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“You loved being out there today,” Percy said quietly. “The grin you wore the whole time was telling. And I can tell you, I ain’t ever seen anyone ride as good as you rode today.”
“You shoulda seen me before I got kicked in the side of the knee,” Des said. “I could have taken this whole mob by myself.”
They all laughed, and two women slid plates of corned beef onto the table. “Thank you,” Albie said to them, expecting them to leave. But they didn’t.
But he realised, a little too late and a lot too awkwardly, that the two women only had eyes for Robert and Des. Percy was apparently much quicker on the uptake because he nudged his knee to Albie’s under the table, and when Albie looked at him, he was shoving a forkful of food past his smiling lips.
They ate as quickly as they could while the two women skirted around their table with more water, more bread, gentle smiles, and flirty eyes.
Albie and Percy couldn’t get out of there quick enough.
Albie had paid for two rooms—one for him and Percy, the other for Robert and Des. He probably should have got them separate rooms, but he didn’t want to think about that.
When Albie closed and locked the door behind them, Percy put the lantern on the dresser, turned to Albie, and laughed.
“That was so awkward,” Percy said. “I mean, I hope they have a good night and all. I just don’t need to be there to see it.”
“Agreed,” Albie said, taking his coat off and hanging it on the hook. Then his overshirt, then his boots, and when he sat on the edge of the bed, he fell back, exhausted. “What a day.”
Percy took his coat off and threw it over the corner of a chair, and Albie turned his head to watch as Percy slid his suspenders off his shoulders, letting them fall around his thighs. It was Albie’s favourite part of their undressing ritual.
Oh, he quite liked the reveal of skin too. But there was something about when Percy let his braces down that sang to Albie.
“What are you looking at me like that for?” Percy said with a smirk. “We’re too tired, and if you think I’m spending another day in the saddle like last time...” He shook his head. “It’s all fun and games now, but by tomorrow night, I’ll be back in a hot bath full of aches and regrets.”
Albie chuckled. “I’m just admiring the view. Am I not allowed to look?”
“Looking is fine,” Percy said with a knowing smile. “But looking usually leads to touching, and touching leads to fu?—”
“Other things,” Albie said quickly, cutting him off. “That mouth is too sweet for cussing.”
Percy laughed. “Really? Could you really call what I’ve done to you with this mouth sweet?”
Albie groaned out a laugh. “The sweetest.” Then he had to adjust himself. “Stop talking of these things. Certain parts of my body don’t know I’m too exhausted.”
Percy’s eyebrow rose, full of cheek and hope. “Really?”
Albie threw a wash towel from the bed at him. “No, none of that. Go wash up. I’ll go after you.”
Percy grumbled as he walked out of the room, and Albie closed his eyes for just a second. Only to be woken by the face of an angel, with a light spray of freckles across his nose, bright blue eyes, and his blond hair washed and brushed down.
“Hey, sleepyhead,” this angel said, looking down at him. “Go wash up. You smell like horse sweat.”
Albie rolled off the bed, the angel smacked his backside as he got up, and he begrudgingly went down the hall to the washroom.
Much cleaner and desperate for sleep, Albie went back to their room. He’d hoped that maybe Percy had somehow stayed awake, but no, he was already in bed, sound asleep.
When Albie climbed in, Percy automatically snuggled into his side and Albie’s arm went around his shoulder. He closed his eyes and didn’t move a muscle till morning.
* * *
Both Robert and Des had sly smirks at breakfast, but Albie didn’t want to know.
“Well, you two had a good night,” Percy went and said outright.
They both ducked their heads, but Des cleared his throat, about to say something, when Albie put his hand up. “For the love of everything under the sun, I don’t want to know.”
Percy snorted his cup of tea, and they ate their breakfast in silence.
