Page 44 of Waiting for a Prince
Sam bit his lip. “Levi Karter’s. Apparently he was a really popular porn star about ten years ago.”
Mark snorted. “Well, make sure you keep it out of sight. I can see how trying to explain to Rebecca why you have a replica of a gay porn star’s arsehole might be rather difficult.”
Sam stilled, and Mark had the feeling he’d put his foot in it.
I said the R-word again, didn’t I?
Mark looked at Sam’s handsome face and was seized by the sudden desire to reveal why his kiss had blown Mark away.
“Seeing as it’s confession time,” he began, after drawing in a deep breath, “I want to say thank you.” Sam cocked his head,narrowing his eyes. “When you kissed me earlier….” He dried up, ashamed to share the importance of Sam’s impulsive action.
Sam reached across the table and brushed his fingertips lightly down Mark’s forearm. The simple gesture brought him a measure of calm.
He took another breath. “You said experience was good. Well,myexperience of sex so far has been confined to furtive hook-ups in club bathrooms. I meant what I said this morning—there has never been another soul in my bed until you slid into it in the early hours.” His chest tightened. “I’ve had sex in bathrooms, alleyways, dark corners of the dance floor”—Sam’s eyes grew positively huge—“but never in a bed. And until this morning…” He pressed his fingertips against Sam’s and then looked into his eyes. “No one had ever kissed me.”
Sam caught his breath. “I was your first kiss?” Mark nodded, unable to tear his eyes away from the joyful expression on Sam’s face. “Then we shared a first together. You were my first gay kiss, too.”
Warmth flooded through Mark. The silence that followed Sam’s words was a comfortable one, broken only by the appearance of Richard with two fresh cups of coffee. Mark gave him a grateful smile as Richard slipped quietly away.
Sam sipped his coffee and gazed out over the bay. The sandy beach was slowly filling with families: children running around, laughing and shrieking; dogs running into the waves, only to run back to their masters, shaking themselves violently and spraying water everywhere. It was an idyllic scene.
“Are we still okay?” Sam’s quietly spoken question broke through his contemplation. Mark gazed at him quizzically. “What I mean is, are we still friends?” Sam twisted his watch around his wrist.
Mark stared at him in surprise. “Of course,” he said vehemently. “Why would you ask that?”
Sam puffed out a breath. “Because of last night and this morning. What with me treating you badly, and then sneaking into your bed, and then?—”
“We’refine,” Mark stressed. “Honestly.” Sam’s friendship was important to him. “And Sam?” He grinned. “You’re a good kisser.”
Sam blushed profusely. “You, too.” He looked out to sea once more. “I love it here. This was a great idea.”
Sam may be older than I am, Mark thought,but he needs a keeper. Someone to take care of him.
Chapter Fifteen
They walkedalong the path which led past the lighthouse and around the corner to where a sea wall had been constructed out of heavy boulders held together tightly in metal netting. The waves pounded the rocks on the shore as Mark and Sam headed up the coastal path which rose steeply.
“So how do you come up with ideas for computer games?” Mark asked.
“Well, first you need to decide on your theme. Horror, fantasy, sci-fi, Super-hero, mystery… Once you know that, you have to figure out how your game will play. Will it be a role-playing game? A point-and-click adventure? An action games with shooters, or maybe a survival game.” Sam smiled. “I havesomany ideas.” He spent the next five minutes running through them, and Mark had to admit he was impressed. Then Sam’s face tightened. “But that’s not the tricky part.ThenI have to get my dad to agree to let me design one.” He shrugged. “Maybe he’ll let me do one and see how it goes. If it works out, he might let me do more of them.”
“I love your ideas. It’s great to hear original stuff that isn’t basically a rehash of some old, tired game done far too many times already.” Mark didn’t play often on his PS5, but he likedgames that made him think. “And if your dad won’t give you a shot, then maybe think about taking your ideas elsewhere. Trust me,someonewill snap them up.”
The path curved up to its highest point where a wooden bench had been placed, right at the cliff edge. Mark sat down, patting the sun-warmed wood beside him, and Sam joined him. For several minutes they stared out to sea, the only sounds the waves and the harsh cries of the seagulls as they rose up on the air currents along the cliff.
There were so many thoughts tumbling through Mark’s head, but only one that was persistent.
I think he’s heading for trouble.
Before he could say anything, Sam spoke.
“I really am sorry for reacting the way I did in the pub. It was just the last thing I’d expected to hear, that I was basically your walking fantasy. And it was easier to hide behind an angry façade than come out and tell you the truth.” His expression was glum. “I should have been honest with you.”
Mark cleared his throat. “Look, I know you don’t want to talk about what’s going on between you and Rebecca.” The words rushed out of him and he could have kicked himself when Sam tensed up yet again. Mark wasn’t going to give up this time. “And while I can’t pretend to understand it, I just want to say one thing. If you ever need to talk, aboutanything, I’m here for you.”
Sam’s shoulders slumped forward, and he pressed his palms to his eyes. “Thank you,” he said at last, his voice shaking. “You don’t know what it means to me to hear you say that.” He lowered his hands and looked Mark in the eye. “I could really use a friend right now.” Mark grasped Sam’s hand tightly and Sam looked down at their joined hands with a smile. He lifted his chin. “And for the record? I didn’t get into bed with you this morning so we could ma—have sex.” Those cheeks were pink again. “I simply wanted to be near you. But the impulse to kissyou was so strong, I couldn’t fight it.” He shook his head. “It… it won’t happen again.” His chin dropped to his chest.
“Sam.” Mark freed his hand and cupped Sam’s cheek, forcing Sam to look at him. “I won’t deny it: if you were single, this morning would have endedsodifferently.”
