As the final throbs of pleasure died away, he realised that Iain must have climaxed with him. That he was slumped over James’s back, panting in James’s ear, and that his softening cock was even now slipping out of James’s body.
They collapsed, sticky and sex stained, onto the mattress.
After a few minutes, Iain lifted his weight from James’s back. James was too tired to move, but he heard Iain leave the room, then return. He felt the coolness of a damp cloth against his buttocks, then the creak of the mattress as Iain climbed in beside him, the warmth and strength of his arms winding round James’s waist.
“Thank you,” Iain whispered in his ear. He kissed James’s shoulder.
And within another minute, they were both asleep.
IAIN DREAMED OF TOM.
Tom was, as always, vertical in the water, his arms extended to his sides. Very still. His mouth was open, chin lifting, eyes staring. But for once, his eyes didn’t have that glassy, unseeing look. This time, he looked at Iain properly. He saw Iain.
And this time, Iain was standing. He was in the river with Tom, as he always was, but instead of treading water frantically, he stood on the riverbed, the stones hard and painful beneath his feet.
“Tom!” he called out. “Tom!”
Tom smiled at him. He smiled. And then he drifted under the surface of the water, still smiling, and disappeared.
Iain jerked awake on a gasp and James woke too, turning in his arms to say sleepily, “What’s wrong? Nightmare?”
“Yes,” he whispered. Then, honestly, “I’m fine.”
“Do you want to tell me about it?”
“Not now. Another time, maybe,” Iain murmured. He pressed a kiss to James’s lips, lifting a hand to caress his cheek. It was a little rough now with new beard growth, and Iain stroked his thumb back and forth over the bristles, loving that contrast of rough and smooth.
James smiled at him. He looked so happy, it made Iain’s heart hurt. Iain knew he needed to be sure not to do anything to diminish that happiness.
“Did I mention, earlier that I love you too?” James asked, his tone a little teasing.
“No,” Iain murmured. “You’ve never actually said those words to me.”
“I didn’t actually need to,” James said drily. “You already knew.”
“It’s always better to hear them from the horse’s mouth,” Iain replied. “As it were.”
James laughed softly, then gave a soft, horsey-sounding whicker and added, “I love you, Iain.”
Iain smiled happily, and probably foolishly. “I love you, too. I always will.”
They came together in a soft, tender kiss, and any other assurances Iain had intended to give, any other vows he’d intended to make, were lost in the haze of building desire between them. Instead, he made his promises with his lips and his hands, with his worship of James’s body and the pleasure they found together. He cast himself out of his tiny boat, diving joyfully into the ocean of James’s love, and he let its waves lift him, let them carry him away and deposit him on new shores where the ground was firm and safe beneath his feet.
The End
Author’s note
I wanted to add a brief note about the descriptions of drowning and near-drowning in this book. Drowning is often depicted on film as a dramatic event, with the victim shown to be violently and noisily struggling in the water. Whilst such behavior may precede drowning, once the victim is in real trouble, they are reliant on an observant person recognising their plight. The instinctive, and uncontrollable, response of a drowning person is to extend the arms laterally, pressing down on the water, and lift the chin—both actions allowing the victim to continue breathing as long as possible. The victim goes very still and is unable to wave or shout out to signal their distress, usually quietly sinking below the water within a minute or so. Lifeguards are, of course, trained to recognise these instinctive responses.
Read the main Enlightenment trilogy, starting with book one, Provoked
PROVOKED
DAVID LAURISTON IS struggling to build his reputation in Edinburgh’s privileged legal world. His humble origins are enough of a hurdle, never mind his recent decision to defend a group of weavers accused of treason, prompting speculation that he may harbour radical sympathies. The last thing he should be doing is agreeing to help the brother of one of the convicted weavers find the government agent who caused his brother’s downfall.
David’s personal life is no more successful. Tormented by his forbidden desires for other men, and the painful memories of the childhood friend he once loved, David tries his hardest to live a celibate existence, castigating himself whenever his resolve slips.
