A Different Love - 20. Chapter 20

The following morning I woke up at 8:50am, ten minutes before the alarm clock was due to go off. Most of the duvet was lying on the floor and I suddenly realised why cold shivers were running up and down the length of my body. Stretching and yawning sleepily, I struggled out of bed and opened the curtains, peering out with blurry eyes. More heavy snow had fallen during the night and everywhere was covered in a thick white blanket. A line of tiny footprints ran the entire length of the garden and I vaguely wondered what had made them.

I could hear mum in the kitchen, humming along to an old 60’s hit playing on the radio and I quickly got dressed, suddenly realizing how hungry I was. She turned towards me as I entered the room and gave me a wide smile.

“Morning love. Sleep well?”

“Yes thanks mum”

“There’s tea in the pot. Make yourself some toast while I take your dad his breakfast”

As I popped some bread in the toaster, I glanced at one of mum’s magazines lying on the table and the main headline immediately jumped out at me. ‘Celebrity Males Go Topless’ was emblazoned across the front and I couldn’t resist quickly thumbing through the pages to find the article, hoping she wouldn’t come back for a while. It was well worth finding and I couldn’t help ogling the scantily clad bodies that were plastered across the page. Mum was talking to dad in the lounge and as she opened the door and backed into the kitchen her voice became progressively louder and I quickly closed it and looked away.

“I’ve made your sandwiches Jason, they’re your favourite, cheese & pickle”

“You didn’t have to do that mum, I could’ve made them myself”

“I don’t mind love, I had the bread out anyway” she replied. “You go on in and see your dad”

He was sitting in his favourite chair by the fire with a thick woollen blanket wrapped around his legs. He looked up at me and smiled as I entered the room and sat down opposite him.

“Morning son”

“Morning dad. How are you?”

He shifted uncomfortably in his chair and tried to hide the sudden look of pain that crossed his face.

“Oh not too bad” he replied with a wistful smile.

I raised my eyebrows and gazed at him doubtfully, knowing he would say that whether he was well or not. Even though his health had been fairly stable of late, he was never one to complain or moan about how he was feeling andI was pretty sure that he made a concerted effort to keep the truth hidden from me.

“Do you need anything dad?”

“No, I’m just fine, thanks son” he assured me “No need for you to worry”

Unfortunately, there was every need. Whenever I asked him about his health he would usually do his best to change the subject. Within seconds he was doing just that and his voice suddenly broke through my thoughts as he posed a question.

“What are you going to do with yourself today son? Are you at work?”

“Yeah, but I don’t start until one, so I’m going to the gym first”

He smiled at me and nodded his approval before chuckling to himself “That’s a good idea Jason. You need to be fit to fight off all those girls!”

My face began to colour up as he steered the conversation around to his favourite topic and I looked away in embarrassment

“Don’t be daft dad”

“What do you mean, daft?” he said winking. “With your looks, I can’t understand why there isn’t a queue”

This was one of the many occasions when I wondered if it was the right time to tell him I was gay. For a split second my mouth opened, then quickly snapped shut again as I thought better of it. My parents were the most important thing in my life and I would do anything to avoid hurting them. When I did eventually tell them the truth about myself, it would have to be because I’d found someone really special who was worth coming out for. Fortunately, I was used to bluffing my way through such conversations by now and this time was no exception.

“Plenty of time yet” I replied, laughing.

“Leave him alone Bill” mumgently chided from the open doorway. “He’ll find someone when he’s ready”

I looked at her gratefully, relieved that she’d come to my rescue.Mum usually stuck up for me whenever the subject raised its ugly head and thankfully, dad didn’t say anything else about it. We chatted together for a bit longer and I set off for the gym about an hour later.

It was my favourite kind of winter’s day. There was a clear pale blue sky and the air was crisp and sharp. The weak sun struggled to make a difference to the freezing temperature as it tried in vain to melt the thick snow.It was only when I walked through the village that I began to appreciate just how much snow had fallen overnight. Everything was covered in a deep layer and my feet sank down several inches as I gingerly made my way along the path. Every so often a car passed by with a light crunching sound, compressing the snow with the deep imprints of its tyre tracks. The village park was alive with children, playing with sledges and whooping with delightas snowballs whizzed around them in all directions. Their multi coloured scarves and gloves were in stark contrast to the pure white backdrop and the sight of them having so much fun gave me a warm feeling in the pit of my stomach.

