Ruby Red

Ruby Red by RJ

This story is a multi-part fiction about love between a college student and a recent post-grad. When I started this story, I just wrote it without much direction or any idea of where I wanted it to go. I decided to start introducing some mild drama in this chapter, as well as another chapter or two down the road. I'm just taking it in strides. Thanks to everyone who's reached out to me thus far, and keep on the lookout for a new story I'm working on in tandem with this one. If you have any comments about my work, or even just want to chat, please don't hesitate to message me.

As always, please support Nifty in any way that you can.

~ CHAPTER 4 ~

I stay up later than usual, making sure to be ready when it gets close to midnight. I even set an alarm to go off three minutes beforehand. I don't want to miss it. Part of me knows it's a little silly, maybe, but I want to do cute things for my man every now and again -- which includes calling him at midnight on his birthday like a high schooler. Once the alarm goes off, I stop doing homework, move my notebooks and laptop off my lap and onto the other side of my bed, and I lie down on my side, waiting for the next two minutes to go by. I get the call ready, pulling up "Daddy" on my phone and laughing at the contact name like I always do. It makes me smile.

Then, midnight hits. As soon as I hit the call button, I wonder if anyone else has a similar idea. After all, he does have a lot of close friends. I'm sure any one of them would do the same. But I'm relieved when he picks up the phone after no more than two rings. "Well what a surprise," he says, his voice making me warm. "I was just about to text you."

I laugh. "Yeah, sure."

"No, seriously. I legitimately just got back to my hotel room," he says.

"Wow. Nice timing on my part, I guess?" I say, smirking.

"Guess so." He chuckles. "So, anyway. Hey. Hi. Hello."

"Hey yourself. So, uh, happy birthday, or whatever," I say with an unconcerned tone, keeping my laughter to myself.

"Oh shit, really?" I laugh, and then he says "Fuck, you're right," presumably after checking the time. I hear him chuckle into the phone before he adds "You didn't have to wait up for that."

"I wanted to," I say, hugging my pillow as we talk.

"But you're an early-to-bed kind of boy."

"Yeah, but I was doing homework anyway," I say. "Honestly, it's fine, I'm not that tired."

I can hear the smile in his voice. "Well, thank you, baby." Before I can speak, he adds "I'm glad you called."

"Yeah?"

"I missed your stupid voice."

"Missed you too, asshole," I say with a laugh. We had barely messaged each other all day, so I was eager to catch up. "How are you? How was your day?"

"Oh, it was somethin'. Funny story, actually -- I found out my grandma is a heartbreaker, even in her 80's."

I laugh. "Explain."

"She just has a whole line of honies that she sifts through on the regular. I met five of them today alone."

I can't help but laugh at the image of RJ's grandma all cute and dolled up in her rocking chair at the old folk's home, a line of elderly eligible bachelors waiting to speak to her while she knits. I can picture it almost clearly. RJ sent me some pictures of the home -- it's incredibly fancy, much nicer than I anticipated. It seems more like a high-class resort than a nursing home. The idea of an old folk's home always terrified me, but RJ made it clear that, at least at this place, his grandma is having the time of her life.

"I mean, she's beautiful. I don't blame them."

"True," he says, laughing. "Hold on." I hear him set the phone down. "Okay, you're on speaker."

I listen in a bit and can hear a lot of moving around before I ask. "Are you busy right now?"

"No, I'm just getting ready for bed," he says, and I hear drawers moving before a faucet turns on and there's that unmistakable sound of rushing water. "How about you, baby? What'd you do all day?" he asks right before he starts brushing his teeth.

"History homework." I tell him all about the dullness of researching for this class and my inability to focus. I didn't do anything exciting, except take a brief break to finish up a few art pieces that I was excited to show him. With his mouth full of toothpaste, he asks me to send pictures, but I tell him he'll have to wait to see them in person.

He spits and then says "Tease" before rinsing his mouth out. I just listen in on the sounds, picturing him in the bathroom. The hotel he's staying at is incredibly nice. His grandma is essentially rolling in it, and spared no expense when getting RJ into the most elegant hotel around. He sent me plenty of pictures of the room, and even though extravagance does not necessarily interest either of us, we both agreed that the Jacuzzi is to die for. I want nothing more than to soak in that tub with him.

I listen to him hum to himself as the water runs. Maybe he's washing his face or something, but I don't ask. After a minute or so, he grabs his phone and brings it to the next room. I hear sheets rustling and his body moving on the bed before his voice sounds closer again. "Okay, much better."

"Cozy up in first-class?"

"Honestly, could be cozier," he says, laughing.

I smile, running my fingers through my hair. "Did you do anything fun today?"

"Oh for sure," he says, laughing. "One of the old dudes at the home told me about this old vintage sex shop downtown, so while my grandma napped, I swung by."

"Oh?" I smirk a bit, intrigued.

"They had some modern stuff there too, but it was mostly vintage. Almost like a museum. Porn, toys, weird articles of clothing, the works."

"Did you buy anything?"

He pauses. "I might have."

I laugh. "Are you gonna tell me, or am I gonna have to guess?"

"Alright, well, I got a couple things," he says, and I hear him shifting around a bit. "I got a porno, because, well, I had to."

"You had to, huh?"

"Well, for one, I've never bought one before. I wanted the experience. And this one had twins on the cover so I was hooked immediately," he says, and I laugh.

"You're such a perv."

"Regardless, I'm making you watch it with me. We can watch it together when I get back."

"Romantic," I say, smiling at the thought of him coming back tomorrow. "What else?"

I hear him laugh slightly before speaking. "Okay, so I don't know if I ever told you this, but I've always wanted one of those leather harnesses."

I furrow my brows and roll onto my back, trying to picture what the hell he's talking about. "A harness?"

"Yeah, like... those things that are kind of like weird bras for men, but they're just strips of leather, and they don't cover your chest at all? Just sorta... frame it, or something? I'm not describing it properly."

"I think I know what you're talking about," I say, looking up a picture as he speaks.

"Well, yeah, I've always wanted one of those, so I splurged and got one. Happy birthday to me."

One quick Google Images search later and I see exactly what he's talking about. I've seen it in porn a few times -- a popular accessory among fetishists. I see where he's coming from. It is kind of sexy, depending on what type it is. "What kind did you get?"

"Uhhh... I think it's called the bulldog or something."

I look it up and an image of a buff, masculine bear pops up on my screen. The simple harness frames his upper torso, snug around his shoulders and under the armpit and against his pecs. There are a couple buckles, rivets, and rings -- nothing too flashy, but definitely sexy. I can picture RJ in it easily. Frankly, I'm getting a little turned on.

"I didn't know you were into leather," I say, adjusting my crotch.

