by AB
"Damn, another date down the drain. Thanks to the damned fuckin' book that Donnelly character wrote." A very frustrated Liam Sterling slammed his apartment door.
"Whoah, watch the pictures, bro." Davis Bourne said as he stuck his head out of his bedroom door to see what shook the walls. Not that anything disastrous had to happen, the apartment the two friends shared had walls paper-thin.
When he looked at his best friend, Liam couldn't stop himself from doubling over with laughter. The sight of Davis's hair all askew and covered with hair dye was just too much for the five-foot-ten twenty-year-old. His curly shoulder-length blonde hair shook back and forth and surrounded Liam's head like a lion's mane.
Davis shook his head and giggled while pointing at his counterpart. "You're one to talk, Simba." The six-foot-two man's body quivered as he heartily laughed. His natural hair color is a drab brown, so he uses blonde tones to lighten it and give it some life. "So, why the slammed door, Li?"
Liam went to the fridge, grabbed a Bud Lite, then flopped on the couch. "What else, that damned book. Everyone who even thinks about dating me swears they're going out with the serial killer. It sucks." Liam hung his head and laid his head back on the cushion.
"Bro, didn't you go see the lawyer I suggested? What about the police?" Davis asked as he got a beer and joined his friend on the sofa. Trying to get his mind off his troubled love life, the dye-covered man turned on the TV.
"All they said was since there was no connection between myself and Carter Donnelly, there's nothing that they can do. They also pointed out the clause in every book about the resemblance between the characters and anyone living or dead is accidental." Liam sighed and closed his eyes.
"What about contacting him or his publisher?" Davis sipped on his beer and gently kneaded his fingers just above his friend's knee cap. He giggled when Liam squealed and started writhing in an attempt to pull his knee away.
"You know that tickles, D." Liam protested between his giggling. Both men had always been very ticklish, and they had a love for exploiting that physical trait in each other. It was part of their brotherly bond. "I've been trying, but no luck. All I get is the same runaround. All I can hope for is all this killer hype will die down soon." Liam shook his head and deeply sighed in frustration. Suddenly, a picture caught his eye. "Hey, D, that's him. That's Carter Donnelly. Turn this up, will you, bro?"
Davis nodded and picked up the remote, increasing the volume.
"Carter, your book is phenomenal, and the serial killer, phew, what a character. How'd you ever come up with such a realistic deranged individual?"
The brunet chuckled. "It's all in my imagination Leo, and thank you for the compliment. I never know how a book is going to be received. This one was my very first bestseller." The author turned and faced the camera, then smiled.
"We received questions from your readers. Are you up to answering some of them?" The reporter reached into a bowl full of index cards and swirled his hand around in them.
"Oh, of course, I love answering questions. Fire away." Carter giggled as he formed a gun with his index finger and thumb and fired it.
"Okay, first one." Leo cleared his throat. "This question comes from Jason, in Florida. Carter, you always look so handsome on your dustjackets. What are your height and weight?"
"Thanks for the question, Jason, and the compliment. "I currently am five-foot-eleven and weigh one hundred and eighty pounds." The bright smile Carter gave under the studio lights made his teeth so bright a person needed sunglasses to look at him.
"You are a tall guy, aren't you?" Leo reflexively licked his lips. "Umm, sorry for that." The reporter nervously chuckled and adjusted his shirt collar. "Next question is from Danny, in Colorado. "Carter, your books have an amazing mixture of excitement and sensual fetishes. I've been wondering, what size are your feet?"
"Danny, that's a very tame question. I'm so glad you enjoy my stories." Carter giggled and flexed his toes inside his shoes. "My feet are eleven and a half."
Liam shook his head. "D, it's a shame his character is so much like me, even down to the ticklish spots. He's a likable guy and very accomodating to interesting questions." The blonde squeaked and giggled when Davis's finger lightly tickled his side above his hip. "Dav..." Liam squealed and wriggled beside his best friend. "You should go tickle him." He said as he pointed at the screen. Suddenly, he snapped his fingers. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" He asked, then giggled when he saw the questioning look on Davis's face. "Apparently, not."
"What the hell are you talking about?" He asked before jumping up off the sofa. "Oh, fuck, my hair." Davis cried as he ran for the bathroom in his room with Liam's laughter ringing in his ears. He flipped his friend the bird just before closing the door.
