A Promise of Tomorrow (25 page)
Read A Promise of Tomorrow Online
Authors: Rowan McAllister
They stood like that in silence a while longer before James said, “Kyle, we have much to talk about, but it’s been a very long day for bothofus. I think we need to rest first.”
James stepped away from him and clasped his hand, drawing him further into the house as he sought the guest room where he’d stayed in the past. The lodge had been closed up for months, and the furniture was draped in cloths that reflected the moonlight, making it easier to navigate the unfamiliar rooms. The guest roomwas as stuffy as the rest of the house, so James let go of Kyle’s hand long enough to openthe drapes and windows, airingthe place out.
The late summer evenings were still warm enough to be comfortable, but the slightly cooler air was fresh and clean and felt wonderful against his heated skin. He found bed linens in the chest at the foot of the bed. They’d been packed away with lavender and other herbs, and the crisp, fresh scent wafted through the roomas he draped themover the mattress. He’d never made a bed in his life, so he didn’t even try to accomplish the task. He simply spread the linens across the mattress, making a nest, and hoped that would be sufficient.
He then began removing his clothes, happy to be out of the soiled garments that now clung to himfromthe heat of the day. Kyle helped him off with his boots and set about removing his own garments. When they were both naked, they slid into the pile of linens, and Kyle climbed halfway on top of him, resting his head on James’s shoulder.
He wasn’t surprised when Kyle’s breathing slowed almost the instant his head touched his shoulder. He’d looked worn almost to death
hours
earlier, and James didn’t know how he’d managed to keep goingas longas he had.
Though he was tired as well, it took James a while longer before he could surrender to sleep. The long ride and all the worry had drained his body but not quieted his mind. It felt so good to be lying there with Kyle sleeping in his arms, part of him didn’t
want
to miss anyofit bysleeping, evenifhis whirlingthoughts would allow it.
He had to chuckle at himself after a while. For someone who considered himself a man of action more than thought, he’d been doing a lot of thinking of late. The young man in his arms had stirred up a veritable hornet’s nest within him, and, not being used to the sensation, he’d beenat a loss as to how to dealwithit.
But that night, with a pleasantly cool breeze coming from the window and the man he loved lying safe and sound in his arms, a sense of peace flooded him that he hadn’t known since before the death of his parents. The feeling gave him a clarity of thought he’d beenunable to achieve up untilthat verymoment.
Yes, he was in love with Kyle, there was no doubting it. Now all he had to do was determine where to go fromthere. His thoughts slowed and began to take on shape and order for the first time in weeks.
The crux of the problem, he finally decided, was that he’d always followed the same path to achieve his goals: he determined what it was he wanted, he developed a plan of action to achieve it, and he implemented that planuntilhe was successful.
In the current situation, “what he wanted” was something he couldn’t have, not without risking nearly everything else. It was a risk he couldn’t bring himself to take, the one time in his life that his name and title could not give him what he wanted, but it was a dream his heart had been unwilling to let go. And therein lay the dilemma that had beentearinghimapart.
Anna’s words to him from that morning chose that moment to echo inhis mind
. “It’s just silly for both of you to be unhappy and apart when you should be happy here together.”
And he realized she was right. It
was
silly.
He was an intelligent, educated man, for God’s sake. He should be able to find some way to have Kyle in his life. Even if they were only to meet once or twice in a year, it would be better than not having him at all. Bury St. Edmunds was not so far away. He could visit easily enough. He would have to find a more private place for Kyle to live, of course, but it could be done. It wasn’t truly ideal, but it was a place to start, at the veryleast.
Feeling better by the moment, now that he had decided on a goaland could move forward with making a plan, he pulled the linens a little tighter around thembothand finallyallowed sleep to claimhim.
woke to warm arms and soft linens tangled about him. Bright sunlight and birdsong streamed through the open windows, and he thought he’d never seena more beautifulday. He would have liked to stay just where he was forever, but he desperately needed to relieve himselfand had delayed it as longas he possiblycould.
He slid out of James’s embrace, trying his best not to wake the man and, after a quick search, found the chamber pot in the bedside table. He decided for modesty’s sake to take it into another roomto take care ofnecessities. Once he’d finished, he scurried quickly back to their shared bedroom and slid back under the warm covers. Though too early still to hold the chill of autumn, the air was cool on his naked body, and James’s warmtha relief.
He settled back next to James as quietly as he could, not wantingto disturb him, and propped himselfon his elbow so he could gaze at the man to his heart’s content. He was every bit as handsome as Kyle remembered, but he couldn’t help but notice faint shadows beneathhis wonderfuleyes. He wondered ifperhaps their partinghad beenas hard onhis lord as it had beenonhimself.
He remembered those words from the night before withthrillofpleasure.
He missed me and he came for me.
Kyle was giddy with the thought that sucha wonderfulmancould care enoughfor himto come and find him. He stilldidn’t know why James had come when he did, as theyhadn’t spokenofit, but at the moment he didn’t care. He was safe and warmin the arms of the man he loved, and it would have to be enough. He wouldn’t spoil it yet with thoughts of Victor and annoyingpracticalities.
Continuing his examination, he noticed that James had let his hair grow in the time they had been apart. It tumbled in thick brown waves across his forehead. He liked the longer length. It begged to be played with, and as Kyle leaned in to do just that, he found those beloved warmbrown eyes regarding himand crinkling in the corners witha smile.
