Capture The Moment (boyxboy)

Chapter 14: Rumours

"Is there something you're not telling me?"

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"So this is your little book store?" Roshan enquiries as he looks up at the quaint sign with 'Hidden Gems' simply painted in gold over a deep brown background. The window showcased a few titles, all of which Roshan had never heard of. 

"This is it." Clark confirms as he stops right outside of the shop window, watching as Roshan takes in the window display. He follows Roshan's eyeline to a particular book, which had two male silhouettes looking at each other. "You know that book?" Clark wondered, hopeful that they may have at least one book in common. 

"No...but it looks...intriguing." Roshan says, in a thinking out loud kind of way.  He then breaks his gaze from the book to see Clark disappear inside. Then he sees a hand reaching forward and the said book is disappearing from the window display. Clark soon returns to Roshan's side with the book in his hand.

"Butterflies" He simply says. "The book is called 'Butterflies.' Here, read it, let me know what you think." Clark offers the book for Roshan to take.

"Thanks, I will." He smiles, looking again at the cover before placing it in his pink tote bag. 

They both look at eachother, both displaying awkward smiles. "I don't know whether I'm allowed to kiss you or not now. Not after our little conversation."  Clark laughs nervously. 

"You can kiss me." Roshan says smiling in amusement, moving a little closer. "But let's try to keep it a kiss, yeah?" 

Clark emits a small chuckle as he closes the gap even further. "As you wish, Chef." He leans in a little further, taking it slow, wanting to see every action, every movement on Roshan's face. The way Roshan slowly swallowed in anticipation, the slight reveal of his tongue as his mouth parted and it brushed against his lower lip. The way his eyes looked down to Clark's own lips before they slowly closed, making his long lashes flutter. The way his full lips now came together in a slight pout, ready and waiting for contact. 

All these things Clark had missed the first time around, even the second time around in his haste for instant gratification. Now he took it all in. Roshan was beautiful...just beautiful.

He now closes his own eyes, mirroring many of Roshan's actions and finally their lips meet.

Roshan relishes in the tenderness. This kiss was not like the others. The driving force behind this intimate moment was not led through wanton lust and desire, this kiss came more from the heart and right now, Roshan's heart felt like it was going to burst from his chest. He was beginning to feel a little light headed as he made the difficult decision to pull away. He blows a light shot of air from his mouth, accompanied by a "Well..." 

"Well...what?" Clark wonders as he looks at Roshan, a little worried. Had he done something wrong?

"Well, I will start reading that book later and..." He takes a hand and rubs it along the sleeve of Clark's jacket affectionately. "This was nice." 

"Just nice?" Clark says with a playful pout.

"Ah don't make me say it." Roshan whines. 

"Say what? Don't leave me hanging." Clark finds himself giggling like a love struck teenager. 

"You're a good kisser ok!" There I said it." Roshan can feel himself getting flush.

"I know." Clark says with a wide smile. "And you know I have other skills..." 

"Ok I'm going now Mr Layton." Roshan leans forwards, planting a chaste kiss on Clark's cheek before turning around and heading down the street at a reasonably fast pace, fearing that if he stayed any longer, they'd be back to square one again, being all shameless and naughty in between the bookshelves of Clark's store. 

Once Roshan is out of sight, Clark heads inside, looking up and smiling at Morton, who is now fully awake. "I saw that." Morton says with a cheeky grin. 

"Saw what exactly?" Clark asks, as he heads to the staff only door to hang up his coat. 

"Saw that cheeky little kiss outside the shop door." Morton answers knowingly.

"And what about it? I'm a grown man. I can kiss who I like outside my shop." Clark says dismissively. 

"As long as that's all you get up to on work premises." Morton says as a joke, but the sentence only gets Clark on edge.

"Of course I wouldn't do anything else, haha, what do you take me for?" Clark tries to dust off the comment with a laugh, but it seems he can be read like one of his books. 

Morton scrutinises the response a little. "Is there something you're not telling me?" 

"I...I what are you implying?" Clark puts his hands upon his hips, trying his best to look authoritative. 

"Hey, I'm not implying anything." Morton holds his hands up in defence. "It's just..." he now lowers his arms and leans over the counter a little towards Clark. "I heard something. A rumour going around the college."

"What rumour exactly?" Clark asks, also leaning in a little, scared that his worst fears may be about to be realised...that the rumour was in fact about him and the chef and their moments of weakness whilst on college time.

"Well I don't know any names or details or anything, but someone was seen with a student, being...well...well let's just say, it was an extracurricular activity." 

Clark doesn't speak. He takes it all in. No names mentioned, no rooms specified. If it was in fact about him and Roshan, he could deny it.  He eventually pulls away from the conversation, deciding to take the higher ground. "You know Morton, there is a saying...

"Great minds discuss ideas
Average minds discuss events
Small minds discuss people"