Quarantined With My Straight Roommate Read online

  “It’s nothing you ought to worry about.”

  “Stop it, Tony. I got up at five in the fucking morning to find out what the hell happened with you and I want to know, NOW.”

  “Geez, Patel. Can I get a cup of coffee first.”

  “No. I’m holding this bag of coffee hostage until you tell me what the hell is going on.”

  I opened the coffee and dramatically dangled it over the sink.

  “Don’t you dare.”

  “Don’t you try me.”

  “I swear to God, I’ll kick your ass if you throw my coffee down the drain.”

  “Try me.”

  “Fuck. Okay. Okay. It’s Kylie. I thought I could get her off my back by coming out to my mom but… she’s not done making my life a living hell. I didn’t want you to worry about it.”

  “What does she want?”

  29

  TONY STONE

  I had no right to involve him in this. Max was innocent. He didn’t fuck up by treating Kylie like shit.

  “She wants to watch me have sex with a guy.”

  “What? Ew!”

  “Ew?”

  “You know what I mean.”

  “Why the hell does she want that?”

  “I don’t fucking know. She has nothing on me, I just don’t know how to get her off my back.”

  “Have you tried scaring the crap out of her?”

  “What the hell do you mean by that?”

  “I dunno. Like yelling. Whatever it is jocks do to kids they bully in school.”

  “Why do you assume I bullied people in school?”

  “No reason.”

  “Wipe that smirk off your face. I asked you a damn question.”

  “Because you did. I bet you were all angst and attitude in the closet and you took it out on the innocent.”

  “Shut the fuck up, Max.”

  As usual, he was driving me crazy and unhelpful when it came to the Kylie problem. But we’d gone too many days without talking for him to believe this was only about Kylie and her creepy text messages. There was more going on. Shit, I didn’t want to talk about.

  “Did you hear the news?”

  “What news?” Max grumbled, absentmindedly fiddling with his nail polish.

  “The governor’s relaxed quarantine. In about a week, I’ll need you to get out of here.”

  “Great.”

  “I talked to a friend of mine and I think I can help you find a job.”

  “Cool.”

  “Listen, Max. You know what I want. But you don’t want the same thing. I can’t have you around like this without… while knowing you don’t feel the same.”

  “Yeah. I get it.”

  Fuck. He got me so mad. Every chance he could, he pointed out how I hated talking about feelings and all the ways I was fucked up for it. But he hated his feelings more than I hated mine. He wouldn’t give in after weeks of living together. After having so much sex that my dick ached. He wouldn’t give in.

  Before we could continue our conversation, the doorbell rang.

  “Who the fuck is it this time?”

  Max stomped over to the door and thrust it open. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

  “Um… Hello…”

  My mother pushed past him and stomped inside.

  “Sweet Jesus… ANTHONY! ANTHONY!”

  “I’m right here, mama.”

  She ran up to me and put her arms around me.

  “May the blood of Jesus cover you, my boy.”

  I stiffened and let her hug me. Mama was always overly touchy. She pulled away from me and glowered at Max.

  “Who’s this?”

  “My… roommate.”

  “What happened to that beautiful girl you were living with?”

  Max snickered.

  “She moved out. Ma, what are you doing here?”

  “Your father’s out of the hospital and he wanted to come East. He’s not happy with the way Jerry’s been running the Boston office and he says the Peterkin account was a disgrace. He’s not happy with that either.”

  And I wasn’t happy with clients hounding my ass or with Kylie pissing me the hell off every day. But I handled things in Boston. Not him. He hadn’t been to the Boston office in months. At least he was doing better. Slight comfort.

  “So, who is this roommate? I’m Karen. Nice to meet you.”

  Max stifled another laugh. Great.

  “Karen. Wow, what a beautiful name. I’m Max Patel.”

  “Oh, Patel. That’s not an American name, is it?”

  “No, ma’am,” Max answered, his voice dripping with sarcasm. Fuck’s sake. My cheeks burned. My mom and Max spending any more time together seemed like a dangerous idea.

