Page 70 of Fe
“Ah fuck,” Ripley said with a groan. “I’m going to come.”
Fen’s finger slid behind his balls onto his taint and pressed, just as Ripley’s cock hit the back of his throat. Ripley bit back his cry as his dick jerked, then erupted, come spewing from him in wrenching spasms. His knees trembled as he struggled to stay upright, to control his breathing, to stop his heart exploding.
“Fen,” Ripley gasped.
16
Fen woke with a start. It was morning and he was in his bed and not Ripley’s and he was…disappointed. He’d given Ripley a blow job in the hall…and…it had been so hot. Ripley’s cock had…Why am I in here on my own?He remembered coming up to his room to sort himself out, Ripley behind him on the stairs. Fen had sat on the bed to take off the rest of his clothes and… Then what? He pulled back the duvet. He was still in his jeans and one sock.I fell asleep?Fen cringed.Oh God, I did. Shit!
He grabbed his phone. Ripley had left a message.I was tempted to wake you with a kiss, but you were exhausted last night. Don’t forget to book our trip! See you around one. I’ll bring lunch.
It was seven thirty so at least he’d not slept the morning away. That sometimes happened when he didn’t have to get up for work. He did his exercises, took his tablets, showered, dressed and went downstairs. The snow had gone. If they were going on a trip that was just as well.
While he had breakfast, he googled. Fen couldn’t help wondering if this weekend away was some sort of test, Ripley wanting to see how much he spent, where he chose. Fen already had an idea of where they could go, but wasn’t sure how long it would take to drive there. One site said three hours to Lyme Regis, and another said four.Hmm.
He chose an Airbnb with good ratings, then booked a fossil-hunting tour for Saturday morning, a private one so Fen didn’t hold up a group by being slow. That was a lot of money spent in a flash. It made Fen anxious even though it wasn’t his money. If it had been, they’d have stayed in a mobile home and done the group tour. Not really Ripley’s style. Fen assumed he’d like to go to Lyme Regis, but what if he didn’t?
Well, it was too late now. Booked and paid for. All Fen had to do was walk on the beach for three hours. He groaned. Walking anywhere for three hours would be challenging. If he began to struggle, he’d sit and wait for Ripley and the guide to come back. But…he needed to buy rugged boots like the ones Ripley had, or wellingtons. Walking boots would be better. They’d keep his feet warmer and offer more stability. Maybe they could stop somewhere and he could get some.
Fen didn’t bother booking a restaurant. They could have pizzas delivered or buy them en route, together with something for breakfast. Which made him wonder what was provided in an Airbnb. On the website, he found a list of amenities for the cottage and it looked as if everything was supplied except food. Yes—to salt and pepper but no tea bags or coffee, sugar or milk. So he filled a cool bag with things he thought they might need.
Packing for himself was easy. It wasn’t as if he had much to choose from. He tended to wear his clothes until they fell apart. Fen made a neat pile on the bed of what he wanted to take, added his medicine and toiletries, then crossed the landing.
First impressions were that Ripley’s bedroom was big and tidy with lots of blues and shades of grey. A moody seascape hung over the bed. There were no photographs anywhere. A distressed leather armchair and footstool were positioned by the window, grey Shaker-style wardrobes faced the bed and there were two matching bedside chests of drawers. The one on the left held books sandwiched between the Mouseman bookends Fen had seen in Ripley’s mother’s house, and he smiled. There was also a Kindle, and a notebook and pen.
He took a peek at the bathroom. That was big too. White and grey. There was a huge walk-in shower, bath and a double sink. He’d leave Ripley to pack his own toiletries. Fen chose casual clothes and laid them on the bed. Most things were grey, blue or black with designer labels. Shirts and suits hung in lines with shoes in racks below. There was a drawer full of underwear. Fen had eight pairs. Another full of socks. Eight pairs for Fen. And so many ties! Fen had never had to wear a tie, even for school. He wasn’t sure he knew how to fasten one.
Inside the wardrobe nearest the window there was a floor safe, and on one of the shelves above it was the wooden puzzle box that had started everything. Fen picked it up and sat on the chair.
The top of the box now had a key in it, and it was empty. Hopefully, Ripley had put the medal in the safe. Fen was intrigued by the lower half which resisted all attempts to get into it. He figured it probably had to be opened from inside the top bit. Fen pressed and pushed at various places, inside and out and several minutes later, he’d managed to slide a panel aside and move a sliver of wood and…bingo! Opening it required two places to be manipulated at the same time.
When he pulled open the lower section, he saw a piece of folded paper inside. Fen was tempted, but he closed it up again and put the box back. It had looked like a letter and he wasn’t going to pry.
But he did go and investigate the summer house, which wasn’t locked. It didn’t seem as though anyone had been in there for several months, judging by the cobwebs and dust. There was an old wooden table, a storage unit and two garden chairs inside. Cleaned up, it would be a great place to work.
As he went back across to the house, he called Alistair.
“Hi, Fen. How are you?”
“Fine. Mum said you’d look for things for me to restore on a self-employed basis. Was that merely to make her happy or did you mean it?”
“Of course I mean it. I’m very sorry about what happened over that ring. I spoke again to Tara but she’s sticking to her story.”
“Maybe she’s telling the truth. But so am I. Anyway, what’s done is done. I can’t prove I didn’t take it but I swear I didn’t. If you could give me things to repair and restore, that would be great, though I only have hand tools and no spare pieces of wood, or varnish or glue.”Or a whole lot of other stuff.
“I can make up a box of bits and pieces for you. Where do you want me to bring them?”
Fen thought about saying he could fetch them but he probably couldn’t. As long as they were delivered in the daytime, Ripley was unlikely to be around. Even if he was, so what?
“26 Amesbury Gardens. Islington.” He gave Alistair the postcode.
“Is this where your friend lives?”
“Yes. He has a summer house I can work in.”
“We’re busy moving your mum this weekend but I can call in on Monday. I’ll text you a time.”
“Great. Thank you.”
