Roommates With Benefits [BL]

Dad, who had spent years worrying about me, who watched me run myself ragged pretending everything was okay, and who would probably be thrilled at the idea of me getting out of his house for more than a few minutes.

Actually, that last part was questionable. Dad loved me, but he also had a penchant for telling embarrassing childhood stories, and living with Damien would give him a fresh audience.

I could almost hear him now: ”Oliver once cried when we ran out of chocolate milk, Damien!”

Fantastic. My dignity was destined to wither away in the city.

”And then there’s my job,” I reminded Damien, trying to sound controlled. ”I worked my ass off for that position. I can’t just vanish because my boyfriend has decided he wants a roommate again.”

Damien looked thoughtful. ”Summer break is starting soon, isn’t it?”

I nodded and tried to ignore the warmth spreading in my chest.

”That still doesn’t resolve the issue. I have responsibilities at the university, and I can’t just walk away from them.”

”I’m not asking you to abandon anything.”

”Good.”

”We could start by planning an extended visit during the break, then look into your options before the next term begins.”

I felt a bit more at ease. ”That sounds... reasonable.

”Or I could become a major benefactor for St. Jude’s.”

I gaped at him. ”What?”

”At your university.”

I continued to stare at him like he grew two heads.

He shrugged casually like he was talking about the weather. ”If it comes to it, I could buy the university since it doesn’t belong to the state.”

Silence hung between us while I slowly put the blanket down.

”You want... to buy my workplace?”

”Only if it’s necessary.”

”Damien.”

”What?”

”You can’t just buy an entire university just because you miss your boyfriend!”

He took a moment to consider this, genuinely weighing his argument. ”Why not?”

I grabbed the pillow. ”Because that’s not how normal people solve problems!”

He laughed when I lightly smacked him across the shoulder. ”Ow!”

”You rich people are a different breed! Fucking aliens! I’m convinced of it. Somewhere in a lab, scientists are creating people who think the sensible solution to a scheduling conflict is to buy an entire university.”

He caught the pillow before I could strike him again and pulled me against him, still chuckling as I fought to retrieve it.

”Alright then,” he said, still smiling. ”I’ll just be a very generous benefactor instead.”

”You’re abusing your wealth.”

”I’m using my resources.”

”You’re using your money to push around the education system.”

”Would you prefer I bought a hospital?”

I gasped. ”That’s not an improvement!”

He laughed so hard that I soon found myself laughing too, my forehead dropping against his shoulder as he wrapped his arms around me.

It was absurd. He was absurd.

And the worst part was I could totally see him doing it...standing before some university board with that calm expression, announcing he’d be thrilled to donate millions, provided his boyfriend got a reasonable amount of time off.

I’d have to murder him. Lovingly, of course...there are limits to my patience, but evidently not to my affection.

Once our laughter subsided, Damien pressed a kiss to my forehead and tucked the blanket around me.

”Will you at least think about it?”

I glanced down at our intertwined hands. He wasn’t joking anymore.

I could feel it in the way his thumb gently traced circles on my knuckles, in the quiet patience of his face, and in the fact that he hadn’t tried to brush my concerns off as something money could fix.

He wanted me with him, not because he feared I’d vanish if he stopped watching over me, and not to impress his family. He genuinely wanted to share his life with me, even the messy, inconvenient, and sometimes silly parts.

”You’re really asking me to be your roommate again?” I murmured.

His smile softened even more. ”Yes.”

”Even though I’m a terrible roommate?”

”Well, you do leave your books everywhere.”

”They’re educational materials!”

”And you steal my food.”

”You buy enough food to feed a small army.”

”You complain about my cooking even when it’s better than what you can make.”

”That’s a completely different discussion.”

”And you steal my clothes and blankets.”

I looked down at the shirt I was wearing.

It was his, so I looked back at him. ”Allegedly.”

Damien chuckled and kissed my forehead again.

”I want all of it, Oliver.”

My smile faded into something softer.

”I want you next to me when I wake up. I want to argue with you over breakfast, hear about your students, and complain when I work too late. I want to come home and find you waiting for me, even if you’re just there to point out all my mistakes.”

”That sounds like a terrible life.”

