"Is there anything the matter, Jake? Sorry - I know there's plenty the matter - stupid thing to say. But... if you want to talk about it."

He took a moment then cast the first stone. "Can I ask you something?" he said. He threw me a hard look with the question then turned away to focus on the road again.

"Of course... what is it?" I asked. I could feel the tension, but I was oblivious to where this was leading. How stupid was that after what had passed in the morning. Jake suddenly made the route very clear.

"You know how you've been telling me about what you get up to at university."

"Aye," I replied, my voice betraying my growing nerves.

"Well, it just seems a bit odd."

"What does?"

"All this sport that you do and the friends you go out with and the things you get up to. Sounds like a great time but..."

"But what, Jake?"

"You never mention any girls."

Now my heart stopped and I could feel my face flush. It was the moment I had dreaded but knew must come. Someone was going to confront me about my sexuality - not just someone, but Jake.

"And?" I managed to say.

"Well, most of the single blokes of your age that I've ever known... they talk about nothing else other that who they were shagging over the weekend. I mean... you've got it all there on tap. I would imagine that there's fanny all over the place, fit young students away from home, looking to experiment with life, but..."

I heard no malice in his voice. There was no threat. Less that a fortnight ago I would have thought that Jake would be the last person I would ever come out to; but here I was finding the courage at last.

"But I don't sniff after any of it," I said. It wasn't quite an admission. I still had a get out if he did turn nasty.

"Well, do you?"

I couldn't believe that I was going to say it. This had all come so unexpectedly. I had never told anyone; and here I was with a bloke who could smash most men to a pulp - Jake's temper was a thing to be feared and his emotions were all up in the air. But he wasn't accusing me; he was simply asking, and I saw no reason to lie. The changes I had made went more than skin deep, and I was grateful to Jake for proving this to me. I had courage as well in a different way.

"No," I admitted. "They don't do it for me. Is that a problem? Am I going to be walking the rest of the way home with a split lip and a black eye?"

"Don't be stupid!" he snapped, still staring at the road.

"I'm sorry, Jake."

He snapped at me again. I was taken aback by the ferocity of this attack. "Don't you dare apologise!"

I don't why, but I said it again, this time my voice was cracking up. I'm ashamed to say there were tears in my eyes.

"I'm sorry. Don't tell my mum and dad, will you? Not yet, not now. Not with everything that's going on."

He made no reply; instead a minute later he indicated and turned off the main road. He drove for a few more minutes then pulled over again into a deserted dumping ground.

"Of course I won't say anything to your folks - or to anybody else for that matter. Let's just stop here for a while so you can pull yourself together."

"I'm sorry."

"Would you stop fucking saying that! There's nothing to be sorry for. You're gay - you like cock. It's no big deal... Okay, so maybe around here it still is. But not in the big cities, and that's where you belong."

I wiped away my stupid tears. God, what a relief! After a couple of moments silence I was able to speak again.

"Did you know all along?" I asked with a sort of nervous laugh to my voice.

Jake gave a laugh as well, easing the situation all the more. "Aye, I suppose so," he said. "I always thought you might be, but it was only last week that I was sure."

"What gave it away?"

Jake laughed again as if it was so blatantly obvious, which when he said it - I realised it was.

"Laser treatment to get rid of the glasses and pretty up your face! Tennis and squash to lose the puppy fat weight! A gym, for fucks sake, to put on some muscle! Of course I knew you were gay! Not many straight lads do all of that! Oh aye, and the way you kept looking at my packet every time you climbed in the truck - that sort of gave it away as well."

I could feel myself turn beetroot, embarrassed about my exposed behaviour - not just that I was gay, which was mortifying enough, but that I had lusted after Jake who was like part of the family! Then my world came to a standstill when Jake slapped me again on the leg, drawing my attention to his big dangerous hand. He left it there for a second then the hand was moved away. I followed it to the topic of my humiliation.

Planting his hand on his fabulous big bulge, Jake let out another hearty deep laugh.

"And who could blame you! It a hell of sight! You're not the only lad that's fancied a go at this."

I just gawped. My heart was now pounding, but it was no longer with shame - Jake had taken that away with his easy acceptance. Now my heart was pounding because Jake was stroking his crotch, and under the denim was a hardening cock.

Confidence, confidence! Come on Mike, don't shy. I looked in wonder at the beauty before me and at last a sentence came out of my gaping mouth.

"Did you ever let any?"

"Confession time is it?" he said, still stroking his erection, that now could be clearly seen bulging beneath his jeans, a long thick length running upwards and away from me - a tube along the centre of the underbelly and a bulbous glans at the end . It was the horniest thing I had ever seen.

"Aye," admitted Jake. "I let a few have a gobble. You poofs certainly know how suck a cock. Now don't get me wrong - I have a strong preference for fanny and I've fucked hundreds of women, but there's no denying that on the odd occasion, I've enjoyed a bit of a change and picked up a lad instead."

"For an expert blowjob?" I asked, intrigued at this confirmation of all my earlier fantasising.

"For starters," Jake chuckled. "But I've also been known to enjoy a fuck at a lad's arse. So don't you be feeling ashamed about what you are, Mike. Whatever you get up to, I've done a lot of the same - though I'd appreciate it if you kept that piece of information to yourself. Otherwise you will end up with that split lip and a black eye."

"No problem," I confirmed. My eyes still glued to the rock hard meat that bulged underneath Jake's jeans.

"So, are you ready to head home?" Jake asked, his hand still stroking that fabulous thing, leisurely running up and down the length.

"I suppose..." I stammered.

"Or maybe you're not," growled Jake.

I felt the burn of his look and dared to flick my eyes up to meet it. Then my gaze was drawn back by the magnetism of his erection.

"Could we stay here for a few minutes?" I managed to utter.

"Come on, Mike... just say it," Jake urged.

"Say what?"

"Say what's on your mind. You're still too shy for your own good."

Confidence, confidence! Come on Mike, he's right. But he's giving you the opening, so why not take the main chance.

"Can I see it?"

"Christ, boy! I thought you'd never ask. Why don't you reach over and give it a wee feel then take it out and have a good look."