Within seconds, the lean six-foot frame of Nathaniel Follett ducked through the door, wiping his brow with the bottom of his shirt as he went to a corner of the storage area and dug out a bundle wrapped in an oiled rag. As he straightened, he added an iron rod almost three feet long.
“Sir?”
“Sit down, Folly.” Cooper remained standing. “Meet Robert Orford. He is a friend of a friend and would like to speak to you.”
The young man’s brows rose in surprise. “Why me?”
Cooper nodded to Robert, and he turned to the teen. “I make leather goods for—” He searched for an appropriate term. “—personal, private use. In order to put them together, I need specialized metal fasteners that are small scale and intricate. Think furniture level detail, but to be joined to leather rather than wood.”
Grateful Beth had helped him narrow that description to be so succinct, his heart twinged at her absence.
Nathaniel nodded. “I understand. Do you have any pieces here?”
“No. My business is extremely confidential. Most of my clientele are Ton.” The boy’s eyes widened. “And yes, before you ask, the profits are excellent.” He turned to include Cooper with his smile. “The volume is such that I could keep a smith busy about thirty percent of the day right now. But—” He gulped. “—I am considering expanding my sales, so that will likely increase.”
Another twinge. He had almost reconciled himself to creating a catalogue, although the thought of Beth not modeling sent arrows of pain through his heart.
“Are you looking to keep your current blacksmith then?” Cooper asked.
“Only during a transition period,” Robert said, shaking his head. “He wishes to retire and spend more time with a new grandchild.”
“Hmm.” The blacksmith’s tone was contemplative. That was a lot of new business, Robert knew. The man might be sorry he said he was prepared to let his apprentice go.
“I will leave it to you two decide how to handle the workload. ’Tis a good bit of detailed work for one man’s eyes and hands, as I can attest.” He held up his calloused, scarred hands, and the other two chuckled in commiseration.
Beth loved the texture of my hands, as rough as they were against her satiny skin.
“What I need to know is whether your work is to the standard I require and whether the nature of it will offend your sensibilities.”
Cooper laughed out loud at that and gestured to Nathaniel. “Folly, show him some of your pieces.”
The young man’s cheeks went ruddy, but his back remained straight and proud as he unwrapped the bundle.
He placed two small items on the table. Made up of narrow ribbons of metal, they were hollow squares with the ribbons curled into decorative metal scrolls at the corners. Tiny screws arrowed toward the center through each of the four sides.
“May I?” Robert gestured.
Nathaniel nodded.
He picked one up, turning it. Impressed with the workmanship, he admired the scrolls in such fine strips of metal. But he had no idea of the item’s purpose.
“Care to guess?” Cooper asked.
Nathaniel’s face held a mix of pride, defiance, and nerves.
“The detail is excellent. You did this?” Internally, Robert wondered if Beth would be able to identify the piece. If she were with him, she’d have her own questions, then they’d return to his house and discuss all the configurations. Well, they’d discuss after a long romp in the sheets. This would be so much more exciting if she were here, but even without her, he was focused on her as a model as well as a partner.
The teen’s shoulders dropped an inch as he nodded.
Robert turned it again. He tried to fit a finger into the center opening, even unscrewing the tiny screws to make the aperture larger, but he could not.
“Wrong body part,” murmured Nathaniel, his cheeks even redder.
Robert tilted his head. If a finger was too thick…Oh.
“Nipple screws?” he asked, his voice hopeful. Hellfire, to see these on Peaches, her nipples pinched and turning a deep rose. He stifled a groan. This was not the place for an erection.
’Tis not the time for an erection, either. She lost her patience with your fear of publicity. You need to stop fixating on her.
