Dalton grinned at the friendly threat. “Got it. No Ramen. But I’m also not asking if you want dessert.”
Tara and Cole both chuckled, and this time it was Tara who laid a hand on Dalton’s shoulder. Again a chord played through his body. Very different from the way Cole made him feel, but just as desirable.
What the hell’s going on with me?
Dalton and Cole relaxed against opposite ends of the couch. Cole had managed to talk them into a stop for ice cream on the way back, but both Tara and Dalton had been too full for more food. Cole ate the final spoon of his ice cream, stretched and pushed his foot against Dalton.
“It’s hot in here.”
“Feels fine to me,” Tara said.
Cole grabbed the bottom of the jersey he was wearing, yanked it over his head, and tossed it to the side. He stretched and Dalton gaped at the thick dark hair lining each pit. Dalton’s breathing quickened and he tore his gaze away.
“That’s better,” Cole said.
“And don’t think you’re going to leave that laying wherever. Just because it’s my turn to do laundry, doesn’t mean I’m going to pick up after you like I’m your mother,” Tara said with arched eyebrows.
“Well, if you were my mother I wouldn’t be—”
Tara popped Cole on the back of his head and cocked an eyebrow. “Now would be a good time to behave.”
In return, she received a completely unrepentant smile, and a change of subject. “You should show Dalton your sketches. He’s in architecture.”
“Well, hopefully. I apply next year,” Dalton said
“I’m in fashion design. Probably nothing for you to see.”
“Really? How cool. I’d love to see your sketches. I had to take a figure drawing class, and it was tough.”
Tara lifted an eyebrow and looked first at Cole and then at Dalton, as if to dare them to be leading her on. After a few moments, she nodded, and without a word walked to the back of the house. She came back with a leather portfolio that she handled as if it were spun glass. Sitting between them, she unzipped the case, opened it to the first design, and began.
“This was to use atypical materials. So I have some materials I got from a class in the Art department…”
The descriptions went on at length, but Dalton was fascinated. The principles and ideas were not that different from what he used in his own creations. He leaned in for a closer look and found himself wrapped in the delicate perfume coming from Tara. A whiff of her curled into his senses and before he knew what was happening, he was hard again. He struggled to halt his arousal, but Tara’s scent entangled him further until he had no desire to escape. His lust triggered the typical male response, and by the time she finished, he was sure there had to be a growing wet spot on his shorts.
Edging away from Tara and Cole, Dalton hoped they hadn’t noticed. He couldn’t believe his body’s response to his roommates, especially when he’d shot a load a handful of hours earlier. “I’m beat and have a bunch of crap to finish tomorrow for class. I better get some sleep.”
Cole wrapped his arm around Tara and waved Dalton off with the other. “Cool, I think we’re about to hit it, too. Have a good night’s rest.”
Dalton waved and made an escape to his bedroom. He spent several minutes organizing his stuff enough so he had a place to sleep before he stripped down to his compression shorts and headed for the bathroom. As he opened the door a distinctly female voice said, “Hey! Occupied.”
He jumped backwards, slamming the door shut and in the process introduced his butt to the hardwood floor. He sat in a daze, unaware Cole had walked into his room until two large hands grabbed him under his arms and helped him up. “Sorry, we’re kinda used to not needin’ to lock the door. Tara didn’t mean to freak you out.”
The toilet flushed and Tara stuck her head inside Dalton’s room. “Sorry. I’ll try to remember to lock the door so you don’t walk in on something you don’t want to see.”
“No worries. Sorry about barging in on you,” Dalton said.
Tara grinned at them and disappeared back into the bathroom. Dalton turned back to Cole. His new roomie had on nothing but a pair of briefs that left little to the imagination. The outline of his soft cock and balls were clearly visible against the dark thatch of pubic hair. Dalton’s stomach knotted. A few moments later, he realized his gaze was locked on Cole’s package. This time Cole had to notice.
Damn, what’s the deal with me?
But Cole’s only response was another of his now familiar smiles.
“Well, if you’re okay, I’ll head to bed. Night.”
“Night. Sorry you had to rush to rescue me.”
