Reluctantly, he drew back and popped out of Thomas’s mouth, loving the disappointed groan his little fox gave. He didn’t wish to pull his fingers out either, but he wanted his cock there more.
Flipping Thomas to his back, Viktor got into position and hovered over him, almost aching at how beautiful Thomas was lying there panting and waiting to be fucked. They kissed again, Thomas’s response more tender than he’d expected. He returned the kiss in kind and slowly explored Thomas’s mouth as he lifted Thomas’s ass and spread his cheeks to slide into him. Thomas gasped against his mouth, but Viktor’s cock slid home in mere moments, just as Thomas’s mouth grew hungrier. Viktor wanted to pull back and tell Thomas how good he felt, how perfect it was, but the man’s embrace told him they didn’t need all of that. He felt Thomas’s hard shaft rubbing against him and leaking pre-cum. Their eyes met between soft kisses, and Viktor could feel both of them trembling now.
As his orgasm neared, Viktor quickened his strokes, wanting to take Thomas over the edge at the same time. Their lips parted, but their eyes remained locked. As they trembled and reached their climax at almost the same moment, Viktor felt his heart slipping from his grasp. Every part of his body quickened as he came into Thomas, and the pleasure on the man’s face meant everything to him. He still felt the thick ropes of Thomas’s cum hitting his stomach and chest even after he’d finished releasing into Thomas, and he reached down to milk every drop from him.
Their lips met again, and they kissed and caressed each other, rolling around on the bed until they finally stilled. Only the gods truly knew how many minutes later it was, but the room had darkened and the moon had risen and now shone in the window onto their tangled embrace. Viktor felt Thomas’s cum on his skin and had no desire to wipe it off. Viktor looked down at Thomas in the light of the few candles he’d lit earlier.
“I’m starting to find flickering firelight very erotic,” Viktor said.
“Me, too.” Thomas snuggled closer. “Can I stay here tonight?”
“You actually thought I’d allow you to leave, little one?”
Thomas laughed softly. “I wasn’t sure.”
Viktor inched down until they were face to face. “I’m yours until you don’t want me anymore. That first day, I felt lust. Wanted to find my way into your bed. But now? I don’t even care if we fuck. I just want you close.”
Thomas looked stunned, his gaze lowering. “I like being near you. A lot.” Two fingers traced over Viktor’s chest. “But you’re fucking me again. Many times.”
“Oh, I am?” Viktor teased.
“Yes. You know what they say about the shy ones.”
“And what do they say?”
Thomas looked up into his eyes again. “We’re insatiable.”
Viktor rolled Thomas under him once more. “We’ll see about that.”
* * * *
Three Days Later
Thomas whistled as he made his way down to the gardens to check on the irrigation project that had been progressing while they were gone. The workmen should be done before too long, if they were still on schedule. He’d been told there hadn’t been much rain while they were gone, so it seemed likely they would be almost done and ready to begin restoring the vegetation.
Turning a corner, Thomas stopped short when he saw a large brown bear lying on the grass by a fountain. A quick glance around revealed a pile of clothes, meaning the bear was either Viktor or his brother. The bear looked at him upside down and rolled to its stomach before shifting back.
Garrick stood up and made no effort to hide his nakedness. “Sorry if I startled you. I was told it was fine to shift within the private grounds.”
Thomas smiled, keeping his gaze fixed on the sky. “Yes, it is. I doubt a bear could make it this far into the grounds anyway.” He paused. “But maybe don’t lounge around naked for too long.”
Garrick came closer to him, stopping roughly a foot away. “You sound happy. I wonder what the cause might be.” He reached out and adjusted Thomas’s collar, brushing his fingers over his neck briefly.
Thomas met his gaze, his smile evaporating. “Your brother, but I think you already know that.” He’d noticed Garrick staring at him more than once, but he didn’t want to say anything since Viktor hadn’t noticed. His dilemma was that he couldn’t be sure if Viktor truly had no idea Garrick was attracted to him or if he simply didn’t care. He’d gathered that romantic rivalry was a regular thing between the siblings.
Garrick ran his hand from Thomas’s neck down to the top of his breeches. He took the laces between his fingers and asked, “Is he fucking you hard enough?”
Thomas stepped back. “Please stop this. Your brother seems to genuinely care about you. I don’t want to spoil that.”
“Then don’t tell him.”
“Your arm seems better,” Thomas said, nodding to the appendage. “Perhaps you should leave soon.”
“Give me what I want, and I’ll leave tonight.”
“Back off, or I’ll turn you out of this house.”
Garrick laughed. “Will you?”
“Yes. I’m Vane Godwin’s steward, and I can ask you to leave. I won’t be at all embarrassed to tell him why.”
Garrick’s eyebrows rose. “You’re the primary steward? Gods, you’re little more than a child.”
“I’m twenty-three, but that has little to do with it. I do my job well and take it seriously. You aren’t the first to be surprised, but you might’ve noticed all the work I’ve been doing if you hadn’t been eyeing me like a piece of meat.”
“I thought Viktor might be done with you by now. My mistake.” He still made no move to dress, and his cock stood partially erect. “Or is it that you’re not done with him yet? He seems rather smitten. It’s kind of cute.”
