Love's Fortress Page 25
Her gorgeous blonde hair peeked out around the edges. She’d done something different with it, but he wasn’t sure what. He liked it. “You look good in blue.”
Sarah smiled at him. “I’ve been told that before.” She took a deep breath. “Are you ready?”
At his nod she tugged him forward and he made his slow way to the steps. He wasn’t used to the new leg yet. He was still relying heavily on a cane, but he felt freer than he had in years. He was actually walking. His hip and leg were protesting the weight. He supposed it would take some getting used to. But by God, he was going to walk in there and claim Charles. It was a heady feeling.
———
Charles’ eyes nearly crossed with boredom as he listened to Tony Richards brag for the tenth—or was it twentieth?—time about the fact his son took three steps without falling today and he was only ten months old. He felt vaguely guilty for not caring one fig so he listened politely.
Peters was supposed to have sent a note after seeing Gideon and Sarah. Perhaps he didn’t remember that promise? He’d been rather drunk when Charles had loaded him into the hired coach. Or it may be he was too busy trying to save Gideon’s life to write. Gideon might even now be on his deathbed.
“Excuse me,” a voice drawled and someone picked up Charles’ arm by the wrist. Richards stopped talking and Charles turned in surprise to Simon Gantry. “Oh good,” Simon said with relief. “He still has a pulse.” He gestured behind him at Daniel Steinberg and Derek Knightly, who were laughing at his expense. “We were afraid you’d bored him to death, Richards.” He waved across the room and called, “He’s fine! Everyone can stop worrying.”
Even Richards smiled reluctantly as the room burst into guffaws. “I suppose I may be talking about it a little too much?” he asked with good humor.
“Perhaps a tad,” Simon agreed, nodding sagely. “We’re all avoiding you until the boy leaves for Eton.”
“Harrow,” Richards said distinctly as he turned and walked toward his lovers, Lord and Lady Randall. “Eton,” he mumbled and shuddered.
“I went to Eton,” Simon said, affronted.
Charles bit his lip to keep from laughing. Simon regarded him with a jaundiced eye. “Still holding out, eh?” he asked. “How long before you go running back to Ashton on the Green?”
Charles sighed dejectedly. “That obvious, is it?” He twisted his neck, trying to relieve the tension there. “I don’t like London. There’s too many people, and I don’t fit in here.” He smiled grimly. “I’m a country boy, you know, a farm lad.”
“You may have been once,” Simon said as he casually gestured a footman with a tray over to them. He put his empty glass on the tray. “Another, if you would, please,” he asked and then turned back to Charles. “But not anymore. You’re more than that now.”
“But not enough.” Charles failed to keep all the bitterness out of his voice.
“Don’t be a bore,” Simon told him, accepting a full glass of whiskey from the footman. “Thank God Kate serves more than tea at tea,” he said fervently and took a sip. “We don’t look down on you, do we? Is there someone else you’d rather be socializing with who does? If we are not good enough, feel free to leave.”
Charles sighed in frustration. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I had to deal with some very aggravating attitudes today when negotiating for a horse. It’s meant to be a surprise for North, but at this rate I’m not sure I can pull it off.”
Simon merely cocked a brow at him.
Charles closed his eyes briefly in mortification. “Can I say I’m sorry again? I’ve fallen into a pit of self-pity and I can’t seem to find my way out.”
“Ah yes, my old friend the pit of self-pity,” Simon drawled. “I like to crawl in there now and then. It’s so dark and cozy.”
“Shut up, Gantry,” Knightly said, shoving the other man out of the way. “The lot of you with your self-pitying ways. Makes a man want to vomit.” He turned to Charles. “No one turns away good money, Borden. Shove it in their face and they’ll take it. To hell with their attitudes. I’m no gentleman either, and it’s never stopped me.”
Simon shook the spilled whiskey off his hand. “No, I daresay not, Knightly,” he agreed sarcastically. “But then being the size of an ox helps prevents anyone from stopping you.”
