by Jerry Cole
For Bryce, he was reminded of Sydney. The way the rocks stood straight up and clumped together was similar to any skyscraper that he’d ever seen, and he was immediately transported back to his first ever morning in Sydney, when he’d first borne witness to the great city. “It’s meant to be named after the dude who found it’s maid or something?”
As they came closer and closer to The Olgas, their actual size became more apparent and even Roman was unable to hide his awe. “Jesus...” Roman breathed out in a sigh of reverence. “Who knew?”
“Everyone always goes on about Ayers,” Bryce agreed. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone talk about Kata-Tjuta.”
“Probably because it’s a mouthful.”
“You’d know.”
“Stop it,” Roman winked.
It was seven in the morning, yet Bryce had never been more awake. That might have been because he’d been up since five and had already drunk three very strong coffees. Or it might have been because he was excited about where he was and what he was doing. Or, and most likely, Bryce was just happy about spending the morning with Roman.
The day had actually started at half past five in the morning when Bryce had knocked on Roman’s hotel door. It was a weird feeling, actually meeting up with Roman on purpose, having organized to do so. It was a complete change from their usual M.O., which Bryce decided to see as a good thing. Especially when taking into account that their usual M.O. saw them leaving one another at the end of the day to never speak again.
“You look like shit,” Bryce had joked at the sight of a very bedraggled Roman answering the door.
“You can go fuck yourself,” Roman had yawned as he pushed the door open for Bryce to come on in. “I just need a second.”
“Mate, I don’t think a second is going to be enough.”
“Again, you can go fu—” he slammed the bathroom door closed before he was able to finish his profanity.
Bryce was mainly joking around in regard to how Roman looked. In all honesty, the one thing he had noticed, especially last night, was how good Roman was looking! Like... really, really good.
His hair was grown long and tied back into a ponytail but was also shaved down on the sides in a way that looked cool and stylish, almost like a Samurai. His face, still long and narrow with an oddly shaped nose and pointy chin now suited him; age and maturity had helped him grow into it. And most importantly, he no longer dressed like a goth. When he emerged from the bathroom, Bryce was pleased to see that he was dressed in hiking boots, khaki shorts, a tan polo shirt and... a wide-brimmed hat with mesh hanging off it designed to keep flies out.
“Hey there, Farmer Dan,” Bryce had howled when Roman first put the hat on. Roman’s expression had been serious too, almost like he hadn’t even considered how ridiculous he looked.
“You laugh now,” Roman had sneered. “But don’t be crying at me when you have a dozen flies mating on your face.”
“A fly orgy?” Bryce had then shrugged. “Sounds like fun.”
The two old friends had then grabbed a quick breakfast together while they organized the hiring of a car. By the time this was done and they were on their way, the sun was just beginning to rise over the flat desert horizon and the scene was picturesque, a mirage of reds, pinks and yellows. They drove in relative silence, admiring the beauty of the landscape. In that moment, there wasn’t a single other person that Bryce would have wanted to be there with.
It might have sounded strange, but Bryce’s biggest fear about today was what would come from his hanging out with Roman. He and Roman had only met twice after all, and their sexual history might have led to some uncomfortable moments. Worse too that neither seemed willing to bring their past up, both acting like it had never happened. Even the fact that Bryce was openly gay now went unmentioned.
But Bryce was openly gay, and much more forward than he used to be. He was far flirtier, much more suggestive and very willing to cross lines he once upon a time would have never even considered. But he also had no idea what Roman’s status was and didn’t want to pry. Even if Roman did have a boyfriend, he still would have wanted to hang out with him. Bryce didn’t want to make it seem as if there was only the one reason he wanted to see him today.
It had been a push-pull battle that had raged on inside Bryce’s head all night and all morning. Really, right up until the two were in the car and driving toward the Olgas. But once that trip started and the silence went from testy to natural, any reservations that Bryce had were gone. They fell back into their old ways like no time had passed at all.
“It’s beautiful, I’m not denying that. But I don’t get it.” Roman scratched at his head as he and Bryce approached the Olgas. They’d pulled their car up just down the way and were now walking toward the entrance.
The entrance was nothing more than a dirt path snaking its way through two large monolithic rocks. Each stood about twenty feet in height and where one was tall and pointy, the other ran long with the path twisting around it before disappearing. It looked like a maze of sorts, surrounded on all sides by rock and bush.
“Get what?” Bryce swatted at a fly that was hovering around his nose. Doing so only opened the way for two more to fly in.
“What do we do exactly?” He indicated to the large rock formations like he was expecting them to come alive and explain themselves.
“We walk through them – that path runs all the way through and around and brings us back here... I think?”
“And then what?”
“I don’t know,” Bryce laughed. He made his way to the entrance. When he reached the dirt path, he jokingly shot one foot out to gently touch at the dirt. “It feels safe.”
“Ha, ha.” Roman trudged forward and past Bryce. “The walk is meant to be something like five miles long though. Can you handle it?”
“Probably not,” Bryce shrugged. He walked in to join Roman. “But I seem to remember you being really adept at carrying me on your back. So, if I can’t make it...” he raised both eyebrows at Roman.
