Page 10 of Waiting for a Prince (Island Tales #1)

Chapter Eight

Mark stared at the poster on the door of Wetherspoons. “Karaoke night?”

“What’s wrong with that?” Sam grinned. “Unless you’ve got a voice that can break glass and bring every dog within a thousand miles running to you.”

Mark glared at him. “I’ll have you know I’ve got a good singing voice. Mr. Foster told me so.”

Sam snorted. “Our old music teacher? The one we used to joke was tone deaf?”

That earned him another glare. “Maybe we should choose a different pub. There’s the King Lud on the esplanade.”

Sam chuckled. “What, and deprive me of hearing you sing?”

Mark grinned. “You don’t get it, do you? If I’m singing, so are you, sunshine.”

Judging by the way Sam froze, that thought didn’t fill him with enthusiasm.

He patted Sam on the back. “Listening to drunk people killing the lyrics is half the fun. You’ll be fine, honest.”

Sam didn’t appear convinced.

Mark opened the door and pushed him inside. “First round is on me.”

Maybe by the third round, both of them would have loosened up enough to grab the mic.

“This crowd need warming up a little,” Mark murmured after a middle-aged guy warbled his way through Lola by The Kinks, and no one else followed him. He took a swift inventory of the bar’s patrons: At least two-thirds of them were in their twenties, and that boded well for his first choice of song.

“Go for it,” Sam said with a grin. “Knock ’em dead.”

Mark chuckled. “Don’t get too comfy. You’re gonna do a duet with me after this.”

Sam’s huge eyes and open mouth were enough to have him laughing.

He made his way to the guy in control of the laptop. Mark scribbled his name and the song title on one of the slips provided and handed it over. The guy took one look and smiled.

“About time someone sang this one.” He picked up the mic. “And now we have Mark, who’s going to sing…. Let it Go .”

The rapturous applause that followed gave Mark a much-needed boost of confidence, and he took the mic, waiting for the lyrics to appear.

From across the bar, Sam gave him the thumbs up.

The opening bars of the music filled the air, and Mark forgot about his audience and poured his heart into it.

By the time he got to the chorus, everyone joined in, and relief washed over him.

When he reached the end, the applause was even louder.

Buoyed by his success, Mark quickly scribbled on another slip, then beckoned for Sam to join him. Sam shook his head, and Mark said into the mic, “Aw, come on, Sam.”

To his surprise, the crowd took up the chant, growing louder and louder, until at last Sam rose and picked his way through the tables to a wave of applause. He came to a halt in front of Mark and gave him a speculative glance. “What are we singing?”

Before Mark could answer, the DJ announced, “And now we’re going to hear Mark and Sam, who are here to wow us with their rendition of Summer Nights from Grease.”

Sam gaped. “You’ve got to be kidding.” Then he narrowed his gaze. “Okay, which of us is doing Olivia Newton-John?”

Mark cackled. “You are.” And with barely a moment to take a breath, he launched into it, doing as good an impression of John Travolta as it was possible to do with three pints inside him.

Sam’s deep voice had the audience erupt with laughter.

Thankfully, Sam saw the funny side. It had to be the most comical—and most unlikely—delivery of Summer Nights Mark had ever heard.

What struck him most was that despite his obvious reticence, Sam could actually sing.

When they finished, there were cries of “More!”

Mark glanced at Sam. “Wanna do one more?”

“Sure, why not?” Sam’s eyes sparkled. “But this time I choose the song.” He grabbed a slip and scrawled on it. He flashed it at Mark before handing it over. “And you’re Kiki Dee.”

Mark gaped. “I haven’t heard this one in years.”

Sam snickered. “Too bad. Them’s the breaks.”

“Sam and Mark are going to give us Don’t Go Breaking My Heart , by Elton John and Kiki Dee.”

The crowd applauded, the music started, and Sam gave Mark a wicked grin. “Ready when you are— Kiki .” Then he sang the first line.

It took Mark a few seconds to get into the song, but it came flooding back, thank God. He loved how Sam played up for the crowd, looking at Mark as he sang with a non-stop grin. By the time they reached the end, Mark wanted to sing it all over again.

They went back to their table, amid more applause and pats on the back. Mark sank into his chair, grabbed what was left of his pint, and knocked it back.

“Okay, that was fun.” He raised his glass. “And it’s your round.”