Liam composed himself and walked into Davis's bathroom. He put the toilet seat down and planted himself on it as his friend showered. "What if we go to his hotel room and talk with him. If he's unwilling to listen to my plight, then we can see if Carter Donnelly's ticklish, and that's how I can get some compensation."
Davis's head popped out around the shower curtain. "Are you insane, Liam? That's crazy." He muttered something under his breath.
"Well, do you have another idea? This way, we can all have some fun and laughs."
"And, what if he's not ticklish?"
"We can figure something else out." Liam chuckled and went back into the living room. He got there just in time for the end of the interview.
"I think we have time for one last question. Let's see if we can make it a fun one." Leo took an extra few seconds to search in the bowl. Finally, he pulled one out. He chuckled when he looked at it. "This is definitely a fun question." He paused and cleared his throat. "It's from Jerry, in Utah. Carter, you've got the cutest smile. Are you ticklish?" Leo gazed at his interview subject and smirked.
Carter discreetly shifted in his chair, then softly giggled and blushed.
"Well, are you ticklish? Since it's out there, I'm rather curious about that myself." The reporter boyishly giggled.
"Holy fuckin' shit. I can't believe someone asked that." Liam said as he sat on the edge of the sofa.
"Jerry, you are amazing for asking that." Carter giggled, and his toes flexed inside his shoes. "I am very ticklish, and it's one of my interests. I love tickling other guys and getting tickled. That's why it's an element of my stories."
Leo smiled, then reached over and kneaded his fingers between Carter's ribs. The studio filled with the brunet's hyena-like laughter. The twenty-two-year-old wriggled and twisted in his chair as he tried to block his sensitive area. "Well, I'd say you are very ticklish, Carter."
"Gee, ya think, Leo?" The author responded after he'd recovered from the sneak tickle attack.
"Jackpot," Liam said to himself as he licked his plump, pink lips.
"Carter Donnelly fans, don't forget, your favorite author's going to be hosting a book signing party at the hotel he's staying at here in the Big Apple."
"I'm looking forward to seeing everyone who shows up and giving them a big thank you for the support."
"Thank you for coming on this evening. Carter, it's been a pleasure getting to know the author behind the book."
"Thank you for having me, Leo." The men smiled and ended the segment with a handshake and a hug.
Liam shut the TV off, walked into the kitchen, threw away his and Davis's beer bottles, and turned the lights out. Then he went to his bedroom, got undressed, and in his superman boxer/briefs, the twenty-year-old walked into Davis's room. He set his alarm, pulled off his grey tank top, then sat on the bed, and toed off his slippers, then slipped down his underwear and laid down with the covers pulled over him. Liam closed his eyes and was asleep in minutes.
Davis came out of the bathroom and chuckled as he shook his head. The gentle giant smiled, leaned down, and kissed Liam's forehead as he softly snored. "Good night 'Lil bro I love you, Liam." He closed the door, climbed into bed, pulled the covers over him, and wrapped his arm around his slumbering Liam.
"Holy shit, Carter got tickled on TV?" Davis asked as Liam poured himself and his friend a second cup of coffee. "Dude, that's hot as fuck."
Liam giggled. "I know, so, are you with me?" The blonde asked after he'd sat down and taken a sip of coffee. He grinned, then reached under the table grabbed hold of Davis's leg. Liam pulled the toned appendage into his lap, trapping it between his knees. The mischief-filled young man's fingers danced and stroked along the soft size twelve bare soles.
Davis's squeals and boyish giggles spilled from his lips as he tried getting his ticklish foot out of Liam's grip. "Li, not my foot. Please..." His toes scrunched, and his soles wrinkled as his foot flexed and tried to avoid the fingers.
"You could always say no, but I might have to get some ticklish compensation from you as well as Carter." The blonde chuckled and pulled his friend's toes back. His fingernail lightly scratched each of the toe bases.
The toe tickling made Davis crazy. His laughter's volume rose so did his pitch. The young man's fists pounded the table. "Okay, I'm in. I'm in. I was always going to help you." The brunet panted and accepted the hug he received.
"Thanks, D. I love you. It will be fun tickling this guy. I mean, other than making his serial killer look and seem like me, he is pretty cute, and we do love his books."
