John & Steven

John and I had always joked about going out for a beer whenever he'd come in for a bite to eat. I'd never seriously thought wed actually do it, but then I never thought I'd do half the things I did with him after that night . . ..

It was a night not that different from any other. After six and my shift was over, I tugged at my work clothes and tossed my heavy coat on, gearing myself up for the walk home, 'cause my car was on the fritz again. Slipping out of the back room, I found John standing at the register, paying his bill.

"Hey John, how 'bout that beer?" I joked dryly.

He smirked as he turned to look my way, his eyes showing great humor. "Sure thing Steve, meet me at the bar, I'll buy us a round."

I laughed and patted him on the shoulder as I walked by. "Okay, I'll meet you there." I added, with a wide grin.

One of the waitresses came up with John's change then, and I slipped out the front door, still smiling. I wasn't more than ten steps out when John pulled his car up next to me. Looking over I smiled again, or rather, tried to smile even wider. "What's up John?" I asked curiously.

"You're walking?" He asked.

"Yep, car's on the blink."

He paused, opened his mouth, then closed it with a small 'humph' sound.

I turned my head to the side at that, but before I could question him he said, "how 'bout that beer now?" I was silent for a moment, looking from him, down the road, and back again: take the long walk home? Or get a ride and a beer? I shrugged and circled around his car to get it.

We joked with each other on the ride to the bar, and when we finally got there we drank several rounds: or at least I drank several rounds. The long and the short of it is that I got way too drunk. It wasn't John's fault; it just doesn't take much to get me drunk. What memory I have of the rest of the night is hazy at best: I remember John making his 'humph' expression again, and helping me walk unsteadily to his car. I must have fallen asleep during the drive, muttering god knows what, and didn't wake up until the next day.

Upon waking my first thought was that I wasn't home: my place wasn't as nice as what I woke up to! I was lying haphazardly on a nice plush couch in front of a crackling fire in a large stone fireplace. I sat up and my head spun: making me groan and flop back against the couch again.

John walked in then, nonchalantly, and I looked up again, slowly this time.

"You're kinda a light weight there Steve!" He joked, as I cautiously sat up.

Thoughts filled my head that nearly made my heart stop: had he done something to me while I was out? Was I his captive? Was he some sort of cannibalistic psycho?

He must have seen the fear on my face, because he exclaimed: "Oh lord, you think I raped you or something?!"

His question completely disarmed me and it was all I could do to nod, slack jawed.

"Pft!" He spat, humorously, "Don't be ridiculous! I would have taken you home, but you were in no condition to give me directions, and, well . . ." he hesitated before adding, "you didn't have your wallet on you either . . ."

He was right: I'd forgotten it that day 'cause I wasn't driving. I hung my head, embarrassed by my assumptions.

"Sorry to have disappointed you." He chuckled, "But I prefer my lovers conscious and willing."

I looked up at him startled, not sure what to say. He smiled at me, and I swallowed another lump of embarrassment. "So you're . . ." I started, hesitantly, as my knees drew together instinctively and I leaned forward.

"Gay?" He finished the question for me, arching an eyebrow.

The way he looked at me made me lower my gaze.

"Yep." He added, popping his lips on the 'p.'

I drew in a long breath and exhaled, clamoring after the thoughts bouncing around in my mind, but they seemed as slippery as a well lathered bar of soap. "I've never . . .." I started.

"Done anything with a man before. I know." He finished for me.

I looked up at him as he ran his hand through his slick black hair, a curious smile played across my lips as I lowered my eyes again. It was as if that act made it possible to talk, but only just barely. "But I've . . .." I began again.

"Thought about it before. I know that too." He finished my thought for me again.

I smiled openly. "Yeah." Was all I could say as I lifted my eyes again. My smile faltered when I was that he held my coat and his car keys.

"What? You didn't expect to get down and dirty right now did you?! I think we have to get to know one another a little bit better before that happens." He said wordlessly, with just the look in his eyes, as he smiled back at me.

Twenty minutes later I was back home, standing at my front door. I watched John pull away in his car, glad that he had invited me over the next day, 'just to hang out,' after giving me his number. I accepted without a second thought. The rest of the day seemed to drag on like an eternity, and the apartment I lived in suddenly felt empty, not even Greedo my cat could change the lonely mood in the air around me. Eventually, thankfully, I feel asleep.

When I woke up Greedo was curled up on my chest, his head tucked under my chin. I patted him and he 'mirred' in reply, but didn't move. I mimicked him and laughed under my breath as he answered back with an annoyed 'mrow' and stretched his legs out. "Come on Greedo, ya lazy shit." I grumped, as I scratched his head. He yawned, with yet another irritated 'mirr,' but finally gave up and climbed off me to look for a corner to curl up in.

Looking at the time, I reached for the scrap of paper with John's number on it. It was eleven thirty a.m. I took a relieved breath because I'd said I'd call by noon. As I dialed I stated to feel nervous, but I swallowed it back. The line picked up and I started: "Hi, this is Steve from last night . . .."

I was cut off by the answering machine: "You've reached the home of John Leimount, I'm not in ri . . ." I'd been afraid I would have to leave a message, but right in the middle the recording stopped and John came on the line.

"Hi there Steve, sorry about that, I just got out of the shower."

"Oh, that's okay, um, you still want to hang out today?" I asked, somehow keeping my voice from quavering over the sudden mental picture of him just coming out of a hot shower.

"Sure! When would you like me to pick you up?" He asked.

