James, Earl of Crofton

by Rebecca Cohen

  Two buxom women joined the pair, flicking their fans and batting their eyelashes at James in an invitation so blatant they might as well have announced they wanted him to lead them away and bed them. Adam clenched his jaw. Men he had a chance against—he knew ways as a man to drive James wild—but women were a different matter. James’s reputation told of a young noble enjoying all the delights court had to offer. His tastes were not limited to either the fairer or not-so-fair sex, and if he were ever to exercise that side of his desires there would be nothing Adam could offer. Not that he doubted James’s sincerity, but it would be only natural for his head to be turned when confronted by such choices daily. Adam could not blame him. Why would James limit himself to an older, drab man when he could have his pick of any resplendent jewel?

  Adam turned on his heel and left the stateroom, sure he would not be able to keep his treacherous emotions off his face. While not as popular as James at court, he was not an unknown and had to keep his acknowledgments to those he met as he made his way outside to the terrace polite but short. It was almost as crowded on the main lawn as it was inside, though, and he needed a few moments alone to stop the melancholy spreading and stamp down on thoughts that had no place in his mind. James loved him, he knew that, but still a part of him believed he did not deserve it.

  He finally settled in a secluded corner of the garden where a large beech tree had started to sprout this season’s leaves. Far enough away from the palace that it should give him the solace he required, but not so far that those looking for a little hideaway for a tryst would seek out the spot. He sat on a small bench, then, tilting his face upwards, he closed his eyes and enjoyed the gentle warmth from the sun. Being the lover of a man like James was never going to be without issues, but he did not have to invent ones. The court might be full of temptation, but he should rely on James’s character not to act on them. He had given Adam his word regarding fidelity, and had expected the same back. There was no hardship in being faithful to a man as beautiful as James, whose skill and experience combined with his own to build more pleasure than he’d thought possible. Given all the things he had done in his life, he really shouldn’t let his negative thoughts take hold. He had risked life and limb as the Chivalrous Highwayman, but risking his heart seemed much worse. He was being a fool and he knew it.

  “You look stunning in the sun. I would like to see the rest of your skin encased in its golden glow, but I fear you would not undress for me here.”

  Adam opened his eyes and smiled up at James. “You are correct in your assumptions.”

  “’Tis a pity.” He sat next to Adam. “I saw you leave. Is there something wrong? We need not stay if you would prefer to go.”

  James gently ran a knuckle up the side of Adam’s thigh. It had taken a while to get used to how tactile James could be. He was circumspect in his behaviour when away from the townhouse or Crofton Hall, but whenever James had the opportunity, he didn’t seem able to stop himself from touching Adam.

  “There is no need to curtail your activities.”

  James leaned in closer, his lips almost touching Adam’s ear. “We both know there are more pleasurable activities than attending court.”

  “You did not seem to mind.” The words were out before he could stop them; he had not meant to sound so petulant.

  James sat back, his brow slightly furrowed. “Adam, what is wrong? I have done nothing different today compared to other visits at court. I flirt and play along, but you know it is only you I want.”

  “I am being an idiot, I know that. But this is the longest stay in London for some time, and it irks to see some things day after day.”

  James glanced around and then took hold of Adam’s hand, lacing their fingers. “You know I love only you.”

  “Of course I do.” He squeezed James’s hand. “And while I accept that you are acting the part, I do not have to like the young men and beautiful women who fawn over you. I do not know what came over me today. Perhaps I need to find a sweeter mood.”

  James pressed a kiss to Adam’s knuckles. “We will be returning to Crofton Hall in a few days, and I have spent enough time at court for this visit. There are plenty of other ways to while away the time in London.”

  Adam’s relief at James’s words was palpable. For him to understand so completely, without a note of dismissiveness or derision, soothed his concerns. “Thank you.”

  “You do not need to thank me. I am sure I will enjoy our time together as much as you, even if I doubt you will indulge me in a bawdy play at one of the theatres.” He winked mischievously. “Let us not forget you need time to find me the perfect birthday gift.”

  Adam chuckled. “I will need more than a few days. You have everything. What can I hope to get you?”

  James’s sly smile suggested to Adam that he had an idea. “It is true I have everything I need, because I have your love, but I may have an idea for a small token, to mark the passing of the day.”

  “Do you now?”

  James licked his lips and smiled his most seductive smile. “I was thinking that I very much enjoyed my encounters with a certain masked highwayman. The way I was at his mercy was particularly delicious.”

  Adam was struck by a flash of memory, reliving the thrill of tying James to a tree in Epping Forest. By luck, he’d encountered James’s carriage that day, but he had recognised the then Viscount of Crofton, one of the most attractive men who attended court.

  “You wish me to take up my old identity once more? Perhaps tie you to one of the bedposts?”

  James bit his lip. “I was hoping something a little more in the fresh air.”

  “You wish for the Chivalrous Highwayman to ride again?”

  “If it could be done, it would make for the best of birthday presents.”

