Jamie - the Journey Begins

Walking into 'Checkpoint Charlie' - cool name for a German beer hall, right? - I kind-of shouted above the music.

"Guys, I booked us a table," pointing off into the distance.

I had booked one on the way to Sam's place earlier. Dave and Ty were looking at me surprised, clearly shocked that I had the foresight to book a table...

"Wow, guys. Thanks for the vote of confidence."

I'm not a total airhead, shit!

Pushing our way through the crowd, I was kind of glad I had booked - we would have had no hope of getting a seat otherwise. I had hold of Sam's hand as we made our way through the crowd. Slowly, we pushed through, loads of

'Excuse me'

and

'Sorry'

as we squeezed past.

Finally, we managed to find our way across to the reserved table. Then, our attention turned to booze and loads of it. While we were sorting out who wanted what to drink, I had lifted my hand up Sam's back, resting on his shoulder. There were a few glances, but no one really cared except for one loud mouth. I shot him a 'fuck off and die' look - so did the rest of the people standing around us - and he went quiet.

A few moments later the rest of the gang wandered in. The place was almost jumping. After handshakes and hugs all-round, I grabbed Sam. Nodding towards the bar, we headed back into the crowds, hoping to find the bar.

Eventually, we made it to the clearing around the bar and stared over to the menu boards.

"Hmm... the pizzas look nice, Jamie," Sam said with a sexy ass smile on his face.

"I like the look of the wings... maybe some smoked ribs, too. What do you think, sexy?"

We exchanged nods and I waved the bartender over. He greeted us with a friendly smile, taking our food order, then moved on to beers.

Sam leaned over, pointing to number-seven on the wall of taps. It was a German wheat beer. Their selection was massive: thirty local and independent breweries, plus a few of their own. I hadn't tried this beer before, so chimed in for a second, and asked for two samples. Sam nodded with some encouragement.

"You'll like these, Jamie. I've had them before."

"Oh, you've tried these, Sam?"

"Yeah, it was on tap at a function I went to the other week. I'm sure you'll like it."

It was like waiting for Grandma to pass the baked ham at Christmas dinner - my mouth was watering. The bartender handed over two small glasses. Sam passed my sampler over and downed his.

"Awesome choice of beer, Sam. WOW!" I shot back with my best 1000W smile.

Sam gave the bartender the thumbs up. "Eight steins and some bombs too, please." The bartender quickly was back with the first tray. Carefully, I grabbed the tray off the bar. The steins were filled to the absolute brim.

"Sam, see - now I can say, 'hold my beer - I've got this', and it's true, ha-ha."

"You're such an idiot at times, James Spence, but that's what I like about you..."

"Aww, Sam," I poked my tongue out playfully. "

James?

Am I in trouble?"

Sam just rolled his eyes at me and smiled.

"Thanks, Sam, like you too," dishing out a cheesy smile.

Heading back through the crowd, Sam and I carried without dropping or seriously spilling two very full trays. It was like reaching paradise. "Fuck! The table, at last." Sam and I had only just placed the tray's down when a sea of hands descended on them, leaving a shot and stein each for Sam and me. With steins around the outside and Jägermeister shots in the centre for everyone, this was going to be a big night if we kept this pace up. Oh god, I remember last time we did shit like this. I ended up booking a holiday. Oops.

Come on boys, tonight's last drinks before I run away," I said as I held up my beer. "PROST!" all of the boys, and half the bar around us responded.

"Oh yeah, were going to have fun here tonight."

I am so going to miss these guys - it only feels like I've reconnected with them after escaping the wicked witch of the west. Now, I'm skipping out on them. Oh well, it's only a few months - not like I'm heading off there to live. It's a holiday, for goodness! I think my Mom is getting into my head.

The food we ordered soon rolled out, before we had finished the first round even. Dave headed up to the bar, ordering the next round, and so started the steady procession of bar trips.

Kelvin and Jack headed up to the bar for the next round. Kelvin came back with a confused look on his face.

"Hey Jamie, they don't sell beer here, but--"

I stopped Kelv dead.

"Buddy, Germans, Austrians, Swiss, all spell beer with an 'ie' not 'ee'... it's the same, but tastes a load better."

"Oh, fuck off, no way, Jamie! I've seen that in so many places but never understood it. Those crazy Europeans, ha-ha."

I burst out laughing, "Kelv, there's never a dull moment with you around, buddy."

Kelvin flipped me off and headed back to the bar.

