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— Damn it, what the hell is wrong with these hands? — Alex exhaled irritably, staring at his trembling, thin wrists and perfectly manicured nails as his clumsy fingers fumbled with the phone screen. This was the third message he had tried to type to contact Veronica — the girl whose body he now occupied.

On the screen, letters flickered: "Vero, your..." — but the phrase was cut off when a loud noise came from behind the door. Someone knocked loudly and insistently.

— Hey, babe, you in there? — came a husky voice. — Come on, hurry up, I want to take a shower. Together.

Alex froze. It was Veronica's boyfriend, Connor. The same hot-headed jerk she had briefly mentioned through his — now her — phone. The sound of his voice made the hairs on the back of Alex's neck stand up, and a wild sense of panic flared within him.

"What the hell? Together? No, no, no!" raced through his head. He wanted to shout something, but the words got stuck in his throat. Instead, he cast a furtive glance at his reflection in the mirror: wet hair, a thin tank dress that Veronica wore as loungewear. Too short, too tight.

— I'm waiting, — Connor growled again. — Or do you want me to come in myself?

— Just a second! — Alex shouted in an unexpectedly high-pitched voice, which he still couldn’t get used to, now replacing his usual deep bass.

Frantically, he tapped at the screen, trying to finish his message to Veronica. "Veronica, your boyfriend is here, and he’s not leaving!" The reply didn’t take long, though those seconds felt like an eternity to Alex.

"Don’t panic, okay? Brad mustn’t suspect anything. Got it? If things get tricky, just give him a blowjob, and he’ll back off." The message was followed by a pause, as if she was about to add some playful emoji but decided at the last moment to keep the tone "serious."

Alex stared at the phone, his face immediately turning crimson.

— What?! — he whispered, but loud enough for Connor to hear.

— What's up, babe? — the guy chuckled from behind the door, knocking again, harder this time. — Talking to yourself? Or are you already waiting for me?

They had swapped bodies just a few days ago when Alex, a mid-level manager at H&M, was conducting a routine meeting with his team. Veronica — one of his subordinates, a sales assistant — had caught his attention. But not in the way people might assume. Alex had always considered girls like her “disposable”: pretty packaging with nothing of substance behind it. They were late to shifts, distracted by their phones, and seemingly worked only for the clothing discounts.

That day, Alex had publicly chewed her out during a team meeting for messing up the display setup. Veronica had blushed but didn’t respond. Later, after the meeting, when Alex was heading back to his office, Veronica suddenly darted out of the fitting room, arms full of clothes. The collision was so sharp that their heads smacked together.

For a split second, Alex felt the world freeze. A ringing in his ears, a flash like an electric shock, and an inexplicable sensation as though someone had yanked him out of his own body. When he opened his eyes, he saw his own face — confused and clearly shocked — looking back at him from where Veronica should have been.

Alex froze at the sound of a new message. His gaze dropped, but he didn’t get the chance to read it — the bathroom door swung open with a sharp creak as if it had been kicked. Standing in the doorway was Connor, tall and threateningly relaxed, with his trademark smug grin firmly in place.

— What's this? — His voice was sharp, but damn it, far more menacing than Alex had anticipated. — Who are you texting?

Alex clutched the phone tightly, trying to stop his hands from shaking. Panic gripped him so hard it felt like his heart was about to burst out of his chest. "God, this guy is twice my size! What do I do?!"

— No-nobody! — he stammered, forcing a strained smile. His high-pitched voice grated on his nerves, and he quickly averted his gaze.

— Don’t lie to me, Vee, — Connor took a step closer, his large frame filling nearly all the space in the bathroom. — I heard your phone ping. Do you think I’m an idiot?

Alex quickly set the phone down on the sink’s edge, his mind racing with the words from Veronica’s last message: "Just give him a blowjob." What?! His stomach churned at the mere thought, but what other option did he have? Glancing at his reflection in the mirror, he took a shaky breath. Veronica’s face stared back at him — but not the version he was used to seeing at work. Wet strands of hair, a thin, clinging tank dress, and eyes full of panic.

