GARETH 01 - MEETING THE MASTER

My new boyfriend Gareth is a very quiet bloke. He stands just short of six foot and works in a warehouse -- it was his physical strength that attracted me to him first. Okay, that's a lie! I was attracted to him because he is drop dead gorgeous. His silent strength and his smouldering dark eyes are what led me to fall head over heels with this twenty-three year old.

We met by accident at a Newsagent's. He was ahead of me at the cash desk and I was staring at him from behind wishing that he were gay. Then my fairy godmother waved her magic wand and as he was reaching for his wallet he dropped the copy of Gay Times that he had discretely deposited between his newspaper and a computer magazine. I bent over and handed it to him, he blushed. I looked at his copy of PC World and laughed.

"So you read politically correct world do you?"

He smiled and fumbled as he handed the pile to the young man behind the counter. You could light a candle from his face he was that embarrassed. He paid the clerk and scurried clumsily out of the shop.

I bought my paper and left. It looked like it was a fisherman's story for James and the lads tonight. You know those stories about the one that got away? And I imagined that I could have held my arms out and declared "he was that big!"

As I left the shop I saw him standing waiting outside.

"Thanks mate!" he said as I walked slowly by.

"You're welcome bud, we fairies have to stick together!" I said as I smiled over at him.

His face froze, "I'm no fairy!" he said.

Realising that he might indeed be politically correct I stopped, "okay then we vaginal interest challenged people must stick together!"

He laughed at this, "sorry mate, that was a bit snappy, it's just I hate being called a fairy!"

We both began walking down the street.

"Want to go for a pint?" I asked.

"Are you trying to pick me up?" he asked back in a tone somewhere between menacing and threatening.

"No!" I said, "it's easy to pick up little light fairies, but I don't think I'd be strong enough to pick up a big heavy ogre like you!"

He laughed, "Bit of a quick-wit aren't you?"

"Sometimes, Mark is the name!"

"Gareth!"

We walked a few more steps in sudden silence.

"Still want to go for that pint mate?" he asked.

That was the beginning. We met, had a pint and a chat, exchanged phone numbers and met again the next evening for a pint. After a week we went for a few pints and then back to my place for coffee and hopefully more. It was only coffee. During the first few weeks we became inseparable buddies. We called each other after work, he joined me for coffee every evening at my place and we talked together for hours. Gareth was the quiet home loving type that spoke of loyalty and friendship, just what I needed most!

By the end of the month we were beginning to talk about the vague possibility of becoming a couple. As for sex, well Gareth believed that only people who were living together should sleep together and the need to sleep with him was almost killing me. I was longing for the day that he would stop chatting and move in with me. At the same time my own social pattern had changed. I stopped going to the pubs, clubs and pick-up joints that I had haunted for the last five years. Every evening was dedicated to coffee and chat with Gareth. What had come over me? One month earlier I was an insatiable cock-hound and here I was suddenly keeping myself for this man! For over a month the nearest we got to having any physical relationship was a kiss and a grope from him on the sofa every evening just before he left. But, at ten o'clock Gareth would routinely gather his stuff and go home leaving me and my hand to imagine what might have been.

After our fourth Saturday together I rang a friend of mine called James.

"Hey Mark, where have you been? I haven't seen you in ages!"

"Snuggled up with a new boyfriend!" I replied.

James laughed -- "are you settling down at last?"

"I don't know ... he's kind of special ..."

"Man you're losing it!" James said, "This bloke must be something else in bed! What is it? He's got a twelve inch langer or something?"

"I don't know we haven't slept together yet!"

"Slept together!" he roared, "since when have you, the most insatiable bottom in Newcastle, called getting fucked sleeping together?"

I sensed a certain amount of derision in his tone.

"Listen Mark, what you need is a good shafting! Do you want me to drop by and service that arse of yours?"

Now tempting and all as it is to have James do me doggy (his favourite position) I found myself refusing his offer. "Thanks James, but no thanks. It wouldn't be right!"

"Are you losing it Mark?"

"No ... it's just ... well ... I'm kind of saving myself for him!"

"I don't believe it! A born again virgin!" he was laughing unapologetically and I wanted to hang up.

"What's his name?" he asked composing himself a bit.

"Gareth," I relied with almost a snap.

"And when do I get to meet him?"

"If you keep on like this you won't!"

