What am I gonna do if he wins? Can’t let him win. Mav couldn’t say exactly why he felt so strongly about it, only that he did. Maybe because in the back of his mind, fucking another guy wasn’t nearly as bad as allowing another guy to fuck you. Fucking another guy was just getting your rocks off, shooting your load. But letting another guy fuck you, well, that was undeniably gay. And despite what they were currently doing, he wasn’t ready to call himself that. Hell, he might never be ready or willing to call himself that. So he sucked frantically and all the time concentrated on holding back, keeping his come in his cock where it belonged and out of Duke’s mouth. Still, the pleasurable ache in his balls was building and building with every passing second and he didn’t know how much longer he could hold back.
Apparently Duke was having the same problem and controlling it with considerably less success. Just as Mav was sure he couldn’t hold off for one more second, he felt the vibration as Duke groaned with his mouth still wrapped around Mav’s cock. And then his own mouth was filled with a salty, hot fluid that he understood after one dazed moment was his best friend’s come.
Lapping hurriedly, trying to keep up, Mav swallowed as much as he could, sucking the spurting shaft that still pressed between his lips, prolonging the pleasure for Duke as long as he could. He could hear Duke moaning as he came and he reveled in the sensation of pushing his best friend so far, of making him come so hard.
And then, finally, it was over. Duke pulled out from between Mav’s lips and drew away from his cock at the same time. They lay there, panting on the bed, and Mav felt like his balls were going to explode. Never in all the time he’d been dating had he wanted anyone as badly as he wanted his best friend. But now that the pressure in Duke’s balls had been relieved, he wondered if his best friend was up to making good on their dare.
“Duke?” He spoke his friend’s name quietly and uncertainly, watching as Duke disengaged himself from the sixty-nine position and joined him at the head of the bed.
Duke didn’t answer in words. The first thing he did was wrap his arms around Mav and pull him in close for a long, lingering kiss. It occurred to Mav that his friend was searching for traces of himself, wanting to taste his come in Mav’s mouth and he obligingly kissed Duke back, twining their tongues together for what felt like hours though it was probably only minutes. The long, sensual kiss only made his balls ache more and the shaft of his cock throb with need. God, how much longer could his friend keep him in suspense? But the suspense didn’t last forever.
“Well…” Duke pulled back at last, breaking the kiss and looking Mav in the eye. “Looks like I lost the dare, Mav. I guess you’re gonna have to fuck me.”
Chapter Five
“Are you sure, man? I mean, if you want to change your mind…” Mav still felt like his cock was about to explode but this was a big step. If Duke decided he’d rather give him a handjob or just finish the blowjob to make Mav come, he’d understand. But his best friend was already shaking his head at the suggestion.
“No way, Mav. You know I never welch on a bet or a dare. You won fair and square so I’m willing to take what’s coming to me. Or in me.” He gave Mav a smile as he made the joke but his words reminded Mav of something.
“I, uh, I don’t think I have any condoms. Do you?”
Duke frowned. “No, sorry. I guess I shoulda thought of that.”
“Damn.” Mav frowned. “We, uh, better not do this without one.”
“Probably not,” Duke agreed. Then he sighed and shook his head. “I don’t want to do it like this anyway.”
“What?” Mav looked at him in confusion. “I thought you did want to do it. You were just saying you never welch on a bet.” He was surprised at how disappointed he was. He’d been all set to run to the store and grab a box of Trojans and get right back to collecting on their dare and now it looked like Duke was getting cold feet. Not that Mav blamed him but still, he’d just said he was still up for it.
“No, you’re not gettin’ me.” Duke sat up in bed and ran a hand through his dark blond hair. “It’s not that I don’t want you to fuck me. I do.” He looked at Mav with an intensity that was almost scary. “I’ve wanted to feel you inside me for a long time, Mav.”
“I…really?” Mav wasn’t sure how to take such an admission. Had Duke honestly been thinking about this, about letting Mav fuck him, for that long? Longer than the last few days in which their friendship had suddenly and inexplicably taken a sexual turn?
