Chapter 10
TEN
CARMINE
“Will you stop obsessing over it?” Samantha asked. “You’ve got to admit. It is unusual for a guy in his late thirties to still be in the closet.”
Carmine leant back in his chair and rubbed the bridge of his nose.
“I am not in the closet. I simply haven’t told my parents.”
“Or brother.”
Carmine got up and walked over to the window.
“I knew sharing a space with you would be a mistake,” he muttered. “A few more clients and we’re moving. Then I can have my own office.”
Samantha steepled her fingers and stared at him.
“Like you’d be able to keep me out. I’m serious, Carmine. Don’t fuck up something that’s really good because of a silly comment.”
He sighed. Mainly because she was right. Yet Noah’s words kept popping into his mind over and over again.
“I won’t,” he said. “But honestly, let’s be real. If we end up going public, people will wonder why is Noah with that old guy?”
“You’re hardly ready for the retirement home. Who cares about other people’s opinion anyway? Fuck them.”
Easy for her to say. Samantha had been dating a doctor around the same age for a week or two. She hadn’t stopped banging on about him.
“Come and sit,” she said. “You need to talk about it and I’m here. I promise I won’t try to shut you down.”
He perched on the edge of her desk and picked up a pencil. She immediately swiped it out of his hand.
“No fidgeting. It’s annoying.”
Carmine grabbed it back. “That is shutting me down.”
“Go on then. Unburden yourself.”
“Sometimes I make jokes and he doesn’t get it,” Carmine began. “The other night I threw a Gremlins reference out there. It sailed right over his head.”
Samantha appeared as if words were fighting to come out. To her credit she stayed silent and simply nodded.
“My ex cheated on me all the way through our relationship,” Carmine said. “I was the last person to find out. When one of his friends told me, it set off an avalanche. Literally everyone in my life had a story or had heard something.”
Samantha squeezed his knee. “That’s shit.”
“It was. People were so fucking two-faced about it.”
“Is that why you came home?”
Carmine shrugged. “Partially. When Dad had his heart attack, it really made me think about time and how much we have left.”
“Then all the more reason to apply that thinking to your relationship with Noah.”
“What if he cheats?”
“Then he cheats. What if he doesn’t?”
“I’m getting feelings, Sam. Like big ones.”
She smiled. “It’s terrifying. I know that. I’m in the same place. Barry keeps going on about medical shit when he’s with his friends. I sit there like a lemon.”
He glanced on her desk. She had a medical dictionary.
“You aren’t training to be a doctor, are you?”
“Don’t be stupid. I thought I might try and learn a few phrases.”
A realisation dawned on him. Love makes idiots of everyone. Samantha always came across as self-assured and ballsy. Yet, here she was reading a book she’d never understand to find a level to communicate with her man.
“You’re right,” he said. “But there’s something else.”
“Oh what now? Honestly, if the boss finds out you’re making me slack off, he’ll throw a hissy fit.”
Carmine scowled. “I do not throw hissy fits.”
“Sure,” she replied drily. “Spit it out then.”
“He’s so romantic.”
Samantha slammed her hand on the desk, making him jump. “What an arsehole. Dump him immediately.”
“Shut up,” he said. “I’m crap at romance. When people know I’m Italian, they think I’ll be amazing at it. He’s made dates our thing. Bowling. Night away. God knows what next. He’s got so much cash. I can’t impress him with a grand gesture.”
Samantha seemed lost in thought for a second.
“The most romantic thing a guy ever did for me was a picnic. By a stream in the sunshine. Absolutely perfect. Until a great big bull showed up.”
“We did a duvet picnic at the shepherd’s hut. Anyway, it’s just turned February. Hardly a blanket in a meadow weather.”
Then it struck him.
“Shit. I know exactly what I’m going to do.”
Carmine had hired a black Jeep Wrangler. It had been ages since he’d driven. Especially on what had become the wrong side of the road to him.
After a couple of near misses making his way out of Manchester, Carmine soon got the hang of it. Poor Noah had been totally confused when Carmine had told him that he’d pick him up from his house.
There was a degree of relief on Noah’s face as he walked across the car park at his apartment. Carmine beamed and laid his arm on the steering wheel in a manner he hoped said that he was totally in control of this beast.
“What’s going on here?” Noah asked as he hopped into the passenger side.
“Just a little surprise,” Carmine replied.
He kissed Noah. He’d never get sick of that. Noah’s lips were perfection.
Carmine fired the Jeep up and thanked his lucky stars he didn’t stall it as they drove out of the car park.
“You could’ve borrowed my car,” Noah said.
“That wouldn’t have had the same effect.”
Soon they had left the small Lancashire town and were in the surrounding countryside. Carmine had grown up running through the fields and playing in the woods. He never imagined he would be driving his footballer boyfriend around them.
“Hey. I know where you’re going,” Noah said.
Carmine didn’t reply. He was having too much fun.
