Secret Love – Chapter 2

-O-

DISCLAIMER: I am not connected to Emmerdale and its characters, which belong to ITV

-O-

"Oh my God!" Robert's usually pale face seemed to be whiter than normal.

"I thought you said everyone was out," Aaron's voice trembled as he scrambled to get his clothes on.

Robert did not reply as he fumbled to pull on his own clothes. He opened the door and shouted down the stairs, "Hi babe, I'm just in the bathroom, I'll be down in a minute!"

Aaron smirked: Robert was obviously used to thinking on his feet.

Robert looked at Aaron with a panicked expression, "Wait until the coast is clear...then sneak out. I'll distract Chrissie the best way I can."

Robert left a now fully dressed Aaron alone in the bedroom. Aaron sat on the bed and wondered how he had got himself into this situation. This kind of relationship was new to him and he almost felt like he was back to the days when no-one knew that he was gay and he felt that he had to hide it from everybody. He suddenly felt angry that he could not be open about this relationship. Part of him wanted to march downstairs and tell Chrissie exactly what was going on, but he knew that he could not do that. Without realising it, he had fallen for Robert and did not want to betray him. He was always very loyal to the people he cared about and Robert was beginning to fall into that category. He just wished that he could openly walk down the street with his latest lover, just as he had done previously with Jackson and then later with Ed.

Aaron heard the sound of a car door outside and he cautiously crossed over to the window to look out. He saw Robert and Chrissie getting into the car. Robert glanced up at the window, hoping that Aaron was watching and would know that he could escape.

The car disappeared down the driveway and Aaron quickly let himself out of the house. He felt a sense of emptiness and frustration: emptiness because he had been abandoned and frustration because he had been sexually aroused but had not found release. Damn Robert Sugden! The last thing that he wanted right now was the complication of a clandestine relationship and that was exactly the thing that he had found.

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Chas was in the mood for her usual interrogation the next morning. Aaron's mobile phone beeped at the breakfast table and, as he looked at it, his mother piped up.

"Message from lover boy?" she said, with a smirk.

"You never give up, do you?" Aaron answered: his face showed the usual grimace which indicated to her that she should mind her own business.

"I just wondered if he was apologising for standing you up last night."

"Who says I was stood up?"

"Well," Chas would not let it lie, "You spent all evening with Adam in the bar, so I can only assume..."

"You know what they say about making assumptions," Aaron cut in, "Anyway, me and Adam had things to discuss...we are business partners in case you'd forgotten."

Chas knew that she was getting nowhere, so she gave up. Aaron made his way to his bedroom to answer the text from Robert on his phone, in private. He looked at the brief message, "Sorry about yesterday. Want to meet later?"

Aaron answered, "Yeah, where?"

The answer came back quickly, "Have booked a room at the Hotten Hill Hotel, in the name of Black. Meet you there at 6?"

Aaron smiled in spite of himself and he typed "OK," before hitting the 'send' button.

Later that day, Aaron was having second thoughts about meeting with Robert. He really wanted to see him, yet he had nagging doubts creeping into his mind. He was becoming tired of skulking around and behaving like 'a bit on the side', only meeting at Robert's convenience. Just for once, he wanted to be spontaneous and surprise Robert with a meal out or a drink, but he knew that Robert found it difficult to get away from his domestic situation.

Aaron arrived at the Hotten Hill Hotel and thought about going to the reception to see if Robert had checked in, but then noticed his secret lover waving at him from the hotel bar. He headed for the bar and sat in a seat opposite Robert.

"Mr Black, I assume!" Aaron had a mischievous grin on his face, "Where did you get that from?"

"Well, I didn't want to use my real name," Robert explained, "and I thought of using Lawrence's name, White, but that was a bit too obvious. Then I thought a change from White worked well for Cilla Black so it seemed the best solution."

"You're so devious! Won't they get suspicious when you pay with a card in the name of Sugden?"

"I'm paying in cash."

"Oh!" Aaron looked around, studying the faces of the people in the bar, in case anyone might recognise them.

Robert picked up on Aaron's apprehension, "You nervous?" he asked.

"It's just a bit public here," Aaron explained, "supposing someone we know comes in."

"We'll just say that we're having a meeting about the taxi business."

"You've got an answer for everything," Aaron was being sarcastic.

Robert could tell that Aaron was still uneasy, "Okay, let's go up to the room. Then we can relax."

Their room was nicely furnished and comfortable: double bed, wardrobe space, cocktail bar and en-suite facilities. Aaron was impressed.