  Adam knew it was a foolish, if not dangerous, thing to do. Not just the chance of being found publicly in a compromising position, but as the Chivalrous Highwayman he had a price on his head. Faking his death had convinced the sheriff, but there were still many whispers that he had merely gone to ground and would be back in the saddle one day.

  But as James stared at him, his eyes wide and imploring, Adam knew he could not say no to him. “I will need my mask and hat.”

  “The sheriff has them, but I am sure an enterprising fellow such as yourself would be able to find a way.”

  “You are incorrigible.”

  James smirked. “I love you too.”

  Adam readjusted his mask and hat. Sheriff Lindon had been persuaded to hand them over as a favour to the earl, Adam spinning the tale that James thought they’d be a fine curiosity to parade at court. His horse shook her head in annoyance at the flies in the dank undergrowth; he couldn’t blame her, their hiding place was humid and stagnant. Adam patted her neck to convey that he wasn’t any happier with their location. But at least they were on Crofton land and a good distance from a public highway, meaning that delivering James’s birthday present would not be as worrisome as he had first thought.

  The remaining guests for James’s birthday festivities had departed that morning, and James had been eager to receive his gift. Adam took some solace in having persuaded him to wait until the hall was no longer occupied by half the court. He’d instructed Remembrance to deliver a letter to James late morning, and had slipped out of the hall not long after breakfast to make arrangements and, in part, not have James harangue him for further details. There was no point him knowing everything if he wanted a true experience at the hands of the Chivalrous Highwayman. Most of the mystery needed to be preserved.

  Hopefully, James would follow instructions in their entirety for once, not usually one of his strengths, but then his tenacious attitude was one of the many things Adam loved about him. The rustle of foliage alerted him that someone was approaching, and that someone had better be James or there would be words had later that weren’t the ones in the script he had planned for this adventure.

  Sure enough, there was James, dressed in his fi
nest, riding his favourite stallion and looking every inch the dashing earl. The times he had encountered James while playing the highwayman, before James had known his identity, Adam had not been able to stop himself from touching James. The first time he had lashed him to a tree and searched his pockets, his touches lingering longer than proper. Another time, in a dark London alley, Adam had stolen a kiss, and by that point he knew he was already half in love with James, having had the pleasure of being able to know him better through their mutual association with Knaiper.

  Now was the time to give James his present. He just hoped it lived up to the fantasy James had built inside his head. Adam slid an unloaded flintlock pistol from its holster, then gently kicked with his heels to get his horse to walk on, out of their hiding place.

  “If you would dismount, my lord. I would hate to see any harm come to your delightful person.” He pointed the pistol at James. “Nice and slowly.”

  James’s lazy grin accompanied the look of appreciation, but he remembered himself and raised his hands. “I have nothing of value. You have happened upon me on my daily ride out.”

  “I will be the judge of that.” Adam pulled back the hammer of the pistol. “Now, my lord, dismount.”

  James did as he was told, which could have been construed as a minor miracle. “You appear to have me at your mercy.”

  “Over there, back to the tree.” He motioned with his pistol. James walked a few steps and leant against the tree. “Very good.”

  Adam was already half hard as he dismounted, but he had enough of his wits about him to take with him the sack containing certain essentials for his game. James was tempting at the best of times, but it would require all his resolve not to take what was on offer and forget the rest of plan. But that would not make for a good gift, and Adam was determined this would be one of James’s best presents ever.

  He removed a length of silk ribbon from the sack. He’d considered a rope, but he couldn’t bring himself to risk James’s skin, and ribbon was definitely more alluring. “Place your hands either side of the trunk where I can see them. I don’t want you getting any ideas.”

  “Ideas about what?” There was nothing innocent in that question, and the way James wriggled as Adam tied him to the tree, wrapping the ribbons carefully around James’s wrists, told Adam he was enjoying their game.

  Adam came to stand in front of James, who made a good show of testing his bonds without any real desire to escape them. They were close but not touching. Adam threw his pistol to the ground. “Now, I hope you won’t think less of me for disbelieving you have no valuables on your person, but I would rather check for myself.”

  “I can hardly stop you. But it is a sad day when the word of a peer of the realm is doubted.”

  Adam didn’t answer. Instead, he took great care in removing his gloves, pleased to hear James’s breath hitch as he did so. He unfastened the button on James’s coat, before sliding his hand up his side, on the pretence of hunting for hidden treasure. He repeated his actions on the other side. James trembled and squirmed as Adam let his hand roam.

  “It does appear you have nothing of value on your person.” He reached up and stroked a finger down James’s cheek. “That’s not to say you have nothing of worth.”

  Adam pressed his lips to James’s. At first James resisted, still playing along, but it was only a moment before he greedily returned Adam’s kiss.

  He could have spent hours kissing James—no man had ever inflamed him in such a way. His body hummed with want as he deepened the kiss. Adam chuckled at James’s whine of disappointment when he did pull away.

  “Consider that a part payment, my lord. I think you have other wonders to discover.”

  James’s eyes were wide with lust. “I am at your mercy, but willingly so.”

