Soul Music: Love Encountered - 10. Explorations

“What the hell are you watching?” The tone was one of amused disbelief.

Tony turned from watching the TV to see Geoff standing in the doorway.

“Food porn.”

“What?”

Tony sniggered. “It's kinda like the name suggests. Watching some media chef or another preparing something you'd never dream of trying yourself in a month of Sundays. Or eating, for that matter. Fantasy food.”

Geoff came and sat down next to his boyfriend on the sofa. Together, they watched the next few minutes of the programme. Geoff could hardly believe it as the woman started to construct a dessert out of a bewildering number of specially bought ingredients.

“Does anyone really have the time or inclination to replicate that?” He was faintly repelled by what was going on.

Tony shrugged with amusement. “No … though some people will brag that they've done it. Or even improved on it. It's more about selling the book, massaging the presenter's image, getting YouTube hits and followers. The usual.”

He turned the TV off. “How's the job application going?”

Geoff grimaced.

“That good?”

“No … It's nearly completed. My brain was about to explode, so I came in here for a short break. Suppose I'd better get back to it before I lose my train of thought entirely.”

Tony leaned in to give him a kiss. “You're doing fine. When it's finished, there'll still be plenty of time for music … and other things.” An eyebrow lifted suggestively.

Geoff looked back, puzzled. Tony lightly kissed his nose before sitting back.

“I thought we might progress beyond kissing today?”

Geoff's blush started up immediately, and his eyes stretched wide.

“Don't look so scared, love. Look, go and get the wretched thing written, then come back in here. I'll be waiting …”

Geoff glared at his boyfriend. “Great – now that's completely wiped any thoughts that were useful. Completely.”

“Rubbish. Go back into the kitchen, and focus. It won't take you long, love. And you'll have time to read through it later. And I will as well, if that'll help.”

Still apparently glowering, Geoff headed off.

An hour or so later, Tony was again sitting on the sofa, this time snuggled up to his boyfriend. He wrapped an arm round Geoff and drew him even closer, the easier to whisper in his ear.

“Everytime I do this, it gets me going. You get me going. I'm convinced you don't appreciate how sexy you are, Geoff, just being you. And if I kiss you …” Tony demonstrated, then finished the sentence a few seconds later. “My fire gets stoked even more.”

Geoff didn't say anything. He drew away slightly. Instead, all his questions were in his eyes. They were alternating between staring at Tony, then sliding away. Tony took hold of one of Geoff's hands.

“What do you think happens to me when I kiss my sexy boyfriend?”

Geoff's colour intensified, and he squirmed with embarrassment. Then he shook his head.

“Well, how about this here, love.” Tony gently placed Geoff's hand where he wanted it, on his crotch. His semi was warm, alive, and very much in evidence under his jeans.

Geoff's hand remained motionless for several seconds before Tony started to feel the gentlest of squeezes. Then a few hesitant, exploratory touches. Geoff wasn't looking at what his hand was doing, though. Instead, his eyes were on Tony's, seeking reassurance. Tony moved slightly, then started to lap and kiss at Geoff's ear and area all around, then his neck, and where his beard started.

He stopped for a moment. “Hmm … Nice?” Geoff nodded. “Which? Both?”

Geoff gulped. “Err … not my ear so much. My neck? Oh, yes.”

Tony started again, moving slowly down from Geoff's jawline to his collarbone and back again, kissing, licking, gently sucking. Geoff gave a sudden shudder of pleasure. Tony drew back, then smiled at his companion.

“Hmm... OK … I think we've found one of your special spots. Yeah?”

Geoff was looking slightly stunned, and he lay back more against the sofa.

“Oh, yeah. God, that was wonderful.”

But his hand hadn't left where it Tony had put it, and once again, it resumed its tentative explorations. Tony leaned in a bit further and kissed Geoff on the lips. Then, without asking, he very lightly placed his hand on the fabric-covered bulge which had featured in so many of his dreams. He kept his eyes fixed on Geoff's face, watching for his reaction. Geoff's eyes widened and his mouth opened. Tony started fondling the cock which was so much a part of his fantasies, then he gave it a quick squeeze.

Geoff jumped as if something had just given him an electric shock. But, as quickly, he settled down again, looking self-conscious.

“Sorry. I wasn't … ehm … wasn't expecting that you'd …” His voice trailed off, not knowing quite what to say.

Tony kissed him, and waited for a proper kiss in return before drawing away.

“But is it good?” The soft, heated bulge had definitely grown – it thought so. Tony let his hand mirror what Geoff's had been doing. The bulge swelled even more.

“God, yes.” A sigh of complete pleasure. Geoff's face was flushed with heat.

