“Morning. Having a good chat with your coffee?”
Phil looked up to see his brother smirking at him, entirely too cheerfully. Charlie was also at home, after taking a leave of absence from work to be with his wife and son.
“Go away,” he mumbled and went back to communing with his coffee.
“You were back late last night,” Charlie said as he sat down with a cup of tea and some toast.
“What are you? My mother?” Phil groused.
“Who is he, then? Come on. You’re never back that late from climbing. One o’clock in the morning, on a work night?”
“I wasn’t aware I still had a curfew.”
Charlie laughed at him. “I was right!” he crowed. “There is a he. Come on, baby brother, spill.”
It was useless to try and ignore him. Charlie was worse than Diana at prying the gory details out of his little brother.
“His name’s Lee. He lives in Eastbridge, and he works at the leisure centre. We went to the pub last night after climbing.” Perhaps Charlie would leave him alone if he threw him some scraps.
“How old is he? Is he hot?” And maybe not.
“You wouldn’t know a hot man if he came up and snogged you,” Diana scoffed as she walked into the kitchen. “Who’s hot? Phil, did you get laid?”
The kitchen table was a nice solid place for Phil’s head, and it wasn’t at all sticky.
“Our little brother went climbing last night and returned at one o’clock,” Charlie informed her.
“Fuck off, both of you, please,” Phil begged and then groaned as his traitorous brother spilled the beans.
“His name is Lee, he lives in Eastbridge, and he works at the leisure centre.”
“Lee? Why is that familiar?” Diana snapped her fingers. “Lee… Lee Curtis. Are you going out with Lee Curtis?”
“Don’t know his surname,” Phil mumbled into the wood. That was true at least. Lee’s surname hadn’t exactly been on his mind when he was shoving his hand down Lee’s jeans.
“I know his mum. She works at the cottage hospital. Hell, Phil, he’s a kid!”
“He’s twenty-two, Di. I’m not about to molest a child,” Phil snapped, raising his head for the first time. “And you’re a fine one to talk. How much younger is Will?”
She glared at him but didn’t answer.
“So you have molested him then?” Charlie asked, clearly more interested in what Phil had done rather than Lee’s age.
Phil groaned and went back to loving on the table.
Molesting wasn’t exactly the word for it. As he thought of last night, his cheeks heated up, and he was so glad his siblings couldn’t see his face. Lee was going to be a handful. He’d known that from the start, but hell, just how much of a handful he hadn’t begun to comprehend.
Driving Lee back to his parents’ house—“Cheap rent, the washing gets done, and I hate cooking”—Phil had Lee touching him most of the way; a hand on his thigh, a stroke of his cheek. It was distracting, and he told Lee so.
Lee’s response was to ask Phil to pull over. For one moment, he’d thought Lee was going to get out, and then he discovered Lee’s true intentions.
Phil had heard the phrase “having your brain sucked out through your dick”, but he’d never expected to actually experience it. Until last night when his cock was enclosed in a hot, wet vice that didn’t let up until he was wrung dry.
So Phil hadn’t so much molested Lee as lie back against the car seat and think of nothing, absolutely nothing but what was happening to the eight inches of flesh in Lee’s mouth.
Oh, and yes, Lee had been very vocal in his appreciation of Phil’s size.
“Oh, Phil,” Di sighed, breaking into Phil’s silent reverie. “You’re such a slut. For God’s sake, be gentle with him.”
If Phil had been drinking his coffee at that point, he might have choked. There was nothing gentle or child-like about Lee Curtis. He was all man. And he fitted very nicely in Phil’s mouth too.
Thankfully, Charlie changed the subject before Phil could make a complete fool of himself. “Diana, did Mark tell you what time he was arriving on Saturday?”
“About lunchtime I think. But they’re going to have lunch at the Red Lion first. Jack said he was going to bring them here afterwards.
Phil raised his head. “What’s going on?”
“Mark’s bringing his granny here to look at the stone. She’s also psychic.”
“Great,” Phil muttered, “another Curtess trampling over the Fitzwarrens.”
“You’re going to have to get over this, Phil,” Di said impatiently. “It’s about more than just us.”
