by Quinn Ward
22
Jayden
It was a good thing I made Chase put the address in my GPS before we pulled out of the driveway. I knew he hadn’t been sleeping this morning. Neither of us had slept last night because he couldn’t relax, and every time he flopped over, he woke me. Not that I’d tell him that. Thanks to the coffee waiting for me when I came down to breakfast, and a large travel mug Mom put in my hand as she hugged us in the driveway, I managed to stay awake for the three hour drive while my boyfriend snored in the passenger seat.
“Hey, sleepyhead.” Chase swatted my hand away and rolled toward the window. The GPS voice told me to take the next exit. We’d be to his parents’ house in under ten minutes. I wanted to check in with him before we got there, which meant I should have started waking him about twenty minutes ago. Chase was the early riser out of the two of us most days, but when he was emotionally drained, he was like a hibernating bear. “Chase, we’re almost there. Wake up.”
“Wha’?” He tilted his seat forward and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. I reached over, swiping the line of drool on his chin. “I slept the whole way?”
“You did,” I confirmed. He reached across the console and placed his hand over mine. “I figured you were exhausted, so I didn’t wake you. Of course, I can’t promise I’ll make it through the day without a nap.”
“Good luck with that.” Chase chuckled and scrubbed his hands over his face. “God, I can’t believe I’m actually bringing a boyfriend home for the first time. I probably should have given them a heads-up so they could get over the shock before we get there.”
“If you want to leave it at us being roommates, I’m fine with that,” I offered. And like every other time I’d made the suggestion, Chase scowled at me and shook his head. I turned my hand over so I could lace our fingers together. “I’m just saying that I want this to be as easy as possible on you. If that means being friends when other people are around so they can get to know me, then that’s what we’ll do. Then, you can call them once we’re back at Talbert, and you can let them know the amazing guy who spent his spring break with your family is a permanent fixture.”
“You say that now,” Chase groaned. “Maybe hold off on the declarations of undying love and affection until after you meet them. I’ll blow you every morning for a month if you don’t run out of the house screaming.”
“You’d blow me every morning anyway,” I pointed out. While there was still plenty of uncertainty about some sexual acts, Chase had discovered he really liked sucking cock. And since I wasn’t into sharing, mine was the go-to filling for his mouth. “In all seriousness, I love you, Chase, regardless of your family. And you have to put up with mine a lot more frequently than we’ll ever see yours.”
“True, but they’re cool. I’m pretty sure the only thing that would upset your mom is if she walked in on you banging me on the kitchen table.” I’d never tell him, but I doubted even that would faze her. She’d caught me getting a blowjob in the living room one night when I’d been in high school, and the only thing she’d done was give me shit about how I’d better not leave any stains on the furniture. “And your mom spoils me more than you do. What’s not to love?”
Mom and I were going to have a long talk about that. He wasn’t lying. Every weekend there was a new toy in the window seat, or a new cup Mom saw that she just couldn’t resist buying. It was weird to me. Kinky shouldn’t cross generations like that.
“The point I’m trying to make is, all of our families are insane, just in their own unique ways. I’m sure I’ll love your family for reasons that drive you completely bonkers, just like you love my mom even though it’s strange how she overcompensates trying to show how cool she is with my sexuality,” I explained. GPS directed me to take the next left and Chase held my hand tighter. His body was rigid in the seat next to mine. I gave his hand a squeeze. “How are we playing this? I’m good with whatever.”
“Let’s just rip off the bandage.” Chase gave a curt nod, as if confirming to himself that this was what he truly wanted. “If they don’t like it, that’s on them. I’m not stuck down here all week since you drove. Either, they accept us and we unpack the car, or they don’t and I spend some time with my brothers and sisters before we go home. Either way, I don’t want to hide you.”
I pressed my lips together to stop myself from responding. This was an argument we’d been having off and on since yesterday when I first mentioned coming home with him. At this point, I needed to accept that nothing I said was going to change his mind.
The moment I turned onto Chase’s street it was easy to see which was his family home. There was an army of kids, ranging from late toddlerhood to early teens, all playing in the front yard. They all turned and stared when I parked along the curb like Chase had instructed me. Before I even had the engine turned off, the door was yanked open and the noise was deafening. A girl, not much older than Willow, climbed into Chase’s lap, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. He looked over at me, his eyes pleading for help. I chuckled, unbuckled my seat belt, and gave the siblings a minute to say hello to their oldest brother.
“What’s going on out here?” A woman, who could only be Chase’s mom, crossed the lawn. I shit you not, she was wearing a 1950s housewife dress and apron. I’d seen the look on other people, but I didn’t think she put on the ensemble trying to be cute or fashion forward. If she did, she seriously missed the mark because her hair was thrown into a crude bun that was falling out.
“Chase is here!” One of the boys informed her before running back to the side of the car. My boyfriend still hadn’t been able to get out of his seat. Seriously, you’d think he’d been gone years, not a few months.
