SOAP

by

Gateroller

 

 

“It has to be big,” Jason insisted.  “Really big!”

 

“Big?”

 

“As big as we can get it.”

 

“Hmmmm, well that really is big,” Clark grinned.

 

Jason made coffee while Clark put away the groceries in their newly finished kitchen.  While Jason went off to change for work, Clark sat at the breakfast bar sipping his drink.  He remembered it was just ten months ago that he’d met the dark haired, slim hipped Jason.  He’d gone in search of a decent pair of running shoes, and having tried several stores, ended up in the sportswear store close to the park where he liked to exercise.

 

He’d drifted into the store and come out with the shoes plus he’d met Jason.  Clark had visited the store a number of times in pursuit of the shy and reticent young man.  By the time Clark had managed to get a date, his closet was full of unwanted tennis balls, golf balls and shuttlecocks.  Smiling, Clark wondered what Freud would have made of all those cocks and balls.  The footwear had fit him perfectly, but his budding relationship with Jason needed some adjustment.

 

At twenty-three, Jason was nearly ten years Clark’s junior, and inexperienced when it came to gay sex.  Initially, it hadn’t bothered Clark that Jason was unsure and lacked confidence.  Secretly he enjoyed tutoring his new partner in the art of seduction or in the practice of hard, fast, lustful coupling.

 

But ten months on, Jason’s view of himself as a lover was still on the starting blocks.  Clark had tried all sorts of different ruses to free up Jason’s creativity in the bedroom, but as yet, there were areas of their lovemaking he couldn’t bring himself to explore. 

 

Clark was a patient man, happy to give his partner the time and love he deserved.  Deep down he wanted more, but suppressed his own desires in favour of protecting Jason’s vulnerability.  Clark centred his affections within Jason’s small and strictly bounded comfort zone.

 

As Jason bounced down the stairs, Clark put down his coffee cup and went to give his lover a goodbye kiss.

 

Jason embraced him and nestled his cheek against Clark’s neck, brushing his cheekbone against Clark’s long sideburns.  Taking a deep breath, Jason took in Clark’s scent, and it went straight to his groin.  Groaning, Jason pulled himself away from Clark’s arms, giving the man a rueful smile.

 

“Sorry, but I really have to go,” Jason sighed.

 

“I know,” Clark said trying to get just one more kiss.

 

“Stop it!” Jason admonished.  “Save it till I get home!”

 

“I guess,” Clark laughed.

 

“And don’t forget, take a look at those bathroom catalogues.  We need to make some decisions.”

 

“You mean you want me to look at nipples and flanges?” Clark said and leered, his eyebrows waggling suggestively.

 

“Clark!” Jason growled.

 

“Okay, okay,” Clark laughed again, “Now shoo, or you will be late.”

 

-o-

 

A few hours later as the sun was setting, Clark pulled off his running shoes and made for the shower.  As he stood under the hot steaming water he thought about Jason’s words – Save it till I get home, and take a look at those bathroom catalogues.  Clark knew which of those two statements he’d rather focus on, but he also knew if he didn’t look at bathroom designs, Jason would be disappointed. 

 

In fairness, Clark could see Jason’s point.  Through the cascading water he studied the tiles, some were lifting and there were a couple with cracked glaze.  In fact the more he took notice, the more he could see just how small and tired the bathroom really was.  He towelled dry his hair, and pulled on his bathrobe.

 

Finding a few sheets of paper and a pen, Clark sat down in the living room with his coffee, and started to sketch out possible configurations.  If they could knock through the wall between their bedroom and the new bathroom, it would just be theirs, and then Clark smiled.  The new bathroom could be their wet playroom.  He liked that idea a lot.

 

-o-

 

By the time Jason got home, Clark had managed to scatter his sketches over the coffee table and the carpet, and was now snoozing.

 

“Huh?” Clark yawned as his awareness of his lover’s presence eventually made his stir.

 

“You’ve been busy,” Jason commented looking over Clark’s sketches.

 

Grabbing Jason’s arm Clark pulled him around the end of the sofa.  “C’mere,” he smiled, his blue eyes now closed again. 

 

Snuggling up to Clark on the couch, Jason’s hand went straight to Clark’s groin.  Jason gave a lop-sided grin as he felt the soft and pliant cock through the towelling fabric of Clark’s robe.  With any luck it wouldn’t stay that way for too long.

 

Kissing Clark’s lips yet again, Jason began to rub himself against his partner’s hip, moaning gently.  His hands travelled over Clark’s body, until with his desire building, he slid his fingers under the robe to search out warm skin.

 

Clark’s breath hitched as Jason made contact with the head of his cock, now hardening from his lover’s passionate kisses and insistent contact. 

 

Raising his hips, Clark hinted to Jason of his rising excitement.  With a smile, Jason slid off the sofa and onto his knees, leaned over Clark’s groin brushing dry lips over the sensitive head.

