deep-seated phobia. Now you can actually protest if someone touches you, the trigger’s gone. I looked it up. The fear of being touched is called haphephobia. When I was looking it up, I found an amazing word. Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia. Can you guess what it’s a fear of?”
“Hippos?”
“I thought that, but it’s a fear of long words. ‘Course, then I looked up what a fear of hippos was and there isn’t a word for that. Which is ridiculous. There must be loads of people scared of hippos.”
Tay laughed.
“So do you want to play Twister?”
“I’m pretty tired.”
“Is that a no or a yes?”
“How can we use the spinner and both play?”
“Dog! You want to play?”
Dog looked at him and then closed his eyes again.
“There’ll be a way to do it online.” Tay reached for his trousers to get his phone.
Ink unfolded the plastic mat, spread it out on the blanket and pinned it down at the corners with their footwear. His cock was still semi-hard. Maybe Tay would think he was well hung.
“Okay. I downloaded something,” Tay said. “Ready? You go first and I’ll do my best, but I might collapse.”
“Right hand red. Left foot blue,” said a slow robotic voice.
Ink made the moves. “Can you speed it up?”
“I’ll try.”
“Left hand yellow. Left foot blue.”
“Ouch,” Ink yelped. “I already had my foot—”
“Right hand green. Left hand yellow.”
“Right foot blue. Right hand yellow.”
Tay was half underneath Ink and laughing. The instructions seemed to be coming faster and faster and Ink was deliberately going for circles that brought him into contact with Tay.
“Green not red,” Tay yelled. “Are you colour-blind?”
“Oh God. Yes! That explains so much.”
“Watch out!”
“I can’t spread my legs any wider.” Ink moaned.
They weren’t doing badly until Dog decided to join in. He put his paws on Ink’s shoulders, licked his face, and Ink collapsed. Then Dog brought Tay down and began licking him, his tail whipping across Ink’s crotch.
“Ow!” Ink reached for the plastic bag, pulled out the dog chew and threw it. “That should keep him busy.”
Except Dog brought it back and dropped it between Ink and Tay. They looked at each other and burst out laughing.
“Chew it, you daft animal.” Ink put it in Dog’s mouth and for a moment Dog just stood there, his ears twitching, until it sank in that the strange ridged green thing was food, and he ran off with it.
“Where were we?” Tay asked.
“Left foot yellow. Right hand red,” said the voice, which had been talking to itself for quite a while.
Ink moved at the same time as Tay and as they tangled, they collapsed in a heap. Somehow, one of Tay’s hands found a way to the nape of Ink’s neck and when he began to stroke him gently, Ink slid away off the plastic.
No, don’t.
Yes, do.
Fuck.
“Now who’s afraid of being touched?” Tay’s mouth tightened into a hard line.
Shiiit!
Tay moved off the plastic mat onto the blanket and switched off his phone. Ink folded the game away and pushed it back into the bag. His mind was racing. He lay down on his side, shifting his leg to try and disguise the bulge in his boxers. At least he’d not run for the house. The thought had gone through his mind.
“You started this,” Tay said quietly.
“What?” Ink asked with as much indignation as he could muster. “When? How?”
“I think…from the moment you bought me that coffee.”
Oh God. “And the sausage roll.”
“Why did you do that?” Tay asked quietly. “Why buy a complete stranger a coffee when you have hardly any money? I know you told me you were going to leave me with Dog and run, but why me?”
“You looked sad and in pain. I thought you were lonely and I wanted to make you smile. And I’d seen you in your chair and that day you were on your crutches and you were trying to get better, even though you were struggling. I have a thing for people who keep trying. And I just… I changed my mind about running. I shouldn’t have changed my mind. I’ve messed things up.”
“I don’t think you have.”
“Believe me, I’m an expert in messing things up.”
“I want to put things right.”
Ink could hear what Tay was saying but he was seized by uncertainty. For all that he’d wanted something to happen between them, he knew it could only lead to disappointment and disaster.
Tay leaned over, took Ink’s wrists in one hand and held them above his head. And Ink let him. More than let him. Wanted… Oh