Page 133 of A Long Way Back
“No. Nor in water.”
“We’re not going in the water. Not until I’m fit. First time I took Blue in, he fainted when we were in up to his belly.”
“Fuck! What did you do?”
“Held his nose above the water and floated him back in. The moment we reached the beach, he stood up, shook himself off and looked at me as if it were my fault.”
Ink laughed.
“This beach is safe for riding. Nothing unexpected to worry about, unless some random dog runs at us, but the horses get overexcited. They like the waves, as long as they’re not too big, and once they’re off, they want to go faster and further. Blue likes to lead, but Sol is quicker, so you’ll pull past and Blue will be arsey and go for Sol’s bum. Follow me while you can.”
Tay hadn’t realised how much he missed this until now. He moved from a walk to a trot and eventually to a canter, then gave Blue his head. He heard Ink coming up behind him, and they were racing alongside each other, flying into the sun.
“You almost as good as me,” Tay called.
Ink laughed and pulled ahead.
Chapter Eighteen
ON SATURDAY, THE DAY OF the hotel event, Tay woke up anxious and as the day went on, his anxiety grew worse. It made Ink edgy, but he ignored Tay’s snaps because he understood the cause, though even Dog seemed tense. Ink would rather have stayed at the house than go to the hotel and mix with people, but Tay wanted him to go, so he’d go. Tay changed his clothes three times before he decided on pale grey chinos, white shirt and blue tie.
“Do I look okay?” Tay asked.
“You look great. It’s amazing what a few days of sunshine and sea air can do.”
“And hot sex.”
Ink glared. “Who did you have that with?”
Tay laughed. “This purple Sonic the Hedgehog who’s raced into my life.”
“Ooh. Is he up for a threesome?”
Tay rubbed his knuckles in Ink’s hair. “I’m not sharing you.”
Ink didn’t have the luxury of choosing clothes from his limited wardrobe, but he did accept the offer of one of Tay’s grey shirts to go with his newly washed black jeans. Tay tossed him a pink tie. “That will look good.”
If Ink could tie it, but he couldn’t. As he struggled, Tay came up behind him and put his hands over Ink’s shoulders.
“Collar up. Wider end of the tie on your right side. Narrow end hangs about here. Cross the wide over the narrow, loop it under and pull it back. Then drag the wide end up through the neck loop, and push it down through the knot. Hold the narrow end and slide the knot up to tighten it. See?”
“Thank you.”
When Tay moved in front of him, he groaned. “You look so sexy, I want to strip you naked and fuck you, but we don’t have time.”
Ink raised his eyebrows. “I think we do.”
Tay glared at him before laughing. “You’re giving me a complex.”
“You know I’m teasing.”
Dog had been fed, let out into the garden for a while, then locked in the house. Tay had bought him a bed on Amazon, and though Dog had sniffed it suspiciously for an entire day, he’d finally decided he could risk sleeping in it and that was where they left him.
“What do you want to achieve this afternoon?” Ink asked as Tay pulled out of the drive.
“I want to walk in without the crutch. If I can park close to the door, I might risk it.”
Ink assumed that was why Tay had pushed himself so hard the last few days, trying not to use the crutch, walking further each time, doing his exercises morning and night, and it had made a difference.