  “Max, do you mind?”

  He disappeared, and I offered my mom a beer.

  “I was wondering where your manners had gone. So. Is that your boyfriend?”

  Great. So she wasn’t as clueless as she thought. Southern women. They hide all their feelings behind a smile and a “bless your heart”. They didn’t let you know what they were thinking unless it suited them.

  “No. He ain’t my boyfriend.”

  “He doesn’t look at you like a man that isn’t your boyfriend. And don’t say ‘ain’t.’”

  “Yes, mama.”

  “I didn’t tell your father what you told me.”

  “Thank you.”

  “And you shouldn’t tell him either.”

  “Why not?”

  “Anthony Stone, you’ve always been headstrong, but I cannot have you telling your father you decided to be a homosexual. He’s recovering from a serious illness and that kind of news, well, it could kill him.”

  “Ain’t — Aren’t you being overdramatic, mama? It didn’t kill you.”

  “I’m not exactly happy about it, but what can I do? You hang around these liberals with their newfangled ideas, you’re bound to make these kinds of decisions. Was it that boy you live with, Max?”

  “No, mama. It wasn’t Max.”

  “Fix your face, Anthony. It was a simple question. I’m coming around. I talked to the ladies at church about it and they gave me a lot of perspective.”

  “You told people at church!?”

  “Relax. I only told Martha. Her daughter’s a homosexual too, you know.”

  “Mama, can you please stop saying ‘homosexual’ like that?”

  “Well, what do you want me to say? It’s not politically correct any longer for me to say f—

  “Mama!”

  She tipped the beer back into her mouth and shrugged. Jesus H Christ. My mom, the ex-sorority girl, the Texan beauty queen, wasn’t reacting as badly as I thought. Sure, she was still her religious, conservative self, but… I could handle that. I could work with that. I worried about my dad. He wasn’t like my mom.

  “I’m sorry, Anthony.”

  “Whatever,” I said.

  My mama raised her eyebrow at the nasty habit I picked up from Max. Fuck. I couldn’t get that little twerp off my mind, even now. My heart raced as I considered my mom’s reaction and how much worse my father’s would be.

  “I have to tell dad,” I said, “I don’t have a choice.”

  “Yes, you do. If your father hears about this, he won’t react well. I’m pleading with you, Anthony. I’ve done everything in my power to secure a future for you and I don’t want you throwing it away for some boy, even if he is a looker.”

  “A looker?”

  “Don’t you call them that anymore? He’s handsome. Not very effeminate, either.”

  This is what Max would have called a “microaggression”. And he might have launched into a two-hour lecture about how backwards and old-fashioned this line of thinking was. But I didn’t have the words for all that. All I knew was…

  “Mama?”

  “What?”

  “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “For trying your damndest.”

  “Don’t you cuss, Anthony! I can still whoop your butt
. Don’t forget it.”

  “I’m still telling dad.”

  “I can’t get through to you, can I? But Anthony, I don’t want to lose my son.”

  “You won’t lose me, mama. I promise.”

  “You don’t know how your father will react.”

  “And neither do you.”

  “Honey, I know my husband.”

  “I know. But mama, you don’t know what it’s been like for me.”

  “Come to church with me.”

  I stiffened. Church? Was this a joke? An attempt to convert me?

  “Why?”

  “Because, you have a lot going on and you need to pray about it.”

  “I don’t pray, mama and I haven’t been to church in years.”

  “Okay, honey. And this Max… does he treat you right?”

  “Mom, there is no Max. We’re roommates.”

  “If you say so. Now. I ought to get back to your father. I wanted to talk some sense into you. But I see I can’t. Whatever happens, I love you.”

  30

  MAX PATEL

  I had horrible timing, but it was just good enough that I missed the rest of Tony’s catch up session with his mom. Tony was doing something I’d never seen him do before. That was how I knew it was bad.