Robert took Aaron into his arms and they kissed passionately. Aaron's doubts and fears faded away at Robert's touch: he knew now why he could not say no to him. The excitement that he felt whenever he was with Robert always compensated for any qualms he might have about their relationship. He needed the thrill that his secret lover gave him and he knew that he couldn't give it up; it had become like a drug.

They quickly stripped one and other and fell naked onto the bed. Robert kissed Aaron fiercely and then worked his way down Aaron's fit body, planting little kisses on his torso as he went, only stopping on the way to bite and chew Aaron's sensitive nipples on his well-developed pecs, making Aaron squirm. Then Robert continued down until he reached his goal: Aaron's throbbing, stiff cock. He took the swollen head onto his tongue and then let it slide into his hot mouth. Aaron gasped in pleasure as he felt Robert sucking him vigorously. They then changed position so that Aaron could get his mouth to Robert's cock at the same time. He took the hard, impressive organ into his willing mouth. Now, they were equal partners.

Hours later, they cuddled each other, their lust spent and their urges satisfied.

Aaron looked at the clock: ten-thirty, "Are we staying the night?" he asked.

"No, I'll have to get back soon," Robert was genuinely apologetic, "Chrissie thinks I'm at a meeting in Leeds but she's expecting me back tonight. Next time, I'll invent a seminar or something to give me an excuse to stay over."

"So, there's going to be a next time?"

Robert looked deep into Aaron's beautiful blue eyes and he suddenly realised that those eyes had captured him. He had seen them burn with fury, but he had also seen them at their best: soft, trusting and gentle.

"Yeah," Robert smiled, "There'll be a next time, if that's what you want."

"'Course I do," Aaron stroked Robert's well-developed chest, "I just wish..." his voice trailed off.

"What?"

"I wish we could be a proper couple," Aaron decided to be honest, "All this cloak and dagger routine is doing my head in."

"I thought you were okay with no strings?"

"Well...I am, up to a point. But when I think about how it was with my previous boyfriends, you know, being able to walk into the Woolpack as a couple and that...well, I miss it."

"Look, Aaron, you've always known that I'm marrying Chrissie. I'm sorry I can't be your boyfriend, at least, not in the way you'd like. If you want to call it off, I'll understand."

"I don't want to call it off, is that what you want?"

"No, I want to keep seeing you, but you must understand that I can't give you more than this and we'll have to stop when I get married."

Aaron was torn. He wanted to tell Robert that he had fallen in love with him, but he knew that, if he said it, then their relationship would probably be over. How ironic, he thought to himself, that he had taken so long to tell his ex-boyfriend, Jackson, that he loved him. Now, he was ready to make that declaration to someone else and, yet, he was being prevented from doing so.

Unbeknown to Aaron, Robert was also torn. He was trying to convince Aaron, and himself, that their dalliance was just a bit of fun. But, if he was being honest with himself, he knew that Aaron was special to him. If he listened to his heart and not his head, then he would dump Chrissie and declare his feelings for his handsome young grease monkey with the captivating blue eyes. No man had ever meant so much to him before.

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Aaron's head was in turmoil. At breakfast the next morning, he gave his mother monosyllabic answers when she quizzed him about the previous night. In fact, he was quite short with her when she started probing. Chas knew that he was unhappy and wanted to help him and put things right but, as usual, her son was staying tight-lipped about his troubles.

Aaron received texts from Robert during the day but did not respond straight away. He wanted to try to get his head round the situation. He felt that if he continued seeing Robert, then he would only hurt himself more in the long run and maybe it would be better to cut the ties now. Because Robert did not get answers to his texts by the afternoon, he called Aaron on his mobile.

Aaron saw that Robert was calling him and was about to reject the call, but he found himself pushing the 'answer' button. "Hello."

"Why didn't you answer my messages?"

"I've been busy at work."

"Can I see you later? I've got something I want to tell you."

"I dunno."

"Aaron, what's wrong?"

"Nothing...yeah, okay, where do you want to meet?"

"How about the cricket pavilion?"

"Somebody might see us," Aaron was spooked by the possibility of being seen by someone, so close to home.

"I only want to chat," Robert could understand Aaron's concern, "It's not like I'm going to have my wicked way with you in the middle of the cricket pitch!"

"Okay."

That evening, Aaron sat waiting patiently on the balcony of the pavilion. Before long, Robert appeared and sat down beside him.

"I didn't know if you would come, the way you were earlier," Robert was not hostile, but Aaron could tell that he was a little miffed about the cold shoulder treatment.

"Sorry, it's just that my head's a bit mashed, that's all."

