I was awake. Sadly.

I let one of my eyes open before the other and blinked through my eyelashes across the room. I was looking at a bed. My bed.

Which meant everything last night hadn't been a dream after all.

With a groan, I pushed myself into a sitting position and stared down at myself in disgust before finally locating the trunks I'd been wearing yesterday and sliding them on. I could hear the shower switch off in the bathroom, which meant Michael was still around.

That or some random person had snuck in there, which might actually be more preferable.

I stumbled my way to the kitchen and opened Michael's minifridge, hoping there was some pop or something, but only saw the jug of milk I bought and a few cans of cheap beer. I took one and popped the tab. Disgusting as always. How my dad drank this shit every day was beyond me.

Next I set about making myself a bowl of cereal with the milk, figuring I should be able to manage the simplest of breakfasts. I was trying to find a spoon to eat it with when the bathroom door opened and Michael strolled out, stopping the second he saw me.

"That's my good beer," he said.

I narrowed my eyes at him, standing there in the doorway, fully nude. "Go away. I never want another naked person in this kitchen as long as I live."

He rolled his eyes and continued past the door towards his bed. "Not like you haven't already seen it."

I picked up the bowl and tried to drink directly from it. I ended up choking and spilling milk all down my face. Great.

It wasn't long until Michael came back, now with a pair of gray joggers hanging low on his hips. I could still see it, the outline anyway, but mentioning this would mean admitting to looking in the first place.

"What time is it?" I asked.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket to check. I looked too, but he was holding it so close to his crotch I had to force my gaze away. "Eight forty-three," he answered before putting it down screen-up on the counter.

"You should have woken me up."

"You looked peaceful," he told me. "And you weren't tossing and turning and mumbling in your sleep like all the other times."

I stopped and set my uneaten cereal down. "I talk in my sleep?"

"Don't worry, it's mostly nonsense," he said tactfully.

"Mostly?"

He sighed and took a long drink of beer before responding. "You could probably make out a few words here and there. I'm not sitting up and listening to your secrets."

I waited a second, then walked up slowly to where he was seated and placed one hand on each of his legs. "If you were, would you admit it?" I said, tilting my head to the side.

"No."

I looked up at him silently until a drop of water fell from the tips of his hair onto my cheek and I leaned back, scrubbing it away. "I should take a shower," I muttered.

He gripped my sides, his thumbs twisting in the hem of my t-shirt. "Can I come?"

"You were just in the shower," I said.

"I could go back."

I let out a loud sigh and rolled my eyes. "You're so annoying."

He lifted his eyebrows. "Welcome to Ben being bitch part five million."

"At least I don't suck cocks," I said.

The corner of his lip curved up. "Yet."

A spark of rage flared in my gut. "You know what?" I gritted. "I don't have to stand here and take this." I pushed myself away from the counter. "Have a nice life, cocksucker."

He grabbed me by my hair and dragged me back, so that my back slammed against his chest. "Act like a bitch and you'll get treated like one," he whispered over the sound of my heart pounding.

The words shot straight to my dick. I gasped a little at the tingle of pain in my scalp and looked down at the embarrassing bulge in my trunks. I saw it. He saw it.

Fucking hell.

Michael slid off the counter smoothly, keeping one hand skillfully on my waist while the other clutched my hair. My thighs squeezed together but it was no use. I was getting harder by the second. I wasn't afraid of what he'd do, I realized. I was excited.

"I think you need to cool off, Benny," he murmured. The way he was looking at me - it was dark, hungry, like a lion eyeing a slab of meat. And then, before I could protest, he wrapped both arms securely around my thighs and hoisted me over his shoulder.

"Michael!" I shouted. "You can't just pick me up! It's not fair."

He chuckled some more and carried me into the bathroom. "Sorry, it's so hard to resist."

He was taller than me, stronger than me, hotter than me - but his confidence, the way he felt so secure about himself and who he was, that was what I envied the most. I wasn't sure I could ever get to that point.

Michael's thumbs slipped beneath the waistband of my trunks. "You have to take these off to shower." He edged them down an inch, just enough to reveal the stubble of my pubic hair.

I wanted to chastise him for being so eager, but I couldn't. I wanted him too. I wanted to feel his hands on me again, feel his mouth for more than the three-second teaser he'd given me last night.

If I had a cocksucker for a roommate, I might as well reap the benefits.

I pressed my lips together and pulled down my trunks, letting them drop to my ankles. He let his eyes linger on my erection before doing the same with his joggers. I felt so naked now, so exposed, without the cover of darkness or rush of hasty passion.

I was trembling, and I couldn't look him in the eye, so I just turned and got in the shower first, turning on the water.

He stood outside motionlessly while I waited for him. "Coming?"

"It's freezing," he protested. "I don't want him to shrink."

Oh. Him. I looked down. "I think he'll be okay," I murmured. Michael wasn't exactly small. He sighed and got in after me, bumping into my side. "Be honest," I said curiously. "Have you fucked someone in here?"

"Is that an invitation?"

I blinked. "It's a question."

"Alright," he said. "Yes. Kitty."

