Brad's Search

[72-Jay]

Yep just watched it ... I've got YouTube up on the other computer while checking JUB on my main one
I might have to find a download for that song LOL

Sounds like part 16 should be good when we find out more about the new guy

 

[AstareGod]

The wait is over! Part 16 is below. Next part gets posted on Wednesday. Enjoy!

Part 16

James looks like he just had an epiphany. "That's why you look so familiar! You helped me up after I took a fall trying to catch that damned Frisbee."

"Yep, that would be me."

"So if I can make an ass of myself and not feel embarrassed, you should have nothing to worry about with me."

I give him a look and tilt my head to the side. "I guess we'll see."

He takes a swig of his beer. "So, do you go running in Volunteer Park often?"

"I go occasionally. I was there Monday for a quick run, but I don't think I saw you."

"No, I haven't been this week. My Frisbee guys have been a bit flaky."

"They all have their own boyfriends?"

"Yes - well, all except one, but he's straight, so he doesn't count."

"So that makes two of you without boyfriends, including yourself?"

There's that smile again. "Yes, I guess you could say that."

"And why would that be?" I take a sip of my lemon drop.

"I take the time to get to know someone - really get to know them. My friends have a tendency to jump into relationships way too quickly. And just as fast as they jump in, they crawl out."

"So you haven't found anyone suitable in a while?"

"Right. I'm hoping to change that tonight."

I can feel myself start to blush. "Me too." I then start thinking about Stan and all of my other boyfriends, but I really focus on Kelly. That memory is far too fresh.

James must have caught the sad expression on my face. "Is that why you're looking so down? Some callous fucker broke your heart?"

"You guessed it."

"Sacrilege! What's his name?"

Oh boy - er, girl. "Kelly."

He gives me the same look that Eric and Rick did when I told them about my weekend jaunt.

"Kelly? Well, I guess that can be a guy's name." James looks deeper into my eyes, and a few seconds later, says, "It isn't a guy, is it?"

All I can do is down the rest of my drink.

"To tell you the truth, I wasn't quite expecting that."

"So why aren't you running away?"

"Running away would be extremely hypocritical of a gay man, don't you think? Here we are, demanding that mainstream society accept us for who and what we are. It wouldn't be right of me to not give someone else the acceptance they deserve after demanding it for myself."

I just sit there and admire him for a few seconds. "Wanna get out of here?"

"I'd love to."

He drinks the last of his beer and we walk to the door. He opens it and waves me through. Such a gentleman.

We walk down Madison St for half a block before he says, "So, you're gonna have to tell me more about this Kelly."

"What would you like to know?"

"How did you meet her?"

"At another gay bar, actually. My two best friends and I went out to celebrate R-74 passing. And this woman just came up to us."

"Why would she assume you were straight if you three were at a gay bar?"

"Well, my two friends are straight, so she must have thought I was, too."

"Ah. Guilt by association."

"So she comes up and flirts a little with us, then she walks away. Next thing I know, my friends have evil, sadistic expressions on their faces. I ask them what's up, and they remind me of all my past relationships with guys that failed. They make a deal with me to ask her out. I do, and then I feel bad about the whole thing, so I feel obligated to actually go out with her."

"Wow, with the amount of digging you did, you should be in China. Where did you end up going?"

"This Japanese restaurant downtown. It turned out to be really good. And then we went back to her place, one thing led to another, and she shoved her hand in my pants."

"And then what?"

"That's the last thing I remember."

He glances at me as we keep walking. I give him the best excuse I had come up with so far. "The drinks were strong."

He chuckles. "Well, if that's all it takes to get you into bed, then I should have no problem!" I just roll my eyes.

We turn the corner and walk to a small park. We find a bench and sit down. He continues, "So, obviously, something must have gone awry."

"Yeah. That same night - completely by accident - I invited her to a weekend trip I planned. My mom was coming to visit, one of my friends made plans to go the same weekend, and the other friend joined at the last second. And both of my friends brought dates."

"Wow, that's a hell of a lot of people."

"And add one more - the last person on Earth I'd want to be there."

"Mitt Romney?"

I snort. "My ex-boyfriend, actually, who I didn't know would be there until I got there and my friends told me."

"That's a recipe for disaster fit for a Paula Deen cookbook!"

"Tell me about it. Everything goes pretty smoothly and I'm almost out of there until I accidentally run into my ex-boyfriend just as we are on the way out. And of course, he makes a big scene and the truth spills out."

"Well, you had to know it was going to happen eventually."

"In the back of my mind, yes, I knew. I guess I was just trying to delay the inevitable."

James takes a very deep breath. "And I really can't fault you for that. I've had moments when little white lies get out of hand. I've learned my lesson though: best to live life with everything out in the open."

I yawn and stretch out my hands. "I think you're right. Much simpler that way."

"Did your mom at least take it well?"

"You know, I was worried for a while. She had always been cool about my being gay for pretty much my entire life, but she was very silent after that incident. But she reassured me that she loves me and that the incident hadn't changed anything between us."

"That's great to hear." I yawn again. James continues, "How'd you get here?"

"We walked from the bar; don't you remember?"

"No, smartass; how did you get to the bar?"

"I rode the bus."

"Well, you look tired. You've certainly been through a lot. Come on, let me take you home."

"No, James, that's OK, really."

"Come on. If I was in your position, I wouldn't want to ride a bus home late at night and alone." He tilts his head and gives me puppy dog eyes.

I give in. "Fine."

He gives me a big smile. "Great; let's go."

We stand up and start walking toward his car.

"So, where do you live, Brad?"

"Near Lake Union."

"Oh good; you're on the way."

"How about yourself?"

"I'm in Fremont."

"Nice; I don't get up there too often."

"Well, when you get the chance, perhaps you can come up to visit me."

We reach his car; he unlocks it and we get inside. "Really? You want me to come visit?"

He fires up the car and we drive off. "Sure, why not? You seem like a pretty nice guy, and your lips look so kissable."

"I’m not sure you'd want to kiss these lips. They might still have pussy juice on them."

He chuckles. "I've tasted worse." I chuckle, too. He adds, "So, where were your friends tonight when you were going through all of this?"

"They already had dates planned with their girlfriends."

"And they neglected you in your time of need? I'm sure they're all right, but if I were them I would have stuck by your side tonight."

"Well, I'm glad we ran into each other then."

He looks at me and smiles. "So am I. You can tell them you had a date, too - or rather, somewhat of a date."

I give him directions to my place as we get closer. We eventually pull up outside the entrance.