Cole shrugged and glanced down Dalton’s torso, then ambled from the room. With Cole’s exit, Dalton closed the door and headed back to the bathroom. This time he knocked softly and entered when there was no response. Once he was ready for bed, Dalton stripped and slid between the sheets. The crisp cotton fabric felt good against his skin. So far things were going well, and these two were shaping up to be people he could live with. He wadded his pillow into an amorphous mass and fell asleep as soon as his eyes closed.
Dalton was jarred awake by a bang, followed by loud whispers. Curious, he slipped from under the sheets and moved closer to the wall. The muffled sounds became clearer.
A female voice moaned, “Yeah. Lick it.”
Tara? Oh god, they’re having sex.
He shouldn’t be listening, but he was drawn to the sounds like a moth to a flame. The moans increased in volume until he could hear them like he was in bed next to them. His hand traveled to his nipple and rubbed it slowly as he listened to the erotic scene taking place in the other bedroom.
Unexpectedly, he heard the sound of a slap, followed by a deep moan that had to be Cole. The sounds grew in volume until he shouted, “Put it in, damnit.” A few seconds passed and a masculine rumbling groan came through the wall.
Dalton moved his hands lower, cupping his balls and tugging on them as he listened to the erotic sounds bombarding him. He ran his finger over the glans and smeared the stream of precum around the end of his dick. He coated his hand with the natural lube and slowly stroked his cock in time to Cole’s moans. Dalton tugged on his nuts with one hand and stroked his cock with the other as he listened. The couple’s fun built, becoming louder and more vocal.
“Damn it, Cole. Quit teasing me.”
“I’m gonna pound your pussy.”
“Do it! Fuck me!”
The next sound was a long protracted high-pitched groan that caused his heart to race. “Fuck, yes! Like that,” screamed Tara.
Dalton slid his hand between his legs as the slap of skin against skin drifted into his room. He dropped his hand lower and his finger found his hole. He rubbed it slowly, electric jolts shooting through his body as they always did when he touched himself there.
The mix of masculine and feminine moans and cries drove Dalton closer to climax. Cole’s bear-like grunts sent him over the edge. As the first stream of hot cream left a line across his chest, he heard a second voice add to the crescendo as Tara’s orgasm mixed with Cole’s. Animalistic sounds surrounded Dalton, and his body continued to pump out jet after jet of semen. Dalton felt an odd connection as he drifted down from one of the most enjoyable orgasms he could remember.
The volume from the next room slid back to quiet whispers as he fondled his softening member. Dalton ran his fingers over his cum-coated chest and then slipped them between his lips. The musky flavor and scent of sex filled him.
I wonder what Cole tastes like…
“No, that’s not organic. We need organic or we’ll have to get somethin’ else,” Cole said.
Dalton mentally checked the prices of the cart full of vegetables they’d already selected. After living together for close to a month, the honeymoon period with the new roommates had ended. They pooled their resources, but buying food together kept getting more expensive. His third of the bill for last week was close to his monthly food budget. After yet another discussion over some vegetable Dalton had never heard of, he spoke up.
“Organic’s kinda high. Does everything have to be organic?”
“Ah crap,” moaned Tara.
Cole shook his head at Dalton. “Have to be organic? Have to be? We should be at the farmer’s market, where we can look the person selling it in the eyes and ask them how they grew the food, how far they hauled it, what kind of carbon footprint it has. But noooo, Tara insists she doesn’t have time. One morning, once a week, it doesn’t sound like that much to get decent food. What do you think?”
Dalton wished he’d never said anything.
Tara grinned impishly and shrugged.
The tirade went on for several minutes before Dalton asked, “What if I go with you to the farmer’s market?”
Cole lurched to a stop in midsentence, his mouth wide open for several seconds before snapping shut. His eyebrow arched and he studied Dalton. “Really? You’d go with me?”
“Sure, why not. You can show me around and explain the stuff to me.”
“Cool! Next Wednesday then, the campus one’s over at the mall, so we can walk over.”
Dalton nodded numbly, afraid he’d opened a whole new can of worms. On the upside, food from the market should save them money, and he got bonus points from Tara for getting her out of the weekly shopping trip.
* * * *
Cole leaned forward to take the beer his friend slid toward him. He took a small sip—sometimes Nate’s home brews were…a little funky. Nate was an organic horticulture major and had a tendency to experiment with the beer brewing. But this time it was pretty good. Cole took a drink and sat the frosty glass on the counter.
