"Well I'm gay so not too much interest that way," Ben said smiling.
"Oh really er um, I see," I fumblingly replied somewhat taken aback.
I was on a training course in New York staying at the Marriott on Lexington. Ben was also staying there as he was visiting the head office of his company a few blocks away from the hotel. We had met in the bar on my first night which was his second and both us were staying for a further three nights. Having just flown in from London I was very tired that first night and after a couple of drinks I was in bed by nine.
The next night I went to the bar at around six-thirty and saw him.
"Hi Ben, like another?"
"No I'm fine thanks James."
We had a couple more drinks as we chatted about a whole load of things. He travelled to the UK about as often as I did to the US, probably three or four times each year so we had lots in common. We seemed to be about the same age, mid-forties and both held senior management positions in large companies. We were about the same height and build, just under six feet and slim and fit looking. However, there were some striking differences in that he had darkish, blond hair whereas mine is nearly black, he was clean shaven I have a stubble and I am married and he was single.
"You meeting anyone for dinner?" He asked an hour or so later.
"No, I'm by myself."
"Like to dine together?"
We went to a small steak house on 42nd Street, then onto a bar across the road.
He had told me that he was not married and never had been, but that didn't give me any inkling of what was to come when I nodded at a couple of women across the bar from us and said.
"They look up for something Ben."
That's when he told me he was gay.
"But you go ahead, I'll stand in until you make contact then I'll discretely disappear."
"No, no, don't be silly," I replied.
"What's silly?"
"Well we're together aren't we?"
Glancing at me and holding my gaze he smiled and said. "Are we James?"
"Are we what?"
"Together?"
I was confused and mumbled. "What do you mean?"
"Just a joke hon."
I didn't reply as I let what he had said sink in. I had not spent much time alone with a gay man before although I had some experience at a couple of gay saunas. As he looked at me with a slight smile on his face I wondered whether he was propositioning me. That made my pulse race a little as I had not done anything outside the saunas and for some time I had thought about it and had fantasised about having a male lover. I took a swig of my Scotch as I regained my cool before saying.
"Is it Ben?"
"What?"
"A joke."
"Well it was James but of course it doesn't have to be."
"Doesn't it?"
"No, not at all."
"Really?"
"Yes really James, it doesn't have to be a joke."
"No?" I said hesitantly wondering about my next move.
We were sitting on high stools close together in the quite crowded bar. As he replied he moved a little and his knee brushed against my leg just above my knee. He left it there sort of putting the ball in my court. I knew that I could move and he would probably drop the subject or stay as I was and see what he did. I went for the latter and didn't move
"No James, it doesn't have to be a joke and could very easily become a reality."
Realising he had put the ball right back in my court and now it was up to me to give him the signs to go ahead or to drop it, excited me. Probably sounding far cooler and relaxed than I was I asked.
"And how would that happen Ben?"
Smiling, he leaned closer to me, pressed his knee more firmly against my leg and whispered. "Your room or mine."
As it happened we went to his room.
I was hellishly nervous on the way back to the hotel and all the way up in the elevator to his fifteenth floor room. We hardly talked until we were in the room and he had poured us both Scotches from the mini bar.
I sat in the easy chair and he on the bed.
"So James I take it you have done stuff like this before?"
"No not exactly."
Raising his eyebrows and looking at me he said. "No?"
"Well no not in a room like this."
"What then?"
"I have been to gay saunas in London."
"Ok got it, so man to man stuff is not something totally new."
"No."
"So are you a top or bottom?"
"Neither, I haven't gone that far."
"Ok no problem."
He paused for a while making me wonder what was going to come next. When it did I was amazed and very aroused for he said.
"Why don't we get undressed?"
"What?" I stammered.
Smiling he replied. "Well James what we intend doing is usually done undressed isn't it?" as he unbuttoned his shirt.
That made me smile and helped me relax a little as he stood up. I did the same. He removed his shirt and I saw that he had a nice physique with a chest that had a light covering of brown hair. I pulled my Polo shirt over my head and off.
"Mmmmm very nice James," he said moving closer and running his fingertips across my chest. "I love, dark, hairy chests."