"Brad, I'd like to go out again - on a real date this time. Here's my card. Give me a call sometime."

"That sounds good, James."

He reaches across and we hug for a few seconds. I say into his ear, "Thanks for rescuing me tonight."

We pull away, and he flashes that smile again. "You didn't need rescuing - a boogie board, perhaps, but not rescuing."

I open the door and step out. "I appreciate it anyway. I'll give you a call."

"Take care, Brad."

"You too." I close the door and walk to my front door. I unlock it and open the door to head inside. I look behind me and he's still waiting to make sure I get inside OK. I wave to thank him for the gesture, and he waves back and drives off.

I head inside, lock the door, and turn on a nearby lamp. I glance at his card. It reads: James Briscoe - Law Offices of Briscoe & Feldman.

-------

Also I'm getting a bit carried away with the YouTube music videos but they do a really good job of setting the mood of the story.

 

[72-Jay]

Sounds like Brad might have just met a really nice guy

 

[Craiger]

I'm liking James Briscoe and I think Brad may be as well. Calm, collected, just all around nice guy. Brad needs and deserves it right about now. He best not wait too long to make that phone call...

Craiger

 

[AstareGod]

Thanks as always for the comments, guys. Other readers - feel free to comment! I want to know people are enjoying the story!

Sorry for the small delay in getting this next part posted. I've been working on some other stuff today and made a few last-minute edits to this part. It's all ready to go, so here you go!

Part 17

I walk into the Starbucks where Gary and I had planned to meet. He waves me over to his table. I set my coat onto the chair and go up to order my coffee. As soon as it's ready, I grab it, walk back to the table, and sit down.

"Where's Harry?"

"I'm not sure. I tried contacting him this morning, but I think he and Julia are sleeping in or something."

I take a sip of my mocha.

"What did you end up doing last night?"

"Just went out to the bar."

There are a few seconds of silence.

"Brad, I'm so sorry. I really wanted to be there with you. I did. It's just - things are really delicate with Gina because of how everything went down with Kelly."

"It's all right, Gary. Don't worry about it."

"Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

"Well, you could - I don't know - meet someone who could very well become a boyfriend."

Gary gives me a wide-eyed expression. "You met someone last night?"

"Kind of. I actually met him very quickly for the first time when I was out running. But I saw him again last night and we sat and talked and he sounds really interested in me."

"Brad, that's fantastic!"

"I bet you feel a lot less guilty now, right?"

"Yes! So what's his name?"

I start blushing when I say his name. "James."

"Oh, I can see you falling in love already!"

"Hush. I am not."

Gary snickers. "What does he do?"

"He's an attorney."

"Whoa there, mister gold-digger!"

A few people look our way. I shush Gary. "Sorry," he whispers.

"At least I think he's an attorney. He gave me his card last night and it's for a law firm."

"Why don't you call and find out?"

"Call a law firm? On a Saturday?"

"Some are open on Saturdays. And so what if voicemail picks up?"

I shrug and pull out my phone. I dial the number on the card, and someone picks up. "Good afternoon. Law Offices of Briscoe and Feldman. This is James speaking."

"James, hi, it's Brad."

"Brad! Good to hear from you! How are you?"

"Erm, I was wondering if…"

"…Yes?"

"…Is there any legal recourse for an ex-boyfriend who single-handedly wrecked a relationship of mine and quite possibly also the ones of his two best friends?"

I hear James chuckling. "I wouldn't think so, but I'd have to check with the expert just to make sure."

"Expert? Don't you own the law firm?"

"Me? A lawyer? Hell no. My dad's the lawyer; I just help out around the office."

"Oh, I just looked at your business card and-"

"Yeah, sorry. I guess I should have explained."

"That's all right."

"So, is there anything else you wanted to ask? Preferably something not law-related?"

"Well, I've been thinking, and I'd like to take you up on your offer. A date with you sounds wonderful."

"Awesome! Give me a second to look at my calendar. We've been pretty slammed with gay couples wanting to come in and square things away before they get married."

I look at Gary and give him a cheesy grin. He gives me one back.

James comes back on the line. "All right. Looks like I'll be free Tuesday evening, and I don't have to go in until late Wednesday morning. How does dinner on Tuesday sound?"

"Tuesday should work just fine."

"It's a date, then! How about I pick you up around 6? I'll make the reservations - all you have to do is dress up and look cute, which I'm sure will be absolutely no problem for you."

"Erm, all right."

"Heh. Don't worry, Brad; you and I will have a great time. I promise."

"OK. 6 on Tuesday. I'll see you then."

"Sounds good. Take it easy."

We both hang up. Gary looks at me and snickers.

"What?"

"If you two hook up, I totally know who's bottoming."

I reach across the table and slap Gary on the arm.

* * * * *

The rest of the weekend is relaxing and goes on without a hitch. Monday morning rolls around and I head off to work. Today we're doing a few group interviews to select developers and testers for our client's big project.

I step off the elevator to the sight and smell of donuts and coffee. Eric is walking around setting down packets of papers in front of each chair at our central meeting table.

"Oh, Eric, you sure know how to make me happy." I reach for a donut.

Eric slaps my hand away. "Don't touch those. Wait 'til the interviewees get here."

"It's Monday. You know I can't wait that long."

Eric laughs. "Give me a moment and then we'll run down and grab something together." He finishes with the packets and quickly checks something on the laptop. We head to the elevator and run to the Starbucks on the corner. We place our orders, grab everything when it's ready, and sit at a nearby table.

"Anything exciting happen this weekend, Eric?"

"Nothing too out of the ordinary. My wife's parents are staying with us through Christmas day tomorrow."

"Oh, I completely forgot about Christmas. Did any of our applicants cancel because of the holidays?"

"I made sure to ask on the application if they would be in town and wouldn't mind coming in on Christmas Eve. No one had any objections so we're in the clear."

"That's good to hear. It must be nice to have family around."

"It is. Everyone seems to complain about in-laws, but mine are just fine. Go figure. Anyway, how was your weekend? Better than the last, I hope?"

"Yes. By leaps and bounds. I ran into someone at random a couple of weeks ago, and I met him again Friday night. He gave me his card and we have a date planned tomorrow night."

"Hey! That's awesome! You excited?"

"Very."

"Well, one piece of advice: don't screw this up by trying to date another woman."

"Don't worry; I'll leave that to you and all the other straight and bi guys in the world."

Eric gives me a smirk. We finish up and head back to the office.

* * * * *

The group interviews go fantastically. Everyone impressed us with their skills and talents so much that Eric and I decide to hire all of them. We plan to call them tomorrow morning and start everyone on the 3rd. We close up everything and head to the elevator.