"I'm not, actually," he says. "But I've always found the harnesses to be hot for some reason. And, bonus points for it being faux leather." I laugh a little, scrolling through more pictures and getting views of how it fits in the back before he adds "I also got a new jockstrap."

I pause. "Really?"

"Yeah. This bitch was expensive, let me tell you. But it's so nice. Kinda matches the harness."

My mouth is literally watering. I get a full fantasy in my head, including RJ stripping out of his shorts to reveal a snug little jockstrap, his crotch bulging from his dick, his thick ass being hugged so nicely by the straps, jiggling a bit as he walks. "Did you try everything on?"

"Of course I did."

"I need pictures," I say suddenly.

RJ laughs. "What?"

"I said, I need pictures. The full ensemble."

"I think not, buddy."

I whine a little. "Why not?"

"Because I wouldn't trust you with nudes, even if they're half-nudes."

I can't help but laugh. It's a fair accusation. He knows I'd be showing his sexy ass to all my friends. "Well, I need you to get home ASAP, then."

"Sorry, baby, I'm taking my sweet time," he says with a smirk in his voice.

"You suck." I run my fingers through my hair, rolling onto my stomach. "What if I sent you nudes?"

"Not a chance," he says with a laugh. "Though I miss your body terribly."

I bite my lip, smiling. "Oh c'mon. I can make them nice and classy."

"I don't even like nudes."

I scoff. "Seriously?"

"I don't know. It just feels weird to me having someone else's pictures," he says, and I shrug to myself. I get it, I guess, but I'm surprised. "Besides, I prefer the real thing."

I smile. "Come fucking home."

"Patience, my love," he says, chuckling slightly.

"Please, daddy?" I tease. "I miss you."

"Daddy misses you too, princess," he says with another laugh. Then he clears his throat. "So, uh, I may have question for you."

I cock my eyebrow. "I may have an answer."

"Theoretically, if I bought you a dildo, would you use it?"

I can't help but laugh. "Let me guess. You bought one."

"I may have. But again, this is all theoretical."

I smirk, looking up at the ceiling and scratching my stomach. "Mhm. Theoretically, I suppose I would. For when you desert me."

He laughs before saying "Okay, so, follow-up question. Would you use it for me?"

"What do you mean?"

"As in, would you let me watch you?"

For some reason, I blush at the thought, picturing him sitting at the foot of my bed, naked, stroking himself as I masturbated and played with the toy be bought for me. I get a little tingle in my stomach. And in my crotch. "Theoretically?" I ask.

"Of course."

"Yeah."

"Excellent," he says cheerfully, as if we're just discussing something totally innocent, like making dinner plans.

"As long as you wear your new clothes," I suggest. "You look hot in a jockstrap. And I wanna see what this harness is about."

"I'll put both on for you when I get back," he says, "long as you wear your strap too. God, you're so fuckable in that thing," he says with a light laugh.

I grin. "Deal." I close my eyes, letting the images flood my brain. "I just wanna know you look really hot in my head right now."

He chuckles lightly. "Y'know, I imagine the stuff I bought is what masculine lingerie is. Or what it feels like. I just feel... I don't know... sexy wearing them."

"You're killing me right now."

He laughs. "Why?"

"I want you here so badly."

"Where are you right now? In bed?"

"Yeah," I say. "I've been living in one of your old college t-shirts, by the way."

He chuckles. "Good." He sighs softly into the phone, pausing for a bit before his voice gets a little lower and softer. "I bet you look delectable right now."

Something in his tone has shifted, and it gives me goosebumps. "You're missing out," I tease.

He laughs lowly, breathing in. "Yeah, I know." There's another pause before he speaks up again. "You know what I've been thinking about?"

"What?"

"The first time I fucked you."

My face gets all warm when he mentions it. "Why?"

"Because I'm horny, and because I miss you, and because I like to reminisce." His voice is all heavy. A little breathy. Soft, too. Very sexual. I can't resist running my hands over my crotch and squeezing at my cock a bit, my hips raising slightly. Then he says "I wish you could feel how hard I am right now."

I swallow, feeling that insistent urge between my legs. I give in. I reach down and free my cock from the confines of my briefs, sighing out a bit. "You and me both," I say softly, squeezing myself tight. When I listen closely, I can tell he's jacking off. I can just faintly hear the wet noises from his precum.

"Do me a favor."

"Okay," I say, closing my eyes.

"Stroke yourself with me." As if I'm not already. I just smile slightly as he puts in his request. "We don't have to talk. I just wanna hear you."

I'm surprised at first. I would have figured he'd want to talk dirty, get a little nasty, the whole shabang. But this is better. We stroke ourselves in relative silence, punctured only by our breathing, soft moans, and the occasional swear. I find it strangely intimate and extremely erotic. Because I have to let my imagination do the work. I picture him on his hotel bed, sheets up to his thighs, his cock out in the semi-darkness, stroking himself, phone at his ear, carefully listening to me mewl softly every now and then. What is he picturing, I wonder? It's almost a tease to not tell him. But he seems to enjoy just hearing me pleasure myself. And boy, am I doing just that. I stroked one out not that long ago but this feels so much better, now that I have the proper audience. I keep it natural, too, not wanting to be too showy with excessive moans and whatnot. I do as I would normally do. Breathe heavy. Swallow. Groan softly as I ride the edge.

Then: "Jake?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you close?"

"Very."

"Okay." There's a pause before he says "I am, too."

Part of me wants him to get there first. I want to listen to the whole thing, listen to how he sounds when he has an orgasm. I miss hearing that in my ear. But he whispers "I'm gonna cum," and as soon as that first louder, more urgent moan comes out of his mouth, I can't hold it. I fumble with the phone, almost dropping it as I hurry to pull up my shirt right before I cum, right alongside him. I bite my lip as I groan and grunt, feeling warm liquid splatter up my torso, his noises bringing it all out of me until my orgasm finally subsides. Both of us pant softly, and I even hear him chuckle a little. "That was hot," he says softly.

"I made such a mess," I say, looking at my fingers and then my torso. "You'd be proud."

"Yeah? Big load?"

"Huge."

"Have you not gotten off in a while?"

I bite my lip. "Does, like, three hours count as `a while'?"

He laughs. "Well, you always cum like you've been edging for two days. One of the few things I like about you," he teases.

"Don't be rude," I say.

I hear him shift a bit, along with the rustling of sheets. Probably turning to a more comfortable position. "I should get some sleep."

"Yeah," I say, sighing softly. "Am I gonna see you tomorrow?"

"Gee, I don't know if I can make time for you--"

"What did I say about being rude?" I say, interrupting his mocking tone.

