Rewind Boxed Set

by Rowan Shaw

  Raphaël was still hesitating about my offer though, and I wished he'd hurry up. I was supposed to meet with Noah and Hugo in an hour. I couldn't be late. He had to make up his mind now or leave.

  "I'll need some more information from you," I said. "I don't need a month guarantee or any of that. If you don't pay the rent, I'll kick your ass out. It's that simple."

  Raphaël narrowed his eyes. "I'm pretty sure you can't just kick people out like that. Aren't I supposed to fill out a contract or something?"

  I gave a tiny smile. "We can take care of that tomorrow when you come back."

  The truth was I didn't need the money. I didn't really care if he paid the rent or not. I only hoped he'd be a decent roommate who might keep me good company and not a pain in my ass making me regret my decision. I did need his ID, former address, and personal information though so I could run a background check on him.

  "Can I move in later today?" he asked.

  There was a high chance Noah would ask me to spend the night. I knew how he was. I'd be stuck at his place until at least ten A.M. tomorrow.

  "How about tomorrow afternoon?" I offered.

  Raphaël shrugged. "I've paid for my hotel room already anyway. I was just hoping to start moving some stuff in, but that's fine. What time tomorrow?"

  "One P.M. good for you?"

  "I have to check out by eleven A.M."

  "Right." I pondered this. I'd have to leave the guys' apartment earlier than usual. I wasn't sure Noah would be cool with that, but I couldn't leave Raphaël stranded on the street waiting for me to come home. "I'll see you tomorrow, eleven A.M."

  He smiled for the first time, a grin so wide his dimples dug deeply into his cheeks. I tried hard not to gape at his handsome face as I stood to my feet.

  "I don't get to see the place at least?" he asked, still sitting. "What if I don't like it here?"

  I huffed a laugh. Right. Like he could afford to be that difficult. "You saw the pictures online. If you find you don't like the place, you can leave whenever. It's all the same to me."

  That was a lie. It wouldn't be fine with me at all. I'd spent months looking for a viable roommate, and I hoped Raphaël would stick around. He truly was a good candidate. He seemed calm and level-headed. I sensed something positive about him. That was the only reason why I'd dropped the rent to such a ridiculously low amount—that and those damn dimples of his. I couldn't stand most of the previous applicants, all of them egotistical pricks who thought I'd let them stay just because their mom and dad could pay the outrageous rent.

  "I guess I can check it out tomorrow, then," Raphaël relented with a nonchalant shrug as he stood up.

  "Do you have any pets?" I asked.

  My Siamese cat, Ila, didn't like other animals or visitors. I wasn't sure she'd get along with Raphaël, but since she remained in my room most of the time, I hoped his presence wouldn't be much of an issue. It was too much fun for her to terrorize my exotic fish with her never-ending stares to bother leaving my room for too long.

  "No, I don't," he replied. "Do you have a cat? I saw the ad said you were looking for someone who didn't have any cat allergies."

  "Yeah, she'll be around soon enough. I'd advise you not to pet her. She scratches. Siamese cats, you know...not the most social kind. Also, that armchair to the right is hers. I would recommend avoiding it. She's territorial, and she likes to pee on people's stuff when she's mad. She's a retaliator, and she doesn't take 'no' for an answer. You've been warned."

  "Alrighty, then." Raphaël granted me another one of his beautiful smiles, then followed me down the hall. I didn't want it to look like I was kicking him out, but I needed to shower and leave.

  "Eleven A.M. tomorrow," I said. "Don't be late."

  After he walked out, I headed to the bathroom for a quick wash, then I put on some clean clothes and drove to Hugo's place. When I rang the doorbell, it was Noah who greeted me. I winked at him as he pulled me inside by my collar, not waiting a second to plant a kiss on my lips.

  "Tu m'as manqué, tu sais," he whispered against my skin. I knew he missed me when I was gone. He said that every time.

  He wrapped his arms around my waist and gave me a long look from under his eyelashes. When he tilted his head, his blond hair fell in his eyes. He pushed it away with a graceful sweep of his hand and never stopped grinning at me, his light turquoise gaze dipping toward my mouth. I leaned into him and kissed the soft, white skin of his neck, inhaling the scent of his jasmine and spice perfume that always aroused me.

