Middle of Nowhere - Chapter 13, Part 1
Title: Middle of Nowhere
Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They were created by Annie Proulx. I make no money from this and don't want to.
Rating: NC-17
Thanks: To Em and Keren for all your help, encouragement and support.
Feedback: Oh yes please!! I appreciate every word.
Middle of Nowhere - Chapter 13
Jack’s Birthday: Part 1
Jack woke to the sensation of soft, cool cotton being placed across his eyes. When he cracked his eyes open, he thought he'd gone blind.
"What the f.....," Jack croaked, barely awake, but scrambling to sit up and rip the material that was masking his eyes.
"Steady there, Jack," a voice said, close to his ear. "Best if you don't try and take this off. Won't want to spoil the fun, not on your birthday." The voice belonged to Ryan. Jack wasn't surprised, but he was mad as hell.
"What's goin' on? Where's Ennis?"
"I'm here, Jack." Jack was confused. Ennis was there? Then why in the hell was he letting Ryan blindfold him? Had he taken leave of his senses?
"Then get over here and help me!" Jack yelled, but was hauled out of bed with two sets of hands under both arms, and soon felt the fresh breeze of the morning hit his face as he was hauled out of the cabin.
"Where we goin'?" Jack asked, not so angry now. He decided to let the boys have their way. It was going to be over far sooner that way.
"You'll see....oh wait, you can't see!" Ryan cracked up at his own joke and Jack recognised Scott on the other side of him, snorting in response.
Jack could hear lots of voices now, and the familiar sound of water lapping at the grassy bank. It was then that he clued in on what was going on, but didn’t have much time to think on it as he felt a hard shove on his back as he took an involuntary dive into the water. The lake was cold due to the early hour - the sun hadn't quite reached the spot where it would heat the water.
Jack ripped off the blindfold as he swam to the surface. He saw all the boys standing on the edge of the pier, hollering and cheering at their accomplishment. Ennis stood alongside them, and Jack could see the glint in Ennis's eyes, hidden underneath the brim of his cap.
"Happy Birthday, Jack!" Ryan shouted, and everyone clapped again.
"Thanks guys," Jack said, swimming to the side and hauling himself out. He felt the chill hit him the minute he was out of the water since he was only wearing his boxers. His body tingled as the water dripped and clung to him.
"Water cold, Jack?" Ryan laughed.
"You could say that. You know about this, Ennis?"
"Not until this morning - had Ryan knocking me awake to tell me. Could hardly say no, they wanted to help celebrate your birthday."
"I would have preferred something a little less active - breakfast in bed, perhaps?" Jack winked at Ennis so swiftly, it could have been mistaken for him blinking against the sun.
"And miss out on you skipping around the room in the dining hall? No way!" Scott laughed. Jack groaned. He'd forgotten about the warped ritual that was inflicted on every poor soul who happened to have any kind of celebration.
"We couldn't let your birthday go by without celebrating in style, could we?" Ryan said. He grabbed a bag that Ennis had been holding, and held it out to Jack.
"Here you go, Jack, this is from us to you," Ryan said, nodding his head towards the other boys. Jack saw Justin in the group, quiet but clearly involved.
Jack cautiously took the bag from Ryan, and looked inside. He pulled out a white t-shirt.
"Thanks, guys." He held it up. On the front there was a picture of man getting ready to dive into a pool. On the back, in big bold letters, were the words
"Swimmers do it in the water"
"And you got to wear that all day Jack, we'd be hurt if you didn't," Scott said, smirking.
"Shit!" Jack muttered, and pulled the t-shirt over his head. At least it took the chill off, and he didn’t have to see what was on the t-shirt himself.
Steve and Cindy came over; Steve shook Jack's hand to offer him birthday congratulations. He read the t-shirt and laughed when he saw the back. Cindy stood silently with arms folded, which seemed to be her natural position these days, especially when Jack was around.
"That's funny, Jack," Cindy said, poker faced as she pointed at the t-shirt. "But not true. I mean, I don’t think you do it, period, do you Jack?"
Jack let the comment go, not caring what Cindy said or thought. The only opinion he was interested in was the one held by his cowboy, who was standing quietly, not giving anything away. Jack thought he detected a low scowl and couldn’t help but smile.
They walked back to the cabin, leaving Cindy and Steve to open up the waterfront for once. It was his birthday, after all.
"Don't let her get to you, Ennis," Jack said, anticipating Ennis’s words. "She don't know nothing about us, and if she did, well, I think her scream might be heard from space."
"She can't seem to let things go," Ennis muttered.
"I know, but I have and that's all that counts. Come on, let's see if I can somehow get out of skipping around the room if I talk nicely to Howie."
--
Jack didn't get out of skipping around the room. He hadn't really expected to, not with the boys all banging on the table and refusing to stop until he did it.
He could barely look at Ennis as he started skipping. If he could have found a hole in the ground and jumped right through it, he would have. The room seemed much bigger than normal, and the skip seemed to last forever.
He blocked out faces, but couldn’t block out the thundering noise of hundreds of hands banging on tables mixed with incessant screams and cheers.
When he finally skipped back to the table, he sat down with a thud, and took big gulps of water, more for something to do than anything else. Jack looked over to Ennis sitting opposite him. Ennis flashed a shy grin that made his humiliating birthday ordeal almost worth it. Jack's stomach did somersaults, thinking of the night ahead and what Ennis had planned.
--
Ennis was restless. The last lesson before lunch had emptied out a few minutes earlier. He checked his watch for the third time, wondering how long he should wait before going to get Jack.
He peered outside the window, and allowed his eyes to rest on Jack who was taking a lesson. He enjoyed the freedom that watching from the workshop gave him. He could drop his guard and study Jack’s body without fear of discovery.
He loved to watch Jack, his actions and mannerisms a constant joy to Ennis. When Jack worked he became especially mesmerised. Jack commanded attention, not because he demanded it, but because of the very nature of who he was.
Ennis had seen the effect Jack had on his swim students, how drawn they were to him, like bees to honey, and it all seemed so effortless. Ennis couldn’t imagine what that would feel like. He wondered if Jack even knew.
