A Real Man in My Life Ch. 03

"My cooking skills are only by way of thanks to your lovemaking skills Gray," I moved closer to him, "You're not just an expert in the court room are you?"

He grinned and kissed me again,

"Again, like all things in comes down to having the right training."

"Training?"

"Fuck yeah," said Gray and took a further mouthful of his sandwich, "It all started back in the Union bar at Exeter University..."

As his time at University progressed he worked at the Union Bar having more experience behind bars than most of the undergrads two or three years his junior had leaning on them. He was also able to remove and expel his more troublesome contemporaries as his Security Industry Association 'Trained Door Supervisor' badge was still in date.

He laughed as he recalled the young freshers chatting quietly behind him in the refectory about the giant from the Law Department that worked the bar that had tipped out three third year sports psychologists who had been on the piss all day were trying to do press-ups on the bar to impress a bunch of girlies from the School of Education and glasses, bottles and booze were going in all directions.

Knowing his trade well, Gray warned them and told them to sit down, which made the unimpressed educators smile; the sports psych' chaps hated that and remonstrated with Gray who told them that they were now too drunk to be served and asked them to leave.

The first one had gone quietly, bitching to his mouthy mates so much braver for the lager and blackcurrant they had been drinking, the second not so much insisting he should finish the beer he'd bought; Gray pointed out it was all over the bar and the floor and he too left with very bad grace, while the third basically asked Gray what he would do if he, a sports student of that university, refused to go, standing and trying to show how fit and strong he was.

Gray said that he would be escorted out;

"I'm a black belt in Karate," said the student.

"Excellent," said Gray, "I'm a sober SIA registered bouncer and you'll be... let me see now... yes, you'll be my sixteenth black belt that I've put out the door on his arse... shall we go?"

The student struck a pose straight from a movie and Gray pointed to the door,

"Please leave these premises," said Gray. The student stretched and made some silly noises. "Please leave the premises or you will be escorted from them."

"What if I don't?" shouted the student still convinced he had right on his side.

"For the third time of asking please leave the premises or you will be removed!" Gray said loud enough for all in the bar to hear.

"Fucking make me!" threatened the student who lunged forward with a badly mistimed kick that just went to put him off balance. Gray pushed him slightly and just scooped the student by the back of his zipped and buttoned jacket and his trouser seat and carried him out above his head as if he was a set of Barbells; when he squeaked out a complaint the giant one-day-to-be-a-barrister would gently push him against the dusty ceiling until he stopped. The rest of the bar applauded and laughed.

He was duly set on his arse on the pavement outside and told he was banned from the Union bar for four weeks. A police patrol car slowed and stopped. The student was about to remonstrate with them about Gray's treatment of him until the front seat passenger, a sergeant, leaned out and shouted,

"All alright Graham?" The student threw up in the gutter.

On his return to the now noisy bar the student teachers gave him a round of applause and cheered, shouting all kinds of thanks and banter; the tallest, a girl he called 'Sue', thanked him personally and asked him if she could treat him to a curry after work by way of thanks.

She didn't mention it was just with her and a curry she'd cooked in her flat earlier that day, and she waited outside for him to lock up and escorted him back to her flat. He apologised for not bringing wine, thinking that they were going to a curry house or something and she said not to worry, she had a bottle.

The night went very well and he noticed that she was beginning to get a bit distracted especially when she moved to the sofa and sat next to him.

She was quite upfront about it.

"Don't you like me Graham?"

"Yes I do, very much, but..."

"There it is," said Sue, "The magic 'But'... but what?"

"Is this a 'date'?" he said nervously.

"It's a curry and a glass of wine, why do you ask."

"Well," he said blushing bright red, "If it is, then..." he coughed in his embarrassment, "It's the first time I've ever been on one..." He cringed.

"Really?"

"Yes..." he said, "Sorry I..."

"Don't apologise Graham, I'm intrigued," she sipped more of her wine, "Never been out with a girl before ever." There was no humour in her voice or any sound of derision.

