Chapter Eleven

THE HALIBUT course, which was just as delicious as Marcus described, was brought to us about fifteen minutes after the starter platter was removed, and then the mains took about another half an hour. The restaurant was packed by then, with not a single empty table.

We talked continuously as we ate, and in between courses. I wondered what I’d worried about while I waited for Marcus to pick me up. The more we talked, the more we discovered we had in common, and I couldn’t wait to do some of the things with him that we both liked doing. There seemed no question that there would be another date. We held hands across the table and locked eyes as we chattered animatedly. We leaned over the table toward each other when we weren’t eating, and our feet rested together. I could feel the heat of Marcus’ lower leg against mine, and it excited me, although much to my surprise, I hadn’t sat there in a constant state of arousal. For the first time in my life, I was spending time with a man without it being about getting into each other’s pants at the first available opportunity. I was on the verge of getting an erection, but it was secondary. I realized I could enjoy his company without his cock being the only thing on my mind.

We didn’t leave the restaurant until almost ten o’clock, and I was pleasantly tipsy from the wine when Marcus led me to his car. He’d had the two small glasses he planned on, and I’d finished the bottle. He opened the passenger door of the Mini for me, but before I could get in, he slid his arms around me. I’d known this would happen at some point—that he would kiss me—but he took me by surprise at that moment.

He leaned back against the side of the car and pulled me close to him. I rested against him, my hands on his chest, and he placed his in the middle of my back. I leaned in closer and brushed my lips against his, a small kiss, similar to the first one he’d given me. He slid one hand up to my neck and gripped me firmly, holding my head where he wanted it as he returned the kiss. His mouth covered mine, and he plunged his tongue between my lips and licked at the inside of my mouth. I closed my eyes and melted into the kiss, excited by his sudden urgency. My cock rose in my new trousers and pushed against his thigh. A groan rumbled up from his chest, and he lowered the hand which still lay on my back, and cupped my ass. He maneuvered me a little to the left, and I felt his restrained erection nudge against mine.

My heart raced, and I struggled to breathe through my nose as the heated kiss continued. I wished we could have been anywhere else but in a car park, where someone could walk past at any moment and see us. But at the same time I was glad we were in a place where nothing could really happen. I’d wanted this for so long, and now it was happening. If we weren’t in public, I knew I’d have dropped my trousers in a second and let him fuck me the same way I’d done with all those casual encounters whose names I couldn’t remember. I didn’t want that; I didn’t want to spoil it.

Once in my head, the thought wouldn’t leave, and it effectively doused my arousal. I broke the kiss and pushed against his chest until he let me go. I felt as if I’d ruined things, even while I was trying to do the opposite.

“Tommy, what’s wrong?” Marcus caught my hand and squeezed it.

“Nothing.” I shook my head.

“Didn’t I say you can tell me anything?”

“Yeah, but that was before you asked me on a date. I just... I don’t want to spoil anything.”

“How could you possibly do that?” He tugged me to his side and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “Talk. Come on.”

“I don’t want it to be like the other times. I don’t want to do anything that’ll make you think badly of me,” I admitted in a whisper.

“I could never think badly of you. Look at me.” He lifted his free hand and cupped my chin, forcing me to turn my head and meet his eyes. I felt my cheeks heat up under his gaze, and I felt surprisingly awkward, as if I’d never done any of this before.

“You know... how I’ve been in the past.”

“Yeah. And that’s exactly what it is—the past. Let’s make today the first day of something new for both of us. I want you. You felt that, right?”

“Mm hm.”

“But I’m not rushing this. I really like you, and I don’t want to wreck it, the same way you don’t.”

“You must think I’m an idiot.” I lowered my eyes from his and huffed out an awkward laugh.

“No. I think you’re still hung up on things you’ve done before and you’re worrying you’ll make the same mistakes. That last guy made you look at yourself in a different way, and you don’t want me to look at you like that. I’ve been there, remember?” Marcus pressed his lips gently to my forehead. “Believe me, there’s nothing I’d like better than to take you home right now and show you how much I want you. Just so you know. But that’s for another day. I want you to feel good about it.”