He reluctantly pulled himself away from the window and picked up his canvas rucksack, and locked the workshop. He placed his cap on his head, and went to fetch Jack. He hoped that what he had planned would give Jack a birthday he would always remember, long after the other memories of this summer faded away.
--
Jack held on to Louisa in one hand, and Samantha in the other. They were both giddy and playing splashing games, which Jack endured longer than he usually would, because these were his two favourite water babies and he would allow them pretty much anything.
It was the end of the lesson and, for him, the end of the working day. He felt as giddy as the two girls, and he couldn’t hide his mile-wide smile. He was going to spend the rest of the day and the whole night with Ennis. He was so happy, he could hardly stand it.
Jack called Steve over to help haul the girls out of the water. When they were out on the side, he knelt down and they both kissed Jack on each cheek.
"Happy Birthday, Jack," they said in unison, bursting into fits of giggles for no apparent reason.
"Thanks, girls, you both just made my day," Jack smiled.
"You looked funny, skipping around the room," Samantha giggled, putting her hand over her mouth as if she'd said something she shouldn't.
"Yeah, well, you better wish it isn't your birthday soon, or else I'd chase you around the room!" Jack reached out to tickle her but she was too quick, darting away with a squeal. That set Louisa to giggling as well, and their infectious laughter drifted away as they both headed towards their cabin counselor.
"Bye bye, Jack," they sang, waving to him, and he waved back, before turning around and taking the plunge under water, swimming a couple of lengths, just because he could.
When he swam back to the pier, Ennis was standing at the water's edge, watching him. The expression on Ennis's face was unreadable. Jack scrutinised Ennis's eyes, and saw something there that pulled at his gut. Jack pushed himself out of the water, trying hard not to give away anything in front of the others who were there.
"Hey," Jack said, feeling and sounding breathless when he reached Ennis, who instinctively looked around to see if anyone was watching them.
"Hey. You finished now?" Ennis asked.
"Yeah, I'm done. Just got to go and talk to Bob for a second. What you got there?" Jack looked at the bag Ennis was holding over his shoulder.
"Just some stuff," Ennis said vaguely. "You got any plans just now?"
"Plans?" Jack shook his head. "No, Ennis, no plans. Unless you got some."
"Maybe." Jack caught the shy grin again, before it disappeared underneath Ennis's cap.
"Oh, maybe?" Jack said suggestively. He heard a quiet "Fool" from Ennis, but he didn't care.
"Go and talk to Bob, and then you might want to change. Wear jeans, and boots. I'll meet you at the office."
"Why? Howie want to see me, give me a bonus for my birthday?" Jack laughed.
"You think a lot of yourself, Jack Twist," Ennis said, playfully.
"I think a lot - about someone else."
Ennis blushed. "Stop that - I'll see you at the office. Now scat."
Jack watched Ennis walk to the office with quiet purpose, making Jack’s heart race. How could Ennis walking make him feel weak in the knees?
He realised he'd been looking after Ennis far longer than was probably deemed appropriate, so he approached Bob, who shoved him away with a handshake and instructions to enjoy the time off and to get very, very drunk. He couldn't get to the cabin quick enough.
--
"You're all set?" Meli asked Ennis, who was pacing the floor of the office.
"Yeah, sure." Ennis looked back over at Meli, who was sorting the mail out. "You gotta hurry, Jack'll be here soon. You see anything yet?"
"Hold your horses, Ennis....ha, I made a joke!" Meli didn't seem happy when Ennis didn't laugh, and carried on looking through the piles of letters and packages.
"Here! I found one, oh wait, there's another one." Meli took one more look in the sack. "That's it though, nothing else. That's kind of a shame, don’t you think, only one letter and one package on his birthday?"
"More than I ever got," Ennis said flatly.
"Sorry, Ennis," Meli said sadly.
"Don't be, I got used to it." Ennis picked up the two pieces of mail addressed to Jack and held them to his chest. He didn't really know why he insisted on seeing if Jack had anything, he just thought it might make Jack feel better. He hadn't anticipated that Jack might not get anything at all, so he was more than relieved when Meli had found something.
"Jack's gonna love everything you're doing for him today, Ennis," Meli said. Ennis looked over at her, not used to hearing her sound so solemn. He didn't know if he liked it. He was used to her being silly and insulting him. That he could handle. This, he wasn't so sure of.
Ennis coughed, trying to hide his embarrassment. He didn't really want to discuss Jack's birthday, even if Meli had played some part in pulling it together.
"Um, well, thanks. You know, for all your help." Ennis scuffed the floor with his boot, then looked hard at the door, willing Jack to miraculously appear. The silence was deafening in the room, and, for the first time, he wished Howie was in his office playing musical CD's at full blast.
"No thanks necessary, I was glad to help," Meli said sincerely. Ennis could feel her eyes boring into him.
"You don't have to worry Ennis, no one else knows what's going on, about tonight, I mean." Ennis nodded in reply.
"I'm embarrassing the hell out of you and I'm sorry but I wish the whole world could know, because I think it's just the most romantic thing ever!" Meli's genuine enthusiasm spilled over and Ennis found himself smiling gently at her. No one could ever stay mad at Meli for long, no matter how annoying and interfering she seemed; it was all done with a good heart.
The door banged as Jack burst through the door. Ennis smiled with relief and instinctively walked towards Jack but then stopped when he remembered where he was.
"What's going on?" Jack asked, looking at Ennis as if he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t.
“Nothing,“ Ennis said quietly, watching as Jack came and stood next to him so their shoulders bumped together.
“They for me?” Jack asked, looking at the letter and package in Ennis's hands.
"Yeah, they came today, bud," Ennis said, handing them over to Jack. Jack took them and looked at them briefly, before handing them back to Ennis.
"Can you look after them, Ennis? I can open them later." Ennis took the packages back, noting Jack's blank expression, looking for any sign of sadness or disappointment. He couldn’t find any.
"So, you gonna tell me what you got planned for me?" Jack said, wiggling his eyebrows seductively at Ennis, then stopping just as quick.
"Hey, wait, how come you're here? I mean, don't you need to work, haven't you got classes this afternoon?"
"I moved things around, it's fine,” Ennis said. “Besides, I do have a lesson at the ranch this afternoon...thought you might like to come with me?"