“Who is trying to stop Derek?” a feminine voice inquired, and the men parted to allow Knightly’s lover, Mrs. Witherspoon, into their midst. She was a beauty, small and curvaceous, with auburn curls and sweet freckles on her nose. Charles ached to see Sarah’s long blonde hair instead. Mrs. Witherspoon wrapped her arm around Knightly’s and blinked innocently at Simon. “You’ve spilled your drink, Mr. Gantry.”
Knightly was also the lover of Mrs. Witherspoon’s husband. Charles felt a pang of homesickness like a punch to the gut. He wanted Sarah to claim him like that in front of a roomful of people. She would too. He missed her and Gideon so much. Maybe they didn’t need the Arabian he was here to buy. He should be at home with Gideon. If he’d let that damn doctor pour poison down his throat Charles would kill him.
“Really, Gantry,” Knightly said with disgust, handing him a handkerchief. There was a gleam of humor in his eye. “Can’t you hold your liquor?” Simon stood there glaring, speechless at Knightly’s effrontery.
“Good heavens, Simon, you’re all wet.” Miss Very Thomas, the Randalls’ niece, came up and glanced in distaste at Simon’s wet coat. “And you smell like a distillery. Not that I’ve ever been in one, but I assume they smell like you.” She smiled around the group and linked arms with Mrs. Witherspoon. “Hello! How are you all? Enjoying Jason’s whiskey, are you? Drink it all up. He deserves it.”
“Keeping Tarrant away again, is he?” Knightly growled. “You should listen to him, Very. Tarrant is not a nice fellow.”
“I like them that way, Derek,” she said defensively. “You are a thoroughly abominable fellow, and I like you, don’t I?”
Mrs. Witherspoon laughed. “Thoroughly abominable. Say your apologies to Simon, Derek.”
“Hmm, saw that, did you?” he muttered. “Apologies, Gantry.”
“I should say so,” Simon said with a sniff.
Miss Thomas leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. “There, all better.” Simon just looked at her and she shrugged. “Well, it works for little Anthony.”
Simon groaned. “Isn’t this where I entered the conversation?”
The drawing room door opened and the Randall’s man announced, “Mr. and Mrs. Gideon North,” and Charles’ heart stopped beating for a moment as he stood there and gaped at them.
They were gorgeous. Sarah was nervous as hell. He could see it in her eyes and the set of her shoulders. But she needn’t be. She was so bloody gorgeous she drew every male eye in the room. She smoothed her skirts. He didn’t remember her owning a dress cut that low. He frowned. What was Gideon thinking letting her wear that in here with all these men ogling her? He grinned at the hat. It was perfect, just as Mrs. Duncan said it would be.
He frowned again. She looked shorter next to Gideon. He stumbled back a step as Gideon took a step toward him. A step. With a cane, not crutches. Charles quickly looked down. He had a prosthesis. He’d been gone three bloody days and the stubborn fool went and got a prosthesis. Charles vowed then and there to storm off in anger more often.
He glanced in disbelief at Sarah. She was watching him with pleading eyes, and a bright red blush stained her cheeks. It was then he noticed the room was unnaturally quiet. He glanced around to see everyone looking between him and Gideon and Sarah. Suddenly Lady Randall broke the silence.
“Welcome,” she said as she walked toward them, her hand outstretched. Lord Randall and Richards followed her.
“Lady Randall,” Gideon said formally with a small bow as he took her hand. “May I introduce my wife, Mrs. Sarah North?”
“How do you do?” Sarah murmured shyly.
“And this is my husband Lord Randall and our dear friend Mr. Anthony Richar
ds,” Lady Randall said without an ounce of embarrassment.
He could see the moment Sarah caught the implication. Her eyes widened. “How do you do?” she murmured again as first Randall and then Richards bowed over her hand.
Randall clapped Gideon on the back. “So you’ve finally come back to London? It’s good to see you.” Gideon hardly spared him a glance. He was too busy staring intently at Charles.
Richards held out his arm to Sarah. It took her a moment to realize what he’d done, and she blushed again as she took it. Richards looked over at Charles. Without a word he led Sarah over to him.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, and then could have kicked himself as she looked uncertain. “I mean…London. London?” He couldn’t think straight.
