This is a short story (for me!) and the second and final chapter will be up tomorrow, but there are related m/f stories on the way as well.
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James
"So how are things with Gary then?" I asked Cassie, taking a sip of my beer.
She pulled a face that implied a lot, but said, "We're good. It's all fine."
"But?" I questioned.
"It gets a bit samey after a while... Sometimes it feels like we are just good mates who happen to sleep together now and again."
"So I take it that you aren't getting much sex these days then?"
I laughed, and although she laughed with me it seemed a bit strained. I figured that having been together for so long must get a bit boring, but then I hadn't got any experience of long term in my life so far. Sometimes I regretted that, but it could be a lot of fun being single. Not lately though, and my right hand was getting too much use for my liking - I could do with finding a hot guy. At least a night out with my best friend made a pleasant change to being home alone.
Cassie interrupted my thoughts.
"Any prospects in your life? You need to find yourself a nice young man and get laid."
I smiled. "I know, but I'm not so sure I need nice!"
She started talking again, but I was suddenly distracted. A bunch of guys had just come down the stairs. They looked like a bunch of straight lads out for a night on the beers, but that didn't stop me admiring one of them, or at least part of him, until Cassie thumped me.
"Are you even listening to me James. What is so interesting..." she turned partly round and saw the men. "Which one do you think is cute? Or is it more than one?" she asked, with a dirty smile.
"I don't know if he's cute," I said quickly.
She looked puzzled by that and asked, "What are you looking at then?"
I went a bit red, but managed to tell her.
"He's got a cute arse. I haven't seen the front of him."
Cassie and I kept talking, but my mind, and my eyes, kept wandering over to the guy I had seen the back of. He and his friends went to sit at a table at the side of the pub and I could see him properly. The arse had been great, but the rest of him was really hot. He had dark hair that was styled neatly over a nice face, his eyes seemed to be blue but he was a bit far away to see that detail properly. He kept smiling and laughing with his friends and I was starting to wish I could make him smile at me like that. Somehow, I dragged myself back to the conversation with Cassie before he noticed I was staring.
"Remembered I am here then?" she asked as I looked back at her. "Got a case of lust on haven't you. You ought to go talk to him."
"I can't do that. It's not like he's going to be interested, and he probably wouldn't appreciate some bloke trying to chat him up. I could end up getting battered by him and his mates for my trouble. Doesn't hurt to admire the scenery though!" I said with a grin.
And he was definitely worth admiring. It was surprising because it had been a long time since I'd had any desire for someone, and sods law because it was a straight guy I'd never meet. At least I would have something to think about later when I was alone in my bed. Cassie was right, it was certainly lust I was feeling.
"I wasn't suggesting you chat him up," she said. "I just thought that you might start talking and find out he isn't what you think".
I sighed. "That would be too good to be true. He's cute but I'm not going to go introduce myself to some random stranger and all his mates just to find out I've got no chance."
Cassie smiled and began to turn around in her chair so she could lean back against the wall. I knew what that was about but tried to stop her.
"Don't look, he'll notice we're staring at him".
"I just want to see what the fuss is about. If you're right about him then he's not likely to mind me looking, and I've got to see the guy who's got you flustered after all this time. Which one?"
I knew I had no option. "Sitting on the far side of the table in the middle. Black t-shirt."
There was a moment of silence, in which I knew she was appraising him carefully. Then she started to turn back to face me.
"You've got good taste. He's not bad at all."
I pulled a face at her and actually had a pang of jealousy, even though I knew she wouldn't go after him, and I had no chance anyway.
"And the better news is you wouldn't have to go introduce yourself to random strangers because I know the guy he is sat next to. We can go talk to them if you like."
I quickly grabbed her arm to stop her from getting up.
"No way. I already told you. Don't make me make a fool of myself."
She looked a bit upset, but then smiled again.
"Sorry. I was only teasing, but it's gonna be a bit of a boring night for me if all you are going to do is lust over him."
