Page 15 of Habibi: Always and Forever

LOVE AND ILLUMINATIONS

RYDER

R yder flopped into the passenger seat of Garrett’s car and let out a sigh. “I can’t wait to get home.” He was looking forward to having a hot shower and getting into clean clothes. He was the only elite gymnast who didn’t shower at the gym. He couldn’t.

“We’re not going home,” Garrett said nonchalantly.

“We’re not?”

“No.”

Ryder stared at him. “We’ve worked hard this week. We deserve a reward.”

“We work hard every week.”

Garrett smiled. “I know. But we still deserve a reward.”

“What kind of reward?”

“It’s a surprise.” Garrett put the car into gear and carefully navigated out of the car park.

They were usually leaving as the kids’ evening classes were beginning, which meant Garrett needed to pay extra attention in case an enthusiastic pint-sized child darted across the carpark without looking.

“I’m not sure I like surprises,” Ryder said.

“You’ll enjoy it. I promise.”

Ryder chewed the inside of his cheek and stared out the window. Traffic was busy, so they got stuck on the main road leading up to a roundabout.

Garrett put his hand on his fiancé’s thigh. “Trust me?”

Ryder glanced at him, offering him a slight smile. “I do trust you.”

“I’ll give you a clue. We’re driving west.”

“West?”

“That’s all you’re getting.”

It wasn’t much of a clue. Ryder wasn’t exactly an expert at British geography.

Hell, he wasn’t an expert at US geography, either, despite being born in Texas and living there most of his life.

He could locate the places he’d competed or trained in on a map, and that was about it.

He took his phone out of his pocket, pulled up a map, and started figuring out what was directly west of Leeds, where he now lived with Garrett.

It didn’t help. The UK was tiny, but consisted of tons of towns, cities and villages, most of which meant nothing to him.

About the only thing he knew for certain was that ‘west’ meant they weren’t going to London.

He put his phone away. Garrett had asked him to trust him, so he would. These days, Garrett knew him better than anyone. It wasn’t going to stop him from wishing for a shower and a change of clothes, though. He had to stink after a day of working on his routines.

Once they were on the motorway, they chatted about their days.

Their conversation was light and easy, making Ryder forget that he didn’t like surprises.

He watched road signs zip past to varying cities, but none of them meant much to him, so he decided to enjoy the drive and the company.

He always enjoyed Garrett’s company. The not-so-grumpy-anymore gymnast brought out the best in him, even on the toughest days, which was impressive, as Ryder had more than his fair share of tough days.

Thanks to Friday afternoon traffic, it was almost three hours later when Garrett found a space in a small but busy car park in a little place on the west coast called Fleetwood. Ryder had no idea why Garrett would take him there and decided not to ask. It was all part of the surprise.

“First, we eat,” Garrett said.

Ryder’s stomach sank.

But Garrett hopped cheerfully out of the car and went to the trunk. Ryder followed him, glancing around for any obvious signs of restaurants. There was a fish and chip shop, guarded by a group of noisy seagulls.

Garrett opened the trunk, pulled out a bag, and then took Ryder’s hand. “Come on, let’s find somewhere to sit.”

They found a stone wall overlooking the sea. A gentle breeze caressed their faces and messed up their hair, bringing the scent of brine with it. Garrett put the bag on the wall between them and opened it to reveal three plastic boxes.

“We have barbecue chicken quesadillas, ham and cheese rolls with pepper sticks, and granola, yoghurt, and berries.” Garrett opened each box as he announced their contents. “I hope it’s okay.”

“It’s amazing, thank you.” Ryder’s stomach wasn’t so tight anymore. “When did you do all this?”

“While you were sleeping.” Garrett leaned over the bag to kiss Ryder. “This isn’t the surprise, by the way.”

“It isn’t?”

“No.” Grinning, Garrett picked up a quesadilla and bit into it heartily.

Ryder ate slowly, but gratefully. A couple of seagulls hopped over to them, making them guard their food.

“We shouldn’t feed them,” Garrett said. “We’ll only encourage them.”

Ryder wouldn’t have minded losing some of his dinner to the seagulls, but he heeded Garrett’s warning.

“Now what?” Ryder asked once they’d finished and had packed the almost empty boxes away.

“Now we catch a tram.”

Ryder frowned. “A tram.”

“Yes. They have trams in the States, don’t they?”

“Yes, but we call them streetcars or trolleys. I meant, why are we gettin’ on a tram?”

