Unraveling Josh

by Edie Danford

  “Wow.” I felt the dried sweat on my face crackle as I smiled. “That’s cool.”

  He grinned. “So cool.” He glanced to the right where a bunch of cars were pulling up to drop off soccer players. “Guess I better get to work.”

  “Hey Pahlke!” came a shout from the distance. Austin was waving at him.

  “See you,” I said.

  He winked. “Count on it.”

  I bailed on my quick getaway long enough to watch his long legs eat up the rise.

  Nick—present day

  I’D FINALLY MANAGED to come out of the nap of the dead. I was lying on my bed, sweating and blinking at the ceiling, wishing for a fan and wondering how many coffees it would take to get me up to speed, when my phone binged with Pete’s tone. It was time to stop avoiding him.

  With a sigh, I reached over to the desk and picked up the evil device. “Yo.”

  “God. About fucking time. Where you been? I was getting worried.”

  “Sorry.” I scrubbed my hand over my face, and tried to remember what day and time it was. Sunday afternoon. I checked the phone. Yep. “I’ve been busy,” I told Pete. “You know how beginning-of-the-year stuff can be.”

  “No, actually. I’m happy to say I don’t.”

  “Yeah, yeah. You don’t need no stinkin’ ed-ju-cayshun. I always forget.”

  Pete was very proud he had a dope job, a dope apartment and a dope bank account without ever taking a single college class. I was proud of him too. But sometimes it was frustrating that he never wanted to explore anything outside his world of getting dressed up, working, getting dressed up again, clubbing, getting laid and then starting it all over the next day.

  I mean, I knew it was a glittery, incredible world out there in Hollywood—and he supplied hilarious and sometimes shocking details about it on a routine basis—but when I was here in Ellery, sometimes it felt like he was on another planet. Planet Superficial.

  “I rely on you to provide me with details about the good parts of college life. The rest I don’t care about.”

  “Right,” I said. “Well, I’ve been getting settled into my new digs.” I cast a glance around, noting the still-taped-up boxes and the suitcase overflowing with dirty clothes. “Sort of. And meeting new people.”

  He chuckled. “I bet you have. And why haven’t we heard reports on any of these new people? Things have been Dullsville here and I need vicarious thrills. C’mon, who did you fuck this weekend?”

  “I didn’t fuck anyone.” Technically this was true.

  “I don’t believe it. I know you, sweetie. You’re holding out on us. C’mon. Spill.”

  I had yet to tell him that Josh was here at Ellery. I wasn’t sure if I was going to tell him. I didn’t know how I felt about my new friendship with Josh, but I did know I wasn’t ready to share it with Pete. Josh was different from my “Notch” guys, and I didn’t want to think about the how’s and why’s of it right now.

  But I had to give Pete something or he would never stop asking.

  “I did meet a guy,” I told him. “But I am telling the honest-to-God truth when I say I haven’t fucked him.”

  “Is he gay?”

  I laughed. “Yeah. He is. He’s just…different.”

  “Oh no.”

  “What?”

  “You haven’t done something stupid and fallen for someone, have you?”

  I snorted. “I have not fallen for anyone.” Obsessed maybe. Crushing maybe.

  “Good. Because that way lies heartbreak, babe.”

  I was glad he couldn’t see my eye-roll. He’d gone a few rounds of breaking up and making up with a prize fuckhead when he’d first moved to California. Since then—especially when any of our crew did more than two or three dates with the same guy—Pete was all about preaching anti-relationship sermons. I didn’t want to give him crap for lecturing, because he’d been genuinely down, and I knew how much it sucked to battle self-doubt and depression.

  I shifted around on the mattress as Pete launched into an explanation about WeHo’s current “Dullsville” status and grimaced when a muscle in my lower back cinched. The pain made me smile…and relive a few highlights from yesterday. And this morning. And Friday night.

  “Are you even listening to me, Nicky?” Pete asked after a few minutes of him talking and me being happy in a world of popcorn ball-flavored Josh memories.

