When Karl Met Devon

By Heather Mar-Gerrison

Karl never thought about having a lot of money. He'd been born to it and although he knew his father was a very successful doctor and his mother was a top lawyer, the amount of money they had was kind of irrelevant.
When Karl meets Devon at school, he knows there's something about him that is very special. He is drawn to him in a way that has never happened to him before. He's always had mates - but they way he feels around Devon is completely different.
When Devon asks him to be his date to prom, he is thrown into despair. His stuck-up, homophobic parents would never allow that - but Devon has an idea...
Devon has always known he was gay from being a very young boy. He's also always known that he likes being a girl sometimes, too.
Meeting and falling in love with Karl is something he never really expected and as wonderful as it is, he's still not sure that Karl will be able to handle his alter-ego, Delilah...
Well, there's only one way to find out. He wants to go to prom with his boyfriend and since Karl's parents won't allow him to date a boy, it's time for Karl to meet Delilah. Simple...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Heather Mar-Gerrison
• Release date: Sep 30, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463678350

Heather Mar-Gerrison

I love to write M/M romance and as a sucker for a HEA, you're guaranteed one in my books. #happyheatherafters

Book preview

Prologue

Karl

I never expected to meet guys and if I was going to be completely honest with myself, I didn’t want to – because no one would ever match up to Devon. No one. He wasn’t so much the one that got away as the one that was forced to leave and I regretted the way it had all played out every single day of my life.

Devon had been one in a million and I’d fallen for him pretty much the moment I’d met him. Not that I knew what my feelings for him actually meant at the time. But then, we’d met at fourteen and call me a late developer, but I’d never met anyone that I fancied before he burst into my life in all of his Technicolor glory...

I’d got plenty of mates. Noah being one of them and Rayshe being another, both of whom were now my band mates.

None of us were really aware that we were gay back then. Rayshe definitely wasn’t out. He’d been dating a girl for almost two years on and off and no one had any clue about his true sexuality.

To be fair, everyone thought Noah was gay and he never denied it. He just never talked about it and we were forward-thinking enough as a group of mates not to make a big deal about it.

I came from a family that was very rich, very religious, terribly homophobic and generally, fucking horrible. My parents didn’t like Noah and often made comments about him being a poofter or a faggot or a queer and I usually just ignored them or laughed it off; never really agreeing with them but neither did I defend what they were saying either, for fear of reprisals.

The night that Devon knocked on my door, dressed up to the nines and looking absolutely fucking delicious, with his fabulous wig and his perfect makeup and his outstanding dress was one I will never forget for more than one reason. For starters, it was a revelation... It was in that shining moment that I suddenly realised that the feelings I had for him were very definitely more than that of two guys just casually spending time with each other and occasionally kissing. It hit me like a ton of bricks that he was the bravest, most selfless individual I’d ever met and that I was, one hundred per cent, in love with him. The second reason for it being utterly unforgettable was that it was the last night I ever saw him....

Chapter 1 – Prom night...

Eight years ago...

Karl

When I look back on it, I have to admit that Devon was always a little bit camp but I guess already being in a friendship group with Noah, I’d never really noticed that. What I did notice was that he had the most beautiful eyes I’d ever seen on a guy and the prettiest mouth. He was stunning. Everyone thought so, so it never really occurred to me that what I was feeling towards him was more than friendship or that I had real feelings for him, other than finding him nice to look at. Call me slow, by all means...

What was obvious, however, was that the attraction wasn’t one-sided and it was as exciting as hell. Devon liked the look of me just as much as I liked the look of him. He pursued me relentlessly (and I totally allowed him to, even though I knew my parents would likely want to kill me) since he’d decided to make me his best friend as soon as he met me.

I was on the school football team, which was full of guys who liked to sleep around and although I’d never really wanted to join in their pursuit of pretty girls, I did like the attention. I was pretty proud of my body and I knew I must have looked good, what with all the girls that hung around.

I’d gotten a whole lot taller in the past year and my shoulders were broadening nicely. I swam a lot when I wasn’t at football training and I liked to hit the gym on a regular if not religious basis and I was, without being too conceited about the whole thing, kind of ripped. I had a six-pack to die for and my legs and arms were beautifully sculpted.

There was no way on this earth that you could describe Devon as anything like ripped. He was slender and willowy and extremely girly – and I fancied him like mad. He had a short haircut, but it still wasn’t how you’d describe a guy’s hair and even though I was sure he would have blonde hair, he definitely bleached it to the fabulous white-blonde he had going on. He always wore guys’ clothes – well, he kind of had to since we had a uniform but even that didn’t really stop him from making it fit uniquely. I swear he bought girls trousers – either that, or his dad was good with a sewing machine – they fit him like a glove. He was stunning.

He’d been a cheerleader at his previous school and when the try-outs for the cheerleaders began at the beginning of the new term, he totally went for it without any hint of embarrassment, which everyone else thought was hilarious until he was immediately picked for his outstanding performance. That shut them all up.

I was absolutely stoked for him when he was picked and even more so when he ran across the school gym and flung himself into my arms for a big celebratory hug.

I remember staring in shock over his shoulder into my mate, Rayshe’s equally surprised face but then grinning delightedly as I allowed myself to close my eyes and enjoy hugging him back. His affection was incredibly infectious...

That affection grew and grew between us until one afternoon, after football practice, when we were both sixteen and in year eleven, we had our first kiss...

I can’t deny that it took me by surprise – but in a really, really good way.

Hey, Karl.

At his soft voice, I turned away from my locker. I’d showered and changed and I was, as usual, the last one to leave the changing rooms.

