Good Guys Don't Date Bad Boys

Chapter Twenty-Five -- A Boyfriend In Need Is A Boyfriend Indeed

"I'm so nervous I don't think I can eat anything until Friday," Ray said while shoveling cereal into his mouth like it was the only thing that mattered in the world at the moment.

Jonathan pulled the bowl away from him, leaving his roommate with his spoon in the air and a guilty look on his face. "Don't eat that, eat this," he said and placed a plate with eggs and salad in front of him.

Ray shrugged and accepted the fork Jonathan offered him right away. "I mean, who would want to see me like that?"

"Hanna would," Jonathan pointed out. "And stop making a big thing out of it. It's just a practical joke."

"Yeah, easy for you to say. I've seen you without your shirt, JJ," Ray said accusingly and gestured with the fork. "But I look like a three-months-old chicken. Ah, I should just chicken out and be done with it. That should be in line with the rest of me."

"Don't you dare. Your girlfriend got us both registered, and we don't want to make her mad, right?" Jonathan said. "She was quite adamant that we should be there. And all proceeds will go to an animal shelter, so isn't that a good enough cause to show a little skin? If you don't go, I won't, either."

Ray pouted, but then he reconsidered and sighed from the depths of his soul. "She'll get upset if we don't. I'll hold her responsible for my public embarrassment."

"I'll be there, and I'll hold your hand," Jonathan promised.

"And risk Maddox's wrath? No way."

"Wrath? Seriously, I still don't get why anyone would call him Mad Dawg in the first place. He's one of the kindest people I know."

"Yeah, I guess so, but I bet he's the jealous type. I've seen how he looks at you all the time. Like this." Ray pushed his eyelids upwards, exposing the eyes, and scanned around like he had laser vision.

Jonathan laughed. "Stop worrying, Ray. And I've heard that," he cleared his throat and forced himself to stop laughing, "The Amazing Four will be there. That means that everyone else will be practically invisible. We have nothing to worry about, I'm telling you."

Ray shook his head. "I appreciate your wanting to pretend that we're in the same league. But I bet that you," he pointed at Jonathan with the fork, "will win the contest."

"I prefer to doubt that. With the likes of Maddox and his friends competing, I don't see how. And no, before you say anything, it's not false modesty. It's the truth."

Jonathan understood Ray's insecurities, and from where he stood, his roommate had nothing to be ashamed of. But seeing how he himself was a bundle of vulnerabilities day in and day out, he was ill-equipped to offer some proper advice on the matter.

Then, an idea began to take shape in his mind. Well, it was wild and contained a considerable number of unknown factors, but if he put his mind to it, it could work and it was worth a try.

***

"Why are you in that contest?"

Jonathan turned to face Maddox, who was staring at him with a pissed off look on his handsome face. They were in the hallway and had to go to class soon, so the timing was not exactly ideal for a conversation. Although, when it came to Maddox, Jonathan considered skipping class for like a moment or so.

"The contest... ah, you mean the one this Friday?"

"The wet t-shirt contest," Maddox said through his teeth and leaned forward while holding his arms crossed over his chest.

He looked adorable and itching for a fight. Incredibly pretty, in a nutshell, and Jonathan had to close his eyes for a moment to stop the impulse to lean in and kiss those pouty delicious lips. As official as they were in everyone's eyes, it didn't do to kiss in the hallway like horny teenagers. They were, supposedly, responsible young men who knew better than give in to temptation like that.

"Well, what do you have to say for yourself?" Maddox asked.

"You're in that contest, too, aren't you?" Jonathan pointed out, failing to see what the issue was.

"Yeah, but that's not the problem. You are." Maddox changed his position and poked him in the chest.

"Hmm, are we having a fight?" Jonathan asked.

Maddox pondered for a moment. "Yeah. I'm not letting you go on stage and let everyone ogle you. Definitely, I cannot let them see this," his voice dropped and he wrapped his hand around Jonathan's right pec for a quick moment before pulling away.

"You're a bit absurd," Jonathan pointed out, fighting to ignore the small jolt of pleasure at having Maddox feel him up like that. "If we were on a beach, we would be a lot more naked than that."

"You're not allowed to go to the beach, either," Maddox said petulantly.

"Really?" Jonathan blinked. "You're half-way serious, aren't you?"

Maddox started to smile but then reconsidered. He moved closer until their faces almost touched and whispered, "I am because I'm supposed to be the only one who gets to see you naked."