Garrett laughed. “Why didn’t you ask that in the first place? The journey is the surprise. Half of it, anyway.”

“The journey?” Ryder was more confused than ever.

“Yes, come on.”

They went to the car to drop the bag off and then walked the short distance to the tram station, which was basically a shelter on a raised concrete platform, in the middle of two tram tracks.

They didn’t have to wait long for a tram to arrive.

Ryder noted that it was heading towards Blackpool South Shore, not that it meant anything to him.

The tram was packed with families and excited children, giving Ryder the feeling he was missing something, but he was sure he’d find out what everyone was looking forward to soon enough.

The tram set off, trundling slowly along the coast, although it was dark, so there wasn’t much to see.

Ryder sat next to the window with his fingers threaded through Garrett’s.

He rested his cheek on his fiancé’s shoulder, staring at the occasional light in the distance, and the dark shadows of clouds against the inky sky.

After about half an hour, the view was transformed.

Huge, illuminated tableaus lined the footpath that ran alongside the tram track.

The children in the tram oohed and ahhed as they travelled past bright, colourful scenes depicting Egyptian Mummies, and scenes from children’s books such as Alice in Wonderland .

The spectacle took Ryder’s breath away. He’d never seen anything quite like it.

He sat upright, nose pressed against the window, so he could get as good a view as possible.

There was a tableau promoting living a green lifestyle, another showing a family exercising in a park, which looked like they were really moving their arms and legs.

There was a peacock with flashing tail feathers, and lights strung above the tram track and road.

There was a teddy bears’ picnic, fish, butterflies, and suns with faces.

“This is amazing!”

Garrett hugged him from behind and leaned his chin on Ryder’s shoulder. “Good surprise?”

“Yes!”

“The best is yet to come.”

“There’s more?”

“Lots more.”

They left the tableaus behind. The lights above the road got more flashy, forming shapes such as shooting stars and rainbows, the colours constantly changing. A tall tower came into view, completely outlined in a rainbow of lights.

“It looks like the Eiffel Tower, only smaller.”

“That’s Blackpool Tower. It was inspired by the Eiffel Tower.”

“You can really tell.”

“We can go up it tomorrow, if you like.”

“Tomorrow?”

“Yeah, you didn’t think we were driving all the way home tonight, did you? That’s the second part of the surprise. A romantic night away.”

The lights got increasingly fantastic. There was a pier with a huge Ferris Wheel, which was lit up like a Christmas tree. Even the theme park they passed was ablaze with coloured lights. It was amazing. Ryder’s eyes grew bigger as he took it all in.

“This is all free?”

“Apart from the cost of the tram, yes. The Blackpool Illuminations are famous.”

Not famous enough for Ryder to have heard of them, but he took Garrett’s word for it.

“And they’re always free.”

“It must cost a fortune.”

“I’m sure it does, but I bet that the illuminations bring enough tourists to the city each year to more than pay for them.”

“I guess so.”

Eventually, they reached the end of the line and had to get off the tram. Quite a few people had got off at earlier stops, in the middle of Blackpool itself.

“We could take the tram back, or walk some of the way,” Garrett said.

“Let’s walk.”

They walked hand in hand, soaking up the atmosphere and looking at the lights more closely.

There was a wonderful atmosphere. The streets were busy.

Music was playing. Everyone was chatting and laughing.

The scent of the sea was intermingled with the smell of hot dogs, burgers, doughnuts, and candyfloss.

Garrett stopped to buy candyfloss, which looked like a pink cloud on a stick.

He offered Ryder some, but he declined. It was fun watching Garrett eat the fluffy, sticky substance, though, and even more fun to kiss him afterwards and taste the overwhelming sweetness on his lips.

They hopped onto a tram in Blackpool and cuddled as they travelled back towards Fleetwood. It was sad when they reached the end of the tableaus, and everything became dark again, but Ryder was happy he’d seen them.

“Where are we stayin’?” he asked, when they reached the end of the line.

Garrett tapped the side of his nose. “Wait and see.”

They went back to the car and set off once more.

Garrett drove away from the sea, but it wasn’t long before he was pulling up on the street, outside an unassuming house.

He turned the engine off and collected a bag from the trunk before leading Ryder down the garden path.

He consulted his phone to find the combination number to open a key safe and then let them into the house.

“Welcome to our home away from home,” Garrett announced. “We’re here until Sunday. We can go food shopping in the morning.”

“We can cook?” Ryder asked.

“Yup. I figured you’d prefer this to a hotel.”