"Come and watch you ride? Are you kidding me?" Jack's eyes beamed and Ennis wondered what the hell Jack was thinking, being so happy over such a thing. "Try and stop me, cowboy!"
Jack seemed to remember Meli then, and turned to her, putting his hands over his mouth.
"Oops! Forgot you were there for a second, Meli."
"Nice to know I leave such an impression on people,” Meli said, feigning hurt.
“I'm only being this understanding as it's your birthday, Jackie boy, otherwise it would be a week in Howie's office listening to The Sound of Music for you."
Ennis laughed, and Meli pointed her finger at him sternly.
“No laughing, what if Howie caught you doing that? He takes this musical business very seriously.”
“I think I’d rather skip around the room,” Jack said, looking at Ennis and heading towards the door.
“Don’t tempt me because that could be arranged too,” Meli said. “You eager to leave or something, Jack? You got somewhere to go?”
Jack came back and kissed Meli. She pointed her finger to her other cheek, and he kissed that too.
"Happy Birthday, Jack," she said, and hugged him tightly. "Go and drool over Ennis on a horse. See you later."
Ennis walked out and around the side of the office. Jack followed him as they approached Simon’s truck. He got in the driver’s side and waited for Jack to get in, but Jack didn’t move.
"You getting in Jack, cause it's a long walk to the ranch." He reached over and opened the passenger door.
"What? How...."
"Just get in Jack." Jack got in. Ennis drove out of the camp. Ennis could feel Jack looking at him with curious eyes, and he did his best to look like he was concentrating on the driving. When he reached the end of the camp, and indicated left, he felt his shoulders relax.
He allowed himself a look at Jack, who was still staring back at him, now with an open and warm smile. Ennis felt how Jack looked. Without thinking too hard about it, he moved one hand off the steering wheel and let it rest on Jack's denim-clad thigh. Jack instinctively placed his hand over Ennis's, stroking his thumb over his long fingers. The sensation was mind-blowing.
"Thanks, Ennis," Jack said quietly.
Ennis nodded, letting his eyes linger on Jack as long as he could before he had to move them back to the road. He reluctantly moved his hand back to the steering wheel. He could control the truck with one hand, but he didn't think he could control his emotions with his other hand on Jack's thigh.
--
When they got to the ranch, Ennis parked and turned to Jack.
“You ever ride a horse, Jack?”
“Huh?” Jack said, the question like a bolt out of the blue.
“We’re at a ranch Jack. That kind of question ain’t so unusual you know.”
“Yeah, I know, but why you askin’ me? Thought you were gonna take a lesson and I was gonna watch?”
Ennis shook his head. “Not today. The lesson I’m taking is with you.”
“Me?” Jack said slowly. “You’re gonna teach me to ride?”
“Don’t know if I’ll get you to competition level in an afternoon. I’ll be happy if you can climb on the saddle and not fall off.”
Jack laughed giddily. He watched Ennis smile and wanted to press his fingers along Ennis’s curved mouth to follow the lines of Ennis’s rare but infectious smile.
“Well, the answer to your question is yes, I’ve been on a horse, but I ain’t ridden one, not really. Just sat on it and moved around a bit. It was a while ago too.”
Ennis nodded and got out of the truck. Jack followed Ennis as he walked to a small building that stood next to the paddock. Ennis told him to wait while he spoke to the ranch owner.
Jack leaned against the paddock fence and waited, watching the collection of horses gathered there. He felt a tremble of nervous excitement flutter in his stomach, thinking about riding one of them.
“You ready?” Ennis said when he came out. “You feeling ok? You look a little nervous.”
“Yeah, guess I am. Don’t want this to be a waste of an afternoon for you, when you could be doing something else instead of teaching me not to fall off a horse.”
“You kiddin me? You fallin’ off a horse will not be a waste of an afternoon,” Ennis laughed, and Jack shoved him playfully, feeling like he was celebrating his sixth birthday, not his twenty first.
Ennis opened the paddock and brought out two horses, one a dappled grey and the other copper coloured. He brought them over to Jack and ensured that both saddles were securely fastened before handing the reins of the copper one to Jack.
“We’re gonna walk over to that smaller paddock over there, so you can get used to your horse before we head out.”
“Sure enough,” Jack said, patting his horse gently. “What’re their names?”
“Yours is Red, this here’s Silver.”
“Original. At least we won’t forget those names in a hurry.”
Ennis led them further up into the next paddock and tied Silver to the fence while he instructed Jack.
“Just place your foot in the stirrup and lift yourself up.”
“I got it,” Jack said, doing as Ennis instructed. He knew that Ennis had picked up a note of forced confidence in his voice, it was hard to hide. Jack hoped Ennis wouldn’t make a big thing of it. He didn’t want this to be like work for Ennis, he was determined to try and do the best he could. He wanted Ennis to be proud of him. And he wanted to share what Ennis loved so much with his cowboy. He couldn’t think of a better present.
“Feel okay?” Ennis asked.
“So far,“ Jack said, shifting himself in the saddle, trying to find the right position. When he looked down, he saw that Ennis was looking directly at his crotch.
“You just need to push her a little sometimes,” Ennis said, talking slowly as though he was having trouble concentrating. “Otherwise she’s a quiet and steady horse, and she’ll probably do pretty much anything you tell her.”
A bit like you, Jack wanted to say, but didn’t.
--
They spent some time in the paddock, Ennis walking around with Jack, holding Red’s bridle. Not pushing or pulling, just letting Jack become used to the feel of the horse, and letting Red get used to Jack.
Ennis allowed him to trot slowly at first, then encouraged Jack to canter a little. By the time an hour had passed, Jack was galloping confidently around the paddock, as if he’d been doing it all his life.
Ennis wondered why Jack’s parents hadn’t sought out lessons for him; he was clearly a natural. It made Ennis sad to think of that; Jack deprived of something he could have had for his very own, all those years growing up alone.
As he opened the gate and undid Silver’s reins, Jack trotted over and Ennis saw confidence shine out of him like the sun bursting out from behind a rain cloud. It lit him up inside, too, to see Jack so pleased and proud.
“So, where we headin‘?” Jack asked.
“We’ll walk down through the pasture over there. It’s an easy riding trail. There’s another trail I know of, further on, that I’ve taken once. See how we feel. Think you’ll like it.” Ennis looked at Jack, who was grinning widely.
