Now See Here! (m/m)

Can't See Straight

"Aren't they supposed to?" Mark asked and was answered by a hearty laugh.

"Yes… yes, to a certain degree, I'm sure you're right… but tell me… on that date last weekend, what were you more desperate to do; get into her pants or get her to just like you?"

"I…" Mark had the answer ready, but then he hesitated. He had wanted her to like him, but that was natural, right? But… if he was completely honest with himself… maybe a small, small part of him had spent the night pleading 'please be my friend, please be my friend'… and… well… maybe he was sexist, but that didn't really sound like a heterosexual male to him. He hadn't even wondered about what she was wearing or how her skin felt, or reflected about her smell… Jake smells fucking amazing, his brain provided at that point.

"Oops, I didn't mean to throw you out of the closet like that," Jake said, sounding so incredibly insincere that he had to be grinning.

"I'm not… I mean… you haven't... I'm... I'm just shy around women!"

"Maybe you are… or maybe you get insecure because you don't feel the way you think you are supposed to feel around them?"

"I don't want to talk about this anymore! I'm straight! Get over it!" Mark hissed. His heart was pounding like a scared rabbit's and he wasn't sure if he was actually having the beginning of a panic attack.

"Hmmm… so if I were to kiss you right now…" the man was very close, Mark could feel his breath against his upturned face, "you wouldn't like it? Not at all? Not even a tiny, tiny bit? You're not even curious?"

Yes.

"N-no."

"Don't look so scared, Pooch, I was only joking," Jake suddenly laughed easily, shattering the tension between them.

"You… you were?"

"What? You thought I was going to rape you or something?"

"No, but… I… you…"

"Damn, I really upset you, didn't I? I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry for… umm... sending signals. I didn't mean to…"

"Maybe I just saw what I wanted to see… but don't worry… if you're not gay or bi you won't 'catch' it from me. It doesn't really work that way."

"I know that!"

"I know you do. Now let's go meet some people, alright? I think we can sell your lovely ideas even better if we attach your lovely face to them."

"Hey!"

"What? You know sex sells. Our clients are young, beautiful people and they want to work with young, beautiful people. That's just a fact. And we've got to show them that we can deliver."

"Great, now I feel cheap."

"Oh, you're not cheap, Pooch… They pay us a lot."

Two hours later and Jake hadn't left his side. There was no more teasing or innuendoes however, although… the way he was always there… didn't that send the wrong message to people? Were they looking? Gossiping? Still, the man's way of getting him around to 'meet and greet', his sense of humor and the topics he brought up made Mark forget himself most of the time and just enjoy the company.

Jake left briefly to get them some refreshments and that's when Mark felt a hand on his arm.

"Hello there, I'm Andrew O'Connor, we met a few minutes ago,"