Page 60 of Nothing But the Night (Basic Instincts 2)

“What you just said.” Marc poured them a Diet Coke each and carried his glass to the table. “About things getting back to normal and being able to do regular things. Do you think that could include a traditional date sometime?”

“If that’s you asking me out, then it certainly could.” Jason cocked his head to one side. “Unless you plan on taking me to The Viaduct, of course.”

Marc rapped his fingers in the tabletop. A gentle warmth had returned to his features. “Maybe we’ll keep The Viaduct for a second or third date, eh? Let’s not spoil ourselves all at once.”

Jason kept the mood light and relaxed as he cooked, but deftly removed the largest butcher’s knife from the knife block and placed it within easy reach. Somehow, he would attempt to take it up to bed with them later, hopefully without Marc noticing. When Marc excused himself to use the bathroom, Jason hurriedly doublechecked that the back door was locked. He’d confirmed the house was secure when Nadine had left that afternoon, but now darkness had fallen, he felt an extra sense of caution.

He put four eggs in the pan to poach and buttered four slices of toast. He’d always been an expert at cooking eggs and this time was no exception. When Marc cut into his and exclaimed delight when the yoke oozed all over the toast, he felt a small sense of pride.

“I’ve always been useless at poaching,” Marc said. “I have mine fried or scrambled because I can never get them right.”

“You’ll just have to have me over to cook them for you again.”

Marc’s smile was the sweetest thing he’d seen all day. After so much angst and worry, its pureness went all the way to Jason’s heart.

“You have an open invitation.”

Jason cleared everything away and found a carton of chocolate ice cream in the freezer, which they had for dessert. Despite his injuries, the increasing pain in his ribs, and the worries of the last few days, this was as close to ordinary as anything he’d ever done with Marc. And he loved it.

He made tea and they sat talking for a while, before deciding they would go up to bed.

Excitement rippled through him at the prospect of spending a night with Marc, but it was tinged with restraint. They were alone in the house. And while its coastal location was idyllic, Marc’s closest neighbours were a good distance away. They would have been safer back in the city. In a hotel, or Jason’s apartment.

Marc seemed to read his mind. “All of the doors and windows downstairs are alarmed. There’s no way for anyone to sneak in unnoticed.”

Jason gave up on any pretence and picked up the butcher’s knife. “I’ll still sleep easier knowing we’ve got some protection up there.”

They turned off the lights and headed upstairs. It had just gone nine o’clock and despite dozing for much of the afternoon, Jason wanted to go to bed. Marc went ahead of him. It was still a struggle to put weight on the injured ankle and Jason needed to take his time. He copped a look at Marc’s fine arse as he mounted the stairs. It was good to know that stress and trauma had done nothing to dull his attraction for Marc.

In the bedroom, Marc turned on the lamps and shut the curtains.

“Any sign of a police watch?” Jason asked.

“Nah. It’s desolate out there.”

Jason opened the top drawer of the bedside cabinet and slipped the knife inside. “Just in case.”

Marc came towards him, unfastening the buttons of his shirt with his good hand. “Can you help me with this?”

Jason grinned. “Try stopping me.”

Marc untucked his shirt and Jason eased it off his shoulders, asking him to turn around slowly, to extract each of his arms. The bruises on his chest were a horrible, mottled fusion of black, blue and purple. Jason carefully put his hands on Marc’s waist and kissed his collar bone.

“How do you feel?” he asked.

“It looks worse than it is.” He shuddered as Jason drew his tongue along the hollow in his throat.

Jason unfastened the cord on Marc’s sweatpants. “Let me help you with these too.”

Marc stepped out of his slippers and let the pants fall to his ankles before kicking them to one side. Contained in a snug pair of white briefs, his hard cock inclinedalong his left hip. Jason smoothed his fingers across the bulge, feeling it twitch and lean into his touch. Marc sighed.

“I needed a hand with those as well,” Marc said.

Jason slipped his thumbs into the waist and slid them down, releasing his powerful cock. As his briefs dropped, he cupped Marc’s balls in the palm of his hand, gently juggling them in their sack. “Missed these,” he whispered.

“And I’ve missed this.” Marc fondled Jason’s dick with his good hand. Jason groaned.

Jason dropped his own lounge pants and briefs with little effort. The T-shirt would not be so easy. Stretching through the ribs was too intense.

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