"Then don't be an idiot," he says with a laugh. "Of course I'm gonna see you tomorrow. And if you're nice, maybe I'll make sweet, sweet love to you."

"I should be so lucky," I say blandly, rolling my eyes but smiling. That's exactly what I want. "But when am I gonna see you? I need times, man."

"God, you're so needy," he teases. "I'm getting brunch with my family, but after that, I have no real plans."

"So you're free for dinner?" I ask.

"Sure."

"Good."

"But come see me earlier, anyway."

I smile, biting my lip. "Yes sir," I say, making sure not to sound too excited. "Now go to sleep. And happy birthday."

He chuckles a bit and says "I love you" before making a dramatic kissy noise and hanging up, which only makes me laugh. I set my phone down and sigh, staring up at the ceiling with a smile. The sooner I get to bed, the sooner I get to see RJ, so I clean myself up, put my homework away, and go right to sleep.

I end up sleeping like a fucking rock, and by the time I wake up, it's well past noon. I check my phone and see that RJ has made it back to his apartment after getting brunch. It's followed by a text that says he's waiting on me "ever so patiently." I swear, having wanted to be there for when he arrived. I quickly text him back, telling him that I just woke up and will head over shortly, to which he tells me to take my time because he's just about to go for a run. It works out. It gives me plenty of time to shower, brush my teeth, and get dressed before I head out, driving towards his place.

On my way over, I pass two shirtless guys running on the sidewalk, side-by-side, on the opposite side of the road. Instantly, I recognize RJ, even his backside, having become quite familiar with his body. My heart flutters at the sight of him. I nearly pull over to shout his name before I start to see who he's running with. He looks familiar. And then, as I slowly pass them, I realize who he is. Someone I know. He still looks exactly the same. Lean and ripped. Eerily smooth. Same cropped haircut and same uncomfortably blue eyes.

Toby. Fucking Toby. I'm instantly nauseous, and my heartrate skyrockets. I nearly run off the road because I'm too busy staring at them to pay attention to where I'm driving. There he is. Running right with RJ, who doesn't even notice my car. They seem to be chatting as they go, judging by the fact that their hands are animated as if in conversation. What the hell could they be talking about? How do they know each other?

As I park near RJ's apartment, my anxiety is getting to me. And not just that little pang of distress I feel when I hear his name, or think about him. He was there. I saw him, in the flesh, only one degree of separation between us. All my old anxieties come back, and I'm breathing heavily, rapidly. I fear the worst. That Toby knows me and RJ are together. What could he possibly be saying to him? Nothing good. It's not like him to miss a chance to undermine me. It was only a year ago, after his first semester of college, New Year's Eve. He drunkenly broke it off with me. I've managed to avoid seeing him in person since then. I even blocked his number, and blocked him on all forms of social media. He reached out to me through other people for a while, but he never tried catching me at my house ever since Ty threatened the hell out of him. What is he doing with his life now? I know he's not pursuing college anymore, but what instead? Is he tormenting somebody else?

Then hands slam on the driver's side window and I nearly scream, swearing softly, fear flooding me before I'm relieved that it's RJ with his fucking stupid, fucking adorable little grin. He's still breathing heavily from his run, his body glimmering from the sweat. For a moment, my anxiety takes a backseat, and I smile, panting. "You're a fucking asshole, you know that?" I say as I roll down my window.

"Shut up and kiss me," he says, leaning his head through the window. I laugh before his lips find mine and we kiss. I reach up even though his hair is damp, holding him against me, feeling that warm sense of comfort when we're together.

He breaks the kiss and I lick my lips, not minding the taste of sweat. "You smell terrible," I tease.

He laughs. "That's all you have to say to me?"

I look him up and down and smile. "You look pretty good, though."

He grins. "Get your ass out of the car. I want a hug."

"No, you're all sweaty and gross and I just showered," I say with a laugh.

"Baaabe," he whines, trying to open the door, but I keep it locked.

I just smile softly. "Go inside and clean yourself off. I'll be up in a minute," I say.

"Ugh. Fine," he says, grinning slightly before he leans in and kisses my cheek. I watch him head up towards his apartment, biting my lip at the sight of him before I sigh. Distress again. I take a few deep, calming breaths to center myself. Focus. It's okay. Is it that big of a deal? Does it really matter? How much could Toby possibly know about RJ and me? Unless, of course, they're good friends.

After a few minutes, I head inside. The door's unlocked, so I when I step into the apartment, I see that RJ's chatting with Stevie in the kitchen, chugging a bottle of water, still in his shorts but with a towel slung over his shoulder. He looks significantly less sweaty, so he must have just dried himself off. "Knock knock," I say, stepping in.

RJ smiles immediately, setting his bottle and towel on the counter before beckoning me over. "C'mere."

"Please don't be gross--"

"Fuck off," he says before roping me into a tight embrace. He's a little wet, but not enough to make me pull away. Not even close. I hug him back, face nuzzled against his chest. He runs his fingers through my hair before pulling back slightly, lifting my chin up with his knuckles, and leaning down to kiss me.

Stevie laughs as we kiss, saying "This is too cute" before I laugh against RJ's lips.

RJ pecks my lips once more before standing up straight. "Do you mind?"

Stevie throws his hands up in mock surrender, grinning. "I get it. I'm gone."

"No, it's fine," I say, grabbing RJ's hand. "We'll leave." I tug RJ towards his bedroom.

"We'll talk more about tonight," RJ says to Stevie as I pull him out of the kitchen, down the hall, towards his bedroom. He stops before we go inside, suggesting instead that he shower. I don't want to shower, nor waste time with us both being in the shower and getting undoubtedly handsy. I have somewhere I want to take him -- a picnic of sorts -- so, in the interest of time, I just offer to sit and talk with him while he cleans up.

When we get in the bathroom, I sit on the stool by the sink while he undoes his shoes. "So how do you feel about clubs?" RJ says.

I look at him curiously. "Clubs? Like dancing and shit?"

"Yes, like dancing and shit."

"Never been to one."

"Well, tonight's your lucky night," he says with a grin. "Stevie has this big thing planned at Lucy's." I've passed Lucy's a few times. The lines to get in are overrun with college students on Thursday nights.

"I don't have a fake ID," I say. It's a 21-and-over type of club. The usual.

"Don't worry about that," he says calmly, both his shoes and socks off. He turns to the shower and starts running it, waiting for it to get hot. "Daddy's got it all figured out."

I wonder if Khadija and Wyatt could come. Even though I'm pretty friendly with RJ's friends, if I can sneak them in somehow, it'd be nice to have some of my own people there. But before I think to ask, I pause, noticing that RJ's shorts have a hole in the back. And through it, I can clearly see he's wearing a jockstrap. I grin. "You know you have a giant hole in your shorts?"

