Chapter 3 of 6
As usaual, any comments or feedback is welcomed.
Sunday morning Jack's phone ringing woke him up from a self pity slumber.
He was still mortified from misreading Luke and angry at himself for taking a chance - when he swore he wasn't going to date anymore. Above all else, he was devastated that he destroyed what could have been a fantastic friendship.
Luke's name flashed on the screen.
His first instinct was to ignore the call... let the humiliation he felt settle until they both 'forgot' it ever happened - but Jack couldn't do that to him. He felt Luke was owed a better, more coherent apology.
He answered the phone, his voice hesitating "Hello?"
"Jack?"
"Yeah... h-hi Luke."
"Are you ok?" Luke's voice was full of compassion and concern.
Jack's voice was soft "Honestly, I'm so ashamed... I don't know what to say."
"You don't need to say anything... everything is fine." Luke reassured him.
"Fine? How can you say that after I hit on you last night?"
Luke gave a small laugh "honestly Jack, I'm kinda flattered. Since Chris left, I haven't really thought much of myself."
"Flattered? Luke, doesn't what I did it upset you? Aren't you angry? Don't you hate me?"
"Look, Jack, don't blow this out if proportion. You kissed me... that's all. I feel so bad that you're beating yourself up over this - and I don't hate you! Please don't think that!" There was a brief pause "plus you're a really attractive guy, so I'm flattered."
Jack let out a long sigh... a mixture of relief and disgust. Relieved that Luke was still willing to be friends, disgusted with himself that they were even in this position to begin with.
"Do you have any plans today?" Luke asked "Do you want to bring Theo over and just hang for a while? We could play video games, watch some Netflix, or let the dogs watch Hallmark movies..." he laughed.
Jack hesitated... but eventually let out a weak laugh "if you're sure."
"I'm positive. Plus I'd like Theo and Olive have some more time together. He's so good for her... you both are."
"Ok... I'll get cleaned up and we'll both be over soon. Thank you."
Jack got dressed... a pair of black shorts, a grey v-neck tee, and his favorite white Converse. Comfortable and in no way trying to be anything other than a friend.
-
Jack took a deep breath and knocked on Luke's door... immediately followed by the sound of feet thundering down the stairs.
"Wow, you got here sooner than I expected. Sorry, I was just about to take a quick shower" Luke explained
Theo bolted into the living room, Olive sniffing around him, the new besties giving each other happy tails. Their barking was becoming louder, there was a clear excitement in it. Laughing, the guys reached for their dogs and separated them
"My god, she's been quiet all morning. Theo shows up and it's yappy hour." Luke said while smiling.
Jack smiled right back "he's got that way about him... a real chick magnet."
"Ok, I'm gonna get cleaned up. There's beer in the fridge, help yourself. I won't be long."
Luke ran back upstairs and Jack heard the shower turn on a moment later. Wandering around the first floor checking the place out, closely followed by the two dogs. The space was clean and bright, not the typical space you'd think of when 'bachelor pad' came to mind. Jack eventually stopped in the kitchen - taking a beer from the refrigerator. He stood there. From the sounds around him, the bathroom was right above. He could hear the rush of water upstairs.
Jack visualized Luke in the shower. His long curly hair - now wet and hanging down his back - full of bubbly lather as he washed his dark, sweet caramel streaked hair. His back arched, with his head tilted back into the spray to rinse the shampoo from his hair. His wet cock jutting from between his thighs, his big balls firm and ripe. Again, Jack couldn't help but wonder about Luke's dick... more so now that he'll never have it.
The muscles in his tight body tensing and flexing as Luke soaped himself up. His ass spreading - his hole trying to peek out - as he bent over to wash his legs and feet, the further he leaned the more his pucker winked - the warm water caressing his hairy crack.
Jack found himself jealous of the washcloth Luke was holding... wishing it was him gliding over Luke's body. Disappointed he wasn't the one touching the areas he'll now only have to imagine - because friends don't soap up friends in the shower.
The dogs were barking at the back door, snapping Jack into reality... they wanted to go out. Jack checked the back yard. Fenced in. Gate closed. Everything looked fine.
He was about to open the screen door when he realized his cock was hard. It was reaching for the handle on its own. The coldness of the aluminum, the subtle textural imprinted design, could be felt as it traced its way through his shorts... straining to see for itself. Shifting his weight, Jack tried separating his dick from the fabric. Not wanting to part with each other, Jack slipped a hand in his pants and physically directed them to separate corners, like boxers retreating between rounds.
Fuck, he thought to himself, you're supposed to be proving you can be a good friend without any sexual expectations and the minute you think of him you get hard!