I chalked her lack of enthusiasm up to being tired from keeping all of these kids alive and fed. Her tired eyes narrowed when she saw me standing at the back of the car. Rather than approaching the child she gave birth to, she skipped the chaos and headed directly toward me.
Fuck.
“I didn’t realize Chase was getting a ride from a friend,” she said coolly. I swallowed hard, wondering what in the flying fuck I was supposed to say to that. Unfortunately, I took too long to respond, giving her time to come to her own conclusions. “Are you from the area?”
“No, ma’am. I live in Annandale.” That seemed safely truthful.
She sighed as she shook her head. “Well, of course you do now. But where did you grow up?”
“Um, Annandale?” What else was I supposed to say?
Chase finally broke free from the wall of children keeping him in the car. He gave his mom a quick peck on the cheek before sliding his arm around my back. “Mom, this is Jayden. My boyfriend.”
“I see.” She gave me a slow, down-up appraisal. I watched her, not daring to breathe, waiting to see if she’d find me suitable, and wondering what exactly she was looking for. “Well, lunch is just about ready. I wasn’t expecting two more, but I’m sure we can make it stretch.”
I glanced over as Chase slid his hand into mine. The journey across the yard was slow with the littlest of the kids wrapped around Chase’s leg. I wondered for a moment what it would be like to grow up in a family like this. I can’t say I’d have wanted as many siblings as he had, but maybe one or two would have been nice.
“Who are you?” One of the older boys asked me as he came down the front steps. They probably wouldn’t care for me thinking of them in vague terms based on their ages and genders, but I was totally screwed if there was a test to see if I could remember all their names after we were introduced.
“I’m Jayden, and you are?” Even if there was no way I could remember their names, it couldn’t hurt to be polite and seem interested. The kid scowled at me, obviously unimpressed.
Given his size and the deep timbre of his voice, I was guessing he was the next youngest. If I was right, it made sense that he saw himself as the protector of the house now that Chase was gone.
“Colin.” I took his outstretched hand, refusing to flinch
when he squeezed tighter than was absolutely necessary. It was hard to believe he and Chase had the same parents. He was taller, broader, and gave off very clear ‘fuck with my family and I will fuck you up’ vibes. “You the boyfriend?”
“Um, yeah.” I looked over, hoping like hell Chase was going to rescue me but he was busy listening to all of the younger siblings trying to talk to him at once. Colin’s expression remained fierce and cold. Well, two could play that game; I wasn’t going to let some punk teen run me off with my tail between my legs. “That going to be a problem for you?”
Finally, something in the kid cracked. It was only the corner of his mouth turning up, but I’d take it. I hadn’t realized how nervous I’d been about his family’s acceptance until he relaxed. “Nope. It’s about time he finds someone. I was starting to think he’d rather become a monk than stand up to the ‘rents.”
Interesting.
“They’re not that bad, you know,” he continued. The two of us watched the kids, and he glanced toward the door. “Mom worries. A lot. And having him that far away bothers her. Show her that you’re taking care of her baby and I’m sure she’ll love you.”
“He’s more than capable of taking care of himself,” I argued. It pissed me off that everyone seemed convinced something horrible would happen if Chase was left on his own. Then again, I wondered if I was any better as I considered pulling him out of here before they could undo the progress he’d made since we first met. Yes, he was my boy who loved having someone to take care of him, but it was only recently he’d begun to understand how strong he was to admit what made him happy and pursue it, even when his old roommate made his opinions clear.
“You know that, and I know that, but she doesn’t.” He pointed toward the house. “All I’m saying is, prove that you have his best interest at heart if you want to get in her good graces.”
“That won’t be hard,” I promised as Chase pushed himself off the ground. His brow furrowed as he saw Colin and I chatting. I smiled and nodded, and you could see the worry melt off his face.
“He seems happy, for what it’s worth,” Colin observed. “He’s usually tense and needs some time to hide in his room before dealing with all that.” He thumped me on the shoulder. “You’re going to be just fine, Jayden. Who knows, maybe we’ll get to know one another better next fall. Hoping I’ll like it up there as much as he seems to.”
“That’d be cool.” Chase hadn’t mentioned that Colin was going to Annandale Eastern. We’d have to talk about that at some point. Then again, maybe he didn’t know. I got the impression he had as little contact with the family as possible when he was at school. “Now, why don’t we rescue him and get the kids in for lunch before your mom gets upset.”
“Oh, Jayden, you have a lot to learn about this family.” Colin let out a hearty laugh. “She tries to control the little shits because she learned a long time ago there’s not much you really can control when the kids outnumber the adults the way they do here.”
“Good to know.” While Colin wrangled the younger siblings and told them to give Chase a minute to stretch and breathe, I pulled Chase to the side. I kissed the side of his head when he wrapped his arms around my waist. “They don’t seem so bad. Your brother’s cool.”