After a few jaunts to the bar, the bar tender started us a tab, so we just got his attention and they started loading up another set of trays for us, and a bit more food came out too. I'm not sure who ordered that... I think it was Mike. He's always got our backs - some food to soak up the booze so we're not totally wasted and riding in the back of his work car, ha-ha.

The place was just killing it, we were all laughing and talking. The guys are really warming to Sam - he was fitting in well. I might try and ask Gav-Ty to keep Sam company while I'm away... include him in the group chat... doesn't hurt to expand your friendship circles.

..o0o..

I think after four or so rounds, the music kicked up a notch. There were a few empty reserved tables over to one side. The staff quickly packed them away and an instant dance floor, or space anyway, appeared. The void had filled with people quicker than you could blink.

DJ Harry had kicked the dance music off and the place was absolutely rocking now.

I grabbed Sam's hand.

"Let's dance," I said dragging him toward the dance floor. He didn't even hesitate. We were off across the room, returning to the table every so often when the music died off a little to replenish our liquids -- well beer and see what the gang was up to.

Sam and I had been on the dance floor most of the night mixing with some of the guys plus a few random girls that joined in. Even Mitch, the bartender, joined us for a moment while he was collecting glasses from around the place. There were smiles and laughs 'a-plenty' going on. It was a great atmosphere, although a bit of a squeeze, in the small space that had become an instant dance floor.

A slow song came on the remake of an oldie -

'Sweet Caroline'

. It was cheesy, but I swapped 'Caroline' for 'Sam-of-mine', pulling Sam in for what started as a sneaky kiss, but went for a little longer to a few hoots and cheers. I was becoming somewhat embarrassed from the attention, never been one to draw a crowd, well not intentionally, but not a prude either, I guess.

We must have looked a treat, ha-ha. Both of us soaked in sweat with our tees taking on the sprayed-on look, which was ok: Sam has a sexy-as body and mine wasn't too bad either, if I do say so myself. I was in the gym at work most days.

Laughing, I whispered into Sam's ear "were so going to need a shower and change of boxer briefs before bed tonight for sure."

"Promise, Jamie?" Sam smiled.

"Oh, you can bank on it, Sam," I replied and started to laugh.

Then I couldn't believe - out the corner of my eye, there over on one of the side tables, was my shit-head brother deep in conversation with some brunette that I didn't recognise. Deciding that my family duty was to be a snoop, I grabbed Sam, nodding in Mason's general direction and raised my eyebrows. We headed over a bit closer, which we managed over a few songs, to where Mason and his 'guest' were sitting.

I had leaned forward and nipped Sam on the ear lobe. A small groan escaped my mouth. It sent an electrical wave throughout my body, centring on my crotch, which was now starting to plump up. We were a little lost in our own world for a few moments, finally getting closer to where Mason was. I looked around the people dancing in front of us - gone! I took my eye off him for twenty seconds. Shit - he's like a ninja!

I looked about, but couldn't see them. Someone else was sitting at their table now.

Crap!

Oh well, not going to waste my night out worrying about that idiot Mason. While I was still craning my head around the place, a warm pair of hands wrapped around my waist, pulling me in in closer.

"Hmm, Sam..."

This guy had the moves - he was smooth on the dance floor. I'm not a bad dancer either, if I do say so myself, and he was bringing out my A-game.

Smiling at each other, our faces only inches apart, I could have been anywhere. I was mesmerised. Clearly Sam was having a blast too. I got rewarded with one of a Sam's light-up-the-room smiles. I couldn't help myself. I leaned in, kissing him again, just a soft touch of the lips. I think the beer was starting to kick in and if I weren't careful, I was going to throw him down right on the dance floor.

A few more songs had rolled on. We were just about to go and get a drink when someone dancing alongside us caught my eye. I'd recognised the back of a head, picked that head out of a crowd... "Mason!"

Sam looked around in the direction I was looking.

Mason is such an idiot: he and the brunette were so caught up in their own little world that they didn't even see me almost right next to them.

Ok, that sounded familiar, but this is Fuckwad Mason were talking about.

Winking at Sam and gesturing with my head in their direction, Sam's eyes lit up too when he spotted Mason. "No one is going to believe me that Mason is at it again, Sam."

"Jamie, I've got an idea!"

Like a pro, he pulled out his cell and turned us to take a selfie with them in the background, when, almost on cue, they started a game of tonsil hockey...

Ew, how could she kiss that? Really!