  “Uh oh. You’re eating your feelings. This is bad.”

  “Want in?”

  “Yeah. I need to put on as much weight as possible before I’m out on the streets.”

  “Funny,” he grunted.

  “Not to me.”

  “What happened?”

  “My parents are in town. And by the time I talk to my dad, I’ll be on the streets with you.”

  “Maybe we don’t have to be on the streets. Maybe we could… figure it out.”

  “There is no ‘we’, Max. That’s what you wanted.”

  “Yeah. I mean, we don’t have to date.”

  “Stop.”

  He dug his spoon into the Ben and Jerry’s pint and shoveled Chunky Monkey into his mouth.

  “I’m serious.”

  I grabbed the spoon out of his hand, and Tony let me. Progress. I took a spoonful myself and leaned against the counter across from him.

  “Men are allowed to be friends with men, you know.”

  “Shut up.”

  “Why?”

  “Because, I can’t be your fucking friend. I can’t do that.”

  He grabbed my hand and pulled me close to him.

  “I’m going to give up everything I’ve ever had. When my dad finds out, he will blow his lid and I won’t have this place. I don’t care about any of that. I have my own savings. I’ve been saving since I had this job out of college. The only thing I want is you.”

  My heart pounded. I could almost hear it. The part of my hand he touched yearned for more. I always wanted more from Tony. Why couldn’t I let myself fall in love with him? Why couldn’t I accept that he wanted to be with me? Why couldn’t I let myself believe it?

  “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for being such a pain in the ass.”

  Tony rose and grabbed my hips.

  “I’m a bigger pain in your ass.”

  “Is that supposed to be innuendo?”

  “You decide.”

  His hands squeezed my hips and ran down over my ass.

  “Why do you fuck with me like this?”

  He kissed my neck. Fuck. There was nothing like Tony’s kisses. Once I moved out of here, I’d miss them. I’d miss more than his kisses. I’d miss falling asleep and waking up to Tony sliding next to me, his muscular stomach pressing against my back as he slid my boxers off. His wet finger sliding between my cheeks as he prepared to enter me. His mouth wrapping around my cock and the feeling of his cock between his lips. I’d miss all of it.

  I grabbed his cheeks and kissed him back. Hard. He grinned as he pulled away from me.

  “If we’re supposed to be just friends, we can’t keep hanging out like this.”

  “One more time, we can,” I whispered, “Only one more time. It’ll be a goodbye fuck.”

  “A goodbye fuck? You ain’t out of here yet.”

  “I know. But I should be. I shouldn’t keep doing this.”

  “Neither should I.”

  He kissed me again, and he cupped the outside of my cock with his palm, tracing the shape with his fingers and drawing me close to him by grasping my package firmly.

  “Since it’s our last time, I ought to give you something that you want. Something you’re always too scared to ask for.”

  “I’m not too scared to ask.”

  “Can you shut up for one fucking second, Max?”

  “No. Never.”

  He slipped my sweatpants down over my ass.

  “Really, orange boxers?”

  “Who’s the one who can’t shut up? Since when do you care about fashion.”

  Tony got to his knees and rolled my boxers and sweatpants down over my ass.

  “You are so fucking hard.”

  “Duh.”

  He teased the tip with his tongue and retracted it into his mouth.

  “Tony…”

  “Don’t fucking talk.”

  His tongue jutted out again, wrapping around the helmet of my cock. I groaned as he took more of me into his mouth, taking my hardness deep into the back of his throat and tightening his lips around me in a hot, dripping wet blowjob.

  Fuck. I would miss this head. He teased my balls with his fingers, gently massaging them without too much pressure as he thrust my cock deeper down his throat. He gagged and my cock got so hard; I thought I would burst.

  31

  TONY STONE

  The last time. This was the last time. I took his cock deep down my throat. His balls hit my chin as I took the tip of his cock deep into my mouth, accepting him deeper into my mouth. Max groaned, and I pushed him back against the wall. Max raked his fingers through my hair and I grabbed his ass to take him deeper into my mouth until I felt his hardness stiffen. I dug my nails into his ass and Max groaned, erupting into my mouth.