"What do we do until the 3rd, Eric?"

"We talk to the client and get all of their project details squared away. That way we can figure out a game plan before everyone shows up to work after the New Year."

"That's it? This project manager thing doesn't sound as hard as I thought it was."

"It's pretty easy, as long as we keep the client happy. Anyway, you did some great work today. We definitely waited too long in promoting you to this position. We should've done it much sooner."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"I hoped you would. Anyway, let's meet up tomorrow around the same time and we'll do a conference call with the client and get started on that. What time is your date with James?"

"At 6."

The elevator reaches the ground floor and we step off.

"OK, no worries. We'll be done way before that. Everything sound good?"

"Yep. See you tomorrow."

"Bye, Brad."

Eric and I part ways and I head home.

 

[Craiger]

Brad heads home on cloud nine...... What's with working on Christmas Day? Shame on Eric, he should have given Brad the day off....
James is a nice breath of fresh air. Good thing Gary goaded Brad into making that phone call. Let the romance begin..................

Craiger

 

[AstareGod]

I get the feeling neither Brad nor Eric are very religious, if at all. Christmas isn't a very special day for them. However, the company they work for would never be heartless as to make them work on New Year's Eve or Day, which we'll see below...

Also, I'll be out of town next week, and I'm running out of written material (haven't written in a while), so I plan to post the next parts on Monday & Thursday next week. Happy reading!

Part 18

Eric and I sit in our company's conference room. We've been having a video conference call with our client. They are a lesser-known casino based in Las Vegas, Nevada, and they think an overhaul of their technology will boost their customer base and profits. They want us to build an all-in-one customer relations management system that also handles their players' club, hotel reservations, and dining reservations. We don't know if that will actually help them increase their profits - that's not our area of expertise - but we sure as hell can build what they want.

Eric closes the call with the client. "I think that's all the information we need right now. If you think of anything else, feel free to call anytime." Eric then terminates the call.

"So, how long do you think something like this will take?"

Eric takes a deep breath and thinks for a few seconds. "Our company has never worked on something quite this big before. It's hard to tell, but they need it in three months, so we're gonna do it in three months."

"Wow. Way to put the pressure on."

Eric laughs. "Sometimes we work best under pressure. Going forward, though, I think it would be a good idea if we stick together as co-managers for this team."

"You think that's a good idea with all of your other projects?"

"Sure; I can handle it. I'll stick close by on this project with you to make sure everything goes smoothly. Trust me, I wouldn't want to be alone on this project either."

"Thanks, Eric."

"No problem. Well, mister, you have a date to get ready for. I won't keep you any longer."

"OK. I'll let you know how it goes."

"Later, mister."

* * * * *

I rush home and head inside. It's been a long time since I've been on a date - a date that I'm actually excited about, that is. I head to the bedroom and dress up just as James instructed.

My phone buzzes. I check it, and it's a text from Gary: Good luck on your date tonight! I text back: Thanks! I hope I don't screw this one up, too. A few seconds later, Gary texts back: Don't worry. You won't.

I hear a car pull up on the street. I look outside of my window and see it's James. He steps out and starts to walk up to the door. Damn, he looks sexy. He reaches the door and rings the bell.

I open the door.

"Good evening, Mr Palovich. Care to join me for dinner?"

I snort. "What's with the manners? What happened to the James I knew before who was cursing up a storm left and right?"

"I don't know - I've always wanted to open a date like that. There can be something really sexy about a polite gentleman."

I step outside and lock the door. "Oh, don't get me wrong; it was sexy. I was just worried you became a Puritan on the way here."

He laughs pretty loudly. "Fuck no."

"Now that's the James I recognize."

He reaches his hand out to me and I take it. We walk to his car and he opens the door for me. I thank him as I sit inside. He gets in the driver's seat, fires up the car, and we're off.

"So, where are we going?"

"Only the best restaurant in the whole world - in my humble opinion, that is."

We head south on Aurora Ave and turn onto Roy St. We make a few more turns, and then we turn into the parking lot of a restaurant called The Melting Pot.

"Here we are!"

We get out and enter the restaurant. James walks up to the host. "Good evening. I have a reservation under Briscoe."

"Sure; right this way."

James and I follow the host to our table. We sit and take a look over the menus, and I notice an electric burner in the middle of the table. "Oh, it's a fondue restaurant."

"Yep. It's an interesting concept for a restaurant, but it works really well. You'll see."

Our server approaches our table. "Good evening, gentleman. My name is Steve, and I'll be taking care of you tonight. Have you ever been to The Melting Pot before?"

James speaks up. "I have a few times, but it's his first time."

"Well, I'm glad you chose to come here. May I get you something to drink?"

I quickly glance at the drink menu, and then turn to the server. "What's this Yin & Yang like?"

"It's made with white chocolate liqueur and vodka, mixed with some ice cream, and topped with chocolate shavings."

I look at James. He says to me, with the most serious expression, "It's like an orgasm in your mouth." I look back at the server, who just nods and smiles.

"I guess I'll get that, then."

The server winks at me. "Good choice." He turns to James. "And for you, sir?"

"An orgasm sounds really good right about now. I'll get one too, Steve."

"Excellent. I'll give you a chance to look over the menu and I'll be right back." Our server walks away.

"So what do you usually get here?"

"I spring for the four course - cheese, salad, entrée, and dessert."

"Oh, God, that sounds like a lot!"

"You watching your figure? Because you totally don't need to, Mister Sexy."

* * * * *

Four courses and two Yin & Yang martinis each later, our check arrives.

"I've got it."

"James, you don't have to."

"Nonsense. Plus, I need some way to guarantee a second date. You can cover the next dinner." He slips some cash into the folder. He looks up at me and smiles, and I give him a smirk.

"Fair enough. Thanks, James."

We both get up and head for the exit.

I grab James's arm. "So, where to now? Somewhere around the city?"

"Nooo. Not yet, anyway. Let's wait for these drinks to wear off."

We step outside and see the top of the Space Needle peeking over the buildings across the street. James looks at me. "You thinking what I'm thinking?"

I nod. "Let's go."

We walk the few blocks to the Space Needle, purchase tickets, and head up the elevator. The staff member rattles off a few facts about the Space Needle and surrounding area that I knew and no doubt James also knew, simply because we had lived here and ridden to the top so many times already. The elevator reaches the top and we step off and head outside.