 

“Don’t tease, Jace,” Clark breathed, “Just suck me.”

 

Smiling against Clark’s shaft, Jason darted his tongue to swipe across the slit, spreading the pearl of fluid already leaking from it.  With his grip still in place, Jason began to stroke then took the top part of Clark’s length into his mouth, sucking and laving with the express intention of bringing him off.

 

Clark muttered and murmured as Jason worked him.  “Balls,” Clark choked unable to say much more.

 

Jason knew exactly what his lover wanted and with Clark’s cock still filling his mouth, Jason used his fingertips to gather up Clark’s balls and then palmed them gently.  He loved to hear the way Clark vocalised through their lovemaking.

 

Lifting his hips, and growling for more, Clark gasped, “Harder, Jace.”

 

Clark’s body arched and then relaxed through the last vestiges of his climax.  “Oh Jace,” Clark sighed, emptied and sated, “You’re too good,” he smiled pulling Jason on top of him to encircle the man in a tight embrace.  He loved to feel Jason’s weight on him.

 

After a few moments of recovery Clark kissed Jason and grinned.  “Your turn.  Drop your pants and jerk off, I wanna see you come.”

 

Blinking, Jason hesitated.  “I…um…”

 

“C’mon, Jace, it’s just you and me.  Show me how good you look when you come.”

 

“I…I can’t.  You know it makes me feel nervous when you watch me,” Jason said quietly, chewing at his lower lip.

 

“You’ve got no reason to be nervous in front of me, Jason.  You know I love everything about you,” Clark coaxed gently.

 

“You do it.  You…you finish me, you know I like you to do that,” Jason smiled edgily.  “Please?”

 

Clark couldn’t deny his partner anything, and so with the utmost patience and care, he sat up against the sofa arm and pulled Jason to sit in between his legs, his lover’s back resting against his chest.

 

Sliding his jeans off, Jason lay back and let Clark take his shaft watching him stroke with a strong hand.  This was what Jason liked – watching.  He loved to watch Clark come, as he loved to watch Clark make him come. 

 

What Jason couldn’t quite square was the circle of being watched.  He wasn’t sure why, he just knew he wasn’t attractive enough, or good enough to show off and be watched in the process.  He wished he could feel differently about himself, but he didn’t.  Thanks to his father telling him that perverts didn’t deserve affection, and his mother telling him that because he was gay he would spend his life chasing after little boys and abusing them, his coming out had not been a good experience.  It had left him with a lasting lack of self-confidence.

 

Jason’s pleasure rose as Clark drew out his excitement, pulling his climax from him.  He watched Clark’s hand pump, sliding back the foreskin and then covering the head of his cock as he moved it.  Fascinated by the way his body zinged through a touch that wasn’t his, Jason felt his balls tighten.  His orgasm spilled from his cock, as his yell of completion spilled from his throat.

 

Later, as they settled into bed with Jason groaning the sheets were cold, Clark snuggled against him. 

 

“I like you ideas for the bathroom,” Jason murmured.

 

“Mmmmm,” was all he got from Clark.

 

-o-

 

Sunday morning was Jason’s favourite day of the week.  It was the only day neither of them worked, so it always started with a long leisurely breakfast.  Clark sipped coffee while reading the paper.  Jason ate toast while studying Clark’s bathroom sketches again.

 

“I like these two best, but which one?” Jason smiled, drawing out two pages from the pile.

 

Clark grinned.  “You choose.”

 

“Oh, I couldn’t do that, not without your agreement.”

 

“C’mon, Jace.  What have we said about taking risks?”

 

“Yeah, but not with something like this, Clark.  I mean, this is going to cost big time!”

 

Clark just grunted and then sighed.  “Look, there’s someone I know who could do the job.  He installed a hot tub for a friend of mine.”

 

“Friend?” asked Jason, failing miserably to hide his jealousy.

 

“Yeah, I knew Mike at college.  He and I got on really well until he upped and married Margaret!”

 

“Oh.”  At least for Jason, this Mike was no threat.  Clark knew him a long time ago and the man had chosen a straight relationship.  “The contractor?” 

 

“Right.  Well, he works alone so it will take longer, but he’s good.  Let me call him tomorrow and I’ll ask him to drop by when he can.”

 

“His name?” Jason enquired.

 

“He’s called Charlie Grigson,” Clark said and poured more coffee.

 

-o-

 

Clark left Jason to deal with Grigson; he had a late business meeting, so having patted Jason’s shoulder, Clark tried to reassure his lover he would be able to interview the man by himself.  Clark hadn’t told Jason he’d already primed Charlie.

 

When Grigson arrived, Jason let him in.  Giving him a nervous smile, he offered coffee.  Indicating Charlie should sit, Jason took the chair opposite at the kitchen table.

 

“Clark made some sketches.  Would you like to see them?”

 

“Thanks, it’ll give me an idea of what you want,” Charlie nodded.