“Oh yeah?” Jack replied, squinting in the afternoon sun. Ennis mounted his horse as Jack moved closer, so their horses were almost kissing. Jack slowly and deliberately leaned over to stroke the mane of Ennis’s horse. As he did so, he lifted his ass slightly off the saddle, and brushed his arm against Ennis’s.
“I know something I’d like,” Jack whispered, not looking at Ennis as he continued patting Silver. Ennis’s stuttered breath on Jack’s face let Jack know the effect his actions were having on Ennis.
He let his eyes roam to Jack’s ass, lifted slightly over the saddle, and showcased in tight denim.
“Jesus,” he groaned, grabbing the reins tighter. “We gotta get goin’ ‘fore I do something right here.”
“Sure enough,” Jack said, sitting back up and grabbing his own reins, as if he hadn’t just near drove Ennis crazy with desire.
“Here, you gonna need this,” Ennis said, reaching into his back pocket and bringing out a cap, similar to the one he was wearing. “Sun’ll be reaching it’s highest peak soon.”
Jack took the hat and looked at it before putting it on.
“Hey, matching hats. Cool!” Jack said. Ennis smiled at Jack’s delight at the simple gesture.
Jack booted his heels against the horse, and headed out of the paddock.
They walked silently together for some time, Ennis resisting the urge to ask if Jack was okay every five minutes. He felt foolish for thinking Jack might have preferred to watch Ennis instead of actually riding. But when he stole a look across at Jack, and saw the look of pure contentment on Jack’s face, he knew he’d made the right decision.
--
Jack’s hands were beginning to rub raw against the rough surface of the reins. He hadn’t really thought too much on it until they reached a small opening near the back of the ranch that led out to a pasture filled with wild flowers.
The sweet smell of a summer afternoon lingered all around him, and the stinging sensation in his hand eased as he caught up with Ennis, who was just ahead. Jack had watched Ennis the whole way, hardly taking in his surroundings. His secret fantasy of seeing Ennis on a horse really did live up to his expectations.
The way Ennis handled the horse, the way he sat astride the beast and how those long legs moved against the horse’s body was an intoxicating and thrilling erotic kick. He recalled how those same legs had stretched behind him in Meli’s room, making those similar sweeping movements, pushing hard against him, the strong and lean muscles working together with his own.
Jack was thankful Ennis had told him they were spending the night together. He didn’t know if he could have handled the rest of the day if he didn’t have the knowledge of them sleeping together again spurring him on. Just thinking about it was setting his dick on fire.
When Jack reached Ennis, they sat quietly, taking in the serene surroundings.
“Wanna walk a little further? There’s a creek just a little ways on, and we can stop there, let the horses have a rest and some water. We can do the same, then head back?” asked Ennis.
“Sounds fine, Ennis,” Jack said. It was true. Anything Ennis suggested was fine with him. The sun was shining and he had Ennis all to himself.
They reached the creek, which was surrounded by coarse bushes, wild flowers, and tall trees that thankfully provided shade. They dismounted and let the horses walk to the water for some much needed refreshment.
Ennis grabbed a bottle of water out of his saddle bag, took a long swig and then handed it to Jack.
“Wanna play skimming stones?” Ennis asked, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
“Hell, yes!” Jack said, handing the bottle back to Ennis. He rubbed his hands, like they were about to play poker.
“I’m gonna whip your ass, del Mar,” Jack teased, as Ennis handed him some stones he’d found.
“Hell you say,” Ennis said quietly, but with a gentle smile.
“Me first,” Jack said, not giving Ennis a chance as he threw the first stone. They watched as it travelled across the water, Jack quietly counting as it bounced.
“Ten skims, whoo hee yeah!” Jack shouted, clapping his hands.
Ennis didn’t reply, just got his stone and threw it in the water. Jack was transfixed, as the pebble seemed to go on forever, like it never really wanted to land.
“Shit! Fifteen skims, Ennis!” Jack said, impressed. Ennis flashed the shy grin Jack loved, and then disappeared underneath his hat.
“Best of three,” Jack said, not discussing the change of the rules. It was futile; Ennis won each game, getting one more skim each time. Jack accepted defeat by shaking Ennis’s hand, and then holding on tighter, pulling him until their chests collided.
“Well done, Ennis. The best man won. You deserve a prize.”
“That don’t matter,” Ennis muttered. “Already got my prize.”
“Is that so?” Jack said, pushing slightly so his hips clicked against Ennis’s.
Ennis looked around, and grabbed on to Jack’s hips with his fingers.
“This is what I want,” Ennis said, and kissed Jack deeply. Jack agreed wholeheartedly by putting his hands round Ennis’s neck, grabbing and pulling on the wet and sweaty curls there as the kiss intensified. Ennis was grinding his hips, moaning into Jack’s mouth, and Jack knew if this carried on a second longer, he’d be coming in his jeans.
“Hold on cowboy, we got all night, remember?” Jack kept his fingers touching Ennis’s hair, but pulled back slightly, giving them both room to breathe.
“Yeah, sorry, I…”
“Hey, no foul, ok? I just think we need to go back and freshen up before the real fun begins!” Jack laughed and Ennis laughed too.
“Not that this wasn’t fun, cause it was, Ennis, better than anything,” Jack said, kissing Ennis on the lips again, this time softly and sweetly, getting one back in return.
“Thank you, Ennis, for all this,” Jack said softly.
“It’s okay, I’m just glad you liked it.”
“I more than liked it. And cause it was you who did it for me, I liked it even more.”
“Good, that’s good.” Ennis said, flushing with embarrassment.
Jack took that as an indication to end the awkward thank you speech and head back.
Once back on the ranch, they returned the horses to the paddock and thanked the ranch owner before heading back to camp.
--
As they drove back to camp, Ennis reflected on the afternoon he had spent with Jack, who was sitting beside him with the window down and the wind on his face. He breathed a sigh of relief, grateful Jack had enjoyed the riding as much as he had. Ennis hoped the evening to come would go as smoothly, although he couldn’t help but be nervous about Jack’s reaction to the rest of Jack’s presents, especially the one hidden in his rucksack, wrapped tightly in a paper bag.
xxxxxx
End of Part 1
Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They were created by Annie Proulx. I make no money from this and don't want to.
