Chapter Seven
James had expected the first night in a new place to be hell.
He normally struggled to adjust anywhere new, either due to different creaks he was unused to or the different feel of the mattress and pillows.
Yet, whether from exhaustion after helping the movers all day and unpacking with Nolan or just because the house had an old sort of charm that he liked, he’d crashed right out.
Sunlight streamed through the windows. He was so grateful to be off today, because if he had needed to launch into work right after moving, he would have been too disoriented to function.
Old city for him, but he faced a new job, a new house, and a new scene to explore.
He pushed off the bed and headed to the closet that was now his.
One of the first things he’d done in the room was arrange everything.
He liked having a place for his belongings, or he felt a bit disoriented.
Nolan certainly did as well in the main part of the house, but James liked that.
For as big of a deal Nolan had made about his needs with his OCD, most of his requests and preferences were easy to accommodate and made sense.
James slipped on gray sweatpants and a black tee before heading out of the bedroom. Nolan’s door lay open, which meant he was already up. James sauntered to the bathroom, making quick work of washing his face and brushing his teeth before he headed downstairs.
The steps creaked, but he kept his tread gentle as he walked to the main floor.
The house was quiet except for slight sounds of traffic from outside when he got closer to the front of the house.
Strains of music echoed from the other room, and James followed the sound, curiosity percolating through him.
When he stepped into the living room, he stopped.
Tranquil music poured from a speaker as Nolan was stationed on a yoga mat right in the middle of the room.
Except Nolan wore skintight black yoga pants and no shirt.
And he was bent over in a downward facing dog pose, his round ass fully displayed.
James clenched his hand into a fist to keep from reacting.
The sight alone delivered a punch to his libido, a feeling he’d forgotten existed.
The slightest thrill of excitement rippled up his spine at such a strong feeling, and he clenched his jaw, trying to force back the thoughts that attempted to follow.
Instead, he focused on his roommate going through his asanas.
The soothing music and gentle morning light created the perfect ambiance, but the man in the center stole the show.
Nolan’s lithe muscles were on clear display with every shift of his body, his movements fluid and graceful in a way that entranced him.
His long legs in those yoga pants were criminal, and the way they hugged his bulge—damn.
James’s mouth was dry. He was so very, very thirsty, and he couldn’t pull away.
He’d told Nolan more wasn’t on the table, so standing and gawking at him was completely unfair.
But damn.
Wisps of Nolan’s hair drifted down across his nape, and James’s fingers twitched, the urge to brush them so strong. His cock had started to wake up from dormancy—a warning twitch down there—and if he continued to watch, he would have an uncomfortable problem on his hands.
Nolan’s chest rose and fell, slow and steady, and his eyes were closed, a look of peace on his face. James’s chest tightened at the sight. He wanted to find that place, that slice of peace for himself. He’d had enough turmoil in the last year to encompass a lifetime.
Nolan let out a light groan as he sank into child’s pose, that gorgeous ass still on full display. The pulse of lust that shot through him was even stronger, enough to warrant attention. James’s cock filled out, his sweats tenting, and he sucked a sharp breath in. Okay, he needed to stop watching.
He pulled away and quickly stepped to the kitchen, hoping Nolan hadn’t noticed him gawking.
James ran his hand over his head and heaved a sigh.
The scent of coffee lured him over as he tried to will his cock to sleep again.
James bustled while pouring himself a mug of coffee. Appreciation flared in his chest.
It was such a small detail, but he couldn’t remember the last time someone had made him coffee—at least not that he hadn’t paid for.
Growing up, he’d lived in a fend-for-himself situation.
Mom had to work around the clock to put food on the table, and she had always done the best she could.
Over the years, since he took on the more dominant role in his relationships, he also tended to care for his partners too.
When Andrew had gotten sick, the nature had consumed him entirely.
He stared at the mug of coffee. Such a simple thing, yet Nolan made them both coffee. And that meant something to him.
He took a sip, savoring the rich taste, how the flavors exploded on his tongue. He wasn’t sure what sorcery Nolan used while making it, but he wasn’t sad that the guy had designated himself in charge of household coffee.
