Un Sejour Dans Le Sud De La France Ch. 07

"I don't want to go home, I just wish I could stay here forever with you and the girls."

Alex smiled.

"Right now I'd love nothing more myself, but we don't live in an ideal world." Alex said, "When do the three of you go back to England?"

"In two days." I said, "It's not fair, I've only just got to know you and soon we'll have to go our separate ways."

"Well, Jenny and I will be going to England ourselves in a few weeks. We could always take a detour and come visit."

"Yeah, I'd really like that." I said, "I'll give you our address and phone number when we get back to the villa."

"That'd be cool, I'd love to meet your folks."

"Ah, Beth and I won't be with our folks when we get back." I said, "A week after we get back, Beth and I will be moving away to university."

"University? Where?" Alex asked.

"York." I said, "I'm studying archaeology and Beth is studying art and design. As luck would have it, the university I'll be attending and the school of art where Beth is going are only a few miles apart. So rather than us going our separate ways and living in some draughty halls of residence somewhere hundreds of miles apart, Beth and I can live together. Mum and dad have arranged for us to share a flat together. It's not much, just a small two bedroom place above an antiques shop, but at least it means we can stay together."

"That whole, weird 'twins thing' I guess." Alex said.

"Something like that I guess, we've never spent so much as a single day apart our entire lives."

"I hope there'll be room."

"There are two sofas in our new flat, I'm sure they'll be comfortable enough for you and Jenny if you want to spend a few nights."

"I meant, I hope there'll be room in your life for me." Alex said, "What with both Beth and Terri already sharing you, is there enough room for one more to share your love?"

I had to really think hard before I could answer.

"I... I'd like to think so." I said eventually.

Another period of silence ensued.

"But..." Alex said, sensing there was more to come.

"The trouble is, you and I... we're from two different countries that are thousands of miles apart." I said, "I... I think I... love you Alex. But I'm not sure having a long-distance relationship would work out."

"Would you be willing to give it a try though?"

Again, I had to think hard before giving Alex an answer to his question. Could a long-distance relationship work for us? Would I be able to stand not having him around? I certainly wouldn't be able to afford to go and visit him in the states -- not while living the life of an impoverished student anyway. And I doubted he would be able to come and visit me in England regularly either.

And of course, this was in 1985 -- long before there was any such thing as email, social networking and the like. The only means to stay in touch in those days was by phone or by letter.

"Of... of course I'll give it a try." I said after a pause of what felt like several minutes but was probably only around half a minute, "But I just think we should take things carefully, in case they don't work out."

Damn! I thought to myself, that last part came out wrong. But it was too late to take it back.

"So, you don't think we have a chance at a future together?" Alex said, sounding a little hurt.

"It's not that," I sighed, "I mean, we'd hardly ever get to see each other what with being thousands of miles apart. But right now, if that barrier wasn't in the way, I would love to be in a relationship with you."

I sat up and looked him straight in the eye to show him how serious I was.

"You're the most amazing guy I've ever known, Alex. You've made me discover a totally new part of me that I never knew existed and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for showing me the way. I just think though, that we should be realistic about a long-distance relationship."

Alex sat up himself and placed his hand on my shoulder.

"I know buddy, I know." Alex sighed resignedly, "Okay, let's do a deal. If you'd be happy for Jenny and me to come visit, then we'd love to come. And then maybe you and I will get a chance to spend some more time together."

By 'spend some more time together' it was obvious that Alex meant to explore our sexual needs and desires together.

"Then, when Jenny and I have to go back home we'll stay in touch." Alex continued, "If either of us wants to move on and 'just be friends' then we have to agree to it okay?"

I nodded in agreement.

"Just promise me one thing." Alex went on, "Whatever happens and whoever you or I end up with... we don't ever forget each other. Friends for life, okay. Do we have a deal?"

I thought again for a moment.

"Deal!" I said.

A warm hug ensued. His bare skin against mine felt soothing and comforting in the cool night air of the bay. I had met someone who in such a short period of time had become very dear to me. Although I was unsure whether the practicalities of having a long-distance relationship would work out -- there was certainly no way of feeling each other's comforting presence in such a long-distance situation as we were experiencing at that precious moment -- I knew for certain that I wanted this young man in my life and, come hell or high water, I wanted desperately for it to work out.

"We should get dressed." Alex said eventually.

"Yeah, I guess we should." I said with a hint of disappointment in my voice. In truth, I didn't want to get dressed. I wanted to stay naked with Alex forever, it was such a perfect moment in time for me that I didn't want it to ever end. And I could tell from the mournful look in Alex's eyes that he felt the same too.

It was such a complicated situation we had found ourselves in -- we both loved each other and we both loved our sisters in equal measure. And for me of course, there was the added complication of Terri. I could not deny that I loved her -- even if it wasn't with quite the same intensity that I felt for Beth and now Alex. Pretty soon, Beth and I would be leaving the small Sussex town where we had grown up and Terri would be left behind. I hoped she would be ok and that the confidence we had given her would help her stand up to her mother and find herself a decent boyfriend who would give her the love that she deserved and that I couldn't give to her in person.

But, as the tagline of a thousand romantic comedies states, 'love will find a way'. I truly hoped that sentiment was true in our case.

We stood up and brushed as much of the sand from our now mainly-dry bodies as we could. Alex stood behind me and brushed the sand from my back -- I felt a rush of pleasure as he stroked my bare buttocks. I returned the favour to him and relished the feeling of the smooth skin of his back and bottom under my fingers. I saw his boxer shorts lying on the sand at his feet. I picked them up, brushed the sand from them and handed them to him.

A few minutes later, we were both dressed and, hand in hand, we returned to our car. It was true that an uncertain future lay ahead of us, but if all we were ever destined to have together was the memory of that evening then both of us knew that it had been worth it.

I started the engine and began the drive back towards the villa where the girls awaited our return.