I can't remember when it first happened. When it changed from me just going out for a beer with him, to me noticing the way his hands wrapped around the bottle, the way his tongue flicked the rim before sucking in a long, cold swig of beer. When it changed from standing on the deck smoking a cigarette, to me fixating on how his lips wrapped around the filter when he took a drag, the shape of his mouth as he blew out a wispy puff of smoke. I can't remember when I started to notice the curve of his hip, the small tuft of hair that poked out from the top of his shirt. When I first started to secretly glance his way as he stood next to me at the urinal. The way my heart would speed up at the scent of his cologne, the sound of his voice. The way that the manliness between my legs would harden if his knee brushed up against mine while sitting next to one another at the bar eating wings. I don't remember when any of these things started happening, but I do remember the night that he let me know they were happening to him too.
Now don't get me wrong, we are both family men. Happily married, kids, house, dogs, jobs, normal "All-American" dads in every which way. But that night in September, it all changed for us. My secret glances, the deep felt feelings I had suppressed so much. Those thoughts that I only dared to fantasize about while I was safely deep inside of my wife, they all changed. Everything changed that night, and I don't think I ever want them to change back.
It started as a normal Sunday. We were at the local bar, in our usual positions, watching the game. Our wives and kids were away, again, off on some crazy "family fun" pumpkin finding mission in the country for the weekend. We drank and chatted through the 1 o'clock game and through more than half of the 4 o'clock game, but something just felt different that day. Some electric energy was in the air. The bulge in my pants hardened at every knee touch, every accidental hand brushing. My heart jumped every time he spoke my name. I almost jumped out of my seat when he asked if I wanted to finish watching the rest of the game at his place. Of course I said, "Yes".