Just as I approached the nearest stop, a bus was pulling up and I foolishly ran the last few yards, crossing the road and nearly slipping on the hardened snow. It was almost empty and I sat halfway down in the same position as the previous night. This morning the seat opposite me was empty but I couldn’t help thinking once again about the handsome stranger from the night before. To be perfectly honest I hadn’t stopped thinking about him ever since, wondering if I would ever see him again. There were many guys that turned me on, but no one had ever had such a profound effect on me the way he had. I couldn’t explain why the attraction was so strong or why my fingers and toes tingled every time he came to mind. I just felt a desperate urge to meet him again and wondered if there was any chance he would catch the same bus tonight.

The bus dropped me off on the far side of town at the stop nearest the gym. It was roughly a further ten-minute walk and I was looking forward to the period of rigorous exercise before work.There were two things I loved about visiting the gym. Being able to keep my body in good shape was one of them, but the best thing by far was the sight of all the well toned bodies in tight tee shirts and shorts, muscles bulging and rippling. On some occasions it was a wonder I got any exercise done at all! I’d had more erections in the gym than anywhere else and I often had to sit down for several minutes and pretend to rest, in order to avoid acute embarrassment.

In no time at all I’d changed into my sportswear and was running steadily on one of the treadmills. A guy sat nearby on a rowing machine and I couldn’t take my eyes off the sensual way his silky shorts rode up and down, each time he moved forwards and backwards. The front of my shorts began to tighten noticeably and finally I had no choice but to step off the treadmill and sit down on a nearby bench to hide my embarrassment. It was no easier in the changing rooms. Most of the guys wandered through from the showers completely naked and didn’t even bother to shut their cubicle doors. It drove me mad trying not to look, whilst desperately wanting to. At least I’d been grateful to discover that Mother Nature had been particularly kind to me in that department and I had absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.

Finally, my session was over and I took a quick shower and briskly left the gym, pulling on a pair of jogging bottoms. The walk to the railway station was a further 10 minutes and with damp hair and a slightly red face, I strode purposefully in that direction, aiming to catch the 12:15 train to the city for my 1pm start.

I much preferred travelling by train between Hamborough and the city as the journey was only about twenty minutes and there were no intermediate stops en route. Alternatively, the bus wound its way through several villages, taking just over an hour to reach the city. The length of that journey combined with the bus ride from Dryford made it completely impractical to travel all the way by bus, even though it was more expensive by train.

The journey to work was uneventful and within no time at all I was at the side entrance of the store punching in the security code. The staff room was empty and I wondered if it was possible to get changed out of my sportswear before anyone came in. I should have used the toilet, but it was quite awkward to get changed in the cramped confines of a small cubicle, so I decided it was worth the risk and hurriedly stripped off my t-shirt and jogging pants. As I stood there shivering in just my underwear, my heart sank as the door slowly began to open and I quickly struggled into my grey work trousers. I desperately hoped it wasn’t one of the girls and gave a sigh of relief when Aiden walked in, completely absorbed in a magazine he was reading. He stopped dead in his tracks as soon as he sensed my presence and his eyes widened in surprise as they swept up and down my half naked body.

“Been to the gym again Jason?” he asked, as I hastily began to fasten up my trousers.

“Erm yeah” I muttered, self consciously offering an unnecessary explanation “Just getting changed for work”

“I can see that” he answered, as a smile lit up his face “Didn’t realize you had such a fit body!”