“Yeah, he is. I feel bad leaving him to deal with all this. I’m not sure what’s going to happen once he goes away to school. The kids are already talking about it.” The way he spoke, I wasn’t sure he realized his brother would be close to him come fall. I puffed out my cheeks and glanced skyward as I realized this family’s biggest issue was their inability to freaking talk. And for me to say that was really something…
Lunch was every bit as crazy as I’d anticipated. Chase, Colin, and I helped get all of the younger kids settled. I earned some serious brownie points for suggesting that his mom get her lunch and let us take care of the others. When the three of us finally sat at the small table in the kitchen, Colin offered me a nod of approval.
“Don’t screw things up with this one,” Colin warned his brother. “I’m not sure you’re going to find anyone else willing to put up with our crew.”
“Good thing I have no plans to find anyone else,” Chase told him. Under the table, he put a hand on my knee. “Bringing him home was my last chance to scare him off, but I don’t think it worked. That means he’s stuck with me.”
I slipped my hand into his. “Not stuck. Lucky.”
The truth of my statement didn’t hit me until later that night. Just as Chase thought would happen, his parents went out to dinner without the kids. His mom had confided in me that she always felt guilty leaving the younger ones with only one responsible teen, and I’d told them it was no problem at all for us to hang and watch movies. After just one afternoon with Chase’s family, I knew I was the lucky one. Because of him, I had this extended family that wanted to know all about me, but I wasn’t bound to them. I no longer wished I’d grown up with siblings.
It was after eleven when we finally got Charlotte and Cara to sleep. I followed Chase into his bedroom and fell onto the bed, throwing an arm over my eyes. I couldn’t promise I’d make it as far as taking off my shoes before I passed out.
When I felt the bed dip next to me, my arm fell to the side, inviting Chase in to cuddle. “Still think it was a good idea to come down here with me?”
“Yep.” I rolled to my side and kissed him. “Wherever you are, that’s where I want to be.”
“That was so cheesy.” I tickled Chase for daring to tease me. When he finally caught his breath, he said, “It really was, but I feel the same way.”
Who knew rooming together would lead to having my eyes opened to a world I’d never imagined and could no longer picture being without? I needed to find out who’d assigned Chase to my room and send them a big thank you gift, because neither of us would have been complete without the other.
What happens when the mentor you’re assigned to work with is the man you crushed on back when he was your student teacher? Ben’s going to get more than he bargained for in Extra Credit, a free short story from Quinn!
Want to know more about The Lodge and see why it’s the place to be for Littles and their Daddies? The playroom comes to life in Rules to Live By.
How can a single parent long for someone to call him Daddy? See how William showed Corey he could have it all in Looks Can Be Deceiving.
As Matteo explores his little side, Daddy Levi is going to prove to him that love doesn’t have to start with sexual attraction in Discovery.
Are you enjoying your time in Annandale?
The fictional town of Annandale currently has four running series. While there is overlap between the different settings, the books can be read in any order!
Marino’s - Mama was definitely shocked to learn all of her sons were kinky in one way or another, but she’s proud of the men who are running the family restaurant.
Club 83 - Eli’s worked hard to build a welcoming bar for the LGBTQ+ community. These daddies and boys will work their way into your kinky little heart.
The Lodge - As Jayden so astutely pointed out, The Lodge is like a mullet: it’s innocent (enough) in the front, but the party is most definitely in the rear. So far, we’ve only seen the sweeter side, but there will definitely be a trip to The Back Deck in the future.
Talbert Hall - Rooming Together is the first book set in the kinkiest residence hall on campus. It’s a known fact that those who thrive in Talbert don’t fit in well other places.
A Note From Quinn
If you enjoyed Rooming Together, I would love it if you let your friends know so they can experience the relationship of Jayden and Chase as well! As with all of my books, I have enabled lending on all platforms in which it is allowed to make it easy to share with a friend. If you leave a review for Rooming Together on the site from which you purchased the book, Goodreads or your own blog, I would love to read it! Email me the link at [email protected]
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About Quinn Ward
Quinn Ward is a zamboni-driving, hockey-loving parent of two kids who are pretty okay most of the time.
When Quinn was three, their parents received a call from the principal asking them to pick them up from school. Apparently, if you aren’t enrolled, you can’t attend classes, even in Kindergarten. The next week, they were in preschool and started plotting their first story soon after.
Later in life, their parents needed to do something to help the socially awkward, uncoordinated child come out of their shell and figured there was no better place than a bar on Wednesday nights. It’s a good thing they did because this is where Quinn found their love of reading and writing. Who needs socialization when you can sit alone in your bedroom with a good book?
Quinn’s been kicked out of the PTA in three school districts and is no longer asked to help with fundraisers because they’ve been known get lost in a good book and forget they have somewhere to be.