"Not once, my late mother... she was... well..." he explained about his Mum and Terry, his upbringing, earning money when he wasn't caring for his brother and only dealing with girls as friends through school, and not really knowing what to do and how to act, and not having the first clue on the female species other than when they wanted serving booze, wanted chucking out, or hadn't paid their rent.

"Oh Wow Graham!" said Sue, "I'm so sorry, we all thought you were just a bit quiet and aloof, but now I can see why." She finished the last of her wine in her glass, thought about something then obviously came to a decision in her head. "THIS," she waved a hand around her head, "This is just a curry and a glass of wine, no way is THIS being your first date. I'm guessing you don't have a car?"

"Nope," he smiled half a smile, trying to fathom where this discussion could be going.

"Guessed not, are you working tomorrow night?" It was a Friday.

"Yes, sorry," he said.

"No problem, Saturday?"

"No."

"Excellent, Saturday is a much nicer night for a date, too many pissheads on a Friday night anyhow." She looked at her watch, it was past two in the morning and a school night, "How about you meet me in the foyer of the Union Bar at seven o'clock Saturday evening and then you can have a first date."

"Yes," he said with grin, "yes please!"

"Sweet!" she grinned back at him and he finished his wine. She kissed him on the cheek and hugged him and said that she was looking forward to seeing him on Saturday.

Back in his room in the halls of residence during the day before he thought about his 'date' and what he was going to do. He was one of two sons who never mixed, had spent most of his education at an 'all boys' school, and other than his gentle banter and chat with girls from the company - mostly Elaine, Diane and I -- he had no real small talk or idea of how he would know if things were going well, on a date that is.

He was tall and dark, and some of the little old ladies in the Terry's home said how handsome he was but he was never sure if they meant it or were just being nice. Having been his mother's son he didn't have much experience of women being nice to him after all.

But he knew he had good manners, was respectful to ladies, gave up his seat and opened doors just as his mother had taught him to be. He'd obviously done sex education at school but it was all a bit of a giggle to start with and once you got in to the human biology aspect of it, a bit boring actually. During his adult education courses at college he tended to be at the younger end of the scale and while he was friends with many of the other students there was nothing else nor any suggestion of it.

He didn't have the first clue about how to tell if a girl fancied him or not, or the confidence to find out. Perhaps Sue was going to help.

He dressed in his smartest Saturday gear, going with some black orange tab Levi's he'd bought that year, and a smart button down shirt that he liked and he figured if it made him feel good then that would be it. He bit the bullet and rang his Social Worker friend Paul and asked what he should do.

"What?" said Paul in astonishment, "The man that's either been on the door or behind the bar since his eighteenth birthday wants to know what people do in pubs?"

"Err..."

"Think about it Gray, you're only doing what you've seen other people do, you're a bloody nice bloke - just relax and enjoy mate, trust me."

"OK," he said with little confidence.

"Aftershave?" said Paul.

"I don't have any," he replied.

"Ask one of the other blokes in your Halls," said Paul, "just blag a single shot, tell him you've got a date and you've run out." Paul gave him the name of some of the better ones to listen out for.

He did just that and a marine biologist friend Hugh from two flats down was so impressed that the slightly older, rather shy giant from flat 7 was actually going out with a girl, rather than the guys from the Union Bar or the School of Law Rugby team, and got a bottle of Christian Dior 'Dune' and sprayed him all over with it just to make sure.

Prompt at seven he was in the foyer of the Union Bar just a bit nervous but looking good he checked his watch and upon looking up there was Sue with folded arms, looking fucking gorgeous, the kind of girl he had always considered way above him.

"I'm not late am I?" she said with a smile, folded arms and a hint of peevishness. She was dressed in a short black and white striped mini dress that rode half way up her thighs, wearing dark tights beneath and her shoulder length dark hair freed from the usual pony tail and make-up that was beautifully done.

"No!" he said, "I was just checking that I wasn't..."

"Hey Graham, calm down Babe, I'm joking!" She put a hand on his broad shoulder, "Wow you're looking good tonight, and she breathed in, "Hmmm and you smell good; come on then, let's get this show on the road. A drink first?"

"Err... yes of course," he said, he thought on Paul's advice. He had spent years watching other people enjoying themselves and went with that. He also thought about the other thing that Paul said, 'you're a nice bloke..."