Sam snapped the pic, it was perfect. You could clearly make out their faces, lip-locked with Sam and me smiling in the foreground.

"Hey Sam, can you please send me that? I'm gonna post that straight on the family chat when I get back to the table."

He shot me one of those

"Really, Jamie?"

looks.

"Jamie, what about his wife? You wouldn't want her to find out like that would you?"

"No! No way. Julie, his wife, is my old high school buddy," I answered sheepishly.

I felt like a dickhead for a moment. That would suck - it was bad enough last time for Jules. I turned us away from them and we danced on for another song. Then it was time for beer and a catch up with the guys.

We arrived back at the table. Ty nodded to get my attention.

"Jamie, did you see Mason on the dance floor?"

"We did, thanks, Ty." Wiping my face with my hand, I was sweating like I'd just run 10 flights of stairs in full turnout gear. "You guys too, huh?"

Ty lifted his eyebrows in an uncomfortable grimace. "Kind'a got photos your sister-in-law might be interested in, Jamie."

"Thanks, Ty, yeah, we snapped them too out there."

Ty's face took on a serious look for a moment.

"Ah, no, Jamie," his face pained as he continued. "I was coming back from the bathroom when the door to the disabled toilet opened. Your brother and his friend were still tidying themselves up when the auto doors gave us an unwanted show."

I felt an anger rising within me as Ty spoke.

Ty scrunched up his face. "I'm never going to be able to un-see that, plus I snapped a pic of them coming out, looking quite pleased with each other, a few moments later."

"Thought you might want to let Julie know Mason is up to it again, Jamie. She deserves better than this."

"In the toilets!" I let out a long breath. "Jesus, Mason, we're not kids anymore. Toilet hook-ups are... well... not here anyways," was all I could manage to say.

I could feel my anger rising to the surface. Ty squeezed my shoulder to ground me. It may not have been working, but it did stop me from storming over and slam-tackling Mason and wiping that smug look off his stupid face.

Julie had forgiven him the last time, too. We were friends from High School - her brother, Craig was one of my best friends. That's how she met Mason. She's way too good for him! Clearly, she married the wrong brother, ha. But we were, and are, great friends, so nothing romantic was going to happen.

The last time he, Mason, did this to Julie, I found out at the local dry cleaners, a local hot spot for gossip, and Mrs. Creeley, the owner, couldn't wait to tell me what my big brother was up to.

"That poor wife of his, Julie, deserves so much better, James."

Like I could control what he did - that was for Mom and Steph to do. "She should have married you, dear,'" Mrs. Creeley ended the message with - like it was going to soften the blow, really. I was gobsmacked. Mrs. Creeley had got one on me that time.

When I laid eyes on Mason at the family dinner a few days later, I took him down out front on the veranda at Mom and Dad's. It was a sweet sack: I nailed him like a pro line-backer. Mason had some trouble taking deep breaths for a while.

Clearly, it wasn't enough. Think I'd better talk to Julie - she deserves to know this before it spreads around town like last time when she was blind-sided. Sam came over and wrapped his arm around my waist. I pulled him in and gave him a kiss.

"Hmm... you taste so good, Sam. Think we should head home soon, yeah?"

It had been a fantastic night. Almost on cue, the DJ called for last drinks. The boys all made a bee line for the bar. We ended up with 4 trays of steins and about 10 shots.

"Ok, boys - big finish." I raised my stein and we all shouted "Prost!"

I gave up about half way through the run. There were a few guys standing behind us that had finished their drinks, so I offered them some too.

"There was no way in hell we were going to finish these and live," I slurred pointing to the two trays still untouched. They happily joined in and our drinking circle, which just got bigger by ten, rounded off a good night for all.

Those drinks had made both Sam and me -- well, mostly me I think - a little wobbly on my feet. I needed some fresh air. With all the thoughts flooding around my mind about Mason and Julie, I needed to walk for a bit to clear my head. I somehow explained this to Sam in half-drunken English or something resembling it, but offered to put him in a cab or Uber home.

"No way, Jamie. I'm up for a walk. Plus, if you're going on a drunken spending spree like last time, I want in," he said, laughing away.

I kissed him lightly on the cheek. "You're so nice, Boo."

The cool air outside smacked us in the face as we left the bar. It wasn't too bad, I thought. The guys were all saying goodbye to each other and our new drinking buddies. Sam and I said our goodbyes and headed for home on foot. The guys were all huddled around out the front of the bar. Facebook messages and friend requests were flying about.

