Page 43

Chapter 5

Robert didn’t join Liam in the shower, partly because it was too small to fit a pair of men their size, but mostly because he wanted to watch.

Built into the corner of the bathroom, the shower’s glass walls were fully transparent, not smoky or marbled or made otherwise translucent for privacy’s sake. So there was nothing to obscure the sight of Liam’s naked body.

Fully dressed and standing in the opposite corner, Robert simply observed.

They’d showered together many times, but he’d never noticed how Liam wet the bar of soap by lifting it into the water spray much farther than necessary—at nearly throat height—and turning his face aside to avoid the resulting splash. Did he think the soap got wetter faster by putting it closer to the shower nozzle? Perhaps it was a habit borne of the poor water pressure in his childhood flat. Robert remembered it well, as he’d lived with the Carrolls for ten months when he was sixteen, between the time of his father’s death and the start of university.

“You’re staring.” Liam’s voice echoed against the green tile walls. He met Robert’s eyes as he soaped his broad chest, then swept his fingers up beneath his rib cage to emphasize his abs.

“I know.”

“I like when you stare.”

“I know.” Robert licked his lips as Liam used one sudsy hand to stroke his cock and the other to reach back between his cheeks. Soon he would taste Liam everywhere, tracing his tongue over each angle and curve as if for the first time.

Just as steam began to obscure the shower walls, turning the spectacle from hardcore porn to softcore, Liam switched off the water and pushed the doors aside on their track. “Towel, please, my good man?”

Robert stepped forward with the towel, stopping just out of Liam’s reach. “Come here and I’ll dry you.”

“Oh, special.”

Robert started with his head, scrubbing the hair that had turned nearly black in its wetness, then worked his way down—quickly, because Liam was shivering.

He finished with Liam’s feet, then folded the towel and set it on the floor.

“What are you—ah,” Liam said as Robert knelt upon the damp towel. His next utterance was a series of rising gasps, in response to Robert nuzzling his balls. “Okay, this is seriously hot with me naked and you completely dressed.”

Robert drew his nose against the right side of Liam’s sack. “You smell good. I wonder how you’ll taste.”

Liam gripped the sink to his right. “Gonnae find out?”

“Aye,” Robert said with a heavy breath against this most sensitive skin. Liam’s cock jerked, begging for equal time.

Robert licked a line up the center of Liam’s sack, then flicked his tongue back and forth between his balls, as though deciding which to try first. He chose the left one, wrapping his lips carefully around the warm mass that seemed to half-melt in his mouth, suspended in a state between solid and liquid.

He lifted his chin to watch Liam, whose lips and cheeks were flushed pink, just as they’d been when he’d come in from the cold at the Tesco. Liam’s chest began to heave with his quickening breath, his ribs expanding and contracting the solid planes of his torso, the planes that always made Robert’s palms warm and tingly.

He reached up now with his right hand, his left steadying Liam’s thigh. He slid two of his fingers round one of Liam’s scarlet nipples and squeezed.

“Och.” Liam leaned back, bracing himself against the wall. “God, look how hard you’re making me.” He touched his other nipple, mimicking Robert’s tweaking fingertips. “I could almost come like this.”

Robert shook his head slowly, maneuvering his tongue over the contents of his mouth.

“Aye, I could,” Liam replied. “Unless you do something different.”

Robert pulled away enough to say, “Turn around.”

Liam let out a shaky breath and did as Robert asked, presenting his arse for all means of perusal.

The shower was situated on a small ledge above the rest of the bathroom floor. Robert nudged Liam’s right calf. “Put your foot up on the step.”

Liam obeyed, and the difference in height combined with the spread of his legs was just enough to part his cheeks. Robert’s mouth watered at the nearness of his inviting pink hole.

Last year, when they were first starting out, it had taken Robert a while to brave this act. The fact he adored being on the receiving end only increased the intimidation: What if he didn’t like rimming—or worse, was pure rubbish at it? How unfair that would be.

But once he’d experienced Liam’s reaction, it had become something of an obsession.

Now, as Robert danced his tongue over the outer contours of his arsehole, Liam’s whole body shuddered, and tiny mewling sounds escaped his throat. Robert looked up to see Liam’s cheek pressed to the wall, his jaw trembling from the effort to keep quiet against this thin boundary between his flat and the neighbor’s.

Then Robert worked his tongue inside, just the tip. Liam groaned, his breath wheezing in and out.

Robert wanted more, wanted deeper. He reached for the lube he’d set on the sink. It was coconut-flavored (his favorite, and it had made his next pina colada a strangely glorious experience). Once his middle finger was slick and warm, he offered it to Liam, opening him up and evoking a louder groan. And when there was room for his tongue, he dove back in, stiffening the tip and working it as deep as he could.

“God, Rabbie…” Liam started to stroke himself. “I’m gonnae come.”

Robert caught his hand. “Not yet. I want to watch you.” He scraped his teeth over the curve of Liam’s arse. “Tell me when you cannae take it anymore. Just say ‘please,’ and then you can come.”

“Mmph.” Liam pressed both palms to the tile wall again. “On you go, then. Fuck me with your tongue. Undo me.”

Robert continued, ignoring the growing ache in his jaw. It was worth any momentary minor pain to grant himself this greatest intimacy, his mouth exploring the place which so lovingly accommodated his cock and gripped it with such fervor. It was worth it to see Liam splayed out above him, to feel his body quake, to hear his voice pitch higher, pleading with everything but words.