"I'll do my best not to. I know it won't do me any good. It's just been a long time since anyone has caught my eye like that," I told her, smiling. "I'm all yours honey, honestly. At the end of the night I know I'll be going home with you. Not that that will do either of us any good!"
* * * * * *
Nick
I had been looking forward to going out tonight all week. Work seemed to take up far too much of my life and a good night out on the beers was definitely called for. I was out with a bunch of lads I worked with, although some of them I didn't know all that well. It certainly had the feel of a lads night and I was all for that, even though some of the guys had been joking about those of us who were single going on the pull.
I was happy to joke along a bit, but I knew their taste wasn't the same as mine. I didn't join in with the comments about the pretty girls in short skirts. I liked a pert backside as much as the rest of the guys, but I wanted it attached to a cute man. It's not that I was pretending to be straight, but I didn't advertise the fact I wasn't when I was in the office. I was fairly sure this kind of night out wouldn't be on the cards if some of the guys knew which side I batted for, and just because I was gay it didn't mean I didn't enjoy a beer down the pub.
We went down the stairs into the second pub of the night. There were quite a few people in, but there was still a table free and most of us headed for it whilst a couple went to get the next round. I sat down and was facing towards the stairs with Steve to one side of me and Rob on the other. Steve was the only one of them who knew about me, and probably my best friend of this crowd. I'd not been able to lie to him when he'd asked me a direct question one time, but he'd proved his worth firstly by not being bothered by it, and secondly by not telling anyone. He seemed to understand my reasons.
I was glancing around the bar and sipping my drink. I skimmed around the room but my eyes kept being drawn back to a couple at a table just the other side of the stairs. To be honest, it wasn't exactly the couple, it was the guy that drew my attention. The girl was really blonde, but that was about all I could say as she had her back to me, and she was sitting opposite a really cute man. He had blond hair as well although his was darker and probably natural rather than out of a bottle like hers.
I couldn't see his face perfectly but he still took my breath away from across the room, making me shake my head to get back to reality for a moment. Sneaking another look I could see them laughing with each other. I cussed myself mentally for eyeing him up and started listening back to the conversation in the group. They were deciding whether blonde or brunette was best. It seemed to be a fairly even split.
"I prefer blond," I said, glancing over at the man. Perhaps I was imagining it, but it seemed that he was already looking at me, although he quickly moved his attention back to the girl he was with.
More beers kept arriving and usually with them was a shooter as well. The latest beers had come with a black sambuca and we clinked glasses and downed them. I was definitely getting drunk, and I was also keeping an eye on the cute guy. I had been single for a long while and wanted to find someone. I could see he was with the girl, but I also thought I could feel his eyes on me from time to time.
Perhaps it was just the drink, but I was almost certain I had caught him looking a couple of times now. Rational thought was still with me though, and I knew that lusting after a straight guy was a bad idea. Still, I hadn't done much lusting for a while, and even if it was to be on a bloke I would never see again, he was good to look at. Thankfully the other guys were also getting pissed otherwise they might have noticed what I was doing.
I suddenly realised it was my round, and asked what everyone was having. Making a mental note of the list of beers and agreeing on a tequila each as well, I wandered over to the bar, aware that I was swaying slightly, but generally feeling in control. Rob had come with me to help take the drinks back, but as he stood beside me I heard him say hello to a woman on the other side of him and I turned to see him give her a hug.
As he moved away and I could see her properly I was surprised, because it had to be the blonde woman from the table that had taken so much of my attention that night. A quick glance over confirmed that the object of my lust was now sitting alone.
"Nick, this is Cassie, an old friend of mine."
Rob introduced us and I shook hands with her. She smiled at me and instantly came across as a nice friendly person. I mentally kicked myself yet again, this time for the likelihood that I had been eyeing up her man all night. Then Rob excused himself to go to the gents and I was left standing next to her waiting to get served.
"Having a good night?" she asked.