“No, it’s not. We’re the only ones who are suffering,” Phil snapped, resisting the urge to bang his fist on the refectory table.
“Trying telling Daniel that, or Mark,” Charlie said quietly.
“It’s not the same thing. Daniel’s a soldier. He was wounded in the course of his job. And Mark’s dad was pissed. We’re dying one by one. It’s only a matter of time before it’s our turn.”
Charlie shoved his chair back so forcefully it fell over. “Some of us prefer to believe that there is hope,” he said and left the kitchen, leaving the remains of his breakfast behind.
“You fucking idiot,” Diana snapped at him. “His baby is fighting for his life, and you’re waiting to die. Get over yourself, Phil.”
She stalked out behind Charlie, leaving him alone and ashamed in the kitchen.
* * * *
The books weren’t any better than they had been the last time Phil looked at them. Any which way you looked at it, the Fitzwarrens were getting into more debt. Despite Jack and Charlie’s optimism, Phil knew that help from University of Bristol would just be a drop in the ocean compared to what they actually needed to keep afloat. One option they had investigated was opening the place as a tourist attraction, but they didn’t have enough money to meet health and safety requirements to open to the public.
It was a downward spiral of debt and decay. Just like Curtess wanted it, he thought viciously. Despite Mark’s assurance that Curtess’s ghost was gone, Phil swore he could hear the bastard laughing in his ear.
His phone rang as Phil was making himself another coffee, and he answered as he poured the water into the mug.
“Phil?”
“Lee… hi. Damn!” Phil jumped out of the way as boiling water splashed on the counter.
“Hey, are you all right?”
Covering the spilt water with a tea towel, Phil muttered a yes.
“How’s your morning been so far?” Lee sounded entirely too cheerful.
Sighing a little and then realising he sounded entirely too sorry for himself, Phil said, “Not great. Family issues. Yours?”
“Better than yours by the sound of it. Listen, I’m not working today. I wondered if you’d like to meet for lunch.”
That wasn’t a good idea. Phil needed to work if he was to get the figures prepared, and he was in a really foul mood. He didn’t need to drag anyone else down to his level.
Opening his mouth to turn Lee down, he found himself saying, “One o’clock at the Red Lion, or do you want me to pick you up?”
“No, that’s fine. I’m picking my car up in an hour. See you there.” Lee sounded really pleased, and involuntarily, a smile curved Phil’s mouth.
Slightly bemused, Phil snapped his phone shut and looked at the kettle. “Well then,” he said to himself. The kettle steamed at him, which somehow seemed appropriate.
* * * *
The Red Lion was quiet, but he couldn’t see Lee anywhere. Ordering a pint, Phil chatted to Josie, who was cleaning the glasses behind the bar.
“Not normal to see you in here at this time,” she said, curiosity in her eyes.
“I’m meeting someone for lunch,” he said, groaning a little as he realised this was probably the worst place he could have met Lee. The gossip would be all over the village by the end of the afternoon.
Her eyebrows raise
d. “Oh?”
“Lee Curtis. I met him at the leisure centre yesterday.” It wasn’t like he could hide it after all.
Josie was about the same age as Lee. There was a good chance she would know him. Judging by the wicked grin on her face, his assumption was accurate.
“Lee? Here he is. Afternoon, Lee, what can I get you?”
Turning around, Phil saw Lee coming through the door, a huge smile lighting up his face when he saw Phil already there.
“A Diet Coke please, Josie.”
Josie’s eyes went comically wide as Lee dropped a kiss on Phil’s lips before taking the barstool next to him. The startled expression on Phil’s face must have been obvious because Lee stroked a finger down his thigh.
“You don’t mind, do you?”
“It’s a bit late now,” Phil pointed out. “But no, I don’t mind. I’m just not used to someone else taking the lead.”
“Ah,” Lee drawled, “so, you’re a top?”
Hell yes. “Definitely, and you are too. Not a good combination.”
“But you like me?” Lee asked brightly. He didn’t seem to be bothered by their mismatch.
“I like you,” Phil agreed, his voice wary.
“No problem then. We’ll just toss a coin every time.”