For a few seconds I was too stunned to answer, completely taken aback by his comments. The tone of his voice left me feeling vulnerable and exposed as his eyes continued to sweep up and down my body.I struggled to fasten the zip on my trousers and as he took a tentative step forwards, my heart thudded uncontrollably. For one ridiculous moment I got the feeling he was about to offer his help. A combination of shaking fingers and the start of an erection was hampering my success, but as I finally managed to tug the stubborn zip upwards, I could have sworn that for a split second a fleeting glance of disappointment crossed his face. It was gone before I could be sure, but I was left with the distinct impression he was coming on to me. I quickly dismissed the thought as ridiculous, he just wasn’t the type. But then again, what was the type? But no, definitely not Aiden, I assured myself once again. I must be mistaken! He was always going on about the number of girlfriend’s he’d had and I couldn’t forget his attitude towards gay people at school.

Unsure how to respond to his remarks, I reddened slightly and coughed with embarrassment as he continued to look at me. My white shirt was hanging in the locker and I grabbed it and quickly finished getting dressed to hide any further discomfort. The expression on my face obviously betrayed what I was thinking and he half smiled, slowly shaking his head from side to side in disbelief.

“Oh don’t worry yourself Jason, I’m not coming on to you” he laughed, as if it was the most ridiculous thing in the world “I just admire anyone who keeps their body in good shape, that’s all”

“I-I didn’t think for a minute you were Aiden” I stuttered, totally confused and flustered.

“I should work out more myself really” he went on, smiling at me ruefully “Just never seem to get the time these days!”

“You just have to be strict with yourself”

“Perhaps we could go together sometime?” he suggested, in the usual friendly manner he used whenever no one else was around.

My eyebrows rose in disbelief and I marvelledonce again at how friendly he could be when we were alone. It was on the tip of my tongue to sarcastically remark ‘What if someone see’s us together’ but at the last second, I thought better of it.

“Mmm” I answered non-committaly, guessing that it was extremely unlikely to happen anyway.

“I used to go regularly in the past, but its girlfriends!” he continued “They demand so much of your time”

I nodded my head in agreement without saying anything further and he gave an enormous sigh, as if it was some huge chore that he couldn’t do anything about. His next comment left me feeling extremely wary and I couldn’t help wondering if this had all been some kind of sick test.

“You don’t have that problem though, do you Jason?” he asked innocently

“What do you mean?”

“I mean girlfriends. You don’t have one, do you?”

I wasn’t quite sure if he was being sincere or not, but at that moment the door opened once again and saved me from answering. My heart sank like a stone as Aiden’s mate Craig walked into the room.The bad news was that Craig had recently returned to the store, and the relatively ‘normal’ relationship that Aiden and I had shared together since he’d left, had now been well and truly shattered.I swallowed nervously, mentally preparing myself for the sarcastic comments that were certain to follow. In the past, there were times when I’d seriously considered reporting the pair of them to the manager Mr. Buchan, but in the end I’d always decided against it, preferring instead to avoid any trouble and deal with them myself. Mostly, it had always beenjust light hearted banter, mildly annoying but nothing serious. Just lately, however, it was beginning to escalate and these days more often than not, I didn’t find it funny.Craig had obviously heard the last part of our conversation and shook his head, tutting in an exaggerated manner.

“What’s that Jason, no girlfriend?”

A smirk appeared on Aiden’s face and they both looked across at each other and laughed.

“That just proves he’s fucking gay” added Craig “Almost Twenty One and never had a girlfriend!”

“Is that right Jason?” asked Aiden mockingly “Never had a girlfriend?”

Under normal circumstances I was quite a cool, level-headed kind of person, but once riled, I had a really bad temper. My face was beginning to redden as I hurriedly fastened my tie and took a deep breath. The only thing that kept me reasonably calm on this occasionwas the fact that we were at work. I couldn’t afford to lose my job for the sake of a couple of childish idiots behaving as if we were back in the schoolyard. To alleviate my frustration, I couldn’t help resorting to blasphemy when I should’ve remained silent.

“Fuck off, the pair of you!”

Craig laughed at my obvious discomfort and continued to taunt me.

“Ooh temper, temper Miss Wright!”

“And for your information, I’m not fucking gay” I shot back “I’ve got a girlfriend”

The lie was out of my mouth before I could stop it and I could’ve kicked myself for saying such a stupid thing.

