Free 2B or Not 2B (Roomies Series) by Stephanie Witter Page A

word, waiting for me to break down, but I didn't. He shook his head and finished his scrambled eggs, and I almost lost it on the table. Eggs. Ugh … I hated eggs when I was hangover―or any solid foods for that matter.
    And , like always, I broke down, unable to keep my mouth shut even if we were in a public diner with many patrons here to have a big breakfast before they started a new day. "It was just a kiss, Macon, so don't look at me like that." And I put the straw back in my mouth for a new sip of my perfect chocolate milkshake.
    He looked around us and leaned closer over the table. "How was it?" he asked. His eyes took a faraway look. "I'm sure he's one expert with his tongue."
    "Are you sure you got laid the other night because you sure sound like you're on a dry spell."
    He ran a hand over his unshaved cheeks and chuckled. I couldn't remember if it was the third or fourth day since he’d shaved. If his mother could see him right now with his wrinkled black tee-shirt, beat up jeans, his long hair all over the place and his beard, she would have a heart attack. She hated how little he cared about his look, and for the life of her, she couldn't understand why gay men would dig it, and straight women, too. "No, baby, it's your bad influence."
    "It was bound to happen after all these years," I retorted undeterred.
    "Is it me, or are you deflecting my question?"
    I rolled my eyes and pushed away my tall glass , now empty. "He's my roommate, the guy who owned the apartment, and I'm on probation there. It's weird."
    He grabbed his cigarette again and played with it. "Let's get this straight, baby. He kissed you. Granted, you kissed him back, but he was the one initiating it. And if he gave you the look …"
    "He totally did," I said, nodding like a bobbing head.
    "Well then, he oozes sex, and he gives you the look . In my book you were screwed."
    The finality made me laugh. Macon was something else. And he had to be since our friendship had lasted so long.. "Brilliant choice of words, Macon."
    "I know, baby, I know. So, how was it?" He wasn't ready to drop it any time soon. We'd always shared those kinds of details.
    "Better than sex."
    He waved me off and shrugged. "It doesn't mean much when you’ve had sex only with that Ryan asshole who didn't know what to do with his dick and hands."
    "It wasn't bad!" I replied appalled.
    He frowned and stared me down. "You were able to do it in our high school in a closet, and nobody heard you, baby. He didn't shake your world all that much."
    I narrowed my eyes on his inquisitive face and put my hands on the table, palms down , against the steel of the modern looking table. "Fine! When Byron kissed me, I felt hot! My heart was beating so fast that I could hear it, and I had butterflies on speed in my stomach. Is that a better description?"
    He smiled like the Chestshire cat and leaned back in his chair. "Almost. Did you want him?"
    "Have you seen Byron?" I asked back, rolling my eyes.
    "Right, dumb question," he said, acknowledging it with a shrug. "What are you going to do now?"
    "Go back and forget it ever happened."
    "It's not going to work, baby."
    "It will. After all, we were both drunk." I stood up and let Macon pay for our breakfast. It was his turn this time.
    "It's going to be fun around your apartment. If only I lived there too…"
    I linked my arm with his and walked out. "You'd try to turn him into a gay guy."
    He chuckled and walked us to his car. I put back on my huge, white sunglasses as the sun was making my headache worse. I moaned, and it made Macon laugh even more. He didn't have a pity bone in his tall body, that one.
    * * *
    DAY 6
    I closed my eyes and sighed for what felt like the twentieth time already. I came back home an hour ago and had yet to write a single paragraph on this essay. Put two guys —soldiers—and beers in the same room, and you could kiss your peaceful study time in your bedroom goodbye. I closed my books and turned off my laptop.
    Byron and