Wow! It's certainly a bit nippy when you're 520 feet up in the air on a December night. I cross my arms to keep warm. James takes off his jacket and wraps it around my shoulders, then wraps his arm around me. I look at him. "Do you bring all your dates here?"

"Only the really cute ones."

I chuckle. "So, tell me more about your dad's law firm."

"Oh, boy. Let's see… He was going to law school when I was about 4 or 5. He bounced around a few different law firms. He had huge ambitions; he wanted to work on cases much larger than his firms could handle. Eventually another attorney here took him under his wing and they opened up a firm together. They became Reynolds and Briscoe."

"So who's Feldman?"

"You're getting ahead of me."

"Oh, sorry."

"Don't be; it's OK. Anyway, I was going to college when Feldman showed up. Remember how I said my dad had huge ambitions?"

"Yeah."

"Well I mean huge. Like, Erin Brockovich huge. He got involved in a case so big that the firm sought out another attorney, who turned out to be Marcus Feldman. Dad even asked me right after my junior year of college to take a year off and help with the case. One year turned into another, and that year turned into another..."

"Did you ever go back and finish?"

"Not yet, but I still plan to. At any rate, that case is now over - has been for a few years - but Dad keeps taking on more and more. He's great at what he does - he's just a bit of a workaholic. So the Reynolds guy retired after that big case, and now we're known as Briscoe and Feldman."

"Wow. That's quite the history lesson."

"Sure is. How about you give me yours?"

"Well, I'm now a project manager for a technology company. Got promoted about a week ago."

"Congratulations!"

"Thanks."

"So what do you do as a project manager?"

"We were contacted by this casino in Vegas. They want us to build them this huge system that interconnects all the various aspects of their business."

"Seems complicated."

"It's not too bad. It's the reason I was promoted though. I'm working with another coworker who's been a project manager for a while, and we start on everything right after the New Year."

"Sounds almost like what happened with my dad and the Reynolds guy. Except with computers."

"Yeah, I guess so."

"Speaking of which, what does your dad do? I don't remember you mentioning him when you told me about the weekend your mom came to visit."

"He's, er, passed away."

James tilts his head to the side and pulls me in closer. I continue, "He died about five years ago. He was in the Air Force - flew helicopters."

There are a few seconds of silence. James continues, "I'd like to hear more about what he did. Perhaps some other time."

"Sure."

"Well your mom sounds pretty awesome from what you told me Friday night. I'd love to have the chance to meet her."

"Were your parents accepting of you when you came out?"

"Not at first. Surprising, I know, especially for parents who grew up and live in the Pacific Northwest. But they eventually came around."

"That's good that they eventually did, though."

A big gust of wind suddenly blows. I shiver, and James rubs my back and torso vigorously to keep me warm. "Come on; let's head inside. Don't want you turning into a rainbow popsicle."

We head inside and down the elevator. We make our way to James's car.

He turns to me as we walk. "Do you have any plans for New Year's?"

"Not at the moment. If I was still talking to Kelly, I would probably be spending it with her. But I'd much rather spend it with you, if you're up for it, that is."

"Of course I'm up for it. I was planning to catch the fireworks at the Space Needle. I can't think of a better way to celebrate, or a better person to celebrate with."

"Oh, come now, James."

"I mean it. I'm being honest here. You're so unashamedly yourself. You have no problem being out in the open and saying, 'This is who I am. Take it or leave it.' I admire that."

"I'm just glad you haven't run away yet."

"I wouldn't. Finding someone like you is pretty rare."

We reach his car and get inside. We head back to my place, and he pulls up along the curb when we arrive.

"Well, James, thank you so much for an amazing night."

"No, Brad, I have you to thank. It's been a while since I had a good time like I had tonight. And I'm looking forward to New Year's with you."

"Same here."

I reach across and give him a hug, and he gives me a kiss on my cheek.

"Take care, Brad."

"You too."

I step out, walk to my door, and unlock it. I look back and wave goodbye. James waves back and drives off.

 

[72-Jay]

James seems like a great guy so far.
Things are going good for Brad right now

 

[Craiger]

Nice! A lovely dinner with a server that winks at his customer and a dinner companion whose sexy and down to earth. Nothing nicer than a gallant gentleman that offers his coat on a chilly December night atop the Space Needle. One who's quick kiss on the cheek reassures that he is in willing to take things slowly. And one that is gentleman enough to wait for his date to safely enter their apartment. Boy, do I need someone like James in my life. Brad better make to most of this sweet guy.

Hope your out of town plans are conducive for a bit of writing, but if not we'll still be here waiting. Thanks AG.

Craiger

 

[AstareGod]

Yikes! Got caught up with lots of good stuff last night and today. But I have just under 1.5 hours til midnight, so at least I'm not posting late!

Seems like good things are happening to both me and Brad. Perhaps I should keep writing, then.

Part 19

The rest of the week goes smoothly. Eric and I have a roadmap all planned out for getting our project done by mid-March.

"Enjoy the extra-long weekend, Brad. See you on Thursday."

"You too. Happy New Year."

Gary and Harry feel a little guilty for abandoning me last weekend, so we all head to Cooters on Saturday.

We all grab a table, and Gary and Harry lean in. Gary starts. "I am dying to hear how your date went, Brad. You've been so evasive every time I ask you about it."

"I know, I know. I just don't want to get my hopes up."

Harry frowns. "Why not?"

"It's just unbelievable how well things are working out so far."

"No, Brad. It's unbelievable how well things worked with Kelly. Neither Harry nor I know how you pulled that off."

"Me either."

"So what has you so worried about James?"

"He just seems cool with everything. Almost too cool."

"How so?"

"Well, I told him about the weekend with Kelly, and he didn't run away."

"And that has you worried that things won't work out?"

"It just seems too perfect. Like I'll get my hopes up and all of a sudden everything will come crashing down because I'm expecting too much."

"Whoa, Brad, slow down. You're not marrying the guy tomorrow. Just take it slowly and see where things go one day at a time."

I take a deep breath. "All right, I guess I can do that."

"Do you and James have any plans for New Year's?"

"He wants to watch the fireworks at the Space Needle."

"That's a great idea! Gina mentioned wanting to do that too."

"I think I can get Julia to tag along. Want to make it a triple date?"

"I don't see why not."

We catch up on other things while we wrap up dinner. We pay the check and get up to leave.

"I'll call you when James and I get to the Space Needle and then we'll meet up from there."

"Sounds good. See you then."

I head home and relax the rest of the night. The next morning is all about cleaning house and getting everything in order. No better way to start the New Year than a fresh, clean beginning.

I take a break in the middle of everything to give James a call.

