The Male Room

by Carolyn LeVine Topol

  Jeff was supposed to be on the dance floor letting off steam by moving to the music, not sucking on the hottest cock in the state.

  “Hey!”

  Craig looked down. Brunet Boy’s brow was furrowed as he looked up.

  “I don’t know about you, but I want to get off.”

  Demanding bottoms. Craig was angry. He wasn’t even sure why. It was obvious, watching Jeff devour Sam’s length that he was there willingly and enthusiastically. Damn! What a way to screw up a night.

  Closing his eyes and resting his head against the cold cement for a moment, Craig refocused. “Don’t stop now.” He looked down at the eager brunet, cupping his hand behind the twink’s head to press him closer. “Let’s see how fast you can get me hard again, and then you’ll get exactly what you want.”

  “Oh yeah!” Looking up, eyes wide, the trick dove in.

  Craig let his eyelids close again, losing himself in the wet heat. “Good, good. Like that. Fuck! You’re a hot little sucker.”

  He wanted more. Craig wanted it hotter. He didn’t know why, but Craig needed to make this kid scream.

  Knotting his fingers in the dark hair he jerked the boy up to a standing position, turning him quickly in place, pushing him face-first up against the wall. “Hold on tight, it’s going to be one fucking hell of a ride.” Craig hissed in the trick’s ear, smirking when the twink shivered.

  The kid quickly lowered his pants and braced himself against the wall, his head resting against his arms. He wanted it rough and Craig was more than happy to oblige.

  Making fast work of rolling on the condom, Craig covered the latex in lube and then rammed two moistened fingers in the waiting hole.

  “Oh God!”

  “Just wait. This is only the beginning.” Craig risked glancing over toward Sam one more time. The man’s face displayed pure ecstasy as Jeff’s mouth was all over his oversized balls.

  After working his trick, he pulled his fingers out as fast as he’d entered.

  “Fuck!”

  “Don’t worry, here I come.” Craig thrust inside the pulsing entrance. He knew he was being rougher than usual, but this was what he needed. The trick was a vessel with great sound effects. The perfect solution to whatever was making him so pissed off.

  “Oh shit!” The kid started clawing the wall as Craig thrust in and out, fast and furious. Setting a much faster pace than Craig had thought he would, using the twink’s ass to vent his baffling, inexplicable anger.

  Wanting the biggest and best reaction possible, Craig made sure to hit the guy’s prostate over and over, moving his hips as his cock grazed over the sensitive area.

  Without Craig even having to touch the twink’s cock, the kid exploded against the wall. “Oh my God!”

  He got his scream, and the attention of everyone else in the backroom. With his audience fully focused on him, Craig let himself go. Pressing in and out through the trick’s tightness he came hard and silent, his eyes tightly shut and envisioning the kid in front of him with red hair. Where the fuck did that come from?

  Near him he heard a loud, deep moan. “Oh baby, you’re the hottest thing to ever get down in front of me. I may have to return the favor.”

  The murmur in the backroom would have been comical had it not been so hot. Sam never offered to blow anyone, but now, here he was, on his knees sucking Jeff like a goddamn Hoover.

  Craig stood frozen, his pants still halfway down, watching Jeff’s dick slip in and out of Sam’s mouth. He was being eaten alive and reveling in every minute of it, if the sounds he was making were an accurate indication. It had been a long time since Craig had witnessed Jeff in action. His friend had been keeping his sex life behind closed doors for a while, but this was one amazing coming-out performance.

  Jeff writhed against the wall, hands at his sides, grappling at the cold cinderblock for purchase. Craig was mesmerized by Jeff whose head was moving from side to side, eyes tightly closed, sweat building, his normally gently wavy red hair plastered to his head.

  His friend was not supposed to like this kind of thing. Why was he back here? Was Sam really all that great?

  “Sam, Sam, oh, Sam.”

  Jeff didn’t know this guy or his reputation. Did they actually exchange names before fucking?

  Craig’s jaw clenched. Jeff let his head fall back as his body jerked. “Oh God!”

