I
I stared at the computer screen. The answers just weren't coming. Normally, number crunching and pattern recognition was my specialty, but right now, I felt like the computer was fighting back against me on purpose.
The first phase of the project had gone so well. Scientific journals were reporting the progress with much anticipation. And now, this wall. I was worried, damn worried. And so I sat in my apartment and started at a computer screen at 10:30 p.m. on a Friday night.
There was a knock on the door and in walked Carl, who seemed tired too, but still looked good. His eyes seemed alive with energy. He was excited, and grinning wildly. He walked up and presented a stack of burned CDs, each meticulously labelled in code.
"Here you go, man. 14 complete sequences, and 500 sequence fragments, all linked to complete case studies, demographic info, the works. It's all here."
He dropped the stack on the table with a resounding thud and turned to look at me.
"They liked your work so much they gave us more than we asked for. Eight whole months of data! And more to come. We're going to be given primary access to the data, right as it comes in."
"Wow, that's great!" I tried to say enthusiastically, but my heart wasn't in it.
He frowned at me slightly, but I could tell he was still pumped. "Aw, c'mon, this is great news! It's what we've been waiting for! I thought you would be excited."
He pouted and gave me a poke. I swiped at his hand with a half hearted grin and sighed. "I know, I'm sorry. It's just that this code has been driving me crazy. I feel like I'm right on the edge of a breakthrough, but I just can't see it."
Carl shook his head and smiled. "You work too hard. I think you need to relax.. come on, I know what will cheer you up!"
He gave me a wink. He had that look in his eye and I had to smile back. I was tempted, but.. "I can't. You know.. I've got too much to do."
"So you say, but I know you can't resist..." he said, moving his hands down towards his belt, "...this!" He pulled out a small pipe from his pocket, packed and ready to go.
I laughed at his antics. "Oh, I thought you meant..."
He stood up and walked toward me calmly. I was a little thrown off, and I was longing to give in, but still I deferred. "Look," I said, "you know how much I'd love to smoke that with you, but if I do I won't be able to work for hours."
He grinned widely, his handsome face lighting up even more. "That's what I had in mind..."
God damn I was tempted. "This is important. You said it yourself, Carl, they're impressed with what we've done so far, but now I've hit a wall. There's going to be even more pressure to perform. This stuff won't decode itself, I need to be sharp. I need to be on this thing like a motherfucker."
"That's exactly what I'm thinking," he said, "which is why I'm ordering you to take some time off and relax. You're no good to anyone in this state."
He started walking towards me and took my hand. "But..." I said lamely, but he shushed me before I could continue. "Come on," he said, pulling me gently to my feet and leading me out the door.
II
We went out to the balcony and smoked the bowl, looking out over the palm trees and breathing in the night air. Damn, it was good to have rich parents and government grants, and me and Carl had both. After the bowl was done, Carl went back into the kitchen and grabbed us a couple of beers. I accepted mine gratefully.
He took one swig, then set his beer down and came around behind me. He started rubbing my shoulders and I felt the tension finally slipping away. "Damn, that feels good," I said, luxuriating in his touch, the beer, the weed, and the evening breeze.
He didn't say anything, but gave me a gentle squeeze to show he heard, then continued working the tension out of me. I almost let myself fall asleep, but I didn't want to miss the moment. After just a couple of minutes I already felt like a new man. Carl slide his right hand around my cheek, then turned my face up to meet his in a slow, soft kiss. My cock, which was already semi-hard, surged to attention as he nibbled my lip gently then disengaged. "I've worked out a lot of tension already," he said, smiling, "but your whole back is all wound up. I need to get you inside and get that shirt off to finish the job."
"Deal," I said, rising smoothly and polishing off my beer. "But anything I take off, you've gotta take off too," I added, running a finger idly down his chest and looking into his eyes. He stared back, breathing heavily, and I could tell he wanted to just rip my clothes off then and there. Truth be told, I was tempted.. but I wanted my massage.
III
I slipped by him and felt his hot gaze running over me as I passed. Taking his hand, I pulled him in with me then turned around to look up at him. God, he was a vision of perfection, 6'2", with blonde hair and brown eyes and gorgeous pouty lips. As we kissed again, I ran my hands down his shirt, expertly loosing all the buttons and revealing the muscled form beneath. He spent a lot of time on the beach and in the gym, and it showed. His skin was a delicious golden colour, and his body was well-defined, although not perfect, with just the hint of a six pack.
And he was so smart and funny, too! Sometimes I'll watch him when he gets out of the shower or gets ready for work, my eyes lingering on his tight ass or cut 7" cock, and stories of Narcisuss and Adonis will flit through my head. Surely a man just like this was the inspiration the Greeks needed for such heroes.
He was a man most women would kill to have. He was the man I left all women to get.
Four years ago, I was a seemingly heterosexual man with a fiancΓ© and a nice little house, and my whole life laid out in front of me. Then I met Carl. I had had homosexual thoughts before, but always kept them locked away, reasoning that everybody has them, but it doesn't mean anything. But when I saw Carl, the very first moment I laid eyes on him, I knew. I was gay. Incontrovertibly, irrefutably, overwhelmingly gay. I had never wanted anyone the way I wanted this man, and instinctively, I knew no woman would ever make me feel this way.
Before, homosexual thoughts had made me feel dirty, disgusted with myself, tainted in a way I couldn't describe or justify. With Carl, all of that just melted away. My desire for him was the most powerful thing I had ever felt; my bullshit hang-ups just didn't seem important after that.
That was all a long time ago, and whatever hang-ups I once had were long gone by this point. I disengaged from Carl as we stood kissing by the balcony and looked up at him with an eyebrow raised. We went for my lips and I ducked aside. "What about my massage?" I asked, archly.
He laughed and pushed me a step back into the room. I turned around and strolled leisurely towards the couch. I could feel his hot gaze all over me, lingering approvingly over my ass. It was funny.. for years I had struggled with going to the gym, making gains then losing them, never really getting out of my rut. Six months after realizing I was gay, all the fat was gone and I was looking the best I ever had. I wanted to look hot for guys in a way I had never cared about with women.
I stopped by the couch and put my hands up in the air. He obliged by lifting up my shirt and tossing it aside, then wrapping an arm around my waist and kissing my neck. I shivered with delight as he ran his hands over my chest and stomach. He gave me one last kiss, then pushed me down on the couch. I wiggled my butt at him, which he slapped with a laugh, then laid down on my stomach with my face on my hands.
He moved on top of me, one knee on either side, the bottom of his crotch resting on my ass. I felt my dick stiffen and hoped it wouldn't get so hard that it would be painful. That hope was soon dashed as he warmed some oil in his hands then began to rub it all over my back.
"Ooh.." I groaned. God, I was so horny. He really did have magic hands. I felt the tension ease out of every part of my body and centre itself directly in my cock. I was in a state of bliss, and I couldn't tell you how long this went on for, but eventually he moved his hands down to my shorts and gently tugged them off. I did not resist.
He started working my legs and butt, and pretty soon I was so hard I'm surprised my cock didn't lift my whole body off the couch. I wanted him bad, and he knew it; I couldn't stop little moans from escaping with every touch. He loved to tease, though, and evaded me when I tried to turn over and grab him. He used his weight to hold me down, and so the torment continued.
IV
"Turn over," he said.