Jack tried to redirect his thoughts, he needed something to focus on that wouldn't excite him. He tried thinking of Reve, picturing her naked - although he really didn't have to picture it, he's seen everything... an unfortunate chain of events stemming from a poorly timed shower after a run - but it wasn't working. Now he was imagining Luke naked with Reve!
He returned his attention to the dogs "ok you two, hold on"
Jack yelled up the stairs, in the direction of the shower "Luke, is it alright to let the dogs out in the yard?"
"What was that? I can't really hear you" Luke called "come upstairs and talk to me."
Oh no, that's not a good idea, Jack thought, not good at all.
"Never mind" Jack yelled back "I'm going outside with the dogs."
Jack opened the door and let Olive and Theo loose. He followed them outside, watched them run around the yard for a while, and took a seat on one of the steps of the deck that lead down to the yard.
When he heard the shower turn off, he knew Luke was done. Jack closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. If he was going to prove he could be a platonic friend to Luke he was going to have to learn to control himself. He was addressing his dick specifically.
Jack could hear Luke running down he stairs again. The fridge door opening... the sound of beer bottles clanking together, and soon Jack came through the door.
"Shit it's beautiful out... not too warm, not too cool. It's a great summer day." Luke sat down on one of the deck chairs and patted the empty seat next to him "c'mon up, sit... relax."
As Jack stood, ready to make his way back up to the deck, he noticed Luke - dressed in a pair of lightweight blue pajama bottoms and a thin white t-shirt - and his dick began to stir again.
Jack plopped down on the seat Luke offered. He was intently focusing on not looking at Luke too long - making a concentrated effort to acknowledge him yet not stare.
"So tell me, are we ok?" Luke asked.
Jack made an attempt at a chuckle, but it ended up sounding like a cough "you're great... I need a little work."
Luke laughed "Why do you think you need work and aren't perfect just the way you are?"
"Perfect people don't hit on friends... or at least people they barely know hoping to become friends."
"So if I hit on Reve, that would be ok?"
Jack paused "yeah, I suppose so... but that's different. It's not the same thing.
"Is it because we're both men?"
"Let's not forget you're not gay or into guys" Jack's voice wavered "that's the most embarrassing part."
-
"Jack, when did you realize you were gay?" Luke's voice turned introspective.
"I've known as long as I can remember. I never considered there were options... until I started hearing things from guys in school. Why?"
Luke was now staring directly at Jack
"What if nobody ever told you?"
"Told me what?" Jack asked "I'm not following."
"When Chris, that's Christine just to avoid any future confusion" they both laughed "left me she just didn't leave for a another job, she left me for a another person. She left me for another woman."
Jack continued staring at Luke.
"I never realized that was a possibility.... not at this stage in my life. I always believed you were born gay and loved someone gay. I never saw this coming. I thought we were happy. I thought we knew each other. Then to be dropped out of the blue... for a women! Was I just an experiment? Did she just use me to find out if she was gay?"
"C'mon Luke, you know that's not true. You're in your twenties, I'm sure you know people live, or have lived, their lives in the closet? Bisexual people existed before Chris left you."
Luke's face changed dramatically. He looked heartbroken, like someone just told him there's no Santa Claus. Everyone knew a secret and they were hiding the answer from him.
"Jack, I'm thinking... afraid... I'm bisexual? I think I might be... or maybe could be..." He stopped talking and did that thing Jack always does when a situation was uncomfortable, he looked at his feet.
-
Luke tilted his head back, draining the last of the beer bottle, and returned to looking at his feet.
"You know, when you kissed me last night, I wasn't offended... or mad.... or anything other than confused. I enjoyed it. Fuck I loved it! I never kissed another guy before, and I didn't know how to react. I always wanted to be with a guy, you know, try things." Luke sighed as pink blush filled his cheeks "I've always considered myself straight - but then everything that happened with Chris - left me wondering if I always thought I was straight because I was told I was... do you know what I mean."
Jack reached over and touched Luke's arm. "Just because you enjoyed a kiss from a guy doesn't make you bisexual.
Luke quickly stood up "do you want another beer? I could use another beer."
Jack got up and followed him back into the house. Luke twisted the tops off two more bottles, handed one to Jack, and almost downed his entire second bottle in one gulp.
Jack reached over and took Luke's beer. "Here, I'm gonna hold onto this for just another minute or two, Ok? Until we talk some more"
"Let me ask you" Jack pondered "Are you more scared of being gay - or let's say bi - or more scared of admitting it?"
"I'm more scared of not being sure. I loved kissing you, even if it was just a short kiss, it made me feel warm and happy. I'm surprised I felt that way and I want more."
Jack set the beer bottles down on the counter, moving closer in front of Luke. He melted as Luke wrapped his arms around him, pulling them together, chests touching, in a tender embrace.
"You don't have to figure this out today. You can work it out at your own pace and decide what makes you comfortable."