“Hey,” Nolan said, drawing his attention.
A serenity radiated from him, as gentle as those morning rays, and the soft look in his deep brown eyes, the graceful way his green strands swept across his forehead, and his loose-limbed posture all captivated James.
“Wanted to see what you had planned for the day?”
James sipped his coffee again, running through errands. “Mostly organizing, though I could be persuaded to take a break at some point.”
Nolan’s eyes crinkled with his grin. “Whipped’s munch is today, so I was going to see if you’d like to join.”
The munch. Though showing up at Ouroboros was a big step, it was easy to fade into obscurity on nights like that.
Attending the munch at Whipped would be a whole different situation.
Socializing and reentering the local scene here…
while it was the healthy thing to do, part of him wanted to close his door and hide away.
Yet Nolan stared at him, his brown eyes wide and hopeful, and James’s chest twisted.
“Yeah, I can join.”
***
A few hours later, James found himself walking up to Whipped alongside Nolan.
They’d hopped the Muni and arrived so fast that he’d been in the middle of an in-depth conversation with Nolan about how gaming systems had updated, many of which were different from what he’d most likely played before.
Bringing up his old gaming groups should’ve been a shard in his chest. They had all lapsed over the past year, with two different campaigns he ran left unfinished.
Everyone in the group had agreed that continuing without Andrew hadn’t felt right. And James couldn’t keep up with the games as Andrew’s health had declined. Once he passed…there was no way.
“You know, if you need some people to run a campaign with, there’s a whole-ass place full of geeks like you,” Nolan teased.
James arched a brow, his silence saying everything he needed to.
Nolan gave him a cheeky look as they walked down the sidewalk. He was so relieved the man remained light and playful around him, even after James turned him down. He’d been terrified that would end their association.
“Tabletop Tavern,” Nolan supplied. “In case you’re looking for more gamers. Though, I’m sure Meg would let you play at Whipped.”
“Think she prefers to do the other sort of play there.” James shook his head, a small grin tugging his lips.
The last time he, Meg, and Tristan had played, he’d delivered a memorable flogging, but that was as far as it had gone.
He’d had sex with the pair plenty of times before, even foursomes including Andrew whenever they came to visit, but after Andrew had passed, he struggled with intimacy.
Sex hadn’t been compulsory for him before, and he needed a baseline of trust built up.
However, the memories of playing with Meg, Tristan, and Andrew had blocked off anything more.
“Speaking of,” Nolan said, giving an up-nod in the direction of his work. The sign for Whipped stood out at the corner of the block, along with the bright rainbow flags making their business known. “Time to go meet some new people.”
“How often do newcomers show up?” James asked as they neared the café.
Nolan flashed him a grin. “Frequently, but fresh meat always gets attention.”
“Maybe I should’ve stayed home,” he muttered.
Nolan arched his brow. “You know looking like that you turn heads wherever you go.”
James shook his head. “You’re trouble, Nolan Turner.
” He stepped up to the front door of Whipped and tugged the door open.
This wasn’t his first time here—not even the first time since he moved back to the area—but this was the first time heading to their munch.
Meg had sent him a few texts about it, but she didn’t push, which he appreciated.
The scent of coffee wafted to him, and he scanned the room.
The tables were pushed together as larger crowds sat around them, and most of the black metal seats were taken.
The coffee bar was run by Meg’s café manager, Fin.
Their purple hair was spiked into a fauxhawk today, and they wore a black tank that showcased compact muscle.
They glanced up, a broad, wicked grin breaking out on their face.
“Well, well, well,” they called out. “James and Nolan. What are the two of you doing here…together?”
A sigh came from Nolan behind him, and James’s shoulders tensed. The insinuation was obvious, and coming here together might have been a mistake, even if it made sense.
“He’s my new roommate,” Nolan clarified. “Don’t scare him off when he just arrived.”
Fin shamelessly skimmed James from top to bottom. “He doesn’t seem like he frightens easily.”
James let out a rich laugh. Though Fin might flirt or tease, they were hopelessly devoted to their boyfriend Ollie. And he and Fin were both far too dominant to ever scene together—unless others were involved.