He marched away round the side of the hedge, no doubt back to his spot where the picnic basket and his other investigative paraphernalia had been secreted. God forbid we left the tools of his detective trade behind.
I followed him, and we collected all the gear and trudged tiredly back to my car, parked in a lay-by not far away. Luckily, we didn’t have far to go. Twenty minutes later we were curled up in Toby’s bed together, half asleep, both horny but not having the energy to do anything about it.
“Rain check?” Toby asked sleepily as he spooned into my back.
I nodded at the old joke. “Uh-huh. Sleep now, nooky later.”
I felt a light kiss on the back of my head as Toby settled in. The room went dark, and within minutes I was asleep.
THE FOLLOWING morning we awoke bleary-eyed and fractious from lack of sleep. We showered, dressed, and dragged ourselves down to the hotel lobby. I needed to go home and get ready for the day ahead.
Toby called me a few hours later. I answered my phone as I was busy with Lucas, off-loading a consignment of timber onto the street, then into the basement of the customer’s house for the wine rack we were building. The sun was warm, I was sweaty, and a small respite was definitely needed. I sank down gratefully onto the pavement as Lucas carried on working with a mutter that sounded suspiciously like “Bloody slacker.” My partner had been very amused at the sheep story but had no sympathy at all for the late night I’d had.
I took a sip of water from my bottle. “Hey, you. Did you manage to tell Dave about our success last night in finding his sheep thief?”
Toby sounded very pleased with himself. “Yup. He threw a wobbly at first and was about to storm into town and confront the youngster. But I managed to calm him down when he heard why Mark was doing what he was. So, it turns out he’s actually quite understanding about the whole thing. He still wants to give Mark a piece of his mind, but at least it won’t be with his fist.”
“That’s good news.” I rubbed the back of my neck tiredly. “So no more late nights watching bloody sheep, then?”
“Err, no. The sheep thing is over. But there’s one other thing….” There was silence from the other side, and I felt a prickle of unease.
“Toby, what the hell have you gotten us into now? I swear, I refuse to go into any more fields with livestock. You can definitely do that one by yourself.”
“It’s not that. I’ll talk to you when you get home. I don’t want to tell you on the phone.” His voice was hesitant.
I huffed. “Toby, you sod, don’t leave it there. It’ll worry me all afternoon. What the hell have you done?” I rolled my eyes at Lucas, who was glaring at me as he lifted the timber off the truck by himself. I mouthed at him, “Be there in a minute.” He scowled.
Toby’s voice continued, getting a little more animated. “Well, you know we usually have this whole Winter Festival thing in November on Guy Fawkes in Dave’s barns, and it’s quite a big thing, with people all over the country coming to take part?”
“Yes, I know about it.”
“Well, Dave and I were talking, and we thought that maybe we could do some fund-raising before the fair, try and get Mark some of the money he needs for his sister’s op.”
I felt a warmth surge through my body. Trust my compassionate Toby to think of something like that. “That’s a great idea. What are you going to do—have sheep-throwing contests?” I chuckled at the thought of one of my woolly nemeses being hurled through the air at great speed. There was another bout of quietness on Toby’s side. The prickle of unease intensified. “Toby. What have you gotten us into this time?”
“Errm. This is why I wanted to speak to you when you got to the hotel later rather than on the phone. Maybe we should just leave it and talk then—”
I interrupted him in agitation. “What the hell have you done? I really don’t like the sound of wherever this is going.”
There was a pause, and then he spoke diffidently. “I might have volunteered you for a pole dance on a stage and maybe a bit of a dance or a striptease so we can sell tickets for it. You’re so good at it. I’m sure loads of people will come—”
“You fucking what? Are you out of your bloody mind?” If I hadn’t been sitting down, I would have sunk to the ground with boneless legs. Lucas stopped what he was doing and watched in surprise as I leaped to my feet and strode around in sheer disbelief. “I’m not doing any pole dance and striptease for the whole bloody town! What the hell were you thinking of?”
