They were at it again.

Damien Ridley and Lester “Les” McCoy were fucking the life out of each other, and my ears were practically bleeding, they were so loud. It was a wonder the ceiling still held up with all the pounding that floor got from their exertions in the bedroom, which was located right above mine.

Ever since they’d moved in together upstairs last month, it had been like that nonstop, sometimes twice in a night. I was happy for them, but I had no one in my life right now, which didn’t help matters. It seemed that getting the snot beat out of me a year ago had made me gun-shy of anything in the realm of relationships.

Physically, I had healed from the bruises inflicted upon me by Biff Tremonte, my former roommate. He was currently serving time in prison for assault, and good riddance. Mentally, I was still fragile.

I had continued my job as a bicycle courier for a few months after recovering from my injuries, but, somehow, it hadn’t been the same. I was too easily spooked by things that had not even been a thought before the incident. So I quit.

Now I worked full time at a local gym as a spin instructor and front desk assistant—the same place where Damien, my friend and former roommate, was also employed. I had been part-time before, but I decided that a change of direction might be a good thing, while still keeping my love of cycling in the mix. I just wished I could get out of the funk I was in.

My knowledge of the world and the natural order of things had been shaken. I used to believe that people were basically decent, but Biff had shown me the dark side of humanity. It made me doubt myself, and my judgment.

Finally, the rhythmic pounding overhead ceased, and I fell asleep, at last.

* * * *

“You get any shuteye, dude?” Damien asked me as we entered the gym together the next morning.

I’d ridden my bicycle there, while he’d walked the couple of blocks from our duplex to the fitness center. He was disgustingly chipper and oozing with life, the happy state of a man who got fucked regularly.

“I got a little. Hard to sleep when you and Les are going at it, right over my bedroom,” I replied and smirked.

He laughed. “What can I say? The man’s ass is a work of art that should be worshipped up close and personal.”

I shook my head and smiled at his smug, self-satisfied air. “Yeah, yeah. You know I’m happy for you both. I’m just bitchin’ ‘cause I don’t have anyone to make noise with and get you back.”

Damien snickered. “All you need to do is pick up a guy. You know they’d be lined up to fuck you if you’d let ‘em. I hear the guys talking about you when I’m in the locker room.”

We both clocked in, then headed to the back of the gym.

“Whatever, man,” I said. “The guys here are horny idiots who’d fuck any hole that was available.” And I meant that literally. I opened my locker and stashed my things inside. “I want something with a little more to it than that. Sex I can get anywhere or with my hand.”

“True, but, Kenny, it’s been months since you’ve even looked at a guy. Are you still…dealing with issues from the assault last year?”

“Maybe. But even before that, I wasn’t the kind of guy to sleep around a lot. I can count on two hands the men I’ve slept with since my first time when I was eighteen.”

Damien walked beside me as we made our way to the main floor that housed all the workout equipment. “All I’m sayin’ is, you’re twenty-six years old, though you could pass for twenty. You need to get out there, take a chance on a guy. It’s not healthy for you to be cooped up like you are.”

“I know, and I appreciate your concern.”

I wandered over to the spin area to setup for my first class of the day.

* * * *

The typical routine for me with each class was a warm-up, then the build-up, interspersed with sprints and climbs for a maximum workout. By the time the cool-down came around, everyone was sweaty and pumped. I loved pushing the participants to their limits, and then a little beyond. Slackers didn’t last long.

I chose music to add a high-energy, fun, and enthusiastic element to the room. I wore a headset so I could encourage the participants out loud. I urged them to get out of their seats and climb, climb, climb, pushing through the pain.