Rating: NC-17
Thanks: To Em and Keren for all your help, encouragement and support.
Feedback: Oh yes please!! I appreciate every word.
Middle of Nowhere - Chapter 13
Jack’s Birthday: Part 1
Jack woke to the sensation of soft, cool cotton being placed across his eyes. When he cracked his eyes open, he thought he'd gone blind.
"What the f.....," Jack croaked, barely awake, but scrambling to sit up and rip the material that was masking his eyes.
"Steady there, Jack," a voice said, close to his ear. "Best if you don't try and take this off. Won't want to spoil the fun, not on your birthday." The voice belonged to Ryan. Jack wasn't surprised, but he was mad as hell.
"What's goin' on? Where's Ennis?"
"I'm here, Jack." Jack was confused. Ennis was there? Then why in the hell was he letting Ryan blindfold him? Had he taken leave of his senses?
"Then get over here and help me!" Jack yelled, but was hauled out of bed with two sets of hands under both arms, and soon felt the fresh breeze of the morning hit his face as he was hauled out of the cabin.
"Where we goin'?" Jack asked, not so angry now. He decided to let the boys have their way. It was going to be over far sooner that way.
"You'll see....oh wait, you can't see!" Ryan cracked up at his own joke and Jack recognised Scott on the other side of him, snorting in response.
Jack could hear lots of voices now, and the familiar sound of water lapping at the grassy bank. It was then that he clued in on what was going on, but didn’t have much time to think on it as he felt a hard shove on his back as he took an involuntary dive into the water. The lake was cold due to the early hour - the sun hadn't quite reached the spot where it would heat the water.
Jack ripped off the blindfold as he swam to the surface. He saw all the boys standing on the edge of the pier, hollering and cheering at their accomplishment. Ennis stood alongside them, and Jack could see the glint in Ennis's eyes, hidden underneath the brim of his cap.
"Happy Birthday, Jack!" Ryan shouted, and everyone clapped again.
"Thanks guys," Jack said, swimming to the side and hauling himself out. He felt the chill hit him the minute he was out of the water since he was only wearing his boxers. His body tingled as the water dripped and clung to him.
"Water cold, Jack?" Ryan laughed.
"You could say that. You know about this, Ennis?"
"Not until this morning - had Ryan knocking me awake to tell me. Could hardly say no, they wanted to help celebrate your birthday."
"I would have preferred something a little less active - breakfast in bed, perhaps?" Jack winked at Ennis so swiftly, it could have been mistaken for him blinking against the sun.
"And miss out on you skipping around the room in the dining hall? No way!" Scott laughed. Jack groaned. He'd forgotten about the warped ritual that was inflicted on every poor soul who happened to have any kind of celebration.
"We couldn't let your birthday go by without celebrating in style, could we?" Ryan said. He grabbed a bag that Ennis had been holding, and held it out to Jack.
"Here you go, Jack, this is from us to you," Ryan said, nodding his head towards the other boys. Jack saw Justin in the group, quiet but clearly involved.
Jack cautiously took the bag from Ryan, and looked inside. He pulled out a white t-shirt.
"Thanks, guys." He held it up. On the front there was a picture of man getting ready to dive into a pool. On the back, in big bold letters, were the words
"Swimmers do it in the water"
"And you got to wear that all day Jack, we'd be hurt if you didn't," Scott said, smirking.
"Shit!" Jack muttered, and pulled the t-shirt over his head. At least it took the chill off, and he didn’t have to see what was on the t-shirt himself.
Steve and Cindy came over; Steve shook Jack's hand to offer him birthday congratulations. He read the t-shirt and laughed when he saw the back. Cindy stood silently with arms folded, which seemed to be her natural position these days, especially when Jack was around.
"That's funny, Jack," Cindy said, poker faced as she pointed at the t-shirt. "But not true. I mean, I don’t think you do it, period, do you Jack?"
Jack let the comment go, not caring what Cindy said or thought. The only opinion he was interested in was the one held by his cowboy, who was standing quietly, not giving anything away. Jack thought he detected a low scowl and couldn’t help but smile.
They walked back to the cabin, leaving Cindy and Steve to open up the waterfront for once. It was his birthday, after all.
"Don't let her get to you, Ennis," Jack said, anticipating Ennis’s words. "She don't know nothing about us, and if she did, well, I think her scream might be heard from space."
"She can't seem to let things go," Ennis muttered.
"I know, but I have and that's all that counts. Come on, let's see if I can somehow get out of skipping around the room if I talk nicely to Howie."
--
Jack didn't get out of skipping around the room. He hadn't really expected to, not with the boys all banging on the table and refusing to stop until he did it.
He could barely look at Ennis as he started skipping. If he could have found a hole in the ground and jumped right through it, he would have. The room seemed much bigger than normal, and the skip seemed to last forever.
He blocked out faces, but couldn’t block out the thundering noise of hundreds of hands banging on tables mixed with incessant screams and cheers.
When he finally skipped back to the table, he sat down with a thud, and took big gulps of water, more for something to do than anything else. Jack looked over to Ennis sitting opposite him. Ennis flashed a shy grin that made his humiliating birthday ordeal almost worth it. Jack's stomach did somersaults, thinking of the night ahead and what Ennis had planned.
--
Ennis was restless. The last lesson before lunch had emptied out a few minutes earlier. He checked his watch for the third time, wondering how long he should wait before going to get Jack.
He peered outside the window, and allowed his eyes to rest on Jack who was taking a lesson. He enjoyed the freedom that watching from the workshop gave him. He could drop his guard and study Jack’s body without fear of discovery.
He loved to watch Jack, his actions and mannerisms a constant joy to Ennis. When Jack worked he became especially mesmerised. Jack commanded attention, not because he demanded it, but because of the very nature of who he was.
Ennis had seen the effect Jack had on his swim students, how drawn they were to him, like bees to honey, and it all seemed so effortless. Ennis couldn’t imagine what that would feel like. He wondered if Jack even knew.
He reluctantly pulled himself away from the window and picked up his canvas rucksack, and locked the workshop. He placed his cap on his head, and went to fetch Jack. He hoped that what he had planned would give Jack a birthday he would always remember, long after the other memories of this summer faded away.