“Yeah right!” laughed Aiden sarcastically “In your dreams”

I stared at him with a hurt expression on my face and he looked away, refusing to meet my gaze. I couldn’t believe how much of an incredibly shallow person he must be, but this time was the last straw, I’d really had enough of him. This time there would be no ignoring or forgiving his ridiculous behaviour. I liked to think I could get on with anyone but from now on it would be me ignoring him, no matter how friendly he tried to be. I refused to be treated as a friend at one moment and then like something he’d stepped in at another, and my fists were clenched in anger as pent up emotions threatened to overflow at any time. Slamming my locker door shut behind me I quickly left the room, afraid that if I stayed, something might happen that I’d live to regret.

My friend Tom was standing directly outside the door, about to enter the room, and with a muffled cry I bumped straight into him.

“Hey steady on Jason!” he cried, putting his hand on my shoulder “Where’s the hurricane?”

“Sorry Tom” I exclaimed, shaken and upset.

I turned to walk away but he grasped my arm and pulled me back sharply “Not so fast Jason! What’s the matter?”

My face was red with anger as I answered him and tears of exasperation threatened to fall at any moment. “Just leave it Tom”

“No, I won’t leave it Jason” he insisted firmly “You’re obviously upset and I want to know why!”

He clearly wasn’t going to take no for an answer and I gave a sigh of resignation as he blocked my way in the corridor. Tom was in his early thirties, tall and good looking, with a solid muscular body. His light brown hair was flashed with streaks of blond and his face usually sported a pleasant smile. Now it was creased with concern as he held onto my arm firmly. Suddenly, my body relaxed in submission and his grip began to slacken.

“Right Jason, I want you to tell me what this is all about. Why are you so angry?”

“It’s nothing Tom, don’t worry about it”

He stood against the wall and folded his arms, continuing to block the corridor as he patiently waited to be told. It was obvious I wasn’t going anywhere until he knew the truth and I shook my head in exasperation as I was forced to explain.

“It’s Craig and Aiden as usual” I finally conceded, nodding my head towards the staff room.

Tom was fully aware of their behaviour when together and didn’t need to be told what they were capable of. He was always pressing me to report them to Mr. Buchanbut so far, much to his annoyance, I’d always refused. He swore under his breath and I heard his angry threat.

“I’ll swing for those two before long!”

As if on cue the door opened behind us and Aiden and Craig jostled each other into the corridor, laughing and joking. Tom spun around with an expression of anger on his face, causing them to take an involuntary step backwards.

“Why don’t you leave him alone?” he spat at them furiously, before they even had a chance to open their mouths.

Craig stepped forwards and put his hand on my shoulder, whilst Aiden blushed and looked at me guiltily.

“Hey come on mate! We were only joking. No need to take it to heart”

“Yeah well, it’s not very funny” I answered him angrily, shaking his hand off “And I’m not your mate either”

“Ok ok!” said Craig, holding his hands up and backing away “We’ve got the message”

Aiden turned around without saying a word and walked off down the corridor. I could hear Craig muttering indignantly about people not being able to take a joke as he quickly followed close behind.

“AND LEAVE HIM ALONE IN FUTURE!!” shouted Tom angrily, as they rapidly disappeared in the direction of the storeroom.

I shook my head and smiled at him gratefully “Look Tom, you didn’t have to do that”

“I’m sorry Jason” he said in an apologetic voice “I should let you fight your own battles, I know that. It’s just that they annoy me so much!”

“It’s ok....really!” I assured him “You don’t need to apologise, I was going to thank you”

“Oh right” he exclaimed in a surprised voice and his face brightened considerably.

“You’re a real friend Tom” I went on “Thank you”

A slight shiver ran through my body as I thought about what they’d said. It only needed a rumour to be started by idiots like Aiden and Craig and it would spread around the store like wildfire. I had an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach that I hadn’t heard the last of it and coupled with the fact that Tom had protected me, trouble was sure to follow. The worse thing of all was that Aiden also lived in Dryford, albeit at the other end of the village, but I was pretty sure that his mother was fairly well acquainted with mine. It only required a few innocent comments to bring my whole world crashing down around me. Life was becoming increasingly complicated and there was a real possibility that before long someone would find out about me. So far I’d managed to keep my visits to the gay club in Hamborough and my one night stands a secret, but how much longer could I keep up the pretence?A look of panic crossed my face as I glanced at the clock on the far wall.