I looked up at him again and was stunned by the warmth and caring in his eyes. I felt as if I was falling for him right then—plunging headfirst off a cliff, unsure where I would end up, but somehow convinced he’d be at the bottom to catch me. The strength of it made me look away once more and gulp audibly.

Marcus pressed another kiss onto my cheek and then stepped away. He left me where I was and walked around to the driver’s side of the car. I pulled myself together and lowered myself into the passenger seat. By the time I’d fumbled my seatbelt fastened and closed the door, Marcus had the engine started and was ready to go. I stretched my legs out as much as I could manage in the little car and folded my hands together in my lap.

We didn’t talk much on the way back. We listened to the Kid Rock CD, and Marcus sang along to a couple of the tracks. He had a deep, melodic voice, and he imitated the singer’s accent perfectly. I relaxed and grinned at him as we traveled back to Grimsby. I felt like singing, too, but I didn’t know the lyrics to the songs, and I was fairly sure I was tone deaf. I kept my mouth shut until we turned into my street, and Marcus parked the car in front of the house. The hall light was on, but other than that, the place was in darkness. I wondered if Sarah was awake in her room, waiting for me to get in so she could give me the third degree.

“So, I’ll see you at training,” Marcus said. “Maybe we could arrange to do something next Friday or Saturday if you want to.”

“I’d love to. And thanks for tonight. I loved it.” I turned to look at him properly. “It was kind of my first real date.”

“I’m glad you enjoyed it. Why don’t you think about what you want to do next weekend, and we’ll plan it during the week?”

“Oh, but....” I began to protest. I worried he might not be interested in what I suggested—if I could even think of something.

“You know what I like. Besides, I’ll enjoy it anyway if it’s something you want to do.” He gave me a grin and leaned closer. “Have a think.”

“Okay.”

He gave me a gentle but lingering kiss and then drew back. “I’m glad you enjoyed tonight. I did, too.”

“Goodnight, Marcus. And thank you.” I finally got out of the car and walked up to the house. He waited until I’d let myself in, and then I heard the Mini drive away.

I was surprised Sarah didn’t make an appearance. I got myself a glass of water from the kitchen and then made my way quietly up to my room. I didn’t bother putting the light on. I stripped out of my clothes and slid under the duvet, then lay there wide awake, thinking about the evening. My first real date with someone special and it had been better than I could possibly have imagined. Marcus really liked me—really wanted me—and he made me feel good about myself. The momentary fear I’d had that I’d spoil things had gone, and I was excited about seeing him again.

I relived the kisses we’d shared outside the restaurant, and I touched my lips, still swollen from the pressure of his. My cock filled and twitched against my belly, but for once I ignored it. I only wanted to think about the way Marcus had treated me and how good he made me feel.

Eventually I fell asleep, and when I woke again to daylight and checked my phone for the time, I discovered I’d received a text message a few minutes before. I knew it was from Marcus even before I opened it.

“Morning. Thanks for a great evening. Don’t forget to think of something for us to do next week. See you soon. M. x.”

A flush of warmth spread through my chest and I grinned at the phone. His simple message made my day perfect before it even started. I began to tap out a response.

“Morning. I’m thinking! I’ll let you know what I come up with. And thank you. T. x.”

He responded in seconds with a smiley face. I lay there for a few more minutes, wondering what he was doing, and then reluctantly hauled myself out of bed.

Predictably Sarah couldn’t wait to hear about my date, and she joked that Jake could take a leaf out of Marcus’ book. Jake was about as far removed from romantic as a person could get.

I spent the rest of the morning on my computer looking for ideas of things to do. The town itself didn’t have much of interest to offer, but you only had to go a few miles to find nice countryside and places to go hiking. When Marcus rang me in the afternoon, I suggested hiking and finding a pub for a snack afterward, and he sounded enthusiastic when he agreed. We decided hiking in the Lincolnshire Wolds would be fun. Marcus knew of an interesting pub in the middle of nowhere, which had been built around the enormous trunk of a tree. The tree was now dead but still remained in the middle of the restaurant area. They reportedly served great food, so that was our plan for the following weekend.

