February

Ryan was a few drinks down and feeling pretty buzzed when he first caught sight of blond hair through the crowd of partygoers.

He nearly hadn’t bothered coming out tonight. He had his third year project to write up, and should have been working on that, not partying with his next door neighbours. But the rest of Ryan’s housemates had talked him into it and he could do with letting off some steam, so he hadn’t put up much of a fight. One night couldn’t make too much difference, right?

The blonde arrived late and headed straight into the throng of dancers in the living room, bottle in hand. Tall and leggy in black skinny jeans with shit-kicking boots, Ryan’s interest was piqued immediately and a spike of arousal made his cock wake up. Tall and blonde was completely Ryan’s type, but when this blond slid a leather jacket off slender shoulders and tossed it on the back of the sofa, his washboard-flat chest made it clear he was a guy—so not Ryan’s type after all.

Despite the gut punch of disappointment at that revelation, Ryan found his interest persisted. The guy drew Ryan’s attention like a magnet lining up iron filings, and no matter how hard he tried, Ryan couldn’t stop watching him.

Spurred on by alcohol and reckless impulsivity, Ryan made a conscious decision not to question his attraction and just roll with it. He gradually edged his way into the group where the blond was dancing, and when he finally managed to make eye contact, the guy gave him a knowing smile that reflected Ryan’s interest right back at him. It curled around Ryan’s balls like the gentle, insistent squeeze of a hand.

Game on.

University was supposed to be all about new experiences, and Ryan only had a few months left before he graduated. He’d never hooked up with a guy before, and it had always been on his sexual bucket list, but not a high priority. As a young teen he’d sometimes admired androgynous male models on the pages of magazines that his mum used to buy and felt a confusing interest in them… but he’d never seen a guy in real life he’d wanted to fuck enough to actually do something about it.

Until tonight.

The guy moved closer to Ryan, his pale hair falling over one eye as he circled his hips suggestively in time to the heavy beat of the dance music that blared out of the speakers. He offered the bottle in his hand to Ryan. Not bothering to look at the label, Ryan took it and kept his eyes fixed on the blond as he wrapped his lips around the neck and tilted it to take a huge gulp. Sweet, fruity, fizzy stuff trickled over his tongue and made him choke in surprise. Coughing, he wiped the back of his mouth. “What the fuck is this?” he yelled over the music.

The blond said something he couldn’t catch, so Ryan moved closer, cupping his hand up to his ear. “Prosecco and peach schnapps. It’s like Bellini, only with an extra kick.” Warm breath tickled Ryan’s skin, leaving a tingling desire for contact.

Ryan took another more cautious swallow before handing it back. The taste of alcohol was strong after the beer Ryan had been drinking earlier. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.” The guy grinned.

Wanting to maintain their connection, Ryan leaned in to speak into his ear. “I’m Ryan, by the way. What’s your name?”

“Johnny. It’s nice to meet you, Ryan.” Switching the bottle to his left hand, Johnny offered his right hand to Ryan, who took it, and shook, charmed by the unusually formal greeting. Johnny’s hand was slender, but he had a strong grip that made Ryan imagine how it might feel wrapped around another part of his anatomy as Johnny maintained the contact for a beat longer than was usual.

They went back to dancing.

Ryan knew he wasn’t a great dancer. Normally he didn’t care if he looked a bit daft on the dance floor, but with Johnny’s gaze on him he suddenly felt as though he had two left feet and didn’t know what to do with his arms. Johnny, on the other hand, moved with a rhythmic, sinuous grace that made Ryan long to see his supple body with fewer clothes on.

Hoping to restart the conversation, Ryan moved close again. “So, how do you know these guys?” he said loudly in Johnny’s ear, waving his hand vaguely around the crowded room. “Are you a friend of Ben’s?” This was Ben’s birthday party, so he was the most likely connection.

Johnny’s lips moved, but his reply was lost in the thump of the bass.

“What?” Ryan leaned closer still.

Warm breath on Ryan’s ear made him shiver as Johnny said, “It’s too loud in here to have a conversation. You wanna talk instead of dance?”

Ryan drew back to see Johnny’s eyebrows raised in question. He nodded and mouthed, “Yeah,” with a shrug that was supposed to be nonchalant, but he wasn’t quite sure he pulled it off.