“A coin.”
“I have one.” Lee produced his wallet.
“So do I,” Phil said drily. “And mine has two sides.”
Lee leant back on his stool, his hand clasped dramatically over his heart. “You wound me, sir. You think I’d cheat?”
Phil looked at him straight in the eyes. “No, I don’t think you would.” Lee looked pleased at his statement. “But you’re a toppy bastard, and I can’t see you bending over without a struggle.”
The gasp attracted his attention. Josie was leaning her elbows on the bar, resting her chin in her hands and watching the byplay with an interest that was very scary. She saw them watching her and waved her hand. “Oh, don’t mind me, lads. Carry on.”
“Oh, we will, Josie, but not with an audience.” Ignoring her muttered “spoilsport”, Lee stood up suddenly, pulling Phil to his feet. “Are you hungry?”
Phil frowned at him, thrown by the change in subject. “Hungry? Yeah, a little. Do you want to eat here?”
“I was thinking you could take me back to your place for a quick bite.”
The look on Lee’s face made it plain he wasn’t thinking about food. Phil thought furiously. He knew Diana and Will had gone out for the day to have some time alone together, and Charlie had gone to the hospital to be with his wife and child, which meant the gatehouse was empty.
“Why not?” he agreed, grinning at Lee.
* * * *
“Stop!”
“Stop?”
“Uh-huh.” It was too much, this feeling of being too full. Phil couldn’t take any more.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” Of course, he was bloody sure.
“Okay then.” Lee withdrew slightly.
“No! Don’t fucking move.” Phil clamped a hand on Lee’s thigh, digging his nails in to make him stop. “There, now move, oh move. Oh Jesus, just there!” Drawing in a shuddery breath, Phil slapped his other hand against the window in his bedroom as Lee grazed his prostate.
“There?” Lee purred in satisfaction.
Phil’s toes curled. “You fucking bastard. I hate you…” He trailed off into a squeak.
“No you don’t.” Another purr.
Smug, self-satisfied bastard. When this was over, Phil was going to shove Lee over the bed and then he was going to fuck the smugness out of him.
“Yes. I. Do. Again. Do that again.”
Lee chuckled in his ear. His hands dug into Phil’s hips, pulling him flush against Lee’s body. “What, that?”
“Oh God!” Phil couldn’t hold back his groan. It was too much. Lee was too fucking good at this.
He kept nailing the gland until Phil was a hot, sweaty mess against the panes of glass. Behind him, Lee slapped against Phil’s body, driving him against the window.
Lee’s rhythm was getting more erratic. “You… feel… so… tight,” he grunted.
Phil was pleased to hear he didn’t sound nearly so smug now. He couldn’t resist squeezing hard, eliciting a loud moan and a curse from Lee. He received a stinging slap to his arse by way of payment.
“Do that again and it will be all over. Don’t!” Lee warned just as Phil decided to do just that, shifting his stance, to cant his hips at a different angle. The groan that Phil elicited from Lee was very satisfying.
“You asked for it,” Lee bit out.
Duly warned, Phil felt Lee pull out until the head of his cock stretched the ring of muscle almost painfully, then he slammed back in, setting up a punishing rhythm that left them both moaning and gasping. If Phil had been able to string a coherent thought together, he would have been thankful the gatehouse was empty because the sex was noisy and visceral, Lee encouraging Phil’s loud moans with grunts and curses of his own.
The pressure coiling in his spine, Phil rested his forearm on the glass so he could use the other hand to wrap around his cock. Three sharp tugs were all it took to have him coating the window, his orgasm triggering Lee’s. He could feel Lee pulsing in his arse, filling the condom.
Still pumping his hips, Lee rode Phil through their climaxes, only slowing as Phil slumped forward against the window. He collapsed over Phil’s back, a hot, sweaty, panting mass until the extra weight was too much and Phil needed to move.
Phil mourned the sudden loss as Lee withdrew from him. He shuffled over to the bed, collapsing thankfully on it. Lee, he had discovered, liked to fuck everywhere except the bed. Joining Phil on top of the duvet, Lee leaned over to kiss his lips and snuggled around him. Phil wriggled until he was comfortable, already aware his arse was going hurt like hell tomorrow. Neither of them seemed inclined to talk, and Phil was content to lie back, soaking up the warmth of the man beside him.