“Damn! I should have been in the store five minutes ago” I cried “I’ve got to go Tom”

“Ok Jason. Just try and keep away from those two idiots if you can”

“Yeah I will. And thanks again for your help”

“No problem. And be sure to let me know if they cause you any more trouble”

“I will Tom. See you.”

“Take care” he answered, before disappearing into the staff room himself.

Therewas no further trouble that afternoon and I managed to avoid them both until they went home a little after four o’clock. It was exceptionally busy in the store with Christmas only a few weeks away and the rest of my shift passed by in a blur.

Before I knew it the cold metal surface of a railway bench was beginning to seep through the seat of my trousers as I sat waiting for my train home to arrive. The tannoy suddenly crackled into life reminding passengers there was a change of platform for the train to Hamborough. I hadn’t noticed or heard any previous announcements, but I could see that my train was already pulling into its new platform on the far side of the station. Spurred into action, I raced across the footbridge and took the downward steps two at a time, just managing to jump aboard as the automatic doors began to close. The sudden bout of exertion left my chest heaving and I collapsed into a seat as the train slowly began to pull away from the station. It rumbled through the urban jungle gradually gaining speed and I watched the lights of the city slowly begin to fade away, gradually replaced by the dark countryside. Twenty minutes later the train arrived in Hamborough and I fastened my coat up in preparation for the cold weather outside. The train stopped conveniently near the station entrance and within seconds I was walking carefully down the hill towards the bus station.

The snow had all but disappeared from the road and slushy puddles glowed amber in the reflection of the streets lamps. A car sped by, spraying icy water onto the slippery footpath, its paintwork splattered and filthy. I was about halfway down the hill when I heard a shout from behind me and my heart skipped a beat as I turned around. It was the stranger from the night before, running recklessly down the hill towards me, furiously waving his hand to attract my attention. As he got close to me he began to slide the rest of the way along the wet snow and his arms floundered up and down as he struggled to keep his balance. Grabbing my arm for support he came to a sudden abrupt halt and unceremoniously grabbed my shoulders to steady himself. I grasped his waist to assist him and our sudden unexpected closeness and the way he looked at me caused the beginnings of an erection to stir. For a second or two our eyes were locked together until his heartfelt apology caused the contact to be abruptly broken.

“Sorry about that” he exclaimed, as his chest heaved up and down. “Not quite fit enough!”

He was more than fit enough for me, I thought to myself, smiling inwardly. As far as I was concerned he could grab me at anytime and anywhere he wanted.

“That’s alright, don’t worry about it” I said out loud, grinning at him.

Tom’s words from earlier that afternoon came flooding back to me and I asked him the same question that Tom had asked me.

“Where’s the hurricane?”

He laughed before answering and his response was much more amusing than mine had been.

“It just blew into you!”

I laughed along with him and reluctantly removed my hands from his waist as he released his grip on my shoulders.

“Think I can just about stand upright now thanks”

I hoped that the disappointment of having to let go of him didn’t show on my face as I responded falteringly to his assurance.

“Oh…erm…good. Yeah, that’s good”

We stepped apart from each other and I looked at him enquiringly, wondering why he’d gone to so much trouble to catch me up. He caught my questioning glance and rushed to explain himself.

“I was just about to go back to work when I spotted you!”

He paused for a few seconds to catch his breath and my brow creased in puzzlement as I waited for him to explain further. He began to bite his top lip nervously and I could tell he was feeling apprehensive about continuing

“I’m not explaining myself very well, am I?”

As far as I was concerned he could take as long as he wanted. I was quite happy to stand there gazing at his handsome face whilst he struggled to go on. I was just about to assure him that it didn’t matter at all when he abruptly continued.

“Look I hate to ask, but I was wondering if you could do me a really big favour?”