“Really.” Duke nodded. “But not like this. Not as a bet or a dare or something we do after hitting the bars because we’re both so shitfaced we can’t see straight.” He turned to Mav, who was sitting up in bed as well now. “I want you to fuck me because you want to, Mav,” he said softly. “Because you love me.”
Mav opened his mouth and closed it again. He had absolutely no idea what to say to this. No idea at all.
“Do you, Mav?” Duke’s face was pale but set, as though he had to know the answer to the question. “Do you love me?”
“I…of course I love you, man.” Mav laughed uneasily. “I mean, you’re my best friend.”
“No.” Duke shook his head. “Not like that. Not the kind of love you have for your teammate or your friend. I’m talkin’ about romantic love—like spend-the-rest-of-your- life-together love.”
“Well, what do you want me to say? What do you want me to do?” Mav felt put on the defensive. “Want me to start sending you a dozen roses and a Hallmark card on Valentine’s Day or something?”
Duke laughed. “Hell no. What would I do with a dozen roses? No, I don’t need you to start treating me like one of those cheerleaders you’re always dating.”
“What do you need me to do then?” Mav asked, feeling exasperated.
“Move in with me to start with.”
“Move in with you? What are you talking about? We’re already roommates.” Now Mav knew his friend had lost it.
“Not for much longer though,” Duke pointed out. “But I’m not talking about here—I’m talking about in Tallahassee. Remember I was sayin’ how nice it would be if we could room together there too? Well, I was kinda feeling you out about it then but actually I’ve already rented an apartment right by the campus there.”
“You did?” Mav felt broadsided by the news that his best friend was already planning their life together.
“Uh-huh.” Duke nodded. “And, uh, confession time. That was what I spent my half of our rent money on—not weed. I’m sorry I lied about it. I just…didn’t want you to be freaked if I told you too suddenly.”
“But…what about Cornell?” Mav asked.
Duke made a face. “Screw Cornell. I told you, none of that matters to me. What matters is staying together—keeping you in my life. And you should see the place I found us, Mav. I mean, it’s great. Huge living room, big kitchen, fireplace. And the rent is fifty less a month. The only thing is, there’s only one bedroom. But I figured since we already sleep together most of the time anyway…” He shrugged. “So tell me, what do you think?”
He looked at Mav eagerly and a little uncertainly, an expression that seemed to go straight to Mav’s heart and squeeze it like a fist. Damn, was his best friend really serious? He wanted them to live together again, only this time as more than roommates? More than best friends? As lovers? He wasn’t sure how to feel about that. Wasn’t sure at all.
Duke seemed to take his silence for assent because he was already talking again. “Nobody knows us up there yet so we can start all over again. We don’t have to be dumb jocks—don’t have to worry about what people will say. We can be like Ethan and Evan.”
“What—like the two gay Es? Like a…a couple?” Mav asked incredulously.
“Sure.” Duke nodded at once. “If you want to.” He looked suddenly uncertain again. “I mean I wouldn’t have had the nerve to ask you, even after everything that’s been, uh, goin’ on with us lately. But you were the one that came up with the idea of doing sixty-nine. I figured if yo
u weren’t into it—into us—you wouldn’t have started that.”
“I guess so.” Mav frowned. He had instigated their latest sexual venture in a way but it wasn’t like he’d said, “Hey, let’s go suck each other off.” They had been doing a dare which wasn’t the same thing in his estimation at all.
“You don’t know what a relief it is to finally say this to you.” Duke sighed, sounding genuinely relieved. “I mean, I’ve wanted to tell you how I feel for months—years. But here at USF I feel so stuck. Like I’m this stupid jock, this party guy who has to always be chasing chicks.” He shook his head. “I’m so glad I never have to be that guy again. Everything’s gonna be different when we get to Tallahassee. Everything’s gonna be better.”
