I meant this to be a cute little short. I didn’t mean for it to have two parts. But in a completely non-surprising move, my characters disagreed with me.

Haven’t written part 2 yet but I think I know what it is. So maybe next week?

No sex. Yet.

And no one’s read this except me so any editing or inconsistency errors are all mine.

********************

“Kiss him!”

Brady jumped out of his skin at the outburst. Shocked, he sat back in his chair and turned around. Two overly excited co-eds were leaning on the edge of the heavy table, watching him and Chris with hungry eyes and anxiously parted lips. Around them, individuals at other tables looked up from their textbooks and hissed but neither of his classmates seemed to notice.

“What?”

Scattering open textbooks and lined papers covered in notes, Tina practically lay on the table as she reached for his hand to squeeze it. “Please!” she implored, making heavy with the puppy dog eyes. Behind her, Zenobia folded her hands up under her chin and grinned at him.

Confused, he looked from her to the friend who sat at his side. “What’s she talking about?”

Chris was looking at the girls with a big, amused grin. “I think they thought you were going to kiss me.”

Brady blinked. “Wait. What?” He drew back and met Chris’s blue eyes when they turned to him. “Why the fuck…?” He’d been leaning toward Chris to whisper a question. Had it looked like…? His own eyes got big as it dawned on him and he ripped his hand away from Tina. “Fuck no!”

A chorus of ‘shhh’s hissed at him from others in the study hall.

With a tiny moan, Tina collapsed in a dramatic heap across the table while Zen sank into a chair opposite Chris.

Jaw dropped, Brady looked from one to the other, then jumped when Chris started laughing.

“Aww.” As he reached out to pet Tina’s short black hair, Chris leaned in and rested his head on Brady’s shoulder. “That’s so cute.”

Miffed, Brady jerked his shoulder to free it from its burden. “Quit it.” He was far too aware of both girls watching Chris as Tina slid back into a chair. He glared at them. “What the hell?”

Zenobia shrugged, making the huge earrings that brushed her shoulders jangle. “Can’t blame a girl for hoping.”

“Yeah.” Tina sulked as she straightened her books and papers. “It’d be awesome eye candy.”

Brady’s eyes bugged and Chris went into apoplexy trying to smother his laughter. Getting pissed, Brady punched his arm. Which just made Chris laugh harder, waking up the shushing masses again.

Finally, Chris got hold of himself. “Oh give ‘em a break.” He tossed ash blond curls from his brow only to have them fall right back into place. The look he gave Brady was frightenly seductive. “You know you want to.”

“What!”

The ‘shhh’s were accompanied by a chorus of cursing. The fact that now Chris, Tina and Zen were laughing just made it worse.

Feeling exposed, Brady snatched up his open history book and shoved it into his backpack as he stood.

“Hey, Brady, wait…”

Chris tried to snag his arm but he shook off the hold. With his pack still open and threatening to spill notepaper, Brady headed for the glass door that led outside.

“Brady, we’re sorry” and “Brady, come back” followed him out from the girls, along with a host of hostile grumbling from other students, but he only heard one set of feet behind him once he was out the door.

Chris. Had to be Chris. Both of the girls had jewelry that jangled, not to mention perfume that announced their presence. Chris has an scent but it wasn’t anything like the girls, wasn’t anything like… well, anything. It was just Chris and Brady knew his presence even if he wasn’t close enough yet to smell.

Angrily, he zipped his pack closed, heedless of crushed papers, as he stormed across the quad aware that Chris was following. He didn’t try to lose him. They were going to talk about this. He just needed to calm down a little. Chris knew that. Chris always knew how he felt. That was the only explanation for how he’d gotten Brady to… No, don’t think about that. Although, thinking about that seemed to be the majority of what he did these days.

Under the dense shade of one of the oak trees that dotted the lawn in front of Marken Hall, Brady stopped, rounded and waited. Chris took his time strolling up to him. When he stopped, he tossed that hair again and, with a tiny little grin, waited.

“What the fuck, Chris?”

His friend had the grace to look guilty. “Sorry.”

“Sorry? What the fuck?”

That little smile came back. “I didn’t put them up to it. Honest.”

“Then how the hell did they…?” He stopped. He couldn’t speak it. Speaking it made it real.

“What? ‘Know’? They didn’t.” Chris scoffed, shaking his head. “They don’t know anything.”

“Then what the…?” He heard him repeating himself and it annoyed him. “Why’d they ask… that?”

“Maybe they think we’re hot?”

“Be serious.”

“I am serious. I know you’re hot.”

So are you. He scowled both at his thoughts and at his friend’s attitude. “Quit it.”

