Once Preston bought his sandwich and Rex settled for fruit salad, they took off to a nearby park to eat, sitting side by side on a bench in the sunshine and watching the children play.
"So, did you find any trouble sleeping that night after I left you?" Rex asked.
"Yeah, I was fine. Slept soundly,"
There was a long pause that stretched on the longer they ate before Rex said. "Well, I've been in a similar situation myself... recently to be precise and I was so freaked out... I couldn't sleep alone without someone to watch me. I was traumatized for weeks before I finally got it off my mind. It's okay to feel freaked out... I mean no one deserves to be treated like that. If you want to talk about it with me, you can,"
"What! So you were..." Preston glanced at him in astonishment but Rex kept his face forward, watching a lady struggle with the leesh of her Golden retriever, rather than looking at Preston.
"Yes. I was sexually assaulted,"
Preston sat back, absorbing his words. He didn't like to think back on those words because they made his stomach churn. But deep down, he knew he'd been assaulted and his heart lurched at the thought of what might have happened if things played out differently.
But, thankfully they hadn't.
"It's okay. I'm better now. Nothing much happened anyway, as you saw, I managed to stop him just in time so — "
Preston wasn't sure that was entirely true. He wasn't fine. That experience made him realize how vulnerable and weak he was against men who were bigger and stronger than him. But Rex... Rex was tall and strong, and it'd happened to him too.
"Do you mind telling me what happened to you?" Preston asked hesitantly.
"I picked up a sly guy. Took me under a bridge at the back of the pub. The guy had his buds and I wasn't up for being passed around. But they were four of them, bigger, stronger and smarter than I was," Rex noticed a hint of disbelief in Preston's eyes, then added. "I was just like you at that time; small, bold and cute. But after that incident, I made the gym my second home,"
"Did anyone help you?"
"We were under a bridge, of course, no one would see or hear me even if I tried to scream. The first guy was okay with kissing while the other three watched. But when they all wanted to fuck me, I said no," Rex's tightened his fists around the plastic plate he was holding - his jaw squared in anger - or distress - it was hard to tell. But his mood was foul, so Preston placed a hand placatingly on his shoulder. "Only one got hard enough to get in without lube. The other two had a bloody try too while I was held down,"
Anger and horror filled Preston slowly. He squeezed Rex's shoulder. "Did you report them to the police?"
Rex let out a bitter chuckle and turned to meet Preston's gaze; his eyes glittering with emotion. "No way. I'd given my consent to be taken under that bridge, so there was no way they could have taken me seriously if I'd gone to the police,"
Preston shook his head, knowing it was true.
"Anyway. Bet you pity me now. But that's fine... Shit happened a long time ago. I just needed you to know that there are people out there who've been in a similar situation as yours. It's okay to talk about it, and to someone who understands,"
"Thanks, Rex,"
Rex smiled and took his hands in his. Preston grinned too, his heart pounding loudly as he imagined leaning in to kiss those pink lips, but he wasn't brave enough to try so he went back to picking at his half-eaten sandwich while Rex drew light circles on his hand with his thumb.
When they'd finished eating and pushed their plates aside, Preston finally dared to ask the question that'd been troubling him all day. Today would be the last day Rex stepped foot in the shop and would be out of Preston's life for good. Preston hated being rejected but figured he had nothing to lose. Life would move on and he'd get his eyes on a new person in no distant time. Besides, despite all the hand-holding, pecking and new friendship, Rex hadn't shown any indication of wanting to keep seeing Preston.
"So," Preston inched closer, meeting his gaze, and letting Rex hold both his hands in his. "About Friday night...when I asked you to sleep with me and you said no because you weren't sure if it was me talking or the alcohol I had. You said you were interested in me. Is that true?"
Rex leaned back uncomfortably, and Preston's heartbeat became erratic as he awaited the inevitable rejection. Which never came.
"Yeah, I do fancy you," Rex admitted. "You're cute and you have a kind heart. Seriously, any responsible gay guy out there would die to have you. Anyone but me. I'm no good for you,"
"I know I do have a knack for falling for the wrong guys over and over, but you Rex... I'm sure you're the right one, and I'm not in for a quick fuck. I want things to work between us, you get what I'm saying?"
Rex beamed and his voice turned to tease. "Are you asking me to date you?"
"Do you want me to ask you to date me?"
"Yeah, sure. Cause it saves me a lot of stress. I find it hard making advances,"
"Is that a yes then?" Preston grinned.
"Yeah,"
"Are you free tonight?"
"Of course," Rex replied. "What do you want to do?"
Preston shrugged. "Anything that involves spending time with you,"
"How about we eat out? Take it from there?"
"You don't need to woo me, Rex. I've already agreed to date you, so a candlelight dinner isn't necessary,"
But Rex's face was serious as he replied. "Maybe you do deserve a candlelight dinner. And, nonsense Preston, what sort of guy will I be if I don't woo you?" he squeezed Preston's hand. "Please let me take you out. I want to spoil you,"
Preston's smile widened at this. "Alright then,"
Although Preston had got used to noisy bars and banging clubs over the years he'd moved out of his family's residence and learnt to fend for himself, a quiet dinner reminded him of home. He still couldn't believe Rex actually wanted to go out with him.
They stared at each other, the world around them fading away to rainbow colours swirling about. Preston's heart pounded insistently and he could tell Rex felt the same way too. Rex licked his lips and Preston's gaze followed the movement.
"Do you mind? I want to kiss you,"
Oh god. "No, no not at all,"
Rex chuckled at his eager response, so their first kiss was a messy smash of giggles. But the surging electricity at the contact of their lips had them serious again. Rex brought a hand up to cup Preston's cheek and up to slide into his hair. He fondled with the dark curls a bit, leaving a delicious sensation behind.
Preston parted his lips, granting entrance to Rex's invading tongue. He made a little sound of pleasing as he drew urgent circles on Rex's inner thighs, moving closer. He wanted to straddle Rex. To feel his erection poke his arsehole as he ground down on it.
The sound of a child laughing brought them back to reality — a reminder that they were in a park in broad daylight. So he eased back to a gentle brush of lips and pulled away reluctantly.
"Wow," Rex laughed, breathing heavily.
"I know right?" Preston tried to even his breathing too. It had been a while he'd kissed someone so passionately except in the clubs where it was the routine and he had to pretend to be into it. He forced his brain to focus. "Okay, so what time tonight? And where shall we meet?"
"You have my number, don't you?"
Preston nodded. He'd been tempted to use it on Saturday, to thank Rex for his help the night before, but Rex's rejection the other night still stung, and he didn't want to come off as desperate.
"You can text me," Rex said. "Then we can get to the details later about where and when,"
Preston pulled his phone out of his pockets, smiling as he typed.
That was some kiss! Can't wait for more later. Xo.
Rex's phone buzzed and he grinned when he read the message on the screen. "Me neither,"