“Yves,” Yves said. “Please call me Yves.”
Bradford growled even deeper and slanted his mouth over Yves’ in his most possessive kiss yet. Yves felt completely at his mercy, ravished and savored in every way. His heart raced, and his eager cock pushed up against Bradford’s belly.
“And you must call me Howard,” Bradford said as he lifted above Yves and grinned down at him. “We are on far too intimate terms to observe the formalities of family names.”
“Yes,” Yves sighed, relaxing into the bed. It was a show of surrender as much as an agreement. He was absolute jelly in Bradford’s arms, except for the part of him that strained eagerly for Howard’s touch.
He arched his hips, cheekily rubbing his heavy cock against Howard’s belly. Howard burst into a grin, then reached between them to grasp Yves’ erection in a firm grip.
Yves gasped then let out a plaintive, submissive sound as currents of pleasure swept through him. He adored the possessive dominance in the way Howard held him, adored the complete abdication of any will of his own.
Howard liked their dynamics. A wolfish smile lit his face as he looked down at Yves. His tight hold on Yves’ cock turned into rough stroking. Yves was already consumed with desire, and the pleasure Howard gave him with his touch only added to that. Yves was restless and dripping in no time.
“Such a sweet, eager angel,” Howard whispered before sliding down so that he could rain kisses over Yves’ shoulders and chest.
It was glorious and strange all at once. Yves loved every second of the way Howard studied and savored him with his lipsand his hands. He felt as though he should be doing a great deal in return, kissing and stroking Howard with as much passion as Howard explored him, but at no point did Howard demand that. It was as if the man were an acolyte worshiping something he loved, and he most definitely adored Yves’ body.
When he flipped Yves to his stomach and spread his legs while kneeling between them, Yves was certain his hole was in for another delicious assault. He scrunched his face slightly, ready for the pain that would certainly come. But instead of stretching and penetrating him, Howard pulled Yves’ cheeks apart and dragged his tongue over Yves’ sore and sensitive pucker.
Yves cried out at the unexpected sensation, then gripped the pillow in front of him and moaned as Howard threw himself into his task. Yves had never had anyone tease and delve and treat him like that. It was made all the better because he was still so sensitive from before. He caught himself rubbing his cock against the sheets under him to increase the pleasure coursing through him.
Just when he thought he might burst with the beauty of it all, Howard pulled away from him. Yves’ split second of disappointment was halted when Howard roughly demanded, “Hold yourself open.”
Confused but oh so willing, Yves pressed his cheek into the pillow and reached back with shaking hands to grab his arse and hold himself open to Howard’s gaze. His gesture was met with heavy breathing and a growl of possessiveness from Howard. Yves shivered and jerked against the bed as he watched Howard, red-faced, his body glowing with sweat, stroking himself vigorously.
A moment later, Howard groaned with pleasure, then shot jet after jet of cum over Yves’ hole and bum. The action was primaland possessive, and Yves found himself breathing fast and so desperately close to coming.
Howard must have sensed that. As soon as he was spent, he flipped Yves to his back again, then practically dove between his legs to lift his cock and suck it into his mouth. Yves cried out at the sudden, overwhelming pleasure. He only lasted a handful of seconds as Howard bobbed on him until he was thrusting his hips up and spilling into his lover’s mouth. Howard moaned between swallows, a look of complete bliss on his face.
The heady moment settled into a warmer, heavier one. Howard released Yves’ spent cock, then fell to his side, pulling Yves into his arms with Yves’ back against his chest. “My angel,” he sighed, then nuzzled the back of Yves’ neck.
Yves was too stunned with pleasure to reply. He could only draw Howard’s arms farther around him, snuggling into him and smiling as the two of them started to drift off together. He had no idea why Howard had singled him out, but he thanked every lucky star in the heavens that he had. He would do whatever Howard wanted of him, now and always, even if that meant overcoming his own deepest fears.
Nine
Howard had never put much stock in the wonders of the season, which so many people rhapsodized about at Christmas. He had always enjoyed the holiday for its food and drink, and now for the Christmas ball that Thurleigh and Haythorne were hosting at The Chameleon Club. But that particular year, as he greeted another new day, the fourth in a row now, in bed with Yves in his arms, he felt entirely different about the holiday and the world in general.
“Are you certain you feel up to venturing out to your sister’s house today?” he asked Yves as they greeted the morning with snuggles and soft kisses while the fire he’d quickly gotten up to build crackled away in his grate.
Yves smiled and nuzzled against Howard’s beard. “I am ready for anything as long as I can face it with you.”
Howard laughed. Yves was telling the truth. The last three days, since their midnight outing, had included further attempts to step outside and face the world. At first, Yves had only managed to stand on the terrace in front of The Chameleon Club, watching as carriages and people attempted to walk through the snow that had fallen during the night. Less than six inches hadfallen, but it was enough to make moving about slow going. Yves had stood in it watching the world for a good hour, however, and when they’d come back inside to enjoy mugs of hot chocolate, he declared that he’d only felt slightly anxious.
The next day, he’d ventured across the street into Hyde Park. The snow had begun to melt and the paths were a muddy mess, but Yves had enjoyed his walk all the same. Not a single police officer had rushed at him to arrest him and cart him off to Newgate, and one even touched the brim of his hat to Yves and smiled as they walked.
Christmas Eve had seen their most daring outing yet. A few of the members of The Brotherhood had banded together to take gifts of food to one of the local workhouses. Howard was convinced Yves’ gentle temperament would not last more than five minutes inside that wretched place. He’d been wrong, however, Yves was deeply moved by the plight of the poor, but he found strength Howard did not know he had to deliver the food and share a few words of thanks and celebration with the poor souls trapped in their misery.
Howard loved him even more for it all. Especially since Yves had talked of nothing else but ways they might make an attempt to alleviate the worst of the wretchedness for at least some people.
Now it was Christmas Day, and the feast that Mrs. Cavanaugh was preparing awaited them.
“What if Yvette is angry with me for staying hidden away for so long?” Yves asked as the two of them rose, washed, and dressed. Doing such domestic things together filled Howard with a sense of simple bliss that came as a complete surprise to him.
He laughed. “From my brief acquaintance with your sister, I doubt very much that she is capable of anger or indignation in any way.”
Yves blushed and laughed sheepishly along with him. “I suppose that is true, but you should have seen Yvette when the two of us were young. There were times when I believed she had more of a backbone than I did.”
“I do not doubt that at all,” Howard said, interrupting his wash to catch Yves and kiss him.