We spent an hour on the phone, and despite having talked so much the night before, we found plenty to say. I couldn’t wait for the evening when I would see him again at Jujitsu.

We had three training sessions before our next date, and my skills developed rapidly. I continued instructing Jason during two of these, and in the other I concentrated on what I needed to know to get my next belt. Marcus and I discussed our plans for the weekend in more detail, and I offered to drive this time as he’d done so for both the ice-skating outing and the meal in Brigg. He agreed and gave me his address so I could pick him up. I’d never been to his house, and he told me he rented a two-bedroom place and lived alone.

“Don’t you ever work on Saturdays?” I asked when I arrived at nine-thirty as arranged and found him ready to go in hiking trousers and boots, and with a small rucksack. He slid into my car and placed the bag between his feet.

“Not if I can help it. I know a lot of builders do, but since I’m my own boss, I don’t have to. Sometimes if it’s a big contract and I need to make the time up, I’ll work on Saturday and sometimes Sunday as well, but otherwise....” He broke off and grinned. “I’d rather be doing this.”

“Me too.”

Marcus leaned over to give me a brief kiss in greeting, and then we set off. We planned to drive into the Wolds, park somewhere close to a village named Tealby, and then set off and ramble. I only wished it was the Lake District we would be hiking in, but maybe we could do that in the summer if we were still together. It was only our second date, but it seemed as if we’d been together much longer.

Half an hour later I parked the Mini in a suitable place, and we set off, initially on a public footpath. We followed the signs which led us along a narrow lane and then over a stile into a field and toward woodland. Marcus grasped my hand and laced our fingers together as we walked, and I glanced around anxiously.

“There’s no one around,” he reassured me. “Besides, if there is and they don’t like it, that’s their problem.”

We walked for a couple of hours, until the need for sustenance and a pee brought us to a halt. We watered some foliage and then munched through apples and bags of crisps to keep us going before we set off again. We made our way up a particularly steep hill, and as we gazed around from the top, it seemed as if we were on one of the highest points of the Wolds. I got out my phone and took some photos of the view. Marcus did the same, and then turned in my direction and began to snap pictures of me.

I hated being photographed. Colin had spent so long drumming into me that I was ugly, I feared the photos would show all my flaws. Marcus made it obvious enough he found me attractive, but I doubted I looked good at that moment. The short parts of my hair were standing up in the wind, and my long fringe was tangled and blowing in my eyes. I imagined my cheeks were red from the exertion and the discomfort. I turned my head away and fiddled with my phone, hoping Marcus would take the hint and stop. He did the opposite.

“Tommy, turn round. Stop hiding.” He touched my face and made me look at him.

“I don’t like photos of me. I always look like crap.” I hated how despondent and whiney I sounded. It was as if my still-fragile confidence had been wiped out in an instant.

“Why would you think that? Have you really looked at yourself lately?” Marcus shoved the phone into his pocket and cupped my face in both hands. “You look gorgeous—happy and healthy. You’ve got a cute nose and pretty eyes and lips that look like they’re asking to be kissed. I want photos of you so I can keep looking at you when we’re not together. Is that so bad?”

“I just don’t think I look....” I trailed off with a sigh. “I know I’m being stupid. I spent too much time listening to the wrong people. Colin telling me I was ugly, and then a bunch of guys liking me for only one reason. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t ever say sorry to me.” Marcus kissed the tip of my nose and took his hands away from my face so he could wrap his arms around me. “Tommy, I think you’re beautiful. You’re sweet and fun, and I love being with you. It’s what I think that’s important. And what you think about yourself will improve over time.”

“What did I ever do to deserve you?” I murmured. “It must have been something good.”

Marcus chuckled. He didn’t say anything else, but he tugged me tighter against him and brought his lips to mine. I slid my arms up around his neck and held on as he kissed me. His lips crushed mine, and he explored my mouth with his tongue, changing the angle occasionally until we were both breathless. When he drew back, I sucked in a breath and leaned against him, my heart racing. I was hard, and I felt his arousal nudge me before he stepped away. I longed for him to touch me. I would never instigate things with him myself, but I was desperate to feel his hand on my cock.