Chris sighed. This time he reached up to drag fingers through his curls, unaware how that made Brady’s own fingers tingle. He knew how soft those ash blond locks were. He knew what it was like to tangle his fist in them and… “I’m sorry, okay? What do you want me to do?”

For a second, Brady was lost, unsure what Chris was apologizing for. Then he remembered and heaved his own sigh. “I just don’t get why they’d ask that.”

Chris’s soft, generous lips twisted a little before he turned away. “Maybe they think we make a cute couple.”

“‘A cute couple’?” He stepped closer and lowered his voice even though no one was remotely close enough to overhear. “We’re not a couple.”

“Yeah.” Chris pointedly looked down at the nearly non-existent space between them. “But some people think different.”

Surprised, Brady stumbled back a step. “Who?”

Chris rolled his eyes then closed them. After a second, he shook his head and started to walk away. “Nevermind.”

“What?” Brady trotted to catch up. “What do you mean ‘nevermind’?”

“I mean forget it. Do you want me to talk to the girls and set them straight?” He put undue emphasis on the last word.

“Yeah I want you to put them straight. You need to tell them we’re not a couple.”

“Why me?” Chris kept on walking, eyes forward. “You can tell them.”

“They won’t believe me.”

Chris stopped and gave him a look. “Why wouldn’t they believe you?”

Good question. Why had he said that? Oh. Right. “Well, because.”

Chris’s raised eyebrow prompted him.

He heaved a helpless sigh. “Because you’re the one who’s gay.”

The other eyebrow went up and a light in Chris’s eyes went out. “Ah.” Chris nodded once then walked away from him.

“Shit.” He ran after his friend. “Chris.”

“I’ll talk to them.” Chris’s voice was scary cold.

“Chris, I’m sorry.”

“No problem.”

“You’re pissed.”

“You bet I am.”

“Look…”

As he searched for words, Chris stopped and rounded hom him. “What?”

Shit, he didn’t know what to say. He just knew that he didn’t want Chris mad at him. The very idea hurt something awful. “I’m sorry.”

“About what?”

He blinked. “What?”

“What, exactly, are you sorry about?”

Summer sun beat down on his head but he didn’t dare dig in his pack for his sunglasses, although he could have really used the shield right now. “Huh?”

Chris rolled his eyes again and turned to walk away. “Forget it.”

Brady wanted to go after him but since he couldn’t think up a damn thing to say that made any sense, he let Chris go.

* * * * *

Brady should be studying. He had a test tomorrow. He sat at his desk with his books open but it just wasn’t happening. He couldn’t get Chris off his mind.

At dinnertime, he gave up. Leaving his books, he mumbled goodbye to his roommate then headed for the elevator. Wondering if it was a good idea, he hit the button for the second floor instead of the first. When he got out, he went straight to Chris’s door and knocked.

“Enter!”

When he opened the door, Chris turned from where he sat at his desk. He still wore the shorts he’d had on before and a worn school t-shirt, but now he was barefoot. His smile was bright and welcoming until he saw who it was, then it was like the smile was a mask with no shine behind it.

“Hey.”

“Hey.”

“I was gonna go get some dinner. Wanna join me?”

“No.”

“Oh.” He hesitated, then took two steps inside so he could close the door. Chris had gotten lucky this year and scored a single. The room wasn’t much, but at least it was all his. Brady put his hands in his pockets and stared at Chris’s shoulder because he couldn’t meet his eyes. “Look, I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

“I… Jesus, I don’t know. I just don’t want you to be pissed at me.”

“I’m not pissed.”

At Chris’s too calm tone, Brady finally met his gaze. “You’re not?”

“No.”

“Then why won’t you come to dinner with me?”

“Maybe I’m not hungry?”

“Oh.”

Chris waited.

Brady shifted on his feet. “But we’re good?”

There was a pause, then Chris sighed. “Yeah. Fine. We’re good.”

He frowned. “That doesn’t sound like we’re good.”

Chris waved a hand in the air. “We’re fine. Brady. All’s good.”

“I don’t get it. Something’s wrong.”

Chris’s eyes went wide, then he barked a bitter laugh. He brushed a hand across his eyes then stared at Brady for a moment before he got to his feet. “Yeah. Something’s wrong.”

Brady eyed him warily but stood his ground. “What?”

The room was small enough that just standing brought Chris close to Brady’s side. It was easy for him to reach up to hook a hand around Brady’s neck. “This.”

They were kissing. Brady had seen it coming and let it happen. Just like he’d let it happen a week ago in this same room. That same part of him that had wanted it then wanted it now. He had to fight that part not to reach up and tangle his hand in Chris’s curls this time. The kiss was soft and nearly chaste except for a small parting of lips that allowed them to share breath.