--
Jack held on to Louisa in one hand, and Samantha in the other. They were both giddy and playing splashing games, which Jack endured longer than he usually would, because these were his two favourite water babies and he would allow them pretty much anything.
It was the end of the lesson and, for him, the end of the working day. He felt as giddy as the two girls, and he couldn’t hide his mile-wide smile. He was going to spend the rest of the day and the whole night with Ennis. He was so happy, he could hardly stand it.
Jack called Steve over to help haul the girls out of the water. When they were out on the side, he knelt down and they both kissed Jack on each cheek.
"Happy Birthday, Jack," they said in unison, bursting into fits of giggles for no apparent reason.
"Thanks, girls, you both just made my day," Jack smiled.
"You looked funny, skipping around the room," Samantha giggled, putting her hand over her mouth as if she'd said something she shouldn't.
"Yeah, well, you better wish it isn't your birthday soon, or else I'd chase you around the room!" Jack reached out to tickle her but she was too quick, darting away with a squeal. That set Louisa to giggling as well, and their infectious laughter drifted away as they both headed towards their cabin counselor.
"Bye bye, Jack," they sang, waving to him, and he waved back, before turning around and taking the plunge under water, swimming a couple of lengths, just because he could.
When he swam back to the pier, Ennis was standing at the water's edge, watching him. The expression on Ennis's face was unreadable. Jack scrutinised Ennis's eyes, and saw something there that pulled at his gut. Jack pushed himself out of the water, trying hard not to give away anything in front of the others who were there.
"Hey," Jack said, feeling and sounding breathless when he reached Ennis, who instinctively looked around to see if anyone was watching them.
"Hey. You finished now?" Ennis asked.
"Yeah, I'm done. Just got to go and talk to Bob for a second. What you got there?" Jack looked at the bag Ennis was holding over his shoulder.
"Just some stuff," Ennis said vaguely. "You got any plans just now?"
"Plans?" Jack shook his head. "No, Ennis, no plans. Unless you got some."
"Maybe." Jack caught the shy grin again, before it disappeared underneath Ennis's cap.
"Oh, maybe?" Jack said suggestively. He heard a quiet "Fool" from Ennis, but he didn't care.
"Go and talk to Bob, and then you might want to change. Wear jeans, and boots. I'll meet you at the office."
"Why? Howie want to see me, give me a bonus for my birthday?" Jack laughed.
"You think a lot of yourself, Jack Twist," Ennis said, playfully.
"I think a lot - about someone else."
Ennis blushed. "Stop that - I'll see you at the office. Now scat."
Jack watched Ennis walk to the office with quiet purpose, making Jack’s heart race. How could Ennis walking make him feel weak in the knees?
He realised he'd been looking after Ennis far longer than was probably deemed appropriate, so he approached Bob, who shoved him away with a handshake and instructions to enjoy the time off and to get very, very drunk. He couldn't get to the cabin quick enough.
--
"You're all set?" Meli asked Ennis, who was pacing the floor of the office.
"Yeah, sure." Ennis looked back over at Meli, who was sorting the mail out. "You gotta hurry, Jack'll be here soon. You see anything yet?"
"Hold your horses, Ennis....ha, I made a joke!" Meli didn't seem happy when Ennis didn't laugh, and carried on looking through the piles of letters and packages.
"Here! I found one, oh wait, there's another one." Meli took one more look in the sack. "That's it though, nothing else. That's kind of a shame, don’t you think, only one letter and one package on his birthday?"
"More than I ever got," Ennis said flatly.
"Sorry, Ennis," Meli said sadly.
"Don't be, I got used to it." Ennis picked up the two pieces of mail addressed to Jack and held them to his chest. He didn't really know why he insisted on seeing if Jack had anything, he just thought it might make Jack feel better. He hadn't anticipated that Jack might not get anything at all, so he was more than relieved when Meli had found something.
"Jack's gonna love everything you're doing for him today, Ennis," Meli said. Ennis looked over at her, not used to hearing her sound so solemn. He didn't know if he liked it. He was used to her being silly and insulting him. That he could handle. This, he wasn't so sure of.
Ennis coughed, trying to hide his embarrassment. He didn't really want to discuss Jack's birthday, even if Meli had played some part in pulling it together.
"Um, well, thanks. You know, for all your help." Ennis scuffed the floor with his boot, then looked hard at the door, willing Jack to miraculously appear. The silence was deafening in the room, and, for the first time, he wished Howie was in his office playing musical CD's at full blast.
"No thanks necessary, I was glad to help," Meli said sincerely. Ennis could feel her eyes boring into him.
"You don't have to worry Ennis, no one else knows what's going on, about tonight, I mean." Ennis nodded in reply.
"I'm embarrassing the hell out of you and I'm sorry but I wish the whole world could know, because I think it's just the most romantic thing ever!" Meli's genuine enthusiasm spilled over and Ennis found himself smiling gently at her. No one could ever stay mad at Meli for long, no matter how annoying and interfering she seemed; it was all done with a good heart.
The door banged as Jack burst through the door. Ennis smiled with relief and instinctively walked towards Jack but then stopped when he remembered where he was.
"What's going on?" Jack asked, looking at Ennis as if he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t.
“Nothing,“ Ennis said quietly, watching as Jack came and stood next to him so their shoulders bumped together.
“They for me?” Jack asked, looking at the letter and package in Ennis's hands.
"Yeah, they came today, bud," Ennis said, handing them over to Jack. Jack took them and looked at them briefly, before handing them back to Ennis.
"Can you look after them, Ennis? I can open them later." Ennis took the packages back, noting Jack's blank expression, looking for any sign of sadness or disappointment. He couldn’t find any.
"So, you gonna tell me what you got planned for me?" Jack said, wiggling his eyebrows seductively at Ennis, then stopping just as quick.
"Hey, wait, how come you're here? I mean, don't you need to work, haven't you got classes this afternoon?"
"I moved things around, it's fine,” Ennis said. “Besides, I do have a lesson at the ranch this afternoon...thought you might like to come with me?"
"Come and watch you ride? Are you kidding me?" Jack's eyes beamed and Ennis wondered what the hell Jack was thinking, being so happy over such a thing. "Try and stop me, cowboy!"