Lucas’s mouth dropped open at my words, and as they filtered through, a huge grin traversed his face, and he chuckled loudly. I gave him a withering look, turning back to the conversation with my boyfriend.
Toby tried to reason with me. “Rain, honey, you know you’re a bit of an exhibitionist. Dave and I thought it was such a great idea. We can sell tickets all over the place, and I’m sure we’ll get a huge turnout for people to see you. You know the ladies love you, the guys too. It’s for a good cause. We needed something really different, and I didn’t think you’d mind once you got used to the idea. You love performing for me.”
“Toby, that’s for you, in the privacy of my own home and not with my junk splayed out for all to see. For God’s sake, this has to be the most harebrained idea you’ve ever had. The answer’s no. I’m not doing it. And Dave’s starting to sound like a bloody pervert.” I was breathing heavily now, and for all the wrong reasons.
When Toby spoke again his voice was subdued. “Okay. I thought you’d be up for the whole Full Monty thing without the actual full monty. I’m sorry. I was wrong. I’ll figure something else out. Not the sheep tossing, though. The RSPCA wouldn’t like that at all. I’ll speak to you later, then.”
The phone went dead, and I stared at it in frustration.
Lucas sauntered up to me, a wide smile on his face. “Well, well, well. From what I heard that sounded like a really interesting conversation. What has your crazy boyfriend got you doing now?”
“He offered my services to the Winter Festival to raise funds for that little girl that needs the heart operation. Services that included pole dancing and a blasted striptease,” I said indignantly.
Lucas raised an eyebrow. “And you said no.”
I stared at him in exasperation. “Well, of course I bloody did. I’m not going on show in front of the whole fucking town and anyone else that comes along. And it’ll be bloody freezing, and all my bits will get frostbite!” I thought guiltily that I wasn’t going to admit that the idea did have a certain appeal to it. I’d always loved dancing and using the pole in the nightclubs to hordes of onlookers, and I’d gotten quite a thrill out of it. Toby knew that, so I supposed I shouldn’t have been all that shocked that he might think I’d do it again. But the whole thing with Toby had just caught me a little by surprise. My knee-jerk reaction was once again to go on the defensive.
Lucas nodded his shaggy head. “It never bothered you to flaunt yourself when you used to go out with Tommy to the clubs. And this is for a good cause, and to be honest, you’ll probably have more clothes on at this one.” He grinned.
He’d heard some of my stories in the past about the level of dancing and stripping I’d sunk to, and he was probably right. I hadn’t ever told Toby about that part of the story, though. I cast a dirty glare in my friend’s direction.
He sighed. “Rain, you know you’re not really annoyed at this whole thing. You just don’t like being volunteered because you didn’t get the chance to have your say first. You’re so bloody macho sometimes.” He chuckled. “I for one would pay good money to see you muck about on stage half naked.” He grinned. “Honestly, it’ll be a hoot. Tammy would love it too. So, there’s two tickets already. I’m willing to bet half the bloody town will pitch in to see you show your booty on stage. I think it’s a bloody good idea and for a very good cause.”
His reasonableness made me feel like a heel for sounding off at my lover, and I frowned and kicked the curb sulkily. Lucas shook his head.
&n
bsp; “You have a think about it, and in the meantime, partner, this lumber isn’t going to shift itself. Can we get back to the task at hand, please?” He wandered over to the van and started shifting the timber off again. I followed moodily. I supposed I’d think about the whole thing and see what else Toby had to say later. But he was definitely going to pay for volunteering me without speaking to me first. And I had a pretty good idea how to punish him.