"Hey Brad! How's your day going?"

"OK. Been cleaning up mostly and taking care of other things. You?"

"Just taking it easy this weekend. Dad wanted us at the firm to get all these client details in order before the year ended. We were there till the late hours of the night, but we got it all done."

"That's good to hear. Well, I wanted to ask you if it's all right if Gary, Harry, and their girlfriends join us for New Year's tomorrow."

"Yeah, that's fine. I'd be delighted to meet them."

"OK. I said I'd call them when we get there, and then we'll meet up."

"Did you want me to pick you up, and then we'll just take one car to get there?"

"That sounds good."

"All right, Brad. Anything else?"

"No, I guess that's it. I'm really excited about tomorrow."

"Me too. It'll be a great time. I promise."

"I know it will."

"I'll call when I'm on my way."

"OK. I'll see you then."

We hang up.

* * * * *

I had a pretty fitful night of sleep. The same thing always happens when I first meet someone really nice and cute. And when I start falling in love. So I do what I always do when that happens: pop in every romantic comedy I own.

I fall asleep in the middle of Serendipity and wake up around 10 in the morning. I have nothing better to do, so I rewind it to the last scene I remember, finish it out, and start watching another one.

I lose track of time, and don't realize what time it is until my phone rings. It's James.

"Hey Brad. I'm going to start heading your way in about half an hour. Is that OK?"

I look at the time. "Wow, that's a bit early."

"I can come later."

"No, that's OK. But can you make it 45 minutes? I still have to shower."

"How about I make it 15 and we can shower together?"

I chuckle. "Nice try, Mr Briscoe."

"Hey, no harm in trying. I'll leave in 45 then."

"Sounds good. See you when you get here."

I hop in the shower and wash up. I get out and dress as I watch the last few minutes of My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Right on cue, James pulls up and rings the doorbell. I shut off the TV, get up, and open the door.

"Hey, come on in."

James steps inside, and I close the door. "Nice place you got here."

"Thank you. Been having it for almost a year now. My lease is up in February."

"Are you going to renew?"

"I haven't decided yet."

James taps his chin with his finger a few times.

"Can I get you anything?"

"Oh, no thanks. I'm fine."

James walks to a shelf where I have a few framed photos. "Hey, this is a really nice picture. Is that your mom?"

"Yeah. Gina took that picture of her when we went to Mount Rainier a few weekends ago."

"Who's Gina again?"

"She's Gary's girlfriend. You'll meet her tonight. And you'll meet Harry and his girlfriend, Julia."

"Wow, I hope I can remember everyone's names."

"I'm sure if you were Erin Brockovich, you wouldn't have any problem."

James laughs. "And Gary and Harry's names rhyme. That's going to be really confusing."

"I promise, once you meet them, you'll be able to tell them apart easily."

"I hope so."

James turns, walks to the couch, and sits. I follow suit.

We sit there in silence for a few seconds. James stares into my eyes, then finally speaks up. "Brad, I just want you to know how happy I am that we ran into each other again."

I smile. "I am, too."

James leans forward and places his hand on my knee. "You look nervous."

I take a deep breath. "I am."

James leans back into the couch. "Why?"

I take another deep breath. "You really want to know?"

"Yeah."

"All right. I guess I've just been through a lot emotionally recently."

"With Kelly?"

"Well, yes, but also with my ex-boyfriend."

"How long ago did you two break up?"

"Let's see... It was just earlier this month. It seems like it was further back."

"...And?"

I look at James. "You want the whole story?" He looks at me and shrugs. I turn and look out the window.

"Brad, you don't have to worry about me judging you. I'm not that kind of person."

I look back at him. "How can I be sure?"

"I'm still sitting here."

I look into his eyes for a few seconds. "Good point. OK, here goes. He came home one day and asked to marry me."

"And you said 'no'."

"Right. We had been dating for about ten months before that."

"So why'd you say 'no'?"

I sigh. "His parents found out about us living together, and they don't really approve of him being gay. Once they found out, they stopped paying his tuition and he couldn't afford to finish his degree."

"Wow, that sucks."

"Yeah. He started going out and staying out late at night. I never knew where he went. He even stopped going to class, but didn't tell me. I found out from one of his classmates. Who knows? He may have been cheating on me. He always came home after I had gone to bed, drunk most of the time. He just stopped caring. I don't want to marry someone who just doesn't care anymore. He just walked out after I told him I didn't want to marry him."

James just sits, pensive. He eventually speaks up. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Well, let me first say that I think your decision not to marry him was sound. It's disappointing that he walked out of the relationship because of that, but that's a decision he made."

"Right."

"So my question for you is: How much did you want him to stay?"

I take a deep breath. "Well, I didn't want him to leave. I wanted to work through it, I guess."

"You guess?"

"What was I supposed to do, James? I couldn't support both of us financially. He couldn't get a job because of his class schedule. It just wasn't working without his parents' financial support."

"What about your emotional support? Were you there for him emotionally?"

"I tried to be. I mean, I have my own job, my own friends, and my own life. I can't be there for him all the time."

"Not even when he needed you during that difficult time in his life?"

"It was just hard to be around him when all that was happening. Nothing seemed to be going right."

"And so you gave up on him."

"No, I didn't give up. I just didn't want to be around him like that. He brought me down."

"So is that the same reason why your best friends weren't with you the night I found you in the bar?"

I sit there, stunned. A light bulb turns on in my head.

"Wait a minute. You think they intentionally avoided me?"

"Hey, I didn't say that. I just know they weren't with you when you needed them most. And it seems like you three are inseparable from what you've told me. I just find it surprising that you weren't their first priority after all the shit went down with Kelly."

"So you think I did the same thing with Stan?"

"I can't answer that question. What do you think?"

I just sit in silence for a few seconds. "You're right. Maybe I wasn't around him as much as I should have been. Oh God, James, I was such a horrible boyfriend to him."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Brad. I wouldn't go so far as to say 'horrible'. Don't beat yourself up. We've all made mistakes in the past."

I look up at him. "God damn it, James, why aren't you running away from me?"

He looks at me with a very serious expression. "Because I ran away from a boyfriend of mine once. It was probably the one thing I most regret doing. But you know what? No matter how hard we try, it's impossible to go back and change the past. The only thing we can do is make different decisions. Better decisions. And hopefully someone else will give us a second chance. That's why I'm not running away."

We sit there in thoughtful silence for a few seconds. Had I really been that bad of a boyfriend? Did Gary and Harry hurt any chances of Stan and I staying together? Did they make the same mistake I did when they chose to spend Friday night with their girlfriends instead of with me? I don't have all the answers, but James has helped me become aware of the questions.

