Chapter 13
Chapter Thirteen
Robbie
The only class I ever did halfway decent at was English. And can you be surprised, really, when I come up with evocative poetry like this?
Thanks for the frot, your cock’s kinda hot. I’m after some more, so will you be my whore?
I know if Brando propositioned me like that, I’d be impressed.
“What did you get up to these holidays?” Holly asks.
She’s the office manager where I intern in the labor relations division and has worked her way up from exactly where I’m at now.
Her question also reminds me that I’m about to be asked the same thing a lot once my brothers start returning back, so I better work on a damn good answer.
“Hooked up with one of my frat brothers.” Hmm … probably shouldn’t lead with that.
Holly stares at me for a second. “Okay. You ever done that before?”
“Nope, first time.”
And like she can’t help it, she giggles. “And you had to tell someone, huh?”
“It’s been killing me.” And it has. I’m back doing that overthinking thing that I hate. We hooked up over a week ago, and since then, all we’ve done is share a New Year’s kiss because why the fuck not? “I don’t have anyone to talk to about it.”
“Is this the same brother who just came out?”
“Nope, this is the one who I pretend gets on my nerves.”
“Oh …” Her smile turns sly. “The notorious Brandon.”
“Calm down, he’s nothing special.”
“Right. You only hooked up with him.”
“Exactly.”
She laughs at me. “You know, I’ve always thought the dumb jock stereotype was mean and overdone, but come on, babe. You complain about him always, and now you guys have crossed a line that most friends don’t. Can you at least agree that he’s a little special? At least as a friend?”
I hate when people throw logic at me, but she’s right. When I think of Brandon, it’s not the same way as when I think of the rest of the knuckleheads I live with. There’s something … softer, more protective there. “Okay, fine. I like him. Maybe more than a bro is supposed to like their bro.”
She squeals and fist-pumps and does a bunch of weird-ass shit.
I wait for her to be done. “You good now?”
“That was very cathartic, thank you.” Holly leans against my desk. “So what’s next?”
“Dunno. We agreed to a one-time thing. It happened, it’s done, and the rest of the house will start showing back up any day now, so that’s that.”
“You want it to happen again though?”
“I do.”
“And him?”
That’s the question, isn’t it? I haven’t asked outright, but if sticking my tongue down his throat to start off the year didn’t lead to sex, I dunno how else to broadcast that I’m very interested in a repeat. “I don’t think so.”
“Bummer.” We’re both quiet for a minute. “You could ask him though.”
“Nah, if he wanted more, he would have said something. I’m not a hard guy to read.”
“Well, everyone thinks they’re easy to read, but it doesn’t mean they are.”
True. I drum my fingers lightly over my keyboard, listening to the rhythmic clack.
Maybe I should say something. Just come right out and suggest we make doubly sure this cock thing works for us.
Being with him answered all of the questions I had, and I’ve gotten myself off to the memory of his sexy body working over mine more times than I can count.
Dudes do it for me.
But Brandon … he’s one sexy dude. It’d be a shame to replace all that with someone else. For now. We’re both single—why shouldn’t we take advantage of regular sex with someone we know won’t be trying to latch on and force us into a relationship? It seems like the perfect solution to me.
The hours of work drag on, and by the time I leave, I’m ready to hit Brandon with my offer. We’re going to talk it out, then hopefully fuck it out. Then grab something to eat and maybe do it all again.
At least for tonight, before our brothers get back, but hopefully for longer than that.
It’ll depend on whether he wants this thing kept quiet or not, because in our house, it’s almost impossible to hide when you’re hooking up with someone.
I say almost because Chad managed, though I don’t think they were banging at Sigma house before we found out about them, because we definitely would have heard something.
So either Brandon doesn’t do this thing, or we work out how far to take it.
I give zero shits about my brothers knowing I’m with guys—I’ve never had an ounce of shame when it comes to sex, which is probably good since I’ll fuck nearly anyone—but I’ve also come to terms with the fact I’m bi.
This is who I am. Chad and I can be bi bum brothers together—screw anyone who has an opinion on that.
Brando will need time to figure out where he’s at though.
The least I can do is let him know more dick is an option.
But when I get home, longing for another night of video games and hopefully orgasms, we’re not alone.
Because of course some of the guys have come back early.
I find Brandon in the kitchen with Champers, Zeke, and Miles. I’m surprised Miles is back already, given how homesick he gets, even two years into college.
I hold out my arms when I walk in. “Let me guess, you missed me.”
Zeke snaps his fingers. “That’s what it was. My head hurt from a lack of obnoxious loudmouths who drink too much and party too hard and have Charles constantly blowing up my phone.”
“Speaking of obnoxious loudmouths, where’s Doomsen?” Brandon asks.
“They were stopping by to see Bailey’s fancy family before coming back,” I say.
“Still can’t believe that,” Miles says. “Dooms all hooked up with a moneybags boyfriend.”
“It’s none of our business who anybody dates,” Zeke points out.
I wonder if they’d be saying the same thing about Brandon and me hooking up. “Speaking of dating.” I turn to Champers. “Ever find out if your girl was cheating?”
He shrugs. “We broke up, so it doesn’t matter now.”
