"Yeah, why not? Might as well make a start on some of these." He didn't head off out back immediately, though. "Did you do anything much last night?"
"No. I, er, stayed in. Watched TV. Something boring, can't remember what it was. Er. Why don't I show you where I put the bikes that came in?" God, why did I have to turn into a babbling idiot every time I tried to tell a lie? I was probably beetroot red as well. And Christ, how had I managed to forget Adam was Matt's best mate? For all I knew, Adam had rung him straight up after our little encounter to give him a blow-by-blow account. So to speak.
It wasn't like it'd have taken him all that long, given my embarrassing performance.
I marched into the back room, avoiding Matt's gaze as if it had the power to turn me to stone, so I couldn't tell if he was giving me a funny look or not. "Here they are-I've labelled them, so let me know if you have any trouble working out which one's which."
Still looking anywhere but at Matt, I hurried back to hide behind the till.
***
By six o'clock, I'd just about regained my composure. Matt hadn't said any more about last night, or Adam, and he hadn't been acting strangely around me either, so it seemed Adam wasn't the sort to kiss and tell. Not that there had been an awful lot of kissing involved, but suck and tell just sounded so, so wrong.
Matt had finished up and emerged from the back room, and I was just about to close up for the night when the bell jangled again. Sighing, I looked round-and froze.
It was Adam.
He loped in casually, hands swinging by his ankles. "'Lo, Matt. All right, Tim?"
I froze behind the counter. What the hell was I going to say to him? Especially with Matt here.
It turned out I didn't have to say anything. To my utmost, cringing horror, Adam casually sauntered on up to the counter, sidled through the gap and, slinging one arm around my neck, pressed a sloppy, chewing-gum-flavoured kiss to my paralysed lips. I was too stunned to even react. As my panicked gaze darted over to Matt, I saw he had the same problem.
"Great night, warn't it?" Adam must have caught sight of Matt's eyes, which were currently rivalling the twenty-nine-inch wheels on the bike he was holding onto, possibly for support. "Got together with Tim at the Cock. He's all right." Having in two short sentences both outed me and damned me with faint praise, he turned back to speak to me. "Wanna go out for a curry?"
"I … " I couldn't speak. All I could do was look at Matt's soft brown eyes, desperate for some sign he didn't think I was an utter wanker. In vain, as he was currently looking at me as if I'd just stripped stark bollock naked and announced my intention to enter for the world puppy-kicking championships.
Then he gave his head an almost imperceptible shake. "That's great. That you've, um, got together. Look, I'd better go. Steve'll be wondering where I am. You have a good time tonight." He hurtled out of the shop, no doubt anxious to get back to the oh-so-perfect Steve.
My stomach twisted at the thought-but I was glad, after a moment, that he'd mentioned Steve. It helped me remember what was going on here. No matter how much I might want him, Matt wasn't mine and in all likelihood never would be. After all, even if Steve fell under a bus tomorrow, would Matt really want to get together with a bloke who'd lied to him? Lied about his night out, about his sexuality-God, Matt probably doubted everything I'd ever told him right now.
I turned to Adam, who was still smiling away obliviously. He wasn't all that bad-looking, really, if you didn't mind freckles and a rather un-evolved appearance. And he was a decent sort of bloke. Plus, although I'd only had a pitifully short time to base my judgment on, he seemed pretty good at sucking cock. My trousers tightened at the thought. I could do a lot worse for my first tentative foray into the world of man-loving.
"Curry sounds great," I said.
***
I had second, third and fourth thoughts about my date with Adam as I got ready to go out. Did I really want to do this? Yes, a certain part of my anatomy told me firmly.
Was I really being fair to Adam? I might like what he did with his tongue; I might even like him as a friend. But even my overenthusiastic prick couldn't convince me I had any kind of romantic feelings for him. Wouldn't the honourable thing to do be to get out now, before any feelings might develop on his part?
Then again, what if that had already happened? Wouldn't it be worse, in that case, to cancel? Maybe I should go out with him after all. I could let him down gently then. My prick thought that was an excellent idea. Before any blowjobs happened, I reminded myself sternly. The burgeoning tent in my boxer briefs deflated like a leftover party balloon.
Then again, who was to say I mightn't feel more for Adam when I got to know him better? I should give him a chance. My prick nodded its agreement.