 

Quickly, Jason reached back to the kitchen counter, and grabbed the sheet of paper with Clark’s line drawings.

 

As Charlie studied the sketches, Jason studied Charlie.  With his head bent to look at the pictures, all Jason could see was a head full of dark curls and long eyelashes, lifting and moving slightly as he took in the plans of the bathroom. 

 

Blinking, Jason looked away.  What the heck was he doing staring at another man?  Clark was everything to him, he should not be scrutinising another.  Even so, what little he’d seen of Charlie was proving interesting.  He was about five feet ten inches tall, broad shouldered with tattoos on his forearms.

 

“These are useful,” Charlie commented, “but it would help to actually see the room you’re proposing to use.  Clark said something about using a bedroom?”

 

“Yes, follow me and I’ll show you,” Jason said, glad of something to do that wasn’t looking at Charlie.

 

Jason showed Charlie the room they wanted to use and explained the idea of knocking through the wall into their bedroom.

 

“It’s a really nice big space,” Charlie said with approval.  “You’d have plenty of room for everything you need plus some.”

 

“We were hoping for a large shower,” Jason added. 

 

Charlie smiled.  “I’d like to take some measurements, then I can produce a scale diagram for you.  I like to use my imagination too.”

 

For a moment Jason forgot to breathe.  Either he was hearing things or Charlie’s words were laced with the kind of suggestiveness he’d only ever heard from Clark.

 

“Imagination?” Jason asked, his voice producing a very badly timed and embarrassing squeak to its tone.

 

“Sure,” Charlie said in all seriousness.  “You want to be able to use this room to its fullest capacity, right?”

 

“Fullest capacity?”  Jason wanted to kick himself, he sounded like a naïve echo.

 

“You and Clark, well you’re not monks are you?”

 

“Monks?”  Damn, there was that echo again.

 

“Having a good time isn’t just for the bedroom, you know,” Charlie said quietly.

 

“No, well, yes, I knew that,” Jason said quickly. 

 

“And I gather from Clark you’d like some play equipment installed.”

 

“What?”

 

“Never mind,” the contractor laughed.  “When I’ve done with the scale drawings you’ll see what I mean.”

 

-o-

 

After Charlie left, Jason had to sit down.  His mind was awhirl with the suggestion of play equipment.  What the hell did he mean?  Jason’s mind ran through the familiar list of play stuff from trampolines to carousels, slides and sand pits.  None of it made any sense, and he decided to quiz Clark about it as soon as he got home. 

 

Play equipment indeed!

 

Jason had the feeling he was the butt of the joke for not knowing.  Either that or he was the victim of a conspiracy plotted between Clark and Charlie…

 

-o-

 

Jason couldn’t wait for Clark to get home.  It bothered him that he liked Charlie, and he needed to speak to Clark about it.  He also wanted to know what ‘play equipment’ meant. 

 

It was times like this Jason cursed his limited experience.  After his parents had given him such a hard time when he came out, he’d been very careful about his choice of partners, in fact he’d had very few by the time he met Clark.

 

He’d watched men, observed them dating and mating in various bars, but he’d always felt on the outside looking in.  A few men had approached him, and he’d gone with them more out of curiosity than genuine attraction.  The man he’d had an on/off affair with before meeting Clark had told him he was useless, just a young kid with no idea.  It had hurt him badly when he figured out he’d been used for the other man’s convenience, and then tossed aside. 

 

When Jason met Clark he was very cautious indeed, and it had taken Clark several visits to the sportswear store to persuade him on a date.  Despite Jason’s reticence, Clark had bowled him over, he was gracious, tender and patient, all the attributes Jason needed. 

 

And how was Jason repaying his lover’s care and attention?  He was eyeing up another man.

 

Few people would ever willingly tell their partners about being attracted to someone else, and Jason was quite sure he wasn’t so much attracted to Charlie Grigson, as just a little curious. 

 

Right? 

 

Right.     

 

-o-

 

“Did Charlie come by?” Clark enquired as he took off his suit jacket and loosened his tie.

 

“Yes,” Jason nodded, his mind still focused on all the possible permutations for ‘play equipment’.

 

“So, what did you think?”

 

“He thought your sketches were useful.”

 

“Ah ha.  And what did you think?”  Clark pulled off his shoes and slumped down on the sofa.

 

“Well, he took some measurements, and said he’d do some scale drawings.”

 

“That’s good, and what did you think?”

 

Jason frowned, and pinned his partner with a stare.  “He mentioned play equipment.”

 

“And what did you think?”  Clark’s voice raised in volume and pitch, his exasperation clearly sounding in his voice.

 

Either Jason was avoiding his enquiry or he was just being dense, which was not like him at all.  That’s why Clark loved him, not because he was dense, but because he wasn’t!

 

“Think?”  Jason shook his head.  “You haven’t answered my question about the play equipment.”

 

“I asked first,” retorted Clark, his chin jutting defiantly. 