With a smirk, Davis pulled Liam onto his lap. He pinned the blonde's body against his and launched a counter tickle attack. The twenty-year-old shrieked and writhed in his hold as he devastated the ticklish sides and ribs.
"Damn, that was a long and grueling signing." Carter thought to himself as he exited the elevator and walked down the dimly lit hallway. Despite the fact he loved them and meeting the fans face to face. Book signings always took a lot out of the author. The brown-eyed man stretched and yawned as he got closer to his room door. Carter slid his key in the lock and pushed open the door. Before he could enter the posh hotel room, a hand covered his mouth, and a strong arm wrapped itself around his midsection. Fear and anxiety reigned the young man's emotions while struggling against his attacker. Carter wasn't what you'd consider a real strong man, physically speaking, but he wasn't a slouch either. He did work out regularly and watched his diet.
"Make it easy on yourself and come along quietly." The gruff voice instructed. Under his mask, Davis was smiling like the Chesire Cat and was having a blast. He very slightly wiggled his fingers that pressed against Carter's side.
A muffled yelp and boyish giggles came from the author's hand-gagged mouth. His body jerked and squirmed as he tried escaping both the attacker and the tickling. Carter's feet repeatedly hit the floor. Another yelp escaped the brunet's lips as his body got hefted over the masked man's shoulder. It surprised the author when his assailant had no trouble lifting him. He squirmed and tried to hit and kick the bigger man. However, all that got him was a smack on his ass and the back of his knees tickled. Instantly, Carter blushed as he giggled like a little boy and squirmed.
Davis chuckled and entered the room. He set his captive on the bed and pulled some leather cuffs from behind the bedposts. He was about to reach for Carter's arm when he got pushed to the floor, and the author made a run for the door. The brunet reached out and hooked the retreating man's ankle, causing him to fall on the carpet. Davis moved quickly and relieved the struggling young man of his shoes.
"Hey, don't take my shoes off. What do you want from me?" Carter asked as he continued trying to free his trapped shoeless, sock-clad feet.
"You'll see soon enough, Carter." Davis chuckled and tickled the author's toes through the thin black argyle socks.
"If this is about..." Carter's sentence stopped, and his words got replaced with his boyish squeals and giggles. "Please, not the toes. I'm very ticklish on my toes." The author tried pleading as he squirmed and wriggled. The thin material made the toe tickles worse.
Davis smiled and lightly strummed his fingernails up and down the squirmy upturned arches. His captive's shrill shrieks rang through the lavish room as his fists pounded the floor. The tickler sighed, knowing he'd had enough fun. He picked the writer up off the floor, carried him to the bed, and this time tied him spreadeagled to the bed. "Have a good night with your playmate, Carter." Davis giggled and gave the author one last tickling on his sock-clad feet. He left the room filled with boisterous laughter.
Not a minute after Davis left, Liam came in. Unlike his friend, the blonde wanted the author to see his face. "I see my associate made sure you remained unharmed, Carter." He chuckled as he approached the struggling author.
"Who are you, and why have you tied me to the bed?" Carter was too busy struggling to notice the speaker's facial features.
"If you'd stop struggling and look at me, maybe you'd get a clue," Liam growled as he narrowed his eyes and tried his best to look menacing.
Carter did stop struggling and took a good look at his visitor. An audible gasp escaped the young man's lips. "Holy, Fuckin' Doppelganger." He gulped. "Whoa, I've heard of super and obsessed fans, but isn't this a bit much?"
Liam couldn't believe his ears. Everything inside him wanted to lash out at the clueless creative man, but he didn't want to hurt him. Instead, he sat at Carter's helpless sock-clad feet. The blonde laid his arm over the victim's ankles to keep them from moving.
"What are you doing? Get off my feeeetttt." Shrill, high-pitched screeches erupted from the ticklish writer as his sensitive soles got tickled. "Shit, that's torture. Please, not the hairbrush..." Carter screamed with wild laughter as his relentless tickler quickly reduced him to ticklish dust.
