Chapter 21: The Drive Back

Daniel woke to the smell of eggs and the sound of someone climbing a ladder with a tray.

The hatch lifted, and Johnny's head came through it, sandy hair on end and straw in his eyebrows.

"Don't sit up," Johnny said. "I'm feeding you."

"I can feed myself."

"I know. I'd like to anyway."

He came up the last rungs, balancing a tray on one palm, and set it on the bale.

There were two fried eggs, toast, a bowl of cut tomatoes and a mug of coffee.

Daniel lay naked under the horse blankets, sore in places he had not known could be sore.

He watched his husband butter a slice of toast.

"Open," Johnny said.

Daniel opened his mouth.

The toast was warm and the butter was salted.

Johnny watched him chew with so much plain happiness that Daniel could not look at him for long.

"Another," Johnny said, and fed him a slice of tomato from his fingers.

It was sweet, and still warm from the vine.

Daniel licked the juice off Johnny's thumb.

Johnny's pupils went wide.

"That's not eating," he said, hoarsely.

"It's breakfast."

"It's not any breakfast I've had."

Daniel caught his wrist and drew his thumb back between his lips and sucked, slowly.

The tray tilted.

Johnny put it down on the straw, very carefully, with the eggs still on it.

"Daniel."

"You're in charge," Daniel said around his thumb. "What do you want?"

"Everything."

"Start with something."

Johnny laughed, a ragged laugh, and shoved the blankets back.

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