Sharp Love (Gambling on Love)

by March, Ava

  “Good.” Will smiled. “I think the chicken’s done now.”

  * * *

  “Where does this one go?” Jack asked, a pan in one hand and a short length of towel in the other.

  “In the lower cupboard to the right of the stove.” Will put the two wineglasses he had just dried into the appropriate cupboard. He glanced about the kitchen. The table and counters had been wiped down, the washbasin empty, and the stove cleaned. “I think that’s the last of it. Thank you for your help.”

  Jack nodded. He made a little project of tidying the towel. Folding each side in toward the center, straightening the edges, then folding it in half. Will wasn’t fooled in the slightest by the show of disinterest. When Jack had stood from the table after they had finished their meal, the telltale sign of a half-erect cock had tented the placket of his trousers. As they had worked together to clean the kitchen, that arch had grown more prominent. And now?

  It was a wonder the buttons on the placket of Jack’s trousers hadn’t given way yet.

  Jack knew what was coming next. Had been thinking about it all through supper. And judging by his current state, he had not turned expectation into worry.

  It was tempting to toy with him. To draw out the anticipation. To ramp up Jack to a fever pitch. To rouse him until he was hot and hard and aching to come off, breaths coming hard and fast, dark eyes begging for Will’s touch. Yet...

  Yet nothing. There wasn’t any reason why Will couldn’t indulge them both in some anticipation play. And maybe something a step more...wicked than what they’d done in the past. He glanced about again. But perhaps the kitchen wasn’t the best location.

  “It’s been a long day,” Will said, keeping his tone even and casual, as if he had no intentions at all that involved Jack. “I believe it’s about time to retire for the night. What do you say, Jack?”

  Jack nudged the folded towel, aligning the bottom with the edge of the counter. “All right.”

  “It’s occurred to me that I haven’t shown you the house yet. All you’ve seen are the vestibule and the kitchen. My apologies for being such a poor host. Come along, and I’ll give you a tour on our way upstairs.”

  Grabbing a lit candle and Jack’s gift, he left the warmth of the kitchen, heavy footsteps close on his heels. “The house does have a dining room.” Pausing to open a closed door, he tipped his head toward the small room he had yet to utilize. “Though I prefer dining in the kitchen. More intimate, and closer to the stove.” After closing the door, he continued down the corridor. “Next is the study.” He took a few steps inside to place his new book on one of the shelves. “My second favorite room in the house. Though it’s too dark now to see, the windows provide a nice view of the fields.”

  “What’s your favorite room?”

  “My bedchamber. Has a bed that is actually built for two. Plenty of room for us to try out some new interesting positions, and it’s sturdy, too. Not at all like the one in your hotel room. Thought that thing would crumble when I was pounding into your arse.” As he stepped around Jack to leave the study, he caught sight of Jack’s jaw dropping, eyes flaring wide. Their footsteps echoed about them as they crossed the vestibule. Will opened the door, revealing the remaining room on the ground floor. Candlelight spilled into the room, illuminating the outlines of the well-worn furniture. “And then there’s the parlor. The couch doesn’t look like much, but it’s quite comfortable. And I think you would look nice bent over the side of it. Trousers around your knees. Bare arse exposed. What do you think, Jack?”

  He heard the distinct catch of Jack’s breaths.

  “Uhh...”

  Hell, they hadn’t even made it upstairs yet, and already he had Jack struggling to form words. Will tamped down the sinful grin, kept it hidden from view. Yet he couldn’t resist prodding Jack further.

  “Do you like that idea, Jack?”

  Jack nodded, eager and willing. “Y-yes.”

  “I like it, too.” I love you. Will kept those three words inside...for now. He didn’t want to break the mood of their game because Jack was playing along with him. Wasn’t hesitating. Hadn’t jerked back in defense over Will’s crude proposition. Jack was allowing them to pick up where they had left off in yet another show of his trust in Will. “But another evening. It’s rather late, after all.” Turning, he headed for the staircase. “Could you close the parlor door, please?”

  There was a snap of a door closing. Then heavy footsteps were once again on his heels.