 

Jason knew he wasn’t going to get any further.  Clark could be a stubborn son of a…  ”He was nice,” Jason conceded.

 

“Nice?” Clark threw back.  “Nice?”

 

“Well, he was,” said Jason, fully aware of the whining tone developing in his voice.

 

A slow enigmatic smile played across Clark’s lips.

 

“What?” Jason demanded to know.

 

“Nothing,” Clark said, and his smile broadened.

 

“What about my question?  The one about play equipment.”

 

Clark leaned forward slowly, and spoke quietly.  “Ever wanted to be tied up and have warm water cascading over your body?”

 

Jason swallowed as his eyes widened.

 

“How about being fucked in the tub, Jace?”

 

Jason’s mouth dropped open.

 

“Ever thought about having your ass lathered while you hold on to a grab bar?”

 

A small choking sound emanated from Jason’s throat. 

 

The thought of looking at Clark’s lean, naked body tied up and Jason with a showerhead in his hand had the blood racing to his groin.  Not once did he consider the possibility that he was really the object of Clark’s vision.

 

With his brain cells rapidly following his blood supply south, Jason grabbed Clark and bundled him off to the bedroom.  The notion of exhibitionism, just a small seed at this point, began to germinate in Jason’s mind.  Thoughts of using the ‘play’ equipment seemed much more attractive than trying to work out play ‘equipment’.

 

-o-

 

Charlie had the scale drawings and called by to deliver them.  He and Jason settled at the kitchen table and Charlie spread out the plans for the new bathroom.  Everything seemed in order, and Jason went along with Charlie’s narrative until he mentioned some unexpected additions.

 

“You’re going to put in a grab bar?” Jason asked, secretly pleased at the proposal, but wanting to know the detail.

 

“It’s actually a tubular frame with long uprights and a cross bar that I’ll fix to the floor.  That way I can make sure it’s securely anchored, you know, to take a lot of weight or tension on it.  Naturally it’ll be in chrome, nice and shiny and smooth,” Charlie went on.  “I can add moulded grips to it if you want.”

 

Blinking, Jason didn’t know what to say, he was out of his depth already.  “Maybe you should discuss that with Clark,” he said quickly.  “Are there any other extras you want to suggest?”

 

“There’s a great Italian shower design big enough to accommodate two adults under it, or even four,” Charlie smiled.

 

“Four?”

 

“It’s a big shower!  Fornara and Maulini do great showers.  You could have a shower array that’s eight feet by six feet if you wanted.”

 

“Wow, that is big.”

 

“Yeah, it’s like standing in the rain only it’s warm.”

 

“You don’t think that’s rather over the top?”  Jason tried to imagine such an arrangement.  He liked Clark’s idea of being tied up under a cascade of water, but he wouldn’t want to drown in the execution of it.

 

Charlie laughed, and Jason felt his stomach flutter.  That response was back, and it bothered him.  He loved Clark, and felt as guilty as hell he was responding so readily to the intense and creative Charlie.

 

At that moment, Clark arrived home and Jason flushed with remorse.  Shifting uncomfortably in his seat, Jason tried to mask his feelings, warring as they were in his head.

 

Hi,” Clark said, and for a moment, looked between the two men already sitting at the table. 

 

-o-

 

Jason and Clark were getting ready for bed.

 

“You like Charlie,” Clark observed as he pulled back the bed covers.

 

Jason was taken aback at Clark’s bald statement.  “What?”

 

“C’mon, Jace, admit it.  You find him attractive.”

 

“Do I?”

 

“Don’t prevaricate.  It was written all over your face when I got home.”

 

“I’m sorry, Clark.  You know I’d never do anything about it.  Yes, I do find him interesting, but not enough to follow it up.  You have to believe me.”

 

“Hey, don’t get upset,” said Clark gently as he cradled Jason to him.  “I know you wouldn’t hurt me, just as I’d never hurt you, but there’s nothing wrong in a little window shopping.  I know you well enough that you wouldn’t buy.”

 

“But I feel so guilty, like I’ve betrayed you, Clark.”  Pulling away, Jason stood by the bed and covered himself with his discarded shirt.

 

Clark could see the way Jason was trying to hide himself, covering up his body as a way of atoning for his guilt.  Damn his parents and his last partner’s comments about him being no good, for making him such a head case.

 

“Don’t do this to yourself, Jace,” Clark said quietly and stretched out his hand.  Jason took it, allowing his lover to lead him back to the bed.

 

“Everyone has a passing fancy for someone else from time to time, but that doesn’t mean they have to act on it, so don’t beat yourself up about it.”

 

Running the back of his hand over Jason’s cheek, Clark kissed him tenderly.  “You know I love you, no matter what,” he whispered and deepened his kiss.  Clark took his time, cosseting and caressing his partner’s body, reassuring him with each gentle contact.

 

Clark knew just how to re-establish Jason’s confidence, and as his eyes darkened with arousal he shifted his position to his knees and straddled Jason’s hips.

