“Like burning dinner or answering the doorhalf-naked?”
Mark grinned.“Yeah, like that.The otherperson has to be really smooth, really generous to take a situationlike that and make everything feel okay.”
“I don’t think anyone’s ever called me‘smooth’.”
“Well then, you heard it here first.”Markliked that idea, the thought of being the first to point out someof Lucas’s good qualities.And then he hated it because it meantthat Lucas had gone through too many years of his life withoutanyone giving him compliments.He shook his head to clear histhoughts.“You want salad before pizza?”
“Sure.Or not.Whatever.”
“Probably no one’s ever called you ‘decisive’before either, right?”
“I save up the decision-making for stuff thatmatters.I honestly, truly do not care if we eat salad now, later,or never.”
“You’ve never had one of my salads, myfriend.One bite and you’re going to care.A lot.”
“All right, then, bring it on.”Lucas stoodto show that he was ready for the challenge and Mark led the wayinto the kitchen.He handed plates to Lucas and pulled thevinaigrette and salad out of the fridge.“Forks there.”Hegestured, and Lucas rummaged through his cutlery drawer.Again, thecasual intimacy was almost overwhelming.He and Lucas were settingthe table together, and then they were going to share a meal.Nothing special, but somehow all the more magical because it was somundane.
They ate the salad and Lucas was suitablyimpressed by the variety of vegetables Mark had included, and thenthe pizza came and Lucas offered to pay, since Mark had alreadybought dinner once, even if he had ruined it shortly after.Marklaughed him off, Lucas appreciated the toppings Mark had selected,and they ate without much conversation.Dessert was French vanillaice cream with fresh berries, and they didn’t talk much whileeating that, either.Mark checked the clock as Lucas helped himload the dishwasher.Not even seven o’clock, yet.Still lots oftime before Lucas had to leave, and Mark knew how he’d like tospend it.But he didn’t know how heshouldspend it.
“TV?”he suggested casually.
Lucas looked a little surprised, but shruggedagreeably.“Okay.”
But Mark was already regretting thesuggestion.He didn’t want to waste his precious time with Lucasstaring at a screen.“Or something else?”
Lucas was watching him more closely now.“Okay,” he said again.There was an awkward pause before Lucassnorted.“Look, the whole ‘no sex’ thing is your rule.I have noidea what we’re allowed to do here, but if you’re looking for asuggestion…I think something in the ‘physical contact’ area mightbe kinda fun.”
“Fun,” Mark said slowly.
“Deeply, spiritually meaningful,” Lucascorrected with a quick, self-deprecating grin.“That’s what I meantto say.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to,” Mark said.“Not that I don’t wantyou.”
Lucas raised an eyebrow.“Yeah?Proveit.”
Mark wanted to.He wanted to drag Lucas intothe bedroom, strip off his clothes and keep him there for a week.Instead, he leaned back against the wall, let his head flop, andgroaned dramatically.
He kept his eyes shut but he could feel Lucasshuffling in closer.Then his waistband shifted and he knew Lucaswas hooking his fingers in it.He really, really liked it whenLucas did that.He also really liked it when Lucas leaned forwardand brushed their cheeks together.Both of them had obviouslyshaved in honor of the date and their skin was warm and smoothwhere it was touching.
“Do you want me to seduce you?”Lucaswhispered into his ear.“Is that what this is about?Am I supposedto talk you into something?”He kissed Mark’s ear, then down hisneck and along his jawline, up to the other ear.“Or less talking,maybe.More doing?”
His fingers left Mark’s waistband then as hebrought his arms up to rest against the wall on both sides ofMark’s head, his forearms making a trap.A cage.A cradle.Mark’sgasp was swallowed by Lucas’s mouth as he claimed Mark just asfirmly as he had the first night after the fight.
But this time, there was no knock on the doorto interrupt them.Lucas controlled the kiss and he took his time,hard thrusts of his tongue balanced with quick licks, longexplorations accented by quick pecks.At some point Mark hadapparently brought his hands up to Lucas’s biceps and he foundhimself gripping them tightly.He wasn’t sure if he was trying tokeep Lucas from escaping or just working to hold himself still asthe waves of Lucas’s desire washed over him and were magnified byhis own longing.
Mark couldn’t say how long it was beforeLucas finally pulled away a little.His arms were still in placebut his face was distant enough to allow them both to focus theireyes.“I want more,” Lucas growled, but he didn’t move to take it.“But if we have to stop, we should do it now.I don’t want…thefurther we go, the harder it’s going to be to not go all theway.”
Mark felt like he was being torn in two.“Iwant more too,” he said.“But there’s no rush, right?It doesn’thave to be tonight?”
Lucas ducked his head for a moment, notletting Mark see his face.“Doesn’t have to be tonight,” he finallyechoed in reluctant agreement.
“Are you mad?”He sounded like a little girl,but Mark wanted to know what he was dealing with.
Lucas sighed deeply, still not looking up.“Iam really, really turned on,” he finally said.“And I’m not lookingforward to walking out of here with a raging hard-on and no one toshare it with.”Then he snorted a little and finally raised hishead to look at Mark.“But it’s not like you didn’t warn me.I wentahead anyway.”He leaned back in for a slow, gentle kiss.There wasstill heat, still passion, but it was clear that the waves had hitthe high water mark and the tide was now receding.Or more likeLucas was deliberately draining the water away.
“If it makes you feel any better,” Mark saidbetween kisses, “I’m really turned on too.And I’m not lookingforward to staying here with a raging hard-on all alone.”
Lucas drew back a little.“That doesn’t makeit better, just more confusing that we’re not doing something aboutit.”He shook his head.“And at least you won’t have to cross townbefore you can jerk off and relieve some of the pressure.”Hiseyebrows suddenly shot up.“Oh, shit.You’re allowed to jerk off,right?That’s just Catholics?”
