Page 14 of Advanced Chemistry

“Good. We’re continuing to grow, and we have potentially big things on the horizon.”

“Not potential. Actually happening!” Anton yelled from the kitchen.

Sebastian signaled me to ignore his friend.

“Is it tough being in business for yourself?” I wanted to sit down but remembered my shirt was wet.

“We like the hustle. Yeah, it can be scary, but the upside is unlimited. It’s not just about vending machines. We’re building something from scratch, you know? All companies started from nothing.”

It was impressive. I had no doubts that Anton and Sebastian would go far. I supposed I hadsomedoubts, since the majority of businesses failed, but they were smart and driven enough to figure things out.

“Everyone has a business inside them,” Sebastian said, eyes glowing with the same passion that took over me when I got into demonstrating an experiment.

“I’m not sure I do. I like teaching.”

“Teaching is a business. You’re the CEO of your classroom, deciding how to run it, how to best sell knowledge to clients, your students. You’ve built this reputation within South Rock.”

I cocked my head. I’d never seen it that way, but I did enjoy the autonomy that came from teaching, even though that autonomy was perpetually encroached upon by overbearing administrations and parents.

“I’ll bet you have a business inside you, Chase.” Anton returned with three beers and a half-plundered family size bag of potato chips. He handed Sebastian and I beers and plopped the chips on the table. A slight sheen of sweat glistened on his skin.

“Dude, did you do push ups in the kitchen?” Sebastian asked him.

“Just a few to stay awake.” Anton’s pec bounced. His eyes flicked to me making sure I caught it. My dick twitched in my pants. Yes, as a matter of fact, I did see it. “I like to do push-ups randomly during the day. It keeps me fresh.”

“Fresh for what?” I asked, trying to ignore the erection forming in my jeans.

“Here.” Sebastian threw his roommate a T-shirt. “I pulled one from your dresser.”

“I’m good. I’ll air dry.”

Sebastian rolled his eyes. “Fine.”

“Did you want a dry shirt, Chase?” Anton pulled at my sopping wet T-shirt. “You’re soaked. You’re going to catch a cold.”

I doubted that. I was feeling hot all of a sudden. But pneumonia wasn’t something to ignore. Anton handed me the shirt he refused to wear, our fingers touching for a second under the fabric.

“The bathroom is the first door on the left,” Sebastian said.

“You can just change here. We’ve all been in locker rooms before.” Anton sipped his beer while remaining in place.

“Anton, the man wants some privacy. You can change in the bathroom.” Sebastian’s face tensed for a moment before pointing me down the hall.

I had to smile at the fluffy blue toilet seat cover in the bathroom. That had to come from a mother or concerned aunt.

I whipped off my wet shirt and toweled myself dry. Unfortunately, all the friction from the towel only made my erection more prominent. There was something sexy about being shirtless in someone’s apartment when they were also shirtless. I began rattling off elements on the periodic table to keep myself from thinking about Anton’s chest and Sebastian’s arms.Are you there, Hydrogen? It’s me, Chase.

Anton sat on the futon flipping through his streaming menu when I returned. Sebastian sat in a wheeled office chair to the side. The rain came down in sheets outside, which inexplicably made me more aroused. I’d lived in my body for thirty years, and yet it remained a mystery to me.

“Chase, pop a squat. I was looking for something to watch.” Anton patted the empty area next to him, setting off a lash of desire within me. For a moment, I forgot I was in the company of former students and could only focus on being in the middle of two muscular, very attractive men. Nothing about this afternoon had gone according to my schedule, and all the unpredictability was causing me to have very dirty thoughts.

I plopped down beside him leaving an ample, but not insulting, amount of space between us. He had a magnetic pull to him that couldn’t keep me far.

“Anything here look good to you?” Anton asked. “I don’t watch a ton of TV.”

A familiar foursome of faces popped up on screen.

“Have you ever watchedSchitt’s Creek?” I asked.

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