Page:Jay Little - Maybe—Tomorrow.pdf/262

 it the gutted ruts of the road. Gaylord realized with little amazement that they were already at the car. Why they had just walked such a short distance, and only a moment ago the road had seemed so long … so full of miles of rough rocks and dirty holes.

They stopped at the car and Blake embraced him again … "I'm sorry … Gay … I'm sorry I'm such a bull-headed bastard."

"You're not bull-headed …" He reached up for the kiss … "No … you're not … you're everything to me …"

Inside the car, Blake said, "Come on, Gay, take those wet clothes off." He grabbed a blanket from the back seat. "Here, wrap yourself in this."

The dark air was cool … almost frosty. Gaylord felt it breathe along his wet body. The sweet scent of brilliantine and bronze loam came up into his nostrils like something new and undiscovered. Somehow, he was not surprised when Blake unbuttoned his clothes and wrapped the blanket around his naked body. Blake's hands then went around the blanket making it even warmer. They held him tightly, roughly.

"But what about you, Bob? You're soaked too. Why don't you take off your clothes and get in here too?"

"I'm all right … you get warm." Blake's big hand began to soothe Gaylord. He looked at him and grinned. "Don't think it would be safe, do you …?"

"I don't care … come on."

"I'd better not … I'm all right … feel better?"

Gaylord said he did and nestled close. His sobs were low and the quivering had almost stopped. He felt warm there inside the sticky wool, the wool so close to Blake's own wet side. Dark eyes looked down at him from under dripping hair that crossed his forehead. Gaylord tenderly smoothed it back with his hand. There was nothing that could diminish the kindness of those eyes, nothing that could take the gentleness from them. And then Blake grinned and Gaylord grinned back at him.

Blake said in a whisper, "I didn't know you were such a little hell-cat." He rubbed his nose against the other's.

"I didn't either."

"Feel better now."