So I'm on page 335, so no spoilers beyond that point. In the story, recently, Bret goes to Terry about a script he wants to talk about. He's completely oblivious, he thinks it's just about a script. But then after saying everything, Terry just nonchalantly says "Okay. I like it. And you've taken 30 minutes off of my time. I'm going to take 30 minutes off of yours."
And then he has sex with Bret.
Now here's where I'm confused, because I've reread the passage a couple of times and I've read ahead and by all means, it should read like a rape scene, right? Bret says "No" repeatedly, he struggles a bit, and Terry is described as very predatory and creepy throughout. So Bret should've been assaulted, right?
The only reason I'm asking is because I'm kind of uncertain. Bret himself says that he didn't feel assaulted and had let it happen, but that could just be him deflecting trauma. But he's also had sex SO many times in the book up until this point that when he does it here, it doesn't feel like rape, just another gay sex scene.
Is that the intention? Like, a play on the whole "someone promiscuous can't get raped".
I know the story is trying to say that Terry is definitely predatory, but I'm a bit stuck on this scene and I'm worried that the book will just gloss over it because the author does that sometimes with his other books.
For those who've read it, is it meant to be a rape scene?
by EmilyIsNotALesbian