Date: 28 Jun 2000 23:30:39 -0700
From: mizter@www.com
Subject: Mixed Up With Jeff

Mixed Up With Jeff

My Disclaimer ~

!Purely Fiction!

{This story in no way reflects the truth about Jeff Timmons or any of the
members of 98 Degrees. This is ALL fiction. All of it. Read the first
sentence. THAT'S FICTION AND SO IS THE REST OF IT}

Also don't read this if you're under 18.

-Hey! Thanks for clicking on my story in spite of the corny title. This is
gonna be one of the stories that centers around the relationship part
first, then all that sex stuff. Ok, Read on if you haven't already skimmed
through this message. Oh! One more thing. I like to skip parts of the story
that have no point in being there. Just like when your watching a movie and
they skip over a certain part that obviously happened. So, being the tacky
person that I am, I put little "Fast Forward >>" symbols to indicate I'm
skipping the stupid part. Ok. I'm done jabbering.

Max sighed. Any other day. He could have taken this on any other day but
today, but of course it was happening right this second.  He paced back and
forth the apartment as Jarrod gathered his own belongings.

"Please....Talk to me...You haven't told me anything." He placed a hand on
Jarrod's shoulder only to have it shaken away. This was new. Jarrod had
never acted this way. "Ok...Your leaving..." That was obvious. He wanted to
say more, but the words failed him.

"Max....I'm sorry. I'm sorry if you feel like I'm the one causing all this
shit. I just cant take your games anymore. You know I love you...Ah..Forget
it...Just..." He swatted at some invisible fly and got up holding what
seemed to be his last box. Max flopped down onto the sofa. He knew that in
some way this was all his fault, but his attention was drawn mainly to that
of his own self pity. Yet another failed relationship. Yet another few
weeks alone. That was his problem. He hated being alone, which might be the
cause of his many failed relationships.

He wasn't in it for the sex, although thats how some might see it. He just
liked the after-sex part where he wrapped his arms around his lover and
fell asleep. He liked kissing. He loved hugging. Talking was another
matter. Somewhere down the path, he'd always find his acquaintances to be
less than amusing. He couldn't get the verbal intimacy, so he looked to all
the other forms. That didn't work for them and he wasn't sure it worked for
him either. The click of the front door indicated Jarrods farewell,
meanwhile, down the hall a scrawny little figure emerged from the
darkness. Jarrod was allergic to dogs, so Bandit had been staying in the
confinements of the dreaded laundry room. Max smiled. He swatted the spot
next to him on the couch and called his pudgy little friend over. Soon
enough, Bandit was lying next to him looking up with his doggy
smile. Apparently he was glad of the recent departure.

"Looks like its you and me again." He'd gotten the newborn puppy ten years
ago on his twelfth birthday. Bandit was not so much his best friend, as dog
lovers tend to argue, but he was more of a symbol. Bandit was always there
and would never willingly leave. Thats what Max loved and wanted
most. "Well, how about you and me scope out the town. Hmm, maybe you can
help me find somebody." He laughed. Not at the idea of the dog helping him
out, cuz that did work once or twice before, he laughed at himself for
talking with a dog. It was a crazy mood he was in. He no longer felt
anything for Jarred.

Fast Forward >>

Max felt a tug at the leash. He figured Bandit was just gonna do his
business, so he stopped and just looked away.

"Hey! Watch it! Ugh. Mr? Could you? Damn. Your dog!" Max turned around to
see Bandit with a young mans foot protruding from his mouth. Bandit was
gnawing away like crazy. He had to admit, it was pretty damn funny. He
tried pulling at the leash.

"I am soooo sorry. Umm....I..I'll pay for your boot, I really think you
should just take it off."

"Ugh! Just get your dog off me. I'm allergic." He vaguely thought of
Jarrod. Vaguely.

"Yikes...Uhh, is that a leather boot? He wont let go if its leather." The
stranger shook off the boot being attacked. Of course now Bandit went for
the other shoe, but Max stopped him just in time. He took the tiny pug dog
in his arms and stood there face to face with the stranger.

"What is wrong with your dog?" The man was comical. He seemed angry, and
yet funny, like some sitcom character.

"I dont know. He just really likes leather. Listen, I'm really sorry about
your boot....Umm..If you come across the street with me really fast I can
run up and get my checkbook. I..I'm really sorry." He looked back at the
stranger. The man had nothing short of a beautiful face, along with a
perfect build accented by clothes that seemed to fit all too well. It was
as if he bumped into the posterboy for Abercrombie.

"No no. Dont worry about it. Ugh." It was starting to downpour and here he
was with one shoe. "Aww man. Umm." He glanced back up with a tired
look. "Do you know where the Mariott Hotel is?" Bandit was struggling to be
let free. Max had to put him back down. The stranger raised an eyebrow.

"Dont worry, I've got him...Uhh..The Marriott Hotel is like a few miles
back. Shit. Its raining hard. D'you need directions?"

"Umm. No.. Aww man. Do you have a phone I could use?"

Fast Forward >>

They stood in the elevator with seven more floors to go. "By the way, I'm
Max."

"Oh, I'm Jeff." The two stood not talking. Four floors to go.

"I'm still really sorry about your boot. You sure you dont want me to pay
for that?" Jeff looked back down at his wet foot covered only by a ripped
sock.

