of knowing if you mean it or not.”

Zack frowned. “That’s true, I suppose, but what brought this on? You’re usually so . . .”

“Confident?” John supplied.

“Yeah.”

“I know. Honestly, it’s because you were so good last time. I kept asking myself if that was because we have genuine chemistry or because it’s your job to please me. I like you, Darkling, and I want to know for sure that you enjoy our time together.”

Zack’s thoughts raced. “What do you mean?” Did John want pictures or something? That was definitely not allowed.

“I think I’ve come up with a way to give us both what we want,” John continued. “If you’re willing, I’d like to try it out.”

Zack hesitated and then said, “Okay. What do you want me to do?”

“I want to act out one of your fantasies. It can be anything you like. I want the chance to please you this time.”

Zack fell silent. He knew he should be wary. John was getting personal again, and even if there was no way he could figure out Zack’s identity from his fantasies, it still hit a bit close to home. However, Zack had to admit the idea was tantalizing. He didn’t often get to pick the role-play, and John had proven he had a talent for phone sex. Whatever Zack picked was almost guaranteed to be hot. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, reveling in the promise of future pleasure.

“I can really pick anything I want?” he asked.

“Yes,” John answered. “I want to know what your fantasies are, Wesley. What turns you on?”

At first, his mind was blank. For all the kinky and occasionally depraved things he’d done, he couldn’t think of a single thing that felt quite right for John and him. Zack considered himself fairly vanilla—at least, compared to most of the people who called him. He couldn’t pick something cliché, however, or John might be bored.