It occurred to Mav that his best friend was sounding more and more like the Duke who had nursed the abandoned kitten and volunteered with underprivileged children and less and less like the Duke who got wasted at kegger parties and supposedly spent their rent money on weed. It was exactly what he’d been wishing for earlier and yet, somehow hearing Duke talk this way was making him increasingly uncomfortable. He needed time to think about everything his best friend was saying. Needed time to clear his head. Most of all he needed to get away and be alone for a while.
“Uh…” He thought hard, grasping for any excuse to get away. “You know, I better go get those condoms before the drugstore closes,” he said at last, glad something had come to mind. “I mean if you still want to…”
Duke’s warm brown eyes were suddenly half-lidded again. “Of course I want to. Want you to fuck me, Mav. So what are you waiting for?”
“Nothing. I’m going right now.” Mav scrambled out of bed and reached for his clothes, feeling like an animal just barely escaping a trap. He had to get out of here now. There would be time to talk about all the crazy things Duke had been saying later. Right now he just needed to get out and think.
“You want me to come with you?” Duke started to get out of bed too but Mav shook his head almost frantically.
“No! I mean, you just, uh, stay here and get ready for me,” he said lamely.
“All right, I’ll do that.” Duke settled back in the bed, his eyes filled with lust again. Reaching down, he fisted his shaft and began to stroke with a long, slow motion. “Don’t be long.”
“I won’t,” Mav promised, hoping he didn’t sound as freaked as he felt. Then bolted out the door.
***
The cool fluorescent lights of the Rite Aid were soothing as was the meaningless hum of Muzak playing in the background. Mav had gone to the nearest pharmacy out of habit. It was the one right across from campus he and Duke always used mainly because they had good prices on beer and you didn’t have to drive to get there. He didn’t actually have any idea of buying condoms, he just couldn’t think of anyplace else to go and since the pharmacy was already fixed in his mind as his destination, that was where he wound up.
He walked up and down the aisles, looking at the rows of medications and impulse-buy merchandise without seeing any of it. What was happening to him and Duke? Had they both gone crazy in the past few days? And what was up with Duke wanting them to be a gay couple like the two gay Es? Mav wasn’t gay. Oh yeah? whispered a little voice in his head. If you’re not gay what were you doing just a few minutes ago sucking your best friend’s cock and swallowing his come? Yes, but that was a one-time deal—just a dare they were doing, Mav argued to himself. And just because he’d sucked one guy’s cock didn’t make him gay. After all, he’d banged plenty of cheerleaders in his day—more than enough to prove his orientation. But which did you enjoy more? the little voice persisted. Can you name a single sexual encounter with a girl that made you as hot and bothered as the suck session you just had with Duke?
“I can’t believe this,” Mav muttered aloud, running a hand distractedly through his hair. What was wrong with him? Was he going crazy?
“Can’t believe what? How gay you are?”
The voice was speaking his thoughts but coming from outside his head. Now Mav knew he was going crazy. He whirled around to see if his guilty conscience had suddenly grown a body to go with its mouthy, opinionated voice and saw Richard Enslow standing behind him with an ugly smirk on his freckled face.
“What the hell are you talking about, Enslow?” he demanded, glaring at the other man.
“Talking about you and your little fuck buddy, Duke. I just figured you were here because you ran out of rubbers to fuck each other with.” He nodded at the shelf behind Mav which just happened to be filled with an array of condoms. “Isn’t that right?”
For a minute, Mav felt like the other man could see right inside his head and the thought left him cold. Then he got hold of himself. Enslow wasn’t a mind reader and he wasn’t making an accusation. He was just being a dick, as always. “You’re not funny, Enslow, and I’m not in the mood,” he growled. “Now get out of my face. Seeing you twice in one day is two times too many.”
“I’m not trying to be funny.” Enslow stepped forward aggressively. “I’m talking about facts, Holms. Cold, hard facts.” His smirk returned. “Guess what I saw online today? Right before I came here, in fact?”
“What?” Mav felt a cold chill run down his spine but he tried to tell himself he was crazy. After all, there was no way the Str8te Boys website could get the pictures of him and Duke up so quickly, was there? And what would Enslow be doing looking at a site like that anyway?”