The two men continued until Tony called a halt. Geoff was breathing heavily, almost panting from the pleasure of his new experiences. It was nothing like when he had a wank – then, he was usually trying to reach a climax as quickly as he could. He'd never really stopped to … caress himself, to give himself pleasure other than in the most obvious way. And all those feelings came from when there were two layers of material between Tony's fingers and his cock … Geoff couldn't imagine what it would be like when Tony actually touched him there.

Tony was also flushed. His semi had inflated to the stage where he could feel a slight hint of dampness, and it was getting uncomfortable, trapped in his underwear. But he was much more experienced, more used to pacing himself, though the temptation to continue had been very strong. They both needed to simmer down.

Tony broke the silence first. “Well … so you won't mind if we tried that again? Soon, perhaps?”

He reached over to ruffle his boyfriend's hair. There was something he found irresistible about it. What was it? A combination of its thickness, the wavy texture, and the gorgeous auburn colour, perhaps. Tony smiled to himself. So unlike his own sparse sandy-coloured hair. His short, blunt cut was OK, but elsewhere on his body, his hair was largely invisible. Tony spent a moment imagining Geoff's treasure trail. Would it be darker? Possibly.

Geoff roused himself from his pleasure-induced trance. “Mind? God, no. It was … amazing. So … so …”

Tony chuckled, then gave his man's mound one final caress. Another sigh from Geoff.

“So immersive. It makes me feel totally connected to you. Ehm …” Geoff cleared his throat – he didn't think he'd ever get used to talking about sex. Even with Tony. His gaze moved sideways to the unoccupied half of the sofa.

Tony didn't mind – they'd taken several big steps that morning. Geoff was learning fast, even though he still found talking about making love something to be embarrassed about.

“OK … back to the more mundane things in life. Lunch.”

Geoff blinked. Lunch? How much time had they spent together?

“What would you like?” Tony frowned. “Actually, I have no idea what's in the fridge. There's plenty of bread, and some salad stuff, so it's more a question of what there is to make the sandwiches. Any preference?”

“Err … cheese? Leicester, if you've still got any.”

“OK.” Tony got up, stretched himself, smiled at Geoff, then wandered off to the kitchen.

Geoff was laughing so much he was rocking the piano stool. After a couple of minutes or so, he managed to speak.

“Oh … I do love Flanders and Swann.”

Tony, equally breathless from giggling, just grinned in reply.

Sunday afternoons were often musical, and it didn't matter whose house they were in – they both had a piano. Tony's was a compact, digital version because his front room – the lounge – was much smaller than the front room in Geoff's terraced house. It also helped the relations with his neighbours if he played using headphones most of the time.

When choosing the music, Tony decided that a heavy couple of weeks merited a silly afternoon for a change. No Warlock or Schumann allowed – instead, the zany humour of Michael Flanders and Donald Swann, and their comic songs.

Tony flopped down on the piano stool, next to his boyfriend. He pointed at Geoff's facial hair.

“I spy a beard. … So you're the evil roué, are you?”

Having got to the end of Have some Madeira, m'dear was what had caused their hilarity.

“Excuse me!” Geoff turned to glare at Tony. “I think that's you, beard or no beard. Tempting an innocent me, admittedly not 'sweet seventeen', with …”

“Hnh, it won't be Madeira.”

“Oh … You ever drunk any of it?”

“Nope … Don't think so, anyway. It's said to be poisonously sweet. … You know, if they wrote that song today, they'd get some very disapproving comments.”

“Hardly surprising, is it? A comic song about a date rape? That's what it is, no matter how much they dressed it up in wordplay.”

Tony's eyebrows went up. “That's a rather black and white view of it.”

“Attitudes change. Things tend to be seen that way nowadays. There's not much room for anything grey at all. … For all that, it's still great fun. What's next?”

Tony flicked through some pages, then they did First and Second Law. Geoff had some trouble with the jazzy rhythms, though Tony got into the swing of it straight away. Geoff's difficulties weren't helped by him having to follow the text closely – he had the odd word or two to fit in at times. They finished off with The Hippopotamus Song, a favourite with both men. Geoff joined in the final chorus of 'Mud, mud, glorious mud' with gusto, while also just about managing to keep the piano line going.

They both collapsed laughing onto the sofa. Tony wiped his eyes.

“Oh, that was so good. I haven't done those with a pianist for ages. Don't know that we want our blood cooling though …”

Tony looked sideways at Geoff. He looked away after a moment, a distinct pinkness blooming in his cheeks. Then Geoff got up and busied himself putting the music away. Tony contentedly watched his boyfriend, something he felt he could do forever. However, Tony realised he was thirsty, so 'forever' only lasted a short time before he stirred.

“Fancy a coffee, love? I'll even offer you a biscuit or two …”

Geoff looked round. “Yeah, thanks. Biscuits?”