Johnny grinned and jerked his head in a clear signal to follow, so Ryan did, staying close as Johnny wove his way through the dancing people and out into the hallway. It was bright out there, and Ryan took the opportunity to admire Johnny’s legs again. Long and slim in black jeans that looked as though they’d been painted on, they led up to a tight little arse that was less curvy than the ones Ryan usually noticed. He reckoned those cheeks would fit perfectly in his palms, and found the thought rather appealing. Ryan had always been an arse man. Honestly, he could take or leave tits, but a nice arse always got his attention and Johnny’s was in his sights.

Johnny sat on the bottom of the stairs and patted the step beside him, so Ryan joined him.

“That’s better.” Johnny smiled, warm and genuine. “Much quieter out here.” He took a sip from his bottle, and then handed it to Ryan.

Ryan lifted it to his lips, achingly aware that Johnny’s mouth had just been right there as he took a mouthful. When he lowered the bottle, Johnny was watching him. His eyes were striking, more grey than blue, and there was black eyeliner smudged around them, making them stand out in Johnny’s pale face. He was insanely pretty. No wonder Ryan had thought he was a girl at first. He looked like he’d stepped out of one of those fashion magazines that Ryan used to sneak up to his room to study more closely when he was a teenager. At first he’d been interested in the photos of the women, but sometimes the feminine-looking men caught his attention too.

Suddenly a memory emerged vividly.

There was one particular set of pictures he’d been obsessed by: a blond male model with long hair like Johnny’s, his flat chest clearly visible in a fur gilet that hung open over pale skin and pink nipples. In one photo the guy had been shirtless in black leather trousers and heavy black boots—much like the ones Johnny was wearing now. In another, his pert little arse was turned towards the camera as he looked over his shoulder in a sultry, teasing pose. Ryan had been around fourteen or fifteen at the time, and he’d only jerked off to pictures of girls before, or porn he managed to find online. But something about that model pushed all his buttons. He’d torn the photos out of the magazine and hidden them inside an atlas in his bedroom. Then he’d jerked off over them several nights a week for a few months, feeling weird about it—because he didn’t think he was gay—but unable to resist the urge to look at them. Ryan had imagined running his hands over that leather-clad arse and squeezing, rubbing his cock against it. He’d imagined the guy jerking off with Ryan kneeling over him, until they both came all over that flat chest and stomach. It had been a regular fantasy until Ryan got his first girlfriend and discovered the joys of getting his dick sucked, and being able to squeeze a real arse instead of drooling over a photo of one. Then he’d forgotten about the photos, and he wondered what had ever happened to them. They’d probably ended up going to the charity shop with the atlas when he cleared out some stuff a few years later.

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Johnny drawled, amusement painted on his features.

Ryan realised he was staring like an idiot, and a hot blush crawled up from under his collar to heat his face. “Sorry,” he muttered. “You just remind me of uh… someone I used to know.”

Johnny’s grin widened, and of course he couldn’t possibly know what Ryan had been thinking, but Ryan’s cheeks burned hotter anyway. He changed the subject quickly. “So, I tried to ask before. How do you know Ben?”

“His boyfriend, Sid, is my flatmate.” Johnny reached for the bottle in Ryan’s hand, his warm fingers brushing Ryan’s as he took it. Ryan watched helplessly as Johnny swallowed, fascinated by the bob of his throat and the way he licked his lips afterwards. He felt dizzy, probably partly from the alcohol, but it was more than that. Johnny made him disorientated, clumsy, and nervous. It was like being an awkward teenager all over again.

Johnny shuffled a little closer until their knees were touching. “So how do you know Ben?”

“I live in the house next door.”

“Are you a student then?” Johnny asked.

“Yeah.”

An awkward pause.

“What are you studying?” Johnny was patient. Ryan seemed to have forgotten the art of conversation. All his usual chatty confidence had deserted him. He wanted desperately to impress, but was fucking this up badly. Johnny must think he was a right tit.

“Chemistry.” Ryan gave a nervous chuckle. “It’s not very exciting.”

“Should get you a decent job though, right?” Johnny said. “At least you won’t end up working in retail like me. Half the people working with me are graduates, some even have PhDs. It’s ridiculous.” He sounded nonchalant, but the frown that marred his brow contradicted his light tone.

“Yeah. The job market is tough. Where do you work?”

“Top Man,” Johnny said. “It’s boring, but it pays the bills. And at least I get a staff discount.” He stroked the legs of his black skinny jeans. “I just got these yesterday because my old ones were ripped.”