Looking at his reflection in the mirror, he took a shaky breath. Veronica stared back at him — but not the Veronica he knew from work. Wet strands of hair, a tight tank dress clinging to her body, and eyes full of panic. His mind unhelpfully conjured a vivid image, like something out of a cheesy p***o: a desperate heroine using her body instead of words to placate her aggressive boyfriend. Alex shuddered, physically rejecting the thought.

"This is insane! I can’t… I’m not like that!" he thought in a frenzy, gripping the sink as if it were his last lifeline.

— Well? Why are you so quiet? — Connor was now standing directly in front of him, his gaze drilling into Alex.

— Well? — Connor repeated, his voice dropping into a low growl. — Are you going to explain who you’re texting?

Alex forced himself to smile, though it came out more like a pained grimace.

— It’s… it’s Emma, — he finally stammered, frantically recalling the name of one of Veronica’s coworkers. — She just wanted to confirm who’s opening the store tomorrow.

Connor squinted, his lips curling into a mix of suspicion and irritation.

– Emma? – he repeated, stepping even closer. Now his hand rested against the wall beside Alex's face, trapping him. – Are you sure you're not hiding something from me, baby?

Alex felt a bead of sweat slide down his temple. The tension was escalating with each passing second. He had to do something to diffuse the situation, but he had no idea what.

"Think! What would she do?"

He took a deep breath, trying to keep the tremble out of his voice.

– Connor, – he began, injecting as much softness into his voice as possible, – you know I’d never hide anything from you.

He wanted to place a reassuring hand on Connor’s arm, trying to exude confidence. Instead, his hand landed lightly — and far too gently — on Connor’s chest. Connor looked down at the hand, then into Alex’s eyes, smirking.

– Oh, so that’s what you’re up to, – his voice softened, turning predatory. – Alright, baby. If that’s how you want to apologize, I’m game.

Alex’s breath hitched. Veronica’s body, now his body, seemed to be responding to Connor’s presence in ways he couldn’t control. His hand, trembling and unsure, slid lower in what was meant to be a retreat but ended up brushing against something firm. It took a second for Alex to register what it was — Connor’s bulge, which twitched slightly at the touch and began to grow.

Connor, catching the motion, smirked wider. His hand slid confidently to Alex’s waist, gripping it like it was the most natural thing in the world.

– You’re being especially sweet today, Vee, – Connor said, his tone almost playful, but there was an authority in his voice that only deepened Alex’s panic. – Making up for something, huh? Well, if that’s the case, let’s not waste time with games.

– I… I just… – Alex stammered, his voice a shaky squeak. "Damn it, shut up! You’re making it worse!"

He tilted his head up, his gaze locking with Connor’s. In his eyes, Alex saw a mix of desire and confidence that left him breathless. Another moment, and the space between them vanished. Connor leaned in, and Alex, squeezing his eyes shut, felt his lips press against his own — firm, insistent, yet unexpectedly tender.

Alex wanted to pull away, to shove him, to scream, but his — Veronica’s — body acted on instinct. His lips parted slightly, and Connor immediately deepened the kiss, pulling Alex tighter against him.

Connor’s warmth, the solid weight of his muscular frame, and the commanding grip on his waist surrounded Alex. His breath came in short gasps, and his heart pounded wildly. And then he felt it: the unmistakable sensation of his — Veronica’s — nipples hardening. "Shit! Are they…?" The realization hit him like a freight train, especially as the thin fabric of the tank dress rubbed uncomfortably against the sensitive skin.

But the worst part was the other reaction — a damp heat pooling between his legs, unbidden and entirely out of his control.

Alex desperately tried to focus his thoughts, but every move Connor made — his strong hands sliding along Alex’s waist, his hot breath against his skin — only heightened his awareness of the body he was now inhabiting. A strange, pulling warmth coiled in his core, impossible to ignore.

