Chapter 15

Michel watched Sarah over the table. She was looking at his first chapter. She looked up.

“Well?”

“Well, they’re colorful characters. Sort of stereotypically gay, though.”

“First chapter. Plenty of room for character development.”

“Not a very long first chapter.”

“Faulkner has short chapters in As I Lay Dying.”

“Well, you’re no... anyway, let’s deal with what we have here . . . All things considered, I kind of like it.”

“Really?” It was the first positive thing Sarah had said about his fiction.

“Yeah. So far, no women -- though one was mentioned -- so I have nothing to complain about. Interesting choice of characters, though. Why gay?”

“Trying to go for as eclectic as possible.”

“You’ll end up alienating a lot of readers that way -- though you will also pick up another distinct group.”

“Fine with me. Most of the people who read are educated and have money. That’s a perfect description of gay men.”

“Well, it’s a definite market. Still, I think you need to get away from stereotypes.”

“I will. Admittedly, these two are sort of like Jack on “Will and Grace,” only stranger, as you’ll soon see -- especially Bernard. But I’ll try to have some other characters who are more “normal” - more like Will in “Will and Grace.” That’s what I had in mind, anyway -- to balance things out and set up a contrast to Bernard and Marcus.”

“Okay. Good luck. I hope you do that. It should be interesting to see how your book comes along.”

Michel smiled as he took his chapter from Sarah. “Thanks. I appreciate the help and feedback.”

“That’s what I’m here for.”

“I hope that’s not all you’re here for.”

“Oh, do you have something in mind?”

“Sure. You want to go rent a movie tonight?”

“Oh. Yeah. Sure. I guess.”

Michel feigned surprise. “Or did you have something else in mind?”

Sarah smiled at him. “You’re an asshole, you know that?”

“Yeah. What about it?”

“Just thought you should know. So, are you going to fuck me or what?”

Michel looked at his watch. “I think I could fit it into my busy schedule.”

Sarah leaned forward. “You better or else you won’t be getting any for a very long time.”

“As much as I like it, I’m not dating your pussy, Sarah.”

Sarah sat back, surprised. “Oh? What happened to you?”

“Nothing,” Michel said. It was the truth. Nothing had happened to him. As far as he was concerned, he was dating her pussy. All the dinners and movies and entertainment were merely ways of making her pussy more accessible - though he did also appreciate her help with his fiction. But he was getting that before he started dating her. So where did the comment come from? Michel was a misogynist, but he wasn’t stupid. He knew Sarah well enough to know what she wanted to hear -- and that it was the surest way to continue having sex with her in the future.

Sarah was pleased. She thought she had finally made some progress with Michel. She would have to think of some way to reward him for it.