Of course. I didn't respond, just dunked my head under the water and stood there as my fluffy hair flattened against my forehead.

I suddenly realized I'd completely forgotten what to do next. It was extremely uncomfortable, I thought, taking a shower with another person there next to you, seeing everything you did. Showering must be one of the most personal things out there. Should I just start washing myself and he did too? Did we wash each other? That seemed awkward.

Michael chuckled and reached to pick up my shampoo bottle from the shelf. "Daily strengthening shampoo," he read. "Thickens, strengthens, cleanses." He looked up. "Fancy."

"At least I don't use that 3-in-1 shit."

"You are an elite man," he said. I rolled my eyes and he shook it and squeezed some out onto his palm before rubbing his hands together and running them through my hair.

I leaned back against him while he massaged my scalp, the shampoo turning to foam in my hair. The water was hot now, steaming up the mirror. I relaxed, eyes almost closing, letting him take over. After washing my hair, Michael uncapped his body wash and started rubbing some onto my shoulders.

That woodsy scent. Juniper and Pine. I hoped I would smell like him today.

I looked up at him, my eyes softening. "This is kind of nice," I admitted. No one had ever touched me gently before.

"Yeah?" he said. "Good." He made his way down my chest and wrapped his free arm loosely around my waist while his other hand grazed over my soft stomach slowly. I shivered. "Are you cold?" he asked. "The water's, like, scalding now."

"It's, um..." I started, my voice small. "It's because you're touching me."

He cut across my hip and rubbed my thigh, squeezing the inside slightly. I sucked in my breath. "You're so hard," he whispered.

I let out my breath shakily, my stomach rising and falling under his arm. Then I reached down and grabbed ahold of myself, slipping my hand up and down while I deliberately raised my eyes to his.

"Fuck," he said. A smile formed on my lips as I turned around, taking hold of him with my other hand and forcing us to rub together. "You, uh, you really like doing that, huh?" he said.

"I think they like playing," I said.

He snorted and wound his arms around me, sliding his hands up the backs of my thighs until he reached my ass. I stared at him, widening my eyes, as he pressed just his middle finger between my cheeks and slowly dragged it up.

I sucked in a breath. If I allowed this to continue, would he want to fuck me in the ass? Would I ever want that? I couldn't think straight. "Michael," I mumbled. My cheeks clenched up as his fingertip grazed my entrance. "Michael, stop."

He listened. His hands slid to my hips and held me close. "Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeah." My face was burning hot, but I hoped the water could excuse it. "I just... I don't think I'm... maybe if I had more time to think about it..." I stumbled over my words.

"That's alright," he said reassuringly. "Take your time. I'll wait." He flashed me a smirk and I couldn't help but smile too, relieved.

When he touched me again, I moaned slowly and rocked on my feet, pressing my face to his neck. I knew I wouldn't be able to last long. Not in the heat, not while being this close to him. I kissed his skin sloppily, trailing my wet lips from his neck to his hard chest.

His hand pumped faster. A desperate whine escaped me. "That's it," he breathed. "You look so gorgeous when you cum."

I held onto his shoulders and pinched my eyes shut as a wave of pleasure pulsed through my length. Gasping, I came into his hand, onto his dick. Our lips found each other's and pressed together hard as he finished me off.

In the moments that followed, my mind cleared a little. I let him kiss my neck and cradle me like something precious. I felt his erection press against the bottom of my stomach. Smirking mischievously, I reached behind me and turned off the water.

Michael looked up, confused. I patted the side of his face. "Thanks for that," I said before stepping out of the shower.

He made a low noise in his throat and followed me slowly. I could see his reflection behind mine. "Going somewhere?" he whispered.

"Yes," I said, staring into my own eyes in the mirror. "I'm actually supposed to meet someone today. A girl." I smirked at myself. "I think I'll fuck her."

"Oh?" he murmured, his lips brushing along my neck. "She can't wait?"

"No," I said. "Michael, do you think if a girl kisses you and says you should fuck sometime and then tells you to come hang out you'll get to fuck her?"

"Maybe," he said, just as casually. "Girls are confusing. Hard to tell with them sometimes. I find men to be much more straightforward. For example, a man would just say, I wanna fuck the shit out of you until you can't walk. Down?"

I took a deep breath. "Yeah, about that. I won't be one of your bitches."

"Well, you're something," he murmured. He gripped my hips, pulling me tightly against him until I could feel him throb against my lower back. "Maybe we can invent a title."

"We already have one," I said. "Roommates."

"Thank god for that." He pushed me forward against the sink and I bent at the waist, my chest hitting the countertop. I twisted my face to one side, cheek pressed to the marble, and looked up at him behind me.

He hooked his hands around my hips and pulled them up, so my ass pressed against his stomach. "Michael," I whimpered. "What are you doing?"

"Press your legs together."

Confused, I complied. He used his own precum and the water from the shower to create a slippery crevice between my wet thighs. Then I felt the tip of his cock slide between my legs and squeezed them tighter.

"See," he said, breathing hard, "this is almost like fucking you. Just, you know, not."