 

Stroking his erection slowly, Clark fixed his gaze on his lover’s eyes.  “Watch me,” he rasped, “Look at what you do to me.”

 

Jason focused on Clark’s movements, his eyes unblinking as he watched the detail of his partner’s action.  He was always highly aroused by the way Clark seduced his senses by appealing to his voyeuristic tendencies.  With his view sliding between Clark’s gripping and twisting hand on his hardened penis, to his already hooded eyes, Jason’s breath hitched and his excitement flared.

 

“Oh God, Clark,” he gasped, his voice low and possessive. 

 

Propping himself up on one elbow, Jason burrowed his hand between Clark’s inner thighs to search out his lover’s entrance, circling it with a fingertip.

 

Clark groaned and closed his eyes as his pleasure intensified.  Shuffling forward on his knees, he increased the stroking rhythm on his cock then let go of it, planting his hands against the wall above Jason’s head.  Licking his lips, Jason opened his mouth, Clark pressing his leaking cock inside, and rocking his hips.

 

Jason gripped Clark’s buttocks, kneading and massaging, encouraging his partner to lean further forward and penetrate deeper.  When he pushed his finger into Clark’s ass, he knew the man would come.  Swallowing, Jason took Clark’s semen, sucking on the wilting penis until Clark whimpered from the sensitivity, withdrawing and sighing.

 

Clark waited for Jason to enter him, and after a few moments looked at him with a questioning expression.

 

“Too late,” Jason smiled.  “I came when you did.”

 

Glancing at Jason’s come-splattered abdomen, Clark smiled back.  “That good, huh?”

 

“Oh yeah,” Jason grinned with satisfaction.

 

-o-

 

The night before Charlie was due to start work on the new bathroom Clark and Jason had argued about Jason wanting to take time off to keep on eye on the contractor’s progress.

 

“There’s no need, Jace.  Charlie is very capable.  I just don’t understand why you won’t trust him.”

 

“It’s not that, I just want to make sure everything’s okay,” Jason said.

 

“You just want to watch him,” Clark laughed.

 

Jason coloured up, and wouldn’t look at his partner. 

 

“Shit!  I was right,” Clark grinned.  “You wanna get an eye full!”

 

“No!  No, Clark, you’ve got it wrong.  It’s not like that, I just want to make sure things go according to plan.” 

 

“And without Charlie telling you, would you know if things weren’t going to plan?”

 

“Well, no, probably not,” Jason conceded.

 

“Look, stop being such a fuss-ass and come to bed.  Charlie will be fine, believe me.  Just let the man do his job, Jace.”

 

-o-

 

By the time Jason got home, he could taste and smell the dust in the air.  Taking the stairs two at a time he wanted to see how much progress Charlie had managed to make during the intervening eight hours since he’d left for work.

 

As he turned from the top of the stairs towards the landing, he stopped dead, shocked by the thick layer of dust on the carpet.  Looking behind him where he’d walked, he could see his own footprints tracking along the hallway.  Hesitating, Jason decided it might be better to wait in the kitchen downstairs, and called to Charlie to let him know he was home.

 

Drinking his coffee, Jason scanned the kitchen and groaned.  There was a film of dust covering every surface.  So it was true.  Construction dust got everywhere.

 

About an hour later, Jason heard Charlie coming down the stairs, and stepping out to meet him, asked how things were going.

 

“Good,” Charlie smiled.  “The window is out, and oh, don’t worry, it’s boarded so you’re safe from intruders!  You now have an entryway between your bedroom and the bathroom.”

 

“Can I take a look?”

 

“You could, but you might want to contain your curiosity for a couple of days.  It would be best to wait until I’ve done all the messy work and then I’ll clean up.  I’m afraid you’re gonna have dust in the house for a while yet.”

 

Jason nodded.  Looking at Charlie he realised just how dirty and grimy the man was.  The laughter lines around his eyes showed up like pale streaks against the much dirtier skin on the rest of his face.

 

“Do you want to use the shower?  You can clean up before you leave if you want.”

 

“Well, I…no, it’ll be okay.  I’ll shower when I get home.”

 

“Okay, but you know you’re welcome to use it any time you want to,” Jason offered.

 

“Maybe another time,” Charlie said, and hefting his large rucksack, held up a very dirty hand in farewell.  “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he grinned.

 

-o-

 

When Charlie had gone, Jason wandered around the house just staring at the dirt, occasionally running his fingertips across a flat surface and inspecting the deposit of dust.  He should try and clean up a little before Clark arrived home.  It was the least he could do while his hard working partner was out earning the lion’s share of their joint income.

 

Peering into the freezer drawers, Jason wondered what to cook.  It wasn’t real cooking he knew, but having spent the last two hours trying to clean he was running out of time to concoct something from fresh ingredients.  Instead he pulled out a couple of TV dinners and opened the microwave.