Tony rolled his eyes and smiled. “Thought that would get your attention. I did some baking while you were at that rehearsal yesterday.”

“Ooh … Home-made biscuits.”

Geoff quickly finished what he was doing, then hurried off to the kitchen. Tony wasn't far behind.

After supper, with all work for the following day done, the two men were sprawled on the sofa, Geoff's head resting on Tony's shoulder. Tony threaded his arm round from the back, and started to let his fingers explore Geoff's chest. Even though everything was hidden under at least two layers of clothing, he soon found what he was seeking. His fingers lightly circled the outline of a nipple. Geoff twitched slightly. Then the fingers moved in closer. The nub had suddenly become easier to locate as Geoff responded. A slight pinch, hardly making any contact with the flesh at all. Geoff jerked in surprise, giving a faint gasp.

Tony removed his hand, letting it rest on his boyfriend's stomach.

“Thought I'd try that. Enjoy it? Or not.”

“Enjoy it? Bloody hell! What's it going to be like when there's no clothing in the way? It … it was …”

Tony cuddled his companion. “Was that 'bloody hell' in a good way? It certainly got your attention.”

“Oh, god, yes. Good, very good. Took me completely unawares.”

Tony quietly breathed a sigh of relief. “So … we know two spots now – your neck and your nipples. I'm sure we'll find more in time.”

He'd taken a small gamble doing that without asking first. Why? It just seemed right. Spontaneous. Now they needed a recap of the morning's explorations. Tony now felt like a teacher – though there was nothing wrong in that. He smiled to himself. It was a wonderful, sensual way of bringing them closer together. Would he be setting homework? If so, what? He could see there might be times when that wasn't so ludicrous, the idea of asking Geoff to practice something at home, his home.

Geoff appeared to be almost dozing. Tony prodded him gently until he surfaced.

“Shall we try doing what we did this morning? If you want to?”

Smallest of nods.

“Sure?”

More movement this time as Geoff answered. “Yes, I'm sure.”

“I'm gonna let you take the lead this time. OK?”

“Oh …”

After a moment or two, Geoff moved more onto his side, giving him more access to Tony's body. His boyfriend's arm was still there, providing emotional support and encouragement. To give Geoff some space, Tony purposefully didn't watch him. Instead, he leaned back a little and closed his eyes, while remaining alert for the first touch.

There was a short period when nothing happened, then Tony heard Geoff nervously clearing his throat. As a warning of some kind? Then fingers, fumbling, skirting around his groin, as if summoning up the courage to go further. Tony didn't make any movement. He'd decided that Geoff needed to be left to his own devices. Geoff too often waited for him to make the decisive move.

Finally, Geoff's fingers reached their real target and got to work, cautiously feeling the extent of Tony's genitals through his trousers. Fingertips outlining his shaft, finding the head, pressing harder, trying to make out the contours. A couple of strokes along the length of his cock, then nothing. Tony wondered what Geoff was thinking. Hesitation was the main thing he sensed, and that was because it was something he so associated with the other man.

A few more seconds … Next, he felt Geoff's hand trying to cup his balls through the crotch of his jeans. The fabric was still quite stiff, and his boyfriend was having trouble getting hold of anything much. Would he dare to unfasten, unzip? Tony held his breath … But, 'no' was the answer. Geoff's hand had moved away again. Hardly surprising. Tony was proud of Geoff – they'd made such huge strides during the course of the day.

Geoff's fingers were back at their original target, more settled, more caressing this time. Then the flat of his palm, gently rubbing up and down on the material over his shaft. They hadn't done that in the morning's session! Tony nearly gasped with the shock, but he caught it. Instead, he enjoyed the sensations – not too hard, or rough, just enough to get the blood pumping nicely.

After a short while, Tony opened his eyes to find Geoff staring anxiously at him.

“It's wonderful.” Murmured words of reassurance. “Just keep doing what you're doing.”

Geoff's expression broadened into a smile. “Really?”

“Yes, really, love. I'm enjoying every minute. And my cock agrees with me.”

Geoff looked down to where his hand was. The mound had indeed grown, with some of Tony's shaft clearly visible, if still shrouded.

“And that's all your doing, love. You, and your hand.”

His boyfriend's eyes moved back up, shining with happiness at the praise.

Tony felt his balls start to tighten. Normally he wasn't on anything like that much of a hair-trigger, but the time and place had conspired against him. Then his phone started to ring. Typical. Though he left it to go to voicemail, it was enough to interrupt the flow. Just as well, perhaps. They both relaxed for a time.

