Nicholas groped for Marcus but his fingers couldn't find him on the other side of the bed. It was cold and empty. He opened his eyes and blinked several times. A bleak light seeped through the closed curtains. Nicholas sat up and looked around. It was as if he was seeing the room for the first time. It was exactly that, yesterday and the day before he had wasted no time looking at the room.

He rubbed his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair. Then he heard steps on the staircase, the door swung open and Marcus entered with a big tray. He was wearing a robe and was freshly shaven. He set the tray down on the bed. Nicholas smelled freshly-brewed coffee, slightly burnt bacon and toast.

"Morning, sleepy head," Marcus said cheerfully.

"Where have you been. I don't like waking up alone."

Marcus watched in silence the young man sitting naked and sulking amidst the rumpled blankets.

"How often do you wake up with a man? By the way, I said "Good morning"."

He sat down, pulled Nicholas' chin closer and kissed him on the lips. "You don't like to wake up alone and I don't like to have breakfast in bed. So we are quits."

Nicholas began to smile. "But normally I don't have breakfast."

"You're beautiful when you smile," murmured Marcus, "but rather too thin, so I shall force you to eat something. What would you like? Scrambled eggs? Toast, bread, rolls? Sausage? Marmalade? You ate yesterday and didn't complain."

"You don't like my body?"

"Jesus, Nicholas. Why do you twist every word from my mouth? You are a tease, honey! Will you always be like this?" He looked the lad up and down, from the half erect penis to the long strands of old-gold hair hanging over his eyes.

He stretched out his hand. "Stay exactly as you are. It's a marvellous sight." He spread butter on a slice of toast, shoved it into Nicholas' mouth and gave him a plate full of scrambled egg. "I don't know if they are as good as yours yesterday, but I tried my best."

Both men ate for a while until Marcus asked, "Actually how are you feeling?"

"Great."

Marcus gazed deeply into Nicholas' eyes. "Great is not enough."

"Not enough? What do you want to hear?"

"How do you feel after your first night with a man?" He paused for a second. "This was your first night with a man, wasn't it?"

Nicholas nodded and drank some coffee.