8. BRUNO

As Danny and I sat on the couch, our eyes locked in a silent exchange, I couldn't help but notice the subtle details of his presence. He exuded an aura of confidence, a magnetic charm that seemed to envelop the room. His towering frame, standing at six three, cast a commanding presence while his dark hair and dark eyes, well, just reeked of man.

His gym-toned physique, evident even beneath the fabric of his shirt, spoke volumes of his dedication and discipline. He took his body seriously. It wasn't ostentatiously gym-ish, either. It was sleek, hard, perfect, really. You could see how his muscles flexed beneath his clothes.

The faint scent of his cologne was also just right, masculine, arousing, not too much, but there, really there. His stubbled jawline, the subtle curve of his lips– all of it spoke to what was so desirable about him. As I gazed into his eyes, I felt a surge of that desire within me. But I knew I had to be careful because what could there be between us? Nothing. I was aware I was staring at him. I had to look away.

"What?"

Danny's voice drew me back to the present with a jolt. I blinked, my mind racing to cobble together a response.

"Oh, uh… It's just been a while, you know?"

"Yeah, it has," Danny replied, his tone warm. "So, what's the plan for tonight? I'm starving."

"Well, there are a few places around here we could check out," I said. "I was thinking maybe we could grab a bite to eat, get a drink…"

A playful smirk danced across Danny's lips.

"Sounds good to me. What kind of food do you like?"

I shook my head.

"No, your choice. You're the guest."

"But I'm not a guest. I'm your roomie."

"Sure," I said.

"How about Chinese?" he asked. "Like, not the kind you get back home."

"Oh! There is an amazing, really traditional one not so far away."

"Amazing!" he said. "I wanna eat somewhere that isn't all egg rolls and fortune cookies."

"Oh! This place is not like that."

"It'll be cool," he said. "And if after we want to go to a bar or club, we can."

"Yep," I said. "And remember, when Evan is here, there won't be a lot of clubbing, at least not for me."

"Then let's get our dancing shoes on, bro!" he cried. We laughed. He said "bro" and "buddy" a lot. Was that how he saw me? Of course it was…

I shifted on the couch, feeling the weight of his presence beside him. I saw his dark eyes fix on me, a curious gleam within them.

He said that he wanted to freshen up, and I nodded in agreement.

"Sure thing, man. Make yourself at home," I replied, gesturing toward the hallway leading to the bathroom. He went off into the small bedroom, picking up his bag to take with him.

Left alone, I busied myself with tidying up our coffee cups and cleaning out the espresso maker. I went back to my laptop and sat for a moment. I heard him open the door of the small bedroom to ask if I had a towel, and he appeared stripped to the waist in his suit trousers.

His body was incredible, ripped chest and six-pack abs, strong shoulders, round biceps. My eyes quickly ran over his form, but I looked back at his eyes quickly. I didn't think he noticed anything. I said sure, they were in the bathroom. He nodded and went off toward it.

Going back to my laptop, I had two emails, asking vaguely about work, the sort of approach that ends up with nothing usually, but I replied to them. The sound of the shower thrummed through the apartment, signaling Danny's presence in the bathroom. I could picture against the steaming showers of the high school locker room, and Danny stood before me then, his silhouette outlined against the mist, a vision of such beauty that had left me breathless. Sitting there, I felt my cock starting to harden.

Jeez, Bruno, I thought to myself, get it together.

The shower was turned off, and a moment later, Danny appeared out of the bathroom in the corridor with just a towel wrapped around his slim hips. He was otherwise naked underneath. His hair was turned blacker with moisture. His skin was sparkling with drops of water, and his cheeks had a pinkish hue from the heat of the shower.

It was just as I had remembered from our high school life, those locker-room moments that had meant so much to me back then. As he walked into the living room and toward his room, he said to me, "You're good?"

I was overwhelmed by the sight of him like that, almost naked, his skin and hair wet and shining.

"Amazing," I said.

He winked at me.

"Glad to hear it," he replied as he went into the bedroom, simultaneously whipping off his towel with one hand and pushing the door closed with another. I gulped. My penis was fully erect. And he was my roommate.

Once again: Jeez, Bruno,get it together.