Page 56 of His Worst Crime

And with that she was gone, leaving the two of them snickering like naughty schoolboys.

Aquarter of an hour later, the four of them took the path toward the beach, passing by Boira and Ferro on their way. They had placed the young filly in an adjacent paddock to the older gelding to let them get to know each other for a few days, but the two horses already seemed to be bonding closely in the few hours they’d been together, and were standing together on the fence line, nuzzling each other. Ferro had clearly taken a protective stance over Boira, almost as if he were still a stallion.

“Look at that,” Carme remarked. “A match made in heaven.”

They spent a few minutes with the horses, scratching their necks and giving them the dried carrot and apple treats from the packets that Carme, Davey, and Ramon almost always carried on them.

“Wow, they’re spoiled for choice!” Àgata remarked, laughing.

They carried on down the track toward the beach. The nearest coast, just under a mile from Ramon’s masia, was a small rocky cove, not suitable for riding. So, exercising on the sand meant floating up the horses and taking them out to El Trabucador. Yet this spot, with its two rocky promontories and small pebble beach, nonetheless had its charms. It was the perfect romantic location to stroll under the moonlight. As they reached it, the moon was just rising over the sea, sending a silver trail in toward them. As Carme and Àgata walked arm in arm up ahead, Ramon reached out and took Davey’s hand, his thumb rubbing and caressing the back of Davey’s hand.

“So, have you thought about what you want to do?” he asked.

“To me it would be perfect to stay down here just training the horses, riding them out along the Trabucador, but I know you’re eventually going to have to head back to work… and me too. This afternoon, Carme offered me a proper contract at the stables for when I’m ready. I’d like that. It means I could stay in Barcelona and work on my Catalan…. And I’d be… nearer you.”

Ramon’s heart flipped over. It was what he’d been hoping for, but not dared express.

“But Ravenscragg?” he asked. “Your Dad can’t keep struggling on there with Owen gone.”

“Owen won’t be going away. Our Dad didn’t want to press charges in the end and negotiated with Constable Beaton to keep him out of the clink. Owen will be going back to work on the farm. Dad’s stayed sober and he’s sworn off the drink for good… or so he says. When he got back to the UK, he went and had it out with our Owen, and they seem to have halved their differences. I’ve no idea how long that’ll last, but at least it gives me a breather. The truth is, after our Mam’s death, and with Dad’s drinking, we were all under loads of strain. Owen swears he never meant to touch Dad, just got carried away…. I don’t know…. Owen’s done some stupid things… along with his mate Ned, but he’s never been violent. Him and Dad used to argue like cats and dogs after they’d been drinking. If they can both stay off the drink… maybe they’ll make a go of it. Who knows? Stranger things have happened.”

“They sound like… what’s the English expression… two peas in a boat? How did you turn out so different?”

“Pod, peas in a pod. That’s the… ah, pesols… peas… come in a…”

“Una beina, a pod?”

“That’s the one. I take more after our Mam, bless her. Our whole family fell apart after she went.”

“Families change. The challenge is to keep them together even after those sort of changes, like death or divorce. It sounds like your Dad and Owen are at least making an effort.” He was silent for a while, and they just walked. Then he said, “Well, if you decide to stay in Barcelona… and I’m glad you’re thinking about it… my place….”

“Thanks, that’s very generous of you… and I… I really like you….”

“Oh no,” Ramon stopped still. His world seemed to spin around him, and not in a good way. “Does that mean what I think?”

“No!” Davey turned back to him, stepping close. “I mean, when I say I like you, I really really like you. That’s not a put-off. I just don’t want to do anything to muck it up, you know, while we’re still getting to know each other? Moving in together straight away might be.… Can we try taking it in baby steps?”

Ramon nodded, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. He tried not to drown under that huge wave of disappointment that was sweeping over him. It felt easier in the dark behind his eyelids, and he took a final breath, determined to be upbeat. Then he sensed rather than felt Davey close to him, the younger man’s breath upon his face, before Davey’s lips were brushing his. Warm and full, they felt so soft. His own lips parted and his tongue found Davey’s. For a few moments they stayed like that, perfectly quiet, each loosely embracing the other there on the beach, just their tongues moving, gently probing, tasting and getting to know each other better. Ramon pulled Davey in toward him, feeling his eager body pressed against him in the dark. Their cocks stirred again in their jeans, as if reaching out to each other through the denim, and Ramon’s hands dropped to cup Davey’s perfect ass. Right then and there he knew what he wanted to do.

“Come with me,” he said, taking Davey’s hand and leading him on down the beach. Several yards on, they came across Carme and Àgata arm in arm, heading back in the other direction.

“See you back at the house, boys,” Carme said. “If we don’t catch you tonight, we’ll see you in the morning.”

They nodded and said their good nights before each couple strolled on. It was a night to be with your partner right then, the two of you together beneath the moon. Soon, knowing they were alone, Davey said:

“Where are you taking me? Want to recreate that cocktail, sex on the beach?”

“Not here, because this beach is nothing but stones and boulders, and even then you get sand everywhere you don’t want it. Plus, you’d never forgive me for all the bruises. I have a better idea.”

At the end of the beach, Ramon led Davey into the shadows of the cliff, keeping a firm hold of his hand.

“Feel here…. There’s steps, and a chain to hold onto.”

Davey discovered a rough staircase carved into the rock wall, and a heavy chain attached to the cliff face, by which he could pull himself up.

“I can’t see a thing. You know what you’re doing here?”

“It’s just this bit that’s difficult. I’ve got you. Here.”