  Adam sank to his knees, and James moaned as he made quick work of unbuttoning James’s waistcoat and then unfastening his breeches. With a sharp tug, Adam pulled James’s breeches and drawers down to mid-thigh, to reveal his cock hard and standing proud.

  Adam didn’t wait for an invitation. He took James into his mouth, sliding his hands up the back of his legs and cupping his buttocks to anchor himself as he set about worshipping James’s cock.

  James whimpered as Adam sucked him. The heavy weight of James’s cock across his tongue, the tang of his essence and being out in the open, where they could potentially be caught, were an inspiring combination. He knew James’s preferences, and he wanted this to be perfect, to leave memories that would be difficult to forget. Using all his knowledge about how to push James to his limit, he sucked and hummed. James’s whines and squirming, and his breathy moans, told him he was doing this right. James jerked upwards and cried out, his salty release coating Adam’s tongue, and Adam swallowed it down.

  He sat back on his haunches, wiping away the spit and semen that dribbled down his chin. James had sagged back against the tree, debauched and beautiful, but Adam was far from done with him yet. His own cock throbbed as he thought of the next stage of his plan.

  Adam stood and took hold of James’s chin, raising it to stare into his eyes. “A sweet treat to start, but I want something more substantial for my troubles.”

  James’s cheeks were flushed. “Anything. Do anything you want.”

  “I will untie you, and you will do as you are told.”

  “Yes,” breathed James.

  It took all his composure to step away and retrieve the sack. He’d picked this area because the little clearing had soft, mossy ground, and the blanket he removed from the sack would give another layer of comfort. This was a fantasy, something to please and titillate, and James’s enjoyment was paramount.

  He lay the blanket on the ground and then returned to the tree, but although James expected him to untie him, he stopped and dropped to his knees. “I do not want you to break your pretty neck.”

  James, although still clearly dazed, understood his intentions and lifted first his right foot and then his left, to help Adam remove his shoes, stockings and breeches. Adam stood again and untied the ribbons, moving to support James as he stumbled forwards. “Come on, my lord. I have not addled you so… yet.”

  “You underestimate your effect on me.”

  He peeled away James’s coat and waistcoat, leaving him only in his shirts, his cock already stirring again, and Adam thanked the Lord for gifting him a young lover with such prowess. James would be hard again with a little coaxing. He pressed James against the tree, stealing another deep kiss, knowing James would be able to taste himself on Adam’s tongue.

  He pulled back. “You must continue to do as you are told. Understand?”

  “You will not find me wanting on that score.”

  Adam chuckled. “And I promise you, if you behave, you will want for nothing.”

  He took hold of James’s hand and led him over to the blanket, helping him to the ground. “On your back,” he ordered, and James obeyed. The sight of James laid out on the forest floor, waiting for him, caused a wave of desire so strong it almost had him staggering. He grabbed the sack and retrieve a small flask of olive oil before kneeling between James’s open thighs.

  “All the finest jewels in the kingdom could not compete with such a prize.” He kissed each of James’s knees and ran his hands over his thighs, before taking hold of James’s once-again hard cock and pumping it slowly.

  “You have a silver tongue,” groaned James.

  “Yet not one word a lie.”

  Adam bent and stole yet another blistering kiss. He was torn between the wish to worship James and the location of their game. If they had been at the hall he would have drawn this out, teased and enhanced James’s pleasure, but they were in the open, and the thrill from that could not outweigh the consequences if he lingered too long and they were caught.

  His own needs were also not to be discounted, and his desire to claim James, whether as himself or as the Chivalrous Highwayman, was never far from his thoughts. He became impossibly hard as he wo
rked James open, his finger slicked with oil, accompanied by breathy encouragements from James.

  Satisfied he’d prepared James well enough, and with his patience at its very last ebb, he made short work of removing his cloak, hat, coat and waistcoat, and then unfastened his breeches. He pushed them down far enough to free his cock and positioned himself at James’s hole.

  “Finally!” James said with a cheeky grin that Adam rewarded with a slap to his thigh.

  “Behave.”

  He pushed inside—a sensation he would never tire of. The delicious heat encircling his cock and the friction as he began to thrust were a marriage of perfection. He lost himself in the rhythm and the desire and passion written across James’s face. He was so close to his reward, and as James cried out his release for a second time, he, too, spiralled into the delightful bliss.

  Panting, he slipped out of James and lay down next to him on the blanket, pulling him close. They shared another wonderful, deep kiss before Adam pulled away. If James wanted the complete Chivalrous Highwayman experience he needed to leave.

  He stood, tucking himself away and refastening his clothes, then snatched up his cloak and hat.

  James looked bewildered. “Where are you going?”

  “As pleasurable as this has been, my lord, I must leave you. I have dallied too long and I daren’t risk the sheriff catching me.”

  James held out his hand. “Please, Adam. Come back and hold me.”

  The game had ended. He took off his hat and mask and landed back down on the blanket next to James, wrapping his arms around him. “I hope that was what you wanted.”

  James nuzzled into the crook of his neck. “It was wonderful. Beyond my dreams, and made doubly so because I knew it was you.”

  “I love you, James. I will do anything to make you happy.”