There was something about his expression of innocent anticipation that caused any reservations I might have had to completely disappear. The fact that he was young, exceptionally good looking and male made the decision so much easier and I eagerly agreed.

“Of course I will!”

My answer came almost before he’d finished speaking and I suddenly wondered if I’d been too hasty.

“Well if I can that is!” I added as an afterthought.

He smiled at me and visibly relaxed, before gazing at me with a hopeful expression on his face as he began to explain.

“I’ve left my wallet at work and I haven’t got enough money with me for the bus fare home. If I go back now, I’ll miss this one and there isn’t another one for ages” he explained, without taking a breath.

It was obvious that his rush of words were a subconscious effort to avoid receiving a negative reply. He needn’t have worried though as there was no way I was missing out on a chance to help him.

“Whoa, slow down!”

“Just say no if you don’t want to” he added quickly “I’ll understand”

“Of course I’ll lend you the money, it’s no problem”

“Aw that’s brilliant” he said, heaving a sigh of relief. “I’m really grateful”

A warm feeling coursed through my stomach and I was thrilled there was something I could do to help him. As we walked down the hill together, I just hoped that my tongue-tied performance of the previous night wouldn’t repeat itself. I needn’t have worried though, as my willingness to lend him the bus fare home proved to be a real ice breaker.

“I’m Nathan by the way” he said, offering his hand and giving me a wide smile.

“Oh, it’s erm Jason” I smiled back, shaking his outstretched hand.

He had an easy charm about him and I immediately began to feel relaxed and comfortable in his presence. This time the conversation flowed a whole lot easier and I wondered if there was a chance we might even become friends. His next words confirmed that it was a definite possibility and a feeling of excitement welled up inside me.

“Look, its Friday tomorrow Jason” he began enthusiastically “Let me buy you a drink to say thank you”

“You don’t have to” I protested, automatically refusing.

I could have kicked myself for saying it and I held my breath, desperately hoping he wouldn’t be put off. I was rewarded a few seconds later when he wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“I insist!” he said firmly “I really appreciate what you’ve done for me Jason. Not everyone would have been so willing to help before they even knew what the favour was!”

Not everyone fancies you like crazy, I thought to myself guiltily. He clearly wasn’t going to take no for an answer though and I couldn’t believe how lucky I was. Not only had I met a really good looking guy, but one that insisted on buying me a drink as well! It was a total no brainer.

“Yeah, ok then. If you put it like that” I answered, smiling at him excitedly “I’ll look forward to it”

His eyes lit up with pleasure as I agreed and I couldn’t quite believe it was happening. Surely I would wake up in a moment and realize it had all been a dream.

“Great, it’s a date then!” he said enthusiastically.

He must have caught the fleeting expression of surprise that crossed my face in response to his comment and he hastily backtracked.

“Well not a date!” he quickly exclaimed, trying to hide his confusion “But you know what I mean”

“Yeah, I know what you mean” I said, amused at his obvious discomfort.

By this time we’d reached the bus stop and he was spared any further embarrassment as the bus came squealing around the corner and we both automatically stepped back to avoid the icy water that sprayed onto the path from a large puddle at the edge of the road. The doors opened with a swishing sound and a welcome rush of warm air swept over my face. Several passengers alighted, picking their way carefully through the slushy mess on the footpath. I bought both our tickets and this time we sat side by side on the back seat, my awkwardness of the previous night completely forgotten.

“So, where would you like to go for a drink then?” asked Nathan, as the bus began to pull away. “I’ve only just moved here, so I don’t know where the best pubs are”

I thought for a while and wondered if I should take him to the Rose and Crown in Hamborough. On second thoughts, I didn’t want to spoil our budding friendshipby possibly giving away my sexuality immediately.At this stage there was nothing to suggest that Nathan was even gay and the last thing I wanted to do was put him off. It wasn’t as if friends were queuing up to spend time with me and if there was the slightest chance we might become close, I didn’t want to screw it up before we’d even got to know each other properly. Instead, I suddenly thought of somewhere different.