”It sounds like a beautiful one, actually.”

I gazed at him for a long time, then rested my head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.

There was a time when I would have accepted almost anything from him just because I was scared of losing him.

I would’ve followed him anywhere without hesitation, convinced that love meant molding myself to fit whatever life he offeredm

But that wasn’t me anymore. I had a career I was proud of, a father I cared for, and a life I had battled hard to build after Damien’s absence left me with nothing but questions.

I wasn’t about to give all that up.

But I also didn’t have to choose between the life I’d built and the man I loved, not if we were both willing to create something new together.

I lifted my head.

”I’ll come with you.”

Damien froze.

For one glorious moment, the great Damien Lockwood...billionaire CEO, ruthless businessman, and aspiring university purchaser.

He looked like he’d forgotten how to breathe. Then his expression shifted.

His smile was slow, almost disbelieving, and so genuinely beautiful that my chest ached with the familiar knowledge that I had never stopped loving him.

”Really?”

I nodded. ”Really.”

His arms tightened around me. He buried his face against my neck for a moment, and when he finally pulled back, his eyes sparkled with happiness he wasn’t even bothering to hide.

”You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to hear that.”

I touched his cheek.

”Well, you could’ve started by asking me before you threatened to buy my workplace.”

He laughed, then kissed me. It was a slow, unhurried kiss, filled with relief and affection, and I couldn’t help but smile against his lips, because there was something wonderfully ordinary about being able to kiss him without the fear that it might be the last time.

When we finally pulled apart, I kept my arms around his neck.

”Your parents are going to be so damn furious.”

Damien’s smile turned delightfully wicked.

”They’ll manage.”

”Your mother will find out her carefully arranged engagement plans have been dashed by you dragging your old roommate lover back to the city.”

”My old roommate lover?” He raised an eyebrow. ”That’s what we’re calling you now, Sunshine?”

I pretended to think for a moment. ”No, I suppose I should be more accurate.”

”My boyfriend.” He corrected.

My cheeks flushed, and he noticed, of course, because he always did.

”You’re blushing.”

”I’m experiencing a temporary medical emergency.”

”Should I call a doctor?”

”No, I just need you to shut up for a minute.”

He kissed my cheek.

”My boyfriend,” he said again, clearly determined to make me blush again.

I grabbed the pillow again, and he caught it before I could hit him, laughing as he pulled me back into his arms and tucked me against his chest.

”Okay, fine,” I muttered as I settled against him. ”But if your mother tries to set up another engagement plan, I’m sending her a bill for emotional damages.”

”I’ll cover it.”

”Of course you will. You think money solves everything.”

”No,” he said softly, brushing his lips against my forehead. ”Just the things I can solve with money.”

I smiled. ”And what about the things you can’t?”

His expression softened as he looked down at me.

”I’ll deal with those alongside you.”

For a moment, I couldn’t think of anything sarcastic to say, which was becoming a dangerous trend.

I reached for his hand, intertwining my fingers with his and resting our joined hands against my chest.

His thumb moved over my knuckles before moving to the necklace I still wore, tracing the familiar pendant with a tenderness that filled my heart with warmth.

”I’m really glad you came back,” I whispered.

He lowered his head, resting his cheek against my chest, listening to my heartbeat.

”I’m glad I found you again.”

I ran my fingers through his hair, smiling when he nestled closer, as if he planned to stay there for the rest of the day.

After a bit, he spoke up again.

”And I’m glad you’re mine again.”

I looked down at him, at the man I loved before I understood how deeply love could hurt, and at the man who had returned wanting to build a future with me instead of just asking me to wait around.

”I’m glad too,” I whispered.

He pressed one last kiss to my chest before settling in beside me, his arm around my waist.

The sunlight continued streaming into the bedroom, the outside world remained at bay, and for once, I didn’t feel pressured to rush into whatever came next.

We had a decision to make together, a city to return to when the time was right, and an entire host of challenges waiting for us once we made that choice.

His parents were sure to be a handful, the university situation would need way more thought than Damien’s plan of just buying it, and Dad would likely spend weeks embarrassing me about my love life.

But those would all be problems for another day.

For now, Damien was right beside me, our fingers intertwined, and I had everything I needed.