Chapter 3
JASE’S leg bounced up and down, his patience with the streetcar he was on growing thinner by the minute. He’d stopped at the hotel bar for a little liquid courage before heading out to meet Ase, but the pleasant buzz had worn off about two stops back. Now he just wanted to see Ase again. He’d thought of nothing but the beautiful man since they’d gone their separate ways the night before.
He’d told his mother about the trip to visit the castle, and she’d not been all that enthused. She was still pissed he hadn’t come home on his leave. “Your daddy coulda used your help, son. Your brother’s sick, and it’s calving season.”
She wasn’t usually one for guilt trips, but since his big fuck-up last year with Christa, she’d been tense with him, his shiny good-son veneer having worn off. She didn’t understand why he couldn’t come home this one time. But he’d gone home on every single leave. Every one. While his friends went skiing and to Paris and Milan, he’d travelled in some of the shittiest conditions on bad flights to be home for a week; coddling his ex and helping on the ranch.
He’d be out for good in six months. Another thing his parents didn’t approve of. They thought he should stay in and make a career of it. He’d mostly wanted to see the world and pay for college, like half the other naive newbs out there. After his first tour of the Sand Box he’d been done; the second, he’d been damn near broken; and then the mess with Christa had distracted him enough on his third to make him realize this just wasn’t the life for him anymore.
He’d loved the people he met, the camaraderie, and the discipline he’d learned. He enjoyed having a direction he’d lacked when he was a teenager. But now he was ready to be his own man, find his place in the world.
That’s why he didn’t regret taking this last leave to himself. He’d saved almost all his extra funds since he’d joined up, even the small bonus he’d gotten early on for joining up before there was discussion of troop withdrawal. Sure, he’d sent home money to help out when they needed it, but his parents had insisted he keep his money for himself.
So he had. He’d lived most of his time in barracks and been miserly with his commissary. He wasn’t rich by any means, but when he got out, he could finish the last credits he needed for his criminal justice degree—which he hadn’t dared finish while enlisted because he did not have any desire to be MP.
He also had a nice cushion to enjoy during his time off. He’d spent the last two weeks backpacking in Switzerland, playing around in Amsterdam, and taking in the history of Germany. It’d been fascinating and fun and really awesome for his nerd side. He hadn’t been held back by anyone for the first time in his life, was able to go and see and do what he wanted.
But he’d had the underlying loneliness and the fights with Christa to make things frustrating here toward the end. Which is why Ase was a nice distraction.
He was actually excited, beneath all the trepidation about the night. He’d never done anything so reckless as meeting a cute fellow-American tourist and bar-hopping like a normal twenty-one year old. Certainly, he’d never bar-hopped gay bars. Sure, he’d done pub-crawls with buddies and been to a gay bar here and there on his own, but he’d never had what Ase continued to refer as a Gay Ole Night.
He checked his phone again to remind himself which stop he needed. He looked up to see the next stop was his—Müllerstraße. After he hopped off the streetcar, he wandered down a sidewalk, taking in all the lights and people. He’d seen busy streets in the last few years, but there was something jovial about the atmosphere here. There were rainbow flags and people crowded in front of bars, but there were also little old ladies walking their dogs, completely uncaring of the gay couples walking hand-in-hand.
There were gay bars and pubs mixed among bookshops and hardware stores. He remembered the word “kitschy” Ase had used for the neighborhood and thought the description was apt for the random hodgepodge he was walking past.
Finally he recognized the sign for the place Ase had told him they should meet up, and the closer he drew, he could hear a laugh that was permanently imprinted in his memory. He’d recognize anywhere the ass on the man standing on the sidewalk talking to a drag queen.
“Ase,” he called, as he walked closer. Ase turned, and goddamn, was he looking nice. He sported a leather biker jacket and different pair of skintight black jeans. His boots were leather and his t-shirt a plain white V-neck. He had his black hair slicked back, and had clearly gotten a haircut, because the sides were shaved. As good as Ase looked tonight, Jase could skip the dancing part and take Ase back to his room for all he gave a shit.
Ase air-kissed the drag queen on each cheek, and she gave Jase a fluttering wave as Ase swaggered over Jase’s way. “I didn’t realize we were going to a leather bar,” Jase half-teased.
With a leer, Ace retorted, “I didn’t realize we were going to a honky-tonk.”
Jase looked down at his blue jeans, blue plaid button-up, and his nicest boots. “What? These are my going-out clothes.” Okay, so he knew he probably looked a little too Texas for Munich. But he hadn’t wanted to buy all new clothes for one night out.
Ase grabbed Jase by the belt loop and pulled him forward until Jase could smell the spicy cinnamon and cloves scent that emanated from Ase’s body. Then he planted a soft, but hungry closed-mouth kiss on Jase’s lips. It was the sweetest kiss Jase had ever known. Damn, the man was burrowing under his skin. No one got under Jase Emery’s skin. Ask his ex. Any of them.
Jase loved the taste and the smell of the man, and how he hummed into their kiss. He loved how Ase parted Jase’s lips with just the tip of his tongue, and teased Jase’s tongue with his, not trying to lick Jase’s tonsils.
Ase’s over-full lips were pillowy and warm, his bearded face both smooth and rough to the touch. He was soft in all the right places and hard in all the best.
Speaking of… Jase backed out of the kiss, smiling to let Ase know it was good, too good, but gathering himself. They’d been practically fucking each other on the street. And nothing was more unlike Jase than that. He was the fuck in the dark kind of guy, be his partner male or female. He was so used to furtive, anywhere-he-could-get-it fucks because he was home and didn’t want his parents to hear, or trying not to get in trouble with Uncle Sam, so the complete abandon was nice. Who the fuck would see him in this sea of anonymity tonight?
