“Oh shit, Andrew.” Brian’s head dropped forwards, shoulders hunching as if he was curling in around the centre of his rapture. Pleasure seemed to take over his body and he started moving on Andrew, rolling his groin and, finding the angle he needed, worked it hard.
The dick in Andrew’s hand jumped and pulsed. A clear stream of precum ran from his slit and over Andrew’s skin, hot and erotic. The muscles around his cock clenched even tighter, sending lightning through him.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” Brian groaned. Suddenly he sagged. “Your turn again.”
Andrew moaned and thrust a couple of times, but he wanted more. He grabbed Brian’s hips and held them fast to his groin, then rolled them both over. Brian yelped and flailed, but his legs wound around Andrew’s waist, hands grasping at his shoulders. When they were still, he stared up at Andrew in surprise, then sighed and melted under him.
“This is what I want,” he whispered.
Leaning in, Andrew kissed him softly. “Anything you want.” Slowly, he withdrew until just the tip was inside, then thrust back in, fast but steady so he didn’t hurt Brian.
“Yes, more.” Brian met his gaze. “Just like that.”
Unable to deny him anything, Andrew fucked. It wasn’t long before they were both losing control. Brian’s hands moved over him, spread across his back or gripping his arse, reaching down between them to feel Andrew moving in and out, then fist his dick. He quivered and begged, chasing Andrew’s mouth with his own.
Andrew’s orgasm was charging up on him, coiling in his ball, drawing it up tight to his shaft. Brian felt tighter and deeper, coaxing him into letting go. It was hopeless to hold on any longer, so he pounded into Brian fast and within moments was coming in a blinding rush.
Brian stared up at him in surprise, cupping his face and watching as Andrew emptied himself into the condom. Gently lowering himself onto Brian’s chest, Andrew struggled for air, really only aware of the hands stroking up and down his back. He was hot and shivery, coated in sweat, and riding on cloud fucking nine.
“Hey, beautiful,” Brian murmured. “You’re a bit heavy.”
“Shit, sorry.” Andrew reached down, gripped the condom and pulled out slowly. Brian hissed, then sighed when it was done. Rolling over, Andrew carefully removed the latex, knotted it and dropped it on the bedside table. He was too wrecked to get it to a bin just then.
Brian was staring up at the ceiling, breathing slow and deep, not having moved at all.
“You okay?” Andrew stroked his arm.
“Just taking stock.” He wiggled a bit. “Ooh. I’m going to feel that for a while. In a good way.”
Andrew let out a relieved breath. “That’s good. Wait, you didn’t come.”
Lifting his head, Brian looked down his body. “So I didn’t. I didn’t even realise.”
Energised, Andrew moved onto his side and ran finger along the length of Brian’s dick. “Want me to take care of this?”
“Always.”
Andrew slid down and took him into his mouth again. Brian didn’t move much but it only took a minute of lapping at his wet slit and sucking deeply to get him over the edge.
While Brian was caught in the afterglow, Andrew gently inspected him, assured himself nothing was damaged, then cleaned them both up. Afterwards, Brian snuggled into his arms and drowsily thanked him with kisses and words, then dropped off to sleep. Andrew watched him, marvelling that they were here, like this. So many things had been stacked against them, but they’d got through them together. They would get through anything thrown at them.
“I love you,” he whispered again, then buried his face in Brian’s hair and went to sleep.
He was woken up by a “thank you” blowjob, followed by Brian moaning about aching and not thinking he could possibly get out of bed all day. Andrew made him breakfast and brought it to him in bed. Archy followed and wormed his way under the sheets since neither of them were wearing a shirt he could crawl into.
“You really okay?” Andrew asked, feeding him a slice of bacon. Brian deserved a naughty breakfast.
“Bit sore but good.” His cheeks pinked up adorably. “I really liked it and want to do it again. Not yet, but when I’m ready.”
“Don’t rush. We’re mega good at the other stuff remember.”
The rest of the day passed quietly. Andrew got Brian out of bed, showered and dressed for dinner downstairs and they were teeing up the first Thor movie—Brian had to watch them all in order, no skipping straight to Ragnarok—when James messaged Andrew.
