Barging In (26 page)

Was that amusement he could hear in Robin’s voice, lurking there under the annoyance? “Yeah, I know, and I’m sorry, but never let it be said I’m not generous. So…when’s your birthday, gorgeous?”

Robin was quiet for a while, and Dan began to worry that he’d pushed it too far.

“It’s pretty soon. November third.”

The weekend Dan had earmarked for returning to Bath.

“Interesting you should say that. I think you’re going to have to let me come and give you your gift in person as it’s a bit tricky down the phone. But we could always have a trial run and see how it goes.” The sound of Robin’s laughter was better than anything he could have imagined, short of being with him in person. Dan grinned, leaning back against the sofa cushions and relaxing fully.

“By the way, did I mention that I’m all naked, wet and soapy?”

Chapter Twenty-Six

Winter was coming. You could smell it in the air; a scent of rotting vegetation underlying the tang of the woodsmoke that pervaded the canal. Most of the trees had been stripped bare by the high winds, and dark clouds blanketed the sky. Robin stood with an axe in his hand. Smiler had given him instructions to split and bag up as many logs as he could, but Robin faced the enormous woodpile with a smile on his face. He loved this hard, physical labour. After only six weeks at the new job, his shirts were starting to feel tighter, and it was costing him a fortune to feed his newly bulked-up muscles, but it was worth it to see the appreciative glint in Dan’s eyes. He’d work until five and then head into Bath to meet Dan off the train. That’s when the fun would really begin…

“Oi, Robin! Get your lazy arse back to work. I’m not paying you to bleedin’ well daydream about your boyfriend.”

Robin rolled his eyes. The twins were hiding inside—who could blame them?—so he gave Smiler the one-fingered salute and got on with bagging up the wood.

The canal grapevine being what it was, news about Robin and Dan had spread fast. Robin had noticed the other boaters giving him weird looks, but it wasn’t until he’d gone to Smiler’s to say he’d take on the work that his suspicions had been confirmed. Never one to mince his words, Smiler had come straight out with it.

“So, I hear you’re taking it up the arse these days. Funny. Never had you down as the type.”

Robin bristled. “I didn’t know there was a type.”

To his surprise, Smiler paused and his gaze seemed to lose focus. A smile twitched at the corner of his mouth. “Nah, maybe there isn’t. I mean, I used to think there was, but you see all kinds of things when you spend a bit of time inside. Big tough guys like you going all queer when there’s no birds around.”

They negotiated a ten-’til-five shift, weekends only, so that Robin could cover the chandlery when Smiler had his girls over. It was fine for him as Dan could usually visit just as easily during the week, although Robin did wish they could be together at the weekends too. He didn’t care what Dan said about things being purely platonic between him and Tris; he still didn’t like the idea of them spending time together. Okay, so Dan said Tristan had a boyfriend now, but what’s to say Dan wouldn’t get drawn into some sordid threesome with the two of them? That’s the kind of thing gay blokes did, wasn’t it? Especially kinky ones like this Alex bloke supposedly was.

No, it was a discordant note in his otherwise-harmonious life, but Robin shook his head and did his best to try and ignore it. Right now Dan would be on the train, so theoretically wouldn’t be with another man, but Robin couldn’t stop his mind generating crazy scenarios of some nameless stranger seducing Dan and dragging him off to the train toilet to shag his brains out. Or worse yet, Dan doing the seducing… Robin put the brakes on that train of thought. It did no good to torture himself like this. He turned his attention back to splitting logs instead.

Smiler had been surprisingly generous with the hourly rate of pay but told Robin that he was going to work “like a fucking ox” for it. It was a shame it wasn’t enough for Robin to afford a winter mooring, but at least he could keep himself in food, beer and pot, as well as having a bit to put aside to pay back his mum and Dan, and for emergencies like when his boots finally gave out. Shaking on the deal, Robin had felt his shoulders straighten. The pride of having steady work again had probably added another inch to his height. If he kept at it, he’d have to duck to get into his boat.

Robin was filling his twelfth bag when he heard a familiar voice.

“Hey, sweetie! Can I buy a couple of bags when you’ve got a moment?”