“They look good on you,” Ryan blurted.

Johnny turned his grey gaze on him and his lips curved in a sexy smile. “Yeah?” Ryan nodded dumbly. “Thanks. I think they show off my assets. That’s why I chose them.”

“They definitely do,” Ryan managed.

“Want more of this?” Johnny offered the bottle and Ryan took it again. He sipped, not sure he needed much more alcohol to dull his wits.

“Thanks. It’s a bit sweet for me.” Ryan wrinkled his nose, but kept hold of the bottle as Johnny made no move to take it back.

“You sweet enough already?” Johnny grinned at his own cheesy joke.

Ryan chuckled. “Something like that.”

“So what do you usually drink? No… let me guess. Beer?”

“Yeah. Am I that predictable?”

“You look the type.” Johnny let his cool grey gaze rake assessingly over Ryan.

“Is that a bad thing?”

“Nah. I have a thing for masc guys who are into beer and cars and hammering things really hard.” He smirked, and Ryan was glad he didn’t have a mouthful of drink otherwise he’d probably have choked again. Fuck. His dick was getting hard at the images that had conjured up. He was still scrambling for a good response when he was saved by the arrival of Ben and Sid coming around the corner from the direction of the living room. Ben was holding onto Sid’s arm and they looked flushed and giddy. With Sid’s crotch at their eye level, the telltale bulge was obvious.

“Well, this looks cosy,” Sid said. “Excuse us.”

Ryan felt his cheeks burn again as he stood to let them through, wondering what they made of him and Johnny nose-to-nose on the stairs. Johnny stayed sitting where he was with a shit-eating grin on his face. “Have fun, kids, and don’t forget to use lots of lube.”

Sid flipped up his middle finger at Johnny.

Ben replied, “Oh, don’t worry. We never skimp.” He met Johnny’s gaze, and Ryan admired his confidence in dealing with Johnny’s teasing.

Johnny smirked. “Good man.” Then he looked up at Ryan, who was feeling even more hot and bothered after their exchange. “Lube always beats spit if you’re on the receiving end.” He licked his lips and let his gaze slide down to Ryan’s crotch. Ryan’s cock tingled, thickening, and filling. He wondered whether Johnny could tell what he was doing to him.

Ben took Sid’s hand, and they squeezed past Johnny and headed upstairs.

Ryan sat back down gratefully, leaning forward to hide his erection, and wishing he could adjust himself but not wanting to make his arousal obvious.

When they were gone, Johnny laughed. “Ben’s really come out of his shell. He was so awkward when he first started seeing Sid. Now I can hardly get a rise out of him.” He put a hand on Ryan’s knee and took the bottle again. The way he licked his lips and parted them slowly should be illegal, Ryan couldn’t look away. Johnny’s palm was warm through his jeans and he slid it up Ryan’s thigh as he took a long, slow swallow. Ryan’s cock jerked, painfully hard now with Johnny’s fingertips just a few inches away.

When he was done drinking, Johnny patted Ryan’s thigh. “Is this okay? I think you’re into me. Am I reading this right?”

“Yeah.” Ryan’s voice came out a hoarse croak. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Yeah. I’m into you. But I’ve never….” He swallowed and lowered his voice even though there was nobody else around. “I’ve never hooked up with a guy before.”

Johnny’s face lit up and his eyes gleamed. “Yeah? And do you wanna hook up with me?”

This was it. The moment of truth. Even through the haze of arousal and alcohol Ryan knew that whatever happened, this would always be one of those crossroads in his life where he’d look back and see that the decision he’d made had been an important one.

It didn’t take him long to choose his path. He wanted Johnny, and he was curious to know what it would be like with a guy. Even if he decided it wasn’t for him he wouldn’t regret experimenting.

“Yes.”

He was rewarded with another dose of Johnny’s sexy smile as Johnny slid his hand right up to the final destination, grabbing Ryan’s cock and squeezing, making Ryan gasp. “Wanna take this back to your place then? I’m guessing you’d rather I didn’t blow you on the stairs, and it’ll be quieter at yours.”

“Okay. Yeah.” Ryan stood and Johnny’s hand fell away from his crotch. He adjusted his dick, and checked his pocket for his keys. “Let’s go.” He led the way, trusting that Johnny would follow.