 

Sitting at the kitchen table, already set out, Jason waited for Clark.  His mind wandered from his partner to the contractor, and an unbidden image filling his head of Charlie Grigson soaping himself clean in his shower. 

 

Jason started when he heard the front door open.

 

“Sorry I’m late, the traffic was murder,” Clark said as he breezed into the kitchen.

 

“S’okay.  Thought I’d offer you my best culinary effort,” Jason smiled.

 

“A TV dinner?” Clark laughed as he glanced over his lover’s shoulder.  “That looks mighty good!” he said sarcastically.

 

“Would you rather go out?” Jason asked, frowning at the less than appetising mush in the trays.

 

“No, I’m tired.  We had a rush on, and now my poor head hurts,” Clark said brushing his hand down Jason’s flank.  “Let’s just eat and relax.  We could watch TV, then our food will be perfect for the occasion!”

 

That night, as Clark snored gently, Jason lay awake at his side, his imagination moving the soapy washcloth over Charlie Grigson’s wet body.  His imagination was giving him pleasure, and that in turn, gave him pain.

 

-o-

 

For the next few days Charlie continued his banging, thumping and sawing behind sealed doors.  Jason had called to him and offered him coffee but he’d refused, and inexplicably, Jason felt disappointed.

 

Towards the end of the week, Clark was away on a business trip, leaving Jason alone in the house on his days off, except for the industrious Grigson.

 

At the end of his working day, Charlie came down the stairs and Jason met him.

 

“Everything okay, Charlie?”

 

“Sure,” the contractor nodded.  “Um…would you mind if I used the old shower?” he asked awkwardly.  “I don’t make a habit of using a client’s facilities, but I’d plan to meet some friends tonight and I’m running late.  You’d be doing me a great favour, if it’s okay.”

 

“Of course you can use the shower!” Jason smiled.  “There are fresh towels on the shelf.  The shampoo is in the rack.  Is there anything else you need?”

 

“No, that’s fine, thank you.”  Charlie gave Jason a heart-stopping smile.  “I won’t be long,” he said, his thumb over his shoulder to indicate the general direction of the current bathroom.

 

“Right, yes,” Jason said smiling.

 

-o-

 

Jason sat down in the silence of the kitchen, and then after a few moments, leaped from his chair.  “Soap!”

 

Tapping on the bathroom door, Jason pressed his ear against the wood and listened.  “Charlie?  I forgot the soap.  There’s hardly any left, I’ve got you a new bar.”

 

The door opened slowly and Jason blinked.  Charlie had a towel wrapped around his waist, but otherwise was naked.  Jason didn’t know where to look.  He knew where he’d like to look, but instead with averted eyes, proffered the new bar of soap.

 

Charlie sensed Jason’s embarrassment.  “Sorry, didn’t realise me being undressed would cause you a problem,” he said quietly.

 

“It doesn’t!” Jason lied.  “I mean, we’re guys right?  You know what they say, seen one, seen ‘em all.”

 

“Yeah, I guess,” Charlie replied, and shifted where he stood.

 

Jason noticed and realised he was keeping the man from his shower.  Raising his hand in apology, Jason stepped away to the sound of his heartbeat resounding in his ears.

 

-o-

 

“I felt so stupid,” Jason muttered, “I mean there he was with almost nothing on, and me holding a bar of soap.  What an idiot!”

 

“I’m sure Charlie never thought anything of it, Jace,” Clark remarked as he plumped his pillow.

 

Jason frowned, deep lines etched between his eyebrows.  “He probably thought I was trying to get a look at him naked,” he groaned.

 

Clark stopped plumping for a moment.  “Did you?”

 

“Did I what?” Jason asked distractedly.  He was still channelling embarrassment.

 

“Did you get a look at the naked Charlie?”

 

“He was only semi-naked, Clark.”

 

“Did you?”

 

“Did I wha…?  Oh all right!  Yes, I did!”

 

Clark grinned wolfishly.

 

“You’re enjoying this,” Jason snarled.

 

“Who me?”

 

“Yes, you!”

 

“Okay, you got me.”

 

“Why are you so interested in whether I find Charlie attractive?”

 

“It turns me on,” Clark whispered huskily.

 

“It does?” Jason asked in surprise.

 

Looking at Clark, Jason could see his darkening pupils widen with arousal.  “It does,” Jason confirmed softly.

 

Nuzzling Jason’s neck, Clark sought out an earlobe and sucked languorously.

 

That so familiar yet always exciting ripple of heat began to build in Jason’s groin.

 

“I’d like to see you with him.  I’d like to watch you.”

 

Suddenly the excitement drained away and the tide receded.  Jason was shocked.  He’d always thought Clark was a one-man guy, and that he was in favour of a monogamous relationship.  Jason had never figured Clark for the kind of man who would knowingly enjoy his partner being with another.

 

Clark could read Jason’s face like a book.  “You know I don’t want an open relationship, I’m not that sort of man, but just the thought of watching you in full flight is very, very hot!”