  “There are three bedchambers. One there and there.” He tipped his head to each closed door. “Doubtful those two will see much use. You’ll be my only guest to stay the night, and the beds in each are much too narrow for a man of your size. I think you’d be more comfortable sharing my bed. And it would be such a chore to have to walk down the corridor when I’m of a mind to suck you off in the middle of the night.”

  He opened the door at the end of the corridor and went inside his bedchamber. The room wasn’t massive by any sense of the word, but it was large enough to hold a decent-sized bed and the other necessary furniture.

  Setting the candlestick on the chest of drawers, he turned to Jack. “What do you think, Jack? Would you prefer to share a bed with me or have one of the guest bedchambers?”

  Jack’s gaze went to the bed stationed between the two windows. The brown wool of his trousers was stretched taut over a full-blown erection. “With you.”

  “I only have one rule, though.”

  Jack’s brow wrinkled. His attention snapped to Will. “Rule?”

  “Yes. You’re overdressed. I want you naked when you are in my bedchamber.”

  “Oh.” Thick with lust yet tinged with modesty, the single sound filled the room.

  “Is that all right with you, Jack?”

  “Yes.” He nodded. “Quite all right.”

  Turning his back to Jack, Will went to the dark hearth and dropped to his haunches. October nights in the country were colder than in London, yet not so cold as to cause frost to form on the grass or for the air to be uncomfortably crisp. And given Jack’s current state, it could be January and Will very much doubted he’d notice the cold. Still, he didn’t want Jack to catch a chill.

  As he started the fire and prodded the flames with an iron poker, he kept his ears attuned to Jack. Yet not a sound came from his direction.

  Pushing to his feet, he turned to Jack, who still stood just inside the bedchamber, cravat still tied in a simple knot, brown coat still on and his magnificent cock still trapped beneath wool. That wouldn’t do. He had plans for Jack’s cock that did not include trousers.

  Will arched a brow. “Jack?”

  “Yes, Will?”

  “Your clothes?”

  “Oh. Yes. I...” Chin tipping down, Jack began working on the buttons of his coat. “My apologies,” he mumbled, fingers fumbling and hands visibly shaking. A flush still touched his cheeks, yet he seemed a tad...agitated.

  Will held back the wince.

  Jack’s nerves were beginning to catch up to him.

  Damnation, he had paused too long to start the fire. It had been days since they’d been together, and this evening had been no ordinary evening for them.

  A part of Will wanted to wrap his arms around Jack, crush his mouth over those lips held in a tight line, use lust to wipe away Jack’s worries. But if Jack suspected Will was coddling him, it would only make Jack more frustrated with himself.

  As Jack pulled his coat from his shoulders, allowing the garment to fall to the floorboards, and started on the buttons of his waistcoat, Will pondered the best course of action.

  Be it in the duke’s stables or keeping a vigil at a hotel window, Jack seemed most content when he was in service. Though he had a body that easily intimidated, he only unleashed his powerful muscles in defense of another. Loyal and dependable, at heart he was a simple man. He liked doing another’s bidding. He liked to serve. He found comfort in tasks.

  The waistcoat finally joined the coat. A
few tugs, and the knot of Jack’s cravat was dispensed with. Wrinkled white linen fluttered to the floor.

  Will well knew Jack had a fondness for following orders. When lust was rushing through his veins, a wicked order from Will could have Jack blushing scarlet yet fairly shivering with eagerness to comply. For what he had in mind for their evening, that was exactly where he needed Jack to be. But how to get him there without a detour into Jack believing his nervousness was something to be ashamed of?

  As Jack’s white shirt joined his other clothes on the floor, the solution came to him.

  Will waited until Jack had toed off his shoes and stepped free of his trousers. Then he asked, not giving Jack too long to think about being bare before him, “Your clothes, could you please fold them and place them on the chest of drawers?”

  “Yes, of course, Will.”

  Jack dropped down, gathered his clothes and his shoes, and one by one, he folded each garment then tucked his shoes beneath the chest of drawers.

  As Jack turned back to him, Will said, “I do believe I’m overdressed as well. Will you play valet for me, Jack?”

