Gothic Romance
Page 8
To his surprise, Jonathan turned even redder. Still staring fixedly at the glass in his hands, he murmured, “He touched me. Silverwood. When we were in the mausoleum. But he didn’t do anything worse. He tried to, but I managed to keep him away, until you got there. I kicked him in the shins with the heel of my boot.”
“Well done!” Lord D’Anvers found himself smiling for the first time that evening. The relief he felt was overwhelming—Jonathan hadn’t been raped after all.
Jonathan finally raised his head and looked at him, a faint smile on his own lips, as he remembered the cry of pain coming from Silverwood’s lips. The colour returned to his cheeks, but he kept his gaze on D’Anvers.
“Silverwood touched me and I didn’t like it.” He shuddered. “But I was wondering if...” he broke off, now scarlet.
D’Anvers found he was leaning forward, holding his breath. “Yes?”
“If I would like it if... it was you who was touching me.”
D’Anvers found he was frozen to his seat. He swallowed, his throat unaccountably dry. “Are you sure?” he managed.
Jonathan nodded.
The next second, D’Anvers was across the short space, pulling Jonathan out of the chair and into his arms. His lips found Jonathan’s, raised shyly to meet him, and he didn’t hesitate. His arms tightened, and he kissed him, his tongue slipping into Jonathan’s willing, if inexperienced, mouth as if it had found home.
Epilogue
Jonathan looked out of the coach window, remembering the first time he had travelled to Castle Blackstone. He had been excited, fearful, not knowing what to expect. Rather like he was feeling now, to be honest.
He glanced sideways at Evelyn, peering out the other side, seeking his first glimpse of home. He was gradually recovering from the stresses of that terrible time almost a week ago now, when he had been kidnapped by Lord Silverwood—at least the nightmares had finally stopped.
Jonathan’s mind went back to that night, when Sebastian had kissed him properly for the first time. He smiled ruefully in remembrance, thankful that Sebastian had not taken things any further before they both heard Evelyn cry out fearfully in his sleep. Evelyn had spent the rest of that night in his father’s bed. At the time, Jonathan had been half relieved, half disappointed.
He turned back to the window, allowing his gaze to linger on the straight back and broad shoulders of Lord D’Anvers, riding ahead of the coach. Tonight they would all be back in their own rooms at the castle and Evelyn would be in his own bed. He couldn’t help breathing a little faster in anticipation—he felt sure Sebastian was going to visit him tonight, after everyone was asleep, and this time he would want more than kisses. He could feel his body hardening uncomfortably in anticipation and immediately turned his thoughts elsewhere—this was hardly the time or place!
Fredericka—that was something that seemed to have worked out well. Sebastian had found her a place with an elderly friend as a companion; her duties to read to him and listen to his stories of the past. She had been there for two days before they left London and both parties had professed themselves well pleased with the arrangements.
With nothing else to distract him for the moment, Jonathan found his thoughts slipping back to Sebastian.
It seemed forever before everyone was settled for the night. All the servants had to be greeted, luggage unpacked, dinner eaten, and Evelyn settled with a nightlight, something he had grown out of years ago but no-one was going to deny him this small comfort for the present.
Alone in his narrow room next to Lord D’Anvers, Jonathan undressed, put on his nightshirt and got into bed. He waited, his eyes wide open. He could hear the small sounds of Sebastian moving around his room next door, then silence. Sebastian hadn’t said anything but he had been so sure...
The connecting door opened and Sebastian stood there, with his robe wrapped around him. “May I come in?” he asked in a low voice, poised on the threshold.
“Yes,” Jonathan’s voice sounded squeaky even to himself. Sebastian smiled and closed the door behind him. He unfastened his robe and let it fall to the floor, then raised the bed covers and slipped in beside Jonathan. He was naked. Jonathan could feel the heat emanating from his body as he turned toward him, putting a tentative hand on Sebastian’s shoulder.
Sebastian groaned and pulled Jonathan hard against him, covering his mouth with kisses. His hands fought with the nightshirt, trying to drag it up above Jonathan’s waist so he could get his hands on that beautiful curved bottom. He longed to rip it off him, but he didn’t want to scare him by being too rough—at least, not until they knew each other a little better.
“Can you take that damn thing off for me?” he asked instead.
Jonathan sat up and pulled the nightshirt over his head, then tossed it aside as Sebastian ran his hands over his naked chest and stomach. “God, you’re beautiful!” he murmured in a thick voice, drawing Jonathan down beside him so that he was spooned against his back. His hands were everywhere, stroking and caressing and Jonathan’s breath was coming in deep fast gulps.
His erection was rock hard, thrusting mindlessly into Sebastian’s strong hand when all of a sudden he leapt like a startled colt.
“Careful!” he gave a nervous laugh. “You nearly stuck your finger in my... Aah! Sebastian!”
He heard a breathless voice in his ear. “Don’t kick me in the shins but... that isn’t my finger!”
Not even his surprise at the sudden intimate intrusion could stop Jonathan plunging over the edge a second later.
Other books by LV Lloyd
Six books set in the Aurigan constellation
(Gay romantic sci-fi)
Dangerous Tension (ebook available as a FREE download on most sites)
Rough Play (ebook available as a FREE download on most sites)
His Guilty Secret (ebook)
Lunar Affair (ebook and paperback)
Untouchable (ebook and paperback)
Pirate (ebook and paperback)
TimeLabs Inc (ebook)
About the Author
After thirty years of working with the unemployed, coping with threats, tears and broken lives (and these were only from fellow staff), LV Lloyd decided it was time to make her escape. And what better place to go than the world of m/m romance? She started writing Dangerous Tension, her first ebook in the Aurigan Space Saga, years ago, but put it aside due to work and family commitments.
In 2012, she dusted off the foolscap pages stored under her bed, finished the story and turned it into a book. Since then, she has written five more ebooks in the Aurigan Space Saga series, and numerous short stories.
Gothic Romance is her first venture into a new genre, Historical Romance.
LV Lloyd lives in Adelaide, Australia, with her family and two cats. In her spare time she enjoys fishing and visiting the many local wineries.
You can visit her at www.lvlloyd.com