Quarantined With My Straight Roommate

by Charlie Chubb

  Peter could talk a hell of a lot more than I could. I shrugged, but I remembered when. The Pink Zone. The bathroom. Tony, that stupid fucker, and the way he made me feel with his tongue, with his hands, with his…

  “Ohhhh,” Peter’s cooing interrupted my thoughts, “It must have been good ‘cause you got quiet as hell and turned bright red, boo. I see you!”

  “It was okay. A casual thing.”

  “You don’t seem like the type to do casual. You seem, I dunno, sensitive.”

  Peter left for work soon after that. I went to visit Jackie whose boss let her work from home once in a while, lucky girl. She let me in, wearing a white bathrobe and a green face mask.

  “Hey, come on in.”

  “Uh, aren’t we supposed to be going out?”

  “Yes, but I’ve got to get ready. Have a drink.”

  Pending homelessness didn’t exactly put me in the party mood, but Jackie never turned down the chance to morph me into an enabler of her future alcohol problem.

  “I already have an open bottle of wine,” she said.

  I took a swig as soon as I passed it on the counter.

  “Use a glass you fucking animal! Boys…”

  I grinned and took a plastic cup from her dish rack. She’d chide me for not using a nice glass when she noticed and I took pleasure in my small act of rebellion.

  “The place is in Back Bay.”

  “Are you serious? I can’t afford to live there.”

  “Yes, you can. My friend’s moving out ‘cause her roommate is this total dick and she’ll discount you just to get out of there. She has this big consulting job that pays really well.”

  “If her roommate’s a total dick, why would I want to live with him?”

  “Um, you’re desperate?”

  Thanks, Jackie. I could count on her for two things: wine and an utter lack of tact. She washed her face mask off in the kitchen sink, then shrugged the bathrobe off and panic surged through me. My worst fears didn’t come to fruition, because Jackie was fully clothed.

  “Ta-da! You look scared. Did you think I was naked?”

  “Don’t wiggle your eyebrows like that, and yes. But it’s not like I don’t have a sister.”

  “Ju doesn’t count. She doesn’t have a body like this. What do you think of the dress?”

  Because I’m gay, Jackie seemed to think I was her personal stylist, even if I dressed like a My Chemical Romance fan who never grew out of his Gerard Way phase. At least I moved on from the shitty hair.

  “You look great. Like Beyoncé.”

  Girls love it when you compare them to Beyoncé, and that line stopped her from acting disappointed that I don’t live up to a clichéd stereotype.

  “Yay. Let’s go. Wait, hold on, I need a swig for the road.”

  She chugged back wine like the expiration date was in a few minutes and we’re off. We took Uber, Jackie hates walking, and arrived at the apartment.

  “This place looks swanky. How much is it?”

  “My girl says she’ll cover you for the first month and after that, your share will only be $1,250.”

  Fuck. That sounded like a lot but if I busted my ass, I could come up with the money.

  “That’s nice of her. She doesn’t even know me.”

  “I vouched for you. Come on,” Jackie said, linking arms with me.

  We stood on the stoop of the nice three story brownstone. Jackie explained that each floor was a luxurious two bedroom apartment. A doctor couple lived on the top floor and a pair of “coked out hipsters” lived on the second story.

  She rang the doorbell with a smile on her face.

  “He’s a dick head, but he’s really hot. I can’t believe Jenny gave up this place,” she whispered, “He broke her heart though. He led her on like a typical Tinder fuckboy.”

  “Sucks.”

  I heard footsteps on the other side of the door and braced myself to meet my new roommate.

  8

  TONY STONE

  I opened my fucking door to see that dickhead standing on my stoop, the same fucker I couldn’t get out of my head. The same guy whose lips taste better than Tom’s, whose body responded to mine like we fit together. I dry swallowed and breathed, “Max.”

  The girl standing next to him on the doorstep overdressed for the occasion.

  “Um yeah, that’s Max. I’m Jackie. How did you know his name, did Jenny tell you?”

