Chapter Twenty-Three

They made their way to Jack's sofa, and Ianto found himself being tugged downwards until he was straddling Jack's lap. Then they were kissing again, the heat and passion between them as undeniable as it was unstoppable.

Jack's eager fingers began working on the knot of his tie, and within moments he was sliding it off and tossing it aside. Ianto didn't protest, knowing that this time they'd end up naked together, Jack already halfway there. He was determined not to let his anxieties and insecurities get the better of him. He wanted Jack, and Jack wanted him. All he could do was hope that Jack wouldn't be too disappointed.

The buttons of his shirt were next, Jack's fingers surprisingly adept given the amazing things that he was doing with his lips and tongue. But then he pulled back and looked into Ianto's eyes, his fingers paused on the button halfway down. "Is this okay?"

Ianto nodded, not trusting himself to speak. He watched as Jack unfastened the remaining few buttons before parting the fabric and easing it away from his shoulders. As Jack's eyes studied his bare torso, Ianto swallowed, nervousness twisting in the pit of his stomach. He wasn't muscular like Jack, nor was he particularly well-toned. He'd never been much of one for going to the gym, and these days he simply didn't have the time even if he was that way inclined. His skin was pale, having rarely been exposed to sunlight, and he was hairy, unlike Jack, whose upper body was smooth and mostly hairless, his skin the colour of light, golden honey. The stark contrast between them was impossible to ignore.

"Whatever's going on in that gorgeous head of yours, I want you to stop it right now."

He blinked and realised that Jack was staring directly into his eyes, his expression soft and warm, but with an edge of sternness. And from the way Jack was looking at him, he had the disquieting sense that everything he had just been thinking was written plainly across his face.

"I can see it in your eyes, Ianto. You've got this idea in your head that you're somehow inadequate. But trust me, you couldn't be more wrong." Jack traced a hand over Ianto's stomach, working upwards and across his chest, running his fingers through the strands of dark hair and stroking where it was thickest at the centre. Ianto closed his eyes, concentrating on the sensation of Jack's gentle, exploratory touch.

Jack's voice felt like an audible caress as he spoke again. "I've wanted to see you like this for so long now. So many times I've dreamed of what it would feel like to touch you... to explore every inch of you."

Jack stroked one of Ianto's nipples, the sensitive flesh hardening in response and sending a shot of arousal to his groin. As Jack then lavished the other nipple with the same treatment, Ianto only barely managed to stifle a gasp of pleasure. "You're beautiful, Ianto. And I intend to show you exactly how perfect I think you are."

Ianto opened his eyes, but any protest he might have made was silenced by the intent, almost reverent look in the blue depths staring back at him. Jack unfastened the cuffs of the shirt, easing it off his arms and tossing it aside, showing no concern over where it landed. As his hands slid up Ianto's back, Jack pulled him down into another kiss, bringing their bare chests together.

The feel of Jack's warm, firm chest against his own was even better than he'd expected, and as one of Jack's peaked nipples rubbed against his, a jolt of pleasure shot down his spine. As good as it was, he wanted more, and his hands seemed to have a mind of their own as they began working on unfastening Jack's jeans.

They had to break their kiss, and it was a bit awkward with him sitting on top of Jack, but he had no intention of moving. After some wriggling and groans of frustration, they managed to free Jack from the tight confines and get the jeans down far enough so as not to be in the way. Jack was bare beneath the denim, and something about that excited Ianto beyond all reason, causing him to wonder for a moment if he'd discovered some sort of odd kink. His attention, however, was captivated by Jack's hard and impressive length. Seeing it up close again, it seemed even bigger and more intimidating than he remembered. He decided not to share that observation, not wanting to further inflate Jack's already abundant ego.

He gave Jack a slow, tentative stroke, sliding his thumb over the slick head and enjoying Jack's groan in response. It didn't seem quite so strange this time, and he stroked again, deciding that he could definitely enjoy doing a lot more of this. He liked touching Jack, and he liked the idea of being able to give Jack pleasure. Suddenly none of this seemed quite so overwhelming. He might be inexperienced with the whole gay sex thing, but he possessed a curious nature and had always been a quick learner. With some time, research and practice, there was no logical reason why he couldn't develop the skills to pleasure Jack in all the ways possible between two men, Jack's patience withstanding. More to the point, he wanted this... he wanted to give Jack everything that he could possibly desire from a sexual partner.