"I know, that's why I wanted to speak to you: to tell you to your face so that you don't hear it from someone else."

Aaron was intrigued, "Tell me what?"

"Me and Chrissie, we've set a date for the wedding."

Although it was completely expected, the words cut Aaron like a knife. However, he maintained his composure and looked at his lover, "Well...I knew that you were going to marry her all along...why the special announcement?" He hoped that his voice did not betray him and reveal the disappointment he felt.

"Well, I just don't want to hurt your feelings, that's all," Robert looked at Aaron, trying to gauge his reaction to the news, "It might have come as a bit of a shock when it's more official."

Aaron stared at the ground, "I hope you'll be very happy...I mean, congratulations and all that."

"Thanks for being so good about it. Will you come to the wedding?"

Aaron was surprised, "Are you serious?"

"Of course. Now I'm in business with you and Adam, you'll both get an invite: Chrissie will think it odd if you're not on the guest list."

"I'll think about it," was Aaron's non-committal answer.

"I'd also like to think we can still meet up like before, until I'm actually married."

"I'll think about that too," Aaron stood up to leave, "See you around."

Aaron did not want Robert to see his unexpected tears and he was glad of the cover of darkness in the cold winter evening.

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The next day Aaron, for once, was being philosophical. True, he could not have Robert for good, but he didn't want to miss out on the chance of seeing him up until the time that he was due to be married. He could live with that.

He agreed to meet Robert again at the hotel and this time Robert had arranged for an overnight stay. So, for the first time ever, they spent the night together, wrapped in each others' naked arms for hours on end: both content, satisfied and loved up. Aaron knew that he loved Robert, but felt that his love was unrequited.

Robert had come to realise that his feelings for Aaron were stronger than he had previously admitted to himself. Although he did not want to break off the wedding to Chrissie, as he genuinely cared for her, he decided that he couldn't give up on Aaron either. So he decided to tell him that he wanted to continue their liaisons after he had become a married man. Aaron was delighted to hear this as he knew that he could still see Robert behind his wife's back. The only thing that he would have liked better would have been for Robert to be his full-time boyfriend.

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The day of the wedding finally arrived. Ashley was to conduct the service in the village church and it was filled with people. Aaron and Adam sat near the back. When Ashley asked if anyone knew of any 'just cause or impediment, why these two persons should not be joined together in holy Matrimony', Aaron wanted to jump up and shout "He's been sleeping with ME!" but he thought better of it. However, he was not prepared for the events that were about to unfold.

As Chrissie and Robert stood at the altar, in all their finery, Chrissie looked at Robert and said, "I'm so sorry Robert, I can't do this!" She then fled down the aisle, hitching up her long white dress, with her father Lawrence in hot pursuit. Robert stood in front of Ashley, dazed and confused.

Later, with the wedding obviously cancelled, Robert caught up with Chrissie at Home Farm. As they stood, surrounded by wedding trimmings and presents, Robert spoke, "Why Chrissie? We've been planning this for months. Why don't you want to marry me?"

Chrissie was in pieces and she gulped back the tears as she spoke, "I've been thinking about this for days now. Something's not right. I know I should have called it off before, but I thought I could go through with it. I've met someone else...I'm so sorry."

"How could you do this to me?" Robert was genuinely upset, "I thought you loved me."

"I do, in a way, but I couldn't help getting the feeling that you were holding something back, call it a woman's intuition if you like. That's why, when Colin came back into my life, I decided I wanted him and I know it's the real thing with him. I'm really sorry to do this to you Robert. I've spoken to dad and he's supporting me in my decision. He'll arrange to give all the presents back and he wants to compensate you for all this. You can keep your job here or he'll give you a big pay-off: your choice."

Robert was stunned. He realised that he had not been the only one with second thoughts! He cleared his throat to speak again, "I don't know what to say. This is supposed to be my wedding day!"

"I know," Chrissie took Robert's hands in her own, "Maybe, one day, you'll come to realise that this is all for the best. It's better to make a clean break now, rather than live a lie. I hope you can see that."

With Chrissie's wise words still ringing in his ears, Robert called round the side door of the Woolpack. There was only one person that he wanted to be with now: Aaron.

The young mechanic let him in and took him to his bedroom, "I'm sorry about you getting jilted at the altar, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine, Aaron. You do realise that this was meant to be, don't you?"

"How do you mean?"

"Well, I've come to realise that I really want to be with you. I couldn't admit it before, but I love you Aaron."

That was music to Aaron's ears. Now, he could have everything he wanted. He took Robert's face in his hands and kissed him, "I love you too!" he said, with a contented sigh.