25

25

Ripley crept downstairs on Sunday morning and cleaned up while Fen was asleep. Last night, after everyone had gone, he'd sent Fen to bed, then come down and put away what remained of the food—not much, and filled the dishwasher. Now he emptied the machine and filled it again. There was less mess than he'd expected. No one had spilled anything or ground food into the floor. No one had mentioned Alejandro, and Ripley knew his friends would be thinking he'd finally moved on.

Had he?

Maybe he was getting there. Though he had thought about Alejandro last night, knowing he'd have enjoyed the party, and the food. He'd have liked Fen, though Alejandro wasn't good with illness. When Ripley had Covid, Alejandro had gone to stay with his mother. Ripley had intended to move onto the top floor and hoped Alejandro would at least remain in the house, but he hadn't. Ripley would have done if it had been Alejandro with the virus.

Alejandro had been the social one of the two of them, the entertainer, the organiser, the one who arranged to meet up with friends, who'd try new things, do anything for a good time. Well, he had until worries had dragged him down a dark hole Ripley hadn't realised was so deep and dangerous. I should have pulled him out. He'd tried. Thinking back, he'd tried a lot, but Alejandro had closed himself off.

For a man who was supposed to be good at seeing what people were hiding, Ripley had failed badly. He stood for a while at the side of the bed looking down at Fen with his pale face. He looked frighteningly fragile. He'd still be good-looking when he was old, and Ripley smiled at the thought until he remembered Fen was unlikely to grow old enough for wrinkles and crow's feet and grey hair.

"Stop staring at me," Fen mumbled.

"I came up to see if you want breakfast?"

Fen blinked until his eyes were fully open. "Yes, please."

Ripley came back up with toast and tea for Fen, toast and coffee for him. They sat with their backs to the headboard.

"Is it safe to go down yet?" Fen asked.

"Safe? There are no bodies on the floor. Is that what you mean?"

"Have you cleaned up?"

"Ah. Cheeky. But yes. Thankfully there were no desserts left or I'd have to spend the afternoon cycling down the Amalfi coast to work off the calories. Though it would have been worth it. Everyone loved the food."

"The man in the checked jacket didn't."

"Peter?"

"I don't know his name. He was a bit scornful about the sausage rolls when I told him the pastry wasn't organic. Actually, it might have been. I don't know. He said—at least the champagne was quality."

"Did he? He won't be coming again."

Fen laughed but Ripley meant it. Peter Havelock had made a bad mistake.

"The party was lovely," Fen said. "I—"

"Hang on." Ripley's phone was telling him there was someone at the door. "Hot tub," he said. "Don't get too excited. It probably won't be up to temperature today."

"When we come back on Boxing Day?"

"Yes." Ripley hurried down the stairs. Why didn't I ask him to stay? Though he knew why. Fen had a mother who wanted him with her.

Fen appeared about twenty minutes later. The hot tub was already in the garden and being filled.

"I worried it wouldn't fit through the front door," Ripley said. "But it did."

"No magic required then?"

"In the form of a crane and closing the road? Any bigger and that's what I'd have to have done."

"Have you made the workmen a drink?"

"Not yet."

"Ask them what they want."

Three hours later, the hot tub was full, the cover was on and the guys had gone. Ripley took Fen out for a late lunch in Islington.

"You looked shocked when Christian told you he was going to propose to Judd," Fen said.

"I thought his name was Toby."

"Toby's a nickname."

"Oh, yes, I was surprised. If there was a poll for which of my friends is least likely to marry, Christian would have been at the top." And I'd have been in the middle.

"You think he's changed?"

"He must have."

Why was Fen curious? Ripley felt as if there was something he wanted to say.

"Have you ever been anyone's best man?" Fen asked.

"No. Have you?"

Fen shook his head. "I think Seth and/or Morgan might ask me if and when they get married. But it sounded like Christian was masterminding the whole thing."

"It did."

"The… The thing is…" Fen stopped eating. "I know Judd. Well, no, I don't know him. I hadn't met him until last night but…"

"He's an actor. You might have seen him on TV."

"I didn't have a TV, remember? It's not that. He's part of my big secret and I think maybe I have to tell you because you need to understand why I can't go to Christian and Judd's wedding."