Sarah looked at everyone standing around and then a resolute look came over her face. She let go of Richards and took a step that brought her quite close to Charles. Too close for public scrutiny. She reached up and toyed with a button on his coat. “We came to fetch you home.”
“You did?” Charles was aware he sounded like an idiot, but he couldn’t do anything about it.
Sarah nodded. “Mmm-hmm. Do you want to come?” She looked up at him with those melting brown eyes, pleading with him.
He cupped her elbows in his hands. “Yes,” he said quietly.
Sarah’s arms slid around his waist and he gathered her close. She sniffed into his neckcloth. “Good,” she said, her voice muffled.
“Good,” Gideon said from over her shoulder.
Charles looked up at him and had to close his eyes for a moment his relief was so great. “You didn’t do it.”
Gideon shook his head. “No.” He looked down. “I got this instead. What do you think?”
Sarah wasn’t letting go of him. She had a death grip on his middle, as if afraid he would disappear. Charles looked over her shoulder and down to see the tip of the prosthesis poking out of Gideon’s pant leg. Charles nearly broke down and cried but he didn’t want to embarrass himself. “Not very pretty,” he choked out, “but it will do.”
Gideon feigned mock disappointment. “But I want pretty.”
Charles was stunned into speechlessness again. Gideon joking about his leg?
“Honestly, North,” Gantry drawled, “don’t be selfish. You’ve got enough pretty for one man.”
Charles looked over to see the other man eyeing him and Sarah appreciatively and it was his turn to blush. He supposed they all knew now, then, didn’t they? And he didn’t care. He hugged Sarah with a huge grin. He could see the smile in Gideon’s eyes.
“That thing really is ugly, North,” Knightly said. He hunkered down next to Gideon and actually knocked on his leg. “How does it work?” He yanked up Gideon’s pant leg. “Does it have a hinge of some sort?”
Gideon smacked him on the shoulder with his cane. “Leave off, Knightly,” he growled. “Take offense if you like, but you are not the one I want manhandling my leg right now.”
Knightly actually had the grace to blush. “Sorry,” he mumbled. But he rubbed his chin contemplatively. “Come see me tomorrow. I’ve a few ideas rattling around about that. I’d like to show you some sketches. I think I’ve got a better design. You need one for riding too, correct?”
Charles could almost see the cogs turning in Knightly’s head. He might be a rude bully, but he was a genius. There was no denying that. “I’ll get him there,” Charles promised.
“And you must bring Mrs. North too, Mr. Borden,” Mrs. Witherspoon added with a smile, pulling Knightly along. Ian Witherspoon stood behind them grinning. He was as polished as Knightly was rough. “We would love to get to know her better.”
Suddenly everyone was saying goodbye and they were ushered to the door before Charles was aware of what was happening. They hardly spoke as the footman hailed a hackney. Gideon eyed the horses critically.
“Just get in,” Charles told him in exasperation before he could start. “You can berate the hackney drivers tomorrow.” After he’d helped both Gideon and Sarah inside he asked, “Where are you staying?”
“Osborne’s,” Gideon told the driver.
“That’s where I’m staying,” Charles said in amazement.
Gideon shook his head. “Of course it is. It’s where you always stay in London.”
Before he could retort, Sarah grabbed his hand. “Oh, if only we were more private. I want to climb into your lap and eat you up. I missed you so much.”
“And that is why we are all staying at Osborne’s,” Gideon replied drily. “We shall be conveniently located for lap sitting and eating up.”
———
Sarah gasped as he slipped inside her. Gideon had to pause and breathe deeply for a moment. It was more amazing than he’d imagined. Charles was already filling her back passage, pressing against Gideon as he pushed fully into her. She moaned as he came to rest.
“Are you all right?” Charles asked in a rough voice. “You feel so bloody tight.”
Sarah nodded jerkily. She straddled Gideon, their position mirroring what they’d done less than a week ago when Gideon was the one between them. He’d loved that, loved being inside Sarah while Charles was inside him. But he loved this too. Knowing they were sharing Sarah in the most intimate way possible, truly being together, connected in such a basic way. One, where before they were three.
