Broken & Damaged Love (11 page)

“Never mind. Forget I said anything.”

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

“You didn’t exactly give me a chance. I’m not exactly going to go up to every person I meet and announce hey, I’m Frank and I’m gay. Oh, and I have major issues with that.”

“Fair point.”

“Am I forgiven?”

“There’s nothing to forgive.”

Jake leaned his head closer to Frank’s and planted a tantalisingly soft kiss on his lips.

There was a silent pause as they both drew a hushed breath. Their eyes met and that surge of energy soared through them.

Frank drew nearer for more, and their eyes closed as their lips locked.

Jake’s hands went to Frank’s waist to draw him in closer, needing the bodily contact. The kiss deepened as their tongues glided together.

Frank felt Jake’s hands move round to his backside, and he welcomed the contact. He could feel Jake’s erection pressing against him. He was carried away in the flames of passion. As he pushed against him he heard and felt Jake moan into his mouth. It made him groan himself.

He wrapped his arms round Jake’s back, trying to pull him in even further.

Jake brought a hand up to Frank’s cheek as he slowly pulled his lips away. Frank immediately felt the profound loss.

“We should probably stop,” Jake whispered hoarsely, wiping his thumb across the remaining trail of tears.

“Why?”

“As much as I would love nothing more than to get you naked and chuck you on my bed right now I think you’d regret it.”

“Regret?”

“Yeah. I want your first time to be perfect. And right now it would be over in a flash.”

“You’re probably right,” Frank admitted glumly.

“It doesn’t mean I don’t want to.” Frank managed a strained smile at this.

“I need to take a shower. Make yourself at home here for a sec?” Jake suggested.

Frank was only too pleased to sit down; his legs were still shaking after the earth shattering kiss.

“I’ll be right back, and maybe we can find somewhere to go for lunch?”

Jake disappeared as soon as he got Frank’s assent.

Meanwhile, Tina had not been idle. Pete had left her in the café, but she’d felt something stir inside her; a sort of restlessness.

So she had driven out to a quiet spot. She’d pulled her sketchbook and supplies out from the back of her car, and started to stroll.

She walked some way along the path through the woods until she came to a bench.

It was cold, but she was happy to be outside and grateful it wasn’t raining. She brought her knees up to her chest and nestled into her coat as best she could and balanced her sketchpad on her knees.

Her pencil was poised but she couldn’t seem to find any inspiration. Her mind felt foggy.

For once, the trees were not soothing and her thoughts kept wandering back to the café. She was still a little cross that Pete had tried to interrogate her. She didn’t even know the guy.

But part of her had wanted to tell him everything. Somewhere under that scruffy, floppy dark hair was an amazing pair of blue eyes. Those eyes had felt like they were looking into her soul.

If she was honest with herself, it was that gaze more than his words which had rankled her; the way that stare saw straight through her somehow was unnerving.

As she thought about his ‘devil may care’ dress sense her pencil found its mark on her page. She began drawing a grizzly bear, just one with blue eyes. It sat there, staring out of the page with its head cocked to one side as if questioning its existence. Or was it quizzing her?

She was really cold by the time she’d got a rough sketch down, and Tina decided it was high time she went home.

She walked in through her front door, flicking out a brief, “Hi!” to her mum who was in the front room.

She barely heard the one word response as she went straight into the kitchen to make herself a hot cup of tea. Grabbing a couple of biscuits too, she took her hot drink up to her room, with her sketchpad tucked under her arm.

She wanted to develop the picture more and needed her precious paints to do it justice. A familiar dark forest loomed behind her bear, with goblins lurking in the darkness.

Tina really couldn’t decide if the goblins were on the same side and in cohorts with the bear, or if he was a barrier between them and was ready to defend her. Part of her wanted to trust Pete, but part of her was scared to.

After all, what good had ever come from any of the men in her life? Her one true protector had turned out to be the one to cause the most harm.

Her attempts at dating had only caused her more pain. There was Frank, but he had major issues himself. She shrugged off thoughts of Pete, deciding it was best not to dwell. Besides, she possibly wouldn’t see him again anyway. What was she worrying about? Even if he had been interested, she’d not exactly been open and friendly.

She picked up her study books and buried herself in numbers.