Oh, hey Devon, I smiled at him as my heart fluttered a little in my chest, nice new moves. I couldn’t take my eyes off you. It was true. I’d definitely missed the ball a couple of times because of it. Not that I was about to admit to that, even to myself. I was completely in denial about the way he made me feel.

He chuckled and blushed, kicking the toe of his pristinely white Nike Air trainers against the bench and looking pleased that I’d noticed. Thanks. He said softly.

I stood up. It was only when I turned that I realised just how closely he was stood next to me. My dick hardened in my trousers, making me feel embarrassed even though there was no way he could know about my reaction to him.

Uh, are you doing anything after school? Well, I had to say something…

His smile was mesmerising, That was what I was waiting around here for. I was wondering if you wanted to come back to mine? He said, Dad said we could order a pizza – and I wanted to watch a movie that Dad got me for my birthday. I haven’t watched it yet…

I nodded. Anything. I would do anything. I would eat anything and watch anything just to be with him for a few more hours. He was beautiful and adorable and everything I’d ever wanted in a girlfriend. It was just that he was a boy, instead…

*

So, what film is it, then?

Devon bit his lip and looked up at me, It’s a soppy romance. he hedged, I’ve read the book – and it’s a total killer – but the film looks so beautiful I want to see it, too. I apologise in advance for crying all over you. He smiled sheepishly.

I gazed at him, completely mesmerised. "You can cry all over me any time. I said, I’ll hug you better when it’s over."

He grinned, Sounds like a plan. He said.

I can’t deny that the movie was good. The story was great and the actors were spot on. It was all just a little arty for my tastes.

Devon, on the other hand, found it to be absolutely wonderful and he predictably cried all over me – and I loved every single soggy second of it.

I’m sorry I’m s-such a m-mess. He hiccupped.

I hugged him to me a little tighter, It’s fine. I soothed, "It was kind of sad. I could totally appreciate that it was a heart-breaking movie. I’d just been brought up in a household where boys weren’t supposed to cry, so I’d totally gone with the stiff upper lip approach towards it, I can’t believe they threw it all away…"

Devon looked up at me. There were tears clinging to his lower lashes and his lips were still trembling. His little nose was pink and his breathing was hitching in his throat. In that moment, he’d never looked more beautiful to me. I found myself leaning in towards him, almost involuntarily drawn to his sheer vulnerable beauty.

As I leaned in towards him, Devon closed his eyes and lifted his face to mine, his mouth slightly open but there was definitely some pouting action going on there. He definitely wanted me to kiss him.

What the hell? We didn’t have to explain ourselves to anyone. I wanted to kiss him and he wanted to kiss me. Simple as…

He leaned up a little further and I lowered my head a fraction more. Our lips touched for the first time. And it was magic….

Less than a second later, he’d snatched his arms from around my neck and backed up away from me towards the far end of the sofa, looking back up at me nervously, I-I’m sorry. He stammered. He looked slightly afraid – as if I’d be angry with him for our kiss.

I shook my head, touching my lips where he’d just had his pressed against them so tantalisingly. No, don’t be sorry. I said, "That was… lovely. Could we, maybe, do it again? And I’ll be ready this time, I promise." My heart was beating out of my chest and I didn’t know whether I was nervous or euphoric. I guess it was a combination of both...

He smiled then, his beautiful eyes crinkling in the corners and his perfect mouth curving up into the most beautiful smile I’d ever seen. Ready? He teased.

I nodded, Definitely. I breathed.

He slid forward again, snaking his arms up my chest, making me quiver a little where his hands touched me and then he tilted his face up to mine and this time, since I knew what was coming, I bent my head a little so that he didn’t have to lean up so much to reach me. Our mouths met, our faces angled so we didn’t bump noses and it felt perfect. His lips were soft and warm and felt absolutely right against mine. Somehow, without any conscious effort on my part, I managed to wrap my arms around him and pull him in to me. At the same time, Devon’s lips parted and again, without it being a conscious thought, I slipped my tongue into his mouth and stroked it against his. Heat started to pool in my belly and was spreading out through my whole body, making me tingle all over and definitely sending happy signals south, where my cock was most definitely getting interested and making my trousers feel kind of tight. My heart was fluttering madly in my chest at what we were doing and not all of it was from excitement – a fair amount of it was from fear at being found by his dad and therefore, at being outed.

Finally, we broke apart. Oh, wow. I breathed.

Devon nodded, Wow’s right. He said just as breathlessly, "I knew you’d be a good kisser."

I blushed, I’ve never kissed anyone before. I admitted, a little shamefacedly. I’ve never fancied anyone before, you see...

He smiled, Me either. He murmured, stroking my cheek with his fingertips and making me shiver.

What do we do now? I asked.

He smiled, "Well, now that we know that what we’re feeling for each other is real – I think we should go on a date."

I blinked. A date? Was he actually serious? I shook my head, My parents will never let me date you, dude, I said in dismay, they’re really not liberal-minded. That was the understatement of the century. They were possibly the least liberal people in the fucking universe. Mum actually said that she felt sorry for gay people. She thought they all needed curing. She honestly believed that something had ‘gone wrong’ in them. As for Dad? Well, I sometimes wondered if he protested just a little too much and actually had feelings towards guys that were similar to mine where Devon was concerned. I had a bit of a theory about people who were over the top homophobes. Were they actually afraid that they were gay? Were they terrified of it showing? Because let me tell you, Dad was always around at his best mate, Harry’s house – who was an eternal bachelor and lived alone. Not that I was about to open that can of worms...

He frowned, Really? he asked, Shit. That sucks.

I nodded. Hell, did it ever? I got enough grief from them for being mates with Noah...

He cocked his head on one side, looking extremely cute as he chewed his bottom lip, Okaaaay, he said thoughtfully, "But do they even know anything