Now Ripley was even more intrigued.

"Judd's my half-brother." Fen sucked in a deep breath.

What?

"The father we share is Jack Miller. The film star."

Ripley gaped at him. "Jack Miller as in Blue Stone, Live Forever… James Bond—Jack Miller?"

Fen nodded. "I wondered if you might have guessed after we left the Tate but maybe you didn't see him."

"I didn't. So he doesn't acknowledge you as his son?"

"No. My mum was sixteen when she met him. Got pregnant. Had me. I told you that for a long time she'd said my dad was dead. Maybe she'd have been better continuing to do that but I pushed. I've never told anyone until now. Seth and Morgan don't know."

"Did you recognise Judd?"

"No. I don't look up what my father is doing or what his kids are up to. Or his wife. They're not part of my life, but sometimes I see stuff about them, or hear it. It was only when Judd told me his father was into Japanese stuff and was an actor that I began to wonder. Then everything clicked into place. My father will be at Judd's wedding and I don't want to be there. I have no idea if he'd recognise me. Maybe he wouldn't but I don't…" Fen stopped talking and bit his lip.

Ripley took hold of his hand. "Thank you for telling me."

"You'll keep my secret, won't you?"

"Yes."

Fen sighed.

"What a complete shit."

Fen looked across at him. "Only me, my mum and you would think so. I happened to see he's tipped to be in the New Year's Honours List. A knighthood."

"He gave your mum no money at all?"

"I told you he didn't."

"She could have pursued him through the courts."

"She chose not to."

"You're…"

"You're going to ask me again if I'm sure she's told me the truth? Whether she made it up? I've seen the DNA results. I don't know what she had of his but… Anyway, it was a match."

"He's a fool. He doesn't deserve you. You deserve better."

"Enough now. I don't want to talk about it again, but if Christian wants to meet up for a drink with you and me, and Judd will be there, I'd rather not."

Ripley squeezed his fingers.

Fen felt a mix of relief and anxiety that he'd told Ripley. But he trusted him to keep quiet. Fen's phone vibrated. "My mum. I better take it."

Ripley nodded.

"Hi, Mum."

"Just wanted to speak to you today in case I don't get chance tomorrow. The plane is early so we need to be at the airport at some godawful time."

Fen leaned back in his seat so there was no chance of Ripley overhearing. One secret told but this one was still there.

"Christmas will be brilliant," Fen said. He'd have to be careful not to give anything away.

"But you won't be there."

"I can't wait."

"Until we get back?"

"It's going to be so much fun. Christmas Dinner. Mmm. Sausage meat in the stuffing, right? Best roast potatoes ever. My mouth is watering and I've just eaten lunch."

"Out with Ripley?"

"Yes."

"Maybe he could come for second Christmas?"

"Maybe." No way.

"I better go and finish packing. I don't know what the weather will be like there."

"You're always prepared."

"Of course! Love you. Bye."

Fen pretended the call was ongoing. "What time do you want me there?… Okay… Please…" Fen laughed. "Hot water bottle in my bed, please… No, nothing else I can think of… Yes, to Charades. No, to Trivial Pursuit… Fine. See you tomorrow. Love you."

He slipped his phone into his pocket. Of course, if Ripley told him he wasn't actually going to stay with his mother in Eastbourne, all that had been for nothing and Fen would either have to confess he'd lied or do what he'd planned. But Ripley stayed silent.

"By the way," Fen said. "Alistair put two thousand pounds in my bank account. Since that's a bit too much for the repair of the chessboard, I assume it's compensation for sacking me."

"You should get more than that."

"I'd like to think they sacked Scott but I very much doubt it. Sometimes there's no justice in the world. I don't know who to blame."

Ripley laughed.

To Fen's delight, the hot tub had reached the required temperature by nine that night. Ripley collected towels from the bathroom and took them outside along with plastic glasses and a bottle of champagne. When the door was opened, Fen shivered in the blast of cold air. It was freezing. Maybe cold enough to snow, which in one way would be lovely, but only if he was up to his neck in warm water.

Fen stripped off and slipped outside as Ripley came back in.

"Hurry!" Fen put his phone safely on a shelf under the lip outside of the tub, and climbed in, moaning as he sank down. Bliss!