Connor lightly bit Alex’s — Veronica’s — lower lip, making Alex gasp softly before he clapped a hand over his mouth. Connor chuckled at the reaction, pulling back slightly, his eyes glinting with a predatory gleam.

– You’re on fire today, baby, – he said, brushing his thumb over Alex’s wet lips. – I’m loving this shy little act of yours.

Connor traced Alex’s lower lip with his thumb, and Alex gulped, his heart hammering against his ribs. His mind raced, grasping at anything to buy himself some time.

– You know, Connor, – Alex managed to say, his voice trembling but attempting an air of playfulness, – I… just thought you deserved something special. But maybe… we could start with something else? I was planning a surprise for you.

He stepped back, trying not to let his shaking legs betray him, and pointed to the shelf where his phone lay.

– Give me a minute, okay? I… just need to finish something important, and then I’m all yours.

Connor narrowed his eyes, clearly weighing her — his — words. Alex knew he was walking a tightrope, and one wrong move could ruin his desperate attempt at control.

– A surprise, huh? – Connor smirked, his gaze softening slightly but still sharp. – Alright, baby, I’ll give you a minute. But just one.

He turned and, on his way out, shut the door firmly behind him. Alex exhaled in relief so sharply he nearly slid down the wall. But there was no time to relax. His hands flew to the phone. The screen still displayed Veronica’s last message:

"Don’t panic, okay? Brad mustn’t suspect anything. Got it? If things get tricky, just give him a blowjob, and he’ll back off."

Alex quickly typed a reply, his fingers trembling.

"Your boyfriend just kissed me, and I promised him a ‘surprise’ to get him off my back. How the hell do I get out of this?!"

He hit send, his heart still racing. He glanced nervously at the bathroom door, dreading Connor’s return at any moment.

Veronica’s response came almost instantly:

"LOL! You’re handling this better than I expected! 😂 Just be sweet and roll with it. Whatever you do, don’t lose your cool. As for the surprise, tell him you want to try something new and offer to give him a massage with a happy ending 🍌. He’ll definitely go for the massage, and you know what to do for the rest 😉😉😉."

Alex nearly dropped the phone, staring at the screen in disbelief as another wave of panic gripped his chest. "A massage? Happy ending? Is she kidding me?"

He wanted to fire back a furious reply, but a knock on the bathroom door interrupted his thoughts.

– Your minute’s up, Vee, – Connor said, his voice softer now but no less insistent. – So? Ready for my surprise?

– Y-yeah… almost! – Alex called out, fighting to keep his voice steady.

It felt like the situation was spiraling further out of control with every passing moment. Only a few days had passed since their body swap, but Alex already felt like Veronica’s life was pulling him deeper and deeper, giving him no room to breathe.

He took a deep breath, staring at his reflection. "You can do this," he told himself.

The thought of running out of the apartment and never coming back flashed through his mind, but it wasn’t an option. Veronica, now in his body, had made it crystal clear she’d turn his life upside down if he didn’t play by her rules.

Her threats echoed in his mind: "If you screw this up, I’ll tell your colleagues and your wife that you g***ed your sales assistants. And if that’s not enough, maybe your body will find its own fanbase… on OnlyFans, for example. 😉"

Alex clenched his jaw, rage and helplessness roiling inside him. "You can do this," he repeated, his thoughts now racing.

Even if he could somehow survive this night, there was still Veronica’s job at H&M to deal with — her coworkers already whispering about how "she" had suddenly become more reserved and efficient. And then there was her other job…

When Alex had discovered Veronica’s webcam model side hustle, it had been one of the most humiliating moments of his life. Turning on the camera for the first time, seeing how "his" new appearance could provoke strangers’ admiration — it was a surreal and degrading experience. But Veronica had insisted it was the only way to cover her expenses.

And now, on top of all that, there was Connor.

Alex stared at his reflection again. "You can do this," he whispered one last time, bracing himself for whatever came next.