Lee rested his cheek on Phil’s stomach, his body curled around Phil’s body as they recovered on his bed. His fingers carding absently through Lee’s dark hair, Phil looked at the mess they had made of his window and couldn’t stop the grin spreading across his face.
“I ought to make you clean that up,” he said eventually, watching his spunk slide down the glass.
“Do you want me to lick it up?” Lee asked sleepily.
Snorting gently, Phil said, “I was thinking of window cleaner, but you can use your tongue if you want.”
“I’d rather use my tongue on you.” Lee demonstrated with a lick to the thin line of hair under Phil’s belly button.
Phil shuddered and pressed into the touch, but Lee didn’t go any further, just settling back down on Phil’s stomach. The silence wasn’t awkward though, and Phil was almost dozing when Lee spoke again.
“Are you free on Sunday?”
“Hmmm?” Phil murmured sleepily.
Lee sat up and looked down at Phil. “Sunday, are you free? I’m working Saturday and Mum’s got some ancient cousin or something coming over for dinner in the evening, but I’m not working on Sunday. Would you like to come rock climbing with me?”
That woke Phil up. He sat up as well, shaking off the drowsy feeling. “No, I can’t. I mean, I’m not good enough.”
The look on Lee’s face told him that the younger man wasn’t buying that excuse. “I’d be there to help you. Come on, it’s fun. You need to get out in the sunshine.”
“I said no!” Phil snapped, getting off the bed to pull on his boxers. He turned his back, refusing to meet Lee’s eyes.
There was silence for a minute, then Lee said, “You don’t want to go rock climbing or you don’t want to go rock climbing with me?”
“I can’t go rock climbing,” Phil choked out, his hands so tightly clasped together the knuckles were white.
“Okay, but why? You’re a good climber. I’ve been watching you for weeks, remember? I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t t
hink you were good enough.”
“It’s safe in the leisure centre,” Phil muttered.
“They take all possible safety precautions. I’d look after you, Phil.”
Phil heard Lee shuffle behind him, felt strong arms come around him to hold him tight.
“I wouldn’t let anything happen to you,” Lee whispered into his ear.
“I can’t take the chance. The curse has already taken my mum and dad, and Fitz and Ned. They were my brothers,” he explained at Lee’s questioning sound. “It will get me. It’s just a question of when.” Unconsciously, Phil wrapped his arms around himself.
Lee turned Phil around to face him. “You’re waiting to die?” he asked incredulously.
“You think I’m joking?” Phil asked, “I’ve lost my parents, Fitz and Ned, Carol nearly died, and Charlie and Carol lost their babies…” He couldn’t carry on, his throat closing up.
Lee gathered him into his arms, stroking his hair softly. Phil laid his head in the crook of Lee’s neck, smelling the scent of shower gel and sweat.
“I don’t think you’re joking at all. But I’m not going to let you die. I’ve been seeking you my whole life. I’m not letting you go now, my lord.”
Chapter 4
“What did you just say?”
Lee looked confused. “I said I’m not about to let anything happen to you.”
Phil pulled away. “No. The exact words. What exactly did you just say?”
“Er, I’m not going to let you die. I’ve been seeking you my whole life. I’m not letting you go now…”
“My lord,” Phil completed, staring at Lee.
“Yeah, I’m not too sure where that bit came from. You’re not a lord, are you?” Lee looked bemused.
“No, not really. Charlie’s a baron, but we don’t pay too much attention to the title. I’m an Honourable, but I never bother with it.” Phil stepped away from Lee, and this time Lee didn’t stop him. “You’re fucking joking. Are you yanking my chain?”
Lee’s brow knit together. “No. Why d’you say that?” He leaned forward to touch Phil.
Stepping out of reach of Lee’s arms, Phil spat, “I can’t be dealing with this. The fuck was great, but I’m not going to let you fuck with my head as well.”
The Fitzwarren Inheritance Page 17