Ripley gave a similar sigh as he joined him.

Jets were massaging Fen's back and thighs and it felt perfect.

"I wish I'd thought to buy one before." Ripley handed Fen a glass of champagne.

"Cheers." Fen touched his drink to Ripley's.

"Cheers."

Fen took a sip, then set the glass aside as he stared at Ripley. Wispy tendrils of steam rose up around them, weird shapes illuminated by the underwater blue lights.

"If an alien spacecraft went overhead now, would they think we're being cooked for supper?"

"Maybe."

"I feel like I want to moan and keep moaning." Fen let out a long moan, then took another drink of the champagne. He liked it more than he should.

"Neighbours either side are away. The ones at the back won't hear unless you're very loud."

"I can be. You've not pressed the right button yet."

"Ooh, that was a challenge if ever I heard one."

Ripley moved both glasses out of danger, tugged Fen into his arms and kissed him, pulling him down until only their heads remained above the simmering surface. The kiss continued, Ripley's tongue playing with Fen's in a slow, sensual rhythm that sent bolts of lust shooting to his groin. As Ripley sucked lightly on his tongue, Fen groaned into his mouth.

With his fingers threaded in Ripley's hair, Fen wrapped his legs around his waist and clung tight. Ripley angled Fen's head so he could kiss him more deeply and laid his palm over Fen's heart.

"Racing just like mine," Ripley said.

He angled Fen back and dropped his mouth to his nipple, swirling his tongue around it and biting gently.

"Oh God," Fen gasped. "Can I yelp?"

"Am I hurting you?"

"Pain and pleasure are sometimes so close!"

Fen arched up when Ripley nipped harder, his cock throbbing in response. His groans grew louder as Ripley moved from one nipple to the other.

"This might…have seemed…a good idea," Fen gasped. "Don't think I'm not into it, but we—well, me to be honest—I don't want to mess up the water. I have this horrible thought in my head of having to call the hot tub company to tell them we fucked up the filters. Then having to explain why. Well, I wouldn't. You'd have to. You know how to talk to people and tell them difficult things. You can have your wicked way with me inside and then we'll come out again."

"Once we're inside, we won't come out. Sit up here."

Ripley lifted Fen so he was out of the water, his backside on the edge of the tub. He pushed Fen's legs apart then looked up at him. Fen snapped a picture and Ripley glared.

"I promise not to share it on TikTok. Easy because I'm not on TikTok. But if you don't hurry up, I'm going to freeze."

Ripley dropped his head and blew across the tip of Fen's shaft.

Fen let out a little whine. "The sensation of having my balls in hot water while my cock is waving for help before it freezes solid is so…disconcerting."

"Don't make me laugh or I can't do this."

Ripley ran his tongue along the narrow slit at the tip of Fen's cock and Fen shuddered. When he grabbed one of Fen's hands and held it to his cheek so he could feel his cock in his mouth, Fen started to babble.

"Ohhh… I… It's… Fuck… Yes…"

Just as he was thinking he was about to come, Ripley put his lips around his balls, gently separating them with his tongue.

"Don't drown!" Fen gasped.

His last coherent thought because Ripley moved his mouth to his dick, and sucked. Don't stop. Except he did, though only the sucking, and instead he fluttered his tongue at high speed over the tip of Fen's cock and Fen felt as if he was levitating.

"Fuuuuck," he groaned.

The groan turned to a cry when he felt Ripley's finger teasing the tight ring of his anus, pressing against it until he was inside. Fen didn't even try to stifle his cry as Ripley's finger curved upward, found his prostate, then stroked it until Fen thought he might die of the ecstasy. His balls tightened and the countdown was on.

Ripley reached up to twist Fen's nipple and the countdown sped up.

"Harder." One word was all Fen could manage and when Ripley's mouth and finger obeyed, Fen came undone.

He exploded into Ripley's mouth, jerking from the force of his orgasm, spurt after spurt pumping from his shaft until he wondered if he'd ever stop, wondered if Ripley would choke. Ripley didn't release him, just kept sucking and sucking until Fen was done, empty, limp as a noodle.

"Wha…" Fen searched for words and couldn't find them.