"Huh?" He turns his head and sticks his ass out, trying to see before he just takes off the shorts entirely. I relish in the sight of him in his jock, licking my lips slightly as he finds the hole. "Shit. I like these shorts."

"We can get you new ones," I say, staring at his deliciously thick ass. God, he's perfect.

"Yeah, I guess." He shrugs and tosses the shorts, unaware of my intent gaze before he takes off his jockstrap and then steps into the shower, closing the curtain. After a few moments, he speaks up again. "Do you wanna come out to dinner with me and the boys?"

"Dinner?" I ask, biting my lip. "I thought you didn't have dinner plans."

"A couple buddies of mine can't make it tonight so we're all getting dinner before we go out. It's this crazy good Latin restaurant. Kinda far, and kinda pricey, but worth it."

"Fuckin' A," I say softly, running my fingers through my hair.

I hear the shower curtain shift and when I look up, RJ's poking his head out, looking at me. "You okay?"

"Yeah, just..." I sigh. "I thought it was going to be the two of us."

"It'll still be fun," he says.

"Yeah, but. I mean. I had something for you."

"You didn't get me a gift, did you?" he asks.

"No, I know you hate gifts," I say. "It's more of a... I don't know. I just had something planned for us to do."

"Seriously?" he says, intrigued before he swears. "Shit, I'm sorry. Want me to cancel?"

"No, no--"

"Because I'll cancel it."

"No, babe, it's fine. It's your birthday," I say, waving him off. "Really. We can do it another time."

He bites his lip a bit before nodding, shutting the curtain again. I can see him soaping up his silhouette. "Tomorrow. You and me, all day. You have plans?" he asks.

Admittedly, that sounds really nice. My disappointment takes a backseat for now, giving way to excitement. A whole day, just us. "None."

"Good."

I stay quiet for a bit, just listening to the shower run and watching his silhouette move before I clear my throat. Might as well ask now rather than later. "So, I saw you on my way here."

"You did?"

"Yeah. I drove past you and some guy."

"Oh, you mean Toby?" he says, and my body twitches slightly. I hate how fucking weak Toby makes me feel. Even just the name makes me cringe. "You should've stopped and said hi. He's a cool dude."

I roll my eyes, sighing. "Are you guys friends?" I ask. "I only ask because I've met most of your friends."

"Not really, to be honest," he says, and I sigh with relief. "I've never really hung out with him. We're cool because we both play keys. He actually turned me on to a good keyboard company," he adds. Sounds about right. Toby is brilliant when it comes to piano. So maybe RJ and Toby came across each other on their runs? Toby's always been incredibly athletic. Maybe he lives around here. "Why do you ask?" RJ says after I don't respond.

"Just curious," I say, chewing on my lip, not wanting to sound sketchier than I do already. So Toby probably doesn't know RJ and I are together. Not yet, at least. But how do I tell him that Toby is my ex? Just a quick "Hey, by the way, Toby's that ex that I told you so much about"? I've kept Toby's name out of it thus far. Not for any particular reason other than that saying his name aloud feels cursed. As if I'm inviting ill-will into my life. Dramatic, I know, but sometimes I find it physically taxing to utter his name. I wonder how RJ would react, if I tell him. I'll have to tell him sooner or later. "Anyway, when are you planning on leaving? For dinner and all that."

"In a couple hours," he says, shutting off the water and then pulling the curtain aside to grab his towel. "The drive is about an hour, so we have to put aside at least three and a half hours for this thing." He steps out of the shower as he dries himself off. "But still, that means you and I have some time alone."

He grins at me, and I can't resist a smile as he walks over. He gets between my legs and I laugh, resting my hands on his sides as he holds my chin between his thumb and his fingers and presses his lips against mine. We kiss slowly, moving our mouths meaningfully against each other's, and I find myself already short of breath. He kisses me a few times, each one slower than the one prior, before he pulls back with a slight smile, stroking my jaw with his thumb.

I lick my lips a bit before grabbing his hand. "C'mon, birthday boy," I say, hopping off the stool. Ignoring the fact that he's still naked, I tug him out of the bathroom and lead us into his room, immediately going for the chair at his desk. I sit him down a little forcefully but still playfully, and he looks up at me with an intrigued expression. "You deserve a little lap dance," I say, laughing slightly. He grins before leaning back in his chair comfortably, spreading his legs a bit. I take the opportunity to check him out -- his body hair is still a little damp from the shower, looking darker than usual, and his cock rests soft between his legs, looking thick and heavy and delicious. "Pick a song," I say.

He scratches his facial hair lightly, thinking. "I've got it," he says, snapping his fingers and pointing to his phone across the room. I grab it and hand it to him and wait a minute while he pulls something up with a smug little grin on his face. A moment after he sets his phone down, a song starts playing. I Believe In A Thing Called Love by the Darkness.

I almost burst out laughing. "Seriously?"

He too is trying not to laugh. "C'mon, it'll be fun," he says, reaching out and turning me around, his hands sliding over my hips and ass.

"No touching the merchandise," I say, slapping his hands away. "Or you pay extra."

He chuckles a bit and surrenders, leaning back and letting me do my thing. I wasn't planning on taking this lap dance too seriously, but coupled with this song, I feel like an idiot. It makes us both laugh as I strip, loosely singing along. First goes my shirt, then my jeans, starting to reveal the jockstrap underneath. I bought a new one specifically for him, since he likes me in them so much. It hugs me perfectly, and it's my favorite shade of blue, so I couldn't miss the opportunity to buy it. "Damn, baby," he says softly as I slowly reveal my ass. I look back and see that he's staring, biting his lip a bit. I lower my jeans all the way, unnecessarily bending over as I do so, knowing full well he's getting a nice glimpse of my pink hole.

I hear him swear again and then feel his hand on my ass, and I pull away, laughing. "I said no touching," I say, kicking my jeans away and standing in front of him, just in the jock. He's got his cock in his hand, looking at me up and down.

"I couldn't resist," he says.

As the song gets close to the end, I turn back around, pressing my ass right into his lap and grinding. I hold onto his knees for support as I work, moving back and forth, in circles, in spirals, right against his cock. I feel it sliding between my cheeks and I can almost sense him itching to touch me.

Then the song finally ends and I grin a bit, leaning back into him, taking his arms, and having him wrap them around me. He does so eagerly, letting his hands roam my body as I turn my face to his and kiss him. We grind into each other slowly as his hands wander and grope as they please, making my body feel almost relentlessly warm. I break the kiss after a bit, turning around and spreading his legs. I smile slightly as I slowly kiss down his body and get to my knees, my fingers finding their way around the base of his cock. He lets out a deep moan when my lips encase his member. I slide my tongue around his glands gently as I start to work my way down, up, down, then a little further down, then back up to the head. As I suck him slowly, I lift one of his legs over the arm of his desk chair to help spread him a little better. I pull gently off of his cock, kiss and lick my way down his shaft and over his balls, and then finally get to his hole. He swears and takes hold of his cock as my tongue works him over, slowly but surely.