“Good morning, Kyle,” James said, as his smile deepened and those wonderful eyes darkened. “I think we already established that you would call me James fromnow on, didn’t we?” James chuckled, then leaned forward, stopping mere inches from his mouth, and whispered, “I want to hear yousaymyname.”
Kyle’s eyes widened as James rolled on top of him, pressing himinto the mattress before claiming his lips in a passionate kiss. His lips parted under James’s onslaught, allowing his lover to plunder his mouthfor longmoments, luxuriatinginthe possessiveness ofit.
James broke away first, trailing hot kisses down his throat, then he pulled back and looked deeplyinto his eyes. “Are yousure, Kyle? After all that happened yesterday, if you need time, if you want to rest….”
“No, don’t stop. I don’t want to talk about it now. I don’t want to think about any of it right now. Please. I need… I just need you. Here. Now,” he said, desperately trying to make James understand what he needed.
James looked at him only a moment longer before smiling that warm and wicked smile that made Kyle’s belly flip and leaning back downto capture his lips.
Kyle was torn between wanting to submit, allowing himself to simply melt into that kiss, and wanting to dig his hands into those broad shoulders and return the kiss with equal ferocity. He ended by doing a little of both, allowing his body to relax and mold itself to that warm, powerful chest while plunging his tongue into James’s hot mouth, duelingwithhis tongue and nippingat his lips.
Oh God, yes
. This was what he needed. This man and no other. All the pain and misery of the last few weeks faded to nothing under the tenderness and passion of that kiss. He was safe there, and cherished. This man was home, and he knew he’d never truly be happyanywhere else.
His lover then moved to lie alongside him and stroked those broad strong hands over his body in long, lazy caresses. When Kyle opened his eyes, he found James’s awed and proprietary gaze fixed onhim.
“You are so lovely, Kyle. I think I could simply lie here and drink inthe sight ofyoufor hours,”he said inthat deep bass that Kyle could feelthrougheveryinchofhis body.
James’s hands then lit upon his nipples, teasing and tugging until Kyle let out a whimper. In response, James’s fingers pinched harder, makinghimgasp at the suddensting.
“So much for simply enjoying the view,” he heard James comment with a somewhat husky chuckle. “You’ll make a liar of me ifyoukeep makingsuchprettysounds.”
Kyle had almost pulled his wits together enough to make a reply when he felt James’s hair brush his chin and warm, wet lips latch onto one of his stinging nipples. James gently soothed the hurt away with his tongue, then moved to do the same to the other before Kyle felt himpullback and blow coolair over eachofthem.
By now, Kyle was near to bursting with need. His fine, handsome lord might be able to wait all afternoon, but he certainly could not. For three weeks, he’d dreamt of being in James’s arms again, and though he was enjoying the teasing torment, he needed more. He needed those hands and that mouth on the aching flesh pulsing against his belly, and he needed so much to be claimed again, to be taken by his lord and possessed fully, to be shown whom he belonged to.
He felt a little ashamed at that need, particularly after his relationship with Victor and his promises to himself, but deep down he knew that James could never be like Victor. That belonging to this man wouldn’t mean shame and humiliation but being cherished and treasured. That he could allow himself to be claimed without losing himselfto it.
The gorgeous man beside him groaned and closed his eyes for a moment before saying, “Not this time, sweet. We have nothing to ease the way, and I would not hurt you.”
Kyle felt his face fall, and he knew he was pouting in a most infantile fashion, but he couldn’t help showing his disappointment. He felt more than heard James growl and capture his lower lip between bared teeth. “Don’t pout, Kyle. Though it’s utterly charming, there’s no call for it. There are more ways for us to please one another than that. I won’t leave youwanting, youhave myword.”
“I don’t doubt you, James,” he replied, loving the way his lover’s name felt on his lips. “I only want to feel you inside me again, fillingme, makingme yours.”
Victor had taken him almost dry more than once, and it had hurt, but he was more than willing to take the pain ifit meant he could be withJames, ifonlyhis lover would accept that.
“Oh, Kyle, you
are
mine. All mine,” James told him as he leaned forward for another deep kiss, and Kyle felt his cock gripped firmlyinone ofthose bighands.
As a broad thumb stroked over his slick crown, Kyle realized there was a way he could get what he wanted, if only he could overcome his embarrassment and convince his lover ofit. He’d had a difficult enoughtime not blushingwithhis earlier declarations.
Too embarrassed to say his thoughts aloud, Kyle decided to show his lover what he wanted. As James slowly caressed his aching shaft, Kyle took both his hands and captured James’s hand between them. Looking deeply into James’s eyes, he began thrusting into the cocoon created by their three hands clasped together in a fast but steadyrhythm.
He watched James’s surprise fade to the same bemused look Kyle had seen on his face before, when he’d been bold with his desires. Even in so short a time, Kyle knew that, though James liked to hold the reins, he would indulge his lover in most anything he wanted.
As Kyle continued to thrust himselfto climax, he never took his eyes from James’s, watching as those warm brown depths turned nearlyblack withdesire.
“Yes, beautiful boy. Show me,” James said, and that was all it took to push Kyle into bliss. He couldn’t maintain eye contact in that moment. His back bowed and his head slammed back onto the mattress, and he arched his throat and cried out as his spend shot into their clasped hands.