‘BBQ at the Spit tomorrow. Please come. 12. Bring nothing.’
A moment later, Carly sent Brian the same one.
“I think we should go.” Andrew tickled his fingers across the back of Brian’s neck.
Brian sighed and leaned back, trapping his hand. “You can go. I can’t sit on those hard benches yet.”
“You’ll be fine. You know they’re sorry for what happened. Come on. Bachelor party next weekend. Consider this training for then.”
“Ugh. Next thing you’ll be withholding sex until I say yes.”
Andrew licked his ear. “No. But I was thinking I would tell them about me tomorrow.”
Rolling his eyes, Brian muttered, “That’s blackmail of a different sort. You know I’ll be with you for that.”
“Good. Tomorrow it is.” His stomach, however, didn’t like it as he typed out an acceptance. James replied with a dozen happy and party emojis.
It felt even worse the following day as they Ubered out to the Spit. Brian decided he’d like a few drinks and Andrew knew he would need them to get through it. James and Elle were there, getting the portable BBQ ready and arguing about how many sausages everyone would eat. It wasn’t the first time Andrew had seen them bickering lately, but this looked like a properly brewing fight, by the angle of Elle’s head and James’s scowl. Andrew hurried over and got between them, offering to help cook.
“Good,” Elle said, her voice still tight. With a flick of her hand, she dismissed James. “Go apologise properly to Brian.”
James stalked off, but the, “I’m truly sorry, Brian. I was wrong and should never have presumed or talked about you behind your back,” he gave Brian was as honest sounding as his expression was contrite.
“Dude,” Brian groaned and pulled him into a bro-hug. “It’s all good, okay? It was a misunderstanding. We cool.”
Andrew wondered if James could hear the slight hitch in Brian’s tone. Was it because he still wasn’t convinced on the “misunderstanding” part, or that he maybe felt more confused after Friday? By his unabashed grin and return hug, James couldn’t.
“One thing fixed, at least,” Elle muttered and turned back to the BBQ.
“Problems?” Andrew left it open ended.
Elle shook her head, then shrugged. “Wedding issues.”
“You still having problems with your family?”
Her laugh was bitter. “Always. But the people I hired the marquee through claim to have lost the booking and the one I want isn’t available now. The permit we wanted for the park space, which we were told would only take a couple of weeks, is apparently going to take at least three months and Simone missed her dress fitting.”
“How’s James handling it?”
Right then, he seemed happy enough, joking around with Brian as they unpacked an esky of salads and drinks.
“Mostly he calms me down when I need it. Other times . . .” She made a strangling motion with her hands.
Andrew gave her a one-armed hug. “Anything you need from me, just ask.”
She sighed. “Just give James a good bachelor party. He’s so worked up about what Troy’s been hinting at.”
He kissed her temple. “Done. Don’t worry, he’ll be cucumber cool on the day of the wedding.”
Carly and Troy arrived fifteen minutes later, blaming each other for being late. Troy and Brian hugged it out, then cracked beers together and everyone in Andrew’s life was back where they should be. Andrew w
as almost overwhelmed with love.
The day was perfect, warm with a cool breeze, the sky cerulean and the water rippling with little waves tipped in silver. Everything was so normal Andrew almost forgot his plan. They cooked lunch, ate it, drank, and joked and blew off steam.
Brian joined them for a game of touch footy but limped off early, pretending he’d pulled a muscle. Elle quickly joined him and they shouted advice from the sidelines. Andrew and Troy were soundly beaten by James and Carly and Elle announced it was time for cheesecake.
“Thanks for coming today,” Elle said as she handed out big slices of baked mango cheesecake. “We really needed this. Just us.” She smiled at Brian and Andrew. “All of us. Next weekend are the bachelor and bachelorette parties. Weekend after, wedding.” She sang the last word, much more relaxed than she had been. “I love you all and couldn’t imagine doing this without any of you.”
Andrew stood up and gave her a hug and a kiss on her temple. “We’re here for you, Ella Bella. Nothing will keep us away.”
