Free Rough Attraction by Talon P. S.

it could have any effect for either of them.
    “No you didn’t. I can see it in your eyes. I swear, I don’t even know why I bother.”
    Oh god, here is where it starts . Maxum shook his head. He could manage a business and their funds, make a rich man out of a pauper but he didn’t know how to steer his partner’s incisive mood swings.
    The high-pitched whining rant ensued like a blur in Maxum’s mind, having heard it on more than one occasion. If asked if he could recite it he had a good notion he might pass a pop quiz. He knew them all word for word and how long they lasted. This was a four minute deal— all until one thing stuck out, when something utterly new was said and it caught his attention.
    “— I even talked to Gonzalo about it when he suggested I come out and stay with them. But I really don’t know how I could give up NoHo. I mean—”
    “Who’s is Gonzalo?”
    “Someone I met while at a Rainbow social.”
    “Excuse me, Simeon? You mean to tell me that while on your vacation you were having a conversation with someone you just met that led to the consideration of breaking up with me?”
    “Wha-I—” Simeon started ringing his hands in his lap. “No. Of course not. I just meant— well, I thought about moving out there, yes. But we wouldn’t have to stop being together. It would just mean you’d have to fly out to visit so we could have some personal time together— is all.” And he turned his eyes out the window as if it was the shut off switch to the new revelation of news.
    It was a good thing they were already pulling up to a red light, as Maxum was certain he might have stomped the breaks and sent Simeon through the front windshield, seeing he wasn’t wearing a seat belt. Always saying it wrinkled his clothes. He was dressed like he just got back from Key West, Florida and here he was in New York, in the start of November. Wrinkles were the last thing he needed to be concerning himself with.
    The light turned green and an impatient driver behind them saw to it Maxum didn’t sit too long brooding. “Uh-huh and what other life changing decisions did you contemplate while out there?”
    “None at all.” Simeon refuted with an arrogant retort. “Oh, but I wish you could have been with me when we went to this wonderful bistro—” and the four-minute-turned-five fuss was over and done with. Turn the page and off to the next set of headlines of the Simeon Huffington Posts and Maxum knew there was no going back to the old subject. Once something was dismissed by Simeon there was never bringing it back up. “You would have loved this place—”
    “New York is full of bistros.” Finding the suggestion peculiar since Simeon didn’t like them with him.
    “Yes but this one was California style.”
    “New York has California style bistros.”
    “Well, yes, but it’s cold here.” Clearly, Simeon’s argument was taking on a rather muted defense.
    “And your point?”
    “My point?” hands doing double time on the wringing now. “Well, maybe you could move out to California with me.”
    “My business is here.”
    “Well you could open an office there. They have big buildings and clients there, too.”
    “Except they don’t have the stock market there.” And that seemed to end the discussion. That was until Maxum had to open his mouth and say something else he knew he shouldn’t. “So, will this Gonzalo rent boy be keeping you entertained between visits?”
    Simeon’s head snapped around, but it wasn’t hurt that glared at him but defiant guilt. “Why— how— why must you say such things to me?” Yet the only thing Maxum could think of in an honest response was because I knew you would before you ever left. And that’s why I refuse to feel guilty for mine .
    “You know you are becoming more and more butch every day.”
    Maxum almost chuckled at the concept. “Butch, don’t they use that for the more masculine gay women? Tell you what, why don’t I pull out my