  Dumb fuck. How else will I explain knowing him? He’s the sort of guy with black painted fingernails and I’m a “finance bro”.

  I choked out, “Jenny told me.”

  Jackie appeared satisfied but she had a shrewd analytical expression that told me she was looking for dirt.

  “Come on in. I expect Max is gonna be my future roommate?”

  Max glared at me and Jackie gave him a weird look.

  “Yeah. He’s not usually this much of a weirdo.”

  “Maybe I am,” Max snapped at her.

  “We’ve got our kitchen, pretty nice. I like to keep it clean. I just got a new couch from Pottery Barn and your room is back there.”

  Our doors were next to each other. Jackie didn’t need further permission and she lunged for the door, pushing it open.

  “Oh my goodness, it’s furnished? Lucky!”

  “Yeah. Jenny left her bed and dresser. I hope it’s not too feminine.”

  Max scowled at me again.

  “It’s a full bed. I don’t see how it could be feminine.”

  I grinned and put a hand on Jackie’s shoulder. I knew she’d respond to that. Most women did.

  “How’d you like it, Jackie? Think your friend can hang?”

  “It’s perfect, Max!” She squealed, shifting closer to me.

  “It’s fine. Thanks.”

  “Cool. Keys, right here. I gotta step out, so you make yourself at home. I’ll email you anything you need to know once I get your address, but Jenny vouched for you, so I expect everything will be cool.”

  “Thank you so much, Tony. You’re a sweetheart. I don’t know what Jenny did to piss you off.”

  I grinned and turned on the Texas charm.

  “Jenny’s a doll. I’m the one who didn’t know how to treat her right.”

  Max’s stupid scowl gave way to a smirk. My cheeks turned red and Jackie covered her mouth to giggle.

  “You’re such a gentleman,” she gushed.

  I handed Max the keys and bit the two of ‘em farewell. Fuck. I didn’t really have to go anywhere, but I couldn’t stand to be near Max any longer than I had to.

  Standing next to him did things to me that I hated. Made me feel things that I hated. It wasn’t wanting to fuck him that bothered me. Those desires were old news. It was the other part that bothered me — wanting to hold him, wanting to treat him like more than just a hot piece of ass. Wanting to kiss him and cuddle him.

  How the hell did this bastard end up in my place? I stopped believing in fate after Tom fell off the wagon and disappeared from my life, taking my young heart with him. Fate was bullshit. Fate was chance we gave special meaning to so we could justify pretending our fucked up relationships were going to be different.

  I stopped believing in fate a long time ago. I got in my truck, the one Tom gave me when he upgraded to a new Dodge. I could afford better, but I s’pose I kept that beat up red truck out of sentiment. I drove away from the city, desperate to clear my head.

  Desperate to get Max off my damn mind.

  9

  MAX PATEL

  I slipped fresh sheets onto my new mattress. Thank goodness this place at least came furnished if I’d have to be living with him. Tony. He glared at me with abject disgust, like I was nothing to him. I’d be out of his hair soon enough and he wouldn’t have to worry about me. I could get out of this place in a month, maybe two, if he didn’t put my ass out on the street before that.

  At least we wouldn’t have to share a bathroom. This place was nice. Even if I got a job, I probably wouldn’t be able to aff
ord a place like this. I was just lucky enough to get a discount thanks to Jackie. That annoying, bratty friend of mine could come in handy when she wanted to. I took a shower and slipped into bed with just my boxer briefs on. I hated sleeping fully nude, but sleeping with clothes on was unnecessarily restrictive.

  I closed my eyes, replaying my argument with Ju repeatedly. When had she become the girl who would toss her brother out on the street for a guy? She was supposed to be my best friend in the world. I couldn’t count on her. I couldn’t count on anyone except myself. I heard the door to my bedroom creak open. My imagination always ran wild before bed. I bit down on my lower lip as my mind wandered from imagining arguments to attraction. I rolled over and faced the wall, exhaling loudly.