“Hear, hear,” Brian said, joined by everyone else on the second “hear.”
“Sit down,” Andrew whispered to Elle and she did, frowning as he remained standing.
This was it. Tell them. They would accept him. If they didn’t, he had Brian, and he found nothing but support in those big blue-green eyes. Bolstered, he spoke.
“I, ah, have something to say.”
Everyone looked up from their dessert and his stomach flipped flopped. These were his people, they loved him.
“This is something I’ve known for a while. Quite a while, and I don’t want it to be a secret anymore.”
Troy’s eyes widened and he glanced, almost guiltily, at Brian, then back at Andrew. Everyone else had various curious and expectant expressions.
Andrew sucked in a deep breath. “I’m bisexual.”
Nothing, nothing, nothing. Then Elle was up and hugging him. Troy crash tackled them, wrapping his tattooed arms around both of them, grinning from ear to ear. Then Carly wormed her way in and suddenly Andrew was crying. He didn’t know how it started but his cheeks were wet and he was tipping over under the weight of his friends piling on. Then he was laughing and trying to breathe and pleading to be let up. Bodies got off him and hands helped him up.
“Thank you for telling us,” Carly said. “I’m so happy you felt you could.”
“It was easy in the end,” he admitted. “Tough deciding to do it, but easy when I knew I could trust you all.” He gaze made the rounds of smiling facing, until he found James, who was still seated, frowning into his cheesecake.
Before Andrew could say anything, James shook his head, stood and came to give Andrew a full embrace, not just a bro-hug.
“Happy for you, mate,” he said quietly. “Glad you felt you could tell us.” He squeezed, then stepped back, giving him another pat on the back.
“Brian? You knew?” Troy asked him.
“I told him a while ago,” Andrew answered. “Sorry, guys, but he is my . . . my best mate.”
“Nothing will ever change that.” Brian smiled at him.
“Oh my god, this is all so sweet I need something savoury,” Troy announced and tucked into his cheesecake, grinning around a mouthful.
“So,” Carly asked Andrew, “what do you like in a man?”
Brian snorted and Andrew threw him a withering look.
“Well?” Troy nudged him. “Tell us. Is he maybe buff and has cool hair and does jet-ski stunts?”
“Yes,” Andrew said dryly. “It’s James.”
James blinked, then chuckled and blew him a kiss.
“But seriously,” Carly said, “do you have anyone at the moment? Someone you could introduce to us now? We’ll be nice and gag Troy.” Her twin protested sulkily.
Andrew hesitated and, yeah, pretty much gave himself away.
“You do!” Troy cupped his chin in his hand and looked dreamy. “Tell us all about him, Andrew.”
“Or her,” Elle said pointedly. She batted her lashes at Andrew. “Please tell us. Please.”
Everyone took up the chorus, even Brian, who smirked the entire time.
“All right, all right.” Andrew held up his hands for silence. When he got it, he said, “There is someone. I’ve . . . liked them for a long, long time. But only when they’re ready will I tell anyone who they are.”
Across the table, Elle pressed a hand to her mouth, eyes shining with unshed tears. James threw an arm over her shoulders and kissed her temple. Her gaze flickered very briefly to Brian and Andrew’s heart clenched. She wouldn’t out Brian, especially not after the mess the other week.
The sun started setting, signalling it was time to pack up and leave. Carly and Troy took off first, and while James was loading gear into his car, Elle took Andrew aside. “Do you understand now?”
Andrew sighed. “I think so. But it’s not like it means we wouldn’t have been happy. I’m bi, not gay.”
She studied his eyes for a moment. “I know, but that’s not everything is it?” Her head tilted towards Brian.
“Well, there’s that,” he acknowledged softly.
“And that’s why we wouldn’t have been happy long term.” She kissed his cheek again and was crying when she stepped back. “I only ever wanted what is best for you. I’m sorry I hurt you back then, but you had to figure it out for yourself.”
“I know,” he whispered.
Elle nodded and went and got into the car. James frowned at her, then at Andrew, then got in and they drove away.