A couple of hours later, when Tina couldn’t fit any more facts and figures into her overstuffed brain it occurred to her she’d not heard from Frank. She sent him a quick text, asking how his apology had gone.

“Kissed and made up,” was his excited response.

“How are you?” pinged his next text.

“Bored!”

“We’re all off out for a curry. Fancy coming along?”

“Who’s we?”

“Usual crowd.”

“OK then. I’ll be over soon.”

Tina had time to get showered and changed.

Her tummy grumbled, and it suddenly occurred to her she’d not had lunch. She rubbed her stomach, promising it food soon.

She drove to Frank’s room, and was surprised to see Jake there. She’d just assumed he’d be at his own place by now. She managed a smile and a kiss on the cheek for him anyway.

“Hi Jake. I’m so glad you two cleared the air.”

“So am I,” he beamed.

“Happy?” she whispered into Frank’s ear as she kissed his cheek.

His answering grin said it all.

“Hi,” called a voice from deeper in the room.

Tina physically jumped.

“Hi Pete. I didn’t expect you to be here. You’re not off saving some soul then?” she quipped sarcastically.

“Night off for good behaviour,” he smiled.

“Hey, we’re just off to the curry house. Fancy tagging along?” asked Frank.

“Really? I could kill for a curry. You sure you don’t mind?” Pete replied, looking at Tina.

“Free country.” Tina shrugged.

“Great. I’ll get my coat,” Pete said cheekily, knowing full well she could fill in the rest of the chat-up line of ‘I’ve pulled’ in her mind.

Tina glowered at Frank with her teeth clenched whilst Pete had his back turned. He merely opened in his arms in a ‘what?’ sweet innocent look. They both knew he was trying to play match maker, but Tina wasn’t impressed at all. But her scowl turned into a smile by the time Pete was looking at her again.

The four walked down the road together, Frank next to Jake leading the way.

“I didn’t expect to see you again so soon,” Pete said quietly to Tina.

“I didn’t expect to see you again at all,” she bit back, biting her lip as she realised there was just a little bit too much venom with her words.

“Oh?” Pete was amused, damn him.

“Well no. I mean after earlier…and what I said…ooah!” Tina was blushing.

She was in a hole yet she kept on digging.

“And what did you say?” Pete’s eyes were sparkling with delight. 

Tina made the mistake of looking at them.

“Oh you know very well. Stop it.”

She nudged his arm.

“Stop what?”

She was lost as that sparkle increased and a toothy grin spread across his stupid face.

“You’re teasing me. You know very well I was rude. Look, I’m sorry for what it’s worth.”

“I thought you were delightful.”

She stopped in her tracks and looked at those blue eyes, which shone brightly, but were sincere.

“You did?” more lip biting and blushing accompanied her question.

“Yes,” he said simply as he motioned for them to carry on walking to catch up with the others.

As they approached the curry house Pete held the door open for Tina to walk through, and he couldn’t help but gaze longingly as her bottom wiggled as she walked ahead of him.

He somehow knew it wasn’t consciously done, not like some girls who walked provocatively. No, Tina just had a natural sexiness about her. He really wanted to have her, in every way possible as soon as possible. But he heeded Frank’s words of caution.

They made their way over to the table where the rest of the group were already sitting, pawing over the menu.

Introductions were made, and Pete was made to feel welcome. He decided instantly he liked them. They were soon laughing and joking as they placed their order.

“Chicken Tikka Masala?” he teased Tina with her predictably mild choice.

“What? I like the sweetness,” she replied, feeling the need to defend her choice, but then rankled as she wondered why she should feel the need to apologise.

“Not everybody has to try to prove themselves by selecting the spiciest thing they can. And actually, it doesn’t make you much of a man if you have to resort to that to impress someone. It just makes you look a bit of a dick.”

She really wasn’t taking any prisoners.

“Oooooh, buuuurrrn!” chided Fiona, proud of her friend for giving as good as she got.

“Actually, I just like some sourness with my sweetness.”

His mischievous grin told Tina she could apply that to herself as much as his curry.

The group chatted happily together as they munched through the stack of poppadoms and chutneys. And there was no shortage of beer either.

Pete had never felt so welcomed by a bunch of people before. There were 10 of them altogether, sitting around a large round table.