James leans forward and shakes my knee. "Come on. We should get going."

I scoot closer to him on the couch, wrap my arms around him, and we embrace for a few seconds.

"Thank you, James, for listening."

"Anytime."

"What am I going to do about Gary and Harry? How will I know if they were intentionally avoiding me? If they are my true friends?"

James puts his hand on my shoulder. "I'm sure you'll find a way to get your answer soon."

I let out a sigh. "OK, let's go."

 

[Craiger]

I told you I liked James.... he has a calm, sensible and very wise outlook. It's exactly what Brad needs. But Brad needs to stop analyzing himself about his past failures and take James' advise to go forward, looking for that second chance. I hope the New Years celebration as the Space Needle has more fireworks than just those visually seen. Great update, AG.

Craiger

 

[AstareGod]

Hey guys, time for part 20! James does seem like a pretty awesome guy so far. Let's see what happens with the two next...

Part 20

James and I hop into his car and head towards downtown. I call Gary to let him know we're on the way. He, Harry, Gina, and Julia pile in his car and leave. The plan is to meet at the International Fountain and watch the fireworks from there.

I hang up with Gary, lean back in the passenger seat, and let out a loud grunt.

James looks over. "What's wrong?"

"I just feel like I've been hit by a big emotional truck."

"I guess it's a good thing I'm driving, then."

"Did you happen to bring any ingredients for a lemon drop with you?"

James cackles and slaps my knee. "You're funny."

We park, get out, and start walking toward the fountain.

James wraps his arm around me. "Brad, I just want you to know that I think you're all right. No matter what you did with Stan or Kelly, you've owned up to it and were completely honest with me. I appreciate that. And I know, deep down inside, you have a good heart."

"Thanks, James. That means a lot to me."

"Now come on, we have some fireworks to catch."

We get to the fountain with about 20 minutes until midnight. We see Gary, Harry, Gina, and Julia walking our direction and we wave them down. They see us and make their way towards us.

Gary gives James a look from head to toe. "So this is the James you've been seeing, Brad? Nice catch!"

"Hush, Gary. Everyone, this is James. James, this is Gary; Gary's girlfriend, Gina; Harry; and Harry's girlfriend, Julia."

Everyone except Julia seems enthused to meet James.

James turns to Gary. "So, how long have you two been dating?"

Gary turns to Gina. "How long has it been, babe? A little over two years?" Gina nods.

James nods back. "Cool. What about you, Harry?"

Harry humorously says, "A little over two weeks."

Everyone chuckles. Harry says to James, "How about you guys? Are you an item yet?"

James answers, "Not yet, but midnight is only fifteen minutes away." He turns to me and gives me a wink.

Julia crosses her arms and looks disgusted. My curiosity gets the better of me. "Is something wrong, Julia?"

She looks at me with daggers in her eyes. "I just don't know how you can live with yourself."

Harry turns to her. "Julia, please."

I, never being one to stand down, push further. "What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean. How could you crush that girl's hopes and dreams and just move on to this guy?" She turns to James. "Yeah, I bet he never told you he was dating a girl before he started talking to you." She turns back to me. "You're just a big, heartless asshole who doesn't care about anyone else. You just trick people into getting what you want."

All of us stand there, stunned. All of us except James, that is. "Well, Julia, for your information, he has told me about Kelly. And I have no reason to believe he had any malicious intent. From what he's told me, he genuinely cared for Kelly. Still does, in fact. He even sounded like he was seriously considering a relationship with her."

"And you believe him?"

He continues, "Brad is the most open and honest person I've met in a very long time. He has given me no reason not to trust him. Yes, he's made mistakes. Who here hasn't? But he has owned up to them and has shown me that he is committed to making better choices in the future. I hope I can say the same about you someday."

Julia is so beside herself at this point. She tries to speak, but James cuts her off. "And for you to try to use Kelly to turn me against Brad? As if I'm even that shallow to care about if a potential boyfriend of mine had dated a girl in the past? The fact that he has the capacity to love and care for anyone, regardless of gender, speaks so positively about him. And that's a lot more than I can say for you."

Julia throws her arms up in disgust. "I'm not taking any more of this bullshit. Come on, Harry." She turns around, starts walking away, then turns and faces us. "Harry, are you coming?"

Harry begins walking toward Julia, then stops and just stands there, motionless - which is what we all expect him to do, since he's always been the shy one out of all of us. But he surprises us. He comes back and wraps his arm around me.

"James is right."

Julia is astounded. "Are you kidding?"

Harry continues. "I've known Brad for a long time. He would have never gone out with Kelly if it weren't for me and Gary. We're the ones that put that idea in his head."

Julia fires back. "But Brad had no intention, no right, to go out with a girl! His feelings weren't genuine!"

Gary butts in. "How the hell would you know whether or not his feelings were genuine?"

Julia just stands there with her mouth agape.

Gary continues. "That's right. You don't."

Julia regains her composure. "I just know that gay guys shouldn't be trying to fool women into thinking they're interested."

James rebukes, "And I just know that people like you shouldn't be trying to fit other people into little boxes. Especially people you don't give a flying fuck about."

Julia just keeps standing in place, totally dumbstruck, for what seems like an eternity, until James delivers the icing on the cake. "But I forgive you for what you've done."

Julia throws her arms up, screams, then turns around and walks away.

We all stand there in silence for a few seconds, and everyone around us must have been looking at us. But Gary and Harry didn't care. Neither did James.

Harry wraps his arms me and gives me a tight hug. "I love you, Brad. Not once have you ever had a problem with me. You've been the most supportive person I've ever known. I just want you to know that I would never stop being friends with you because of someone else."

I am in tears by this point. "Thank you, Harry. That means so much."

Gary gives me a tight hug, too.

I turn to James. "Thanks so much for standing up for me."

"It wasn't so much you I was standing up for, but the truth."

"Well, thanks anyway."

"You're welcome."

All of a sudden, everyone starts counting down. We join in. And the first few fireworks start going off.

"10 - 9 - 8 - 7 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

Gary pulls Gina into a kiss. James turns to me. "Have you had anyone to kiss for New Year's?"

"It's hard to believe, but no. How about you?"

"Not until now."

James then leans toward me and presses his lips against mine. We break contact, then kiss again a few times. We then wrap our arms tightly around one another and embrace for what seems like forever.

We break the hug, then I feel Gary pulling me toward him. "All right, share the love, boys." Gary then pulls me into a tight hug. "I love you, Brad. Don't ever stop being you."

