The cardiologist Elle worked for had rooms at the big three private hospitals on the coast and Thursday was when they were down at John Flynn Hospital. Without access to a car, Tugun was too far for Andrew to go to vent his frustrations with her. Sunday at H2GO would be soon enough.
Friday was still rainy so rather than risk another day of self-pity that might turn into something worse, he took the option of working in Brisbane. Terri, who’d worked in Brisbane on Thursday, was taking the day off, so Andrew got a lift with Sam, who spent the drive bitching about having to make the drive without compensation. Thankfully, the new crew was good to work with and one of the young guys—Eliot—invited Andrew to go out with him and some of the others that night. Unsure, he messaged Brian and asked the likelihood of him being home. Ten minutes after the message was received, Brian replied saying he was going out to dinner with Carly and her teacher friends.
“Yeah,” Andrew told Eliot. “Let’s do it.”
Eliot grinned. “Awesome. We’re hitting the Valley.”
Andrew told Sam he was staying the night and went back to Eliot’s place to change. He got some clothes off one of Eliot’s roommates, who was more his size, but even then the shirt was tight across his torso. Had to keep his work boots, however, since no one had shoes that fit him. They got dinner at a pub then headed into Fortitude Valley and met up with the other guys from the crew.
It had been a long time since Andrew had been out to a club. Nothing much had changed. It was still loud, chaotic and stupid. Even without drinking, Andrew had fun. He just had to let go of all his worries, forget Brian and do what felt good. Which included dancing like an idiot with the guys, and less like an idiot with some ladies. They moved from one club to another after an hour or so and around midnight, they were walking past The Beat.
“Is this where we lose you again, Eliot?” one of the others asked, nudging Eliot so he stumbled into Andrew.
Eliot shrugged. “Dunno. Where you guys thinking of going now?”
“Probably Birdees.”
“Backpacker chicks!” a couple of the others chorused.
“Yeah, nah.” Eliot inched towards the gay bar. “Think I’ll try my chances here.”
“You do you, mate. Andrew, coming with us?”
The fact he hesitated pretty much showed his hand, so he just moved with Eliot. No one laughed or teased, they just waved and carried on.
Eliot winked at him, paid the cover charge for both of them and led him in. “Gay or bi?”
“Bi. I think.”
“This is a good place to test it.” He tapped his chest. “Homoflexible.”
“Don’t think I’ve heard of that.”
“I love the dudes but sometimes feel like getting frisky with a lady.”
Again, the place hadn’t changed much since Andrew’s first visit, except that this time he didn’t need an alcohol buffer in order to appreciate it. His confession to Brian had let him accept this part of himself and that he could not only want to be here, but also enjoy it. Even while he was both pissed at and aching for Brian. And maybe this was what he needed to know for sure if things still worked properly down there, or if he could actually get physical with another man.
They headed straight to the dance floor and were quickly surrounded, probably because Eliot was suddenly oozing twinkness in every hip thrust and wink. At work, Andrew had definitely noticed him, but now he really took stock and liked the broad shoulders, slim hips and long legs. Eliot was probably the same size as Brian, more toned thanks to his job, and Andrew couldn’t help but imagine Brian was the one dancing with him. He and Brian had danced together before, but not with each other. Not like Eliot was now, keeping close and coming back to face him with a smile when he spun. Other men crowded around but Eliot focused on Andrew and within a couple of songs Andrew’s arm was around the other man’s waist and they were rocking and swaying together.
It was incredibly hypnotic. The motion, the noise, the flashing lights. Andrew felt a little dazed, like he wasn’t totally in control. His body was moving with Eliot’s without his direction, following him as if they were magnetised. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine it was Brian his arm was around, and just couldn’t. Andrew knew it wasn’t him in every particle of his being and no amount of self-deception was going to help.
“I’m really glad you came to work with us today,” Eliot yelled into Andrew’s ear over beat heavy music. His arms went around Andrew’s neck. “Really, really glad you came in here with me, too.”
“Me too.” Because he was. This was fun. Eliot was fun. Being surrounded by a bunch of hot men, with another one slowly moving closer and closer, was a heady rush.
Things were rushing in other parts of his anatomy as well. What had taken a lot of coaxing the other night was happening more rapidly now. Eliot closed the last space between them and rubbed against his dick blatantly. His eyes widened and his jaw dropped in a surprised, happy gasp. Spinning, Eliot pressed his arse to Andrew’s crotch. Andrew’s eyes rolled up into his head. Oh fuck, that felt good. Too good. Maybe if he’d come the other night he wouldn’t be now desperately thinking about finding a quiet, hidden spot to take care of things.
“Hey!” Eliot was facing him again, lithe body moulded to his. “Should we go home?”
Air seized in Andrew’s chest. This had been fun but did he want to do this? Did he really want to find out if he could be with a guy with someone other than Brian?
One part of him said “yes.” Brian wasn’t communicating with him and even before Andrew had pissed him off, they hadn’t been able to talk. Which might be a good thing if it stopped Andrew from hearing what Brian really thought about his decision to give up architecture, or listening to Brian accuse him of wanting someone else to be as down and sad as he’d been. That “yes” part was, admittedly, mostly his dick, which was very happy with Eliot’s hard shaft rubbing all over it. Two layers of denim and underwear may as well have been gauze for all it stopped Andrew from feeling the shape of Eliot, he was that close.
The “no” part was all Brian. The way his clear blue-green eyes had widened in shock when he’d said those hurtful words played on Andrew’s conscience. Brian hadn’t meant them, not really. It had been anger and confusion, that’s all. But Brian hadn’t confirmed that. Hadn’t said sorry, hadn’t spoken to him at all since. The “no” part was tiny and shrinking further as Eliot’s lips finally landed on Andrew’s skin, just under the corner of his jaw, and kissed and nipped seductively.
Andrew could do this. He wanted to do this. Needed to do this? Not just to cement his bi-ness in his own brain, but to prove his dick still actually worked the way it was meant to.
His hand slid down Eliot’s back to cup one firm arse cheek and the other wrapped around the back of his neck, to hold him still while Andrew pulled back and nodded. “Let’s go.”
Eliot’s moan was lost in the loud music but Andrew felt it in his palm, against his chest, and in his cock. Then Eliot grabbed Andrew’s hand off his arse and dragged him from the dance floor and out of the club. They Ubered back to Eliot’s place in Gordon Hills, Eliot’s hand sneaking between Andrew’s thighs as they chatted with the driver about some of his customers that night. Back at Eliot’s flat, one of his roommates and a couple of new faces were in the living room, playing a game. None of them looked surprised when Eliot charged right past them with barely a “hello,” Andrew’s hand firmly in his.