Thinking on his year and a bit in Exeter, he thought about pubs that he visited and hadn't been impressed with and that from his experience looked well-managed.

"How about the Wheelwrights Arms?" he said.

"I've not been there," she said, "What's it like?"

"Lively but not mental, the manager knows what he's doing with his cellar, band won't start until after nine either."

"Why Graham, that's sounds fine!"

He extended an arm, and she took it.

His fears that he might not get Sue's feelings was misplaced and her smile told him everything he needed to know. Right from the start he'd been the perfect gentleman; he asked if she'd like to sit down or stand -- she chose to stand to start with. What would she like to drink? He recommended a slightly different version of it and she was well pleased with the result.

After another of the same they moved to a different bar, and once there Gray offered to go to the bar again. Sue said that she would go with him and they were pinned together but both being taller than average they were soon spotted and were served quickly. Being the gent again, Gray moved away from the bar to make room but noticed that Sue was still pushing against him.

"At this stage would you recommend I slipped an arm around you?" he whispered in her ear.

She giggled.

"Yes," she said, "I don't think that would hurt!" She sipped her drink and it seemed that her eyes were wider now and the smile seemed glued to her face.

He felt more confident but not daft with it, so just chatted and made small talk, and slipped an arm around her waist, she pushed against him and put an arm around him as well. He talked about his life, college, University, being a bouncer, playing rugby, playing the guitar.

She opened up to him about her life. She had been teaching assistant but wanted the better money and prospects and decided to make the jump to University, and her plans to travel. The music in the bar was turned up and a DJ started talking and the crush increased a bit. She started to move with the music.

He didn't know how.

"Something else I need lessons in," he said.

"Nah," she said, "just do what I do." He tried, "There, that's it."

After another joint shuffle-squeeze to the bar, they had another drink and moved back into a spot in the bar that had opened, and the music changed and slowed. She slipped an arm around his neck and moved closer.

"That's nice," he said feeling the softness of her boobs press against him.

"Yeah," she said with a smile. They looked into each other's faces, "Kiss me you idiot," she hissed at him and he moved his lips to hers and touched. It was brief but very nice.

"Hmm," he said again tasting her lipstick on his lips, "again, very nice and not something I've done before."

"Practice Graham, practice," she said with a grin and narrowed eyes.

After a while she pulled his hand from the small of her back to her bottom and in some embarrassment he figured she would feel his erection pushing back at her. She must have done but was nice enough not to mention it. He was no expert and hadn't seen that many others since he left school to guess whether it was... err... up to standard or not.

As the evening progressed he was happy to be so close to Sue and to be kissing her occasionally. He picked up on her body language on how his technique was and she introduced her tongue first.

He tried and she giggled and broke for a second,

"Graham, I was beginning to wonder if all of this was for show, but now you've French kissed me I can see that it isn't."

"I..."

"Shhh..." she put a finger to his lips, "did I say I didn't like it?" She pulled his face back to hers and they French kissed again.

"Wow!" she said after a few minutes.

"You hungry?" he said.

"Don't you like..."

It was his turn to shush her.

"Did I say I didn't like it?"

"Touche Graham!" She grinned and finished her drink, placing the empty glass on a nearby table. Graham did likewise.

"Only I could eat a horse, the restaurant around the corner is rather good with its steak and burgers."

"You've convinced me," said Sue.

They squeezed out of the packed bar, past lots of students they recognised and at a little after 11 they were sat in restaurant laughing and chatting, and eating quite fantastic burgers with everything.

"So Graham..."

"My friends call me Gray."

"So... Gray, how's your first date been?"

"It's been splendid Sue, thank you so much for asking."

"I'll say what I said to the girls on Thursday, that big guy behind the bar is sooo cute!"

"Thank you," he smiled back, "and you are just... beautiful Sue."

"Awww thank you Gray, that kind of flattery will get you everywhere." She sipped some of her beer, "I'm guessing that you haven't been everywhere yet?" She raised her eyebrows. He shook his head, no point in denying it. "Well play your card right and one evening we might consider finding the map."