Jack seemed to remember Meli then, and turned to her, putting his hands over his mouth.
"Oops! Forgot you were there for a second, Meli."
"Nice to know I leave such an impression on people,” Meli said, feigning hurt.
“I'm only being this understanding as it's your birthday, Jackie boy, otherwise it would be a week in Howie's office listening to The Sound of Music for you."
Ennis laughed, and Meli pointed her finger at him sternly.
“No laughing, what if Howie caught you doing that? He takes this musical business very seriously.”
“I think I’d rather skip around the room,” Jack said, looking at Ennis and heading towards the door.
“Don’t tempt me because that could be arranged too,” Meli said. “You eager to leave or something, Jack? You got somewhere to go?”
Jack came back and kissed Meli. She pointed her finger to her other cheek, and he kissed that too.
"Happy Birthday, Jack," she said, and hugged him tightly. "Go and drool over Ennis on a horse. See you later."
Ennis walked out and around the side of the office. Jack followed him as they approached Simon’s truck. He got in the driver’s side and waited for Jack to get in, but Jack didn’t move.
"You getting in Jack, cause it's a long walk to the ranch." He reached over and opened the passenger door.
"What? How...."
"Just get in Jack." Jack got in. Ennis drove out of the camp. Ennis could feel Jack looking at him with curious eyes, and he did his best to look like he was concentrating on the driving. When he reached the end of the camp, and indicated left, he felt his shoulders relax.
He allowed himself a look at Jack, who was still staring back at him, now with an open and warm smile. Ennis felt how Jack looked. Without thinking too hard about it, he moved one hand off the steering wheel and let it rest on Jack's denim-clad thigh. Jack instinctively placed his hand over Ennis's, stroking his thumb over his long fingers. The sensation was mind-blowing.
"Thanks, Ennis," Jack said quietly.
Ennis nodded, letting his eyes linger on Jack as long as he could before he had to move them back to the road. He reluctantly moved his hand back to the steering wheel. He could control the truck with one hand, but he didn't think he could control his emotions with his other hand on Jack's thigh.
--
When they got to the ranch, Ennis parked and turned to Jack.
“You ever ride a horse, Jack?”
“Huh?” Jack said, the question like a bolt out of the blue.
“We’re at a ranch Jack. That kind of question ain’t so unusual you know.”
“Yeah, I know, but why you askin’ me? Thought you were gonna take a lesson and I was gonna watch?”
Ennis shook his head. “Not today. The lesson I’m taking is with you.”
“Me?” Jack said slowly. “You’re gonna teach me to ride?”
“Don’t know if I’ll get you to competition level in an afternoon. I’ll be happy if you can climb on the saddle and not fall off.”
Jack laughed giddily. He watched Ennis smile and wanted to press his fingers along Ennis’s curved mouth to follow the lines of Ennis’s rare but infectious smile.
“Well, the answer to your question is yes, I’ve been on a horse, but I ain’t ridden one, not really. Just sat on it and moved around a bit. It was a while ago too.”
Ennis nodded and got out of the truck. Jack followed Ennis as he walked to a small building that stood next to the paddock. Ennis told him to wait while he spoke to the ranch owner.
Jack leaned against the paddock fence and waited, watching the collection of horses gathered there. He felt a tremble of nervous excitement flutter in his stomach, thinking about riding one of them.
“You ready?” Ennis said when he came out. “You feeling ok? You look a little nervous.”
“Yeah, guess I am. Don’t want this to be a waste of an afternoon for you, when you could be doing something else instead of teaching me not to fall off a horse.”
“You kiddin me? You fallin’ off a horse will not be a waste of an afternoon,” Ennis laughed, and Jack shoved him playfully, feeling like he was celebrating his sixth birthday, not his twenty first.
Ennis opened the paddock and brought out two horses, one a dappled grey and the other copper coloured. He brought them over to Jack and ensured that both saddles were securely fastened before handing the reins of the copper one to Jack.
“We’re gonna walk over to that smaller paddock over there, so you can get used to your horse before we head out.”
“Sure enough,” Jack said, patting his horse gently. “What’re their names?”
“Yours is Red, this here’s Silver.”
“Original. At least we won’t forget those names in a hurry.”
Ennis led them further up into the next paddock and tied Silver to the fence while he instructed Jack.
“Just place your foot in the stirrup and lift yourself up.”
“I got it,” Jack said, doing as Ennis instructed. He knew that Ennis had picked up a note of forced confidence in his voice, it was hard to hide. Jack hoped Ennis wouldn’t make a big thing of it. He didn’t want this to be like work for Ennis, he was determined to try and do the best he could. He wanted Ennis to be proud of him. And he wanted to share what Ennis loved so much with his cowboy. He couldn’t think of a better present.
“Feel okay?” Ennis asked.
“So far,“ Jack said, shifting himself in the saddle, trying to find the right position. When he looked down, he saw that Ennis was looking directly at his crotch.
“You just need to push her a little sometimes,” Ennis said, talking slowly as though he was having trouble concentrating. “Otherwise she’s a quiet and steady horse, and she’ll probably do pretty much anything you tell her.”
A bit like you, Jack wanted to say, but didn’t.
--
They spent some time in the paddock, Ennis walking around with Jack, holding Red’s bridle. Not pushing or pulling, just letting Jack become used to the feel of the horse, and letting Red get used to Jack.
Ennis allowed him to trot slowly at first, then encouraged Jack to canter a little. By the time an hour had passed, Jack was galloping confidently around the paddock, as if he’d been doing it all his life.
Ennis wondered why Jack’s parents hadn’t sought out lessons for him; he was clearly a natural. It made Ennis sad to think of that; Jack deprived of something he could have had for his very own, all those years growing up alone.
As he opened the gate and undid Silver’s reins, Jack trotted over and Ennis saw confidence shine out of him like the sun bursting out from behind a rain cloud. It lit him up inside, too, to see Jack so pleased and proud.
“So, where we headin‘?” Jack asked.
“We’ll walk down through the pasture over there. It’s an easy riding trail. There’s another trail I know of, further on, that I’ve taken once. See how we feel. Think you’ll like it.” Ennis looked at Jack, who was grinning widely.