Brian’s week was interminably slow. For once, Andrew was out of the house each day longer than he was and dinner duties fell to him. To ease Andrew’s added stress for driving that horrible stretch of highway in peak hour traffic twice a day, Brian tried to keep up their eating healthy habits. He was nowhere near the dedicated cook Andrew was, however, and by Thursday he was ordering delivery. Andrew was tired enough he didn’t care. And tired enough they barely managed mutual blowjobs all week.
Friday night, Brian was sitting behind him in bed, massaging his shoulders. “How’s the job search going?”
Andrew groaned and pushed back into Brian’s hands. “Not great. I’ve been ignoring everything architecture for so long I don’t know who’s who anymore.”
Having decided he now wanted to finish his qualifications and work in architecture again, Andrew had started putting feelers out to firms other than Sleazy Sheridan Inc.
“How about that one in Brisbane, that designed the place you’re working on now. You said you’d liked them before.”
“Reynolds Designs, yeah. I love their work but they’re not eco-focused and that’s really the direction I want to go in.” He sighed. “I should just apply with them, shouldn’t I? It’s not like my options are endless, especially if Vaughn decides to badmouth me to everyone.”
“He’d be an even bigger arsehole than he already is if he did.” Brian’s fingers dug in a bit too hard at mention of the prick. Sheridan had messaged Andrew a couple of times through the week, all concerned and sweet, and Brian had seriously considered finding him and punching him. “He’s the one who made the dick move, not you.”
“My word against his.”
Brian grunted sourly. “Did you at least tell him to fuck off with the messages?”
“Sort of. I told him I was no longer interested in anything he had on offer.”
“I hope you used slightly stronger language than that.”
“What does it matter now? He’s gone and that’s all that matters. I’m too tired to really care about him anyway.”
Deciding now wasn’t the time for the you-need-to-stand-up-for-yourself-more speech, Brian asked, “Are you going to be okay tomorrow? It’s a big day.”
“Yeah. If I get a good sleep tonight I should be good.” Andrew leaned back and tilted his head up. “Maybe if my boyfriend wanted to ride me I’d sleep better.”
“Oh. So I’d have to do all the work?”
“Well, I should rest u
p. It’s a big—”
Brian kissed him. “You had me at ‘ride me.’”
Ever concerned for Andrew’s health, Brian got on his knees in front of him and opened himself up while Andrew watched and stroked himself to hardness. It was sort of embarrassing to be on display, but amazingly erotic and empowering at the same time because Andrew was wordless with lust, just moaning and panting—all because of Brian. In between those alternating emotions, Brian had the weird thought that he should track down Lena and apologise for all but running away when she suggested this. Weird mostly because he had two fingers up his own arsehole and he was perving on a hard cock he very much wanted to sit on—two things he’d never imaged loving so much even when Lena helped him discover how much he liked anal play.
Andrew’s ragged, “Now, Brian, please,” was accompanied by the crinkling of a foil packet and Brian turned around to see Andrew rolling a condom down his shaft, lube ready to drizzle over it. All thoughts of past girlfriends and missed opportunities vanished. Brian crawled up Andrew’s body, smashed his mouth over his boyfriend’s and kissed until they were both breathless.
A little clumsy in his desperate need, Brian moved over Andrew’s dick, held it steady, and worked his way down. Taking him in was easier this time, even though it still stung. Brian knew what awesomeness awaited him so he bore it happily.
“So amazing,” Andrew whispered and Brian opened eyes he hadn’t realised he’d shut to find Andrew’s gaze locked on his face, and not where his cock was disappearing inside Brian.
It hit Brian right then. So hard and sudden he felt dazed.
Andrew loved him. Not the sex. Him. Brian Stagliano.
The sex was worthy of all sorts of praise, for sure, but what he found in that moment was understanding. Brian got it now. The love Andrew had been speaking of, the quiet steadiness of it, the trust he had in it and in Brian. How it had always been there, patiently waiting for acknowledgement, growing only deeper the more they shared.
The New Normal Page 21