Pride of the Veld

him off. “Oh, don’t worry, I don’t intend to roam the streets at night wrapped in a rainbow flag and short-shorts― that’s not who I am. But here, in my home, I want to live openly with my partner… or partners.”
    “I can’t accept this. I won’t allow this.” George thumped the table one last time, punctuating his words with his fist before turning away.
    “I’m sorry, Oupa. This is your home first, so I won’t disrespect you further by my presence.” Geo dipped his head and slipped from the room.
    Danie couldn’t bear to see him in pain. He jumped up to follow, but, pausing briefly, he turned to George, who was now gazing out the window to the veld beyond, his back to the room. His reflection in the glass was stormy.
    Somewhat fearful of breaking this reverie, Danie spoke. “George, don’t lose the one person in this world that you love, the one who loves you back without condition. I experience that each year when Geo gets on that plane― I’d save anyone that pain.” He hesitated a moment before continuing, “I’ll be leaving with Geo. Thomas is ready to promote to head guide. You’d be a fool not to use him.”
    The old man remained unmoved in the reflection.
    ****

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
    Danie found Geo sitting on the edge of his bed, a pile of shirts next to him. He was idly folding and unfolding them into progressively thinner piles. Danie watched him for a few minutes, just to absorb the “Geo-ness” of the whole scene. He’d never met anyone quite like him. He was such a mixed up bundle of refinement and horrific table manners. Education. He had the foulest, sweetest mouth Danie had ever known.
    Geo looked up and smiled. “Not a dream?”
    “Nope.” Danie smiled back. “You’re very cute when you first wake up. Where were you going?”
    “Um, bush.” Geo went back to refolding.
    “At three in the morning?” Danie grinned at the memory.
    “It was three? Huh. No, I thought it was closer to dawn. I wanted to leave before anyone thought to stop me.”
    “Good plan,” Danie agreed. He’d fire any of his guides that let Geo go out alone… not that it’d be a problem anymore.
    “Were you stalking me?” Geo looked up with a frown on his face.
    “Can you stalk someone asleep in bed from three feet away?” Danie asked in return.
    “Hmm. Maybe? Why were you in my room and not in my bed?” Geo as usual put his finger straight into the eye of the question.
    “Ah, well, I didn’t want to wake you.” Geo snorted, which Danie ignored. “We’d managed to wrap up all the meetings around ten o’clock. The pilot called to see if we still needed him on standby, so we decided to go for it. We got home around two-thirty and I came straight to you. I was sitting in that chair for at least half an hour, so I don’t think I woke you.”
    Geo smiled at him again before sweeping all the neat piles onto the floor with a flourish. He patted the bed next to him, and Danie sat, taking him into his arms.
    “Are you okay?” Danie whispered.
    He felt Geo’s nod. His head tucked under his chin.
    “You know this isn’t over,” Danie reminded him, pressing a kiss into his hair.
    “No, you’re wrong this time, Danie. It feels done.” Geo pulled away to look him in the eyes. They were clear, which was a relief.
    “You coming out to your grandfather, that’s done… but this thing between you two? That’s not finished. You’ve upended his careful plans, Geo. He loves you, but he wanted your life to follow a certain path, the dreams he has for this place. He’s not a bad man, Geo. He’s just been hit upside his head with your reality stick.”
    Geo snorted. “Reality stick? Are you watching American TV online again?”
    “I miss you so much when you’re gone, Geo. Can you blame me?”
    “Not for the missing me, no. But the bad references, yes.” Geo lay back on the bed and flung his arms wide. “I have to leave, or he won’t take me seriously. He may change his mind, but I won’t. I’ll only be here on my terms.”
    “Ah yes, your terms. That would be you and your harem of men? Will you at least share them with me?”
    Geo sighed and pulled Danie down on top of him. Danie could feel the heat from his chest to his thighs. Their cocks lay nestled next to each other through the cotton of their pants. There was a stirring of interest. Danie ignored it for the moment.
    “I already have,” Geo whispered into his ear, dragging Danie’s face close enough to kiss. He opened