“That’s good. Score!”
Nate chuckled and took a drink. He smiled as he sat the glass down with an appreciative sigh. “Nope, not bad at all. It’s a wheat beer that I found the recipe for online. I’ll have to send the guy an email and thank him for the recipe.”
Cole chuckled. “You’re such a girl. Sendin’ out thank you notes. Next thing I know you’ll be inviting me to your sweet sixteen party.”
Nate caught foam from the top of his beer and flicked it at Cole. “As I recall, I’m not the one who enjoys daydreaming about buff guys.”
Cole smiled slyly as he took another drink. “Whatever, Tara isn’t complaining.” He sat toying with his glass and staring into space.
Nate chuckled. “What have you done now? You screw up your thing with Tara and I’m going to have you committed.”
Cole’s smile never wavered as he played with the glass. “Nothing much—we have a new roommate, Dalton.”
Nate lifted an eyebrow. “And?”
Cole smirked. “I walked in on him jerking off, and I’m pretty sure he was checking me out. I think he might play for my team.”
Nate chuckled as he took another drink. “And what does Tara think about all this? Is she still into the whole three-way thing?”
“We’ve talked about it. She thinks Dalton’s hot, and I can guarantee the idea of being with two guys made her a wildcat in bed.”
Nate held up his hand toward Cole. “TMI, buddy, TMI. Just be careful, with both of them. Being with two other people has to be harder than just being a couple. I can tell you as the old married guy, just being a couple can be hard enough.”
“Hard is exactly what I was trying for.” Cole gave a mischievous smile before draining his glass.
* * * *
Enjoying a rare quiet moment, Dalton sprawled limp across the chair with his tablet cradled between his hands, reading. He looked up when Cole grabbed his foot and tugged.
“Come on, let’s go lift.”
Cole had been pestering Dalton all week to begin a workout regimen after he’d agreed to go to the farmer’s market. He’d finally given in, more to shut Cole up than because he wanted to work out. But when he started to back out, he was met with a determined expression.
“Come on, you told me you wanted to start today. Neither of us has to work this afternoon. It’s a perfect time.”
“But it’s my night to cook. Tara will be pissed if she has to cover for one of us again.”
“Ah, damnit. I’ll help you cook, okay? Now get your shit on and let’s go.”
A short time later Dalton was stretched out on the weight bench with the barbell above him. Cole stood at his head. Dalton fought an unreasonable desire to check out what was in Cole’s shorts, but kept himself under control. He lifted the plates, the heavy weights straining his chest and biceps. He lowered the bar until it almost touched, then pushed upward with a grunt.
After he’d repeated the action a handful of times, his arms began to shake as he strained with the last rep of the set. Cole leaned down and curled his fingers under the bar. “Come on. Dig down. You can do it.”
Dalton strained, and with a little help from Cole wrestled the barbell into the rack. When it banged into place, Dalton sagged on the bench. “Damn, my arms feel like jelly.”
Cole slapped him on the shoulder. “Come on, add a couple of forty-five pound plates.” Cole dropped to the bench and pumped the weight up and down with robotic efficiency. By the time he reached his last rep, he’d barely slowed. Without a moment’s hesitation, he popped up from the bench.
“Okay, squats are next.”
They worked from one station to another with only brief pauses until Dalton was ready to drop. He did have some vindication to see that Cole’s shirt was soaked with sweat, too. He tried to keep up his end of the conversation as they walked home, but he was drawn to the sweat soaked fabric clinging to Cole’s now pumped chest.
“Hey, what do you think?”
Dalton started—he had no idea what Cole had said. Cole smiled and repeated himself. “We could order pizza if you don’t want to cook tonight.”
“No. I’m okay. I can still cook. It’ll be cheaper on us, anyway.” He smiled at Cole. “Besides, you said you’d help.”
Cole shot him a gleaming smile. “Yes. I did say that, didn’t I? Okay, I’ll help. But we need to hurry, or we’ll have a pissy Tara to deal with.”
“Yeah, I’ll kick it into high gear.”
They dove into their separate rooms and Dalton stripped out of his sweaty clothes. As he turned for the bathroom, the door flew open and Cole walked in, as naked as Dalton.