  Sam held him in place, drinking in every drop until the now limp dick slipped from his lips. He stood up and pressed his lips to Jeff’s. “Anytime, babe.” He pulled something out of his pocket. At first Craig wondered why Sam would give his friend a condom until he saw a business card changing hands. “Call me whenever. You’re definitely worth a second visit. Maybe next time you’ll let me fill you up.”

  Jeff’s labored breathing continued. He said nothing, but accepted the card and nodded, glancing after Sam as the hunky top zipped his pants and left for the bar and dance floor.

  Walking up to Jeff, his trick gone and forgotten, Craig whispered in his friend’s ear. “I’m going home. Are you coming with me, or spending the night sucking every cock in Boston?” He continued to walk, unwilling to look directly at Jeff, knowing his words were far harsher than they should be. Losing his job must have put him in a fouler mood than he’d realized.

  Chapter 5

  “WHAT the hell was that all about?” Jeff stood, hands on hips, in the middle of the small living room, glaring at Craig.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Craig turned away, knowing his words were lame, at best. He knew exactly what Jeff was referring to and had no idea how to face it or why it happened.

  “You practically dragged me out of the Music Box, and the entire trip home I had the strange feeling you were mad at me for actually doing what you suggested. I found a hot guy, and I let off some of my bottled-up anger and frustration about the whole Derek mess.”

  “I thought you’d dance away your disappointment at the separation from dickhead Derek. It seemed like you missed him a lot more than I expected.” Craig lowered his head. “Besides, it was just a surprise seeing you in the backroom with Sam. You never trick, and then when you finally do, it’s with—”

  “The most sought after cock in Boston?” Jeff smirked. “You’re angry that I nailed the hottest guy around.”

  “You think he’s the hottest?” Craig knew he sounded pathetic, but hearing Jeff declare someone else in a bar hotter than him actually bugged him.

  “Oh my God, you’re jealous!” Jeff started laughing so hard he bent in half.

  “Fuck you! I’m not jealous! I’ve never been jealous a day in my life.” This was definitely getting out of hand, and Craig needed to stop the entire discussion before it went too far. “Forget it. I was just worried about you. I thought that’s what friends are for.”

  Jeff quickly quieted down. He stood up and looked directly at Craig. It unnerved Craig and he wanted to approach his friend, but he made sure to stay more than an arm’s length away. Unfortunately, that wasn’t Jeff’s plan as he immediately came over and wrapped his arms around Craig and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you for caring about me. I hope you know I feel the same way about you.”

  Seemingly involuntarily Craig returned the hug. It was comfortable, maybe too comfortable. After they had clung together for only a short few seconds, Craig felt his cock stir, reacting to the feel of Jeff in his arms. He pulled away, hoping Jeff hadn’t felt anything.

  “Listen, Jeff, why don’t we get some sleep, and tomorrow morning we’ll think about what to do with our lives.”

  “I actually had a little time to think about that before Sam and I, well… you know.”

  Craig bit his lip. “Yeah, I know.”

  “Anyway, I’m pretty sure I have just the thing to utilize all our talents, and Sam might even be able to help us.”

  “I am not becoming a pimp!” Craig balled his fists.

  “You can be so cute, in a stupid, naive sort of way.” Jeff smiled. “I only deal in le
gitimate business. Besides, I’ve had Sam, and I don’t see a relationship that could possibly be successful between us, so he’s yesterday’s news in the sex department. However, in the legal sense he still might be of some use to me, us.”

  “What are you thinking about?” Craig could feel the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end.

  Jeff gave him a quick peck on the forehead. “Go to bed. We’ll talk in the morning. After all, neither of us has any place to be.”

  Craig nodded, exhaustion overtaking him as he quickly made his way to the bathroom to wash up and then fall into bed.

  Once in his bed, nestled securely under the covers, Craig thought about the kid he had been pounding into at the club. He was hot, but as soon as Craig closed his eyes, remembering the satisfying fuck, the twink morphed into a taller man with red hair, long legs, and… shit!