..o0o..

We had walked along for a few kilometres, just chatting about nothing, but everything really, until I noticed Sam had gone quiet. I looked sideways at him. He was silently shivering while walking along.

"Shit, Sam! Why didn't you say you were cold?"

"Look at you, Jamie -- you're shivering too."

I'd been so caught up in thinking about Julie, Mason, Mom and Dad, that I had not even noticed I was cold too. I spotted a covered bus shelter. "Come on over here" I indicated while walking over to the stop and pulling Sam against me to warm him up. While we were shivering against each other, I fished out my cell and called Uber-Vince.

Our saviour in a GM Caprice arrived quickly. We dived into the back and pulled the door shut.

"What are you guys doing walking? It's freezing outside." Vince looked at us with concern etched into his face. "Boys, this the first cold night since last winter, the radio was saying." Vince turned the heat up full in the back for us. "There you go, boys."

"Thanks, Vince," we replied in unison. I'm not sure if the trip was fast, or the warmth or booze made me drift off, but before I knew it, Vince had us pulling up at Sam's.

"Thanks, Vince," I reached into the front and shook his hand.

"No worries, boys. Remember to tell your friends, ok?"

"For sure, Vince, for sure."

Climbing out the door and closing it behind me, I looked for Sam. He'd sprinted -- well, it looked more like speed-walking, as he was a bit uncoordinated heading to the front door.

Sam was now hopping up and down as I was walking across the slippery lawn, trying not to fall ass over - my excuse was there was a heavy frost starting, but he was clearly getting impatient waiting for me.

"Hurry up, Spence! I've just got warm."

We fell in the front door, making a beeline to the master bathroom. I've not often stripped off my clothes that fast when it didn't involve sex, but I think I set a land-speed record tonight.

Sam cranked the hot water on in the shower, filling the room with steam and warmth quickly. We both slipped into the warmth of the shower, facing each other, intertwining our legs, with our arms draped lazily on each other's hips. It was a nice long hot shower.

..o0o..

I woke the next morning my mind was full of my ass-of-a-brother and his newest "mistake", as he put it last time. I need to talk to Julie and tell her what's going on.

This will absolutely get out like always and some random person saying

"I thought you should know"

drops her in it again. It's going to really hurt Julie, really hurt badly I think. Reaching down on the floor, fumbling around for my jeans in the early light slowly filling Sam's room. I finally found my cell phone without falling out of the bed and sent Julie a message.

Me: Hey Jules, want to have brunch at Café 47? My treat?

My cell buzzed a few moments later.

Julie: Jesus Jamie, what got you up so early? Oh wait, don't answer that - Ew! I bet you're with Sam? His place, right? Anyway, love to meet you at 11am, Jules.

I took a deep breath, I know I have to but it's not going to be fun. I replied with a neutral message.

Me: great Jules, see you then J.

With the crappy stuff out of the way for a while, my attention turned to the hot man in bed next to me. Hmm, best I wake him up.

"Hey Sam," I purred as I laid kisses along his shoulder, collarbone, and neck.

"Hmmm... I like the way you wake me up, Jamie." Sam rolled over to face me in bed. "I'm working today, so no hour-long session this morning, Mr. Spence. How about you join me in the shower?" he said while yawning awake.

"Well, Sam, I'd like to lay in bed with you for hours, but I guess a shower will do," I said with an eyebrow wiggle to go with it.

"But, before we do..." I leaned in kissing Sam, with the softest kiss, just touching his soft lips.

His eyes flew open fully, with a mix of surprise, passion and something else I couldn't quite make out. Our kiss quickly deepened, I rolled on top. I held his head in my hands while our tongues danced, exploring each other, sinking deeper and deeper into our own world, where all there was just us.

Slowly, I pulled back, finally breaking our kiss. "Ok Sam, it's now or never. If we don't move to the shower, I can't be held responsible for what happens to the next hour."

I slid out of the bed, turning side on and swept Sam up into my arms. I'd caught Sam by surprise, clearly.

Yelp! "Oh my god, Jamie! Did they teach you that at Fireman school or something? That's a pretty cool trick."

"They teach us lots of things, but I've got some other talents I'd like to show you."

Crossing the floor into the master bathroom, I kicked the door closed behind us with my foot. I let Sam down on his feet so he could set the shower to his liking. I was easy going with the temperature, but Sam was quite precise I'd learned in the few showers we'd taken together.