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His eyes sprung open,his heart racing in his chest. Cool morning light filtered in through his blinds, dancing across his mattress, which was still on the bare floor with the unassembled frame lying next to it. His cock pulsed hot stickiness, and he pushed his hand down into his pajamas to confirm what had justhappened.

"Shit..."

When wasthe last time he'd had a wet dream?Hadhe ever had a wet dream before? He really couldn't remember. But it probably shouldn't be a surprise—he'd never had a chance to release any build up. Of course he'd be horny. Of course he'd dream about sex. But why Parker? There were guys in his class he would have had no problem having a sex dream about, and Parker was not amongthem.

The guy'd beenon his mind, like it or not. That was probably all there was to it. But if that was the case... why did Parker seem unusually attractive to him now? Was it just because of what Jessie hadsaid?

He groanedand got out of bed, slipping off his pajama bottoms and carrying them to the bathroom to wash in the sink. His dick ached, as if it really had been squeezed in the tight grasp of Parker's warm fist. And just as the thought ran through his head, he felt a prickle of excitement run down between hislegs.

He bithis lip and did his best to push it out of his mind as he hurried to get ready for work. It was going to be another long day. Four hours of soul-sucking retail before heading right into class. He sometimes wondered why he even bothered renting an apartment. With the intensity of all the projects he had to do, it might make more sense just to sleep under a table in the art studio at school. He'd probably get more work done that way,too.

Despite his efforts,pesky thoughts of Parker followed him all the way to work. He couldn't help but replay that dream over and over again in hismind.

He wasn't into him.That's what he told himself. But he couldn't stop thinking abouthim.

So what ifParker did think highly of him? It wouldn't change anything. It wouldn't change his feelings towards him, not atall.

Would it?

"Kell. Kell!"

"Hm?"

Kell snappedout of his thoughts as his floor manager, Montrell, waddled up to him with an annoyed expression on his face. Kell'd been staring blankly at the rack of anti-virus software, his mind off in inappropriateplaces.

"Wake up,man. We've got a line of people who need to be helped. You know how understaffed we are, I need you to be on your A-game. C'mon,c'mon."

"Right,"Kell said as he went off to enter the fray. "Sorry."

"And remember,"Montrell hissed at him. "Upsell!Warranties."

They were severely understaffed,which meant that Kell had to take on several jobs outside his position to make up for it. He was zipping around the entire store, running himself exhausted. He helped a couple find a laptop before going over to the home theater department and selling a TV, and then back into the warehouse to find it and lug the box out to their car by himself. During every moment of it all, he was wondering what the hell he was doing there. He was an artist. A damn good one. Why wasn't he working for an art firm? Or better yet, why wasn't he running one? Why didn't he have hundreds of clients paying for hisartwork?

Oh,right. Because he still was terrified of sellinghimself.

"Itook a look at your reports,"Montrell said to him near the end of his shift. "Look, Kell, we really need you to be selling warranties on those computers andTVs."

"Iattached some accessories,"Kell offered. "Even sold some people on some of those fancycables."

"We needyou to sell warranties, buddy," Montrell said. "So, you gonna try a little harder nexttime?"

No,he thought. If he had a hard time selling his own work, stuff that he cared passionately about, how the hell was he going to manage selling people on things he didn't give two shitsabout?

"I'll do what I can,"hesaid.

Montrell smiledand punched his shoulder. "Great. That's what I likehearing."

When Kell got to class,he found himself sneaking glances towards where Parker usually sat. He hadn't come in yet. Jessie plonked down into her seat next to him and pulled out herearbuds.

"Hey, guy,"she said, grinning athim.

"What're you so happy about?"heasked.

"Guess who sold a piece today?This girl! This month’s living expense? Covered. Bam. And the buyer might even commission me for somethingelse."

"Oh,"he said, unenthused. Normally he would've been happy for her, but he felt like absolute junktoday.

"Oh,"she said. "You're in a badmood."