I pull away after a bit, licking my lips and looking up at him. I kiss his thigh as we keep eye contact, and he grins slightly before standing up. As I get to my feet, he climbs onto the bed and lays on his back. I come over, expecting to continue focusing on him, maybe sucking him off some more, but he grabs at my hip and maneuvers me over his chest. Now I'm straddling him, my back facing him. He grabs both hips and slides me further up his chest, my ass close to his face. I feel his hands groping each cheek, squeezing and toying and then spreading them open before I feel his tongue. I moan out before I bite on one of my fingers, my toes curling. He has such a way with his tongue. I arch my back a bit as he works that talented muscle around my hole in circles, slowly, just like I did, before he's gently tongue-fucking me. My body moves involuntarily. I grind right against his mouth, his beard tickling my skin a bit but I don't care. I breathe heavily, whimpering a bit as his hands grip the tops of my thighs to keep me in place. Not that I'd want to move.

And then, we hear a wolf-whistle. I turn my head and realize RJ left the door practically wide fucking open. How did I not notice? And there's Stevie in the doorway, a shit-eating grin plastered on his face. "I know we have an open-door policy, but damn," he says teasingly, chuckling as he reaches for the knob and pulls the door closed. He says "Have fun!" before it clicks shut.

"Oh my fucking God," I say, and RJ just laughs beneath me.

"Relax, babe," he says.

"Oh my fucking God," I repeat, feeling thoroughly embarrassed. "I can't believe you didn't shut the fucking door."

"Relaaax," he says, laughing and rubbing my sides and kissing one of my cheeks. "It's not the first time he's caught me."

"Okay, well, it's the first time he's caught me," I say, my face red-hot. I almost feel like I have a fever. At the same time, I can't help but laugh.

"And it might not be the last," he says, and I can still hear the smile in his voice. Then he shifts me with such speed and ease that I yelp. Suddenly I find myself on my back with him kissing my stomach, and I bite my lip a bit. I still feel pretty embarrassed, but all things considered, I suppose Stevie could have caught us doing worse things. I start to relax as RJ's mouth explores my lower body, kissing my inner thighs, lapping gently, strong hands roaming. I feel him press his face into the crotch of my jock and inhale. He hums slightly as if smelling something good before he works his way lower, kissing over my taint and then right on my hole. Back at it again. I moan softly, reaching between my legs to stroke his hair as he kisses and licks me. He holds the back of my thighs and lifts my ass up a bit more to give him better access. He spits on my hole before lapping at it again, repeating this a couple times. And then his tongue slides deeper inside me, leaving me dripping wet and panting, my toes aching from curling so hard.

He shifts a bit, letting my ass rest back on the bed as he lies on his stomach. He hooks his fingers into the front pouch and peels it off my cock. My dick flops out and, after sucking on his index finger once, he immediately goes at it. I moan, getting fully hard in his mouth as he laps and bobs, my erection accelerated by his finger teasing at my hole. I feel him apply pressure before it's sinking slowly into me. God, I feel so good. I try not to move my hips too much, letting him take me over, finger me as he pleases, blow me as he wants to. And he does so for a while, relishing in it. I can tell by his expressions and the way he moans around my dick -- he loves this.

Soon he pulls off of my cock, planting little kisses all the way up my body until he gets to my lips. He reaches down, stripping the jockstrap off of me completely as we kiss slowly and deeply, tasting each other. When we're both fully naked, we stop kissing, and he reaches between us, pressing the tip of his cock against my hole, looking at me. I just give him a little nod, and he looks between us as he pushes forward. I gasp as the head slides into me, followed by each inch of his cock. He doesn't put it fully in, not yet. Just slowly thrusts back and forth, very gradually making me take a little more of his manhood each time he presses forward. My eyes are closed as he fucks me, and after a while, when I open them, I realize he's staring down at me. There's so much written on his face. Hunger, concern, resolute desire, love. I reach between us and grip myself, stroking in time with his thrusts as we lock eyes, not saying a word. Usually, I don't care for eye contact during sex. Frankly, it always used to weird me out a bit. But I can't look away from RJ. We're connected. Bound.

It doesn't take long for us to reach our orgasms together. We try to time it right but, being overstimulated, I cum first. I'm sure he doesn't mind, because as I cum, my ass is clenching down on his cock repeatedly, practically milking him. He swears softly, his eyes shutting tight as he fills me up. He grunts, putting his head between my neck and shoulder and tensing for a few moments. I feel his warm load being emptied inside me before he finally relaxes, both of us panting but feeling immensely satisfied. I feel him moving slightly, and he hums, giving my neck a sweet little kiss. Then my shoulder. Collarbone. Chest. Nipple. Then he starts slowly lapping up all the cum I spilled all over myself. I watch him with a slight smile on my lips as he takes his time, slurping a few times to make sure he got every bit of it. He even goes lower, taking my semi-soft cock into his mouth and sucking slowly but deeply, cleaning me off as if giving me a bath with his tongue. Then, after he pulls off, he kisses my balls. And then, surprisingly, I feel his tongue at my freshly-fucked hole again. I moan out, feeling overly sensitive after sex. I clutch the bed slightly before he grabs my legs and shifts me onto my stomach. I feel him breathing around the backs of my legs before he starts kissing up. He presses his face between my cheeks and resumes rimming me, not using his hands at all. I feel his tongue slide from my taint to my hole as if swiping up the cum leaking from me before he starts eating me out slowly, almost methodically. I can only lie there and mewl. Then he drags his tongue all the way up my spine, stopping with a kiss on the back of my neck and then the back of my head. Finally, he slumps over onto his side, right next to me, and I smile at him.

"That felt like a spa treatment," I say.

He laughs softly, reaching over to play with my hair. "You're welcome," he teases.

He just looks so cute and happy and I push his face away. "God, I hate you."

The force from my push makes him roll onto his back, and he laughs, turning his face back towards me. "Why?"

"So many reasons." I slide closer to him, hovering my face near his for a bit before I lean down and kiss him softly.