In no time they were at the plot of land Noah had bought. The construction people were already laying foundations. It wouldn’t take long for the main structure to be in place. That was the easy bit. Then rooms would be crafted, and a home would appear.
Carmine had been regularly checking on progress. Of course, the weather had been against them. Northern English winter would do that to any project.
He parked up inside the gate.
“Now we’re here,” Noah said. “What have you got in mind?”
Carmine pulled the lever on Noah’s chair so it flopped backwards.
“What the—?”
Carmine leant over and traced Noah’s ear with his tongue.
“Remember when you said we should christen the new place?”
“Are you being serious?”
Carmine nibbled Noah’s neck. “Deadly,” he murmured.
“What if someone sees us?”
With the flick of another lever, Carmine dropped his seat so they were lying next to each other.
“All the windows are tinted,” he said, resting his hand on Noah’s chest. “And we haven’t passed anyone for about three miles. I think we’re safe.”
A glint appeared in Noah’s eye. Carmine loved to see it.
“I reckon we’d have more room in the back,” Noah said.
With some awkward manoeuvring, they got through. Carmine crawled on top of Noah and kissed him.
“This is very thoughtful,” Noah said.
Carmine felt Noah’s hard-on through the thin fabric of his tracksuit bottoms. He reached inside and squeezed.
“Fuck,” Noah whispered.
“Welcome home.”
The kiss he gave to Noah this time was carnal. The wave of want overwhelmed him. Noah’s hands were everywhere. He pushed Carmine onto his back and deftly unzipped his fly. Carmine was rock solid by the time Noah reached inside.
Noah shifted so he knelt above Carmine. His trackies were around his knees and his huge cock loomed tantalising close to Carmine’s mouth.
“Give it to me,” Carmine instructed.
He was rubbing his own cock now as Noah straddled him. With his free hand he grabbed Noah’s butt cheek. Digging his nails in.
Holding the roof for support, Noah guided his cock into Carmine’s mouth. Fuck, he could never get enough of this.
He gorged on Noah as he gently fucked his mouth. Suddenly shifted away. His ass grazing Carmine’s cock.
They hadn’t fucked yet. Neither had mentioned it and it was driving Carmine mad. Clearly not now but soon.
Noah roughly unbuttoned Carmine’s shirt, exposing his chest. He ran his fingers through Carmine’s hair.
It really turned Carmine on seeing the pleasure Noah took in his body hair.
They locked eyes as Noah massaged his cock.
“Come for me,” Carmine whispered.
Feverishly, Noah obeyed. He let out a moan as he came over Carmine’s chest.
Fuck that’s good.
Noah came to a juddering halt. Then in an instant he pulled his T-shirt off and cleaned Carmine. Although he would need a shower pretty soon. Noah had no idea about the reality of body hair. Especially where other body fluids were concerned.
Yet it appeared Noah was not for leaving yet. He scooted over to his side and repositioned himself so he was face to cock with Carmine. He glanced up at Carmine.
“This is supposed to be your treat,” Carmine said.
“You think this isn’t a treat?” Noah replied, nodding to Carmine’s solid dick. “Relax. Let me have my fun.”
Carmine certainly wasn’t going to argue.
Instead he let his body relax and his hand rest on Noah’s bare shoulder. He closed his eyes and let out a moan when Noah took his cock into his mouth.
Noah was an expert at giving blow jobs. Something Carmine had been delighted to discover and participate in since that first night. He liked to adapt the tempo at random. It kept Carmine in his control and Carmine loved it.
“Fuck, Noah.”
He wouldn’t last much longer. Even though he craved the release, he would mourn the feel of being inside Noah.
“Oh God,” he cried out, digging his fingers into Noah’s shoulder. “I’m coming.”
He arched his body and was slammed down by Noah. The explosion of pleasure bursting from his cock around his system. Carmine cried out again as his came.
Carmine tensed his whole body as the waves subsided. He settled against the seat. Noah sat up, wiping his mouth.
You sexy bastard.
“The best housewarming present I ever got.”
“I brought a blanket,” Carmine said.
Noah kissed him on the forehead. “Of course you did.”
They snuggled up and Noah made sure the blanket wrapped around both of them.
“I like your dates,” Noah said.
“Me too,” Carmine replied.
He ran his hand over Noah’s taut stomach and rested it on his hipbone.
“I’ve been thinking,” Noah said.
“Oh yes?”
“I’m going to set up a charity,” he announced. “It’s not enough to throw some money at this league. I want to provide care for people like Malcolm who aren’t lucky enough to have a brother who makes ridiculous amounts of money.”
Carmine raised his head to stare into Noah’s eyes.
“Do you even know how to do that?”
Noah shook his head. “I’ll find someone who does. That’s the thing about cash. You can pay an expert.”
Carmine kissed him passionately on the lips.
Noah was good through and through. Carmine had no idea what he’d done to deserve this. Either way, he wasn’t going to lose him, no matter what.
If that meant telling his parents about his sexuality, then so be it. The risk was too great not to.