Sam smiled. “It’s also my last. I won’t be able to think straight in the morning, and I have a pile of work to do.” He chuckled. “Wow. Nothing like karaoke to sober you up a little.”

“You did great,” Mark told him truthfully. He cocked his head. “Did you enjoy it?”

Sam beamed. “Every second of it.” Then he headed for the bar.

No awkward conversations, no mention of Rebecca, and Sam seemed to relax. Mark counted the night a success.

Let’s see if I can do it again.

When Sam returned, carrying two pints, Mark had come up with another idea. Because now he had a mission.

To make Sam smile.

“Mondays are my days for chilling,” he announced. “And this coming Monday, I was thinking of spending a day down at Yaverland beach again. Maybe take a picnic too.” He peered at Sam. “Want to join me?”

Sam bit his lip. “Are we talking the ordinary beach, or the one at the far end?”

Mark grinned. “I’ll let you choose. But it seems to me a man with enough confidence to wow a pub full of people with his amazing voice would be okay with taking all his clothes off on a beach. Especially since he won’t have an audience.”

Sam’s gaze met his. “Except for you.”

“I promise to avert my gaze if it helps you make your mind up.” Mark smiled. “But I don’t think you’re that shy. Anyone with tattoos and nipple rings can’t mind people looking at them, right? It’s par for the course. And you do look good with them.”

Sam studied him for a moment. “I’ll see how I feel when we get to the beach.”

Mark broke into a huge smile. “Then you’re coming?”

“Provided I get enough work done this weekend? Sure.” Sam raised his glass. “To a great night out, and more great times to come.”

“I’ll drink to that.”

In the space of two weeks, Mark’s life had changed.

I have a new friend.

He did his best to forget his initial lustful thoughts. Going after straight guys never worked out. He’d had his fill of curious guys who loved getting their dicks sucked, but who’d run a mile at the thought of dipping their wick in anything but a willing mouth.

The guy who’d taken Mark’s cherry had been the exception, but he’d still protested he wasn’t gay.

Besides, what was better—making Sam uncomfortable if, God forbid, he ever learned what Mark had fantasized about that day on the beach, or having Sam as a friend?

A strictly platonic friend.

Mark wasn’t about to do anything to jeopardize that friendship.

Monday, August 12, 2024

Sam sat in his car in the Yaverland carpark, listening to the radio and watching for Mark. He should have been relaxed. He’d worked from early morning until late at night for the past two days, determined not to feel guilty about taking a day off.

Except his tight chest and clenched stomach had nothing to do with his work, and everything to do with the fact he’d ignored Rebecca’s texts and calls.

And you know there’ll be a price to pay .

Yeah, he knew.

A tap on the window made him jump. Mark peered in at him.

Sam took a deep breath. Whatever was coming at him, it wouldn’t happen until he got home, or later than that if she took it into her head to torture him.

He got out of the car, reaching over to grab his backpack from the passenger seat.

“You were miles away.” Mark frowned. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, I was just thinking about work, that’s all.” He locked the car. “Nothing a day on the beach can’t cure.”

Mark smiled. “Exactly.”

They walked to the far end of the carpark, across the boat ramp, and down the wooden steps onto the beach. There were already lots of people, mostly families, and most of them clustered around that end of the beach.

Mark pointed toward the white cliffs. “Less crowded other there.”

Sam chuckled. “Less clothing too.”

“Hey, it’s up to you.” Mark held his hands up. “If you want to find a quiet spot, then that’s what we’ll do.” He grinned. “But I promise you… once you go nude, you won’t wanna go back.”

“That good, huh?”

Mark’s eyes glittered. “You’ll have to find that out for yourself.”

Sam hated feeling so torn. He wanted to cast off his inhibitions—and his clothing—but he’d never been naked with someone before.

What does that say about me? I’m twenty-three, for God’s sake.

Then maybe it was time to step out of his comfort zone.

They walked along the shore, and Sam removed his flip-flops and stuffed them in a side pocket.

Feeling the damp sand between his toes was bliss.

The waves washed over his feet, cold at first, but warmer once he’d grown accustomed to it.

He noted Mark had done the same thing. High above them, birds circled, their wings spread.

The sun felt glorious on his face, bare arms, and legs.

This is heaven .

What he liked most? Neither of them spoke, and that was just fine. Sam didn’t want to fill the air with inane conversation. He’d rather listen to the birds and the waves.