“We’re in a relationship, and you need to respect that.”
“Fucking isn’t a relationship.”
“I’m done talking about this with you. I’m sorry you’re too immature to understand the subject matter.” He turned on his heels, but Garrick grabbed his arm.
“You think I couldn’t overpower you?” Garrick asked. “Foxes are such little sluts no one would believe I’d forced you.”
Thomas jerked away, rounding on Garrick and slapping him hard. “Leave today, or I will tell your brother what you said while you’re still close enough for him to do something about it.”
Garrick frowned. “We’ve come to blows before. I’m not afraid of him.”
“It’s different now.”
Rolling his eyes, Garrick said, “Oh, what, you’re in love? Viktor loves fucking men, but he won’t marry one. He wants children. Always has.”
He’s lying. Viktor would have no reason to tell me he’d never given children that much thought. He’s had no reason to lie about anything. “If you say so. And I never said anything about love. I simply said this situation is different.”
“A hundred silver coins. I’ll be gone before dinner.”
“No. Your family’s reputation isn’t as untarnished as Viktor’s is. You’re only digging the hole deeper.”
“I need something to make it all the way back to our home in Wrekin. We live near the coast so it’s over a hundred miles.”
Thomas hesitated, knowing it was a mistake yet wanting this confrontation over. He reached into his back pocket and drew out the small bag of coins he always carried around in case he needed to settle up with temporary workers around the estate. He looked in the bag to confirm what was there. “I have five gold and ten silver. I’m only doing this because you’re Viktor’s brother.”
Garrick took the bag and looked inside. “I’d say welcome to the family, but as I was telling you, it won’t happen.” He smiled. “Just promise not say anything until I’m away and I won’t make any teasing remarks to Viktor. By the time we meet up again, he won’t care. He’ll have some other cute little thing riding his cock by then.”
Thomas held his tongue and turned away again, walking as quickly as he could. He loo
ped around the outside of the garden to give himself time to cool off before talking with the workmen. He wanted to go straight to Viktor, but what good would that do? He didn’t want an incident on the grounds. The steward before him had always managed to handle unpleasant situations with discretion, and Thomas wished to continue that tradition, no matter how annoyed he was.
Chapter Six
Viktor took a few steps back so he could recount all the windows on this side of the main house. While inspecting the inside of the house, he’d found dozens of windows that didn’t latch properly. With this diagram, he could at least begin getting an idea how much work would need to be done. If they could get started soon, the house would be safer as well as warmer. The nights had already started growing cooler, and the enormous house would be easier and cheaper to heat if they could eliminate as many drafts as possible.
Luckily, all the doors seemed very sturdy and had more than one lock on them. He’d known the estate would be large, but he hadn’t really known how long it would take simply to inspect everything. He’d placed red handkerchiefs in the windows that needed new latches, blue ones in the ones that didn’t close properly, and white ones in the windows that needed to be replaced completely.
Godwin came out of the stables and walked over to him. “You’ve been out here a while. How are things going?”
“Quite well. I’m glad of Thomas’s advice. I might still be scrambling around making lists if he hadn’t suggested doing these sketches.”
Godwin looked at the drawing and then at the side of the house. “Gods, this old place does need some work. My father never did many repairs. If a window didn’t close, we stopped using that room. I believe that top floor has been used only for storage for decades. Gets very hot up there in the summer months.”
“I can imagine. There are only windows on two sides up there. Must be hard to air the other rooms out.”
“It is. You and Thomas may need to head up there and see if we’ve lost any paintings to the heat and humidity. I’m sure there are some up there.”
“That sounds fun. My siblings and I used to love poking around in the attic.” He laughed. “But we were always breaking things and getting yelled at.”
“There are twelve of you, your brother was saying. I remember you mentioning your family was large, but I was speechless for a moment. I like children, but even in this house that many would drive me up the wall.”
“It was a challenge. My two youngest siblings aren’t of age yet, but most of us have left home.”
“I ran into Admiral Matthews in one of the judicial buildings, and he asked after you. I’ve invited him to dinner three nights from now, before he heads to sea again.”
“It’ll be good to see him again. It’s been about four years. Is he looking well?”
“Yes, actually. Better than I’d look if I’d lost my leg and had to learn to walk with a wooden one. You hardly notice.”
“He was quite determined. The physician actually insisted he could save the leg, but the Admiral yelled at him and said he wasn’t about to lie about in bed waiting to see if it would get better.” Viktor laughed. “The physician was only about thirty, and Matthews gave him a tongue lashing about all the injuries he’d seen over the years. Said amputation was the only sane solution and that he’d heal and be on his feet four times faster.”
Godwin chuckled. “I am looking forward to his stories. I’ve never traveled as much as I wanted to. Always just for business.” He sighed, crossing his arms and tapping his elbow with his index finger. “So, Thomas seems quite happy.”
Many of the conversations Viktor had engaged in the past few days had started with the words, “So, Thomas…” But he didn’t mind at all. “I’m glad because I’m quite happy.”
“He and Bella wouldn’t have suited. They would both have been settling.”