  “YOU look like crap.”

  “Good morning to you, too, Jeffrey. You seem to have slept well.”

  “I slept like a baby. Your sofa is incredibly comfortable for a piece of furniture that was probably found on a curb when no one bought it at a yard sale.”

  “I’ll have you know I spent a lot of money on my sofa.”

  “Oh really? Do tell. Where’d you get it?”

  Craig mumbled something under his breath.

  “I didn’t quite catch that, sweetie. Want to try again?” Jeff smirked.

  “Ikea, okay. I got it at Ikea. No comments.”

  Jeff started to snicker but didn’t say a word.

  “Since you’re all bright-eyed, I hope you at least made coffee.”

  Bringing the fresh pot to the table, Jeff poured a cup for his grumpy friend.

  “Whenever the mood hits you, I’d be happy to hear your brilliant idea for us to make money. And I can’t wait to find out how Sam fits into all this.”

  “Dating.” After putting the carafe back in the brewer, Jeff returned to the table and sat opposite Craig.

  “Huh?” Craig’s brow furrowed, and he took several large gulps of the hot beverage.

  “Online dating for gays and lesbians.” Taking a sip of his coffee then putting the cup down Jeff sat back, clasped his hands, and plastered a big grin on his face as he waited for Craig’s reaction.

  “There are a zillion online matchmakers out there. Why the hell would we even consider opening a business in a market that’s already glutted?”

  “Because, silly, there aren’t more than a tiny handful that will even address same-sex dating. We could even include the trannies. They’re certainly underrepresented in the online dating world.”

  “That’s probably because they can find their own dates.” Craig grimaced and lifted his cup, tossing back the rest. He held it in the air. “More, please.”

  “Yes, Oliver. You’re such a pitiful specimen in the morning. Good thing I care about you. Maybe I should stay here indefinitely.” Jeff watched for a reaction from Craig. He knew he was taking a chance on the side remark, but hoped it would pass as a welcome suggestion from a close friend.

  Taking the refill, Craig brushed his fingers over Jeff’s. “You’re a great servant.” Craig winked at Jeff. “Keeping you around for a while wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world.”

  Jeff took his seat and squeezed Craig’s lower arm as he held the cup to his lips. “How could I begin to think about leaving with such a rousing welcome?”

  The two gazed at each other in silence. After a few seconds, Craig broke eye contact, lowering his eyelids, concentrating on drinking his coffee. Jeff watched as the tension seemed to fall away from his friend’s shoulders, and he sat back in his chair to enjoy the view.

  Letting Craig think about his suggestion, Jeff stood up and put a couple of bagels in the toaster oven on the tiny counter. It took up half the usable space, but it was probably the only kitchen appliance, apart from the coffee maker, that Craig owned and used.

  Jeff scanned the tiny kitchen area, wishing he could make it his own, wishing it was theirs. Staring at the toaster, he thought about a life where, each morning, he would wake up in the bed he shared with Craig, their bed. Hell, he wanted to be much more than friends. Jeff knew why all his previous relationships had fallen apart. He couldn’t help but compare every other man to Craig, and he always found them wanting. Craig was the only one he truly wanted to pursue, but it was a lost cause; Craig only thought of Jeff as his best friend.

  Placing the cream cheese and jam on the table, Jeff started when Craig’s eyes flew open and he grabbed his wrist. “You might be right.”

  “About what?” Jeff hoped he hadn’t actually verbalized any of his thoughts.

  Craig looked at Jeff and tilted his head. “Your idea for a business venture. We really can do this if we approach it from the right angle. Why not start something that focuses on the LGBT community in the twenty-first century? And we don’t even have to be in charge of the servers and shit. That could be taken care of anywhere in the country by some computer geek who knows what he’s doing. We’ll be the front men.”

  “And Sam can handle the legal work of getting the business going and the contracts for the clients. He’d make a great consultant and would probably do it for a nominal fee.”

  Craig’s eyes widened. “You were that good, were you?”

