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Max looked at him. “Thanks.”
Jonah nodded. Shrugged. Then loped toward the kitchen. “Have a seat if you want. I’m grabbing a drink. You thirsty? We got Coke and uh… water.”
Max scanned the small living room, spotting an open photo album. On the coffee table. Beckoning him to come see. “I’m good. Thanks anyway.” He went to have a look, feeling pretty confident that it was Sean’s. He sat on the couch and studied the pictures. “Is it cool if I look at these?”
Jonah peered around the corner. “Oh. Yeah. Sure. Those are Sean’s.”
Max nodded. Flipped some pages. Damn. Sean was good. And clearly these were all his work. Max could tell, because not only was it obvious they weren’t digital, but prints that’d been developed by hand. Possibly in Sean’s bedroom-slash-dark room. He flipped through more pages, growing more and more impressed. Were these taken for school? In Sean’s free time, as a hobby? There were so many styles. And they all looked amazing. Black and whites. Stills. Street shots. Close-ups. Landscape and nature. Even abstracts.
But as Max neared the end, the photos turned more personal. Images of people that looked Sean’s age. Smiling and laughing. Maybe students from school? There were even quite a few of Sean himself. Manually developed just like the rest. Maybe shots other kids in his photography class had taken? Max’s gaze stalled. Lingered. On the pictures of Sean. Fuck, he was beautiful. Max could stare at his face forever. Not that he ever had the opportunity. Sean would always catch him in the act. And then a different kind of staring would ensue. The contest kind, which in fairness, were kind of nice. But they didn’t allow Max to gaze at him indefinitely.
Max turned another page and smiled before he could stop himself. There, behind the protective plastic covering, was a black and white of Sean outright laughing. Max’s heart changed rhythm, beating faster in his chest. He loved when Sean laughed like that. Absolutely loved it. Always made Max somehow feel lighter—
“Gotcha.”
Max looked up and immediately scowled. Sean had just taken his fucking picture. Max narrowed his eyes.
Sean grinned and wagged his brows. “It’s a skill, capturing quality candids.”
“Uh huh,” Max muttered.
Sean glanced to what Max was looking at. Which would probably be the perfect time to compliment him on his work. If only Max was good at giving compliments.
Sean’s eyes rose back to his. His smile looked different. Not quite as smug. Kind of vulnerable. “A compilation of my last four years in Photography.”
Max nodded. “They’re good. Really good. Nice work.”
Sean’s eyes lit back up. “Thanks. It’s my passion. Hopefully one day it’ll also be my profession.”
Jonah maneuvered around him and plopped down on an armchair. “Yup, the next up-and-coming Ansel Adams.”
Sean laughed, looking around. “Nah. Just need to score a spot on National Geographic’s payroll. Then I’ll be good to go for like, ever.”
Max smirked. Sean’s ambitious streak knew no bounds.
“Shit. Must’ve left my beanie in my room.” Sean made a sheepish face. “Be right back.”
Which normally would’ve irritated Max. He was naturally impatient and rarely liked to be kept waiting. This time, however, it actually proved useful. A diversion while he swiped that picture of Sean. Yeah, it was stealing. Yes, he was a bastard. But Sean wouldn’t fucking miss the thing. Probably wouldn’t even notice it was gone. Call it taxi fare. Or better yet, payback. For that wicked little stunt Sean pulled on Friday. Trying to seduce his Dom in the back of a pickup. Max smirked a bit too broadly. For shame.
Glancing over at Jonah, whose nose was in some book, Max quickly slid the photo out and pocketed it.
Two seconds later, Sean was back, beanie and small backpack in hand. “Alright, Hot for Teacher. I’m ready. Let’s roll.”
Jonah choked down a laugh from behind his book.
Max stiffened. Bristled. Sean did not just say what Max thought he just said. It was one thing that Sean kept forgetting to address him as Sir. But this? Hot for Teacher? Oh, hell no. Fuck that.
Jaw tight, Max rose to his feet and glared. “What did you just call me?”
Sean stilled. Tensed. Then paled. “I uh…”
Max pursed his lips into a sharp cruel line. Narrowed his eyes and pointed to his feet. “Come here, Sean,” he ground out. “Get on your knees.”
Jonah’s book dropped fast as he gawked in surprise. He also looked shocked. And appalled. Good. Let him watch as his roommate submitted.
Sean shifted restlessly. Shot Max a look. Wordlessly imploring him not to do this.
Not a fucking chance.
Max’s jaw ticked. “I’m waiting.”
Sean exhaled and headed over, then sank to his knees, eyes on Max’s feet.
“What do you say?”
“I’m sorry, Sir.”
“For what?”
“For addressing you disrespectfully.”
Max could hear it in his tone. Sean was absolutely mortified, beside himself that his roommate was seeing this. Good. Hard lessons learned were rarely repeated.