Mel was grinning up at him, and Robin returned her smile. She’d proved to be a brilliant friend. He’d finally summoned up the courage to tell her about the dyslexia, and she’d taken it upon herself to start giving him reading support in return for guitar lessons. With her patient presence and encouragement, he’d discovered that he wasn’t quite as illiterate as he’d thought, and reading was getting easier day by day as his confidence grew.

“You’re getting to be a right old socialite these days, aren’t you? Just found a fella looking for you on the towpath. I expect he’ll be along in a minute.”

“Oh yeah?” Robin wasn’t particularly curious. “Need help getting this to your boat?” he offered, once Mel had handed over the cash for the sacks of firewood and bundle of kindling.

“Robin, you’re such a sweetheart! I could do with a hand. I need to get back quickly and check on the veg. I’m making us nut roast tonight.”

“Us?” Robin furrowed his brow. Nut roast with Mel was the last thing on his mind for tonight.

“Yep. You and Dan are coming over to dinner. I’ve asked Sparky as well. Have you met him yet? Just came in last week on the little tug,
Albion
. He’s a quiet one. Kind of cute. I thought if anyone could bring him out of his shell, it was Dan.”

“Umm… Sparky? Isn’t that a dog’s name?” God knew why he was focusing on that. He should be protesting about having his evening hijacked, but sometimes it was just easier to go along with whatever Mel had planned.

“He’s a welder, silly. I think he might be batting for Dan’s team, but if not, I want to get in there quick before someone else does. I figured this way I should find out before wasting too much time trying to get into his pants.” She gave a cheeky smile and winked at him. “Not that it was all a waste of time, sweetie.”

Someone save him from women and their manipulative ways!

“Dan and I have plans for tonight.” Plans that involved not wearing any clothes and doing some of the things they’d been describing to each other on the phone.

Mel slapped his arse playfully. “I’m sure you have, but you can wait to shag each other senseless until after you’ve had dinner, can’t you? Besides, it’s all organised. You’re coming over at seven. Dan’s already agreed.”

“He has?”

“Yep. Called him earlier. So you can’t wriggle out of it.”

Robin sighed as Mel blew him a kiss and bounded off in the direction of her boat. Irritating though it was, he couldn’t help feeling flattered that Mel had phoned Dan to ask them out as a proper couple. Chucking the sacks of wood into a wheelbarrow, he realised he was actually looking forward to the evening, even if meals with strangers were not his usual sort of thing.

He was whistling by the time he’d crossed the swing bridge.

“I say, what a sight for sore eyes! Robin, isn’t it?”

Robin whirled round in surprise. A silver-haired man in tweeds and a rather jaunty red cravat stood before him. It was the old geezer from the White Hart. The one who hadn’t wanted to let go of his arm until Dan came in with his tall story about them being a couple. Not such a tall story anymore, mind you. Robin’s cheeks grew hot. He couldn’t for the life of him remember the man’s name.

“Charles Wentworth,” the man said, extending a hand. “That lovely young Melody told me I could find you here.”

“Of course, Charles. Good to see you.” Robin was officially out of polite conversation. God knew why his school tutors had tried to convince him that having dyslexia led to you developing better verbal skills. It didn’t seem to have worked for Robin. Fortunately, Charles seemed perfectly content to ogle him. Eventually he remembered a snippet of their conversation. “Did you buy your house in the end?”

“Yes, darling, I did. So kind of you to remember. Actually, to tell you the truth, that’s one of the main reasons I was trying to track you down.” Charles leant forward, putting a hand on Robin’s arm. “There’s so much that needs doing to the old heap, and I can’t find a reliable carpenter for love nor money. Oh please, do say you can help! I’ll pay cash in hand, if you like.”

Robin did like, but he wasn’t so sure about working for an old lech who didn’t seem to be able to stop his gaze from roaming all over his potential carpenter’s body. If Charles was this bad during the negotiations, Robin dreaded to think what would happen if he was alone with him in his house. He didn’t want to have to resort to using his chisels to defend his honour.

“I’m sorry. I have to keep moving on all the time. BW regulations. I’m not going to be about here for much longer.”

“Gosh, what a terrible bore for you. Oh, but of course, you said before.” A sly glint transformed Charles’s eyes. “You know, there’s always that mooring spot at the end of my garden. Very secluded. Just perfect for when your boyfriend comes to visit.”