  “Nah,” I admitted. “Not really.”

  “So what’s up with you? Really.”

  I thought hard before answering. I wasn’t used to being careful with my words around Pete. “Well…despite the lack of actual fucking, I think I won orgasming this weekend.”

  He snorted. “For real? How many?”

  I thought all the way back to Friday night. “His and mine together, or just counting mine? Cuz either way we’re talking well into the double digits, and it would take me a while—and get me all hot and bothered—to be accurate.”

  “God. I love you, you know that?”

  I smiled. “Yeah. I know. Love you back.”

  Saying it was automatic, but, in fact, I did love Pete. We’d grown apart in some ways, but we’d been through the wars of middle school together and survived a bunch of shit—good and bad—in high school. Some scars we’d shared; others we’d helped each other to heal.

  He’d had my back when I’d been so low I’d been afraid to look behind me. He’d literally held my hand when all the shit that had gone down with Austin Harmon—and then with my folks finding out about it. Best of all, he’d made me laugh when all I’d felt like doing was crying. Just ignore their dick pics, Nicky. Our dicks are so much better than theirs. We put the long in schlong. The peck in pecker. The ick in dick. Well, maybe not that last thing. But you know what I mean, dude…

  I settled against my pillow. I didn’t have to share everything—including the guy’s name—but I could share a few cool details about my weekend. “So you won’t believe where this guy lives,” I said. “It’s an honest-to-God stone tower…”

  Chapter Nine

  Josh

  GETTING A HARD-ON at the post office while picking up a small, innocuous-looking brown box was embarrassing. Bumping into my advisor-slash-boss while trying to make a quick exit was excruciating.

  “Josh! Just the man I wanted to see.”

  I adjusted my parcel strategically over my crotch and put on a smile. “Hi, Ira.” My voice sounded squeaky. It was going to take some time to get used to calling the venerable Professor Pearlstein by his first name, but he kept insisting, and he wasn’t a man to ignore. I stepped toward the kiosk that held envelopes and fancy tape to get out of the way of a steady stream of Elleryites eager to check their mail. “How’s it going?”

  “Good, good. I need to check on some mail and then I’m on my way to my office. Walk with me for a ways? I have a question for you.”

  “Okay, cool.”

  I watched him navigate the crowd and wondered if I’d have time to send a quick text to Nick. I rocked back on my heels and felt my mouth twist into a smile. Yeah, that’s right. Me. Making a booty call. My hands were making the small, brown box damp. I shoved the box into my bag and retrieved my phone.

  The package has arrived, I typed.

  Yeah, baby! was the almost immediate response. I stifled a laugh. Where are you?!? came right after.

  At the PO.

  He sent an emoji with fiery cheeks. My laugh came busting out, as I imagined Nick choosing which smiley to send. Okay, dude, that’s too public, he sent.

  Probably so, I typed back.

  I’m in class. That’s probably worse. Right???

  Want to meet at the tower when class is done?

  Hell to the yes.

  I grinned. My booty call was going very well. See you soon. I glanced up to see Ira striding toward me. My face got hot.

  Nick came through with one last emoji (this one was bug-eyed and panting) just in the nick of time. Ha.

  “Joshua, my man.” Ira reached up to clap me on
the shoulder. “You doing okay?”

  “Um, yeah.” I slipped the phone in my pocket. “Yes. Things are good.”

  We walked through the entry and he held open the door for me, gesturing for me to precede him.

  “No problems readjusting to life at Ellery?” he asked as we started up the sidewalk toward the Green.

  “It’s different being here as a grad student, for sure.”

  “Feeling old?”

  I shot a glance at him. He was about a foot shorter than me, but I rarely felt like I towered over him. The intensity of his eyes added three or four feet to his frame.

  “Not quite old…”

  “Yeah.” He winked. “Give it a few years.”

  “I’ll do my best on that.”

  We stopped at an intersection to wait for a crossing signal. “So,” he said. “I wanted to ask if you’d be willing to take on another task while you’re here at Ellery.”