"No. Its alright. I shouldn't be jogging in leather boots anyways. I was
just kinda in a hurry so...." The door opened. Following Max, Jeff made his
way down the hallway where the two stopped by a door. Jeff rubbed his
eyes. His dog allergies were getting to him. Max opened the door and the
two stepped inside. Max could see Jeffs eyes were becoming a bit
agitated. With a menacing look upon his face, Bandit was placed back inside
the laundry room.

"The phone is over there. Umm.. You want a beer...pepsi..anything?" Jeff
turned back as he was walking to the phone. Max knew what he himself
wanted, but that was out of the question.

"Ummm, Do you have diet pepsi?" He felt embarrassed saying that. He always
got a diet pepsi when given the option.

"Probably." Max walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. Jarrod liked
keeping a thin figure, so he always kept diet stuff in the place. He
ransacked the crowded fridge. He grabbed a can and walked back to the
living room where Jeff was leaning back into the couch with a very
frustrated look on his face. Max just stood there for a while.

"Nobodys there. I think they all went out to lunch. Is it still raining?"
Max didn't bother answering. The rain pounding down on the windows seemed
evidence enough. Max took a seat next to him and handed him the can.

"So what are you gonna do now? You need a ride somewhere?" Jeff was looking
at the can.

"I cant drink this."

"What?"

"Its not diet"

"Oh my god. Its pepsi one. Its one-calorie. You can afford one calorie."
This guy was funny.

"Its not about the calorie, its about the discipline."

"Who are you? Karate kid?" Jeff smiled. He'd always done everything as
exact as possible. When he worked out, it was always fifty repetitions of
this, a hundred repetitions of that...No more. No less. Food habits were no
different.

"Its just a thing I do." Max flipped on the tv. Jeff sat up. "Umm...Am I
interrupting your day? I didn't mean to just barge in..I..-"

"Its alright. All I had planned for today was....", he felt embarrassed
saying he had nothing to do all day but walk his dog. He decided to change
the story. "...walk my dog." It didn't work.

"Oh." Max sighed. This Jeff person probably thought he was a loser.

"I mean. I dont just sit around all day waiting to walk my dog."

"I didn't say that."

"Just wanted to clear it." He saw Jeff laugh for the first time since he'd
met him. If he didn't watch out this guy was gonna get to him. There was no
way and no need to lust after this forbidden territoty.

"Just out of curiosity...What do you do all day?"

"Lotsa stuff."

"Really?....Like what might I ask?"

"Umm...I really do have a life. Its just... I got dumped today. So I
thought I'd just kick back, maybe take in a stranger or two."

"Lucky for me. Hmmm, Its still raining, so why dont we go over the 'got
dumped' part." Max was startled by the question. He was definatly not good
at lying. Maybe he could pull it off if he skimmed around the truth.

"Are you sure you know me well enough to ask me such personal stuff about
my life?" Of course that was easier.

"I'm sure. Go ahead and tell me everything." Jeff smiled again. Such
torture. It was as if he knew Max couldn't resist his smile. Max cleared
his throat.

"My..." Think think think. What word?, "My boo was pissed cuz--"

"Wait a minute! Your boo? Thats hilarious!" Jeff was laughing again. "I'm
sorry. Its just thats the last thing I expected you to say. Go ahead. Tell
me about your breakup with boo." This Jeff guy was something. Max had never
seen a guy this forward in his life. He acted like him and Max were already
friends for years.

"Well, he-" Max choked. Wait a minute. Maybe I didn't say that. Maybe Jeff
didn't notice. Shit!

"He?" Jeff turned his gaze to the ground.

"I said she."

"No you didn't..... Are you gay?"

"No! What are you talking about?" He was always so careful to stay in the
closet. Even Jarrod had to tell everyone that he was a paying roomate so
nobody would expect anything queer. "Maybe you should leave." Another thing
about Max, was that he liked to distance himself from all he feared. What
he feared right now was to be verbally rejected by Jeff.

"Whoa whoa whoa. Max...Calm down. I was just asking. I'm ok with it." Jeff
tried to lighten the mood. His straightforward questions managed to offend
people from time to time. He placed a hand on Max's shoulder.

"What is this? What are you doing? Look, I'm sure its stopped raining by
now. Do you want me to pay for your boot or not?"

"What? What are you talking about? I already told you I didn't care about
that. Can't you just relax?"

"I'm sorry. I'm.... I mean, could we just forget I said that?" Max had
never let a straight guy know his sexual preference. Unbeknownst to him,
just this moment, he hadn't splurged his sexuality to a straight guy.

"Look at me." A bit too forwardly for his own fashion, Jeff cupped Max's
chin in his hand and turned the face towards his own. "I don't care about
that. No wait. Better than that. I do. I do care about that because now I
can do this.-" Max was still in a trance as the space between him and Jeff
collapsed into an intimate moment. Max was startled. This isn't
happening. Jeff's tongue entered his mouth and danced around his tongue.
Is he kissing me? Max leaned in closer and opened his mouth wider.  Am I
kissing him?  His thought was shaken as Jeff leaned back and their kiss
ended with a sexy slippery sound.

"Umm...I."

"Are you cool now?"

"I...." Jeff playfully slapped each side of Max's face with both hands.

"Snap out of it."

"I can't believe you just did that."