We spend some time naked in the afterglow, talking quietly until he has to start thinking about leaving for dinner. He asks me again if I want to come and, slightly reluctantly, I agree -- but it ends up being better than I expected. In the car, he sits in the middle seat between me and one of his friends as five of us make the hour-long trek to this infamous Latin restaurant. During the drive, he holds my hand often, or otherwise strokes my thigh. He lets me touch him, too, never seeming to care if his friends have something to say about it -- not that they do, anyway. Or maybe they just don't notice, or care enough to notice. Even throughout dinner, RJ repeatedly winks at me, or makes stupid faces, or licks his lips while looking at me before laughing, and no one says a thing. It's nice being in an environment where I can be around people who not only include me in their conversations and jokes, but are unbothered by my relationship. And so, all throughout dinner, I'm smiling the whole time.

And then we get to the club. RJ said earlier that I was welcome to invite Khadija and Wyatt, but after getting along so well with his pals, I decide to not. At least for tonight. Since Stevie rented out an entire room, we enter through a separate line, give our names, and slip inside. Immediately I'm met with the deafening house music. I get a little dizzy right off the bat, but RJ clutches my hand a little tighter. "You okay?" he asks me, yelling slightly. I just nod and give him a thumbs-up and he smiles, tugging me along. We weave our way through people, passing the bar and heading into one of the slightly-quieter rooms, equipped with pool tables, a few arcade games, and of course, nearly everyone Stevie invited. They all cheer as soon as they see RJ and he blushes and laughs, holding his stomach as everyone screams "Happy birthday!" and starts rushing up to talk to him personally.

I'm about to turn away to excuse myself from the crowd when he turns to me, halfway-through introducing me to one of his friends. This goes on for a while. I meet a number of people that RJ knows, too many people to remember anyone's name. But I like how he introduces me. Sometimes he says "This is my boyfriend," or simply "My boy," the latter of which makes me feel a weird mix of pride, amusement, and arousal. Sometimes he'll tease and say something like "My boytoy," to which I pinch his ass in response. It's exhausting, meeting all these people and pretending like I'll retain any information about them, but it feels good seeing that RJ wants people to know who I am to him.

And then Charlotte comes up. "'Bout time," she says, bustling up to RJ and hugging him. "I had to practically wait in line to see you."

He laughs, kissing her cheek. "Sorry, Charlie," he says. "I didn't think this many people would show up."

"Everyone loves you, you big lug," she says, rolling her eyes. At the same time, she puts her hand on RJ's chest. "When are you going to realize that?"

He just smiles a bit before glancing at me. "Have you met Charlie yet? I can't remember."

"Not officially," I say, forcing a smile. "I'm Jake."

"Jake's the guy I'm seeing," RJ says as Charlotte and I lock eyes. "The one I told you about."

"Ah, yes. The famous new squeeze. Nice to meet you, finally," she says, faking a smile. I can sense the hostility from a mile away. She doesn't like me. "Well I'll let you get back to your party," she says with a dramatic sigh. "But come find me later." She pokes his chest a couple times. "I wanna dance with the birthday boy."

He laughs as she walks away, but not before she gives me a glare. I try not to let it faze me, and instead, focus on why I'm here. It's RJ's birthday. It's his night. "So," I say, pausing.

He grins down at me. "So."

"What's the plan?"

"The plan is to drink, kiddo," he says with a laugh. "You sure you don't wanna drink tonight?"

"I'm sure." I had already decided that at dinner.

"Well, I definitely do. So first, I want to get hopelessly drunk," he says, running his fingers through his hair, looking around for someone.

"I'll let you do your thing then," I say.

He looks back at me. "I'll stay with you if you want, babe. I don't mind."

I love how sweet and considerate he is, but I want him to have fun. "No, I'll be fine. I'll find something to do."

Then he smiles at me for a while before leaning down to my ear. "Meet me on the dancefloor later."

I laugh as he starts pulling away. "Since when do you dance?"

"Since never," he says with a chuckle. "But I'll be drunk enough to make a fool out of myself."

RJ finds Stevie and a bunch of them head to the bar to get drinks and do a few rounds of shots. I feel alone for only a second. Quickly, I'm roped into a game of pool nearby by a few guys who need a fourth player. We chat for a bit while we play, not really about anything in particular, but it's nice just mingling. Near the end of the second game, a few pretty girls come join us, sipping their martinis. One of them instantly recognizes me and strikes up a conversation about my relationship with RJ. I suppose it's less a conversation than it is an opportunity for them to gush over how cute we are together. I just smile and laugh and thank them over and over. "I know we're cute together," I say, which makes them laugh even harder. But after a while, it just becomes awkward to stand there with compliments being thrown at you by extremely tipsy girls while you're trying to play pool with a bunch of straight strangers. What else do they really want me to say?

"Ladies, ladies, leave the poor boy alone." I turn and am relieved to see Stevie coming up behind me. "How you doin', buddy?"

I laugh as he hugs me, and am surprised when he kisses my cheek. But it's an innocent kiss. And he's a lightweight when it comes to drinking. "Better than you, probably," I tease.

"Better than me? I'm absolutely swell," he says, smirking at me.

"I heard about Sarah though," I say, biting my lip. "Sorry you two broke up."

"Nah, it's no biggie," he says, and part of me believes him. "After a while you kind of just have to accept the fact that you were wrong about somebody."

I nod. "Still sucks, though."

"Truth." He smiles at me before he remembers something. "Oh! RJ's looking for you, buddy," he adds, patting my back.

"Really? Where?"

"Dancefloor."

I roll my eyes, laughing. "Alright. Um. Take over for me?" I hand him my pool stick and he nods and smiles, eager to play. I excuse myself from the rest of the group and then hug Stevie again, giving him a kiss on his cheek before finding my way to the dancefloor. The DJ is shouting way too loudly over the music, giving me a slight headache, and the mic is so muddy that I can barely understand him. Between the cloudy haze and tall, sweaty, gyrating bodies all around me, it takes me a while to find RJ. Actually, he finds me. I feel a hand grip my shoulder and when I turn, RJ's coming forward, smiling widely.

"There you are," he says. He immediately kisses me, and I'm surprised but pleased, even a little flustered.

I laugh a little when he breaks the kiss. "Are you drunk yet?" I ask.

"I'm waiting for it to kick in," he says, stroking my hair and smiling. "You're beautiful." I can't help but laugh. He's definitely at least a little drunk. "Are you having fun?" he asks.

"Yeah," I say, smiling. I grip onto his belt. "How about you, birthday boy?"

"Me? I'm having a fucking great time."

He grabs my hips and starts swaying with the music, grinning at me. I play along, laughing as we grind a little together, speeding up as the tempo switches. I pull back as he shows me some of his moves -- they're terrible, but hilarious, and he's wearing the biggest smile as he runs through old throwback dances. I put on some of my best club moves, teasing him with my hips, and he watches me dance for a bit before joining me. There's lots of touching, grabbing, some inappropriate groping, heavy breathing, laughing. Soon, some of his friends come across us and we all cheer happily, expanding our group. A couple girls with their drinks and a few guys sweating majorly. Every single one of them has a permanent smile attached to their face. There's something so nice about all this positive energy, dancing together, acting silly. We go through a number of tracks before I have to stop, fanning myself off. "I need air," I say loudly over the music.