  “Um, depends on what it is? I’m thinking I might not have as much spare time as I’d hoped for.” More like I’d found a new and interesting way to fill my time, but there were certain things one didn’t reveal to one’s boss.

  “Hey, come on,” Pearlstein said. “A history nerd like you doesn’t need spare time, right? Skiing, a social life—those things are boring.”

  “True. Books beat beer and fresh powder every time.” I winked and he laughed.

  As we hit the first part of the Green I scanned the scene for any Frisbee or footballs that might be coming our way. My gaze also wandered over to the art building. Nick was in there. And, yeah, I felt like a total doof for wondering if his concentration was as shot as mine right now. And wondering if he was as eager as I was to make tracks to the tower.

  I dragged my attention back to Professor Pearlstein who’d been rambling on for a while.

  “—so she couldn’t say no to the job, and now I’m out a teaching assistant for Twentieth-Century Eastern European History.”

  I blinked down at the professor, wondering what the hell I’d missed. Something about a TA bailing on him. “Oh,” I said, nodding. Seemed like a reasonable response.

  “We could pay you as an adjunct lecturer in addition to your fellowship, but I might not be able to make that absolutely official until next semester. A good deal though, because more CV fluff and more security for you, right? Would you be able to take over for Sheree in the meantime—if I could work something out with compensation? It would be one discussion group a week, some grading, of course, and it would start in December.”

  Teaching. Right. He wanted me to take over a teaching gig. I loved to teach and I knew the subject well. But it was something I should take some time to decide on. Figure out the details, etcetera.

  “What do you think?” he prompted. He wasn’t known for his patience.

  Right now I wasn’t feeling very patient, either. My mind kept drifting down the path leading away from campus and toward the tower. I inhaled slowly and blurted, “If you can give me a few weeks to finish up my current project, I’ll do it.”

  He broke into a smile. The sunshine glinted off his bald head. “Love the Josh Pahlke attitude. Okay. Get in touch with the department secretary for how to contact Sheree.”

  “Got it.” I nodded. I was practically bouncing on my feet with the need to get back to my place. And shower. And down a couple of glasses of water. And maybe tidy up a little—

  “How do you like living in the tower?” He squinted up at me.

  “I love it.”

  He tilted his head, observing me as if this surprised him. “You usually have so much going on—I was worried you’d feel isolated up there.”

  “It’s quiet, yeah. But so far I’ve been finding it…energizing.”

  “Hmm. Guess it’s not every student who gets a chance to live and breathe and work in a space built by one of his academic idols. I suppose it is energizing.”

  I bit my lip and nodded. If he wanted to think the spirit of Hazen Torvek and all his fusty books and antiques were juicing me up, I was cool with that. Admitting the truth—that a long-haired, cocky-ass sophomore with a big ego and a big dick was jacking my mood and my body sky high—probably would give Pearlstein second thoughts about giving me so much responsibility.

  “It’s very cool,” I told him. “Thanks again for arranging it.

  “Glad you like it,” he said. He looked toward the bank of academic buildings to the left of the library. Somebody in the distance waved to him. “Okay, gotta run. Let me know if you’re up for dinner some time. Bonnie would love to have you.”

  “I’d like that,” I said, relieved he’d made the invitation open-ended. When he was a few steps away, I booked down the sidewalk toward the north side of campus.

  I hadn’t seen Nick since Sunday. We’d texted a bunch and I’d considered asking him to lunch again, but I’d sensed that after such an intense time over the weekend, he’d likely want space. And maybe it had been good for me to take a breather too.

  It wasn’t just the sex I craved with him, it was his company. It was possible I was using him to fill in the void left by friends who were now living far away and by the workouts I’d had to take a break from. But he was so much fun to be around—smart and quirky and cool. And also, despite his protests, he was something of a mystery. Maybe the mystery was more about my reaction to him.

