This is the fourth chapter of “Halloween at the Fernbeck Inn”.
To read the first chapter, click here.
To read the previous chapter, click here.
At six thirty Tyler’s alarm rang. He ran to the shower to prepare himself for everything. What if Horace wanted them to spend the whole day in bed? Yes, even Tyler knew that wasn’t the most probable scenario, but shouldn’t he be ready, just in case?
Realistically, though, this would be Horace’s first time, and obviously not because he couldn’t have had many previous times. So, maybe, it was too soon for him? If so, Tyler decided he wouldn’t even try to press him.
Then he went to have a quick breakfast. He had no need to stay for long there. Then back to his room to brush his teeth. And he headed to the fernery. It was just a little after eight thirty, so truth be told, he didn’t really expect to find Horace there. But when he did come, Tyler could tease him that he hadn’t been there when he’d arrived. Right?
Reality proved him wrong.
“You came!” Horace ran to him, ready to hug him, but he stopped just before doing it. “Thank you for coming, Ty!” He lovingly caressed Tyler’s face.
“Of course I did! Why the surprise?”
“Because… I’ve been disappointing you, time and time again.”
“You never did!”
Tyler tried to peck Horace’s lips, but Horace responded with a real kiss, gently holding Tyler’s hands down in his.
“Would it be okay, were we to sit here for now?” Horace asked when the kissing ended, and the two boys sat on “their” bench.
At first, they were sitting without speaking, peeking at each other, giggling, and smiling at each other, but eventually, this pleasant embarrassment faded and they could look at each other.
And then, “Oh! Right! Can I have your phone number?” Tyler asked.
“I am sorry, Ty. I don’t have a phone.”
Tyler’s eyes met the ground. “I see.”
“No, you don’t. I am not trying to avoid you, Ty. I really don’t have a phone.”
“How can this be?”
Horace, gently, caressed Tyler’s hand. “Well… maybe… maybe I am too poor to have one?”
Tyler looked at Horace’s pouting face and he couldn’t help but titter. “Yeah, right! Come on! Seriously, how can you live without a phone?”
His tongue faster than his mind. But then… Wait! Horace has been wearing the same clothes every day, hasn’t he? Tyler hadn’t given this a second thought because of how sexy these clothes looked on him – especially that half-open shirt – but he has. And he has never been in the dining room. And never has he brought anything to their meetings. Oh, fuck!
He quickly and sweetly kissed Rory’s cheek. “Then, maybe we can exchange addresses and write to each other?”
Horace turned to him, smiled and kissed him. “Thank you, sweet Ty!” His voice was a little sad – even Tyler could feel that.
“Can I ask what’s your job?” “That’s not how you change the subject, Tyler Wright!” But he needed to say something as soon as possible, and that’s the only thing that came to mind.
“I am currently unemployed.”
“For some time?”
“For a long one.”
“That’s tough! Then, you live with family?”
“None of my family is alive.”
“For goodness’ sake! Am I trying to depress him?” “I’m sorry!”
“You don’t need to be, Ty. It happened long ago.”
“Still! …Rory? Would you… Why don’t you… I mean… big cities like London have more opportunities.”
Horace smiled brightly. “Sweet Ty, are you inviting me to London?”
“Well… Yes. If you want. I’m just your average guy, but you can stay at my place until you find something?”
“Average? My sweet Ty cannot be average, even if he tries to.”
Tyler blushed. “So… You’ll give it a thought?”
“What if I don’t even have money for a ticket?” But Horace was still smiling.
“I can cover that, Mister!”
“I wouldn’t know how to repay your kindness, Sir!”
“Maybe undo one more button?” Tyler laughed. “I’m sorry! I’m kidding!” But Horace unfastened one button. “Oh my gods! You are so hot!”
And Horace kissed him.
“So, Rory, will you consider it?”
“I promise you, Ty, if tomorrow you still can and will repeat this invitation, I shall follow you to London, to the remotest bounds of the earth, and beyond them, wherever your road may lead.”
“I love you, Rory!” And Tyler kissed him. But more importantly, Rory said, “if tomorrow”. Doesn’t that mean he plans to do something today? Hope so!
