Dirty Talk (Get Dirty 1)

Still listening?

Always. Getting some new ideas too. If you’re good . . . maybe I’ll show you. Not second date tho. Gotta wait a little longer.

My balls are aching, but her message is clear. No sex tonight. Fuck. Okay, I guess I’ll survive. I try to go back to the show, but I’m distracted by thoughts of Kat and I know I’m fumbling my way through some of the calls. Hopefully no one’s noticing.

During the next song break, Fifty’s Candy Shop, I duck out to not only take a piss, but to get my head right.

Honestly Suz does have a reason to be upset with me. I realize I’ve phoned it in tonight, on exactly the type of show I shouldn’t be. God, just the idea of three hours of talk about blowjobs has me rolling my eyes while at the same time my cock pulses in my pants, thinking of Kat and her pic.

But that’s the problem, I should be focusing, I should be able to for three hours. I shouldn’t be focusing on Kat but instead on each of my callers. If I get bored, I crack jokes with Susannah about the calls or emails. I deliver on the mic, not on text.

“Tomorrow,” I promise myself as I head back down the hallway. I open the door to see Susannah not in her mini-booth but in mine. Surprised, I stop to see her set my phone down on my desk. “Somethin’ wrong?”

“Sorry,” she says, seemingly all smiles. “Your phone was buzzing around again. I turned it off for now if you don’t mind. We really need to focus and finish tonight out right.”

“I agree,” I reply a little sheepishly. “I’m sorry about tonight’s show. I know it’s been a clusterfuck sometimes, and you’ve saved my ass. I’ll do better tomorrow.”

“I get it, I really do,” Susannah says. “Derrick, we’ve all got shows that are tough, and lives outside this place. But we’ve got the potential to do really great things here, bigger and better than ever, but that will never happen if you’re fucking around, barely dialing it in for the shows. I’m happy to do the prep, research, and planning. All you’ve got to do is show up and speak, but tonight, you’ve barely done that. I need you to be a fucking pro like usual, okay?”

The venom in her last sentence irks me and I’m about to shoot back about her own cattiness, but Fifty’s ending and we’ve got to get back on the air.

Somehow, we get through the rest of the show and ironically things go well enough that as the outro music plays, Susannah’s in a lot better mood. “Hey, D?”

I’m in a hurry to see Kat, but still I look over, leaning back in my chair. “Yeah?”

“Sorry about the bitch act before. I’m just worried about you, that’s all. Is everything okay? You keep texting and calling and that’s not you. This isn’t the first time that’s happened lately either. You seem distracted. Anything I can do to help?”

I shake my head, getting out of my chair. “No, I’ll get it together. I’m sorry too. Do me a favor though, let’s just keep this between us, but I met someone and it’s a little all-consuming. I got this, promise.”

“Fresh relationships are like that,” Susannah agrees. “Lucky girl. Is that all?”

“No, I was talking to my dad but he’s fine. Just been awhile since I really spent time with him, so I gave him some more text time than I should have. All good, sorry if I wasn’t pulling my weight. I’ll do better.”

“Okay,” Susannah says, giving me her trademark smile. “Keep it up though, and I’ll make sure that we do a whole slew of topics that you hate. Should I go crazy romantic until you vomit pink roses, or some seriously kinky fetish that makes your ass pucker? I got it . . . baby talk. Does Derrick-werrick need a little powder-poofy?” She laughs maniacally, and I can’t help but grin at her. This is why we work together.

“Okay, okay . . . I promise to get it together as long as you never, ever call me that again! You mind wrapping up the studio? I kinda have a date.” I smile, knowing it’s a big ask after the night we’ve had, but hopeful she’ll cut me some slack because I need to get to Kat.

“Go party, Don Juan de Radio,” Suz says. “But I demand perfection tomorrow. We’re poised for great things!”

I’m already walking toward the door, thankful for the reprieve, but answer her. “We are doing great things, Suz. We’re actually helping people here.”

She says it softly, but I hear it anyway. “But we could help more if we had a bigger platform. Syndication, Derrick. We’re so close.”

“It’ll happen or it won’t, Suz. I’m happy either way. Don’t worry about chickens that aren’t even eggs yet. Anyway, gotta run. Thanks! You’re the best. Tomorrow . . . I promise. I’m back on track and ready to rock.” And before the door even closes behind me, all thoughts of work whoosh out of my head to be replaced with Kat and how she’s waiting for me.