“Fiiiiiine,” Roman sighed and held his hands up. “Once again, I can pick up the slack if needed.” He shook his head as if he were being serious, before then bursting into laughter. “Come on, let’s get this over with,” he finished with a wink. “If you make it without me carrying you, drinks are on me.”
The walk through the Olgas was called The Valley of the Winds, and it was indeed five miles long. Bryce’s initial conception of the Olgas as a rocky metropolis was actually rather accurate too, and the longer the two walked, the more and more he was reminded of that first day in Sydney all those years ago.
It was the pure spectacle that did it. The path they took was just one of dozens, with each path jutting out and disappearing behind or through a rocky chasm. Some of these paths led up the sides of rocks, other snaked their way down into valleys, and few just wound their way slowly along the mass of rocks and seemed to go on forever.
“What if we take the wrong path?” Roman asked after they turned down the fifth random fork they came across.
“They all lead to the same place apparently,” Bryce explained with little resolve. “Worst case scenario though is we get lost and have to live out the rest of our days here.”
“Fine by me,” Roman shrugged. “Just promise to keep me warm at night.”
“Maybe,” Bryce winked.
The walk itself was actually rather scenic too. Every now and then a path would take them up the side of a rock-face and provide them a breath-taking view of the valley below. The valley was usually just a mass of trees and stones, but with the orange sun shining the way it was, the wind rustling through the trees, and the birds singing out as they do, it was all very beautiful. Truly, there was no one that Bryce would have rather shared the experience with.
The only negative that Bryce could take away from the day – apart from the sweat he was dripping in, which he would have thought to be impossible on account of the cold -- was the fact that it had to end. The two
tourists breached the end of the Valley of the Winds just before eleven in the morning and, with the drive back to the hotel, that was all they were going to have time for.
“What time’s your meeting?” Roman asked as they trudged back to the car. He walked with a straight back and a smile on his face, but Bryce could see he was struggling.
“One,” Bryce sighed. “But I’ve got to prep.” By that he meant he had to go back to the room and shower, eat, rest his feet, and quickly glance at his notes. He was meeting with two men whose business had gone under, and Bryce was going to have to explain to them why tearing it apart piece by piece was the best option. The least he could do was not smell like a foot.
“How long do you expect it to go?”
“At least three hours,” Bryce groaned; half over the length of time it would take, the half over how much his back was aching. He reached the car door and popped it open. “Why? You going to miss me?”
“I doubt it.” Roman shrugged as he opened the car door on the other side. “But... on the off chance that I do... do you have any plans for after?”
Now, even though Bryce was an out and out gay man, and even though he had participated in gay sex on numerous occasions, he was by no means an expert. He didn’t go to clubs to pick up men, and he hardly ever dated. The few times he had been with other men, it was the other man that had taken the initiative. Bryce was still a novice as far as he was concerned.
But he also wasn’t an idiot. He knew what the look in Roman’s eyes meant, and he knew what the question was leading toward. The only question Bryce had was whether he wanted to or not.
“My flight.” Bryce pushed his tongue into the side of his mouth. He’d had the option of flying out the next morning rather than that night, but he had chosen to make it a night flight just because at the time he couldn’t imagine why he’d want to hang around any longer.
“Time?”
Bryce smiled out the corner of his mouth. “Not until nine o’clock tonight.”
“So...” Roman stood half in the car, half standing out of it. He wore a knowing smirk on his face. “So, what you’re really saying is that you have something like three whole hours to kill before you have to leave for your flight?”
Now it was Bryce’s turn to smile knowingly. “Something like that. Four, if I’m really lucky.”
“And?”
Last night, Bryce hadn’t known what he had wanted from Roman. Now though, after a full morning spent together, there could be no doubt. Fuck, he’d miss his flight if he had to.
“And I’m feeling lucky.” Bryce winked as he slipped into the car and shut the door.
Roman climbed in too. “How about this? Do your meeting, destroy these guys’ lives as you do, and then meet me for a drink and some food? A goodbye before you fuck off again for however many years.”
“Deal.” Bryce buckled himself in. “Where should I meet you – same bar?”
Roman hesitated, as if not sure that what he was about to say was the right thing. “My room?” he sucked through his teeth.
Bryce gulped but nodded his head. “Yeah... sounds... sounds good.” So, Roman had the same intent as him, it seemed.
Roman visibly relaxed and did his own buckle up. “Perfect. I’ll be there all afternoon, so just come on by when you’re done – oh, and one request.”
“Yes?” Bryce gulped again.
“Take a shower before you do. You fucking stink.”
Bryce howled with laughter. “For you only.”
Roman beamed as he started the car up, put it into gear and took off. It had been a big morning for the two of them. But it was going to be an even bigger night.
As the two slowly made their way back to the resort, Bryce fluctuated between unbridled enthusiasm over what was going to be going down later... and disappointment over what it would mean. Yes, he was finally going to be having sex with Roman, an event nearly eight years in the making. But after that? Well, the odds were that he’d never see Roman again. As great as the sex was most likely going to be, the reality of the after was hard to ignore. Why couldn’t things ever just be easy?