Jack pulled him back in for another kiss and then reached for Ianto's belt. "Your turn."

"Er... hang on a sec." Ianto gave him a sheepish smile. "Feels weird to still be wearing shoes and socks." He managed to remove the said items, one of Jack's arms wrapped around his waist and holding him steady as he performed the awkward manoeuvres.

Jack's nimble fingers were then back on his belt, unbuckling it and sliding it away from his trousers. It was tossed aside to join the rest of his discarded clothing.

Jack grinned up at him as he proceeded to unfasten Ianto's trousers. "I think you're going to love this."

Ianto was about to ask Jack what he had in mind, but then Jack's hand burrowed beneath his underwear and grasped hold of him, and he lost the ability to form coherent thoughts, let alone articulate them. Unable to hold back a deep groan of pleasure, he managed to push his trousers and underwear down and out of the way. He was already fully hard, but under Jack's skilful ministrations, he became even more aroused as heat flooded his body and tightness built in his groin. He rocked his hips, thrusting into Jack's hand and no longer caring that he was naked or that he was rapidly devolving into a state of wanton, shameless abandonment.

Jack let go, causing him to make an undignified sound of protest. But then Jack's hands grasped hold of his bare arse, pulling him closer and causing their erections to make contact and rub together. He now knew exactly what Jack was talking about. The sensation of Jack's hard, hot flesh sliding against his own was ridiculously good, and even after just a few short moments, he knew without a doubt that he wanted much more of this too.

Uttering soft, breathless moans, they continued to kiss and move together, hands roaming impatiently over each other's heated skin. Lost in the myriad of sensations, Ianto felt light-headed, the experience taking on a surreal, almost dream-like quality, this world of pleasure that he hadn't known existed opening up before him and drawing him in. He wanted this to last for hours – quite possibly forever – some small part of his mind trying to recall if sex had ever been this intense or exciting before. Their movements became more urgent, their kissing more desperate. He was teetering on the edge, trying to hold on just a little bit longer, sensing that Jack was also close.

He'd reached his limit, the need for release overwhelming. His hips jerked as he spurted between their bodies, the climax every bit as intense as the last time, perhaps even more so. He kissed Jack hard, and Jack shuddered beneath him, thrusting erratically with a strangled groan and adding his own thick, gushing spurts to the slick mess between them.

As Ianto pulled back to catch his breath, he stared at Jack's relaxed, flushed face and didn't think he'd ever seen a more captivating or beautiful sight.

Jack glazed eyes looked at him, his hands stroking Ianto's hips. "Okay?"

Ianto nodded and smiled. He reached up and brushed a few stray locks of hair away from Jack's forehead, noting how soft it felt without any product or styling.

"Good, huh?" Jack grinned, looking happy and just a little bit smug.

Ianto chuckled at the understatement, unable to help himself. "Yeah." He gave Jack an impish grin. "So... er... how soon can we do that again?"

Jack laughed, shaking his head. "It's always the quiet ones. I knew you were going to be a tiger once you got going." He laughed again. "Something tells me I'm going to have my work cut out keeping up with you."

He brought their mouths back together in a slow, tender kiss, caressing Ianto's shoulders as they eased apart. "We're kind of a mess. I'll go and get something to clean us up."

Somewhat reluctantly, Ianto moved off Jack, resting back on the sofa and unable to keep the smile from his face.

Just like last time, Jack was gentle and diligent as he cleaned them up with the damp towel he'd brought back from the bathroom. They stretched out together on the sofa, jeans and trousers pulled back on but both still shirtless. They traded lazy kisses as they explored each other's bodies. Jack seemed to be particularly enamoured with his chest hair and nipples, and Ianto couldn't deny that he enjoyed the attention. He'd never been with anyone as sensual and attentive as Jack, and he revelled in the feel of Jack's confident, masculine hands moving over his skin.

Jack's gentleness surprised him, although he definitely liked it. He supposed that he'd expected things to be rougher and less affectionate between two men, the sole intention being to get each other off as quickly and efficiently as possible. Not that he'd ever given it any thought before Jack came along, but then he'd never imagined being in a relationship with another man and what that might actually entail.