There was a real sense of community spirit as their main courses were brought out, and they all started sharing samples of each other’s curries.

“Here, you have to try some of this,” Pete commanded as he spooned some Chicken Madras onto Tina’s plate.

“Honestly, it’s not as spicy as you think. It’s not a Vindaloo, or anything.”

He felt the need to demonstrate that he hadn’t ordered his food as a show of being macho. 

When Tina shook her head he picked up a little of her pilau rice as well as a bit of his curry on his fork

“Open wide,” he commanded.

She shook her head again but he gave her a tender yet determined look which also said he wouldn’t accept defiance. It was a sort of head tilted, cocked eyebrow look. It worked, and Tina opened her mouth so he could feed her.

He watched hopefully as she let the flavours swirl around her mouth, savouring each one as they hit her tongue.

She softly closed her eyes with pleasure as she released an, “Mmmmm…that’s delicious!”

Pete’s mind was instantly wondering whether that’s what she looked like when she climaxed. He really wanted to find out, and to be the one to make her look like that. He was glad of the long tablecloth as it meant his erection was mercifully hidden.

“More?” he asked with another forkful poised.

And this Time Tina nodded eagerly.

“Do you want to try this?” she asked at the ready to feed him.

There was no argument, he gently opened his mouth to accept whatever she gave him.

“Augh! OK, that’s really good.”

He looked so damn sexy in that moment. And Tina found herself getting warm. For the first time in a very long time she felt desire starting to stir as their gazes met in mutual appreciation.

“Ahurgh,” coughed Fiona.

“Sorry, what?” they said in unison, slightly embarrassed.

“Oh, never mind,” she dismissed, deciding her question wasn’t worth repeating now.

The pair looked at each other, pulled a ‘what’s up with her’ face, shrugged and giggled.

With a great deal of effort they both dragged their attention back to the group conversation, but they kept glancing at each other now and again.

“I’m stuffed!” Pete declared, leaning back in his seat at the end of the meal.

“Me too,” agreed Frank, rubbing his over filled stomach.

“I was going to suggest heading out to a club…” Jake began.

“Oh no way, not for me I’m afraid,” Pete said. “Besides, I have to be up early tomorrow.”

“More placement work?” queried Tina, feeling slightly rejected.

“Afraid so.”

The foursome wandered back to Frank and Pete’s halls of residence.

“You can stay over if you want, I’ll sleep on the couch,” Pete told Tina.

“No thanks,” was her nervous response.

“No funny business I swear. I just don’t want you driving home when you’ve been drinking.”

“I thought you were meant to be observant?”

“Pardon?”

“Well Mr Smarty-pants, I was only drinking Coke all evening. I don’t drink and drive!”

“Oh, right you are then.” Pete had to accept a loss on this one.

“Nice try though,” she cajoled as she walked towards her car.

Pete went with her.

“I just wanted to make sure you got there safely.”

“I’m fine. Really the car park’s well lit, and I don’t see any Bogeymen around here.”

But secretly she was relieved.

“So, here we are then,” he said as they reached her car.

“Yep. Here we are.”

“So I’ll say goodnight then.”

“Goodnight.”

“Goodnight Tina.”

He was looking directly into her eyes again. Tina was confused. Part of her wanted to meet the kiss which she knew was waiting for her on his lips. But another part was terrified. She decided the latter was stronger and turned away quickly to open her door.

“See you again soon?” she half asked, half stated.

“Well, you know where I live. Drive safe!”

And with that Tina got into her car and drove off.

He felt pleased; he’d sensed her dilemma. It was a lot closer to a goodnight kiss than he’d thought he’d get. He had high hopes for this not being as long winded and difficult as Frank had said it would be.

Pete walked into the room to find Frank and Jake kissing.

“Sorry,” he said bashfully as he walked past with his head down.

He went straight into the bedroom.

“See,” Jake exclaimed.

“See what?” asked Frank.

“We didn’t burst into flames.”

“No, but it was awkward.”

“Only because it was two people kissing. He didn’t seem to mind it was two blokes.”

“Really?”

Jake rubbed Frank’s cheek. “Really. Relax.”

After one more snog Jake excused himself, “I have to go now.”

“Do you have to?”