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“I’d say I’m okay.” I say, tracing the muscles of his stomach. “Though I did freak out at the time.”

A ping on my phone reminds me I don’t live in a bubble and people I know might have seen the recording by now. How do I even explain what I was doing at a party with Vex? Then again, am I not allowed to party? Am I not cool enough to be out on a Friday night?

Maybe this is the new me.

“No, that’s normal. He shouldn’t have been here in the first place,” Vex says, shaking his head as he rolls over to face me. His dark hair is tousled and falls into his eyes, so I push it back for him.

I like the new me, because the new me is in bed with Vex.

“Fortunately, you were there to save me. I think I’ll make at least ten sock puppet accounts just to praise you online and talk about how hot you are.”

Vex laughs and gives me a little kiss. “All this heroism is making me hungry. I’ll take a super quick shower and be right out, okay?” he asks but is already rolling out of bed.

“Sure. Do you think Yasmin has almond butter?” I ask, but it’s too late. He hasn’t heard me. I have to thank her for everything she did for me yesterday and for letting me stay. When coming here, I had no idea I’d be staying the night.

I grab my phone to catch up on what all the pings were about, but while the worried messages from Matt are expected, I also have several from Jessica. She’s freaking out about me and Vex, even though she has no idea just how well I know him by now. It’s nice to feel like someone worth interest, even though I technically don’t care about her opinion.

I feel that something changed last night. Vex and I finally talked. I can’t wait to find out more about him. He made me feel so desired, and like I wasn’t a burden even when I threw up all over the bedspread. And as much as it annoyed me at the time, it’s kinda sweet that he made me wait for sex until I was sober. It shows that he cares about me, even if the secrecy makes establishing what type of relationship we have difficult.

Am I a secret hook-up? A friend with benefits? Or just maaaaybe a secret boyfriend? Am I getting ahead of myself?

I write to Matt to distract myself.

[Hey, thanks for asking, I’m fine. I stayed the night at this really cool house. Thankfully the cut wasn’t deep. Just a flesh wound, as they say. The fainting sucks, but that’s me and blood. It’s not the first time this happened.] I hesitate if it’s not too telling, but in the end, I casually add, [Vex took care of me.]

I don’t have to wait long for an answer. [Since when do you see him this much?]

[Since the tattoo appointment, but it turns out we have lots in common so it kinda happened. I was wrong about him, and I’m not afraid to admit it.]

[Who are you and what did you do to my friend?]

I roll my eyes. [Very funny. I gotta go. We’ll chat later!]

I get up when Vex comes out of the shower, though my legs are a bit wobbly, and I’m definitely feeling that long fuck. I love the soreness though, because it reminds me that his dick was inside me. I finally got to admire Vex naked last night, and he’s no less stunning today

His body is covered in intricate images, some are his own designs, others were clearly conjured by someone else, but he’s gorgeous either way—tall, muscular, yet with a softness in his blue eyes.

“I’ll see you downstairs?” he asks, rubbing my ass with one hand, as if he wants to remind us both of what we were doing fifteen minutes ago. “Will start on the breakfast.”

He’ll make me breakfast… Which is kind of a boyfriend thing. Then again, I’ve made breakfast for friends before, so maybe it doesn’t mean anything other than hospitality.

I spend most of my shower deconstructing this issue in my head and trying to not think about the people making fun of me online for fainting.

I kind of regret having to wash off Vex’s cum, but there will be more of it in my future.

By the time I emerge from the bathroom, the bed is stripped, but when I put my clothes back on, I’m reminded that my sweater is slashed. I end up grabbing all my things, and find my way downstairs shirtless, heading toward the sound of a Nirvana track.

The house is a mess, with bottles, cans, and snack packaging littering many surfaces, but when I enter the kitchen, probably the messiest space I’ve seen this morning, my host and my lover sit by the table over cups of coffee, all relaxed. There’s a bowl of hummus standing between them, and they take turns dipping pieces of bread into the beige paste.

Vex winks at me and leans back in the chair, patting his knee. “Come’re, baby boy.”

I hold my breath, glancing between Vex and Yasmin. She’s usually a glamorous goth lady, but right now, she’s not wearing makeup, which means she doesn’t even have eyebrows, and her mass of blond hair is pulled up into a bun. All she’s wearing is an oversized T-shirt and (hopefully) panties, but I don’t stare long enough to find out. I guess this means she’s comfortable with me, but… Vex’s words mean she also knows about us?

I move toward Vex on stiff legs, but yeah, I wanna sit in his lap so bad. I wanna be his baby boy, his kitten, and just lick him all over. Maybe not in public.

“Good… morning? I’m sorry about last night,” I say to Yasmin.

She snorts and pours me coffee from a pitcher as I settle in Vex’s arms, still self-conscious about being watched. “Happens to all of us at some point. It’s all in the wash now. I have meds, if you’re hungover,” she says and yawns, not bothering to cover her mouth.