After enjoying another languid kiss and smiling as he pulled back far enough to look into Jack's eyes, he remembered one of the reasons for his impromptu visit. He wanted to do something to reassure Jack that he was serious about their relationship. With business at the bakery continuing to improve, money wasn't quite as tight and he could afford a little indulgence. Besides, Jack was always generous to a fault, more often than not paying for anything they did together, and he wanted to repay that generosity by doing something memorable in return.

Propping himself up on one elbow, he looked down at Jack. "Jack, I was wondering... there's a French restaurant in town that's supposed to be very good." He paused as he tried to ignore the nervous flutter in his stomach. "I thought we could try it out? Maybe tomorrow night if you're not busy?"

Jack was looking up at him with a serious expression, but the slight twitching of the corners of his mouth gave him away. "Are you asking me out on a date, Ianto?"

Playing along, Ianto attempted to feign nonchalance. "Interested?"

"Hmm... I'm fairly sure I could be persuaded." Jack appeared to give the question solemn consideration. "Does it mean I get to see you in a suit again? And I love that red shirt of yours. Will you wear that for me too?"

Ianto rolled his eyes. "Why am I starting to feel like your own personal mannequin?" He huffed out a sigh. "Fine. I'll wear my red shirt again. So... is that a yes?"

Jack grinned. "Yes."

With a sense of relief, even though he'd never thought that Jack would actually refuse, he kissed Jack firmly to seal the deal.

Just as they were about to pick up where they'd left off, reality finally caught up with him. "Bugger. I forgot about Rhys. He's making lasagne and I was supposed to be picking up beer and ice cream." With a sigh, he gave Jack an apologetic look and sat up. "I'd better go."

"Okay." Jack shifted upright too, but the disappointment was obvious on his face. "I wish you could stay, but I don't want you to bail on Rhys."

Ianto was disappointed as well, but he couldn't abandon his friend, especially not when he was going to the trouble of making dinner. "You could come back with me if you like? Rhys always makes enough to feed an army, so there'll be plenty to go around. And we're watching The Great British Bake Off. The new series starts tonight."

Jack produced one of his wide, happy, dimpled smiles. "I'd love to."

###

A little over twenty-four hours later, they were sitting across from each other at a small, intimate table in the French restaurant located near the Welsh National War Memorial and the National Museum.

Ianto had been lucky to get a reservation at short notice, the restaurant being popular and having received many favourable reviews. Not overly large, the ambiance was warm and inviting, the rich colours of the walls and furnishings contrasting with the crisp, white linens and elegant tableware. Prints of works by various French artists decorated the walls, the overall effect reminiscent of the restaurants he'd visited in Paris. It was a romantic setting, and there was no denying that anyone seen dining here together would be assumed to be romantically involved.

As promised, he'd worn the same dark red shirt as on their first date, although his suit was different, but still in a shade of dark grey. Jack was as stunning as ever in an elegant midnight-blue suit and black shirt. He hadn't failed to notice the admiring glances that Jack had received as they'd been shown to their table or the way their young male waiter had surreptitiously cast his eyes over Jack with obvious appreciation. Jack had insisted that the admiring looks had been aimed at the both of them, but Ianto remained sceptical.

The menu was classic French cuisine, each item listed in both French and English. Although his French was a little rusty, he managed to recite each of the choices for Jack's benefit. Jack had definitely seemed to approve.

"This is kind of a first for me. I've never been taken on a date before." Jack smiled at him, then reached across the table and took Ianto's hand in his own, resting them together on the table. "It's nice... more than nice. I could definitely get used to this."

Ianto smiled in return, but it was with difficulty that he managed not to pull his hand free or look around to see if anyone was watching them.

Jack studied him for a moment. He squeezed Ianto's hand but didn't relinquish his grip. "No one cares, you know."

"We both know that's not true." Ianto wasn't naïve. Although they hadn't yet been on the receiving end of any overt homophobia, he suspected that it would happen sooner or later. As fortunate as they were to live in more enlightened times, there were still plenty of people from all walks of life who considered same-sex relations an affront to nature.

Jack sighed, but he didn't try to disagree. "Let me rephrase it, then. No one who matters cares. We can't live our lives worrying about what other people might think. That's their problem, not ours. The best we can do is to be true to ourselves."

