Greg sat and stared at the kid. He was amazed and remembered what it was like to be that young and be hurting like Eddy was. Eddy was just 23 years old, and was crying and feeling as though his world had just fallen apart and his heart had been ripped from his body, still beating, and then had been flung back in his face. Greg remembered that kind of pain all to well. He'd been young, in love and newly gay once too. And had experienced almost the exact same thing – a strong infatuation with another man – about the same age – that had used Greg to feel his own way out of the closet – but never meant any of the sweet nothings he'd whispered in Greg's ear.
Looking back, now with quite a few years of emotional growth and experience, he couldn't believe he'd ever been so naïve about "love" and thought that the first man he'd been with would be his forever true love; that they'd live together, happily, in love, for the rest of their lives. Of course, if that had been the case, Greg's life would have been over just months after they'd met!
It had been a typical Friday night for most people, but it was a very special night for Greg. He'd just told his mom and dad that he was gay and that he was never going to be straight and never get married and have kids like his other brother and his sister. And they'd actually taken the "news" pretty well. There was no crying, no hysterics, none of the drama he'd heard so much about from other people. His dad asked if he was sure and his mom, basically, told him that it was about time!
Even though Greg had been "out" and about – to himself and to the guys he'd see at the local bars, telling his folks was the first big step he'd taken in his coming out process. He felt so much better, now that he didn't have to lie – or at least not be 100% truthful – to his parents about himself or his life and his future.
So Greg was going out to celebrate and have a good time. With his new outlook on life and his new openness about being gay, all the walls were down and he had no fears at all. He strode into the first club – Zenith – and headed for the bar. The place was crowded tonight and he was looking at all the guys. Some he recognized from other nights here, some were new.
When it was his turn at the bar, he said "John, give me a run & coke, with a lime!"
"Sure thing, Greg," the bar tender turned away to get a glass and make the drink. "It's a little busy tonight. Some group is here in town for meetings, and a lot of them must be gay!"
It didn't hurt that Zenith was just two blocks from the hotel row and the convention center. "Yeah, I kind of noticed the crowds. Nice; must be a good night for tips!"
John placed the drink in front of Greg and took the five dollar bill Greg had set down. "Some yes, some no," John replied. Some of these guys are very liberal with the cash and some aren't." He handed Greg back his change and headed off to get another patron's request.
Greg dropped a buck on the counter and turned into the crowds. During the evening, he'd met a few friends and found some hot guys to flirt with. A few flirted back, and by the end of that evening, Greg and Jake had gone back to Jake's hotel and done it all – from swapping hot, wet kisses to equally hot and wet blow-jobs.
And the night had been capped off with them flip-flopping in the sack, tacking turns fucking the other until they both finally erupted with loads of cum flying in the air and landing on each other and on the bed. For Jake, it was a scene right out of porn; for Greg, he felt a little something more.
Jake had been in town for the rest of the week; he and Greg spent many hours together – dinner, drinks, sex. They enjoyed each other's company and bodies and all was good. But then, the night Jake had to go home came. After they fucked for the last time – long and slow and passionate – Jake told Greg that he was heading home (a known fact) but also that he had a boyfriend back in wherever it was that he was from.
Greg was hurt by this revelation. Even though he knew nothing would probably come of the week with Jake, he'd secretly hoped that maybe, just maybe, Jake would want to keep in contact and maybe they could develop some kind of a relationship. Well that was blown now with the news that Jake had a boyfriend and obviously cheated a lot.
Greg got dressed quickly and left the room; but no so quickly that Jake could notice how used Greg felt. The swapped contact information and promised to "keep in touch" but Greg threw away the slip of paper once he hit the lobby. He went back to Zenith and drowned his sorrows in another drink.
That was the night he'd met Bryan. And that was the night he fell in love again for the first time with a man.
Bryan had been cute and cool, sweet and kind and sexy and hot and all of the things that make us go "WOW" when we see those combinations. Bryan took all of Greg's attention, even if only because Greg was putting it all on Bryan. He was sexy. He was hot. He looked like Paul Walker, but with a more "innocent, boy next door" shine. He was about 6' tall and probably weighed in at no more than about 180 pounds. Blue eyes, blondish brown hair and a great smile. His eyes had a bit of a mischievous spark and were deep and beautiful.
Greg had been sulking and playing one of the bar counter games – plugging in quarters and playing work games and puzzles. He felt the presence of somebody looking over his shoulder but focused on the game. He'd come across a difficult puzzle and was no where near figuring the answer when he heard "try the letter M" from over his shoulder. He looked back, and saw a man – that sexy Bryan – and he pushed M on the screen. Suddenly, the puzzle made perfect sense and he won the round.
He turned to the man and said "Thank you. I guess I wasn't seeing the obvious." He raised his glass towards the man in a toast.
The other man returned the toast. "My name is Bryan."
