“Wow. I bet she won’t put off a check-up that long again.”
“I hope not.”
Hector released Miguel so they could grab their plates and drinks. They settled on the couch with their food spread out on the coffee table. Too tired to really think, Hector let Miguel pick what they watched. To his surprise, Miguel chose a light-hearted comedy. They laughed at the bumbling comedian’s antics as they ate, unwinding from the workday. Once they finished eating, Hector hauled Miguel close enough to cuddle up against his side and relaxed back into the cushions. He paid attention to the movie, but his eyelids were so heavy…
“You’re snoring.”
“What?” Hector opened his eyes, his head hazy and confused.
“You dozed off and you’re snoring.”
Hector straightened. “Sorry about that.”
“You can put your head in my lap if you want. Unless you’d rather go to bed.”
Hector kissed Miguel on the temple. “No, I’m not ready to go to sleep.” The two of them hadn’t progressed past kissing yet, and he was still sleeping on the couch. If they ended their night, he’d have to give up being close to Miguel, and he didn’t want that. Hector scooted down the sofa until he was on his back and put his head in Miguel’s lap. After stretching out his legs and resting his ankles on the armrest, he let out another long sigh. “That’s better.” He turned his head slightly so he could keep watching the movie. Before he knew it, he’d dozed off again.
***
Miguel looked down at Hector. He looked so peaceful as he slept. He’d had his doubts about what Hector wanted. It was a possibility that his long-time friend was only looking to experiment. They were living together in close quarters, they’d shared a bed for a few nights, and of course, he’d given him that blow job. It was only natural that curiosity about what it was like to be with a man might pop up. That worry was a constant thought in the back of Miguel’s head as they started taking their relationship beyond friendship.
But the easy way Hector had put his head in his lap and fallen asleep made Miguel think that maybe he really did want more than a few rounds of experimenting with another guy. It wasn’t sexual at all. It was sweet and comfortable, something a loving couple would do. He brushed his fingers through Hector’s hair, soft and clean after his shower. He was almost afraid to trust it, but maybe this was actually real.
***
A few days later, Hector was back on the couch. But this time he was wide awake. He sat in the corner with Miguel on his lap. They’d been watching a movie earlier, but they’d long since stopped paying attention to the TV, even before the end credits rolled. They were kissing, something Hector really enjoyed doing. He didn’t often get to experience prolonged make-out sessions with his previous partners since things usually escalated pretty quickly to bouncing bed springs. However, since sex with Miguel was currently off the table, he was free to indulge.
He slipped a hand beneath the thin material of Miguel’s T-shirt so he could caress the warm skin of his back. Tracing his fingers down the bumps of Miguel’s spine earned him a shiver from his lover. Hector was learning. Learning what it felt like to have a male body in his arms. Learning what Miguel liked. Learning what he liked. And one thing he knew he liked was being on top of his boyfriend’s small, tight body.
An arm snug around Miguel’s waist, he shifted them both so that Miguel was on his back. Hector moved to lay on top of him, cradled between his legs. He started rocking his hips against him, searching out that now familiar feeling of Miguel’s hardness pressed against his, groaning when their bodies slotted into the right position. Miguel tucked his fingers into the waistband of his pants. He tugged a little, but Hector stopped him. “Not yet.”
Miguel pouted. “I can’t believe I’m being cockblocked by the guy whose cock I’m humping against.”
“You’re not being cockblocked. You can still get off.”
“I know. But it would feel a lot better if we were naked when I did.”
Hector chuckled against soft, damp lips. “Soon. I promise.” He went back to rocking and Miguel’s arms wrapped around him tight. Hector dropped his face down into the warm curve of Miguel’s neck. He moved faster, and Miguel thrust his hips up, matching his pace. They were both going to come in their pants if they didn’t stop. And Hector didn’t have any intention of stopping. He raised his head slightly to nip at his lover’s earlobe.
Miguel gasped at the love bite, but he leaned into it, silently demanding another.
Hector obliged him. Then he whispered into Miguel’s ear. “I never thought it would feel this good.” He braced one hand on the couch so he could slip the other back under his lover’s shirt and rub his thumb over a nipple. It stiffened beneath his touch, and Hector squeezed the tender flesh, getting another gasp from Miguel. “I want to experience everything with you before I finally fuck you.”
“Oh my god.” His thighs squeezed Hector’s sides hard. “I’m close,” he said in a ragged whisper. “So close.”
Hector kissed him once, a hot, deep kiss that had Miguel moaning into his mouth. “Me too,” he said after he pulled back. They kept moving, pushing toward their beckoning climax. Hector was quietly cursing, the base of his spine tight and tingling, when he heard the lock in the front door turn. He froze, then jumped off Miguel just as the door opened. Miguel scrambled up as well but it was too late.
Hector’s mother stood there with a basket of folded laundry in her arms, a foil-covered dish balanced on top of the clothes. She stared at them both in nearly comical surprise before her face went carefully blank.
“Mamá! We were just watching…” Hector looked to the TV to see what was on. Unfortunately, the screen was black, nothing showing but the Roku logo sliding from corner to corner.
Lupita set the basket down. “I’ll just leave these here for you, mijo.” Without another word, she stepped back out of the apartment, closing the door behind her.
Hector looked at Miguel. His dark eyes were wide with shock. Hector was sure he looked the same. “Shit. I’ll be back.” Hector got up from the couch, jumping over the basket of clothes to go out and chase his mother down. He caught up to her just as she reached her car. “Mamá! Wait.”
She stopped, and after a moment, turned to face him. The carefully blank expression was still on her face. “Yes, mijo?”
Hector blew out a sigh. “C’mon, Mamá. We both know what you just walked in on.”