Everyone else then hugs everyone else. Gina even gives Harry a kiss, since Julia is now out of the picture. Gary tells James, "Looks like Brad finally found a guy with some sense."

James says back, "Hey, I'm just giving him his second chance."

Harry points to James, then says to me, "This guy is all right. I think we'll let you keep him."

I laugh. "I didn't know that decision was up to you."

Harry says back, "It's not, but you have our blessings anyway."

We spend the next few minutes watching the fireworks. I could not have asked for a better night. Well, perhaps if Julia weren't a part of it, I could call it perfect. But considering where I was a couple of weeks ago, this was much better than anything I could have expected.

The fireworks eventually come to a close, and everyone applauds.

After the applause dies down, Gary says, "So Harry, Gina and I were thinking of grabbing a bite to eat somewhere. Care to join us?"

I look at James, and he nods. "Count us in."

We head to a 24-hour diner, order food, and converse about various things. Harry eventually brings up the topic of New Year's Resolutions. Gary eventually says to me, "What's yours, Brad?"

"I resolve to never date any more women."

Everyone laughs.

I turn to James. "Your turn."

"Gosh, I'm horrible at these." After a few seconds, he says, "I resolve to be a more loving and accepting person."

I say back, "I think you're doing a damn good job of that already."

James just smiles. "There's always room for improvement."

We finish up our food and get up to leave. James says to Gary and Harry, "It was so great to meet you guys. Brad truly has some great friends."

Gary gives James a hug. "Well, I'm glad you came into his life, too."

Harry then hugs James. "Thanks for standing up for him tonight."

"No problem."

We part ways. James and I start walking to his car.

He turns to me. "So I guess you found your answer."

"Answer to what?"

"If Gary and Harry were your true friends."

I smile and nod.

"I can tell they care for you - really, truly care for you. And you care about them."

"We do."

"You're very lucky to have each other in your lives. I can't tell you how many people I've lost by just being myself. Even family members. It's special to have people totally and fully accept you for who you are. Don't take them for granted."

"Sometimes I find that I do. But tonight really showed me that I have a lot to be thankful for. And you're part of all that."

James laughs. "Oh, shucks, me?"

I grab his hand and we hold hands until we reach his car. We get inside and he drives me home.

"Would you like to come in?"

"Oh, Brad, I'd really love to, but I can't. I'm taking care of a friend's puppy while they're out of town. How about a late lunch tomorrow?"

I take a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, Brad. It's the best I can do."

"All right. I think I can survive until then."

He gives me a smirk. "Sure you can, cutie. I'll be here tomor- well, later today, technically. Sound good?"

I tilt my head to the side. "Yeah, that sounds good."

James smiles, leans in, and gives me a kiss. He squeezes my knee.

I look at James. "I'm glad I found someone to kiss for New Year's."

"I'm good for the other 364 days of the year, too, you know."

I chuckle. "See you later, James."

"Take care."

I get out and enter my apartment. All the thoughts start flooding into my mind. Am I falling in love? Does James feel the same? And if so, am I ready for a relationship? My work is about to get a lot more busy. Will I have the time for one? Will James understand if I'm not able to spend as much time with him?

Damn. I should not have watched all those romantic comedies earlier.

One thing is for sure, though. James is a hell of a great kisser. And I'm not going to be giving that up easily.

 

[72-Jay]

Thanks for another great chapter.. enjoyed reading
Julia seems like kind of a b***h
Nice how everyone stood up for Brad


--------
I think i need to find me a 'James' LOL

 

[Craiger]

Wow! That was quite an intense chapter, AG. Seems Harry is the one picking the wrong partner this time. Now we have to find him another date. Support from friends can certainly make life worthwhile. It doesn't hurt having a new b/f like James either......

Craiger

 

[Autolycus]

Thanks for another great update - this is a wonderful story!

 

[AstareGod]

Thanks for the awesome comments, guys!

I just got back in town tonight from a road trip to Orlando, FL. I wrote a bit of Part 21 while I was there, but I still have to write the rest of it. I'll try to get it posted sometime tomorrow, with Part 22 to follow it up on Wednesday.

Thanks for reading, as always! Things are about to get a bit more interesting. When a door closes...

 

[AstareGod]

Hot off the presses! I literally just finished writing this part and wanted to post it as quickly as possible, so please forgive any small typos and errors. I'm sure you guys will enjoy it, so here goes!

Part 21

* RING RING *

I wake up and glance over at my phone. It's Mom. I pick it up and answer.

"Hey Mom."

"Happy New Year, baby boy!"

"Happy New Year, Mom."

"Sleeping in, are we? You must have had a pretty good time last night."

"It wasn't too crazy. Just watched the fireworks with Harry, Gary, Gary's girlfriend, and a new guy."

"A new guy?"

"Yeah, his name is James."

"James? Ooh, sounds enticing! What's his story?"

"He lives here, and works in his father's law firm."

"Any chance that he and you will make me some grandbabies?"

"Well, he is gay, Mom, so there is a slight chance. In fact, he's taken a liking to me. We're supposed to have lunch later today, so maybe I can seduce him and have him impregnate me."

"Oh, Brad, hush! You're awful!"

"You asked the question, Mother."

"But I didn't need all that detail! A simple 'yes' or 'no' would have sufficed."

I chuckle. "You know it's never just 'yes' or 'no' with me."

I hear a sigh on the other end. "Yes, I know. Anyway, I'll let you go. You have to get ready for your date!"

"Thanks, Mom. Really quick, how's Denver?"

"Oh, cold as all get out, but that's Denver for you. How about you come visit with that warm heart of yours and heat things up?"

"That sounds fun. I'll see if I can swing a trip sometime in the next few months."

"It would be so good to have you visit again, Brad. OK, go and get ready."

"OK, OK. Talk to you later."

"Love you, baby boy."

"I love you, too, Mom."

I hang up and stretch my arms. Time to get out of bed.

I take a quick shower and throw on a t-shirt and jeans. It's a little after noon. I decide to give James a call.

"Hey Brad. How's it going?"

"Pretty good, pretty good."

"I hope you're not calling to cancel."

"Of course not. I was just wondering when you were thinking of picking me up."

"I'm ready to go now, so any time that's convenient for you."

"Can you be here in 15?"

"Sure thing! I'll head out right now. See you in a bit."

* * * * *

Right on cue, James pulls up outside. I step out, lock up, and head to his car. James gets out, goes to the passenger side, and opens the door for me.

