Chapter Twenty-Two -- Is This Really A Booty Call?
The kitchen definitely felt a lot smaller with the two of them in it, and Jonathan realized quickly that he would have a hard time focusing on cooking, no matter how skilled he was at it. Not because Maddox was so damned sexy, but because he had such a focused expression on his face while cutting an onion that Jonathan worried he might burst into laughter at any moment.
"Like this," he explained and because of lack of space, he positioned himself behind Maddox and showed him with his hands.
"Cooking is fucking sexy," Maddox said and pressed against Jonathan's chest, making him shudder with sudden pleasure. "I'll cook everything myself if you stay like this and rub against me."
"I'd say that's the recipe for not getting anything done, actually." Jonathan moved away. If they stood so close they risked combusting.
"Ah, I think I cut myself," Maddox complained, and Jonathan hurriedly turned back to him in alarm.
"Where?"
Maddox snickered and showed him his middle finger. Jonathan took revenge by biting on it, not too hard, but enough to make a point. His unruly guest began to pant exaggeratedly, forcing him to release the finger.
"Stop being a joker if you want us to eat tonight."
"All right, all right. I didn't peg you for a biter, though."
"What? Did you think you were the only one?" Jonathan rubbed the side of his neck. Tomorrow, he would have to opt for a high collar. It was a good thing that the weather was getting chilly and he could easily wear a turtleneck. Without any need to check, he was pretty certain Maddox had given him a hickey.
Maddox grinned and pushed the tip of his tongue through his teeth, just to show him how naughty he could get. "I also like to lick and suck a lot."
Jonathan rolled his eyes. His cheeks would hurt from smiling and laughing so much while in Maddox's presence. He turned to his work, shaking his head.
***
Who said he couldn't be domestic if he wanted? And boy, he wanted it so much, now that he had a chance to spend time with Jonathan and do things together. Maddox examined his host from the corner of one eye. That precious smile had never left his lips since Maddox had teased him earlier. A sense of pride made his chest swell. Only he could do that. All right, so maybe, just maybe, there were other situations in which Jonathan smiled like that, but none that he knew of. He would watch him like a hawk and notice if the guy offered his genuine smiles just as easily to other people.
Ray walked in and smacked his lips at that very moment. "Ah, it smells so good. JJ, Hanna is about to drop by. Do you think she can have dinner with us? It's okay if you two want to spend time by yourselves. We can always go out."
"Nonsense," Jonathan replied. "All I have to do is bring an extra plate to the table."
He turned toward his roommate and gave him a fond smile. Yes, that smile was different. Maddox wanted to go round and round the small table for a victory dance, but the place was really tiny. He might cause a disaster if he did that.
Someone knocked on the door, so Ray turned on his heels at the speed of light. "That's her. Thank you, JJ!"
"So, you have no problem with Hanna knowing?" Maddox asked. Jonathan wanted them to maintain the status quo about their month together. Secrecy appeared to be still high on the list.
"Well, she's Ray's girlfriend and apparently the owner of a frightening thing called female intuition. She already knows. Does that bother you?"
Maddox shrugged. "Not at all." Hell, he'd scream it from the top of his lungs that he'd landed a dude like Jonathan, but they were still doing that play-pretend where all they were doing was hooking up and nothing else. Like hookups meant sleepovers and cooking together.
However, Maddox was willing to indulge his prey since Jonathan was so skittish. As time passed, he would corner him slowly until there was no room to run.
Hanna walked in and kissed Jonathan on both cheeks. Then she turned toward Maddox with an all-knowing smile. Like that wasn't enough, she winked at him. "Howdy, stranger," she drawled.
"Who's a stranger?" He opened his arms and Hanna hugged him briefly.
"Well, not to me, but the word on campus is that you're taken."
"Then it must be true," Maddox said promptly.
He tried to catch Jonathan's eye as he said that but there was no chance of that. All he could see was a turned back while their obliging host slash cook filled the plates.
"Ah, we only have three chairs in here," Ray said like he had just realized that. "Hanna will have to sit in my lap."
That was pretty shrewd of him. "No way, Jonathan will sit in my lap," Maddox said right away.
"No need for any of that. I'll go bring an extra chair from my room," Jonathan said.
Maddox deflated, but he was pleased to see that Ray was just as disappointed as he was. Hanna laughed and hugged her boyfriend tightly. "If you keep acting like that, Maddox might end up thinking that I'm holding you at arm's length or something."