He definitely had a way of making things easy! "I can be ready in twenty minutes." I answered.

"Okay, I'll head out in just a few minutes then, and be there in less than half an hour, . . . or your money back!"

I couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, see you then!" I said, still snickering.

"See ya!" He said, with a laugh of his own.

Then we both hung up and I immediately bolted for the shower.

Twenty minutes later I was dressed and ready to go even had my wallet this time! I tousled my hair with a towel one last time, and smoothed it back with one hand as I heard a knock at the door. Rushing up to it I opened up and grabbed my coat, feigning a look at the clock. "Damn, you're on time! Looks like I'll have to pay full price." I joked as I stepped out next to him.

He laughed heartily at that and we went to his car. On the ride to his place we talked a bit: I told him all about my cat and he remarked on the name I'd given him.

"Greedo? You like Star Wars huh?"

I smiled broadly over at him, and would have gone into a conversation over it but the faint music from the car radio caught my ear. "Mind if I turn it up?" I asked.

He nodded toward the volume, "Go ahead."

I turned it up and laughed: "Hah! I knew it! Fleetwood Mac!"

"Everywhere!" We said in unison.

The song came to a close just as we pulled into his driveway. He led the way as we walked up to his front door, unlocked it and slipped in.

"Care for a drink?" He asked as he went to the kitchen.

"Yeah, what to you have?"

John laughed just out of sight as I hung my coat up. "What would you like?" He asked.

"Uh, . . . a beer?"

"Okay, what brand? Corona, Moosehead, Dos Equis, New Castle . . .." He sounded as thought he was bout to go on.

"Hmm, I'll take a Moosehead."

A moment later I heard a cap clinking as I walked over to the couch, then another.

John came in with two Mooseheads: handing one to me, he went over to his TV "Hmm, how about a movie?" He asked, looking back toward me.

I came over as he opened a cabinet full of them. "Jesus!" I blurted after a quick scan, "You have every single movie I do and then some!" I took a sip of beer; silently promising myself I would only have a few the rest of the night.

"Pick something if you want, I haven't watched any of them in months."

My eyes settled on something in John's collection that made me smile: "The Prisoner." I breathed.

John looked up at me: it was the first time I'd ever seen him look so surprised.

"My dad got me hooked on it." I explained. "Damn, you have the entire series!" I said, amazed.

He smiled as he grabbed a couple of them to watch.

I was half way trough my second beer with we finished watching the first few episodes. John stood to collect the boxes and put them away as he finished off his second beer.

The last one we'd watched had given me an idea; "Do you play Chess?" I asked, as I clicked my tooth thoughtfully against the beer bottle pressed to my lower lip, then took as sip.

"Sure do." He said as he stood. "Come with me."

He showed me to a separate room: it was a study, a real full-blown study, not just a spare room made to look like one! A bookcase dominated one entire wall, there was a rotating globe on one table set off in the corner, and a chess table: it felt like something out of the game Clue, the only things missing were a French maid and Tim Curry!

"Jesus." I breathed.

"Yeah." John sighed with a shrug, "Just don't mind the dust in here."

Without another word we sat down to play and in less then five minutes he'd taken both my Bishops, three pawns, and had me fighting check. I'd finished my beer just then, and he offered me another. I would have declined, but I wanted the time it afforded me to try to figure out how he'd worked the game to this point so easily.

He came back and I made my move while he was still standing. As he sat he moved a piece: "Check mate." He said casually, and took a sip of beer.

I sputtered, taken completely off guard. "Damn!" I gasped.

"Go again?" He chuckled.

Without a word I set my pieces up for another go. "I've never seen knights used so effectively before." I muttered as I thought over the game, lifting the beer to my lips.

"And I've never seen someone lose their queen to a pawn." He teased as he watched me drink.

"I was hell bent on getting rid of at least one meddlesome knight!" I countered defensively, noticing the way he was watching my lips even after I had sat the beer down. Clearing my throat I looked down at the board. I smirked as I moved on of my knights out, a wicked and less than honorable thought came to my mind as I did so. While he considered his move I grabbed my beer and lifted to my lips again. I was counting on him to glance up at me, and he did. Tipping the bottle up, I took a long, slow draw on it, "Mmmmmmmmm." I intoned as I swallowed.

He looked up again, his lip twitching.

Setting one of his own knights down, he leaned back in his seat, watching me calmly.

"Hmmmmm." I sighed as I focused on the board: I took my move, then waited. Just as he reached for a bishop I started to lift my beer again. His eyes were on me as he took his move without hesitation. This time I found I had let a drop flow down the side of the bottle and, wickedly, as he watched I collected it on my tongue as I licked up along the thin trail of escaping beer.

John gave a 'humph' at that, and a moment later he licked his lips.

I smiled widely when I looked down to find that I was able to take his bishop easily, which I happily did. It went on like that for several turns: I teased him with the beer bottle and picked off a couple more of his pieces. I became so emboldened by my success at distracting him from the game, that I quietly slipped foot from shoe and moved my foot up between his legs.

To his credit, John didn't even flinch: instead he seemed to focus intently upon the board, suddenly hesitant before every move.

I was openly smirking like a cat as I moved my foot against him: he was hard, very hard. I bit my lower lip teasingly.

John took his move after something like three minutes of concentration. Slowly, he looked up at me, and the look in his eyes was breathtakingly sensual. He parted his lips slowly, "Check mate." He said huskily.

I was stunned. Glaring at the board my jaw dropped: he'd won again! To this day I don't know how he did it.