“Yes!” Ryder flung his arms around Garrett’s neck and kissed and hugged him. “You’re amazing. Thank you, Gar the Great.”

Garrett rolled his eyes. “I know. Good surprise?”

“Yes, but why?”

“I told you: we deserved a reward for working so hard.”

“But we always work hard.”

“Yes, and it takes its toll. Besides, I wanted to spoil you. Is that okay?”

“More than okay.”

“You’re good?”

“Yes.”

“Sure?”

Ryder grinned. “Sure I’m sure.”

They explored the house together. It wasn’t big, but it was perfect. The kitchen was well stocked, the lounge was cosy, and the bed was huge and comfortable. They flopped onto it, staring at each other, fingertips touching, and smiled.

“Thank you,” Ryder whispered.

“You’re welcome.”

“Does this mean we get to sleep in tomorrow?”

“Are you even capable of sleeping in?”

“I am when I’ve got Gar the Great to cuddle up to.”

Garrett groaned. “Will you ever stop calling me that?”

“Nope. Besides, you like it really.”

He sat and tickled Ryder until his fiancé was a giggling, wriggling wreck. “Who says I like it?”

“I do! It’s true!”

Garrett relented and laid beside Ryder once more. “You’re right, I do. But don’t tell anyone else.”

Ryder put his finger over his lips. “It’s our secret.”

“What do you want to do tomorrow? Go to the top of the tower? Explore the theme park?”

“I’m happy to do anything as long as I’m with you.”

“That’s sappy.”

“Are you complainin’?”

“No. I like sappy. And I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Ryder hooked his hand around the back of Garrett’s neck and pulled him close for a kiss.

They embraced, gently stroking each other as they explored each other’s mouths with their tongues.

“Do you want to see how dark this room can get?” Ryder asked.

“Sure?”

“Sure I’m sure.”

Garrett chuckled and got up to close the curtains and switch the light off.

A soft amber glow drifted through the curtains, giving enough light to see by.

Not dark enough. Ryder rolled off the bed to check the wardrobe.

He found a woollen blanket, which seemed thick.

It was probably for extra warmth in winter.

Together, they hung it from the curtain pole, blocking out the streetlight outside. Better.

They laid on the bed again, exploring each other’s bodies through clothing via touch alone.

Ryder had memorised every curve of Garrett’s body.

He knew all the places his fiancé liked to be touched and stroked.

All the places he liked to be kissed. He knew exactly how to turn Garrett on, and what each moan and intake of breath meant.

Slowly, they undressed one another until they were naked in the dark.

They kissed and touched until Ryder was fully relaxed, and making needy noises whenever Garrett’s lips found his.

“You good?” Garrett whispered.

“Yes.”

“Want to carry on?”

“Yes. No promises.”

“None needed.” Garrett kissed his forehead and then stroked his cock gently.

Ryder returned the tender touch, enjoying the stiffness of Garrett’s cock in his hand.

He loved making Garrett come. Loved it even more when he was able to come, too.

His body was a little slow to Garrett’s expert touches, but it did, and soon he was gasping and moaning and doing his best to maintain his rhythm as he stroked his fiancé, bringing him closer to release.

“I love you,” Garrett whispered, and then he came with a grunt and a throaty groan.

Ryder kept stroking him, not stopping until he was sure his fiancé was spent.

It took him a little longer, but eventually he tipped over the edge too.

He pressed his head against Garrett’s chest as he gasped and grunted through his release.

Just as he had done, Garrett kept stroking him until his cock was limp.

They went to the bathroom to clean up, finding their way from and to the bed in the dark.

Then they snuggled up in bed beneath the comforter, holding and kissing each other.

“Tonight was magical,” Ryder said. “Have you seen the illuminations before?”

“Once, when I was a kid. My parents had a rare night off and took me and Derek. We drove down the prom, saw the illuminations, and then drove home again. Derek and I were so exhausted, we fell asleep on the way home.”

“Sweet.”

“I had more fun seeing them with you.”

“Aww, you’re just sayin’ that.”

Garrett kissed him. “I’m not. I mean it. This was way more fun.”

“Me too. Maybe we could come again next year. We could make it an annual trip or somethin’.”

“I’d like that.”

Ryder sighed happily. “It’s a deal then? We’ll come back next year.”

Garrett hooked his little finger around Ryder’s. “Deal.”

* * *

If you enjoyed this bonus scene, please check out the Chasing Gold series:

Hold Me Up : Reese and Alex’s story

Don’t Hold Back : Garrett and Ryder’s story