Chapter 13
Toby
I WAITED with trepidation for Rain to get to my place. I’d been so sure he wouldn’t mind me volunteering him for the festival, but it seemed like I didn’t know him as well as I’d thought. I mooched around my room gloomily until I heard the knock at the door. I opened it to see him standing there, hands in his pockets, black hair mussed, and looking very tasty in his green checked shirt and Levi’s. He brushed past me into my room. I closed the door, turning to apologize to him, and he grabbed me by my shirtfront and kissed me. It wasn’t the reaction I’d expected, so I simply stood there, mouth wide open while he explored it with his usual thoroughness.
Finally, he let me go, then wandered over to the fridge, leaving me both horny and gobsmacked. “Fancy a beer?” he asked as he rummaged in the meager contents of my refrigerator.
I nodded numbly. “So, you’re not mad at me for the whole fair thing, then?” I finally managed to say as he handed me an open bottle of Peroni.
He looked at me with a glint in his eye. “You took me by surprise,” he remarked as he kicked off his shoes, lying back on my bed with a sigh of satisfaction. “It’s not every day you get told your boyfriend has told everyone else you’ll take your clothes off for them.”
“It’s not a full strip, Rain,” I said hopefully, wondering if he was now going to do it after all. “I don’t want everyone seeing all of what’s mine. Just the top bit, really, it’s more a bit of fun than a serious striptease.” I plonked myself on the bed next to him as I sipped my beer. “So, does this mean you’ll do it, then?”
He watched me with a look, one I knew well. That look meant I was in for a hard time—both figuratively and literally. My insides melted toward my groin, and my heart started to beat faster at the promise of what was in his eyes. One look at his groin, and I knew exactly where this night was going. He was already quite turned on, from the bulge I saw.
“I suppose. But I think you need to be taught a lesson.” He leaned over, took the bottle from my hand, and placed it on the side table next to him. “As my manager, you shouldn’t arrange something without bouncing it off me first. We artistes have our egos, and we like to be consulted. You can’t just take liberties like that.” My cock was definitely enjoying the idea of this new role play he was devising. Manager/artiste had a good ring to it.
He started pulling my tee shirt over my head, and I lifted my arms in supplication, my breath quickening. He tossed my shirt to one side, leaning forward, taking one of my nipples in his teeth and biting it. I hissed at the sudden nip.
“So, I feel the need to make you pay for your little transgression,” he murmured as he moved to the other nipple and did the same thing. He ran his hand over my crotch, and I swallowed as he caressed me. “You’ve been a very naughty boy.”
I nodded. I definitely wasn’t going to argue about that. I rather liked being punished by Rain. So, when he started to unzip my jeans and reached in to clasp my extremely ready and aching hard-on, I simply closed my eyes and went with the flow.
AN HOUR and a half later we lay drowsily together in bed, having expended most of our energy in a bout of sexual calisthenics that even had me feeling a little sore. My limbs were suppler than Rain’s, but they’d been bent every which way, and my whole body now ached. Not to mention the plethora of nips and bites, including a rather tender one between my arse cheeks. One of his “punishments” had been to rim me within an inch of my sanity, and he certainly knew how to use that tongue of his to best effect. He lay snuggled under my arm, his dark hair tickling my chest. Since I’d cuddled him that day at his house when we’d had our first big argument, he seemed to have developed a taste for it. I stroked the top of his head as his fingers slowly trailed their way across my stomach and up and down the line of hair that led to my groin. He was half asleep, but I wanted to make sure we were on the same page.
“Rain, did you mean it when you said you’d do the whole strip thing?” He nodded, and I breathed a sigh of relief. “Good. I’ll speak to Dave, and we’ll start organizing the tickets. He has a mate in town who’s going to print a whole load of them and take them around and hawk them for us. They’re only two quid each—”
Rain shot up and looked at me in aggrievement. “Two pounds to watch me pole dance and strip? Hell, you’re giving me away like a cheap tart.”
I chuckled. “I’d rather sell quantity. That way we get more people here, and they’re more likely to part with their cash at the fair and boost the town’s coffers. They may as well get something out of this too.”