 

Narrowing his eyes, Jason asked, “And what if I don’t want to?”

 

“Then you don’t.  Look, Jace, I would never ask you or expect you to do something you’re not comfortable with.  It was just a passing thought, so don’t think anymore about it, okay?”

 

Nodding slowly, Jason climbed into bed next to Clark and laid his head alongside his partner’s.  Sighing, he closed his eyes. 

 

Could he do what Clark was suggesting?  Could he put himself out there, on a limb and seduce Charlie?  Would Charlie even want to do it with him?  Did Clark understand what a risk Jason would be taking?  It wasn’t about catching anything nasty, there were condoms to avoid that; it was about his own fragile, lack of confidence.  If Charlie were to reject his advances, Jason thought he would probably never get over it.  It might be a risk too far.

 

-o-

 

Over the next few weeks, Jason knew he was distracted, and disconcerted.  He couldn’t help thinking about what Clark had said, and how aroused it made Clark.  It made him feel aroused too.  Jason also knew he needed to make a decision one way, or the other, just to put himself out of his misery.  He knew he was being indecisive, vacillating between refusing and agreeing, and he really should deal with it.  

 

Clark was just putting down the phone when Jason got home from work.

 

“Hey,” Clark said getting up from the sofa and kissing his lover hello.  “Good day?”

 

“Yeah, I guess,” replied Jason thoughtfully.

 

“You don’t sound too sure,” Clark observed.

 

“Hmmmm?  Oh, no, I’m fine, really,” Jason said and tried to pull himself together.  “Have you seen the bathroom?  Charlie told me this morning that it’s almost done, just some cleaning left to do.”

 

“Yeah, it looks great even though it still needs a polish!”

 

“I’m off tomorrow, I could give him a hand,” Jason stated enthusiastically.  “We could be sharing a shower this time tomorrow night!”

 

“Yeah, that’s what I was planning,” Clark smiled knowingly. 

 

-o-

 

Charlie arrived later than usual, reassuring Jason it would be a short working day for him; he had little more to do in the bathroom except clean it, and collect his tools and equipment.

 

“Can I help?  I’d like to,” Jason grinned unable to contain his excitement that things were finally coming together.

 

Together they went into the new bathroom, ready for the final few hours work.  Jason stood and watched for a few moments.  There was Charlie in a muscle shirt and tight faded jeans wiping down the tiled walls.  His strong muscular body flexed and stretched as he worked and Jason tried to corral his reptile brain.

 

Looking at Jason, Charlie smiled.  “You still up to cleaning?”

 

Nodding mutely, Jason dragged his eyes away from smooth hard shoulders to the cloth Charlie was holding out to him.  As Jason took it, Charlie’s fingertips made contact with his hand, and lingering, he circled his thumb over Jason’s palm.

 

Feeling the spike of suggestive pleasure run from his hand to his groin, Jason had to make a split second decision, to move his hand away or fix his gaze on Charlie’s eyes and leave his palm open to indicate his willingness to go further.

 

Jason couldn’t quite work out why all of a sudden, Charlie was coming on to him unless…had Clark put him up to this?

 

Charlie’s eyes softened, and he held Jason’s look.  Jason responded by lifting his hand slightly to push against Charlie’s fingertip.  Charlie cupped Jason’s hand and continued his circling motion.  Jason gasped at Charlie’s sensuous touch, and when Charlie drew his middle finger along Jason’s several times, he gasped again.

 

Straightening his arm, Jason invited Charlie to run his contact up the limb to his shoulder.  The man’s touch electrified him and he shivered in response.

 

Was his body betraying him, making him disloyal to Clark?  Jason knew he didn’t have any emotional investment in Charlie, not like he did with Clark.  That didn’t mean he didn’t care about Charlie, just that he knew this was a one-off deal based on pleasure, and for Jason, curiosity.

 

His voyeurism had propelled him a step closer to participation and exhibitionism.

 

As Charlie’s hand explored Jason’s shoulder and chest, his other hand dropped to undo the metal fastener of his faded jeans, and then pull down the zip, which made that unmistakable metallic slide.  Jason’s ears tuned to the sound like radar, and his mouth went dry.

 

Charlie’s chest-roaming hand snaked around to the back of Jason’s neck and pulled him closer, his lips parting in anticipation of a kiss.

 

Full of fire, Jason’s lust ignited and he kissed Charlie thoroughly, his mouth demanding his partner respond.

 

Pushing, testing, Jason pressed against Charlie’s body and Charlie shuffled backwards until his butt came into contact with the hard tiles.  Before he could take a breath, Jason’s hands came up either side of his body, groping for the shower valve.  Slapping his hand against the touch sensor, water suddenly cascaded from the large pierced chromium plate above their heads, rapidly drenching them.

 

Both men breathed in, momentarily shocked by the impact of the water.