  Something as simple as his skin touching mine was multi-layered and quicksilver with Nick. He’d start out whispering something in that silky-rough voice, making every nerve ending and follicle stand at attention. While his lips were being all light and tender against my cheek and my ear, his fingers could be rough and grasping on my balls…and at the same time his other hand would be making obsessive explorations of my shoulders and back. And then everything would change up and shift with new touches and new whispers.

  It was like being dropped into a deep pool of cool, cool water on a hot day. Or stepping into a cozy lodge—the kind with a roaring fire and lots of good nosh and booze—after a long day of skiing. Sex with Nick took my breath, demanded I refocus and recalibrate, and then, as I fell into the experience, it made me want to wallow and shed all my layers and just float.

  God. I couldn’t wait to see him again.

  I broke into a jog as I rounded the last block before the tower’s drive. My foot immediately demanded I slow down and I took it easy as I hit the slope and the stairs.

  The day was warm but the tower’s lack of big windows and its thick layers of stone kept it cool. Inside the door, I took a few deep breaths and unpocketed my phone. I texted Nick: Home now. I’ll leave the door unlocked.

  I trotted up—gingerly—to the second floor, shed my clothes and headed for the shower. As I soaped and rinsed, I couldn’t decide if I wanted to wank to take the edge off, or if it would be more satisfying to wait for Nick…

  Waiting sounded better. I was toweling off by the bed when I heard the heavy oak door creak open and then shut with a thud. The tower was like an echo chamber. I’d set up my speakers yesterday and half-volume had made the stones reverberate like a cathedral or something.

  “Hey!” I called out, tossing the towel to the floor and quickly slipping into some shorts. Yeah, I was down with making a booty call, but greeting Nick naked with my cock waving howdy? Wasn’t quite ready for that. Not yet anyway.

  “Hey.” His head and shoulders appeared in the stairwell. For a second his expression seemed stern, maybe a little bit guarded, but when his gaze met mine he broke into a smile.

  Happiness bubbled in my chest, pushing out any doubts or fears. I laughed. What could I do? It was so good to see him.

  He made it the rest of the way up the stairs and, after a couple seconds of checking me out in blatant Cocky Kid fashion, he leaned a shoulder against the stone wall and crossed his arms over his chest. Tight white T-shirt today and cutoffs that hung low on his hips. It was a total pose, but I didn’t care. It looked damn good on him and the sincerity of his smile was undeniable. It creased his lean
cheeks, lit up his dark eyes.

  “What are you doing, Joshua? Standing up here in your tower half-naked, half-hard and laughing?”

  I laughed some more and shrugged. “Waiting for you, of course.”

  He didn’t shift position but one of his eyebrows rose and his smile disappeared. “I got a summons. What was that? The prince in his tower bidding his minion to come service him?” His voice was deeper than usual, edged with a bass-heavy throb that echoed around the room.

  I swallowed a couple times, trying to get a handle on his words and the sudden change of attitude. I stared at him. The way he was looking at me… God. My cock twitched, filling to full size in my shorts.

  His mouth quirked a tiny bit on the left side. If I hadn’t been staring I wouldn’t have noticed. He was playing. Of course.

  My cheeks flushed and I tamped out the fizzle of embarrassment for not buying into his game right away. I widened my stance, crossed my hands in front of my crotch and hung my head. “No,” I said softly. “I’m no prince and this isn’t really my tower. But I’ve been here alone and waiting.” I had to pause and clear my throat, almost ruining the effect I was going for. “I—I need someone. Someone to set me free.”

  “Someone?” His voice oozed scorn. “If any random guy would do, why did you summon me?”

  From beneath my lashes I saw him take a few slow steps toward me. I shivered. My cock nudged my clasped hands. “I don’t need a random guy. I need you.”

  He exhaled a doubtful-sounding noise and walked by me. I turned my head to see him pick up the brown box I’d dropped on the bed. He opened it. Slowly, leisurely, his thumb gently depressing the seams, his long, ringed fingers carefully drawing out the inner box.