“Sure?” Dom darted in to give him a quick kiss, and Henry smiled, a real one this time.
It was a beautiful, clear and crisp winter’s day. He couldn’t have asked for a better backdrop to what he had planned. “Yeah, I’m good.”
He took his turn over the wooden planks that swayed with each step. Henry gritted his teeth and ploughed ahead, determined not to let anything get to him today. He had much bigger things to be nervous about than pesky bridges between trees.
As they made their way along the course, Henry’s mind drifted back to the last time they’d been in this position. He’d wanted Dom even then, knew one week wouldn’t be enough for him, but their relationship had faltered, the foundations not strong enough to translate into the real world.
But they’d muddled through it anyway, getting to know one another in more than a physical way. And now their foundations were stronger than ever, and Henry couldn’t remember being this happy.
“You still okay to have Luke and Nathan round for Christmas Eve?” Dom asked as he hopped from plank to plank like a gazelle out on the plains.
“Yeah, I’m looking forward to it.” Christmas Eve was tomorrow night, and although it wouldn’t be their first Christmas together, it’d be the first one they’d spent living together. And Dom’s friends were great. They’d taken Henry in and treated him like he’d been a part of their group for years.
Dom joined him on the platform, grin a mile wide and breath visible in the chill air. They’d been living together for four months now, but Henry still had to pinch himself sometimes that this was his life.
He no longer shared a house with his mates, instead with the man who’d stolen his heart almost a year ago to this day. And okay, he still didn’t have his dream job, but after a lot of soul-searching Henry had decided on a new career path and now studied to be a primary school teacher. Much to the amusement of his sister.
“You know what we should do when we get home?”
“Fuck?” Henry said without thinking, and then groaned when he saw Dom’s eyes widen as he stared over his shoulder. Arse, who had he offended now?
Then Dom broke out into a grin. “Gotcha. There’s no one there.”
Henry slapped him on the arm. “Oh my god, I hate you.”
“Nope.” Dom reached for his hand, linking their fingers, eyes twinkling as he leant in close. “Pretty sure you told me you loved me just this morning.” He rubbed his thumb over the back of Henry’s hand, and with the way he was looking at him, Henry felt his dick stir in response, which was so not a good thing while wearing a harness.
Huffing out a put-upon sigh, he replied with, “Fine, I do love you. But only because you’re pretty.”
“I am pretty.” Dom batted his eyelashes, and Henry laughed. “And I love you, too.”
If they were anywhere other than up in the trees, he would’ve pulled him in for a kiss. He settled for squeezing Dom’s fingers instead.
The jump between platforms was next, and unlike last time they did this, Henry hopped over without needing a pep talk first, and Dom whooped in delight. Henry’s triumphant grin lasted all of ten seconds until he turned to face the next obstacle and stopped in his tracks. “What the fuck is that?”
It had to be new. Henry definitely would have remembered walking overthatlast year. All the other walkways had a rope running waist height that you could use for balance if necessary.
This one had nothing.
Of course he’d still be attached to the overhead one by his harness, but that was it. He’d have to make his way across with nothing to hang onto if he stumbled.
Fuck.
This next walkway was the one before the netting they climbed to get to the zipwire platform. The one where Henry’s plans would come to fruition. He couldn’tnotdo it.
Dom came up behind him, his front brushing against Henry’s back, hand resting on his hip. “You can do it. You haven’t used the rope on the last two we’ve crossed. You don’t need it.”
“But I like knowing it’s there if I do.” Henry scowled at the offending planks of wood. They weren’t even laid out nicely, but in some stupid cross formation. “Why?”
Dom laughed softly. “Come on, you’ve got this.”
Well, I’ve no fucking choice if I want to do what I came on this stupid thing to do.
With legs like jelly and his heart threatening to burst out of his ribcage, Henry took a tentative step out onto the first plank.
It started to sway and he froze in place.
Can’t do it. Can’t do it. Can’t do it.