"Okay," he says, biting his lip as he does a sort of cha-cha slide. "I'll come find you." He kisses the air in my direction and I grin at him before fighting my way off the crowded dancefloor. I fan my shirt, sweating profusely, in desperate need of water. I make my way over to the cash bar, which is surprisingly not that busy. There's even a seat available. As I take it, pulling out my wallet and sifting for cash, I hear a voice behind me.

"Jake?"

I spin around sharply, as my body almost instinctively does whenever I hear his voice. I tense up. Freeze. My throat feels dry and suddenly, I can't think about anything else but who I'm looking at and what my body is feeling.

He just laughs. "I thought that was you! What the hell are you doing here?"

He's drunk. I can tell by the slight slur in his words and the drink that's sloshing around in his hand and spilling over the sides. He's drunk and happy and I'm alone and, frankly, terrified. Not completely from him, nor from what he'd do. It's a fear that stems from all the things I might feel again.

"Hellooo?" he says with a drawl, laughing at me. "Come on, Jakey, speak up. You never were that good with your words." He reaches out and pats my cheek, and that seems to spark something in me. I snap out of it, pushing my hands into his chest, shoving him backwards. His drink spills even more.

"Don't touch me," I say, glaring at him.

"Oh ho! There's a little fire in you," he says, looking me up and down. "That's new."

I swallow thickly, turning back around and facing the bar. "Leave me alone, Toby." I keep repeating that in my head: Leave me alone, leave me alone, leave me alone.

"Are you mad at me?" he asks, coming up closer behind me. His scent is so familiar still. It's that cologne he wears, mixed with his natural scent. A strange combination of comfort and hurt. "Since when do you get mad?" I feel his hand snake around me and rub my thigh, and I jam my elbow into his stomach, making him recoil slightly. He's solid muscle, though, so it does little else than make him pull his hand away. He just grunts and laughs in my ear. "Fuckin' feisty. I like it."

"Toby--"

"I miss you. Why'd you leave me?"

Even though he cheated on me multiple times, he was the one to cut the cord. "You broke up with me, remember?"

"Oh yeah," he says, laughing and taking a swig of his drink. Vodka. His favorite. "You were getting boring. Too quiet."

"Because you were fucking abusive."

"Don't be dramatic," he says defensively, and when I look at him, he looks angry. His mood completely shifted from playful to pissed. "I never fucking abused you."

I scoff, a bit enraged by his reaction. By his idiocy. His blindness. Now I want to fight. "Right. Thanks for redefining `abuse.' I'll have Webster give you a call."

"Don't bullshit me, Jake," he says threateningly. "All I did was take care of you when no one else would."

A flat-out lie. I had plenty of people who cared about me. What he did was make sure I believed him when he said no one else did. "If you say so."

"And you loved me."

I can't help but laugh. "Not like that fucking matters anymore."

"Of course it matters. You're still fuckin' bitter about it."

"About what?" I say, rounding back at him. "What am I bitter about?" I want specifics out of him. I want everything.

"Relax, Jake, why are you so fucking high strung all the time?" he says, rolling his eyes and taking a sip of his drink. Again, his mood shifts, this time from angry to aloof. I'm getting frustrated as hell. "Heard you're with RJ now," he says randomly.

I'm caught off-guard a bit, and I falter before saying "So?"

He just laughs. "We'll see how long that lasts."

"Fuck off, Toby."

"He'll get bored of you, just like all the rest, right? Honestly, he's probably getting his dick wet as we speak," he says, cocking his eyebrows and grinning smugly at me. "You know how he is."

There's a heat inside me that's flaring up repeatedly. It's almost painful. "I know how he is. You don't."

"Yeah, yeah, defend your man like you always will," he says, finishing off his drink before setting the empty glass on the bar. At the same time, he leans into me more, his body pressing up against mine. "We shouldn't have broken up," he says, looking down at me, his expression and tone dramatically softer. "I miss you. And you were good for me. We were a good thing together."

"Get off," I hiss, pushing him back a bit and then sliding out from underneath him.

Someone nearby asks "Is this guy bothering you?" I feel a couple pairs of eyes on me and Toby, but Toby doesn't care.

"Mind your business, man," he says before he gets close again, his face right near mine. "C'mon, Jakey. I need you. We can be like old times. Ditch the lug."

"I'm don't--"

"C'mon, does he even know you?" he says. "I know you. And you and I both know that I'm the only one who will ever love you right."

I don't even think about it. I swing. My fist connects with his jaw with surprising precision. I barely register the ache in my knuckles as he stumbles back, holding onto his face. But I do feel the tears that immediately stream down my face. I'm crying, partly because of everything he said and partly because of how those words made me feel. But mostly, I'm crying because of how much I hate myself for regretting punching him. For an instant, right after I swung, I felt bad, guilty, terribly sorry, and I wanted to console him, apologize, beg for his forgiveness like I always used to do. It was such a powerful urge that it almost overtook me. It makes me sick to my stomach. I run away from the bar before Toby can get to me again, ramming into a couple people in order to reach one of the exits and hit the fresh air.

My legs take me straight down the sidewalk and towards the edge of the parking lot, and I have absolutely no time to sort through my emotions when someone speaks to me. Fucking Charlotte, of all people. She's smoking a cigarette while scrolling through her phone almost absentmindedly. I try to turn around before she notices me, but too late. She looks up and speaks.

"Well lookie here," she says, smiling slightly.

"Not now, Charlotte," I say, sniffling. I wipe the tears on my cheeks with my thumb.

She seems to notice that I'm practically still crying because she stop smiling. "You okay?"

I look at her. There seemed to be a sense of genuine concern in her voice, and though I'm hesitant to believe it, I'm feeling a bit vulnerable. "Yeah, I'm fine," I say vaguely, sighing. I wish the tears would fucking stop.

"Here," she says, pocketing her phone and then reaching into her purse to pull out a small packet of tissues. "You'll break out if you keep touching your face like that."

I would have laughed under normal circumstances, but I just nod and take one of the tissues, patting my cheeks. "Thanks," I say.

"You gonna tell me what's wrong, or?"