“Talk to me, Sarah,” Gideon growled. As wonderful as it felt, if she was uncomfortable they’d stop. They had a lifetime to work up to this. They didn’t have to rush into it tonight. But it felt right. There had been no hesitation on her part. She’d wanted them both inside and had told them so.
A tear slid down her cheek and Gideon cursed and started to pull out, but she shook her head. “No, Gideon. I’m crying because it feels so good to have you both this way.” She wrapped Charles’ arms around her and held tightly to his hands while she rested her cheek against his chest. She pressed down slightly and the movement pushed the tip of his cock against Charles’.
Charles shuddered and Gideon could feel it inside Sarah. He could feel Charles move inside her. He gasped at the shock and wonder of it.
“Promise you won’t leave us again, Charles,” she whispered. “I couldn’t bear it.”
“I came to London to buy a horse,” he said sheepishly.
Sarah’s eyes flew open. “What?”
Charles looked at Gideon apologetically over her shoulder. “There’s an Arabian here, another one from von Fechtig’s stables. I came to buy it for you.” He shook his head. “I never imagined you’d believe I’d left for good.” He frowned. “I’m not happy about it, actually. Did you really think I’d give this up?” He thrust into Sarah and she and Gideon caught their breath. “I’ll never willingly walk away from you two,” he vowed roughly. “You’ll have to kick me out.”
“I’ve tried that,” Gideon said with amusement. “It didn’t work.”
Charles pulled out and as he slid back in Gideon pulled out just as Charles had explained before they started. “Bloody hell,” Gideon growled. It felt so good he saw stars. The press of Charles’ prick sliding down his and then back up… Hell, he could feel the full lip of the head as it caught on his. He shuddered. “I’m not going to last.”
“You better,” Charles ground out in challenge. “You’ll hold out until Sarah comes.”
Sarah was shaking like a leaf. “I won’t either,” she said breathlessly. “To have you both inside me at the same time is the most wondrous thing I’ve ever felt.” She looked down at Gideon. “It’s like velvet and diamonds.” He smiled in understanding and then arched his neck as he and Charles passed inside her again.
“What?” Charles asked. He sounded almost grim as he spoke through clenched teeth. Gideon was glad to know he wasn’t the only one on the edge already.
“A fantasy,” Sarah gasped. “I fantasized about rolling around in black velvet dropping diamonds from my hands. It was the most decadent thing I’d ever thought of. But this surpasses it.”
“Yes,” Charles growled. “If we’re going to do it, we’re going to do it right.”
Sarah couldn’t catch her breath. Her face was right over his and Gideon could see the rapture of her expression, her intense concentration. She had her eyes closed. He slid out and in, keeping pace with Charles, watching her growing excitement.
“Yes, Sarah,” he whispered. “Come for us, darling. Let me see it, feel it. And then we will come for you.”
She nodded. He saw her shoulders relax and her walls trembled around his cock. Charles cursed. Suddenly her eyes flew open and she looked panicked. “Kiss me, Gideon,” she cried out.
He reached up and grabbed a fistful of her hair and pulled her down for a kiss that was rough and all-consuming. As soon as his tongue swiped into her mouth she gave a muffled cry and began to come. Her hands moved to grip his shoulders, her nails digging in, and she groaned as her pulsing sex squeezed him so tightly he couldn’t move.
“Sarah,” Charles groaned. His prick started to jerk in her behind and Gideon felt Charles’ release, felt the overwhelming heat blossom on the other side of the thin wall separating them.
He came. How could he not? The moment was tender, erotic, fulfilling. All the things he’d dreamed Sarah would bring to them. He broke their kiss with a gasp and buried his face in the curve of her neck, holding on tightly as he spilled inside her with Charles. He never wanted this moment to end. And it wouldn’t. He would have this forever now. His head dropped back on the bed behind him and Sarah collapsed on his chest.
When his tears fell he wasn’t ashamed. He lay there and felt the cool tracks of them on his temple. He felt a similar wetness on his chest where Sarah lay.