I felt powerful in a way, though I didn't quite understand. A man I'd met a few days ago had just me bent over his sink and I felt powerful. Maybe it was knowing that all it took for this gorgeous man to cum was a few strokes between my legs.

He gripped my hips hard, ragged breaths tearing from his throat, fingers digging into my skin. A moment later he bent forward, his chest grazing my back as he shuddered through his climax.

After a quick rinse in the shower, we toweled dry and stumbled to my bed, both a little dazed. "You sure you have to go?" Michael asked, nuzzling into my shoulder. "You can't stay here with me all day?"

"Could you possibly lie in bed with me all day and not try to fuck me?"

"It would be tough," he said. "But yes. I have godly willpower." He sat up, then ducked his head and kissed my inner thigh once before standing and walking over to his side of the room. "Tonight we should 69," he said. "I love 69."

I grabbed my phone and opened my text conversation with Rhoda.

Me: still going to the park today?

I wondered how many people Rhoda had brought there to "hang out". What did that even mean? What if I got myself all excited to go fool around and nothing happened?

Rhoda (potential fuck buddy??): yea i'll be there. better b good cuz u kept me waiting so long 😉

Well, that certainly sounded like something.

"Michael," I groaned as he rambled on about sex positions. "Be quiet. I'm trying to text her."

"I didn't say anything," he said, raising his hands in surrender. They were a bit bigger than mine, darker too and rough like he'd done some manual labor or something. Maybe he was a criminal.

"Whatever. I'll just talk to her in person." I grabbed a plain blue T-shirt and slipped it over my head, then got up to put on my jeans.

He walked over to his bed. "Hold on a minute."

I waited, my fingers hovering over the keyboard.

Michael came back, and when I narrowed my eyes he held up a little golden square. "You look like you couldn't keep a plant alive, let alone a child. Here."

I grabbed the condom and stuffed it into my back pocket hastily. "Thanks."

He smiled and took my face in both hands, then kissed me on the forehead. "Good luck."

I frowned deeply. "I'm nervous."

"Why?"

"I'm..." I pulled away from him and walked over to where I'd left my shoes last night. "I don't think I'm very good at sex."

He laughed. "You were fine with me."

"Yeah but... I don't really have to do anything with you," I said quietly. I thought about when poor Patty lost her virginity to me. I doubted she had pleasant memories associated with three minutes of wordless thrusting and sweat.

"I mean, I could try to help," he said uncertainly. "What are you not good at? Fingering? Eating her out? The actual fucking?"

"All of it," I said miserably.

He shook his head. "Do you even know where the clit is?"

I felt my whole body prick with rage. How could I be so stupid to talk about something like that with him? It was now just more ammunition for taunting me.

"I'll take that as a no," he said. "Wow. You really are a man."

I huffed a sigh and marched back into the bathroom, almost tripping over the towel he'd left on the ground. Jesus. Now every time I looked at that counter, I would only be able to see me bent over it.

Maybe it would do me some good to have sex with a girl. Maybe it would get me back on the right path. I looked at the corner of the sink where Michael's toothbrush, razor, and cologne sat.

The cologne was what made him so hot, right? I hesitated for a second, then picked it up and doused myself in the scent, enjoying it a little more than I probably should have.

"C'mere," Michael called before I could shove my keys in my pocket and leave. "We're having an anatomy lesson."

A scoff of disbelief escaped my lips as he showed me a black-and-white outline of female genitalia, something they showed in eighth-grade health class. "Oh, fucking hell, man. I don't need this."

He grabbed my wrist. "Shut up. Just look. Clit," he said, pointing to it. "It's higher up than you think."

"I know where it is." On a diagram, sure. In real life, maybe not. "What am I supposed to do with it?"

"Hand." I gave him my hand. He pressed two fingers to his palm and rubbed them in a circular motion. "Just rub it. Don't be too rough. If she's not wet, it can hurt her. Ask her what she likes. And if she likes what you're doing, keep doing it the same way."

I pulled my hand back and shoved it in my pocket, fed up with his lesson already. He met my skeptical gaze and gave me a sympathetic grin.

"If you'd rather save yourself the embarrassment, you don't have to go."

I stood between his knees, feeling the weight of his palms on my thighs. "I'll let you know how it goes." I didn't think he would understand, so I didn't bother trying to explain it. But I had to take this chance, in case I never got another. How many girls were lined up wanting to fuck me? Zero. Here was one girl, who was maybe interested in me. I had to go for it.

He chuckled. "Alright. Have fun. We can debrief later."

I rolled my eyes. On second thought... if my goal was just to get laid, here was a guy willing to do the job. More than willing. But there was no chase involved, at least not on my part, and I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn't a total loser. I wanted what every other eighteen-year-old guy wanted. Be cool. Get girls.

I pocketed my keys. "See you later."

He smiled and leaned forward to kiss my cheek, then turned my head and kissed my lips. "I believe in you," he said.

I don't. I glanced back one last time as I opened the door. Michael gave me a cute smile. Everything else was just about as uncertain as it could get, but there was one thing I was sure of.

I was definitely falling in love with Michael D'Angelo.