All characters are over the age of 18.
Thanks readers for sticking with me. Part deux continues the slow burn, but I hope will have a satisfying payoff by the end of this chapter. Our confused hero is still coming to grips with his life in California and dealing with the strange and enchanting creature that is his new roommate. I'd thought we would have been into some new characters and spicier bits by now, but Jack and Sloane needed some more time to get 'acquainted'. It happens.
It bears repeating that the story deals with first times, college, coming-of-age, straight sex, and will introduce bisexual and group/poly action, a transgender character and some cross-dressing, alcohol and some light experimentation with drugs. If any of that isn't your cup of tea, you might want to skip this one.
From chapter 3 on, I'll start filing these in the story category that most closely matches the most prominent themes and perversions our characters indulge in. Honestly, you wouldn't believe the things California kids do these days...
Favorite and follow to make sure you get notified of each new chapter, in case it isn't a category you watch.
I expect at least 4 chapters at this point, but could go longer depending on how y'all like it. Let me know in the comments what you think, or if there's a situation you just can't wait to experience.
* * *
I bolted awake. A shrill beeping forced my adrenal gland into gear and I flew out of bed.
It's the smoke alarm,
my groggy brain offered
.
An acrid scent filled my nose as I instinctively ran for the stairs, t
oward her
, still in just my boxers. I sprinted upwards but slowed as I began to recognize the smell intermingled with the smoke
. Bacon.
I reached the kitchen and found Sloane using a towel to futility wave air up at the offending detector. I managed a lopsided grin and detoured to the the large doors leading to the patio. I slid them open, then padded back to the kitchen to open those windows as well.
"Are you trying to
cook
?" I asked playfully, just as the smoke alarms stopped wailing. She tossed the towel onto the counter.
"I figured after making you do the walk of shame last night, it was the least I could do." Sloane gave my exposed torso an extended glance.
"That's very nice of you, but why don't we leave future culinary efforts to me?"
She grinned back and leaned against the island across from the stove. I padded over and eyed the blackened strips of
something
still tiredly sizzling in the pan. I studied the look on her face.
Are things different after last night? Where do we go from here? Do I...
I approached her and did an awkward one-arm hug around her shoulders. I somehow just noticed that she was only wearing a thin t-shirt, the cold air wafting through causing her nipples to strain at the material.
"You sleep well until the commotion?"
"Yeah," I answered truthfully. "Had some interesting dreams.
Nice dreams.
" I flashed her a warm smile and took my arm back.
"Jack," she said slowly. "Do you wanna talk about last night?"
I crossed my arms over my bare chest. "I uh... do we need to?"
"Don't have to," Sloane grinned. "Just know that nothing has to change. Can be just little fun between friends."
"I understand," I croaked out.
Did I? Does she mean change from before, or change from last night?
"Like, I mean, I would be okay if you wanted to still kiss me every now and then.
Little changes,
maybe
."
I reached my arm back out and this time used it to pull her toward me. She came willingly. I gently pulled her head towards mine and kissed her, mouth close, with just a slight tilt of my head.
"I think I could handle that," I said quietly as I pulled away. Her hands on my hips kept our bodies together. I stared into her eyes and was hit with a torrent of images and thoughts, chief among them the absolutely gorgeous being with her arms around me. Six months ago I was a sheltered community college student content to be cloistered in my parents' house. Now I was two blocks from Huntington Beach with a strikingly attractive girl telling me that I could kiss her more often. I smiled and leaned in for one more.
"So is my breakfast salvageable?" she asked.
"Oh, no way," I said, lobbing a glance toward the stove. "You might even have to chuck that pan."
"How 'bout I buy you a Starbucks instead?"
"Deal."
We changed and walked out into the already-pleasant morning. The coffee shop was a few blocks away, and already bustling when we got there. As we stood in line, I began to notice people's glances at us. I couldn't explain it, but it's like they knew this was a different arrangement than the last time we got coffee.
Something had changed.
The guy taking our order even flashed me a look like
wow man, nice...
Or at least that's how I read it.
We're not together,
I told myself.
Don't become one of those guys that made her cry. We are definitely not 'together'. This is just something... new. Don't screw it up.
We sat at a table outside, sipping our coffees and eating breakfast. Except for my perhaps heightened sense of
something else
, nothing had really changed. We chatted and laughed, took bites of each others' pastries and played our usual game of making up backstories for each person that came into the shop. Sloane almost snorted a mouthful of latte when I posited that an overweight businessman leaving with a large bag of bagels was actually a drug lord packing his entire inventory under his clothes.
"You know what," said Sloane after only the crumbs of our baked goods remained, "I feel like a beach day. Whaddya say we skip school today?"
"On a Tuesday? Aren't you a naughty girl..." I had only two classes today anyway, neither of which was better the the chance to see her in a swimsuit.
She flashed me a look that seemed to confirm my assertion. "I just, we..." A pregnant pause inflated between us, then slowly let out. "Need to go shopping." She took me by the hand and we were off down the sidewalk.