Robin tried to keep his face blank—what Dan called his “inscrutable” look. A secluded garden mooring and cash in hand work sounded perfect, but at what cost?

“I’m not sure. I’d need to see the place and what needs doing first.”

“Of course, darling. I wouldn’t expect anything less. I’m sure you need to measure up and do all your estimates and so on. Here, just take my card and give me a call when you have the time.”

The card he handed over was simple and elegant, and Robin could tell from the quality of the stock must have cost a fair whack. The typeface was easy to read, the address for one of the huge houses that backed onto the canal in Bathampton.

“Thanks. I’ll think about it.”

“You make sure you do that. Au revoir, my dear.” Charles took his hand and planted a slobbering kiss on it. Robin had to fight not to wipe it off again. Not until Charles was facing the opposite direction, anyway.

He contemplated throwing the card into the canal. Becoming Charles’s handyman wasn’t an altogether tempting prospect—not if he had to put up with more sloppy kisses and being mentally undressed—but then again, if it made things easier to be around for Dan… Maybe he could give up Smiler’s job and earn enough to travel up to London at the weekends, all the better to keep an eye on things there.

He slipped the card into his pocket. He’d have to give it some thought.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Dan could never stay in his seat when the train neared Bath. It was like his stomach had a bunch of small creatures turning somersaults inside it, preventing him from settling. He moved down through the carriage and waited with his bike in the vestibule at the end. Instead of watching the city pass by in a graceful sweep of honey-coloured limestone, he was glued to the other window. The one that looked up at the canal. From this angle in the falling dusk there was little to see, but every now and then he spotted a boat roof from between the trees, and he grinned.

And then they were drawing into the station, and Dan hung his arm out of the window so that he was ready to open the door the moment the locks were released. He scanned the platform, experiencing a giddy rush when he saw that familiar, much-dreamed-about figure slouching against the station wall.

“Robin!” he shouted, and when their eyes made contact, he felt it all the way down to his toes.

They were separated by the crowds pouring off the train towards the exit, and Dan had to push his way through the mass of bodies. It wasn’t easy with a bicycle—he ended up wheeling it over a few toes and earned some dirty looks. But then there was Robin, still leaning back, the casual illusion of his pose betrayed only by the heat of his gaze. Yeah, that was the kind of dirty look he’d been craving.

Dan tried to keep his walk casual, but it was bloody impossible when his body screamed out to run. And in the end, he ran the last couple of paces. The ones that took him right into Robin’s personal space and fetched him up against that long, hard body. He let his bike fall against the wall. Robin’s arms came round to meet him, and he pitched forward into a crushing embrace.

Robin spun them round and Dan found himself up against the wall, his breath stolen in a blistering kiss. He could feel himself trembling with need, his body pressed against Robin’s, and in the end he had to tear his lips away.

Robin growled and ground his hips against Dan’s, letting him feel the strength of his arousal.

“Hey. It’s good to see you too, but don’t you think we should take this somewhere more private?” Dan asked, looking up and down the platform. The guard was very conspicuously watching them. Dan gave him a big grin, but the bloke refused to look embarrassed, scowling at them instead.

“Think I might have problems walking,” Robin said, panting hard. “Where do you want to go?”

“Back to yours?”

“Uh-uh. You’ve promised Mel we’ll be round for dinner in about twenty minutes, and it’ll take us about that long to get there. We’d have to cycle past her boat to get to mine, and she’d spot us, believe me.”

“Bugger! I forgot about that. I didn’t think I’d be this fucking desperate for a shag the moment I saw you.”

Robin raised an eyebrow. “I suppose that’s meant to be a compliment?”

“Oh yeah. Big compliment. Can’t you tell how big it is?” Dan gave a lewd smile and pulled Robin’s hand around to his crotch. Screw the platform guard.

Hearing Robin’s chuckle, Dan realised just how much he’d missed it over the last couple of weeks. Sure, he’d heard it over the phone, but it wasn’t the same thing as being able to feel Robin’s body shaking and watch the laughter transform his face. It was why he’d waited to tell Robin about their upcoming holiday in person, but he’d do all that later. There was no telling how Robin would react to the news initially, and he didn’t want to risk spoiling the reunion.