  If only. If only Tony wasn’t a prick who wanted to use me for casual sex. If only Ju hadn’t kicked me out. If only I could fix my dumb brain so I could date a guy like Peter, a fun guy with cinnamon skin like mine, and full lips, who let me sit on his bed and paint my fingernails black while we talked about nothing and everything. A knee pressed into my bed, and I froze. Imagination getting the better of me, or a man sneaking into my bed. I turned around sharply.

  Tony had one knee pressed into my bed and his other foot firmly planted on the ground.

  “What are you doing?” I whispered, even if we were the only two in the apartment.

  “We need to talk.”

  He removed his knee from my bed and I sat up, reaching for my bedside lamp. He put his hand against mine.

  “Don’t turn the light on.”

  “Okay…”

  “I have to tell you something.”

  “Then spill.”

  My voice possessed an irritated edge.

  “I’m not into you like that, okay? I’m straight.”

  “100%,” I said sarcastically.

  Tony had to be joking, right? I felt the way he kissed me. I saw the way he looked at me. Men can’t fake it. It’s the one instinct, the one tell we all have, we check out who we’re attracted to, and it’s obvious — at least it’s obvious to other guys.

  “I don’t want to make things awkward, but I had to say it. I date chicks.”

  “Anyone recent?”

  He paused. My eyes adjusted to the dim light and I could barely make out his sharp jawline.

  “Yes,” he said, “I brought a girl home the other night. It’s why my roommate moved out.”

  Fuck. Bisexual then? Either I was wrong about him, or he was straight up lying. I wouldn’t put it past the men in this city.

  “Whatever. I get it. I’m not that into you, anyway. You seem a little toxic, since we’re being honest.”

  His left hand clenched into a fist.

  “What do you mean by that?” he uttered hoarsely.

  “We’ve fucked before, in case you forgot. I know your deal and it’s not what I’m looking for.”

  “My deal?”

  “Yeah your fucked up denial thing. Whatever. We all have our shit.”

  “You think you know everything about me, huh? Well, you don’t.”

  Not true. I know how his eyes sparkle when he’s hard. I know the sound he makes when I take him into my mouth. I know how firm his body is and how blood courses through him when he’s aroused. I know the flush that washes over his face when he’s satisfied and I know that when he touches me; he makes me forget that everything that’s ever happened between us is completely fucked up.

  “I get it, man. You’re not into guys, just fucking them.”

  His fist tightened.

  “Don’t you dare breathe a word of that to anyone.”

  “I won’t.”

  He didn’t leave then, but I thought he would. His knee pressed into the bed again.

  “How the fuck did you end up here?”

  “Um, the same way most people move into apartments here? I knew someone who knew someone.”

  “But here? Did you know I lived here?”

  “I’m not some creepy stalker obsessed with you, if that’s what you mean.”

  I sat up and leaned against the wall, putting distance between us. As much distance as possible.

  “I guess not. This is just chance... fate…”

  “I guess.”

  He laughed.

  “Fate? C’mon, you don’t believe that shit.”

  His Texan drawl came out and I was glad Tony couldn’t see my cheeks flush.

  “No. Of course not.”

  “Look at me, Max.”

  My lower lip filled with blood as I chewed on it. I gazed up at him. A car drove by shining light through the window and his steel eyes locked with mine in the dark.

  “Are you scared of me?”

  “Why would I be scared of you?”

  “You’re all the way over there and the last time I went to the club, you weren’t there.”

  I wanted to ask him if he was looking for me, but that sounded stupid and desperate, so I didn’t say anything.

  “I’m not. I’m not a bitch.”

  “I didn’t think you were. Come closer.”

  I was Little Red Riding Hood, inching toward the big bad wolf, yearning to race toward him. I shifted my butt closer to him. He grabbed my quilt and yanked it off of me, sucking in a sharp breath.

  “Nice pajamas.”

  “Whatever.”

  He lunged forward and kissed me, throwing me off. He parted my lips with his and tugged my bottom lip away from my top teeth, sucking on it before we separated.

  “That doesn’t seem very straight to me,” I snapped.

  He tensed up and growled, “Shut up, Max.”

