Page 3 of Jacked
“I guess that won’t be a problem,” he says jovially.
“Only for my appetite, apparently.” I catch him in a playful headlock. He grunts, struggling against me. He uses his shoulder to try to break my hold, but I laugh triumphantly and tighten my grip, ruffling his hair before letting him go.
He laughs and rakes his fingers through it to settle it flat again, narrowing his eyes in a silent promise to get me back forthat. Bring it on. Fuck, it’s going to be awesome to live with a dude again. It’ll be like college, all that fraternal bonding and guys just being guys. Don’t get me wrong, there were some major upsides to living with my last girlfriend, but I’ve been seriously lacking in bro time over the past few years. This is going to be good for me.
AJ
Between the two of us, it doesn’t take long to unload the truck. If I could have handpicked my perfect roommate, so far Slater seems like he would be it. He’s definitely a guy’s guy, chatting me up about sports and the gym while we haul his stuff inside, and not afraid to roughhouse a bit. It takes me right back to living with my brother before he moved out east, and, fuck, yeah this is exactly what I needed.
“Have you explored the neighborhood much yet?” he asks after we’ve dropped the last of the boxes in his room.
“Nah.” I shake my head, stopping to lock the door on our way back out. We’ll have to stop after dinner so I can make a copy of the keys for him. “I’ve just been settling in. Seems like a decent area though. I grew up a couple of hours north, but really only came to the city for class field trips to the Field Museum or the aquarium, so I’m still getting my bearings.”
He nods, pulling his hat off and dragging his fingers through his shaggy blond hair. “We can check it out together then, find our favorite restaurants, the best liquor stores… You already have an in with a good gym, so that’s one thing we can cross off the list.”
He slaps me roughly on the back and I bark out a loud laugh. He’s acting like we’re already best friends instead of near strangers with friends of friends in common who are going tobe sharing a place for the next twelve months. And, if I’m being honest, I kind of like it. It’s obvious Slater is the kind of guy who’s justeasyto be around, with a positive attitude and infectious energy. I didn’t realize I was a little nervous to meet my roommate, but fuck am I relieved now.
My arm bumps against his as I ease over to let a couple of guys pass us on the sidewalk. One of them gives me a blatant once-over followed by a sultry smirk, and my gut twists. Not that I have anything against gay dudes—like, at all—but it’s maybe part of the reason I haven’t been out much by myself over the past week.
“It seems like it’s a really…” I clear my throat and drop my voice. “Gay friendly neighborhood.”
Slater nods again, then tilts his head and furrows his eyebrows like a puppy trying to do calculus. “That a problem, man?”
Oh, shit. I swallow hard and shake my head.
“No, not at all. If you’re gay, that’s totally cool.” The weird, twisty feeling in my stomach every time any of the guys on the street check me out is my own issue. But, fuck,isSlater gay? I’ve never lived with a gay dude before. Is he going to be bringing guys home to fuck them at our place? My stomach clenches a little harder and my skin flushes with heat, no doubt from the force of the sun beating down on me.
“Nah, I’m straight.” He grins again like I passed some kind of test. “My brother and best friend are though.” Slater throws an arm around my shoulders, tugging me out of the way of another group of passersby coming our way as we round the corner towards the front of the bar right on the ground floor of our building. “Think they’ll have the Dodgers game on in here?” he asks, screwing up his face in confused concentration again. “Or do gay bars only have, like, Chappel Roan music videos and episodes ofDrag Raceon?”
I wheeze out another laugh. “No clue. There’s a bar two blocks down though that has… uh… a little more of a sports vibe.” I didn’t want to say “less gay,” but I think the implication is still there. “It’ll be the Cubs game on though, not your Dodgers.”
His smile doesn’t waver. “Sold. Lead the way.”
He drops his arm and a weird sense of loss snakes through me. Or maybe it’s relief. Probably better not to walk around all snuggly with another guy in this neighborhood or people are bound to get the wrong idea. Even if Slater doesn’t mean it that way.
I point out Sweat, the gym where I’ll be working, as we pass it, and Slater vows to swing by tomorrow after his first day of work to sign up for a membership.
“Think I can get a roommate discount?” He scratches his stubbled jaw.
“Let me at least get throughmyfirst day there before I start asking for discounts and shit.”
“Fair enough.” He chuckles. “You definitely have your first training client all lined up though. I want your body.” He squeezes my bicep then snorts a laugh. “Shit, that came out wrong.”
I flex and waggle my eyebrows. “Leave it to me. I’ll have you jacked in no time.”
“I’m here for it, dude. My ass is yours.”
I sputter. I’m sure he didn’t mean that one “that way”either. He said his brother is gay, not that he is. Like I told him, I wouldn’t have a problem if heweregay, but it’s definitely easier that he’s not. This way we can just be a couple of guys together without it getting weird.
“No homo,” he tacks on, and we both chuckle.
Exactly. No homo.
CHAPTER TWO
SLATER
I refuseto flinch as I wolf down extra spicy wings, even though my lips and tongue literally feel like I lit a match and shoved it into my mouth. AJ pounds his fist on the bar, his face turning a light shade of pink as he swallows his own mouthful. We both reach for our beers at the same time. I chug what’s left in my glass to chase the burn, then gesture to the bartender for another round.