"I won't be naked," Jonathan protested. "It's for a good cause. Don't tell me you want the kittens to go hungry."

"Got me there," Maddox played along. "But I'll be jealous. Make sure to be ready to compensate for that when you drop by on Saturday."

"I will. But since I got you here already, can I ask you something?"

"Sure. What it is, boyfriend?" Maddox drawled.

Jonathan took him by the shoulder so they could walk side by side. "It's for another good cause."

***

Maddox knew a lot of things about why he liked Jonathan, but more and more were added to the pile every day. Sure thing, he had played it off as a joke that he couldn't let Jonathan show off his amazing pecs to the world in the wet t-shirt contest, and he was still jealous, deep down, but his boyfriend's idea was pretty brilliant, and they would end up turning the thing around for a good cause.

Dex and Kane had been on it right away. Rusty, as usual, had issued a challenge, and Maddox had had to tickle him until he couldn't breathe to accept it. So, the stage was set, and they only needed to get moving.

Sure thing, everyone seemed to have an amazing time, especially the girls who found the show a lot funnier than it should have been. It wasn't like it was freezing outside or anything, but still, standing there in wet clothes didn't sound like an appealing idea at all.

Dex was the showman now, shouting some indiscernible victory chants as he held his arms high and showed off his body. The t-shirt clung to him, leaving nothing to the imagination, but Maddox wasn't impressed. He had never looked at his friends that way, but the crowd was totally going crazy.

Rusty ordered the DJ to accompany his entrance with the right kind of music for a king like himself, and some reggaeton rhythms struggled to reign over the noises the guy's fan club was making. He, too, made a show out of it, dancing languorously and rubbing his chest and abs. And since Rusty was Rusty, of course he took off his wet t-shirt and threw it into the crowd.

"And now, while you might want to see the rest of The Amazing Four," the DJ boomed into his mike, "I'd say that we need an intermezzo to cool us down a little."

The crowd booed and the DJ had to hide behind his battle station as small objects of questionable nature began flying toward him. The DJ, however, was a brave man, and the chords of some fancy classical music replaced Rusty's reggaeton.

Maddox had known that moment was coming, but that didn't mean he was prepared for it. Jonathan walked onto the stage, nodded politely at the DJ and waited for the guy in charge to pour the bucket of water over him.

Magic or not, Maddox tuned out the crowd as he watched Jonathan run his hands through his hair to push the wet strands away from his eyes. His eyelids fluttered and his lips parted, making Maddox's heart beat faster. Then, he shyly rubbed the back of his neck and opened his eyes. His perfect pecs showed through the wet t-shirt, and the fabric clung to the mounds and valleys of his abs, offering everyone looking the unhindered sight of a body that didn't belong to an athlete like Dex or Rusty, but was still the most desirable of them all.

Maddox turned his attention to Jonathan's face once more, and then noticed the red tinge on the height of his cheeks, the increasingly frantic movement of his eyelids, and the small trembling of his lips.

Then sounds returned, and the crowd cheered loudly in his ears. Without caring about the consequences, Maddox jumped on the stage and took Jonathan by the hand.

"Oh, the jealous boyfriend appears," the DJ shouted excitedly.

Maddox moved to block the crowd's view of Jonathan and hugged him tightly.

"Maddox, what are you doing?" Jonathan whispered.

They both gasped when another bucket of cold water was thrown over their heads, and laughter could be heard from all directions.

"These guys need to cool off a little," the DJ taunted them from his station.

"Just follow my lead," Maddox said to Jonathan. He brought their mouths together in a kiss and held his boyfriend there until he felt the trembling in the other's body subside.

"Look at them snatching the big prize," the DJ went on, while the crowd continued to go wild.

Maddox pulled Jonathan away from the stage, making sure to stand between him and the crowd all the time. He waved and smiled at everyone and high-fived the DJ on his way out.

***

"Where are we going?" Jonathan mumbled.

The shower room in the pool building had to do as it was the closest. Maddox closed the door and turned the warm water on. He helped Jonathan out of his wet clothes and then pushed him under the hot spray.

He undressed, as well, and stepped to Jonathan's side. Without caring for the other's meek protests, he embraced him and kissed him. Jonathan was melting into his arms, the questions on his lips turning into soft moans. Maddox drank each and every one of them, while his hands wandered all over Jonathan's body, teetering between reassurance and desire.

