A Long Way Back (Unfinished Business #2) - Barbara Elsborg Page 0,43
them?”
“I was mainly a shoveller of shit, in which I gained no small amount of expertise, but I did help the trainer. Horses are such great animals to work with. James told me they have incredible memories and build on previous experiences. Except that also means they hold onto negative memories and then fear sets in if they confront the same situation again.” Just like you. “Was Blue frightened of anything?”
“Puddles. I could almost see him looking at a puddle and thinking How fucking deep is that? Why the hell does he think I want to risk putting my feet in it? I’ll throw him off. That’ll teach him.”
Ink smiled.
“Oh, and baby rabbits. The number of times I ended up being used as a human dart because he thought a baby rabbit was going to attack and eat him.”
Ink took a quick glance and saw that Tay had stripped down to his boxers. He was long, lean and tempting. Ink was glad he was lying face down.
“So how did you handle those fears?” Ink asked.
“Repetition. Walked through puddles myself in front of him. Led Blue past them, then through them. Over and over. The rabbits were trickier, but seeing me cuddling a pet one and letting him sniff it, seemed to do the trick. I’m not sure he trusts them. I used to think if we ever came across a rabbit in a puddle, he’d throw me off to deal with the danger and bolt for home.”
Ink wondered if Tay could see what he was getting at with the discussion. Tay had to overcome his fear of being touched or he’d lose out on so much.
“Could I ask a favour?” Ink said. “Think you might manage to put some lotion on my back? I don’t want the sun to fade the tattoo and being inked’s made my skin more sensitive.”
The more often Ink persuaded Tay to accept touch or do the touching, the more Tay would get used to it. That was the theory.
“I’m not a horse,” Tay said.
So he did get it.
Ink opened his eyes and gaped at him. “You’re not? No big dick then? That’s mega-disappointing.”
Tay glared.
“Okay, so you saw through my plan. Distraction, then involvement, followed by a reward. It works for horses, so I figured it might work with you. Even if you don’t have a big dick—” He yelped as cold lotion hit his shoulders. “You could have warned me you were going to squirt stuff. It was suntan lotion, right? I hadn’t got you all worked up talking about big dicks?”
Fingers swept over his back and Ink’s eyes closed along with his throat. Tay was tentative at first, his touch light, then he grew in confidence. Ink had thought Tay would either tell him to apply his own lotion, or he’d just slap it on, not do this. He rubbed the cream over Ink’s shoulders, up under his hair at the nape of his neck, then down over his shoulder blades. No one had ever touched him like this. Maybe his mother, once upon a time, but he didn’t like to think of her. It hurt too much.
He heard the sound of heavy breathing, hoped it was Tay, and realised to his horror, it was him. Both of Tay’s hands were on his back, fingers sliding down the sides of his body, then up the ridges of Ink’s spine and ribs before drifting down again. With each caress, more blood filled his cock. When Ink felt fingers slipping along the elastic of his underwear, he barely held onto his groan. Oh God.
“Want me to do your legs too?” Tay croaked. Yeah, that’s a definite croak. Both of us are into this.
Ink wanted to say yes, but if Tay touched him at the top of his thighs, there was a risk he’d come in his boxers. “I’m fine, thanks.”
“Will you do me?” The bottle of lotion was pushed into his hand.
Do you? Oh God. Yes, please. “Lie down then.” And turn your head the other way. Because if Tay saw the tent in his shorts, he’d likely react like a panicked horse and bolt. Well, not bolt. Tay couldn’t go anywhere fast.
When Tay turned his head and faced away from him, Ink swallowed with relief. He levered himself up, grimacing at the state he was in, the small wet patch where the head of his cock pressed against the material. He picked up the suntan lotion. Do it fast and lie down again. He planted