“Let’s pick this up later when we’re not out in public.” Marcus winked at me and adjusted his trousers. My erection twitched in my underwear. Perhaps today something would happen.

We continued along the top of the hill we were standing on until we reached another vantage point for photos. Both of us snapped away, and this time I reluctantly leaned against a tree and smiled when instructed, so Marcus could take some proper pictures of me. He was happy enough to pose for me afterward, and I used up most of the remains of my phone battery on him.

We took a different route back down to the car. I was convinced we were lost at one point, but Marcus seemed to have an unerring sense of direction which eventually led us to the little red Mini, almost hidden behind the hedge I’d parked it close to. It was late afternoon by then, and we’d been out for almost six hours.

“Have you got a road map?” Marcus asked as I began to drive.

“Yes, but it’s not in the car.”

“That’s useful.” He grinned and touched my arm, apparently to show me he wasn’t criticizing. “I know the general direction anyway. It’s sort of over there.” He waved his hand vaguely to the left. “Take the next left turn you come to. Once we find a road sign, I’ll know exactly where we are.”

“What’s the place called again?”

“The village is Skendleby. The pub won’t be open yet, so we’ve plenty of time.”

Ten minutes later we came upon a road sign, and twenty minutes after that we were in the pub car park. It was an old building and looked attractive from the outside. Inside, it was gloomy but cozy—lit only by candles on the tables and the light coming in through some very small windows. I picked a table while Marcus went to the bar for some drinks.

There wasn’t a huge choice of dishes on the menu, but both of us opted for steak. We were starving after the hike, with only crisps, apples, and a couple of Scotch eggs to keep us going. Marcus ordered a ten ounce steak with chips and salad for each of us. He requested his be cooked rare, but I wasn’t sure I could stomach my dinner bleeding on my plate and asked for medium to well done.

“It’s much tastier if it’s not cremated,” Marcus teased me.

“Maybe to you. I don’t want my dinner to look like it’s just been slaughtered.”

“Such a shame. And I thought we had everything in common.”

“We might still. You just need educating to the taste of cremated steak.” I grinned across the small table at him, and he moved his leg, nudging his knee against mine. His eyes twinkled as he smiled back at me, and I longed to lean closer and kiss him. I was falling for him. There was no doubt in my mind about it now. It would have been so easy to tell him how I felt at that moment, but it was too soon. Although we’d known each other a while now, a second date was much too early. Wasn’t it?

Marcus broke the eye contact and pulled out his phone while we waited for the food. He opened the photo gallery and began to look through the photos he’d taken of me. I avoided looking until he turned the phone toward me and touched my hand.

“Look at them, Tommy. If there’s any you really don’t like, you can delete them.”

“Oh, but....” I took the phone with a sigh and picked up my half pint of lager in the other hand. I gulped some and then began to flick through the pictures. In the first few I looked wind-swept, awkward, and embarrassed, and my face was turned away, but I didn’t look awful—only reluctant. I continued until I came to the ones I’d posed for, and I was surprised when I took in my pink cheeks, bright eyes, and shy smile. The pictures reflected how I felt—happy, hopeful, and loved-up. I liked them.

“Well?” Marcus nudged my knee with his again, and I passed him the phone without deleting any.

“They’re actually not bad.”

“Only not bad? Come on. I might not be David Bailey, but I take a decent shot with a phone.”

“I mean I don’t think I look bad.”

“See?” He tucked the phone into his pocket, and I brought mine out.

“I think I’ve got enough juice to look through the ones I took.” I angled the phone so Marcus could see as well, as I scrolled through the pictures I’d taken of him. He appeared rugged and sexy, and he was looking at me from the small screen as if he wanted to close the gap between us and wrap his arms around me.

We were interrupted by the arrival of the steaks, and I put the phone away again. The plates were piled high with chips and salad trimmings, and the huge slabs of steak made my mouth water. We stopped talking and concentrated on eating instead. Marcus offered me dessert and coffee when we finished, but I declined. I was stuffed and keen to carry on where we’d left off earlier, if that was still on the menu when we got back to town.