His own cock swelled within his jeans, so he used one hand to undo them and make an adjustment, careful not to grip himself too hard.

Liam began to urge himself against his mouth, forcing Robert to grasp his arse tight to hold him still. In response, Liam pulled back his arm, looking like he would punch the wall. “Rab…God, you’re so…fucking…”

Robert made a questioning noise, showing no mercy.

Liam let out a long, shivery moan, and at the very end he said, simply, “Please.”

Robert stopped. “Turn around.”

Liam did, staggering a bit from what seemed weak knees, then leaned back against the wall to take hold of his cock. Robert helped support his weight with one hand while the other reached beneath and fucked his arse hard with a pair of fingers.

In the bright bathroom light, Robert saw the flush rise along Liam’s fair skin, sweeping up from the center of his chest, past his collarbone, up his neck, finally to his face and ears as he crested. His cock became a fountain, splashing his own abs and Robert’s cheeks.

Liam gazed down, his breath slowing, but not by much. “I feel…so…noticed.” He gave a hasty twirl of his hand. “Up from that towel now so you can notice me sucking you off.”

Robert stood, just now realizing his knees hurt a bit. Liam knelt before him, then released his straining cock and pulled it between his lips.

Robert wanted to hold back at least a few minutes, the better to savor the pulsations of Liam’s mouth and the flicker of his red-blond lashes as he consumed every inch. But it took scarcely thirty seconds to fill that mouth with his release, clutching the edge of the sink to stop himself toppling over.

Liam was right: Robert had been sleepwalking through life for weeks. But tonight he’d felt wide, wide awake.

* * *

Liam took care to prepare an extra tasty breakfast for Robert the next morning, to soften his shock at the contents of the bright-green gift bag beside his plate. “Collage Challenge” and its attendant reward—Robert’s undivided attention—had been a fantastic start to their game, and Liam was ready to up the ante with Part Two.

“Ooh, pancakes and raspberries,” Robert said as he entered the kitchen, his tousled waves of brown hair still shower-damp. “Perfect for a match day.”

“With almond butter for a wee bit of protein.” Liam plonked the jar onto the middle of the table. “Don’t use a lot, though, as it’s expensive. Also I popped out and got you a proper coffee, not instant.” He displayed a large cup of the Colombian blend he knew his partner liked, the one from the corner café.

“What’s the occasion?” Robert sat at the table and noticed the bag. “Right, this. Shall I open it now?”

“Eat first.” Liam brought his own plate to the table, his skin singing with anticipation. “You might be so excited you’ll lose your appetite.”

Robert eyed him for a moment, then seized the bag and plunged his hand inside.

“I knew you couldnae resist,” Liam said.

“What the…” Robert withdrew two pairs of ladies’ knickers, the largest ones Liam could find at F&F.

“There’s two sizes. The pink one’s larger than the purple.”

“Am I to wear these to bed?”

“If you like. But first you’ll wear them during today’s match.” Liam waved his fork. “I hope the purple ones fit, to match the Warriors home kit.”

Robert stared at him, holding up the undergarment in question, the lacy black waistband stretched between his thumbs. “You want me to play football in these?”

“Just wear them over your jockstrap in place of boxer briefs.” Liam held up a hand and widened his eyes to show his sincerity. “Only if you’re comfortable, both physically and mentally. Per our rules.”

“Of course I’m mentally comfortable,” Robert said. “There’s nothing wrong with wearing women’s clothes. I just don’t want it to affect my game.”

“Maybe it’ll be a positive effect. Anyway, it’s just Barrowfield at home today. If it was a tougher match, I might not be so daring.” Liam tilted his head. “Nah, I would be.”

“Don’t let Charlotte hear you underestimating our opponent, or she’ll leave you on the bench.” Robert examined the pink pair with an inscrutable expression. “Shall I try them on now?”

“Eat first, while your breakfast is hot. And I don’t want to see them on you until after.” He slid a raspberry between his lips as he met Robert’s eyes. “When they’re all sweaty.”

Finally Robert smiled. “This is definitely a surprise,” he said as he tucked into his breakfast. “Never would’ve thought you’d fancy something like this.”

“It’s just for a laugh. I’ve got no predilection for lassies’ clothes. Though perhaps that’ll change today. You’ve taught me anything is possible.”

Robert furrowed his brow. “If it was the other way round, and I was asking you to wear ladies’ knickers, would you think it was cos I missed being with girls?”

Liam was ready to fire off a flippant answer like, “Oh, aye. I’m insecure like that.” But his mouth was full of pancake, which gave him time to reconsider.

It had been ages since he’d feared Robert would go running back to the “straight life” once this relationship got troublesome, and even longer since Liam had worried his bisexual boyfriend was with him simply out of curiosity about men. But sometimes it still helped to pronounce these things out loud.

So Liam swallowed and said, “I know you’d want to be with me no matter which gender or sex I was.”

Robert’s eyes softened. “That’s exactly it.”

Liam felt a glow of pride and relief. Despite always knowing he was gay, he’d remained clueless about a lot of queer realities, and in his ignorance he’d said some hurtful things when Robert had revealed his sexuality. They were long past tiptoeing round these issues, but Liam was glad to know that Knickers Challenge wasn’t opening an old can of worms.

“It makes sense you’d love me in any form.” Liam cut another bite of pancake with the side of his fork. “I’m just that awesome.”