“Sorry, man,” I say, the other guys echoing the sentiment.
“Looks like we’ve got our own little Bro-motions happening,” Brandon teases.
“Speaking of,” Zeke says. “I need you two there more over the next few months. We’ve only got until graduation to make sure that whoever takes over from us has the right attitude.
There’s still a lot of traditions between now and then, so I need all of us involved.
Full force. Total brotherhood bullshit, got it? ”
“What do you mean bullshit?” I ask, kinda hurt.
I know some people think fraternities take things too far, but there’s nothing better than having a team of people at your back.
Through thick and thin. Since we were thrown together in the pledge hall—not so much a hall and more two adjoining rooms with four sets of bunks crammed into each—we’ve been thick as thieves.
I don’t want that to ever change. Not when we graduate and move away.
Not when we get jobs and families and do all that grown-up stuff that we’re supposed to do.
Zeke gives me a patient look. “You know what I mean.”
Do I though? We’re all close, there’s no questioning that. We’re all about the frat life, but sometimes I think my brothers see graduation as the end date to all this. That our fraternity is something fun to do through college, but when we leave here, it’ll end.
Am I the only idiot who doesn’t think that way?
Brandon stands from the table. “Come on, Robbie. We were supposed to keep the driveway and walkway clear while everyone was gone. Let’s go do it before anyone else is back.”
“Make the pledges do it,” I whine.
“They’re not back yet, and you know how I feel about hazards.” He grabs my arm, and I let him pull me, sulking, from the room.
We both throw on coats and boots before grabbing shovels from the back shed.
“It’s always so weird to see you when you’re back from work,” Brandon says as we shovel snow from the paths.
“Why’s that?”
“You’re so corporate-looking.”
“I’m anything but corporate,” I throw back.
“Hence why I added the ‘looking’ part.” Silence kicks in for a moment before he says, “You okay?”
“I’m shoveling snow. And it’s cold. What do you think?”
He waves a hand. “I don’t mean that. You got all sad inside.”
“Ehh. Nothing.”
“I’ll believe that never.”
I pause what I’m doing and look over at him.
His cheeks are flushed from the cold, and his wool hat is covering his hair, but when his hazel eyes meet mine, I get this little thrum through me.
“Fine. So it’s hitting me that we have not even six months left of all this, and then what?
Everyone takes off to different sides of the country and never sees each other again? ”
“Yeah, it’s hard to imagine, isn’t it?”
“It feels like everyone is ready to get on with their lives and end all this, but I love it. We have it made here. This is the shit college dreams are made of, and I don’t want my friendships to end.”
“Then don’t let them.” He goes back to work.
“Dude, nothing has to happen that you don’t want to happen.
There isn’t a script here. You want to keep your friends, then put the effort in and make it work.
Maybe the end of college isn’t the end. Maybe it’s just kick-starting whatever fuckery we get to go through with each other next. ”
My mouth falls open.
“What?” he asks and awkwardly shifts his weight to the other foot
“That’s probably the smartest thing you’ve ever said.” I hold up my hand, and he high-fives me, clearly with no clue why. “To the next chapter of fuckery.”
A smile splits his face. “Hells yeah, brother.”
“Huh …”
“What?”
I glance around, and there’s no one dumb enough to be out here with us. Do I bring up my offer now? Why the hell not? “You called me brother. I guess throwing out there that I’d be down to hook up again is out of the question.”
“What?”
“No pressure.” I shrug like I’m not desperate for it.
“It was fun. It’d be cool to do again. Like you said, it could be the next stage of fuckery we get to do together.
College is almost over, so I’m all set to take advantage of every moment between now and then.
” I’m talking way too much for something that’s supposed to sound like a casual suggestion.
“You want to do it again?”
“I jizzed so hard, you really think I’m going to say no? Besides, I never got a chance to suck your cock, so I got ripped off.”
He laughs so loud I’m worried someone from inside will come check on us. “Fuck you. There was nothing half-assed about what we did. But I can’t believe you waited until now to bring this up. I’ve been trying to get you back into bed every day since, and you goddamn wait until everyone gets back?”
He has? “You have?”
“You think I normally walk around shirtless in the middle of winter?”
“We had the heat on.”
“My nipples were ready to snap off.”
Holy shit. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Because when do you hook up with the same person more than once? In all the years I’ve known you, I can probably count it on one hand.”
“Well, true, but you’re not just a hookup to me. You’re one of my closest brothers.”
“Again, please don’t call me your brother while we’re talking about getting into each other’s pants.”
I’d apologize, but I’m way too happy with the direction this conversation is heading. “So, we’re doing it again?”
Brandon glances back at the house. “Yes, but discreetly. You know the meaning of that word?”
“Of course.” I pretend to think about it. “It means to shit, right?”
He screws up his face. “I think you mean secrete, and wrong on both counts.”
“Either way, let’s keep this quiet.”
Brandon rolls his eyes, knowing I’m messing with him. “Sure. Just for you.”
We both get back to work. “For what it’s worth, I can’t wait to see your cock again …”
“I’m with you there—”
“Brother.”
His snowball slams into the back of my head.