Page 138 of Waiting for Ru
“I just told Joaquin I was gay.”
Ru gasped. “Did he look at you in horror, cringe, say you’ve got the lurgy, then walk out in disgust?”
“He told me I was an idiot and asked me what I’d been waiting for. And I’ve realised what that was. I’ve been waiting for you.”
“Oh.” Ru sat up and flung his arms around him. Then pulled back and chewed at his lip. “Except the danger is still there. What if Mike doesn’t keep his mouth shut?”
“I’ll have to beat him to it. I’m going to talk to Joaquin. He reckons he has an idea and I think I already know what that is. I need to be out before the game on Saturday. The press will be there. So will a lot of important people, including members of the British royal family. The more public I am, the safer I make both of us.”
“Are you sure?”
“No, but I’ve waited long enough. I’ve asked Mary to make you something to eat. She’ll bring it out shortly. Do nothing today. At six I’m going to speak to everyone about the departure of Mike and Kirstie, and about me. I’ll set up some training for you over how to get the ponies ready for each chukka. Okay?”
Ru nodded.
“Can I kiss you without hurting you?” Jasim whispered.
“Try.”
Jasim was as gentle as he could be, sliding his tongue over Ru’s, their mouths melding together. The thought that they could have this openly and proudly made Jasim’s heart swell in his chest. Was a push all he’d needed? Jasim was slow to register that the way Ru was shaking and the juddering of his heart was because he was silently crying. He pulled back and swallowed hard. But Ru was smiling.
“Are you all right?” Jasim whispered.
“Now I have hope.”
“Me too.”
Joaquin was waiting with his pony, Merry, and had Cheyenne tacked up for Jasim to ride. Jasim took the reins, pulled himself up, fastened his helmet and they headed down to the track.
“Gallop first. Clear your head,” Joaquin said.
In one way, Jasim’s head was perfectly clear. A decision had been made. He could still hardly believe it. But his mind buzzed with the implications of that decision.
They raced along the grass side by side, the adrenaline rush instant. The sensation of all that muscle beneath him, the horse’s power and coordination, the speed—all under his control. It was like flying and Jasim felt free.
When they slowed to a walk, Joaquin gave a quiet whoop. “Much as I love polo, if I’d been shorter, I think I might have become a jockey, no sharp turns required.”
Jasim laughed.
“I don’t care, you know that? I’m not sure if I said that to you. It doesn’t matter to me that you’re gay. Being a brilliant number Three is what matters. Well, as long as you think I have a nice bum. I’m too vain to hope for the opposite.”
“That’s the first thing I noticed about you. That and your fat head.”
Joaquin roared.
“Did you ever wonder?” Jasim asked.
“Never. You were married. Are you bi?”
“No. It was a marriage of convenience. Elinora was a good friend. I miss her.”
“No one could have failed to notice that you didn’t take advantage of the stick-chicks, but then not everyone does. I never wondered if you were gay. I really didn’t. You were always charming with the women who pursued you. You went out with that model for a while. I also think I should advise you that threatening or bribing Mike might keep your secret safe, if you’d prefer it. You could carry on in the way you’ve been behaving because no one will guess. I assume Mike was just lashing out. He doesn’t know…?”
“He was lashing out, but…a wild arrow hit the target.”
Joaquin nodded his head. “So you and Ru are together.”
“Does that shock you?”