Chris parted from him, then briefly brushed his lips again before dropping his hand and stepping back. Blue eyes were darkened to dusky in the room’s dim lighting. “I want to do that all the time,” Chris admitted. “I want the right to do that all the time.”

Brady swallowed, dropping his gaze. He stepped back, bringing his back up against the door. “I-I’m not gay.”

Chris sighed. “You mentioned that.”

“I’m not. I like girls. I’ve always dated girls.”

“Yeah, well, I think you like me too.”

It’d be stupid to deny it so he didn’t.

Still silent, Chris sat on the bed. Drawn, Brady left the door and went to sit next to him. They’d been here a bunch of times before. They’d been friends for two years. Brady had known Chris was gay from the start and really didn’t care. At first it’d been novel to have a gay friend and until recently it had never been an issue between them. Chris had even been friends with the one girl Brady had dated for a few months last semester. But lately things had changed. Brady was pretty sure it happened when Chris had dated that guy for awhile. For the first time, Brady had seen him in a romance and it had gotten to him. When he’d seen them kiss, something sparked that felt way too much like envy. Brady had fought it and he was pretty sure Chris had never noticed, but he was far too relieved when Chris had broken off the brief romance and gone back to being just Chris. It was better this way. The two of them were close and they had a group of five other friends that they mainly hung out with. It was a good way to be.

Then last week happened. Brady still didn’t know who leaned into who but he and Chris had kissed. Brady had liked it. A lot. Too much. Just like he’d liked the kiss they just shared. Too much.

“I don’t know what to think,” he admitted.

“Me either.”

“I’ve never been attracted to a guy.”

“I figured.”

They were quiet for awhile. This was part of the trouble. Despite the tension between them, Brady felt ridiculously comfortable with Chris. He liked being around Chris. He’d thought himself so cool because he had a good gay friend. Now…

He looked at Chris. Chris just looked back at him.

“Help.”

Chris relented with a tiny smile. He was a year older than Brady and his floor’s RA so it wasn’t strange to look to him for guidance. Brady knew he was super smart already. Chris reached out to stroke the back of one finger along Brady’s jaw. “I think you’ve guessed that I kind of like you?”

Brady shrugged but also nodded.

The finger tapped his bottom lip. “Do you feel anything for me?”

Brady fought embarrassment but his eyes dropped anyway. “I, uh guess. Yeah?”

“What about the kiss? Did you like it?”

He could deny it. He could downplay it. He didn’t. He forced his eyes up for the answer. “Yes.”

Now it was Chris’s thumb stroking his lip and Chris was watching it with a heat that made Brady a little dizzy. “Want to do it again?”

This time there was no hesitation. “Yes.”

But Chris didn’t lean in for it. He just kept stroking and watching. “You want to do anything more?”

“More?”

“More.”

“Oh.”

He licked his lip, unaware he was doing it until his tongue bumped Chris’s tongue. The heat in Chris’s gaze ratcheted up and he bit his own lip.

“Um. I don’t know.”

When Chris drew his hand back with a defeated sigh, Brady caught it. “Wait. I’m not playing dumb. I honestly don’t know. I never even thought about it before. Before you.”

Chris nodded and took a deep breath. “Okay. Fair enough.” He pulled up his knee so he could twist around to face Brady. “But what do you think? Now.”

Brady swallowed and made himself look at Chris. Really look. He tried to put aside every doubt about the whole idea of this gay thing and think about what he was actually feeling. It took him a few minutes but Chris didn’t look like he was impatient. He just waited.

“I think you’re hot,” he admitted, voice barely above a whisper. Tough to admit that a guy was attractive when he’d only ever considered girls before. But Chris was… just plain hot. The curls, the eyes, the damn cut of his cheeks and eyebrows. ‘Dashing’ came to mind. ‘Charming’ definitely. And those lips, soft and pink. Yeah, he could get used to those lips. “I liked kissing you. I could do that some more.”

Chris smiled and kept waiting.

All right. Brady let his gaze travel down Chris’s neck to his shoulders. Chris wasn’t overly muscular, but he was in shape and those shoulders were definitely male. No boobs but… He’d seen Chris shirtless occasionally and he had a nice chest that could be worth exploring. He definitely had nice skin. Smooth. Brady’s gaze dropped down to the deal breaker. He’d never seen Chris naked, never had an occasion to shower with him or anything, but he’d seen him in briefs. Did Brady want that? Did he want to see, to hold, to… do things with Chris’s cock.

The answer that dawned on him was something of a surprise. Putting aside all his fears of being gay wasn’t easy, but if he forced himself to be really honest with himself… yeah, he kind of wanted to see what that was all about. The thought of Chris doing things to him had even more of a positive vibe. Weird.