"I'm a fan of your work, but this is my natural look. Your serial killer is a replica of me, even down to my tickle spots and how ticklish they are. I don't know how you did that, but you did." Liam's eyes gleamed with happiness as he took his frustration out on the bane of his dating existence. "Because of your killer, I can't even get a date. Guys have looked at me, turned around, and walked away." Liam calmed down as his tears started falling down his cheeks. "This totally sucks, and I've tried getting some legal help or advice going to the police, and all I get is there's nothing they can do. All because of the disclaimer of any resemblance being accidental." Liam's resolve broke. He tried to be angry and take revenge on the author, but his loving nature and the desire to be loved wouldn't let him.
Carter quickly came to his senses. "Hey, we can talk about this. Please, untie me and see what we can come up with together. I promise I won't hurt you or turn you in. To be honest, I've been having a blast. You and your friend haven't tried to hurt me at all." He smiled when he saw his captor nod, and the minute Carter was released, he took the shorter blonde man into his arms and wrapped him in a bear hug. The blonde clung to him and let his tears dampen his shirt. "Shh, it's okay, baby boy. I'm so sorry my villain caused you this much anguish. What's your name?"
"L...Liam." He said between his sobs as he laid his head on Carter's shoulder. The twenty-year-old was surprised at how comfortable the author felt and how protected he felt in his arms.
Carter's eyes welled with tears as he held the blonde man in his arms. It broke his heart that his creation caused this beautiful man so much heartache. "Liam, what can I do to make you feel compensated for the pain and suffering my book has caused?"
"Honestly? I have no idea. I really thought trapping and tickling you senseless would make me feel better, but I'm not that type of person. I'm a lover, not a grudge holder. I know you didn't do anything to upset my life on purpose. I'll understand if you hate me or want to have me arrested. Only please don't go after my best friend, prosecute me." Liam broke down again this time, Carter's finger, gently lifted his head.
"Liam, I'm not going to have you arrested or hate you. Umm, this may not be the right time or place, but I like you. I told you before this has been fun once I got past the initial shock." The author paused, then lightly ran his thumb across Liam's soft lips.
Liam slowly opened his eyes and gazed into Carter's quivering brown eyes. "Carter, are you..." He couldn't finish his sentence because his tongue was having a playful battle with Carter's tongue. The two young men wrapped their arms around one another as the passion between them started rising. Finally, the need for oxygen forced the twenty-something-year-old men apart. "Holy Master Of Kissing, Carter." Liam's comment caused both of them to crack up with laughter.
"So, the man can smile. Now, you know my weakness, and I think I need to even the playing field." Carter licked his lips and straddled Liam's legs.
The blonde giggled and squirmed. "Now, Carter, let's not be too hasty in our..." The room quickly filled with Liam's wild laughter and shrieks. "Carter, no fair..." The young man protested as the brunet pinned his arms above his head. He squealed and rolled side to side as much as he could when the bigger man leaned down and began blowing raspberries on his vulnerable pits and then his stomach.
Carter giggled. "Someone's just as ticklish as me." He let Liam's wrists go and pulled the other man's body against him. "Liam, this is the last leg of my book signing tour. I'd be honored if we could get together when I get back next week and go for our first date." The author paused and held his breath for the answer.
"Carter, if you're asking just because of the book. Please, don't, I had no right to try taking revenge on you."
'Liam, I am a lot of things, disingenuous and heartless I'm not. I'd never ask someone out just because of my actions, no matter how bad they might be. Kyle Lane is my idea of the perfect man, appearance-wise. I am hoping you'll give a relationship with me a fighting chance."
Liam chewed his lower lip and mulled what Carter said in his head. After another couple of minutes, he got up, retrieved his phone, and hit speed dial number two.
"Yo! Is everything okay? Is he a babbling mess?" Davis's voice asked through the connection.
"Not exactly. I couldn't go through with it, D. Umm, I'm staying with Carter tonight, and when he gets back in town next week, we're going for our first date."
"What the fuck? I'm getting details in the morning."
Liam and Carter were laughing like hyenas at the other man's comment.
"Hey, Carter, you hurt my boy on purpose, and I'm gonna make sure you spend at least five hours doing nothing but laughing as I tickle the shit out of you."
"D, if that's a threat, bring it on. But, don't worry, I have no plans of hurting this beautiful man. I'm looking forward to learning everything about him."
"Liam's most ticklish spot..."
"Gee, the signal must've gotten lost. Damn cell phones." Liam cackled as he got tackled on the bed. Carter removed his shoes and tickled the blonde man's sock-clad feet till he pulled the socks off.