  A nod from Jack. The floorboards creaked ever so faintly as Jack moved to stand before Will. He reached out and slid the buttons on Will’s coat free, all traces of a tremor gone from his hands. His black brows were lowered the tiniest bit, his concentration fully on the task set to him. Will kept his hands at his sides, resisted the urge to drag his palms down Jack’s broad chest, to follow the thin line of dark hair down from his navel to his magnificent cock. It took everything in him, but he managed to merely stand there, to put himself in Jack’s capable hands.

  The buttons on his coat and waistcoat undone, Jack moved behind him. A shiver of anticipation racked his spine as Jack took hold of the garments and gently pulled them down Will’s arms.

  “Where should I put these?” Jack was so close his voice tickled Will’s ear.

  Will swallowed hard. “There is a closet next to the washstand. You can hang them in there.”

  Christ, the task might be serving to calm Jack, but it was having the opposite effect on Will. Not that he had any objections. It was just a different sort of play that he hadn’t indulged in before, and he was fast finding it required a hell of a lot of patience on his part. But the end reward? Oh, that would most assuredly be worth it.

  There was a snick of the closet knob, the soft rustle of fabric, a click as the door was shut.

  Then Jack was back standing before him. All that glorious male muscle and smooth bare skin so very close. As Jack reached for the knot on Will’s cravat, Will lifted his chin. Jack’s knuckles brushed his jaw as he untied the knot. Linen sliding softly against linen. Heat pouring off Jack’s body. The fire in the hearth was doing its duty, chasing the chill from the air and warming the room. But Will was rather wishing he hadn’t lit the fire. A bead of sweat formed beneath his shirt collar, tickling his skin.

  “There’s a basket beside the chest of drawers. You can toss the cravat in there.”

  A nod from Jack.

  Perhaps he should manage his trousers himself?

  No. He had set the task to Jack and should allow him to complete it. But he could take off his shoes. Those weren’t technically clothes, he reasoned, as he toed them off.

  And then Jack’s hands were taking hold of the waistband of Will’s trousers, slipping the top button through its mooring. But instead of continuing on that particular path, strong fingers brushed his sides as Jack gathered Will’s shirt, then he tugged, pulling the tails free. Will lifted his arms over his head, allowing Jack to whisk the shirt from his body.

  One last garment to remove.

  Jack turned, crossed to the basket and dropped the shirt into it. Was it Will’s imagination or was Jack moving slower than usual?

  He tried to catch Jack’s gaze as Jack stopped before him once again. But it was to no avail. Jack’s attention was fixed on the placket of Will’s trousers, fixed on completing the task Will had set to him. Jack’s fingers just grazed the skin of his belly as he took hold of the placket to free the remaining buttons. Fabric shifted across Will’s achingly hard cock. Will set his jaw, kept his hips still. Kept the nudge to prod Jack to move faster from leaving his lips and instead reveled in the anticipation spiking his senses. Sharp and acute and goddamn glorious.

  Air hit his skin as his trousers whooshed down his legs, his cock springing free. Jack dropped to his haunches. He was perfectly positioned. His breaths even goddamned fanned across the needy crown. A jolt of lust raced through Will. But instead of palming Jack’s skull and pulling Jack toward the target that oh so desperately wanted to feel the slick heat of Jack’s mouth, Will rested a hand on a broad shoulder and lifted first one leg then the other, stepping out of his trousers.

  He cleared his throat. “Those can go into the basket as well.”

  “Yes, Will.”

  An obedient bob of Jack’s bowed head, then he pushed to his feet, taking the trousers and shoes with him. When both were put in their place, Jack returned to him. Chin tipped down, eyes downcast.

  Jack’s body screamed the task had done its duty. His arms were hanging casually at his sides, the line of his shoulders relaxed, his erection jutting proudly from the dark thatch of hair on his groin. Yet...he wouldn’t meet Will’s eyes.

  It was almost as if Jack was waiting for something.

  Then he glanced up from the floorboards to meet Will’s gaze. One quick glance. But it was long enough for Will to see the wicked, teasing spark lurking in the dark depths.

