Looking for Gay Novel Recommendations with a Certain Theme

[UpstateNYBi2023]

Hi there,
 
I was wondering if anyone could recommend any gay novels that might feature a particular theme. To explain what that theme is, I am going to describe something to you from a book called SATAN: HIS PSYCHOTHERAPY AND CURE BY THE UNFORTUNATE DR. KASSLER, J.S.P.S. by Jeremy Leven. As you can guess by that title, this is not meant to be gay fiction. Stick with me, and you will understand.
 
As the title of the book states, the main protagonist is a psychotherapist named Sy Kassler. He has a gay colleague named Bernie Kohler. Bernie admits he is in love with Kassler, but Kassler does not reciprocate, although they do remain close friends. There is a scene where Kassler stays at Bernie’s house. I can’t recall exactly how it came about; I do remember that Kassler was exhausted, and Bernie didn’t want him driving home so fatigued. Kassler falls asleep and dreams he runs into a beautiful woman on a tropical island. She gives him oral but, just as he climaxes in the dream, he wakes up and finds himself finishing courtesy of Bernie’s mouth.
 
Later, due to many things that happen throughout the story, Kassler needs to ask Bernie for help. Bernie says he will help…IF Kassler will come over for dinner. Desperate, Kassler agrees. Bernie makes an elaborate meal and breaks out some wine. While they eat, Bernie comes up with a plan to help Kassler out. Bernie leads Kassler into the bedroom and undresses him. Then he removes his own clothes and begins to massage Kassler’s back.
 
As I said, they were drinking during dinner, so you might think, “Oh, great. One of those scenes that happens only because the straight guy got drunk.” However, Leven wrote some dialogue for Kassler to dismiss that idea. Kassler flips on his back and grabs Bernie’s arms and tells him, “I’m not as drunk as you think I am. I know what I’m doing.” (There is more, but the rest is not relevant to this post.)
 
He flips back on his stomach. Bernie gets weepy and says, “I know this isn’t your style, but I do love you, Sy.”
 
Kassler says, “Well, if I were ever inclined to love another man, it would be you.”
 
Bernie begins rubbing Kassler’s back again. Before long, his hands are replaced by his tongue, which begins to travel down Kassler’s back, right down to his backside. Much to his surprise, Kassler finds himself becoming aroused by this. Bernie senses this, slides his hands under Kassler’s hips, and pulls him up on his knees, continuing to use his mouth while reaching out to stroke his friend.
 
Kassler says, “I know what you want to do. You can try it, if you want.”
 
Keep in mind this was written ages ago (pre-AIDS scare) so, when Bernie reaches for something to prepare himself, it is just some lubricant (in other words, no condom). Then…well, you can imagine the rest. The scene was powerful, even though it was quick and Hemingway-esque in its minimal descriptions of what happened. Still, it was incredibly romantic, not to mention super-hot.
 
Having said all that, I will tie this into what I was asking in the beginning. I asked if anyone could recommend any gay novels with a particular theme, and that theme would be something along the lines of characters like Kassler and Bernie. Their basic situation is, “Straight man has a gay friend. Gay friend is in love with straight man, but straight man has never had any urge to engage in a same-sex encounter…only to wind up giving it a shot and enjoying himself.”
 
Odds are good that there is no book out there that will match EXACTLY what I’m describing, but I would like to read something similar. Something about a man who, up until now, has been 100% straight experiencing an awakening. I loved this part of the book (not just that scene, but Kassler's entire relationship with Bernie), but it is only a fraction of the story; I’d like to read something where this sort of thing is center stage.
 
I know it might be a long shot, but I figured I might be able to get recommendations faster here than if I tried searching the internet for books with this exact trope.

[ChadCoxRox]

I recommend Josephine Dillon's "Blue Series" of books. The first being the least liked on Goodreads titled "Under the Blue." This description from this first title notes 7 volumes but it was so popular that there were actually 11 books total. The tale is provocative throughout!

https://www.goodreads.com/series/93411-blue

"David Smith is on the verge of self destruction. Drawn into his dream world by a darkness he cannot detect, he unknowingly opens the door to the other side. As the darkness begins to consume him, he becomes less and less human. Under The Blue is a story of two brothers caught in the middle of a timeless war between good and evil. As the story unfolds, they will soon learn what it is like to be only human. This is the first of seven books in The Blue Series. I am currently working on the last book, Volume 7, due this Summer, 2014."