But then—into David’s repressed and orderly world—bursts Lord Murdo Balfour.
Cynical, hedonistic and utterly unapologetic, Murdo could not be less like David. Whilst David refuses to entertain the prospect of entering into a loveless marriage for propriety’s sake, Murdo is determined to wed one day—and has no intention of giving up the company of other men when he does so. But as appalled as David is by Murdo’s unrepentant self-interest, he cannot resist the man's sway.
Murdo tempts and provokes David in equal measure, distracting him from his promise to find the agent provocateur responsible for the weavers’ fate, and forcing him to acknowledge his physical desires.
But is Murdo more than a mere distraction?
Is it possible he could be the very man David is looking for?
Beguiled
TWO YEARS AFTER HIS last encounter with cynical nobleman Lord Murdo Balfour, David Lauriston accidentally meets him again in the heart of Edinburgh.
King George IV is about to make his first visit to Edinburgh and Murdo has been sent North by his politician father to represent his aristocratic family at the celebrations.
David and Murdo’s last parting was painful—and on Murdo’s part, bitter—but Murdo's feelings seem to have mellowed in the intervening years. So much so, that he suggests to David that they enjoy each other’s company during Murdo’s stay in the capital.
Despite his initial reservations, David cannot put Murdo’s proposal from his mind, and soon find himself at Murdo's door—and in his arms.
But other figures from David’s past are converging on the city, and as the pomp and ceremony of the King’s visit unfolds around them, David is drawn into a chain of events that will threaten everything: his career, his wellbeing, and the fragile bond that, despite David’s best intentions, is growing between him and Murdo.
Enlightened
DAVID LAURISTON HAS been recuperating at Lord Murdo Balfour's Laverock estate for the last five months. At Laverock, he has regained his health and confidence and has found—with Murdo—more happiness and contentment than he has never known before.
David is all too aware that some day soon he will have to leave Laverock—and Murdo—and return to his legal practice in Edinburgh, just as Murdo will have to return to his life in London. But when David's mentor, Patrick Chalmers, asks David to return to Edinburgh to visit him on his deathbed, it seems that day has come sooner than either David or Murdo would have wished.
Chalmers begs David to undertake one last piece of business for him: to secure the future of Chalmers's daughter Elizabeth. But to carry out his old mentor's wishes, David must travel to London, with Murdo.
No sooner have the two men arrived in the capital than they encounter Murdo's ruthlessly manipulative father, who reveals a shocking secret that rocks David to his foundations. What's more, when David discovers Elizabeth is facing far greater danger than even her father feared, he is determined to help her, no matter the cost to his own safety.
As the stakes rise, it is Murdo who must choose what he is prepared to sacrifice to keep David at his side, and ask whether there is any possibility of lasting happiness for men like them.
Thank you for taking the time to read this story—I do hope you enjoyed it. I’m very appreciative of any reviews—good or bad—that readers are
kind enough to take the time to post, whether at retailer sites, on social media or on blogs or reviews.
Joanna Chambers
Titles by Joanna Chambers
The Enlightenment Series
Provoked
Beguiled
Enlightened
Seasons Pass
Unnatural
Porthkennack Series (Riptide)
A Gathering Storm
Tribute Act
Other novel length titles
The Dream Alchemist
Unforgivable
The Lady’s Secret
With Annika Martin
Enemies Like You
Enemies with Benefits
Novellas and Short Stories
Humbug (A Christmas Tale)
Rest and Be Thankful (appeared in the Comfort and Joy anthology)
Introducing Mr. Winterbourne (appeared in the Another Place in Time anthology)
Mr. Perfect’s Christmas (appeared in the Wish Come True anthology)
Merry & Bright (collected holiday shorts)
You can find details of all my books at my website
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About the Author
Joanna Chambers always wanted to write. In between studying, finding a proper grown up job, getting married and having kids, she spent many hours staring at blank sheets of paper and chewing pens. That changed when she rediscovered her love of romance and found her muse. Joanna's muse likes red wine, coffee and won't let Joanna clean the house or watch television.
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