Drew turned and went to the sideboard. Poured two glasses of wine. But instead of lifting the glasses, he just stood there, his hands resting on the wood. “Where are you going?”
“The Low Countries, for a while. Then Paris when”—it’s safe—“the weather improves.”
Drew gave a short laugh. “It’s quite the exciting life you lead, isn’t it? Travelling all over.” He reached for the wine glasses, then turned and walked back to Lindsay, passing one to him.
Lifting the other glass to chin height, he toasted Lindsay. “To a safe and pleasant journey.”
Lindsay lifted in his own glass in a counter-salute and they both sipped the wine, then stared at one another for long, painful moments, till Drew finally said, almost angrily, “What exactly is it you want of me?”
Lindsay drained his glass then set it down with a snap. “I want you to fuck me,” he said. “I want you to fuck me so hard I still feel you when I leave.”
Drew swallowed hard, his throat bobbing visibly. “Christ, Lindsay. The things you say.” He set his own glass aside and paced closer, till only inches separated them.
“Well?” Lindsay said. “Will you?”
Drew’s gaze was fierce. “Yes. God, yes.”
They stared at each other. Lindsay’s heart was racing, his blood hot with need. Worried about scaring Drew off with the strength of the lust that was consuming him, he forced himself to maintain an outward calm, and clearing his throat, said with absurd formality, “If it’s convenient, could you fetch some oil or grease? It makes things easier.”
Drew blinked dazedly, then said in a thick voice, “I’ll see what I have.” He stepped towards the door then stopped, looking over shoulder. “Go to the bedchamber while I look.”
“All right.”
His limbs felt clumsy as he walked down the shadowy corridor to Drew’s bedchamber. It was as cheerless as last time, and as cold. As before, there was no fire in the grate nor any other comforts. All in all, it was quite the monk’s cell, though at least the bed was a decent size. In the distance, Lindsay could hear Drew quickly opening and closing cupboards and drawers. It made him smile. Such a frantic search.
Lindsay began to undress, removing the clothes he’d barely looked at as he donned them. He hadn’t powdered his hair tonight, simply tying it at the nape of his neck with a ribbon. Now he pulled that ribbon free, letting the dark locks fall to his shoulders.
When Drew arrived, he was down to his drawers.
“I found—” Drew began, then stopped abruptly, coming to a halt in the bedchamber doorway at the sight of Lindsay, standing all but naked in the middle of the room, dark hair brushing his shoulders.
Drew stared at him, his scent sharp and urgent in the air.
Slowly, deliberately, Lindsay pulled the tie of his drawers free and let the linen fall away, kicking the final garment aside with casual ease. Fully naked now, he stood, letting Drew look his fill, his cock thrusting urgently towards the man as though demanding his attention.
Drew was holding a blue glass bottle in one hand and Lindsay nodded at it. “You found what you were looking for then?”
Drew blinked at him, then said. “Oh—yes.” He held up the bottle. Inside it, some liquid moved with oil-like heaviness.
“Excellent,” Lindsay said. His voice was husky and, uncharacteristically, nervous. He realised with some astonishment that hewasnervous. Which was utterly absurd for a man who’d done this so very many times before.
“Come here, then,” he said, beckoning Drew closer.
Drew did as he was bid, tossing the bottle onto the bed as he closed in on Lindsay, his intent gaze fixed on him. When he was close enough to touch, he lifted a hand and gently ran his fingers through the length of Lindsay’s hair.
“Hmmm.” A murmur of approval as Lindsay’s hair slid through his fingers. A murmur, and his eyes soft with wonder.
“I like this,” he whispered. “Your hair down, like this. Long.”
“It used to be much longer,” Lindsay said. “To the middle of my back.”
Drew gave him a quizzical look. And well he might. It had been many a year since Lindsay—or any other man—had worn his hair as long as that. But then he smiled sadly, and said, “I should have liked to see that.”
“I should like to see you naked,” Lindsay replied looking down the length of Drew’s body, and Drew’s gaze followed his. He was rumpled and shoeless, but nonetheless fully clothed. Clothed while Lindsay was bare. And God, but that was a thought that made Lindsay’s cock pulse with fierce desire, thrusting futilely into the air between them. Drew’s gaze was helplessly drawn to the plain evidence of Lindsay’s need, his breath hitching audibly in his throat before he looked up again and met Lindsay’s gaze.
Lindsay leaned towards him. When he was close enough to graze Drew’s lips with his own, he paused, whispering, “May I kiss you?”
“Yes. Please.” Drew’s eyes were fixed on Lindsay’s, watching as Lindsay closed the tiny gap between them, setting his lips delicately upon Drew’s. They both had their eyes open, each watching the other as Lindsay slowly, sweetly, parted Drew’s mouth with his own and touched the tip of his tongue to the tip of Drew’s.
