Page 161 of A Long Way Back
Tay laughed. “You feel happy the counselling is done?”
“I didn’t want to do it, but you were right. I couldn’t afford to have a panic attack if something was triggered while I was working. Learning that I was safe, learning to cope when I began to worry that I wasn’t, was the sensible thing to do. I didn’t realise he’d ask me to go into details about our sex life.”
The guy hadn’t, but Ink felt Tay tense at his side.
“He said I’d feel much better if I could put my fist up your arse twice a week.”
Tay spat a seed at him and hit Ink’s cheek. “I’d have to try it out on you first.”
“I think they have a class here on that on Thursday. Oh dear. We’ll have left by then.”
“Everything we’ve done here has been spectacular. The kayaking, the hiking, the sailing, this island.”
“Not the spa treatment I had yesterday.”
Tay frowned. “What was wrong with it? You didn’t say you didn’t like it.”
“I didn’t tell you because you were raving about how fab yours had been, how you loved the feel of hot oil being poured over your forehead—you weirdo—and that you felt as if you were floating and it was like the best thing ever… But I freaked out.”
“Why?”
“It was Felip, that huge guy with the staring eyes, who did me. The one that Jonty told us sounds like a cross between Arnold Schwarzeneggerand Freddy Krueger, and he bloody well does. He said,I am going to wash every part of your body with this black soap, beeetch.Well, he didn’t say bitch, but he did mean every part. Do they normally do your tackle and your arse crack? Luckily, I was too freaked out to get an erection. He followed that with,Then I will scrub your entire body with this orange glove, beeetch.And it fucking hurt. I didn’t work hard on getting a tan for him to rub it all off. When he saidNow, I will give you facial, beeetch,for a moment, I panicked.”
Tay laughed.
“Then he stretched me and I’m as tall as you now.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Stand up and let’s check.”
Tay sighed but pushed to his feet.
Ink came up against him. “Huh. I’m going to ask for my money back.”
Tay pulled him down on top of him. “Let’s find a way to stop you thinking about being smaller than me because part of you definitely isn’t.”
“The disappointment is crushing. I may never recover.”
Tay pulled a condom and lube from the bag.
“Yep, that will work.” Ink grinned. “I’m completely better.”
Twelve months later
TAY DITHERED.
How should he do this?
Send a love letter?
Leave a treasure trail with himself as the treasure?
Ask him over dinner?
After sex?
Before sex?
