Unexpected Liaisons - 19. Polite Dinner Conversation

Micky had laughed genially when Zander had relayed Zupan’s comments about the wine and Zupan wished for the umpteenth time that he’d just taken the boy for a burger and a beer and told him all his news then. Zander ran his hands over his short hair, he’d had to trim it again since the first time he’d shaved it all off, and flashed him sexy little smile’s as he sipped his wine, swirling the stem of the glass between his fingers.

When Micky placed Zander’s starter in the front of him Zupan felt like an idiot. Why had he decided to do this? To eat in a place with four different forks that served sauces in little swirls, odd crispy things that looked like architecture and food which was half way to being art. Zander smiled gleefully. Then Micky swiped all but the most basic of Zupan’s cutlery and placed in front of him a big platter with a bowl of dip in the centre, piled high with chips.

“Issac said to tell you that this is ‘Special Chips and Mayo,’” Micky turned the plate slightly to neaten the presentation, “You’ve got sweet potato chips, crinkle candy beetroot chips, parsnip and honey chips and black pepper carrot chips. The mayonnaise is made with olive oil, garlic, lemon and chilli. Enjoy.”

Zupan looked at his plate, and laughed. The booming sound made other diner’s stare.

“What?” Zander’s head was cocked on one side, fork abandoned halfway to his mouth.

“The clever bastard has made me finger food!” Zupan when for a bright candy striped beetroot, “Oh god, and it’s good too… Mmmm.” Zupan sucked on his finger, the mayonnaise was amazing, tangy and spicy.

“I like watching you eat.”

“Is that right?” Zupan raised an eyebrow at his lover.

“OK, I like listening to you eat,” Zander’s hooded his eyes and licked his lower lip in a distinctly suggestive fashion, “You make good sounds.”

“And I thought that we were supposed to be being polite and civilised,” Zupan glanced around the upscale restaurant, no one was watching them directly, “I see that plan failed.”

Zander reached across and grabbed a sweet potato chip, managing to eat it in the most provocative manner possible.

“Are people staring yet?” His grin was salacious.

“Yes.” Zupan could feel himself blushing, his cock rousing in the silky underwear Zander had made him wear.

“Good.”

They chatted idly while they ate, talking about the food, clothes, sex, the shop. The usual patter of everyday life. Zander mentioned about how little time he’d spent in his own flat lately and Zupan felt his heart thud really hard. He took a big gulp of his wine. Micky brought out their mains after stars had been cleared, and while Zander’s pork medallions and julienne of red roots looked like some kind of amazing edible painting, Zupan was served sirloin tips, grilled to within an inch of their tender pink selves, loads of excellent barbeque sauce and a salad that was anything other than a typical side salad. For a start it have leafy things in that Zupan didn’t even recognise.

“You know, I think I’m starting to like getting chef specials.”

“Issac obviously likes you.”

“Oh we’ve eaten here before,” Zupan smiled, “The team came when he first got the job. I think he likes you, actually.”

“Zu?” Zander placed his knife and fork down very deliberately, “Why are we here?”

“I love you.” That was true enough, Zupan realised he was fiddling with his food, so he stopped.

“There’s another reason isn’t there?”

“Yes.” Zupan took a deep breath, “I almost don’t wanna ask you.”

“Why?” Zander was peering at him strangely, like his was expecting to be disappointed.

“Because you might say ‘no’,” The big rugby player shook his shoulders and growled silently at himself, “Season’s coming up. We have a tour on, two weeks. I want you to come with me,” Zander didn’t say anything, so Zupan ploughed on regardless. In for a penny… “And when we get back, I really would like it if you thought about maybe ditching your flat and living with me. Like, we can get a place together if you want to or we can…”

“Zu…” the single soft syllable hushed him into silence. Zander was leaning his perfect chin in his palm and smiling that soft, pink lipped smile, “Yes.”

“What?” The answer shocked Zupan like a collision on court and he stared at the boy opposite him. The boy who smiled like an evil housecat and tasted like pink and candy floss. Zander bit his lower lip with his even white teeth and Zupan thought his heart and crotch were both going to explode with love and desire.

“Yes. I can’t imagine my life without you in it.” Zander’s slim fingers found his own calloused, bent hands, “We’ve not spent a day apart since that first real date. I haven’t slept at home in nearly two weeks,” Zander sighed, then he was on his feet, leaning over the table, the strong clean lines of his body doing fabulous things to Zupan’s anatomy, “I want to be wherever you are.”

“I love you,” The words were whispered into the tiny space within the kiss, and Zupan found his fist tight in the front of Zander’s best dress shirt, holding him close and hard.

There was a polite cough. The kiss broke and Zupan looked around to find everyone in the restaurant staring at them. Zander went the most fantastic shade of pink and giggled. Issac was standing by the kitchen door in his chef whites and apron, looking tired and hot, but beaming, his grin wider than Zupan had ever seen it.

“Oh Zu…” he stepped across the restaurant and gathered a tray from the bar at the same time. “Bay said you’d need these.” He placed two sugar frosting pink lemonade shooters on the table, still smiling, “He said yes then?”

“Yes.”

Zander was still shining like the sun.

“I’m pleased for you two. Watch it Zan, he’ll be asking you to marry him next,” Issac squeezed his friends shoulder quickly, “My kitchen needs me. See you guys sometime soon yeah?”

Zander was smiling at him like he was the centre of the universe again, and Zupan had no idea how they were going to make it home still dressed. He coughed.

“I thought that we were supposed to be making polite table conversation.”

“Fuck that,” Zander threw back his pretty pink shooter like he had a grudge against it, “I would much rather talk about what I’m going to do to you when we get home.”

Zupan raised one eyebrow.

“Well it might just involve a shower… and possibly lots of blowjobs.”