“I think, um…” Experimentally, he let his hand drift over Chris’s bare knee. “I think there could be more.”

Chris considered him for another moment. What else was he supposed to say?

“You slept with Krista, right?”

The question was out of left field, asked so calmly, that it took Brady aback. “Yeah.”

“Was it fun?”

“It was all right.”

“All right? Not mind blowing?”

Brady shrugged. “You know how she turned out.” To say that their breakup was mild was a lie. She’d messed with his head, torn him apart and left him out to rot. Chris had been a large part of picking up the pieces. It had brought them closer together.

Chris reached up to caress his jaw again. “It’s different. Being with a guy.”

“How would you know?”

“I’ve been with a girl.”

His jaw dropped. “Okay, what?”

“Once. Good friend of mine. We were seeing if we could make me straight.”

Brady saw the sad amusement in his eyes and wanted nothing more than to chase it away. “Didn’t go well?”

“To say the least. We’re no longer good friends.”

He squeezed Chris’s knee. “I’m sorry.”

Chris’s hand slid around to the back of his neck again, massaging as he nudged Brady closer. “What’s say we try kissing for a while?”

Brady smiled and went where Chris led him. “Okay.”

Kissing Chris was a habit Brady could see developing real easy. This time he leaned in and met parted lips with parted lips. This time there was some interesting tongue action. Real soon, the side by side sitting stopped working for him and he had to turn around but there were a lot of knees and arms in the way. Trying not to lose lip contact, he twisted and climbed until he’d managed to get Chris on his back, stretched out on the dorm bed.

With hands on either side of Brady’s jaw, Chris held him away for a moment with a breathless laugh. “Wow.”

A little surprised at himself, Brady glanced down the length of their bodies, now perfectly aligned for some serious making out. He grinned at Chris. “Okay?”

Chris wrapped his arms around Brady’s neck to pull him down. “More’n okay.”

Oh yeah, this was better. Now he could feel all of Chris pressed against him and he really liked it. All doubts and misgivings were shoved aside in favor of sliding his hands up and down Chris’s sides, rucking his t-shirt up so he could feel smooth, bare skin. Chris gave as good as he got, nipping at Brady’s lips or sucking on his tongue while hands threaded through Brady’s hair or gripped at his back.

“Okay, okay.” It was Chris who broke them up, tilting his face away so he could talk. Brady ducked in to suck at his neck, which made Chris groan out his next words. “Don’t you have a test tomorrow?”

Brady stopped. He opened his eyes but it was dark in the crook of Chris’s neck. He could almost hear the rapid thud of Chris’s pulse. Or was this his pulse? Test? Reality? What was that?

Gently, Chris pushed at his chest to get him to roll to his side, rolling with him so they were facing each other. Chris grinned at him, lips wet and swollen, sharp cheekbones flushed. “History test?”

Brady collapsed with a sigh. With his blood singing through his veins, the last thing he wanted to think about was school. “Fuck.”

“Sorry.”

They stared at each other, but it was different from before. This time Chris’s thigh was tucked in between Brady’s, pressing up against the hard-on he couldn’t ignore.

“Tell you what.” Chris leaned in for a brief touch of lips but pulled back before Brady could make the touch into a proper kiss. “You go up and study.” Brady groaned but Chris ignored him. “And I’ll meet you here after your test tomorrow.”

“My class is at eleven.”

“I know. My only class tomorrow is at nine.”

Which meant they both had their afternoon and evening free. That was promising.

Except, right now… Brady tried to pull Chris in for another kiss but he backed away.

“No.” Chris sat up, disentangling his legs. “You’ve gotta go.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m not going to be blamed later for you flunking history.”

Groaning, Brady dragged himself up to sit. “I’m not going to flunk ‘cos of one test.”

Chris left the bed and went to sit at his desk. Brady was gratified to see his cock tenting the front of his shorts. At least he was turned on too. “I think you should think about it.”

The tension in Chris’s voice distracted Brady from the ache in his groin. “The test?”

“Not the test.”

“Oh.” He meant this between them. Yeah, he probably should think. Slowly, he stood. “Okay.”

Chris stood too, eyeing him closely.

Brady nodded to show that he understood. “Okay.”

Chris mirrored the nod as he stepped into Brady’s side. “Okay.”

Their good night kiss was brief only because Chris pushed Brady toward the door.

“No hard feelings if you decide… not,” Chris told him, hand on the doorknob.

He wasn’t going to decide not, but he got what Chris was saying. He reached up to stroke the line of Chris’s jaw. “Okay.”

“Okay.”

He left the room.

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Kiss Him – Part 2 >>