Ianto nodded. It was a sentiment with which he wholeheartedly agreed, even if it was easier in theory than practice. "I know. I don't disagree. But it's not only because you're a man. I've never been a very tactile person." It was a perfectly honest statement, but given the way that he hadn't been able to keep his hands off Jack the night before, he hastened to qualify his words. "In public, I mean."

Jack's eyes softened and he gave Ianto's hand another squeeze before releasing it and taking a sip of the red Bordeaux they'd selected to accompany their meal. "Fair enough. Just let me know if I do anything that bothers you." He shrugged. "I don't care what anyone else thinks, but I don't want to ever make you feel uncomfortable."

Their appetisers arrived – crab and goat's cheese tart for Ianto and French onion soup with cheese croutons for Jack, neither of them having the stomach to try the escargot – and they concentrated on their food, which Ianto was pleased to find was as good as he'd hoped.

"We're not the only male couple here tonight." Jack put down his soup spoon and gestured with a discreet nod of his head. "Behind you, at the other side of the room. I think they're married. I noticed matching rings as we walked in."

Ianto stopped eating and took a sip of wine. Trying not to be too obvious, he cast his eyes around the room and found the couple in question. They appeared to be in their late thirties, perhaps early forties, one blond, the other brunet. The blond man laughed at something the other man said, and the man smiled in response, his expression warm with affection.

He turned back to Jack, noting the hint of wistfulness in his features. "They look happy. You want that, don't you? To be married?"

A mischievous glint appeared in Jack's eyes. "Are you proposing, Ianto? Because if you are, the answer's yes." He grinned. "Although I expect a ring to make it official."

Ianto rolled his eyes. He feigned patting himself down. "Huh. I must have left the rings in my other trousers."

"Another time, then." Jack chuckled. He sipped on his wine with a thoughtful expression. "Until recently, I never thought of myself as the marrying kind. Plus, my parents are divorced, so I probably should be pretty jaded about the whole thing." He shrugged. "But, yeah, I want to get married. Obviously it wouldn't be in a church, and I don't want all the stress and drama of a big, flashy wedding." He took another sip of wine before tilting his head and giving Ianto a bemused smile. "Guess I'm more conventional and old-fashioned than I thought."

Ianto smiled, admiring Jack's honesty. "Nothing wrong with that. After all, traditions like marriage stand the test of time for a reason."

He thought about that other couple in the restaurant, and for one brief, mad moment, he imagined some future time where that couple was him and Jack, perhaps celebrating their anniversary or some other special occasion. Happy and in love, and committed to spending the rest of their lives together. It was a strange and surreal notion – surreal was a word which he frequently seemed to use with regard to Jack – but not an altogether unwelcome one. He'd assumed that he'd be married some day. He'd just never imagined that the person he might be married to could be a man.

Fortunately, the conversation for the rest of the meal kept to safer, benign topics. They debated over the remaining films on their list, coming up with a few new ones to add, and Jack talked about the progress of his book and the locations that he still wanted to photograph. In keeping with the theme of the evening, Ianto recounted a little more about his time living in France. The food continued to please, Ianto enjoying his Coq au Vin, and Jack happy with his selection of Beef Bourguignon.

They finished the bottle of wine between them, and Jack teased him over his predictable choice of chocolate soufflé, choosing the French classic of crème brûlée for himself. And just like last time, Jack insisted that he try a spoonful, then sampled Ianto's dessert too.

"Mmm. Delicious." Jack made a show of slowly licking his spoon clean, and Ianto found himself staring at Jack's tempting lips, the temperature of the room seeming to rise several degrees. Shifting in his chair, he had to resist the urge to adjust himself, while Jack merely gave him an innocent smile. Ianto narrowed his eyes, but he couldn't help smiling as he remembered how he'd teased Jack in the same way during their date at the restaurant in Penarth.

Jack scraped out the last spoonful of dessert and nudged the plate aside. "So, tell me, Mr. Jones. When you take me home, are you going to be a perfect gentleman? Give me a chaste kiss at my doorstep before bidding me goodnight?"

"Is that what you want me to do?" Ianto raised an eyebrow.

Jack laughed. "No. I want you to be a scoundrel and ravage me senseless."

Ianto almost choked as his mind conjured up some lurid images. Recovering, he gave Jack his best sly grin. "Hmm. Well, you'll just have to wait and see, then, won't you?"