"Thank you," he said at a loss to say more; 'be yourself' Paul had said, so he grinned a cheeky 'Boyz' grin at her, "I'm not easy you know, you'll have to take me out to an expensive dinner first."

She laughed out loud having to dry her eyes with her napkin,

"I'll take proper care of ya' darlin'," she said with a sassy smile. He smiled back at her and she sipped more of her beer, "Do you know what? Finish your beer and get your coat, you've pulled." She leaned across the table and kissed him.

They walked the short distance back to her flat arm in arm. At her flat she found the keys and let them in. She dropped them and Gray retrieved them for her.

"You're a gentleman with a sense of humour Gray," she said, "add to that your fantastic body and you'll never want for girlfriends I promise you."

"Thanks," he said, and lifted her easily up into his arms pulling the door closed with one foot, "Upstairs?"

Still a bit surprised by his action, she just nodded with a smile. He admitted to me that he thought her flat was upstairs as was his and they should go there. But this was a house share and the chill out and necking on the sofa would need to have been done downstairs.

"Blue door," she said still with an air of surprise to her voice. He leaned against it and it swung open.

He lowered her feet to the floor and looked around him.

"Oh," he said, his turn to be surprised, "I thought this was a..." He gulped, "I'm sorry," he said, I didn't realise that this was your bedroom. I thought..."

"Awww Graham!" she giggled grasping his face in both hands, "You're so fucking cute!" She kissed him to ease his tension, "Don't worry, it was going to come to this eventually. Look, if you don't want to..." She stopped herself. "No pressure, let's just lay on the bed and relax and fool around a bit, we'll just let whatever happens, happen. Don't worry, it'll be great I promise you." She kissed him and sat on the bed, kicking off her shoes and rolling back against the headboard indicating he should do the same.

He did so and they started to kiss. She unbuttoned his shirt and exposed his broad muscular chest as yet devoid of the mass of dark hair it now carried but she loved the definition of it and told him so. She pushed the shirt off of his shoulders and marvelled at the muscle tone of the rest of him. Then she unbuttoned his trousers and removed them leaving him in just his boxers, his plainly visible erection huge and proud against the elastane of his grey shorts. She lightly touched the shaft, nodded and smiled sardonically, "I think I can work with that..." she said and turned, asked him to unzip her dress and she quickly stood and removed it. Skinning down her dark tights, she turned to face him in black bra and bikini panties and dropped on one hip and put her hands out to her sides with a 'ta-dah!' movement.

"Wow Sue," he said, "You are the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."

"I'm the only girl you've ever seen," she said with a frown.

"Seriously," he said, "you're like a dream come true."

"Aww Gray!" she said, "You don't have to chat me up anymore honey, you're in my room and about to get some, trust me." She stepped forward and climbed over him...

"And that was the start of my education," he said sipping his coffee and brushing some hair back from my face. "The lovely Sue; she deprived me of my virginity that night, and then twice again the next morning, seems she was most impressed with my equipment and we spent the weekend in bed and I almost had to send out for vitamin pills. We lived on beans on toast, packets of crisps, tea and takeaway pizza, it was hell I tell you."

"You look every inch like you regretted it," I said.

"She had me come over every weekend I wasn't working, and most that I was, and continued my education. Human Biology had never been so interesting before and she pointed out what needed touching, how hard, how soft and all about fingers, tongues and toys and which positions for what kind of effect, I now know that she'd bought a book just to drag out my education. Each orgasm you really need to thank Sue for."

"Thanks Sue!" I shouted to the empty house.

"It was one hell of an education," he put his head to one side and grinned, the exams were rigorous, but the all worth it for the practical's."

"Yeah but you survived," I said, interested in what became of his stunning brunette student teacher, "so what happened, how come she never became Mrs Woods and why isn't she resident in this wonderful house?"

He smiled in pleasant reminiscence,

"You must remember that we were about the same age, but educationally she was two years ahead of me. She graduated and went back home to Kent, I did go and visit for a weekend of course and again she threw me down and ravished me again."

"How awful for you," I downed the last of my coffee, "Didn't you stand up for your rights?