Mark was nodding enthusiastically. “Man, you were a legend! You got suspended for?—”
Sam held up his hand to interrupt him. “For watching porn in a computer science lesson, yeah, I know.” He frowned. “I’m never going to live that down, am I? I keep forgetting what a small island this is.”
Mark chuckled. “Well, duh.” Sam regarded him for a moment and then smirked. Mark recalled how he and his mates had talked of nothing else for weeks. “I remember now. It was all round the school, how this kid had managed to get through all the protocols to watch porn on the school computer network. Man, we were all jealous as hell.”
“You wouldn’t have been if you’d heard what my parents said when they found out,” Sam groused. “Talk about an ear-bashing. I got grounded for two months, they took my laptop away from me, and if I wanted to use the computer for school stuff, I had to use my Dad’s… only I had to do it with him looking over my shoulder the whole time.” He grinned. “It made watching porn rather difficult.”
Mark winced. “Ooh, that sucks. I couldn’t have survived high school without porn.” The two men snickered.
Yeah,but my porn was probably very different to whatyouwere watching.Mark had spent ages searching for free porn on the Internet from the age of sixteen, when he’d first realized he was gay. And once he’d found it, there was no keeping him off it.
He tilted his head. “Wasn’t it Mr. Edwards who reported you to the Head Teacher?” Mr. Edwards had been the head of the ICT faculty.
Sam nodded. “Yeah, but he was also the one who went to bat for me when they were going to ban me from taking my exams. I needed those grades to get onto my university course.”
“That was decent of him, I suppose,” Mark admitted grudgingly. “By the way, what did you end up studying at uni?”
Sam sighed. “Computer programming.” There was a second or two’s delay before both men cracked up laughing.
They spent the next hour or two reminiscing about teachers they’d had in common and relating tales about all the things they’d got up to. It was the most relaxed conversation Mark could remember having in a long, long while. Sam waseasy-going and funny, yet Mark got the impression of an undercurrent of… something. He couldn’t put his finger on it. He found himself warming to the guy. Time seemed to pass quickly, so much so that Mark had a shock when he glanced up and saw the tide coming in.
“If we don’t get a move on, we’re going to get trapped by the tide,” he advised. Sam followed his gaze and nodded. They packed up their towels. Mark let out a gloomy sigh. “And now for the worst bit.” When Sam cocked his head, appearing puzzled, Mark gestured toward their bodies. “Once we get past the car park, we have to put the clothes back on. This might be a seaside town, but walking around with a bare chest? That gets you a lot of hard stares from the older generation.” He chuckled. “When I’m down here, it feels so natural being naked, I almost forget about having to get dressed.”
“Maybe the next time I come here, I should follow your example and take everything off.” Sam’s eyes twinkled. “But yeah, I can see how strolling up to the car park naked might cause a little consternation.”
Both men laughed as they began their walk back to the far end of the beach, taking their time. They strolled in bare feet along the shoreline, the lacy waves frothing around their ankles as the tide crawled its way up the beach, clawing at the pebbles. The sand was warm between Mark’s toes and the sun beat down on his bare shoulders. They didn’t talk as they strolled. Sam seemed in a world of his own.
Mark saw the slipway which marked the end of the beach. The morning had been very pleasant and he was reluctant for it to come to an end. He genuinely liked Sam. During their morning together, he’d come to see him less as an object of lust and more as a warm, personable man who was easy to get along with.
At last, they reached the car park. Mark turned to Sam and held out his hand.
“I suppose this is goodbye,” he said somewhat reluctantly.
Sam took his hand and held it for a moment, looking thoughtful. “Does it have to be?” he said. Both his tone and his expression seemed hopeful.
Mark stilled. “What do you mean?”
Sam flicked his head toward the far end of the car park. “It’s nearly lunchtime. Would… would you like to join me for a bite to eat?” His cheeks were suddenly tinged with pink again. “It’s just, I’ve had a really great morning talking with you, and to be honest, I don’t have anywhere else to be right now.” He peered anxiously at Mark. “We could go to Driftwood or one of the hotels on the sea front, if you like.” Driftwood was a bar on the beach that served food.
Mark was taken aback. It was gratifying Sam obviously felt the same way about their time together. He considered the proposition, which he had to admit was a tempting one.
“Please?” That hopeful light in Sam’s eyes was hard to resist.
That did it. “I’d love to.”
Sam’s beam of delight made the decision an easy one. And after all, since when was it a hardship to sit in the sunshine and have lunch with a new friend?
Chapter Four
Mark leanedback into his seat and relaxed, loving the warmth of the sun on his bare shoulders. They were sitting in the far corner of the beach bar, Mark resting his arms lightly on the wooden poles that ran around the perimeter of the bar. Fortunately, there’d been an empty table. Mark knew how busy this place could get. Sam faced him, sipping a Coke. Mark studied the man in front of him. Mark was twenty, so that made Sam approximately twenty-three. He’d got it right on Saturday: those blue eyes were stunning. But now Mark had the opportunity to really look at him, there was a vulnerability in Sam’s body language that he hadn’t spotted previously. Maybe it was Sam’s crossed arms, the way he avoided eye contact—not all the time, but yeah, enough to be noticed.
What goes on in that head of yours, hon?
The server arrived with their lunch and all such thoughts were forgotten as Mark dug in with enthusiasm. The sea air always made him hungry. Sam ate at a more sedate pace, looking out to sea at the sailboats and yachts which were making their way slowly around the eastern coast of the island. There were always more boats around the island during Cowes week, when it seemed as if half the world’s yachting fraternity descended onthe island for the boat races and speed trials. Most of the Cowes week activities were confined to the northern shores. The races were exciting enough, but Mark couldn’t stand to be among the yachties, with their designer clothes and inane chatter. Now the Friday night fireworks,thatwas another matter entirely. Live bands, lots of beer and a truly spectacular display to mark the end of the festivities…
Mark was looking forward to it.
The edge of his hunger somewhat dulled, Mark nibbled at the ham and cheese sandwich and picked at the side salad. He was amused to watch Sam carefully pushing the pickles to one side.