  "You've been gone too long. I had a fight with Hugo this morning. He's upset; I have to warn you. But at least now you're here."

  He beamed at me when I pulled back, batting his long eyelashes over his sharp cheekbones. Noah was the only person I knew who wore such heavy mascara and eyeliner to heighten the atypical color of his pale irises. A bisexual YouTube influencer, he was also an eccentric goth—his platinum hair contrasting with the dark color of his black clothes. He was striking and impossible to ignore.

  "What did you fight about this time?" I drew a line of kisses along his throat, his soft moans triggering my needs.

  "He wants to try monogamy," he sighed dramatically. "I told him it wasn't for me, thanks."

  "I see." It wasn't my place to give advice, though Noah liked to chat about their constant ups and downs.

  "I told him there are things I need that he can't offer." He pushed his luscious lips into a pout. "I don't like to bottom all the time, first of all. If he wants to fuck all night, he could at least let me top sometimes. And it's not like he's tender either. There's only so much pounding my ass can take, you know?"

  Yes, I knew. I'd spent enough nights with him and Hugo to know Hugo liked it rough.

  Noah rolled his eyes through a deep exhalation. "I already had to give up on women for him since he refuses to let me have a girlfriend on the side. How much more does he want from me? It's like he doesn't know the meaning of 'gentle.' He just wants to fuck me hard, and he never snuggles afterwards either. If I wanted a guy who just fucks and leaves, I'd do hook-ups. I wouldn't be in a relationship."

  I didn't respond. I knew better than to get involved.

  "So Hugo's not here?" I asked when Noah pulled me further into the apartment.

  "He'll be here soon enough," he replied vaguely, flicking his hand around. "He said I could play with you first."

  I was hoping it'd be one of those times when it'd be just Noah and me. Noah was one of the best lovers I had. He wasn't demanding like so many others. He didn't treat me like a sex toy either. He was gentle in the sack, and since he was smaller than me, it was easy to carry him around—something I enjoyed tremendously but couldn't always pull off with other, more dominant males.

  I hid a smile. If I was lucky, Hugo would be back too late to get involved. Noah would be asleep, and his lover would ignore me. Hugo tended to be bossy in bed, and I didn't appreciate taking orders like I was in some porno movie. Noah, on the other hand, was the only guy I'd ever met who liked to call what we did "making love." When he was in my arms, I could feel his affection for me, which never happened with the other men I fucked.

  He seemed awfully elated at the thought of doing me one-on-one, and he wasted no time pulling me through the hallway toward his bedroom, his mouth all over mine the moment we stepped past the door as he tugged at my shirt to take it off.

  We had sex for over two hours, during which I let him take control and rail me in any position he liked before his boyfriend showed up, filling the room with his presence. In spite of my general distaste for Hugo, I was forced to admit he was hot enough to make my dick throb. It was the kind of consuming attraction one felt for someone they despised but couldn't stop fucking.

  His tanned complexion—slightly paler than my own—clashed against Noah's fair, freckled skin. Hugo had intense gray eyes that pierced into me with every stare. His semi-long, light brown hair reached his shoulders, making him look like some decadent rock star. He wasn't exactly a
body-builder, but he took care of himself. That was part of his job as the personal trainer of many French celebrities. He was taller and larger than me, his big frame dwarfing Noah's petite body. And though I hated his demands during sex, he was an excellent fuck. The combination of his roughness mixed with Noah's tenderness was an explosion of sensations taking me on the wildest rides every time.

  I was lying on the bed, fully naked and covered in post-coital sweat when Hugo raked his eyes all over me, his gaze landing on my softening cock. Noah was pressed against my body, his head on my shoulder, when he shot his lover a mischievous smile.

  "You're home late. I already took care of Adrien. We're ready to sleep."

  I stifled a laugh. He was joking, obviously. Noah had a sex drive that rivaled my own. He would stay up fucking until he couldn't anymore and was forced to crash, completely spent. Hugo shook his head like he didn't believe him either.