They’d strolled for maybe twenty minutes when Mark came to a stop.

“This is the boundary. From here on it’s the naturist beach.

” He pointed toward the base of the white chalk cliffs.

“There’s a ledge where we’d be out of the tide’s reach.

Remember I was there the day we met here?

It’s mostly pebbles, but we’d be sheltered from the wind.

And we can see if someone is coming our way.

” He grinned. “In case you want to cover up fast.”

That did it. Sam was going to bare all. Besides, it was only the two of them on that part of the beach.

“Let’s do it.” He climbed over the large pebbles, looking for a fairly flat bit. Mark unfolded his towel and spread it, weighting down the corners with a few rocks. Mark copied him, laying his towel next to Mark’s, overlapping it a little.

Moment of truth.

Sam removed his tee and shorts, until all he had left were his briefs. It helped that Mark paid him no attention, but stripped off as though he’d been doing it his whole life.

He probably has.

And if Mark could do it, so could he.

Sam hooked his thumbs under the waistband of his briefs, pushed them down to his ankles, then removed them and placed them under his folded clothes.

Part of his anatomy reacted instantly, much to his chagrin, and he glanced at Mark to see if he’d noticed.

It was all he could do not to laugh out loud.

Mark’s dick was apparently taking a good look around, judging by the way it jutted out from his body, stiff as a post.

Mark caught him looking and grinned. “Happens every time,” he said with a chuckle. He reached into his backpack and pulled out a bottle of sunscreen. “You did bring some, didn’t you?”

Sam grabbed his own bottle and held it up.

Mark ignored him as he sprayed himself, then proceeded to rub it all in. “Gotta make sure I don’t miss any bits. Especially one particular bit.” He grimaced. “Trust me, you don’t want to let it get burned. Been there, done that—won’t ever let it happen again.” He slid his hand over his rigid dick.

Sam took the hint and wiped slick fingers over his shaft. Once he was sure he’d covered all the parts he could reach, he lay on the towel, its surface already warmed by the sun. Sam laid his head on his pile of clothing and closed his eyes.

Okay, this is bliss.

“I told you.” Mark sounded smug. “Doesn’t it feel amazing?”

He had to agree.

Sam turned off his mind and relaxed, letting the sounds around him drown out the clamour in his head.

I needed this.

Sam rolled onto his side and gazed at Mark, who lay on his front, his head resting on his arms. Mark’s back was tanned, his buttocks a paler strip between torso and thighs.

Not that much paler, though . His arse cheeks were covered with a fine down, and Sam would bet anything it was satin to the touch.

Then Mark raised his head, and Sam averted his gaze.

“Hate to say this, but we’d better get going. The tide’s coming in.”

Sam glanced at the shoreline. Sure enough, the waves had almost reached the ledge.

“Will we make it back to the carpark before it comes in completely?”

Mark chuckled. “We might be wading the last few feet. Once I got caught by the tide, and my backpack was almost washed away. That was the end of my Kindle.”

Sam gave a rueful smile. “Now I understand what you meant about not wanting to put clothes on.” He dressed himself, while Mark did the same, and once they’d rolled up the towels, they headed back up the beach.

All along the shore, families and couples were hastily packing up as the waves lapped ever closer.

He chuckled. “So many people up this end, and yet we had the beach to ourselves.”

Mark nodded. “Now you know why I go there. Apart from the whole getting naked thing.” He peered at Sam. “Was it a good experience? Something you might wanna repeat?”

Sam smiled. “Yes, and yes. I might even make this a regular thing.”

Mark beamed. “Good man. Anytime you want some company, just holler.”

They climbed the steps to the boat ramp, and Sam turned to take one last look at the far-off beach.

A beautiful spot, great weather?—

And a good friend to share it with.

Life doesn’t get any better than this.

The more time he spent around Mark, the more Sam liked him. As in really liked him. Sure, Mark was good looking, with that dark hair and even darker eyes, the tanned skin… But it was more than his looks. Mark was warm, loyal, kind.

The kind of friend Sam needed right then.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, and that was all it took to take the shine off his day.

Back to reality.

He wasn’t about to look who had texted him. That could wait until he got home. He wanted to enjoy the blissed-out feeling that had lingered all day.

Except he knew it was too late.

That vibration had already killed it.