She comes off as a little aggressive, maybe even a little bitchy, but I can't help but open up. I'd prefer her to be Khadija, or maybe even Wyatt, but the words come out before I can stop them. I tell her about Toby, about what happened at the bar. She looks surprised when I tell her I hit him, and proceeds to ask appropriate questions like "How long were you guys together?" and "What did he do to you?" We talk back and forth for a bit about my ex, my story peppered with her commentary: "What a fucking dick," "No offense, but men are gross," "What's he look like again? I'm gonna make sure he doesn't come anywhere near you again, honey." It feels like I'm talking to a good, die-hard girlfriend who completely has my back when something goes wrong with a guy.

Once I finish talking about Toby, getting everything off my chest, including my conflicted feelings, I feel embarrassed that I shared so much information to essentially a stranger. I don't know much about this girl except that she's close with RJ (whatever that means) and she sings. But she was nice about it. Maybe I imagined the hostility the few times I've seen her. Maybe I just assumed she was competing against me. Maybe she bears no ill-will against me. "I'm sorry, I totally judged you," I say after a pause.

She looks at me curiously, cigarette hanging on her lips casually. "What do you mean?"

"Honestly, I thought you hated me."

She laughs. "What? Why would I hate you? I barely even know you."

"I don't know. I just thought you were in love with RJ or something."

She shrugs slightly. "You know how it goes," she says, looking up at the night sky as she speaks. When I don't respond, she looks back at me, and I urge her to continue with a look. "We've been on and off forever, babe. I guess I'm just always waiting for him to come to his senses." As I stand there, slightly stunned, she just shrugs again. "Hard to erase years of both history and chemistry, huh?"

I swallow thickly, looking at my hands. "Guess so."

Eventually, she finishes her cigarette and she says she's going to head inside. After asking me once more if I'm okay, she heads back towards the club entrance, leaving me confused all over again. I don't even feel like crying anymore. Nor thinking. I just have a throbbing headache and I feel like I'm carrying an excessive amount of weight on my frame. My only thought is to get out of here. I call Khadija, loving that she picks up almost immediately. That's when I start crying again, and I swear softly before I can force the words out of my mouth. I ask her if she can come pick me up, if I can stay at her place for tonight, and without hesitation, she says "Of course." I hear her moving around, presumably getting her shoes and keys, before she asks what's wrong. I'm too tired to reiterate this whole scenario yet again, so I just tell her where I am and that I'll be waiting outside for her.

I wait maybe a little over ten minutes, sitting on a nearby staircase and just playing with my fingers. I need some sleep. A nice long rest. I need to rejuvenate myself before I can really sift effectively through some of my emotions. The thought of Khadija's warm bed makes me feel relaxed. Calm. I take a breath. It's shaky going in, but I exhale strongly.

But then I hear RJ. He's saying my name, coming down the stairs. He stumbles slightly, which makes me stand up quickly, ready to help him if he falls. But he catches himself on the rail, holding it as he comes down. "Jake," he says again, finally getting to the bottom. He pauses in front of me, looks me up and down, and then pulls me into a hug. "Are you okay?"

As soon as he pulls my body into his warm, loving embrace, I want to cry again. But I keep it together. I try really fucking hard. "How'd you know I was out here?" I ask.

"Charlie told me," he says, pulling back. His hands slide over my shoulders and upper arms.

How did she tell him, I wonder? And why? "It's just been a long night."

He wipes a streak of tears with his thumb, looking at me with such worry that it's hard for my body to not be drawn to him. "You wanna talk?" he asks before shaking his head. "We should probably talk."

"I don't know," I say, sighing and looking around a bit before I look back up at him. Even if I wanted to talk, he's too drunk to have a proper discussion with. That much is evident. "I'm just gonna go, RJ."

"Right now?"

"Khadija's already on her way -- she'll be here any minute."

"But..." He runs his fingers through his hair, looking at me, clearly thinking hard about something. "I don't want you to go."

"I'm sorry." I don't know what else to tell him.

"Let me come with you, at least," he says, and I blink, surprised. "I'll leave the party right now."

"But it's your--"

"Please?"

We lock eyes for long enough for me to not even notice Khadija is parked against the sidewalk right next to us. She honks the horn and I get startled before I look in through the passenger side window. I look at her, then RJ, and then Khadija again. I open the passenger door and poke my head in, asking her if RJ can stay over, too. She glances at RJ warily before I realize that I never told her what's up. "He's not the problem," I say vaguely, and it seems enough for her to accept because she nods and agrees. I beckon RJ over and help him into the backseat before shutting the door and hopping into the passenger side. Khadija drives off, heading back to her place. She holds my hand and gives it an affectionate squeeze, but otherwise, we do nothing else but ride in silence.

When we get to Khadija's place, I hold RJ's hand as we head inside. RJ kind of just stands there, looking around aimlessly as Khadija and I get spare blankets and a pillow for the couch. RJ takes off his shoes, and I help him with his pants and shirt before guiding him to the couch. "Lie down," I say, and he does so with a sigh, pulling the blanket over him and resting. "You feel okay?" I ask. "You're not gonna throw up or anything, right?"

"I know my limits," he says, looking up at me. "Are you sleeping here?" he asks, lifting the blanket and smiling slightly. "There's room for two."

There really isn't much room, which makes me smile. Khadija just comes up to me and says "We can just talk in the morning." I hug her tight and thank her before she turns, says goodnight to RJ, and heads into her bedroom. I tell RJ I'll be right back, walking to the bathroom to wash my face a bit. Cool off. The cold water feels a little soothing on my skin, and when I feel I've relaxed a bit more, I run my fingers through my hair and head back into the living room. RJ looks already asleep, inhaling and exhaling deeply. I step out of my pants, leaving them on the floor and then sliding under the blanket, trying to do so smoothly and quickly. He stirs a bit, mumbling slightly as he shifts for me and then wraps his arm around me, hugging me from behind. I nestle into his warmth. I'll probably overheat in the middle of the night but for now, this is perfect. This is just what I need. I stroke his arm softly as he holds me, finally closing my eyes.

After a minute or so, RJ starts to shift a little. I feel his lips against my neck before he kisses me, gently pushing his crotch against my ass. That's when I notice his hard-on. I gulp a bit, his grip on me getting a little tighter as his hands slide further down my body. I stop him, clutching his wrist. "RJ--"

"Shhh," he says softly, kissing my neck deeper.

"RJ, please," I say insistently. "Not tonight." He stops immediately, swearing under his breath and starting to apologize profusely before I stop him. "It's okay," I say, cutting him off, happy he was so quick to listen. "Let's just get some rest, okay?" He shifts again, back to his original position. He kisses the back of my head, holding me again, even more snugly this time. Even though he's hard still, he makes no move to try anything further with me, for which I'm grateful. It takes me a while to feel tired again, but after minutes of listening to him sleep, I eventually follow his lead and sleep dreamlessly.