No one.
So when Ase gave a cocky smile and held out his hand, Jase took it without question and followed Ase into the bar.
Ase paid for their entrance fee so Jase paid for the first round of drinks. They danced briefly; Jase got introduced to a few people Ase knew, and had a couple more drinks before they decided to get some fresh air.
Yes, they’d come out to go dancing but they wanted to talk. Of all things. And Jase couldn’t get enough of Ase’s laugh and his sense of humor.
“Do you want to go to another bar? Or we could go round for something to eat?”
Jase shrugged. “I’m enjoying just hangin’ out.” I want to drag you back to my room and fuck you over every surface. He decided that was better left unsaid. The way they kept touching each other, their hard-ons had stayed half-staff all night.
“I know a quieter bar. We can ‘hang out’ in there.” He elbowed Jase gently, teasing.
The bar looked similar to the pub they’d eaten in the night before, but much gayer. There were rainbow flags everywhere, and guys shamelessly necking in the corner. It made Jase smile a bit to be a part of this, even if just for the night.
He looked up at Ase who’d placed a hand on his on the tabletop after they’d taken a seat. “Thanks for coming out, tonight,” Ase said. “I avoid my cousins, and the people in my photography class are a little… too European, for lack of a better explanation. It’s been a lonely six months. This is nice.” His smile made little butterflies burst in Jase’s chest. Damn, what was this chemistry?
“Thanks for stalking me into submission.”
“Hey!” Ase reached across the table and gave Jase a playful shove.
Jase laughed and picked up a menu from the rack at the edge of the table, happy to see one side was in English. A waiter in short-shorts and a crop top came over, speaking heavily accented English as he took their order for burgers and beer.
“You’re so white.”
“I can’t help you keep bringing me to all the Anglicized joints,” Jase said, with a sniff.
“It’s cute,” Ase said. His cocky grin was enough to set Jase’s cock into overdrive.
The waiter returned with their beer and told them it’d be a moment for their food. Jase enjoyed their contented silence as they sipped their pints and looked at the people dancing on the tiny dance floor in the back room of the bar.
“We could dance if you want,” Jase said, using his mug to point toward the dance floor.
Ase looked over his shoulder then back at Jase. “Up to you. I think this is fine but if you want to do something else, we can.”
“No. No, I’m okay with this,” Jase said.
“When do you leave?” Ase asked.
The thought of going back to his normal life seemed foreign, like bursting a happy bubble. “I fly out early Monday morning. Have to report back to duty that night.”
“Where are you stationed now?”
Jase really didn’t want to think about it but he answered anyway. “Qandahar.” Ase winced, and Jase really didn’t want to think about it, so he changed the subject. “So, what’s with the leather?”
“Oh,” he chuckled. “It was easier to find parking with my motorcycle.”
“You ride?” Jase asked, surprised. Though looking at Ase, he totally seemed the type.
“No. It’s just for decoration.”
“Dick.”
“Later,” Ase said, with a smirk and a wink.
“I’ll hold you to that.” He was enjoying this flirting, not worrying about letting his curious side free. Though, he was probably going to have to admit, sooner or later, that it was more than passing curiosity since this was not his first time at the penis rodeo.
Their food came out soon, and they made small talk as they finished up. It was stress-free, talking about Jase’s hometown and plans for when he got out of the Army. Jase had such a nice time, not thinking on anything but good food and great company. Take each day as it comes. Each experience as it comes.
“So.” Ase leaned in, smirking. Jase huffed a laugh and leaned in too.
“So?”
“I’d offer to take you back to my place, but it’d probably be rude since it’s not technically my house. Aside from that, my family isn’t exactly cool with the gay thing.”
“Ah, so you’re still in the closet?”
“To the family… Yes, for now. Trying to get through school first, not living with family anymore.”
“I can definitely understand that.” And how. Jase couldn’t imagine there ever being a time his parents would magically be okay, even if he still liked girls. They’d hear the “I like guys, too,” part and he’d be as good as dead to them.
“So,” Ase said, with a flirty smirk. “Would you care to show me your hotel room?”
Jase pretended to think about it, which earned him a swat from Ase. “Say yes, Jase.”
“Yes, Jase.”
“Good enough,” Ase crowed, slapping down euros on the table and pulling a laughing Jase out of the bar by his hand. They walked briskly for a couple blocks until they reached Ase’s motorcycle. When he saw the royal blue and black BMW R 1200GS he was impressed by the beautiful machine.
“Damn. I think I just got harder.” Jase walked around, roaming his hand over the bike. He’d never seen one in person, only in his brother’s magazines. His brother was an antique Harley guy, but even he’d have been impressed with this beauty.
“Yes. I’d saved a good amount of money, and with my tio’s military discount on shipping, I decided to buy here while it was more affordable. I’ll have to have some changes made when I get home for it to be street legal, but still, well worth it.”
Jase silently continued his perusal of the machine for a moment when Ase asked, “Do you need a moment? Perhaps you’d prefer taking Matilda home?”
Jase looked at Ase incredulously. “You named your bike Matilda?”
“What? It’s German and English enough to fit just right,” he said, haughtily. “I’m sure you’d prefer something like Bessie.”
Jase crowded Ase, who’d straddled the bike and now sat on the seat. “I’d prefer to talk about what you call your cock.” Where is this coming from? Jase was wild with lust. This man, this weekend had him acting completely differently than he normally would. So glad I came to Germany. Because he would definitely be taking home good memories.
“Hop on and I’ll tell you,” Ase said, husky promise hanging in the air.
So Jase did.