"Okay relax! I'm off clubbing with the lads tonight, if you want you can come along and bring this chap as well."

"You know something?" I relaxed as I began to speak, James wasn't annoying me anymore, we haven't been out together yet!"

"Really?"

"Yep!"

"Hey Mark-boy, you is in love boy!"

We both laughed as we said goodbye, I walked back into the kitchen and stared out the window -- yes! I was in love!

When Gareth came by a few hours later I decided it was time to talk. I was excited at my discovery. I began to babble on and on about my conversation with James when Gareth approached me and placed his finger on my lips.

"Shut up for a minute!" he ordered gently.

I stopped. Stunned by his seeming change of attitude I stared wide-eyed at him as he crossed over the room and sat on the couch. He patted the seat beside him as an invitation to join him. I was about to speak but he held his hands to his lips and said "Shush!"

I walked silently over and sat beside him, he began to speak.

"I appreciate that you are probably more accustomed to sleeping with your dates from the word go!" he stated matter-of-fact.

I was insulted, okay it's true but it doesn't mean that I enjoy being called a slut by a bloke that I was in love with. I was about to protest but he quietly cautioned me to be silent. I complied.

"I would like us to be together but there are certain things you should know first of all. The first of these is I am looking for a relationship with somebody who loves me. Do you love me Mark?"

I nodded enthusiastically.

"Say it then!"

"I love you Gareth!"

He smiled, a smile I will never forget. I was about to speak when he leaned over and kissed me full on the lips.

"Now!" he said as he sat back up, "the second thing I want you to be aware of is that I want my lover to pay a lot of attention to me and not just to this!"

With that he took my hand and planted it in his own crotch. My head spun, it wasn't the twelve that James had suggested, but it was somewhere between eight and ten!

"Other blokes spend their time trying to get at it and forget that I'm attached to it. If you love me then I will love you, and if I love you this will be your reward!"

"Vain bastard!" I thought to myself still holding my reward, he gently took my hand away. I was beginning to think that I had struck gold and that we would be upstairs in a matter of moments, but Gareth began to speak again.

"The last thing I want to say is that I like to take the lead all the time!"

I looked at him in shock, sure I loved taking it up the arse, but I wasn't that sure that I wanted to become one hundred percent receptive. I do have a dick of my own after all! He sensed my hesitation and smiled. Again my resolve shattered in the warmth of that smile of his.

"They're the traditional wedding vows you know!" he remarked.

I looked at him confusedly.

"To love, honour and obey!" he explained.

"Oh! Right!"

"So will you love honour and obey me?"

Throwing caution to the wind (and myself into his arms at the same time) I cried out "YES!"

"Good!" he said pushing me away gently, "take next week off work and we'll go away together on Friday!"

With that, he kissed me and went home!

As soon as he left I rang James. I was like an excited schoolgirl after her first kiss. I got his answering machine, I had forgotten, he was gone clubbing. I was agitated and walked around my house with no sense of purpose, I had just promised to love, honour and obey a sex-god and in only five days I would be ending what had become almost a vow of chastity. I could hardly wait!

On Monday Gareth rang me. He told me that he had booked a cottage in the country for the week. It all sounded nice and remote. I would be away with him for almost ten days of what I hoped would be unbridled passion.

"Are you coming over?" I asked.

"Naw!" he replied, "I have to do overtime to get this week off, I'm shagged! See you Friday at six!"

"He's shagged?" I thought to myself as I hung up, "lucky bastard! I wish I was!"

I called in sick on Friday and packed to go away. The whole week had been a nightmare of anticipation. I packed enough clothes and underwear for a week in my bag, then I ran down to the chemist to get some condoms. Yes, Gareth had said that other blokes were only interested in his dick. That meant he wasn't a virgin and also meant that we couldn't bareback. I bought four dozen -- hope springs eternal!

When Gareth arrived the condoms were on the kitchen table. He walked over and playfully swatted my arse.

"Ouch!" I said as I reached around to hug him, "what was that for?"

"What is the third thing I told you?"

It took a moment for me to realise what he was asking, "Oh yeah! You like to take the lead!"

"Always!"

"Yeah you told me that!"

"So why did you buy those?"

"In case you needed them!"

"If I need them, then I'll get them. Please remember I am very fussy about always taking the initiative!"

"I'll remember from now on," I promised.

"Good," he said and then smiled and kissed me, "okay honey, let's go!"