Brad faces his biggest test of all
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The first couple of weeks at the bank were packed with learning as much as possible and settling into a routine with the new job and summer courses at school. My mornings were filled with classes, my afternoons were owned by the bank, and almost every evening was spent with one assignment or another to deal with.
The first weekend I begged off from the expected regular appearance at Derek and Lacy's by claiming too much studying to do. While that was partially true, it was also the test run for putting a little space between him and I too. A small guilt trip from Derek of "Dude, I haven't seen you all week. Surely you can break away for a few hours," wasn't successful at getting me to change my mind. A similar ploy succeeded the following weekend, but only because I promised Lacy faithfully that I would be there the next Wednesday.
By the time I was starting that third week of no real contact with Derek or Jeremy, I was seeing one or the other in my brain at least once every waking hour. Plus, my subconscious had been continually injecting both of them into remembered dreams that caused me to find rock hard morning wood daily. Even though I had spent immeasurable hours thinking about what to do, I still whacked off each morning with them both alternating behind my closed eye lids. It was quite clear that I was having withdrawal pains for both and was no closer to figuring out what the hell I was going to do than the morning Jeremy left me the note.
I stopped by the grocery store on my way home from work on Tuesday, and as destiny would have it, both of them were working. Derek caught me first in the dairy section and gave me a bear hug while reminding me that if I didn't show up for dinner the next night, Lacy would do more than just show me her collection of whips. I laughed and confirmed that short of being taken hostage in a bank robbery, that I would be there as demanded.
The bone I had popped when Derek hugged me had thankfully shriveled because the next aisle I trotted down found Jeremy busy stocking shelves. He too hugged me and my erection instantly returned. We made some generic small talk as if we were both afraid to ask how things were going with the other. "I'm having dinner at Derek's tomorrow night," I finally uttered as if it was a confession.
"As well you should, Brad," he stated. "He whined to me here over the weekend that it seemed like you had disappeared since your last day. Don't avoid him...it won't help you sort things out."
I shrugged and looked at Jeremy. "Maybe so but I thought maybe being away from both of you would help me get my shit together."
"Your shit is together, Brad...it's just that there are more bags of it than you realized." The look he gave me was one of near wisdom as he added "You aren't ever going to get it shoveled either, if you pretend it isn't there."
That line made me laugh and I thanked him for being so understanding of what I was going through. "I'll call you next week," was my concluding comment as I left him to his work and headed for the checkout.
I unashamedly squeezed my crotch the whole drive home, trying to figure out why both of them affected me the way they did. It was more than just physical, but with each it was emotionally different somehow also. Each one of them stimulated me in various ways and I knew I was making myself crazy trying to make sense of it. Just thinking about either one set me off. I was like stone by the time I walked up the stairs to my apartment. I dumped my purchases on the kitchen counter and went straight to the bedroom to change out of my dress clothes. I was still fully hard by the time I had stripped down to just my boxers, and decided to flop on the bed and jack off in hopes it would short-circuit my brain for a while so I could study. All that little exercise in futility did was to make me fantasize sucking Derek off while Jeremy drilled my ass.
* * * * *
It turned out that dinner Wednesday night had a hidden agenda. Lacy was going to be going down to West Virginia with her mother for the weekend to attend a baby shower for her cousin and make some family visits while there. "You know I barely trust this little sex maniac when he is at work...I need to know you are babysitting him and keeping him on the straight and narrow while I am gone, Brad," was the plea she made.
"Yeah we can grab dinner out and then come back here, drink some beer, and play Nintendo like the good old days before the ball-and-chain got me," was the sardonic line Derek used. "It will be fun, buddy." His smile was so tempting and so convincing.
My initial reaction was to find any way possible to say no, and I attempted the 'have to study' ruse again. It only took a few pleas from both to get me to cave quickly. I would later admit to myself that I liked the idea of a evening alone with Derek. Whether it was a good idea or not could be decided later. Claiming I had three chapters to read for a morning class yet that night, I managed to escape early and avoid any chance of the 'gotta see the new porno' inducements. It wasn't until I was on the short drive around the lake that I realized I had just agreed to the same type of date with Derek we had so often had back in high school.
I had been tempted to call Jeremy and tell him what was up, but finally decided I had to deal with this on my own. After all, it's not as if Derek and I were going dining, dancing, and then to a one of the local hot-sheet motels. He had been married for coming up on two years and my overactive imagination was inventing shit I concluded with a snicker to myself. I was so busy the next day and a half that I didn't even think about it as much more than an appointment with a friend.
* * * * *
I was at Derek's by 6pm and we drove into town in the infamous Camaro. What I had assumed was going to be 'dinner out' as hitting the McDonald's drive thru or maybe the Friday night buffet at Friendly's, turned out to be a classy meal at a local landmark called 'Pufferbelly.' It was a fairly upscale restaurant in a well renovated 100 year old railroad depot full of iron horse memorabilia. It was also one that was usually filled on any Friday night, mainly with couples, but we got a small table off to the back quite quickly. "My treat," was the answer Derek gave after I whispered that appetizers alone were above my budget when I looked over the menu. Knowing it had always been useless to argue with him, I sighed silently and decided I would try their renown baked lasagna. Derek ordered surf-n-turf and an overpriced drink for each of us. "The margaritas are killer here. You gotta have one," he used to convince me. By the time we were done an hour later and sharing a dessert plate and a having a second drink, I was stuffed and feeling good.
"So...on to phase two buddy," was the direction he gave me as we headed to the parking lot. "I haven't kicked your ass good at Mario for weeks," came with a guffaw and fist punch to the shoulder. It felt enjoyable to have the 'Derek and Brad Show' on the road again, even if it were for only this one night.
When we got back to the apartment, he headed for the bedroom. "Be right back...I'm getting into some shorts. If you want a pair too, just say so." I didn't answer him, but did kick off my sneaks while pulling the game console from its shelf. When Derek came back into the living room, I instantly saw that his idea of 'getting into some shorts' meant a pair of very tight and very skimpy, nylon running shorts...and nothing else. I knew at that moment, that this night was most likely not going to end well.
* * * * *
As I looked at my nearly naked friend, I tried to deny to myself that seeing him like that brought back many memories. I also tried to convince myself that the out of the blue hard on in my jeans wasn't really there. "Get yourself under control," I silently ordered myself, but even with that warning, I couldn't help but watch him intently as he walked to the kitchen. His shorts rode up his ass cheeks as he walked and it was apparent that he was commando in them too. "You have no idea what you are doing to me, Derek," zinged through my mind and I pushed down on the bulge that was becoming far too pronounced.
When he came back, he handed me one of the two beers he carried and then flopped down next to me on the floor. "You are always easier with a slight buzz on," he teased as he grabbed one of the game controllers. He leaned into me with a shoulder bump and added "Ready to try to come out on top for once?"
I knew he had no idea at all of the innuendos that came with his cracks. Without thinking, I added one. "Give it your best shot and let's see who gets lucky tonight, stud," popped out before I could stop the words.
Derek laughed and pushed the second controller to me. "We will see won't we," came with a wink I didn't totally understand. Three beers and an hour later, he had beaten me handily as usual, and shut off the console. "Now for a more interesting portion of tonight's entertainment buddy. Got a new porn for you to see."