Tony stirred them both, then they changed places on the sofa. As Tony got to work, his much more experienced hand called into being sensations Geoff had never previously enjoyed. Thought he would never experience, if he was honest with himself. Sucking off a couple of strangers as a drunken dare during Freshers' Week was the sum total of his sexual experience. There'd been a party, not exclusively gay by any means, and Geoff had somehow got himself caught up in a game that had rapidly turned pornographic. Just the thought of it still turned his stomach. Anyway, somehow he'd managed it, then he'd fled the party, and vowed never to get himself in a similar position ever. Had someone spiked his drinks? Geoff had never discovered.

This was totally different. This was sex as love, affection, caring. Geoff remembered well the mixture of fear and humilation as he fumbled his way through the dare. Tony made him feel loved. Safe. His well-worn cords were much softer, more malleable than Tony's jeans, and Tony's fingers knew what they were about. Both his cock, including the head, and his balls, were being lovingly fondled and aroused. Strokes, squeezes, a fingernail being drawn over the cloth … Geoff got lost in the melee of sensations. He could hardly think. Things were rapidly coming to the boil. But …

Then a voice. “Would you like me to bring you off?”

What? Yes … No … no, no. The mess … embarrassment. “Ehm …”

Tony leaned in and brushed his lips against Geoff's. “It's OK to wait, love.”

Geoff took a steadying breath. “Ehm … not yet. … I want to wait.” He wanted to be prepared for it, to enjoy it to the full.

“Sure?”

Geoff nodded clearly.

Tony had nearly stopped without asking, but he changed his mind, just in case. Not that the answer was anything other than what he expected.

“That's fine, love. Whatever you want. You've done superbly, you know. Pleasure given and received …”

Tony's voice calmed Geoff down. The pleasure haze gradually dispersed, leaving him able to think again. Geoff remembered one of the stories he'd been reading online – the thought of it made him smile. He lay there on the sofa, happy.

Tony gave him a quick prod, and smiled. “Hey.”

“What?”

“Thinking of your other lovers? Making comparisions?”

“No!” Geoff shook his head with a smile. “I was thinking how unexciting a plotline this would make in a story. No real 'action', no ravaging, no thrusting egos, or anything else. No mortal danger, disasters …”

Tony snorted. “'Ravaging'? Oh dear … What have you been reading?”

Geoff blushed – he liked the occasional slushy romance, preferably not just limited to kissing and making out.

“This is real life, and we can take our time, as we want to.” Tony leant in to kiss his boyfriend. “You're welcome to stay over – the spare bed's made up …”

“Can't. I'd love to though.” Geoff returned the kiss, which lasted some time. Finally, he drew away. “Sorry. Things to do back home before I go to bed.”

Geoff levered himself off the sofa, and tried to get his head back onto boring matters like washing, work, and putting the rubbish out.

Tony looked at his desk, then his emails. Had he finally managed to get caught up? Yes, pretty much. He was due to spend the next couple of days out and about, calling in at various properties within his remit. He was just getting out of his seat to go to lunch, when his landline phone started to ring. Muttering darkly under his breath, he moved to pick it up. Really, he would've liked to swear out loud, but the open-plan office made that a bad idea.

“Tony Marshall here.”

There was an amused snort.

Hey, Tone! Guess who? Have you missed me?

Tony briefly gripped the bridge of his nose, then sweeping his fingers down. Perfect fucking timing. It was Stuart. Who, as Jason had predicted, was looking up his old 'friends'.

“Morning, Stuart.”

My, we're sounding very business-like this morning. Just phoning to say 'hi'. Check you're still alive … Had you heard I'm hoping to move back into the area?

Unfortunately, he had. Tony forced himself to continue being polite.

“Yes. I heard it from a mutual acquaintance.”

You don't sound overjoyed, Tone?

Tony quickly looked around the office to see if anyone was apparently listening in. This was going to get rather personal. He lowered his voice.

“I'm in a relationship, Stuart. A happy, hopefully long-term relationship. Just so we're clear.”

There was a short silence.

Oh … I hadn't got you down as a committer, Still … I bet there's room for a bit on the side. Friend with benefits? We'd both win.

“No, Stuart, we wouldn't. There is no room. You understand me? When I'm in a relationship, it is monogamous, exclusive. You have a different idea, I know.”

How very suburban of you, Tone. I had you down as a man with an open mind. New possibilities.

“You've obviously forgotten. That was the point when our affair started to unravel. Rapidly. I was honest about how I wanted our affair to be. You apparently agreed, then you waltzed off, putting yourself about as if I didn't exist. Any feelings I may have had for you, Stuart, have long since evaporated.”

A petulant silence.

“I think we've covered everything that needs to be said. Bye, Stuart.”

Tony put the phone down before his former boyfriend could reply. He was seething. The fucking bare-faced cheek of it. Was that the end of Stuart's interfering? He honestly couldn't say.