  “Okay.”

  Good point. If I said another word, that could screw with my chances of what was defnitely going to happen. I lean forward and peck him on the lips.

  “I’m not the first guy you’ve been with, am I?”

  He scoffed.

  “No.”

  “Good. This will be much easier if you know what you’re doing.”

  Boldness that I didn’t know I had coursed through me and I grabbed Tony’s cheeks and kissed him. In the darkness, he was almost kind to me. He wasn’t anything like the dick head in the club who only wanted me for a quick, anonymous fuck. I can’t let myself forget that he’s the same person. Tony is no different from that guy, no matter how much I wanted to pretend otherwise.

  Both his knees pressed into my bed and he ran his hands over my chest, his fingers teasing the skin around my nipples and running across my firm stomach.

  “What sport do you do?”

  “Unemployment. Makes it hard to afford enough groceries to make me fat,” I joke.

  He grunted, and I regretted my attempt at a joke. Tony’s knees parted my thighs and he pressed his weight into mine.

  “I’m not in denial,” he murmured, “I know that’s what you think about me.”

  “Okay. Whatever.”

  I’m rock hard and like any man, I stopped thinking when my dick stiffened. I needed release, not conversation, even if a part of me yearned for Tony to tell me everything about him, all his dirty little secrets. Now, I just want to get dirty. I ran my hands through his hair and his hand carressed my cock through my boxer briefs.

  “You’re hard,” he said, as if he were conducting a scientific study of my response to him.

  “So are you.”

  His enormous cock pressed into my thighs.

  “Do you have lube?” he asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Okay. I’m going to use a condom.”

  No questions, just demands — I was starting to learn that this was typical Tony. I nodded and he reached for my side table, his chest pressed into mine as he grabbed lube and a condom.

  “These are cheap,” he said.

  If all the blood hadn’t left my head to rush to my dick, I would have come up with some witty retort.

  The bottle of lube idled on my sheets and Tony’s fingers hooked the waistband of my boxer briefs and he removed them, my cock tilting upward towa
rd my belly button and resting erect on my flat stomach. He kneeled between my legs and ogled my protruding organ.

  His gaze fluttered from my dick to my face.

  “Do you want me to suck it?”

  Tony never cared enough to give me a choice before. The thought coursed through my mind that I couldn’t fool myself into thinking he cared now.

  “No. Just fuck me.”

  He shrugged and reached between my ass cheeks with a finger full of lube, rubbing the area as I sucked in a sharp gasp of air.

  “What?”

  He sounded annoyed — the Tony I remembered.

  “It’s cold.”

  “Quit whining."

  He slathered lube over his sheathed hardness and leaned forward, the turgid member positioned between my legs, ready to enter me from behind. I raised my legs to his torso and he nodded, leaning forward to kiss me. His kiss neared tender. I shut my eyes for the next bit as the helmet of his engorged cock teased open my asshole.

  He grunted and worked it in an inch. Wet with lube, he slid inside easily and I tugged my lower lip between my teeth, waiting for my body to adjust to Tony’s entry. He balanced his weight on his forearms and slid into me inch by inch, his face so close to mine, I could smell the mint on his breath.

  “It’s in,” he groaned, his eyes nearly rolling back into his head.

  My fingernails teased his brawny back and Tony’s hips moved. Oh fuck. The first thrust was the worst. Once I got past that, I could enjoy the size of the member inside me. He grunted and moved his hips slowly for a few moments, allowing me the chance to adjust to his cock inside me.

  He slammed his hips into me and I let out a loud moan. Tony grinned and grabbed my hips, fucking me hard.

  “You like that?”

  “Oh God... Yes…”

  “Kiss me,” he demanded.

  I kissed him. I would have done anything he wanted and he knew it. As his hips plunged into me, my ass tightened around his cock and euphoria surged through me. I moaned and he buried his face in my neck as he fucked me. His hot breath on my skin as his dick plunged between my soaked cheeks stiffened my cock even more. He grabbed my arms and pinned them above my head, pressing his weight into me.