Read Queermance Anthology, Volume 1 for Free Online Page A

Meeting his gaze, I tried work out how he truly felt.
Instead of love-filled doe-eyes like those I'd seen on Heather, I saw twinkling merriment.
    'You suck at sucking, mate. You need practice to perfect your technique, and I'm going to be
generous enough to allow you to practise on me.'
    What more could one say but, 'Give me a sec to catch my breath and I'll get right to it, Ad.'
    Adam's laugh rocked the bed as I eased down beside him.
    I sighed in contentment as I pulled Adam into my arms. Yeah, we sucked at the whole sex thing so
far, but at least we were getting a chance to get it right.

I BLAME THE CAT
Alison Evans
    It's too early to be awake, goddamnit. Should have gotten proper-drunk last night
and sent some embarrassing texts to my ex instead. Would've been better than letting Simon drag me
around all night, trying to help me 'move on' while he stuck his tongue down the throat of every boy
he could find.
    He is a terrible best friend. He won't let me wallow. He has to go.
    I can't remember the girl's name, I realise. Not that I really care, but it'd be nice to avoid
some embarrassment.
    Groaning, I pull the doona over my head and try and trick myself into falling asleep again.
That's when I realise: she's not here. The cat's in her warm space instead. Thank Christ.
    Simon barges into the room. 'Rise and shine, Lucy in the sky! Your guest is waiting for you.' He
prods my foot. 'I made her breakfast.'
    'Fuck off.' My voice is muted by the covers. 'It's the morning, Simon. The morning is not for
talking. It's for sitting in the dark, drinking disgusting coffee and regretting one's choices.'
    I poke my head out of the covers to look at his disgustingly cheery face. 'Why'd you take me out
last night? Now I have to talk to her.'
    'I just thought you could take a break from seeing Rosie Palms every night.'
    'Rosie Pa - oh.' I stick my middle finger up at him, the asshole. 'As if you can talk. I hear you
every night, wanking your tits off. You have scarred me for life.'
    'I have-'
    'For life!'
    He clears his throat. 'I have found you a wife, Lucy Rojas, and this is how you repay me.'
    'Wife!' I shriek. 'You're worse than my mother. Get out!'
    I get up, thankfully not naked, and push him out the door. He whispers me the girl's name as I
almost trip over my cat who obviously heard the word breakfast. Simon gives me a shit-eating grin as
I slam the door in his face. Next time the door's gonna hit his stupid big nose.
    The cleanest clothes I can find are shorts and a blank t shirt, I pull them on and go out to the
kitchen. And of course, Simon isn't there. Just 'Emily' - sitting there, spreading avocado onto
her toast. I stare at her from the doorway and she stares back.
    'Hi,' I say eventually.
    'Your housemate said he had to go to work,' she says.
    'Course he fuckin' did,' I mutter as I take a seat at the table. I grab some toast from the
middle of the table - Simon's put out quite a spread - and dump beans, bacon, mushrooms on
it. I bite down and acknowledge that my housemate isn't all bad: he makes good food and is probably
the reason I don't live off packet noodles.
    'You want me to leave, don't you?' she says. She puts her elbows on the table, leans towards me.
She's got an odd kind of smile, half crooked, eyes scrunched up. I search her face, trying to figure
out what that smile means, but come up blank.
    'Can you read minds?' I ask, then shovel some food into my face.
    'Unfortunately, no.'
    'Psychologist?' I dated a psych student once. She'd always tried to read my body language, but
she was pretty terrible at it.
    Emily shakes her head as she leans back in her seat. 'But you are.'
    I stare at her. 'Not technically,' I say, putting down my cutlery. 'Studying.'
    Actually, let's be honest, I've slept with a lot of pysch students. 'How did
you-?'
    'The books in your room.'
    She's good , I think.
    'And you told me last night.' She grins.
    'Oh.'
    Maybe I should keep this girl around. For a little while, at least. I try and