“Oh yeah?” Jack replied, squinting in the afternoon sun. Ennis mounted his horse as Jack moved closer, so their horses were almost kissing. Jack slowly and deliberately leaned over to stroke the mane of Ennis’s horse. As he did so, he lifted his ass slightly off the saddle, and brushed his arm against Ennis’s.
“I know something I’d like,” Jack whispered, not looking at Ennis as he continued patting Silver. Ennis’s stuttered breath on Jack’s face let Jack know the effect his actions were having on Ennis.
He let his eyes roam to Jack’s ass, lifted slightly over the saddle, and showcased in tight denim.
“Jesus,” he groaned, grabbing the reins tighter. “We gotta get goin’ ‘fore I do something right here.”
“Sure enough,” Jack said, sitting back up and grabbing his own reins, as if he hadn’t just near drove Ennis crazy with desire.
“Here, you gonna need this,” Ennis said, reaching into his back pocket and bringing out a cap, similar to the one he was wearing. “Sun’ll be reaching it’s highest peak soon.”
Jack took the hat and looked at it before putting it on.
“Hey, matching hats. Cool!” Jack said. Ennis smiled at Jack’s delight at the simple gesture.
Jack booted his heels against the horse, and headed out of the paddock.
They walked silently together for some time, Ennis resisting the urge to ask if Jack was okay every five minutes. He felt foolish for thinking Jack might have preferred to watch Ennis instead of actually riding. But when he stole a look across at Jack, and saw the look of pure contentment on Jack’s face, he knew he’d made the right decision.
--
Jack’s hands were beginning to rub raw against the rough surface of the reins. He hadn’t really thought too much on it until they reached a small opening near the back of the ranch that led out to a pasture filled with wild flowers.
The sweet smell of a summer afternoon lingered all around him, and the stinging sensation in his hand eased as he caught up with Ennis, who was just ahead. Jack had watched Ennis the whole way, hardly taking in his surroundings. His secret fantasy of seeing Ennis on a horse really did live up to his expectations.
The way Ennis handled the horse, the way he sat astride the beast and how those long legs moved against the horse’s body was an intoxicating and thrilling erotic kick. He recalled how those same legs had stretched behind him in Meli’s room, making those similar sweeping movements, pushing hard against him, the strong and lean muscles working together with his own.
Jack was thankful Ennis had told him they were spending the night together. He didn’t know if he could have handled the rest of the day if he didn’t have the knowledge of them sleeping together again spurring him on. Just thinking about it was setting his dick on fire.
When Jack reached Ennis, they sat quietly, taking in the serene surroundings.
“Wanna walk a little further? There’s a creek just a little ways on, and we can stop there, let the horses have a rest and some water. We can do the same, then head back?” asked Ennis.
“Sounds fine, Ennis,” Jack said. It was true. Anything Ennis suggested was fine with him. The sun was shining and he had Ennis all to himself.
They reached the creek, which was surrounded by coarse bushes, wild flowers, and tall trees that thankfully provided shade. They dismounted and let the horses walk to the water for some much needed refreshment.
Ennis grabbed a bottle of water out of his saddle bag, took a long swig and then handed it to Jack.
“Wanna play skimming stones?” Ennis asked, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
“Hell, yes!” Jack said, handing the bottle back to Ennis. He rubbed his hands, like they were about to play poker.
“I’m gonna whip your ass, del Mar,” Jack teased, as Ennis handed him some stones he’d found.
“Hell you say,” Ennis said quietly, but with a gentle smile.
“Me first,” Jack said, not giving Ennis a chance as he threw the first stone. They watched as it travelled across the water, Jack quietly counting as it bounced.
“Ten skims, whoo hee yeah!” Jack shouted, clapping his hands.
Ennis didn’t reply, just got his stone and threw it in the water. Jack was transfixed, as the pebble seemed to go on forever, like it never really wanted to land.
“Shit! Fifteen skims, Ennis!” Jack said, impressed. Ennis flashed the shy grin Jack loved, and then disappeared underneath his hat.
“Best of three,” Jack said, not discussing the change of the rules. It was futile; Ennis won each game, getting one more skim each time. Jack accepted defeat by shaking Ennis’s hand, and then holding on tighter, pulling him until their chests collided.
“Well done, Ennis. The best man won. You deserve a prize.”
“That don’t matter,” Ennis muttered. “Already got my prize.”
“Is that so?” Jack said, pushing slightly so his hips clicked against Ennis’s.
Ennis looked around, and grabbed on to Jack’s hips with his fingers.
“This is what I want,” Ennis said, and kissed Jack deeply. Jack agreed wholeheartedly by putting his hands round Ennis’s neck, grabbing and pulling on the wet and sweaty curls there as the kiss intensified. Ennis was grinding his hips, moaning into Jack’s mouth, and Jack knew if this carried on a second longer, he’d be coming in his jeans.
“Hold on cowboy, we got all night, remember?” Jack kept his fingers touching Ennis’s hair, but pulled back slightly, giving them both room to breathe.
“Yeah, sorry, I…”
“Hey, no foul, ok? I just think we need to go back and freshen up before the real fun begins!” Jack laughed and Ennis laughed too.
“Not that this wasn’t fun, cause it was, Ennis, better than anything,” Jack said, kissing Ennis on the lips again, this time softly and sweetly, getting one back in return.
“Thank you, Ennis, for all this,” Jack said softly.
“It’s okay, I’m just glad you liked it.”
“I more than liked it. And cause it was you who did it for me, I liked it even more.”
“Good, that’s good.” Ennis said, flushing with embarrassment.
Jack took that as an indication to end the awkward thank you speech and head back.
Once back on the ranch, they returned the horses to the paddock and thanked the ranch owner before heading back to camp.
--
As they drove back to camp, Ennis reflected on the afternoon he had spent with Jack, who was sitting beside him with the window down and the wind on his face. He breathed a sigh of relief, grateful Jack had enjoyed the riding as much as he had. Ennis hoped the evening to come would go as smoothly, although he couldn’t help but be nervous about Jack’s reaction to the rest of Jack’s presents, especially the one hidden in his rucksack, wrapped tightly in a paper bag.
xxxxxx
End of Part 1