 

Jason pushed off from the wall and began to strip, peeling off his sodden clothes.  Charlie began to follow suit, but Jason stopped him.

 

“Me first,” he said, his words interrupting the downward flow of water over his face and mouth, droplets spattering in all directions from his lips.  “I want you to watch me,” he stated firmly, and having pulled off his socks and sneakers, now pushed his trousers down his legs, the resistance of the wet fabric no limit to Jason’s need to show off his naked body.

 

The bathroom door opened slowly and silently as Clark peered around the door to see Charlie being pressed against the wall.  When he heard his lover tell Charlie he wanted to be watched, he quickly stepped back into the bedroom. 

 

Grinning broadly, Clark wanted to clap his hands and whoop in triumph.  Jason had finally decided he could show off his body to a relative stranger.  The active word in this situation was show, meaning to exhibit.  Clark just hoped Jason would move towards actually being an exhibitionist.

 

Needing to watch his lover, Clark quietly undressed and put his head around the bathroom door again.  His mouth dropped open and his dick responded.

 

Jason was standing naked beneath the shower and showing off to Charlie.  With a firm grip on his rock hard cock, Jason stroked slowly, his eyes pinning the wet, but still clothed, Charlie.

 

Clark took a step to enter the bathroom, his erection stiffening nicely in anticipation.  What Clark saw next floored him.

 

By now Charlie was wrenching at his soaked clothing to strip himself, which was what Jason had now told him to do.

 

Blinking hard, it took a few moments for Clark to take in the details of what Jason was doing.

 

With his legs spread wide and his knees bent, he was presenting his asshole to Charlie.  Clark bit down on his lip to keep from distracting his lover who was apparently still oblivious to his presence.

 

“Look at me,” Jason rasped.  “Watch what I’m going to do next,” he went on, and reached to the tiled niche in the wall that he’d already filled with supplies including a large tube of lubricating gel.

 

Reducing the water flow of the shower, Jason took up his previous position of spread thighs and bent knees, and this time took his lubed fingers and delved into his ass.

 

“Watch me!” he hissed, throwing out his order to Charlie.  “And you, Clark.”

 

Clark stopped stroking himself when he heard Jason’s words, shocked at how authoritative his lover sounded, pleasure spiking through his groin, and he grinned; Jason knew he was there.

 

Charlie and Clark watched avidly as Jason slid his fingers into his ass and worked them.

 

With darkening eyes, Charlie touched his cock, pulling at it rapidly and groaning.

 

Clark stepped close to Jason and reached between his thighs to hold his swinging balls, his fingers playing the sensitive orbs.  He slicked his fingers and stilled Jason’s energetic finger fucking, placing both of his lover’s hands on the specially fitted chrome bar of the stand that Charlie had installed.

 

Clark substituted Jason’s fingers with his own and continued to work him, drawing his lover’s pleasure to join his own.

 

“Now you,” Jason panted, straightening up.  Clark pulled his fingers away and took his place at the bar, his physical position stimulating his arousal even more.  He never believed Jason could behave like this, and not only in front of him, but also for the benefit of someone else, namely Charlie.

 

Suckling Clark’s neck as he fingered his lover’s asshole, Jason felt the force of his passion build.  This episode starting with Charlie and finishing with Clark had unleashed something in him that had liberated his lust and swept away his inhibitions.

 

Hanging his head between his shoulders, Clark panted as Jason entered him, and holding Clark’s hips, Jason began to move, pumping slowly.

 

“Charlie,” Jason hissed, “Get around the front and suck him off,” he ordered.

 

Charlie did as he was told, grabbing the bar either side of Clark’s hands, sinking to his knees and opening his mouth to swallow Clark’s cock.

 

Clark yelled his growing excitement.

 

With great verve and finesse, Jason manipulated Clark’s pleasure, brushing the head of his cock against Clark’s prostate, or by controlling the rhythm of his hips as he ploughed Clark’s ass.  He felt more than good, in fact he felt fantastic.  How right he was to be gay, and how wrong his parents had been.

 

A newly acquired strength surged through Jason’s body as he hurtled towards completion.  He came hard, his voice echoing the timpani of his heart and the pulse of his orgasm.  Now he knew he could be both voyeur and exhibitionist.  Fucking Clark the way he had marked a sea change in Jason’s attitude to his partner and to himself.

 

Leaning against the bar, Jason embraced Clark and they kissed.  Charlie sidestepped his way towards the towel shelf when Jason caught his arm.  Kissing Charlie deeply, Jason eventually let go of him.

 

“Thank you, Charlie,” he smiled.  “Without you I would have continued to be less than I am.”

 

-o-

 

Leaving Clark and Jason to enjoy their new bathroom, Charlie left the house.  As he closed the front door his cell phone vibrated in his pocket.

 

“Hey, Mike,” Charlie said trying to put on his jacket one handed.  “The holidays?  Thanks, Mike, that would be great.”

 

The End

 

On to STEAM