  After a tiny grin, Noah pulled me into a kiss while beckoning Hugo forward. I didn't wait to roll over Noah, his soft skin warm against mine as I peppered kisses along his neck, drawing moans from his throat. It didn't take me long to get hard when Hugo undressed and sat on his knees over the sheets like he wanted me to suck him off. Noah reached for a condom from his nightstand table, patting around blindly while kissing me. Then he broke it open and sheathed me, the feel of his hand squeezing my dick making me close my eyes.

  Everything after that was a blur of sensations, each one more erotic than the next. By the time the three of us were done, the bed was a mess of wrinkles, sweat, and cum. Noah's blond hair was wild, his eyeliner running under his eyes, his cheeks flushed. I reached his lips and kissed him deeply while Hugo watched, lying naked next to us.

  "You taste like sex," Noah said against my mouth. "You're spending the night."

  I gave a simple nod as Hugo stood and stepped out of the room to go take a piss.

  "Let me tell Daniel.” I grabbed my pants to pull out my phone, lying on my back beside Noah, who cuddled tightly against me. He was like a koala wrapped around my body. Since Hugo wasn't the snuggly type, Noah always sought from me the warmth his lover lacked. I was more than happy to oblige. Cuddling after sex was my thing. I needed a bit of time to unwind between each round, but that didn't mean I didn't like caressing him while we rested.

  I gave him a kiss on the cheek and turned on my phone to type.

  Me: I'm spending the night with Noah and Hugo.

  Daniel replied almost instantly.

  Daniel: That wasn't part of the plan.

  Me: I have no other plans tonight. It's fine.

  Daniel: That's not how things work.

  Me: You want me to leave?

  Daniel: Of course not. Just tell them to ask in advance next time.

  Like hell I would. I wasn't about to vex Noah.

  When I didn't reply, Daniel sent me one last message telling me to have fun. He added a wink, making me roll my eyes before I dropped the phone in the back pocket of my pants and wrapped my arms around Noah.

  When Hugo stepped back in, Noah bit his lower lip hard and cast him a glance, batting his lashes like some bad flirt. "Can Adrien stay for a few days?"

  Hugo's face closed off instantly. He semi-glared at me as though his lover's whims were my own fault. "We've already discussed that. One night is all you get."

  I narrowed my eyes when I realized their morning fight wasn't entirely about Hugo wanting to go monogamous; it was about Noah wanting me for more than one night and the thought of that pissing his boyfriend off.

  Noah pursed his lips and got off the bed, rolling his neck. "Fine. Well, Adrien and I will be sleeping in the guest room, then."

  "That's not what we agreed upon," Hugo snapped, crossing his arms over his muscular chest.

  "I don't care what we agreed upon. You won't let me have him for more than one night. I'm not sharing him with you when you're being such a grouchy, jealous jerk."

  I let out a sigh as they kept fighting over me like I wasn't in the room. Noah stared at me pointedly as if I had any say in the matter. I raised my hands and shook my head. I was taking no part in this argument. I hadn't come here to get caught in some lovers' spat.

  "You guys figure this shit out. I need to take a shower."

  Noah's nostrils twitched. He glared at Hugo and grabbed my hand to lead me out of the room, across the hall toward the bathroom. Hugo let out a deep groan, but he didn't try to follow us.

  Though this apartment was pricier than mine, the bathroom was smaller than the one at my place, with a shower less than half the size. When Noah opened the glass door and stepped inside, his slim body shivered. He smiled at me invitingly, then turned the water on, setting it on scorching hot before pushing his petite frame against mine so I could wrap my arms around his waist and kiss his temple as he closed the glass door.

  "Please don't fight with Hugo on my account. What you have is special. I don't want you to lose that."

  Noah raised his head to pin his blue gaze on mine, the water running down his sharp, beautiful face, darkening the blond hair now sticking to his forehead.

  "I just wish you'd be mine. Even if he claims he wants to be monogamous, he's talked about including a third person permanently. And I want it to be you so badly. I mean, aren't we perfect together?"

  He ran his fingertip between my pecs, trailing a line down my abs, stopping at the base of my cock.