  “No, asshole—well, I was that good, but my guess is he’d do it to support a small business targeting his favorite minority.”

  “Ah.” Craig nodded and offered a half-grin.

  “You were teasing me!” Jeff smacked his friend’s arm. It was caught by Craig who held it briefly in place against his pulsing muscle.

  “Only because I can.” Craig’s voice lost its playful tone and grew husky.

  “Are you teasing me now?” Jeff knew his tone was breathy, but the way Craig held him in place was too much to deal with. He wasn’t sure how to interpret the gesture.

  “I don’t know.”

  “Craig.” Jeff pleaded, wishing for some sign of hope.

  Craig let go. “I need my breakfast. I’m feeling lightheaded.” He stood up to get the bagels from the toaster, letting Jeff’s hand fall away. Jeff wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but Craig seemed unsettled at losing the contact. “I hope your idea works, otherwise we’ll have to find a refrigerator box to move into.”

  Jeff chuckled. “It should be a breeze. After all, how hard can it be to start a company that’s completely computer based?”

  Carefully smearing a pat of cream cheese on his bagel, Craig shook his head. “My guess is it’s a lot harder than either of us realize.”

  “Well, at least you know how to create a program on the computer. I remember all those cool games you designed.”

  Biting into his bagel, Craig smiled as he chewed. “Yeah, I got a kick out of making things work. I guess I could design a questionnaire that could be worked to match with other questionnaires in the system.”

  “It might be interesting finding out just who is right for whomever.” Jeff hid his smile as he took another sip from his cup of still-steaming coffee.

  Looking up from his food, Craig’s eyes widened. “It might be at that.”

  Chapter 6

  “SAM, what the hell is all this? Do you get paid by the page?” Craig was pacing back and forth across Sam Solomon’s large office. He paused in front of the corner office’s floor-to-ceiling windows and gazed at the view of downtown Boston. “I’ve spent the past five days chained to my computer creating profiling programs for the new business. I’d almost forgotten what the city actually looks like.”

  Jeff sat silently in one of the armchairs opposite Sam’s massive glass-topped desk. Craig had been getting more and more impatient with Jeff. Every time it looked like the profile was complete, Jeff would come up with another category that just had to be added to the site’s online form. There were so many components to finding the right match, and Jeff didn’t want to cheat their potential clients by not including any parameter that might make the difference between a successful
match and a disappointment.

  Standing from behind his desk, Sam buttoned his suit jacket and approached Craig. “You’re taking on a major responsibility. Starting your own business is a huge endeavor and there are a number of important protections and guarantees to put into place. They’re for the protection of both your company and your clients.”

  Turning away from the window, Craig looked directly at Sam. “Are we crazy? Is this notion going to flop before it gets off the ground?”

  “You know, Craig, most small businesses are struggling in the current economic climate. I won’t give you a rose-colored view of the world. I’m not paid to do that.”

  Craig huffed. “I’m sure we’re not paying you nearly enough for all you’re doing for us.”

  Smiling almost too sweetly for such a hulking figure of a man, Sam put his hand on Craig’s shoulder. “I know you’re not paying me enough.” He chuckled. “But what I also know is there is a market for what you’re proposing to sell, and the best part is, it’s for a consumer who has the disposable income to invest in your product.”

  “Sex sells.” Craig smirked.

  “No. Love sells, although the option for sex thrown into the mix doesn’t hurt.” Sam walked back to his desk and settled in his chair. He pushed a stack of papers toward Jeff. “Why don’t you start signing? I’ve flagged all the places you need to sign or initial. Take your time to read as you go, and then sign or initial as indicated. It should all be quite clear, but if you have any questions or concerns don’t sign that section until you’ve asked. I don’t want you accepting responsibility for something you don’t completely understand.”

  Jeff took the pen and the thick stack of documents and began to read. He wanted to say something to Craig to calm his nerves, but he thought better of it. In this case, silence was golden and should only be broken by Sam. The savvy attorney seemed to know just what to say to make Craig take notice and remain focused.