“It was a little something my girlfriend showed me.” Enslow’s smirk had returned. “A site about gay guys—she likes that kind of shit. Don’t ask me why because I think it’s sick.” He made a face. “But anyway, she was looking at this site and guess who she happened to see? You and your faggot roommate lover, Duke. And you were all over each other.”
Mav felt a wash of pure terror. When he had Duke had posed for the Str8te Boys pictures, the idea of anyone he actually knew seeing them had seemed completely academic. And now here it was, not even eight hours after the shoot, and someone he knew—someone he knew that would be happy to tell everyone else he knew—had seen them and drawn the obvious conclusion. That he and Duke were gay, that they were a couple, just like the two gay Es.
“Look, man, I know how that looked but it’s not that way,” he said, thinking frantically that he had to do damage control before anyone else found out. And they would find out, he was sure. Enslow was probably just itching to throw him under the bus and tell the entire USF men’s soccer team. By the time the end-of-the-year party rolled around next week they would be spray painting “faggot” in big pink letters across their apartment door. “I’m telling you, it’s not what it looked like,” Mav said again, desperate for the other man to believe him.
“It looked like you two are fags.” Enslow frowned skeptically. “No wonder Duke tried to kick my ass when I took a swing at those two little faggot friends of his—‘the two gay Es’. It’s because you guys are just like them.”
“No, we’re not!” Mav nearly shouted. “We’re not fucking gay, man,” he continued, lowering his voice and looking Enslow in the eye. “Those pictures—that shit we did—it was just to get money to pay the rent. It didn’t mean anything—we just needed some green because we were about to be kicked out on our asses.” He groped hastily, looking for something else to say, some way to explain himself. “I mean, you could take pictures hugging your dog but that doesn’t mean you’re into bestiality, you know?”
“I don’t know, man. You two were doing a lot more than hugging.” Enslow still sounded skeptical.
“Yeah, yeah, I know.” Mav made a face. “It was fucking disgusting but what can you do? The gig paid like two thousand dollars and we needed the money. It’s not like we would have done it for any other reason. Like I said, it didn’t mean anything at all.”
“It didn’t, huh?”
A new voice from his left almost made Mav jump out of his skin. A new and very familiar voice. With a sinking feeling he turned to see Duke standing behind him
in the aisle.
“Duke, hey, what are you doing here?” He tried to sound casual, as though he was really surprised to see his friend.
“Yeah, what are you doin’ here, Duke? Forgot to tell Maverick here what kind of condoms are your favorite?” Enslow had that annoying smirk on his face again but Duke ignored him.
“I guess you’d like me to say that I was all ready to bone some hot chick and I realized I’m fresh out of condoms,” he said, glaring at Mav. “That would make you look good in front of Enslow, here, wouldn’t it?”
“Look, Duke—” Mav started but his friend held up a hand.
“Save it. I came because you forgot your wallet. So here.” He shoved Mav’s brown leather wallet into his hands and headed for the door.
“Better run and catch him—sounds like you two are having a lover’s quarrel.” Enslow let one hand droop limply. “Oh dear, oh dear, whatever shall we do?”
Mav stuck a finger in his face. “Shut the fuck up, Enslow. Don’t talk about things you don’t understand.”
“What, like fucking another guy? You’re right—I don’t understand how you and Duke could—” Enslow began but he was talking to empty air. Mav was already out of the pharmacy, running to catch his friend.
“Hey, Duke, wait up!” He put a hand on Duke’s broad shoulder only to have it shrugged off.
“Leave me alone.” Duke was walking fast, his long strides eating up the ground.
“Duke, c’mon, don’t be like that!”
“Like what? Gay? A faggot?” Duke whirled to face him, his brown eyes filled with anger and hurt. “I heard every word you said to Enslow in there, Mav. I know what you think of me—of us. Only there is no us, is there, Mav? There never was. We’re just two straight guys who did a few gay pictures to pay the rent. Of course it was fucking disgusting but at least it didn’t mean anything, right?”