Rose Tinted (boyxboy)

Chapter 24: Rude interruption

"...And do you need help?"

☆

It's just before 11 at night, when Max gets back home from work. As he approaches the bedroom door, he sees a faint glow. He pushes it open gently to see Tayce still awake, dressed and laying on the bed, on top of the covers.

"I thought you'd be asleep already. Max says, as he quietly closes the door behind him, so as not to wake Donny.

"I wanted to wait for you." Tayce looks at Max half smiling, but Max can see that something is wrong.

"What's up?" Max sits on the edge of the bed next to Tayce.

Tayce instantly reaches out and pulls at Max's shirt, making him edge closer. "I just wanna feel you close."

Max places a hand on Tayce's hip as he lies on his side, gently rolling him on his back so he can get a better look at his face. "Did Frank touch you?"

Tayce doesn't answer straight away, but Max can tell something happened, just by the look Tayce is giving.

"I was scared....Max I'm never going back there...ever." Max gets up from the bed and walks around. He lays down on his side, pulling Tayce close to him. His arm drapes over Tayce's stomach. Tayce puts his hands on Max's arm as he turns to face Max.

"I should have gone with you." Max says, feeling cross with himself.

"No, I needed to do this by myself and now I see. I really see what he is... I don't think he ever really loved me, I mean who would?"

"Stop with that talk." Max pulls Tayce a little closer. 'You know I..." he trails off. They'd already spoken about it.

"Why won't you? Tayce doesn't want to avoid the unspoken tension between them. He moves a little closer to Max, his hand now moving up Max's arm as he adjusts his head on the pillow. Max looks down a little as if he's too afraid to face the question.

"Hey, I've faced my fear tonight, and yeah it scared the shit out of me, but I needed to do it, so I can be here, looking at you, knowing how you feel about me and being ok with it because I feel the same way about you too!...even Jerry knows."

"Jerry?" Max looks at Tayce confused. "What does he know?"

Tayce smiles, stroking his hand up and down Max's arm. "Just how we are, when we're together."

Max lets a light chuckle leave his lips, before the quiet returns. Maybe he should open up to Tayce, just a little. "Jinah." He suddenly says, making Tayce look at Max with interest.

"The girl you loved?"

Max nods. "My boss' daughter." He raises an eyebrow. "She was out of my league, but that didn't stop her from being gorgeous." Max sighs. "During college, I used to pick up shifts at this warehouse. She was the supervisor. A few years older and I found out later, very friendly with all the staff. We used to flirt a little, just friendly at first, then one evening she asked me to see her in her office and well... I won't spell it out. Anyway, after that we kind of had this secret relationship. She was so attentive, and made me feel special. I'm nobody really, but she made me feel like someone. I had it in my head that we were a couple I guess, so I asked her out officially and she just laughed. She laughed in my face, told me it was just a bit of fun. It turns I wasn't the only one she played with. I quit soon after."

Max looks Tayce in the eyes. "So now you know why I don't date work colleagues".

Tayce leans forward and kisses Max on the forehead. "I am not Jinah and you are not Frank. And we both need to stop using them as an excuse."

Tayce is now literally nose to nose with Max. "I am Tayce and you are Max and I'm going to kiss you."

Max's heart is beating like a drum as he sees Tayce's lashes flutter closed as their lips meet. He now closes his eyes as he pulls Tayce's body flush against his.

Tayce had never been kissed so tenderly before. The soft lips of Max's on his, felt so precious, it felt so new, a revelation.

Max gently rolls Tayce onto his back, their lips not once parting as Max begins to straddle his body. Tayce lets his fingers roam up Max's back, one hand getting tangled in Max's hair as Max opens his mouth wider, kisses deeper... surely nothing could stop them now....

WHEEEEEEEEE.....

Max pulls back in fright, looking at Tayce's jeans. "What the fuck is that?" He gets off of Tayce in a hurry, covering up his ears.

"Shit...my panic button!" Tayce again tries to get the device from his pocket but the jeans are too tight to get his hand in and pull out the device.

He begins to unbutton his jeans "hurry, pull them off!" He instructs Max who grabs at the ankles and yanks the jeans down, nearly taking his spongebob boxers with them.

Once the jeans are off, Tayce manages to pull out the small device from the pocket and eventually works out how to turn it off.

Max can still feel the ringing in his ears. The bedroom door now opens to reveal a half asleep Donny staring at the sight of a bare legged Tayce on his back, resting back on his elbows, with Max sitting in between his legs.

"What's going on?" He mumbles still half asleep.

"Sorry my panic button went off. Tayce says a little sheepishly.

"...And do you need help?" Donny question, still glassy eyed with sleep.

"Uh...no." Tayce replies smiling and feeling so embarrassed to boot.

"Ok." Donny leaves the room, closing the door behind him.

Max and Tayce look at eachother and burst out laughing. The whole thing is so surreal. It was a much needed laugh too. Neither hadn't really laughed in so long that it almost felt like they were elated.

Max lays back down next to Tayce. He cups his cheek with his hand. "You want go to sleep?"

"Yeah.' Tayce smiles back. They would have the best nights sleep.