When Jonathan threw his head back and offered his throat, Maddox knew for sure what he had to do. He hiked the other up in his arms and pushed him with his back against the tiles.

"That's a bit--" Jonathan tried to protest, but Maddox swallowed his words with a kiss.

"I want you like this," Maddox replied. The warm water spraying down his back made him shiver in pleasure as his cock pushed between Jonathan's buttocks. "Look at me, okay, just look at me."

He did, his eyes wide-open and full of desire and something else Maddox didn't yet dare to give a name. "Hold me, please," Jonathan said in a soft whisper.

Maddox didn't want to be rough, but his need skyrocketed at the plea. There was no way he'd be able to get inside like that, so he just rubbed his cock between Jonathan's perfect mounds, letting out desperate moans with each movement of his hips.

Jonathan came to the rescue, wetting his fingers and working his hole and Maddox's cock with his saliva.

"Are you sure?" Maddox asked.

"Yes," Jonathan confirmed, and he helped him inside, but still Maddox went at it excruciatingly slowly for both of them.

Only their labored breaths could be heard bouncing off the walls. In that mist, they were alone, far away from the world, and no one else mattered. Maddox kept penetrating Jonathan with both his tongue and cock, the union of their bodies making the temperature rise all around them.

He was getting dizzy from too much pleasure and the effort of holding Jonathan like that and fucking him in that crazy position.

"Inside me, Maddox, please," Jonathan begged.

"Are you close?" Maddox asked, his entire body shaking. "Are you with me?"

"I'm with you," Jonathan confirmed.

Maddox held nothing back. Their bodies slammed together, one time, two times. There was a third, but it all went off with a bang, as Maddox shuddered and came inside Jonathan's body, that wonderful ass squeezing him tightly and drinking him dry.

Minutes later, they were both sitting on the tiles, the shower still raining over them. They were resting with their backs against the wall and breathing hard.

"Thank you, Maddox," Jonathan whispered.

"Don't mention it," Maddox replied and held the other's hand tightly in his.

"Back there--"

"You don't have to say a thing unless and until you want to."

"Later, then," Jonathan murmured and moved to rest his head on Maddox's shoulder.

Maddox moved his arm to hold him and put his cheek against Jonathan's wet hair.

***

"O. M. G., JJ, do you believe it?" Ray bounced up and down excitedly. "I won! I won the wet t-shirt contest!"

"Congratulations," Jonathan said affably and hugged his roommate. "I didn't doubt it for a moment."

"Sure thing you didn't," Ray said and snickered. "I overheard Hanna's girlfriends, you know? Maddox and everyone went around, telling people to vote for me."

"Ah, damn, you weren't supposed to know," Jonathan complained.

"Well, it was either that, or I was starting to suspect that I woke up this morning in some alternate reality. One in which I was suddenly hot."

There was no possible way to make Ray think negative thoughts. If only he could learn that secret, Jonathan mused for a moment.

"Seriously," Ray said. "Thank you, JJ. That really gave a boost to my confidence. On the other hand, you and Maddox, wow! Take this, Xpress," he added and made a victorious fist. "What are they going to say now when Maddox was so jealous that he couldn't let anyone stare at you as good as naked?"

"I really hope that they will stop sniffing around," Jonathan replied. "The recounting of Maddox's past conquests is growing a bit old."

For several days now, Xpress had focused on presenting Maddox in the most heterosexual light possible if that was a thing. Jonathan had to admit that he had been curious at first, but then some semblance of self-preservation had stopped him from foolishly exposing himself to unneeded doubts and hurt.

The same instinct, however, must have been sound asleep when he had climbed on that stage, without realizing that the high level of exposure might do a number on him. Good thing Maddox had intervened like that, and without being asked, which was extraordinary, seeing how not even Jonathan himself had been aware of what was going on before it was too late.

"How about something special for the winner?" he asked Ray.

He needed something to keep his hands busy, so that his mind could process what had happened. His life was different now, and he wasn't supposed to worry about trifling matters anymore. Who cared about a little exposure? It was healthy, he decided, angered at himself.

"Um, did that flour do something to you?" Ray asked.

Only then did Jonathan notice that he had slammed the bag a bit too hard on the counter, making a fine dust rise in the air. He chuckled and shook his head. "No, not at all. I was just wrapped up in something in my head. Math-related," he added for good measure and to make sure that Ray wouldn't insist on knowing more.