  I clamped my mouth around his cock as Max pumped cum into my mouth. I pulled my mouth off of him and he grabbed my shirt, yanking me to my feet and kissing me hard. Last time. This is the last time. He ran his fingers through my hair again and pulled my head close to his. Fucking hell.

  I kissed his neck and took his hand.

  “My bed.”

  His black, chipped nail polish slipped through mine. He took my hand, and I dragged him back to my room. Stripping him down to nothing took a little time, and I pushed him onto his back.

  “Tony…”

  “Quiet…”

  I dropped to my knees between his legs, reaching for lube from my nightstand and slathering it on his backdoor. Fuck, my cock was so hard for him. I ran my tongue around his backdoor to his balls. Max moaned again as I dampened his tight ass with smooth strokes from my tongue. His balls tightened, remaining close to his body as I used a finger to push lube into his ass.

  If this would be our last time together, I’d do everything to make it count. Friends. How the fuck could we go from this to friendship? We’d never been proper friends. Max didn’t like sports or care about the stock market and I could only muster a passing interest in Ina Garten and Project Runway re-runs.

  I pulled my well hung cock out of my pants and pressed the hot tip against his puckered backdoor. I slid inside him with one stroke. Max cried out in pain and pleasure and his ass clamped hard around my dick. Fucking hell. His satiny walls wrapped around my cock like a hot sleeve, and I grunted as I thrust my length into him. Fuck, fitting in his tight ass took effort and as I plunged into him, our faces met.

  Why the fuck did I pick now to look into Max’s eyes? They were such a sexy shade of brown. Sorrel colored, tilting downward to soften the sharp angles of his olive-skinned face.

  “Fuck…” I breathed.

  I squeezed my eyes shut and grunted as I pushed my hips into him, slamming my cock deeper inside Max. He cried out, and I grabb
ed onto his hair, planting my lips against his neck as I slid into him. Fuck. So tight. I fucked him hard into my bed, opening my eyes and watching as his face twisted in pleasure as I took him. I loved watching his face change and darken as he wanted more of me, as he became desperate for my cock.

  Fuck. I needed to cum inside him. I grabbed Max’s cheeks, pressing my forehead into his and kissing him as my hips moved between his thighs. I groaned and released inside of him. I couldn’t take it anymore. He cried out as my cock expanded in his backdoor and I released between his legs, pumping thick spurts of my hot cum into his tight ass. Max grabbed onto me, pulling my body close to his as I finished, keeping my cock buried between his legs.

  I didn’t want him to let go. I could sleep in this intimacy for hours. Having him in my bed, nestled in my flannel sheets… I could keep him here forever. And I didn’t have to give a fuck what anyone thought. But Max was right. If we wanted to make it, we couldn’t be in a hot-headed relationship where either of us could screw the other one over. Friends. Just friends.

  “So…” I said, “When I bring guys back to our place, you won’t be upset?”

  “Your cum is leaking out of me and you’re already asking about other guys.”

  Fuck. I can see how I’d sound like a dick then. I bit my lower lip and Max laughed. Screw his grim sense of humor.

  “I’m joking.”

  “Very fucking funny.”

  “Tony…”

  “What?”

  “We met weirdly, but… quarantine hasn’t been that terrible.”

  “Emphatic vote of confidence.”

  “The last thing you need is an ego boost.”

  I grabbed his face and kissed him. I didn’t need an ego boost. I had what I needed, nestled in my bed, naked so I could run my hands over his lean body and touch his cock as it lay slung against his taut thighs.

  “You don’t want to give me what I need.”

  “Tony…”

  “I’m tired of walking back what I mean. I love you, Max. It might be easy for you to be friends with me, but living with you… I know what I want. And I’ll wait until you realize that I’m not going anywhere.”

  “Stop it.”