Chapter Ten
Roman was going to have sex with Bryce. Of that he was now certain. What he wasn’t certain about though, was why he was so God darn nervous.
It was getting near four o’clock in the afternoon and Roman moved through his hotel room at warp speed as he tried to get everything ready for when Bryce arrived. Really, it should have been done hours ago but he’d opted for a nap first. It had been a risky maneuver, as Roman was known to take naps longer than some people slept, but he’d been up since five o’clock, was more tired than he had been in his entire life, and sensed he’d be needing the energy.
The room itself was nothing fancy; just a single room with a double bed, a tiny en suite, an unstocked bar—that he had to fill himself—and an old TV propped up on the wall. It was one paid for by Voyages Resorts themselves, on account of the commercial he was making for them. No doubt it was also their cheapest room. But that didn’t matter. The only thing that really mattered was the bed.
Roman’s hands shook from nerves as he straightened up the covers and tucked them in. And his knees bounced as he pulled on his jeans and tried to tie up his Converse shoes.
Yes, he was nervous. But he shouldn’t have been. He’d been in this situation dozens of times before, and never once had he felt so exposed and open and vulnerable. So why was this time so different?
Bryce was the difference here. The man was yet to make his intentions fully clear, but Roman didn’t need too much more signaling. He’d been in the gay scene a long time and used to be a self-proclaimed seducer. It was easy enough for him to be able to tell what another gay man wanted, and based on their day together, he was almost certain of what Bryce wanted.
But it hadn’t always been so clear. When Bryce had first chased him out of that bar, there was a strange vibe hovering between the two which suggested that even Bryce wasn’t sure what he was doing. It was as if he had just chased Roman from the bar because he thought he should, and then when he got him, he didn’t know what to do; like a dog chasing its own tail only to one day catch it.
And to be fair, Roman hadn’t been sure what he had wanted either. When James had first pointed across the room to Bryce, Roman was sure that seeing him again wouldn’t be good for him. He was after all just coming out of a pseudo-relationship and didn’t need the confusion. Plus, Bryce always seemed to do strange things to him and Roman could do without the headache.
Seeing Bryce up close and personal for the first time in nearly five years... well, it changed a lot. Firstly, the dude was still a fucking hunk. Tall, well built, a face that looked like it was chiseled from granite and a smile that made Roman’s knees buckle. In the gay community, Bryce was prime rib, wanted by all for devouring. But this wasn’t enough for Roman anymore. Once upon a time, a hot ass and a big dick was all he needed to get him in the mood. Now though... well, Roman had changed.
But then the two men hugged. It was that embrace, quick, effortless, just a little passionate... when Roman wrapped his arms around Bryce and felt his chest press against his own, smelled his scent as it wafted through his nose, tasted him as he breathed in, there was little chance that Roman wasn’t going to at least test the waters.
It was about half-way through their hike along the Valley of the Winds when Roman decided that he was going to have sex with Bryce; or at least try. The man hadn’t made a specific move on him – which was frustrating beyond belief as most gay men broadcasted their intentions like a dog begging for seconds – but Roman didn’t care. They had just breached a small rock cluster and the path took them up an incline of sorts and led them to a cliff face that overlooked a deep flora-covered valley.
“What do you think?” Bryce had asked. He was standing at the edge of the cliff face, looking down into the valley, a lush green canopy of treetops.
“Not bad.” Roman had puffed as he stood beside Bryce. He wasn�
��t very fit, and this walk was proving more of a test than he would have liked.
“Always had a way with words, haven’t you?” Bryce had then winked at Roman and then, without warning, he wrapped his arm around Roman’s waist in a sort of hug. “Are we going to keep going or turn back – if we keep going though, we have to climb down this face and then walk through the valley. It’s another... maybe three miles to the end.”
“What do you want to do?” Roman had asked. He wanted to turn back. But it wasn’t because he wasn’t enjoying the moment. He just didn’t know if he had another three miles in him.
“Me?” Bryce had thought for a moment. “Honestly, whatever you want. So long as you’re happy.” He then finished with a smile and a wink and that was when Roman knew.
It had been a small gesture, and one that most men wouldn’t have noticed or picked up on. But for some reason it struck Roman harder than he would have thought and left him wanting more... more time with Bryce, that is.
“Let’s walk it,” he had then declared with a resolved nod. “If you can make it that far?”
“Ha!” Bryce threw his head back and laughed. “Maybe. But you already said you’d carry me, so I don’t mind.” Then, another wink and he darted for the small path that led down the cliff face. “Come on then,” he had shouted as he started down it. “Don’t even think of running the other way.”
Again, it had been such a small thing, but the fact that he’d wanted to keep going, just to spend more time with Bryce, was indicative of how he felt. So yes, Roman was going to have sex with Bryce tonight. Even better that he was quite sure Bryce wanted to too.
It was thus that when Bryce finally did knock on Roman’s hotel room door at exactly a quarter past four, nerves still flowed thick through Roman’s veins. Actual nerves! It was akin to a first date, or maybe even his first time ever? How very strange.