Was he ready to talk about it? But what was there to talk about? That he had been so sheltered all his life that the moment he had been exposed for everyone to laugh at, he found it the most unbearable thing in the world?

Logic didn't work, and that was, in itself, a disturbing thought. Why would he be so silly about such an unimportant matter? No matter how much he thought about it, there was no possible way for him to find a way out.

But Maddox had found it for him. He had rushed to the rescue, a knight in a wet t-shirt, not some shining armor, but effective and glorious nonetheless.

"I'm going to spend the weekend at Maddox's house," he said as he began preparing the dough.

"Awesome," Ray said. "That means that I can throw a slumber party for Hanna and I. We might go a little crazy, seeing how I'm like a rock star around here."

"Oh, yes, crazy," Jonathan commented. "Will you two stay up all night playing board games? That's about the craziest thing I can think of you two doing."

Ray pretended to make an offended face. "You don't know us well enough, obviously."

"But I do know that you like extra topping on your pizza. Tell me the truth, Ray, does microwave pizza taste at least half as good as the kind made in an oven?"

"If you make it, it's twice as good," Ray said. "So, did you give Maddox a good talking to about how he should stop being jealous and let you shine a little?"

Jonathan could do with a lot less shining these days. He needed to take things slowly. The entire Maddox affair had put him in the spotlight, and it had been his choice, but now he was starting to feel like a bug under the microscope.

Not that Xpress paid any attention to him since they were way too busy trying to make sense of Maddox's bisexual awakening or whatever name they chose to give to his now very official relationship with Jonathan.

"Actually, I didn't," he eventually answered Ray's question. "I think I like him a bit jealous." He truly did. It hadn't been Maddox's jealousy that saved the day... but he wouldn't go into details at the moment. First, he needed to put his head in order.

Or just give up for a moment and figure out a way to enjoy his time with Maddox over the weekend, seeing how his backside was pretty much in no mood right now for an encore after the rushed sex they had in the shower earlier today.

Not that he hadn't enjoyed it. Oh, for sure, he was deeply convinced that only Maddox could make him combust like that, but there were physical limitations, too prosaic to mention, that didn't allow him to go as crazy at it as he wanted.

Maddox was, certainly, a man known for his prowess in bedroom affairs, according to Xpress. With that also came an amazing appetite, without a doubt, and now, Jonathan felt that he was falling short.

Somehow, he needed to negotiate a middle ground for both his unstoppable hunger for Maddox's sexy body and his ass that was in much need of a rest.

A promise was a promise. He couldn't back out of spending the weekend with Maddox, especially since he was now much indebted to him. He would talk about it and assure Maddox that it wasn't a lack of want on his part stopping him from putting out, as kids said, but rather other matters.

It wasn't a particular conversation he was keen on having, but he needed to show a little more courage, or else how could he call himself a man?

***

"Are you sure you don't want us out of your hair?" Kane asked and took a critical look inside the fridge. "What's with all this stuff?"

"Jonathan wants to cook. For everyone," Maddox replied. "And he insisted that I don't have to send you away while he's here. So, you can thank him for not having to find a party where they'll have you," he teased his friend.

Kane snorted. "There's no shortage of parties, but I'll thank Jonathan nonetheless. We really have to study."

"Is Jonathan going to cook?" That was Rusty, coming down the stairs. He walked over to Kane, pushed him away from the fridge and looked inside. "There's going to be a lot of meat, right?"

"Yes," Maddox replied.

"I'm going to eat everything," Rusty made a solemn promise.

"Wait," Kane intervened, "are you telling me you're going to spend the day here, not somewhere at some sorority house, going through all the girls, top to bottom?"

"And tomorrow. And even tonight," Rusty replied matter-of-factly. "I love good food."

"More than your kinkster persona?" Kane questioned. "If you tell me you're going to study, I'm going to pinch myself."

All nonchalantly, Rusty closed the fridge door and pinched Kane on the cheek.

"Ouch, you idiot, you're going to leave bruises," Kane protested.

Rusty laughed and gave his buddy a loud kiss on the forehead.

Kane pushed him away. "Get the fuck out, you fucker. And don't slobber all over my handsome face like that."

Dex chose that very moment to walk in. "What are these two going on about?" He pointed at Kane and Rusty and went to the fridge, as well, to grab himself a beer. "Wow, are we hosting Master Chef or something? What's with all this?"