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‘Quiet!’
‘Can you ride a bike?’
‘Is that an Englishman’s euphemism for some kind of sexual—?’
‘Bicycle. I was thinking that if they don’t have cars, and it’s too hot to walk tomorrow, then we could hire some bikes to explore. If you know how to ride one.’
Aleksey turned his head on the pillow to regard Ben, who was lying flat on his back, having been enjoying some gentle tongue exploration, until it had been ruined. ‘You do remember I am half-Danish, Ben.’
Ben frowned. ‘Yeah, so?’
Aleksey’s head returned to its previous position. ‘You genuinely are the most strange person I have ever met.’
‘That’s seems a bit unfair, given you know Squeezy.’
‘No. It’s true. I cannot even fathom what is in your head most of the time, how you survive this world, seeming to know so little about any of it.’
Ben nodded to this assessment then commented, ‘I don’t think I’m doing too badly. I’m in a bed with the most beautiful man in the world in the most expensive hotel in the most exclusive place in Britain about to go see my new island possibly in a yacht with a helicopter landing pad, or in a plane that beautiful man is going to buy me when he’s paid for my flying lessons. How am I doing surviving this world so far? Not bad for no qualifications, is it?’
Aleksey was silent for a while then only muttered, ‘I wasn’t questioning your qualifications. I’ve always admired them, as you may have noticed.’
Ben rolled over and flung his leg over Aleksey’s hips. ‘What had you achieved by thirty-seven, then, oh wise one?’
‘Eight.’
‘Not for another few weeks.’
Aleksey suddenly grinned. ‘Thirty-seven? I’d just met you.’
Just the thought of this invigorated him once more. He put himself back into the little subterranean room in Wales, on a rainy, bleak Friday night. He’d seen Ben Rider naked and had wanted him. Wanted toownhim, like a collector keeping a rare species but displaying it only for himself. He had not thought it actually possible that he could have this ardent desire fulfilled, make it come true. But somehow, he had. As he’d once tried to explain to Ben, he’d bent the universe to have this man by his side.
‘Turn over.’
Ben willingly complied, arching his back so his buttocks rose in a sublime curve from the dipped hollow at the base of his spine. Aleksey licked a long trail down from the last prominent disc he could see, through the warm valley to the little puckered hole he discovered there. He bit lightly, eliciting a groan from above.
He fingered Ben for a while, enjoying the effect on them both, his cock rising and swelling, Ben pushing into the sheet for friction, clearly frustrated. When he finally entered, braced over Ben, one long, lean body over the other, he paused uncharacteristically and teased indulgently, ‘Helicopter landing pad?’
Ben laughed into the pillow and put a hand around, encouraging him to get back to work.
They had left their windows open for the cooler night air and as he climbed towards his elusive but much-desired summit, all he could hear was the soft clink, clink of rigging from the translucent-watered harbour.
* * *
Chapter Twenty-One
They all wanted to do different things the next day. They were catching the afternoon plane home, so they had quite a few hours to fill. St Mary’s being only approximately two miles in either direction, they concluded they could stay together and still see pretty much all they wanted.
Everyone except Aleksey wanted to hit the shops first. Ben wanted to buy something for Molly especially, but also something for Sarah to thank her for taking the dogs at short notice. Then Radulf and PB would need something as well… Tim always liked pottering and browsing and picking up bits and pieces for the cottage. Squeezy liked spending someone else’s money, and could usually persuade Alekseyheneeded something, and he’d better buy two. Just in case. So, the shops it was.
While they were wandering along the cobbled street, Ben pointed out an information kiosk with a small museum attached. ‘They may have some better info on La Luz in there than’s on the web.’
There were many informative leaflets and brochures, and they all appeared to be free. More interestingly, there was a big model map in relief of the entire island chain under glass with labelled buttons around the outside which, when pressed, lit up the corresponding island and showed its location.
It didn’t seem wholly real still. Aleksey pressed a button that boasted La Luz, and one little green and brown lump came to life. It was the one they’d identified on the satellite image. They stared down at it. Then Aleksey glanced up and caught Ben’s gaze. He could feel Ben’s repressed anticipation and knew they were feeding this excitement off each other.
‘Is that the lighthouse?’
Tim was peering myopically down, trying to block the window light from glinting off the glass of the box. There did seem to be a small speck on the lump, perhaps the painted end of a matchstick, stuck on to represent something tall.