"I just want to hold you in my lap while we're eating, is all," Ray argued. "We haven't done that, yet."
Maddox observed the two lovebirds with increasing warmth. So, he had played the part of matchmaker well after all.
"Let's just be civilized when there are other people present," Hanna recommended and smooched him loudly, probably to ease his disappointment.
Jonathan was back with the chair, and Hanna sat on it while thanking him. Maddox couldn't tear his eyes away from his so-called hookup. He was just so well-mannered, like he was from a different movie, but Maddox loved that to pieces about him.
***
"So, is Maddox behaving?" Hanna asked in a conspiratorial whisper as she helped him with the dishes after dinner.
"Are you asking me if he's a good boy?" Jonathan whispered back and smiled.
Hanna threw a surreptitious look over her shoulder. Maddox and Ray were engaged in a debate over some sci-fi movie that Jonathan hadn't watched yet.
"I don't think I need an answer to that, though," Hanna continued. "It's clear as day that the mighty Mad Dawg is totally smitten."
"It's not like that," Jonathan argued. "Wait, do you know why he's called that?"
"Mad Dawg?"
"Yes."
Hanna pondered for a moment. "Now that I think about it, I don't. I've always supposed that it's nothing but a crazy nickname with an equally crazy story behind it."
"Crazy like in illegal fights?"
Hanna chortled. "Nah, no way. Maddox would not hurt a fly."
He had punched his best friend, according to Dex, and not so long ago, but Jonathan didn't have the heart to contradict her.
"How are things with Ray?" Jonathan asked politely. While he had eyes and could clearly see that the two lovebirds couldn't live one without the other, he needed to steer the conversation away from him and Maddox. Right now, he needed at least ten hours by himself to cool down, slow the beating of his heart and try to make sense of all that was happening. The thing was, they were doing this booty call thing, and that meant he wouldn't have any time for introspection and clarification of feelings and the sensations that threatened to take him over completely. A simple look at Maddox made his throat dry and his palms sweaty even now, after getting so intimate with each other.
"Ray is an awesome guy. I'm happy," Hanna said directly. Then she poked him gently in the shoulder. "The question is: what's keeping you from feeling the same?"
"I'm happy with Ray, too," Jonathan joked.
That earned him a small huff from her. "You two don't need to sneak around. I mean, I respect your decision, but no one would think anything bad. Well, if they did, tough luck for them."
"It's a bit complicated," Jonathan started.
Hanna placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to justify yourself to me. And sorry for being pushy. I just think that you have all the right in the world to feel and be happy with Maddox."
"Don't worry, you're not pushy. Ray has made me immune to that kind of thing," Jonathan replied.
"What are you two conspiring about there?" Maddox asked out loud, making their hushed conversation stop.
"I was just asking Jonathan something about cooking," Hanna said airily and then winked at Jonathan, all the while making sure that her gesture had been noticed. "Keep him on his toes," she whispered, again, loud enough for Maddox and Ray to hear it.
"Hey, whose side are you on, Hanna?" Maddox protested. "What's this keeping me on my toes thing?"
Hanna offered him an innocent look and a small gasp of surprise like she had just been judged unfairly. "How do you know we weren't talking about someone else?"
Maddox rolled his eyes, said something under his breath, and got to his feet. "You see, Hanna, that's why boys don't like you. You're a bit too sneaky and shrewd."
"One does," Hanna chirped happily. "All the others don't matter." She plopped down on Ray's lap and kissed him loudly on the cheek.
Jonathan took Maddox's hand. "Let's go to the bedroom," he said hastily. He didn't want Maddox to pump up the charm and force who knew what truths out of Hanna.
"Let's," Maddox replied and wrapped one arm around his waist. "Nighty-night, nerds," he addressed Ray and Hanna while pulling Jonathan along, like he could barely wait to be out of there.
It was funny when he suggested walking a foot Maddox was immediately willing to walk a mile.
Not that it took them that long to reach the bedroom.
Or kiss again, as soon as they were inside.
***
Hanna and Jonathan couldn't fool him. Maddox was pretty sure the girl had a good opinion of him, but right now, he felt a bit unsure. What could she possibly have told Jonathan about him? Hopefully, only good things, although now he felt the need to take a long critical look at himself and identify all his faults so he could eliminate them and become the perfect man for Jonathan.