He huffed as he lay back down. “Still, I’m worth more than that.”
I kissed the top of his head. “Indeed you are. So much more. Like millions.”
His lips shifted in a smile against my stomach, and I thought not for the first time how lucky I’d been to find this man.
“I’ve actually managed to get over five hundred in sponsorships from some of the hotel suppliers too,” I said proudly. “That should help the family reach their goal. People have been pretty good.”
Rain smiled, his expression tender as he stroked my cheek. “You’re a good man, Charlie Brown,” he murmured, and a warm glow of satisfaction drifted through my body. My mobile chirped from my bedside table, and I picked it up. When I saw who it was, my heart sank.
How the hell did Neil get hold of this number? I’ve changed it twice already.
I slammed the phone down, not wanting to read yet another message about what a fag I was and how he was going to duff me up one day.
“You okay, Toby?” Rain looked up with sleepy eyes.
I smiled at him. “Yeah. Just one of those silly network messages. I don’t know why they insist on sending them through when people are trying to sleep.”
My boyfriend nodded. “I hate that too. Maybe you should switch it off.”
I did just that, watching the phone power down but still feeling that sense of unease. Everyone seemed to think that the harassing phone calls from Neil had stopped. I let them think that, but the truth was they hadn’t. I could change my mobile number, but the calls to my direct line at the hotel I couldn’t do much about. I was scared someone would pick up the phone and be subject to a torrent of abuse from Neil. I’d decided to go see him and talk to him. I knew my friends and Rain would try and talk me out of it, so I didn’t intend mentioning it at all.
I snuggled down into the blankets with Rain, hoping that for Neil the novelty would wear off soon. As I closed my eyes to sleep, I had the niggly feeling I was being too optimistic.
I WAS right. The calls got worse. A few days later, I pitched up at Neil’s small bungalow in the center of town. I’d told no one where I was really going, just that I had errands to run in town. In hindsight, it was a stupid thing to do. I knocked loudly on his door, half hoping he was in, the other half hoping I’d be able to leave without seeing the bastard. He opened the door, taking an aggressive step forward when he saw me standing there.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” he snarled. His eyes darted nervously around the neighborhood, as if he was scared I might have brought a gay plague with me.
“I came to ask you to stop harassing me before I decide to go to the police.” I kept my voice even, not wanting to lose my temper. “It’s getting out of control, Neil. I need you to back off.”
He laughed harshly. “And if I don’t? You’re gonna go to Dave Webber and tell him that your poor lily-white arse is being ‘harassed’ by me? You know what he’ll say to that, don’t you?”
I wasn’t really having any luck controlling the
rising fury that seethed through my pores. I swallowed tightly, clenching my hands into fists. “I’ll take that chance. There are more policemen than just Dave Webber, you know. Perhaps one of the others might listen where he won’t.”
Neil chuckled nastily as he swung the door idly back and forth. “You can try, Toby. The bottom line is Dave’s the boss, and they’ll do what he says.” His face darkened. “Now fuck off and leave me alone. I don’t need anyone thinking we’re mates, ’cos we aren’t.” His words were dripping with scorn as he slammed the door. I took a deep breath and knocked again. He ignored me. I finally kicked the door hard once, then twice, and it was wrenched open fiercely.
Neil barreled out like a bulldog trying to get at the mailman to rip his throat out. I hadn’t been expecting a sudden charge of a hundred and eighty pounds of muscle. He pushed me hard in the chest with outstretched arms, knocking me backward. I fell, my hands reaching out to break my fall. I shouted as something twisted in my left hand. The pain was agonizing. Neil stood over me, his face flushed, his fists clenched. I rolled over and scrambled to my feet. My breath was coming hard and fast as I faced him, feeling violence in my body like I hadn’t in many years.
“I told you to get the fuck away from me!” Neil yelled, spittle on his lips. “I don’t like you, and I don’t want you on my property.”
Waiting for Rain Page 17