“There’s a good pub where I live in Dryford” I suggested. “We could go there”

“Yeah, that sounds fine. When I get drunk I can come and sleep at your house” he added, winking at me and laughing.

My eyebrows rose in alarm before I could stop them as my mind played out the possible scenario. Mum and dad waking up the next morning, only to discover that some strange boy had slept in my room all night. Very sensible......not!

“The thing is, I can only stay for a couple” I exclaimed, immediately kicking myself for raising a subject that I hadn’t wanted to.

He grinned at me mischievously “Don’t worry Jason, I’m only joking. I won’t be getting drunk!”

As an afterthought he gazed at me quizzically “How come you can only stay for a couple?

“It’s not that I don’t want to stay” I began falteringly

“What then?” he asked, looking a little disappointed

“I’m virtually broke until payday” I explained, embarrassed to admit it “I’ve only got enough to last me until the end of the week”

“Oh is that all! I thought for a moment you didn’t want to come”

If only he knew how much I wanted to be with him the question would never even have entered his head.

“Of course I want to come”

“Don’t worry then” he said, patting me on the back. “I’ll buy the drinks”

“Yeah but I can’t expect….”

“But nothing” he interrupted “For one thing it was my idea in the first place and I have to repay you somehow”

I could think of several ways he could repay me, none of which involved spending any money at all, but somehow I didn’t think the suggestion would go down particularly well.

“There’s only one problem though” he continued. “How do I get home?”

“You can get the last Hamborough bus back to Cranfield. It leaves at 11:15”

“Perfect” he exclaimed happily “That’s sorted then”

I’d become so engrossed in making arrangements for our ‘date’ that I didn’t realize how far we’d come until I happened to glance out of the window.

“Hey, it’s your stop next Nathan” I cried, reaching over him to press the bell. “Hurry or you’ll miss it!”

He quickly stood up and turned back towards me “I’ll see you tomorrow then Jason”

“Yeah, ok. My train gets in at 8:30,so shall we meet at the railway station?”

“Yeah, that’s fine Jason” he said, laughing out loud “But don’t stand me up”

I laughed and shook my head “No worries, I’ll be there. See you tomorrow Nathan”

“See you Jason, take care”

As he walked down the aisle towards the front of the bus my eyes were instinctively drawn to the back of his jeans. The tight denim material moulded itself around his perfectly shaped rear and I found it impossible to tear my eyes away. My mouth fell open in awe and I became completely overwhelmed, as raw feelings of lust and desire surged through me. With a sigh of resignation I rested my hand on the warm seat next to me, where until a few seconds ago the object of my appreciation had been located.

Before Nathan left the bus he turned and waved, mouthing the words “See you tomorrow” over the noise of the revving engine. He waved again from the edge of the road and my eyes followed him until he disappeared into the distance. My stomach was in knots as I realized with a surge of excitement how much I was looking forward to our drink together. There was a hopelessly stupid grin on my face all the way home that just wouldn’t go away and I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to have met someone like Nathan. There was definitely a guardian angel smiling down on me tonight and I put my hands together, silently mouthing the words “Thank you god!”

That night I dreamt of Nathan. Images of his smiling face were everywhere; waving from a bus as it sped by me, sitting at the next table in a restaurant, his eyes never leaving mine. His handsome face stared back at me as I glanced through a shop doorway, willing me to reach out and gently caress his cheek. Then suddenly, there he was, sitting cross legged in a den amongst the bracken, slowly guiding my hand towards the enormous bulge in the front of his denims. A few seconds later I woke up with my face pressed into the pillow, sweating profusely. An enormous erection pushed against my stomach and I slowly rolled over onto my back. With erotic fantasies of Nathan dominating my thoughts, I couldn’t stop my hand as it grasped the taut skin of my hard length, slowly beginning to move up and down before gradually becoming faster and faster. In my over excited state of mind it was too late to avoid the inevitable and I cursed softly as a stream of hot creamy liquid shot across my hand. By then it was far too late to do anything about it so I cleaned up as best I could, turned over and snuggled into the pillow, finally falling into a deep and dreamless sleep.