  Apparently two could play at the anticipation game. And Jack had made a bloody good show of himself.

  Hell, how he loved Jack.

  Taking a step closer, Will coasted a hand up Jack’s chest. Over hard muscles and up to cup the back of his neck. “You’re a damned tease, Mr. Morgan.”

  A smile tugged the edges of Jack’s mouth. “I learned from the best.”

  “And a very quick study you are.” Unable to resist a moment longer, he brushed his lips across Jack’s. Strong arms settled around Will’s waist. “I was thinking, would you care to try something different tonight?”

  “Aren’t we already doing something different?”

  “Yes.” The start of a chuckle touched his throat. “More different then.”

  “Such as?”

  “Have you ever buggered a man?”

  Will swore Jack’s breaths stopped.

  “No.” Jack’s parted lips didn’t move, the word barely a sound.

  Just as Will suspected.

  He nipped at Jack’s lower lip. “Would you like to bugger me?”

  The question hung in the air.

  Jack shifted his weight, his bare skin rubbing against Will’s, the hard arch of his erection dragging across Will’s lower belly. “I would like to—” his hands flexed against Will’s lower back, “—but what if I do something wrong?”

  The fact Jack had almost got the yes out told Will his lover wasn’t at all averse to the idea. “That’s the last thing you should worry about, but it can be like what we’ve done so far tonight. I can tell you what to do. Exactly what to do. How fast, how slow. When to tease me with your big cock, when to fuck me deep and hard. I think you’ll enjoy it. We both will. But if you’d rather not, you wouldn’t disappoint me,” he added, unwilling to push Jack into a yes if the man didn’t truly want it. “It’s an option. Nothing more. And if the idea intrigues but you aren’t quite certain yet, we can discuss it another night.”

  “You’ll tell me what to do?”

  “Yes. I’ll give you explicit instructions.”

  Another shift of Jack’s weight. Yet this time the movement was steeped in impatience, breaths coming quicker with a distinct note of excitement.

  Those large hands drifted down to palm Will’s arse, fingers tickling the crease. “Yes, I’d like to. Tonight. Very much so.”

  Very much so.

  Interesting.

  “Have you ever thought about buggering me?
”

  Jack’s gaze skittered off toward the bed. The blush coloring his cheeks touched the tips of his ears. He nodded once. The strong line of his throat worked as he swallowed. “How could I not?” Then he looked back to Will and lifted an eyebrow. “You have a fondness for parading your bare arse in front of me.”

  Will chuckled. “That I do.” Spearing his fingers into Jack’s hair, he pulled his lover down for another kiss. “And tonight,” he whispered against Jack’s wet lips, “you’ll be fucking that bare arse. First though...” He worked his other hand between their bodies and took hold of Jack’s magnificent cock. “I want your cock nice and hard.”

  “It already is,” Jack said, pushing into Will’s grip as if to prove his point.

  “Perhaps. But I should verify.”

  He dropped to his knees, took Jack’s cock into his mouth. With a firm grip around the base, Will took as much of the length as he was able. Sucking on each backstroke, teasing the underside with his tongue. All the while, he kept his gaze locked with Jack’s. Watched as lust sank its claws into his lover, shoving aside every last trace of nervousness. Head bowed, Jack’s black forelock hung over his brow, grazing his lashes, his eyes blazing with desire, with raw need.

  A tremor shook Jack’s body. His brow furrowed, jaw tightening. He reached out, rested a hand on Will’s shoulder. Will could feel the tension in that large hand, yet Jack didn’t tug him closer or push him back.

  “Will.” Thin and threadbare, the name was a plea.

  A plea to stop else their evening would end much sooner than either of them desired.

  Drawing back, Will let the rigid length slip from his lips. Skin slicked with spit and jutting straight out from his body, Jack’s cock was a sight to behold. And soon that beauty would be buried deep inside of him. The muscles in Will’s arse clenched in anticipation. He flicked his tongue across the flushed crown. “I do believe that qualifies as hard.” He pushed to his feet. “Do you know what comes next, Jack?”

  A growl rumbled from Jack’s chest. “I fuck your bare arse.”