A moment later, they were both under the surface, kissing and half-laughing, and Fen worried about drowning until Ripley pulled them up so fast water surged out of the tub.

"It's snowing." Fen tipped his head back to the sky. "How did you manage that? Oh, I know, you're the talented Mr Ripley."

Ripley laughed.

When they finally left the tub, Fen didn't miss how Ripley made sure he was covered up with a towel before Ripley took one for himself.

"Go and get warm while I see to the cover," Ripley told him.

Fen went back inside. I really like him. Really, really. It frightened him because it couldn't last.

Ripley came in shaking snow from his hair and Fen pulled him into his arms.

"You've been a very good boy," Fen said. "No need to call the hot tub people about the filter. Lucky you."

Fen slipped his hand under Ripley's towel and wrapped his fingers around his cock.

"Lucky me," Ripley said.

Fen leaned up to whisper in Ripley's ear. "Do you want to fuck me without a condom?"

When he heard the hitch in Ripley's breathing, Fen worried he'd said the wrong thing.

"Only if you want to. Obviously, you don't have to." Stop running off at the mouth! "You might want me to take a test and I will if you like but I've not had sex with anyone for a very long time and never without protection. You might not want to anyway and that's perfectly fine, I thought—"

"Fen!"

"Yes."

"I'm going to count to ten and then I'm coming after you and wherever you are, it's happening. Right?"

"Outside on the Adirondack chair? On the front step? On the work surface? On the table? The couch? Your exercise bike?"

"Yes. Any of those. One, two…"

Fen fled. Not running but moving as fast as he could.

He was lying naked on his back in Ripley's bed when Ripley came in.

"Three," Ripley said and Fen giggled.

Ripley grabbed the lube, tossed his towel aside and climbed on top of him. "I've never done it before without protection either."

It was on the tip of Fen's tongue to ask about Alejandro, but he managed not to.

"Lots of lube, okay?" Fen whispered, then sang, "Go gentle through my life. If you want me I'll be there—"

Ripley leaned over to kiss him. "Shush, Robbie. And you got the words wrong."

"One word," Fen blurted. "I've changed my mind. Not gentle. Hard. I won't break. Fuck me hard. I should have just said those three words, shouldn't I? Sorry. Babbling."

Nerves were making him say more than he needed to, but Ripley was looking at Fen as if he was the best thing ever, and Fen trusted him. He might never have this again, wouldn't have it for long and he wanted to know what it felt like. He pulled his legs up and waited.

Ripley worked him with his fingers until Fen was writhing beneath him, lube dripping off his balls and down his thighs. Then fingers were gone and Ripley was sliding the fat head of his cock over his hole and up and down his taint.

"You almost found the way in," Fen said. "it's like threading a needle. Keep trying."

"If you don't shut up…"

"You dangled the idea of a gag."

Ripley groaned. "Not this time."

He pressed his cock against the entrance to Fen's body, Fen held his breath and pushed back. He cried out as Ripley's shaft popped through the tight ring of muscle and powered inside him. A little discomfort quickly morphed to pleasure, sharp to sweet.

Ripley was panting as he stared into Fen's eyes. He kept pushing until their sticky bodies were plastered together then landed a kiss on Fen's lips.

"Might you manage a few seconds before you explode?" Fen whispered.

"Possibly."

"Because it feels good."

"Only good?"

"Perfect."

Ripley changed the angle of his hips, bucked hard then settled into a rhythmic thrusting that shoved Fen up the bed, and Fen's cock stiffened. The sound of flesh smacking, their gasps and cries and grunts of pleasure all wound Fen tighter. Arms entwined, hands flailing, grabbing, squeezing, they fucked in sync, then fell out of sync but never stopped moving. On and on, harder and harder, faster and faster until, overwhelmed by sensation, Fen stopped trying to think, or move, just let himself feel.

He felt the change in Ripley's cock. Bigger. Harder. Fen was going to come too. Release, completion, satisfaction—darkness racing toward him as orgasm rushed through their bodies. Ripley erupted inside him with a groan as Fen did the same between them. He could feel Ripley's come flooding inside him, hitting his prostate and it wasn't just the way it felt, it was knowing Ripley was inside him, really inside him, that sent Fen soaring.