And somehow like that, the two boys spent the morning there, chatting – but now merrily – flirting, and sharing some kisses every now and then. Until about one thirty.
“Would you like us to go have lunch?” Tyler asked.
“I’m not really hungry. But, you can have your lunch, while I’ll take care of a little something I need to do, and we can meet again afterwards? If you want, that is.”
“You know I want!” Horace grinned. “Should we meet again in about an hour and a half?”
“Of course, my sweet Ty.”
“Here?”
“We can meet at the front gate, if you want, and we can go for a small walk? The sky is clear, so I think you’ll see something rather beautiful.”
“Better than what I’m looking at? I don’t think so!” “Sure!”
And Tyler kissed Rory and ran to the dining room.
“A little something you need to take care of? Yeah, right! I bet you’ll have another little something to take care of at dinnertime! So, no dinner tonight!”
Tyler ordered his food. And also, “Could I have a couple of the small pork pies put aside for me? And perhaps three slices of fruitcake? I’ll take them up to my room for later. Oh! Maybe some bread, too, and a couple of beers.”
Now, dinner is covered. If all goes well, they can share it. If all goes wrong, he can have a late dinner to drown his sorrow. Or choke it, more likely. But Horace did say “tomorrow”, and tomorrow for them can only be the morning. So, they are sharing.
The beers might be too few, but Horace hardly drinks any of his. No? And if he wants more, they can buy more then. Tyler giggled imagining himself running down with only a towel around his waist to buy more beers.
He finished his lunch and went to his room. He put the food and drinks in the small fridge and went to the shower, to cleanse himself too thoroughly. There won’t be a next chance for that, and there will be some time before sex. They are going for a walk before that, after all.
Then he dressed as warmly as possible and put everything he wouldn’t need in his suitcase. If Rory spends the night with him, there is no reason to waste the morning. Right?
And then, he went to the front gate. It was a little earlier than their appointment, but maybe Rory was already there?
And he was.
The two boys, holding hands, walked by the inn’s external wall uphill, until they found a place not too far, but neither too close to the inn where they could have a view of the inn on their right, and the moorlands on their left, and they sat down, next to each other.
The sunset’s colours had started filling the sky. More amber still, but some shy pinks were making their appearance. The browns and purples of the moorlands looked warm and vivid, and the long shadows made the landscape stunning.
“I didn’t lie, did I?” Horace shyly asked.
Tyler looked at him. “It’s the most beautiful view I’ve ever seen.”
And Horace blushed.
Whether Tyler was talking about the moorlands, I’ll leave it to you. Whatever he meant, the two boys sat there, mostly in silence, admiring the view.
The ambers gave their place to deep oranges, pinks and violets. Horace passed his arm around Tyler’s shoulders – gently. Tyler’s arm went around Horace’s waist. He looked admiringly at the beautiful boy beside him. Horace turned to him and smiled. And he kissed him, more warmly and passionately than ever before.
The sun set.
Horace pulled Tyler towards him.
“Thank you, my sweet Ty, for sharing this time with me.” And the two boys kissed again.
Softly, slowly, Horace laid Tyler on the ground and stooped above him, caressing Tyler’s face, and looking into his eyes.
“You are so beautiful, my sweet Ty!”
“I love you, Rory!” “Oh, fuck! I actually said that!”
But Horace squeezed Tyler and kissed him, once again. Even more passionately. Even more warmly.
“Ty, I think we’d better start heading back. The twilight won’t last long, and there aren’t any lamps.”
Horace stood up, and helped Tyler rise. And the two boys, holding hands, started going towards the inn.
“Rory? Would you like us to go to my room to have more privacy? I’m not trying to force you into anything!”
Horace stopped. He took Tyler’s hand and brought it to his crotch.
“Pray, what precisely does this gentleman mean by ‘forcing’ us? Have my little friend or I pretended we were reluctant, or have we not risen in a standing ovation?”
Tyler burst out laughing.
And the two boys went to Tyler’s room.
To read the next chapter, click here. (The link will be activated when the next chapter is published.
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