  I cared for Noah. I truly did. But no matter how much I enjoyed being around him, I couldn't stay. I didn't do relationships. I couldn't deal with all the strings attached. He knew that.

  "I thought you wanted to include a woman," I said, hoping to change his mind.

  Noah shrugged. "Hugo doesn't think he's bi after all. I think he was just saying that to please me. We had a friend of ours come over to play last month. You know, my transgender friend Nour? You've met her once."

  Yes, I remembered her. She was a beautiful woman from Algeria. Noah had introduced us when we'd run into her during one of his shopping sprees.

  "Well, it was a complete disaster. Hugo got upset that I wanted her so much. I mean, can you blame me? She's a gorgeous goddess. I'm just a mortal for goodness' sake. I hadn't been with a woman in five years. Five years! And on top of that, he won't even let me play with my genderqueer friends anymore either. The last one I met for sex was over six months ago. This isn't the kind of monotonous life I signed up for."

  Upon that, he curled his lips. "Hugo couldn't get it up. He told me he couldn't have sex with a woman, and it ended up being just me and Nour in the room. I won't lie, it was incredible. But I can't force Hugo if he's not into women."

  I had to agree. One couldn't be forced to be bi any more than they could be forced to be gay or straight.

  "Can you believe he wouldn't talk to me for three days after that? Not a single word. It's not like he ever said I couldn't have sex with her. He'd agreed before she came over. What was I supposed to do when she got here? Kick her out?" He let out a long sigh. "I'm just glad he lets me have you at least."

  I knew Noah loved Hugo deeply enough that he would never do anything to jeopardize their relationship. To comfort him, I held on to his chin and kissed him softly, slipping my tongue between his lips. When he began to harden against my thigh, I pulled away. My goal wasn't to arouse him.

  Not yet anyway.

  "You know I'm not the one, Noah. This thing between us, it's just friendship and sex. Nothing more. I can't..." I shook my head. "I can't let it be anything else."

  He gave me the saddest smile, his breathtaking face dripping with hot water. "Well, at least you're mine for the night."

  I grinned at him. "Can you please make up with Hugo so we can sleep in the main bedroom?"

  "Why?" he asked, almost pouting.

  "Because the bed in the guest room is hard as fuck, and Hugo is your boyfriend. I know he loves you."

  "Fine," he sighed. "But I want him to watch while I make you come with my tongue."

  I gave a sideways g
rin and asked him to turn around and hand me the soap so I could run it all over his freckled skin while kissing his shoulders and cleaning him up.

  Chapter 3

  RAPHAËL

  Adrien opened the door almost as soon as I knocked the next day. He took one look at my luggage, then at me. "That all you got?"

  "Yeah. I don't come from here. It's not like I could bring all my stuff on the train."

  "You said you wanted to move your stuff in yesterday. I assumed you were bringing boxes."

  When I gave a shrug, he took one of my two suitcases and led me through the hall and living room to a door on the right, where he motioned wide at an empty room with light green walls. "Welcome to your new home!"

  There was no furniture inside. Just the floor of sparkling clean white tiles. Shit. I never considered I'd have to get furniture in the city. It was probably overpriced.

  Adrien looked at me and frowned. "You okay?"

  "Uh, yeah, I'm fine."

  "We can go get you some furniture today if you want," he commented as if reading my thoughts. "I also have the contract for you to fill out. I left it in the living room."

  "Thanks." I let out a miserable groan. "Is there an Ikea I could go to?"

  Adrien had to consider it for a bit. He'd probably never even set foot in one of their stores. "There's one in Roissy, I think. I can drive you."

  "You don't need to do that. I don't want to interfere with your plans. Don't you have work today?" I knew it was a rude question to ask, but it was Monday. I didn't want to impose if he was busy.

  "I have to work tonight, yes."

  "What do you do?"

  "I work in online marketing and customer service. My schedule can be all over the place. There might be times when you don't see me for a week. I work during the day sometimes, but mostly at night or on the weekends. Don't be surprised if I come and go."

  "Okay." It sounded like an exhausting job.

  "What time do you want to head to the store?"