I sit down. "You know, you don't have to do that."

"I know I don't have to, but I like to. It's a nice gesture."

James gets back in. "Did you have any place in mind?"

"Not really. Do you?"

"There's this fantastic deli I go to occasionally when I'm on my lunch break at the office. It's downtown."

"That sounds fine."

"All right; let's go."

We pull off.

James rests his hand on my knee, and I can feel myself starting to get an erection. I look out the window to try to distract myself.

"So, Brad, how did you sleep last night?"

"Oh, uh, just fine, just fine. How about yourself?"

"Not very well. I had some trouble getting to sleep."

I look at him. "I'm sorry."

"I blame it on you. I couldn't stop thinking about that midnight kiss."

I feel my cock twitch. I look out the window again. "Well, I'm sorry that I indirectly kept you up."

"It wasn't so bad. I'd rather be kept awake because of that rather than anything else."

We drive in silence for a few blocks. James continues, "You're being awfully quiet. Anything wrong?"

"Oh, me? No, I'm fine."

James rubs and pats my knee, then returns his hand to the steering wheel.

We make a turn and park along the curb. "Here we are."

I look down and take a sigh of relief. I'm only semi-hard, and not that noticeable.

We step out and head into the deli. An employee behind the counter waves at us. "Hey James, getting the usual today?"

"Yep. Thanks, Derek."

"No problem. Anything for you?"

I take a quick glance at the menu. "That ham & Swiss panini looks delicious. I'll take one of those."

We pay for our sandwiches and drinks, take a number, and sit at a table.

"I can tell you come here a lot."

"It's one of the best places I've found. You'll see once the food gets here."

I take a sip of my drink.

James places his hand on mine. "Brad, I have a question for you."

"Um, sure, what is it?" I ask nervously.

"I have a trip to New York coming up. One of my father's past clients won a huge settlement a few years ago. He throws a party every January and invites the firm out for the gathering. Well, I've never had anyone to go with, until now, and I would love it if you could join me."

"How long would it be for?"

"About a week."

I take a deep breath. "James, I so wish I could, but with my job, I don't think I can swing a week away from work."

"Oh that's right, with your project. Are you sure you can't take the time off?"

"I can't, I'm sorry. Not right at the beginning of this big project. I'd kill to be able to."

"That's all right. Don't worry about it. I'm going to miss you, though."

I look down. There goes that twitching again.

"Something wrong?"

I look up at him. "Nope. All good."

"Good, because the sandwiches are here."

James looks up at Derek as he places the sandwiches down on our table. "Thanks, Derek."

"No problem, cutie."

Derek gives James a wink, gently pinches him on the shoulder, then walks away.

I look at James. "What was that all about?"

James chuckles. "Oh, Derek is just a tease. I asked him out once because he looked so cute."

"What'd he say?" I take a bite of my sandwich.

"He turned me down and said he was straight."

I almost spit out my drink. "What? Are you joking?"

"No, totally serious. Then he started working here at the deli, and we got to know each other a bit better. Eventually he took me up on my offer."

"And what happened?"

"Well, he had a girlfriend at the time, but was kind of curious about what sex with a guy would be like. So I-"

"-You didn't!"

"Oh, I did, all right."

I have to cover my mouth to keep from laughing.

James continues, "Don't get me wrong; before anything happened, I told him I didn't feel totally comfortable with doing that while he was with his girlfriend. But he insisted. He liked it so much, he calls himself bisexual now."

I can feel the blood start flowing faster to my cock.

"What did you guys do?"

James gives me an evil expression. "Keep getting to know me and perhaps you'll find out."

I glance down. My cock is now straining to get out of my pants.

"Why do you keep looking down?"

I sigh. "I have to admit I'm a little excited down there."

James chuckles. "No need to be embarrassed."

"Sorry, I can't help it."

James just smiles. "Just keep it hidden. You don't want one of the workers here mistaking it for sausage and trying to put it in a bun and sell it." I snort. James continues, "By the way, how's that panini?"

"It's actually really, really good. I can see why you come here a lot. But I still wanted to talk about Derek."

"Sure. What would you like to know?"

"Well, I know you said when we saw each other back at the bar that you take the time to get to know someone, but you seemed to jump into bed with Derek pretty quickly."

"Oh, that. I never really saw Derek as boyfriend material. And I'm not saying that because he would be a bad boyfriend - quite the contrary. He seems like a really nice guy and very down-to-earth. But, I was just there to help him figure himself out. I wasn't looking for a boyfriend in him."

"So what about me?"

"You? Absolutely."

"Come on. You're just saying that."

"No, Brad, I'm serious. I'm being honest when I say this: I've never met someone like you before. You're cute, funny, open, and honest. You work hard. You're dedicated. Hell, turning me down over work! You have your priorities straight and you stick with your commitments. I haven't come across many guys like that."

"So you're entertaining the possibility of a relationship with me?"

"You haven't given me a reason so far not to."

I nod. James continues, "Plus, your dick gets hard around me. That's kind of important, too."

"Don't remind me."

James laughs.

* * * * *

We finish our sandwiches and leave. We get into the car, and James starts it up and drives off.

"When do you leave for New York?"

"Early Friday morning. And I was serious when I said I would miss you."

"I'm going to miss you, too. I've had such a wonderful time spending time with you. I really wish I could go with you on your trip."

"I know you do. We'll do something soon. Maybe visit your mom in Denver."

"You know, I was just talking with her this morning about going to see her. She would love to meet you."

"Great! Well we will have to figure out when a good time would be. From what you've said, she sounds like a very interesting woman. I can't wait to meet her."

We pull up in front of my apartment.

"Brad, before you go, is there a chance I can see you one more time before I head out of town?"

"Umm, I can probably do Thursday night. Work starts again for us on Thursday but I don't think I'll be that overwhelmed after just the first day back."

"Great. If you and I are going to be apart for a week, I want to fit in as much Brad as I can before I leave."

Both James and I look down at my crotch as my cock twitches one more time.

"OK, get out of here before you rip a hole in your pants."

"Yes, Mr Briscoe."

I lean into him and we kiss. I step out and head into my apartment as he drives away.

 

[Craiger]

Oh oh! Things are getting serious and I like that. Sharon probably does too. She always seems to want Brad to be happy and now that James is in the picture happiness is the fare for the day. Great update, AG, and welcome home from your road trip.

Craiger

 

[72-Jay]

Thanks for another good update. Looking forward to the next part
Love that Brad & James are taking some time to get to know eachother

 

[vater292]

Great story!! Can't wait to read the next part.