“You think so? She does seem to crave more from life.” He paused, lowering his sketch and setting it on the little table on the edge of the cobbled patio. “Not that life here is boring, but it seems she doesn’t wish to stay in one place.”
“No, certainly not. Being married to a steward wouldn’t suit her.” He uncrossed his arms before turning to look around the grounds. “When she miraculously came back to us after that bastard Drake kidnapped her, I feared she’d shut herself away. But no. I actually think she’s even more ready for something larger than life to come along. Thomas was a wreck when she first came back. I almost told him to go take a sedative.”
Viktor laughed. “He does get a bit worked up, though he always seems to settle once he gets a plan straight in his mind. I see why you promoted him so quickly.”
“Yes, he’s wonderful. His entire family is. I’d be lost if they ever moved away. His father still tutors all the children on the estate, and now that Bella’s grown, his mother is just like Thomas. Here, there, and everywhere making sure things get done.” Lowering his voice, he asked, “What do you think of them?”
More than one person had asked him that. “They’re very quiet, but I like them. I believe they like me, but it’s hard to tell.”
“They do. Silence is approval.”
“They don’t seem to know about Bella.”
“Oh no, they do. But as I said, silence means all is well. His father said it was for the best, and I believe his mother only nodded.”
Viktor tried to keep the shock from his face, reminding himself how reserved these two people were. Their one dinner together had been a very subdued and quiet affair, most of the talking being done by him and Thomas. They’d done lots of nodding that night. “Seriously? He didn’t tell me that.”
Godwin smiled. “Not sure he knows that they know yet. I just happened to catch them both together yesterday and wanted to clear the air. They’re good people but don’t talk much about personal things. Not even with Thomas.”
“Quite a contrast to my family. But it’s better than hearing about someone’s latest conquest over dinner.”
Godwin laughed. “Really?”
“Yes. One sister announced the loss of her virginity. My father asked who it was, and then half the table gave opinions on whether or not that had been a good idea.”
Godwin’s eyes widened. “Gods, I think I’d choke. Or maybe I’d laugh.”
“I laughed but offered no opinion.” Viktor laughed before looking to his sketch again. “I hope I’m doing everything right so far. Thomas and I are kind of making the job up as we go.”
“Yes, everything’s fine. I’m just sneakily trying to see what your intentions are.”
“Ah, I did think we were getting around to that.” Viktor faced the man. “I won’t take him away from here. I promise. If things keep going this well, I’ll stay here with him even if I don’t stay in this job.”
“You haven’t wasted any time. With the job or Thomas.”
“Life gets away from you. I see no reason to…” He trailed off, pointing. “A lad is rushing over here. Seems urgent.”
One of the pages, whose name Viktor couldn’t remember, came skidding to a halt a few feet away. “Vane Godwin, you should come to the main hall.” He looked to Viktor. “You, too, sir.”
“What’s the matter?” Godwin asked, falling into step with the boy right away.
Viktor picked up his sketchpad and followed along behind them, tensing as he heard his brother’s name.
* * * *
Thomas turned the corner and stopped. The door to Garrick’s room stood open, but Thomas could hear no sounds from inside it. He slowly made his way down there and peeked inside. The bed was unmade, but all of Garrick’s things seemed to be gone. The last time Thomas had been in here the man’s clothes and papers had been spread all over the table and dresser.
“Oh, excuse me, Thomas. Just getting started in here,” Mary said, squeezing past him and entering the room.
“So he’s left?” Thomas asked the maid.
“Yes, thank the gods. Pretty vulgar fellow.”
“Did he do anyt
hing wrong? You should always come tell me.”
“That’s the thing,” she said as she began stripping the sheets. “He’s one of those types that says something suggestive, and then acts like you’re imagining things if you’re offended. He never actually did anything, so I just told the other girls to watch him. Good idea you had about letting the lads handle nighttime summons from guests. I’d have popped him one if I’d had to come up here in the middle of the night and had to deal with his comments.”
Thomas nodded. “Yes, I think we need to keep that policy in place. We can always adjust when we have female guests.”
Mary tossed the sheets by the door and asked, “Anything you needed?”
“No, I was making sure he was gone. He told me earlier he’d be leaving before dinner, and I wanted to be sure so I could tell the kitchen staff not to set a place for him.”
“I saw him heading out with his bags about an hour ago. That’s how I knew to come up here and start cleaning up.”
“Thank you. I’ll be in my study if you need anything.” Just as Thomas headed down the hallway, Meg came rushing around the corner. She stopped short and reached out to grab his arm.
“Bella and I were trying to find you. Come to the main hall.”
“What’s wrong?” he asked, falling into step with her. Meg didn’t fluster easily, but now she looked worried.
“Viktor’s brother was caught trying to steal something. I don’t know what. They went to the main hall and won’t let anyone in, but Garrick told everyone that he and Viktor planned this. Meeting on the road and all.”
“Viktor has been called in?”
“Yes, he and Godwin are in there with Garrick and a magistrate. Plus whoever it was that caught Garrick, I think. I can’t remember who it was now.” She clasped her hands together. “When no one sent for you, Bella got worried. Viktor seems wonderful, but he hasn’t been here long.”
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