But with the dappled green light, and the quiet, earthy stillness of the forest around them, and James there with his heaving spectacular chest, he doesn’t much care what needs to happen in twenty minutes. All that matters now is letting James push him back up against another tree. All that matters is tripping his fingers down James’ stomach to undo the buttons on his trousers.
All that matters is the two of them pressed together, hips moving urgently among hands while they breathe around each other’s mouths, groaning softly in growing ecstasy. The tug of James’ teeth on his lips, the press of his chest, the steady rock of the two of them into the messy tangle of their hands—it’s pure bliss.
When they’re both spent and breathing heavily, James resting against Bobby’s chest, Bobby can’t help but laugh.
“What?” James asks, his lips pressed to Bobby’s neck.
“I just didn’t see this weekend resulting in the two of us—”
“Coming in the woods?” James suggests, pulling back with a knowing look.
“Oh, I was going to be much lewder. You spoil all my fun,” Bobby says playfully.
James laughs. Bobby reaches down and gently tucks James back into place, doing up his buttons. James sucks in a breath but then gets to work on Bobby’s trousers. They surely could go for another round, possibly something... lewder, in fact. But as he watches James button his shirt and goes to right himself as well, he decides there’s more than enough time to fellate James against a tree later in the week.
For now, it might actually be nice to go see the lake, bask in the afterglow together, rather than return to the group sweaty and too obviously sated.
“Come on,” he says, taking James’ hand to lead him back toward the path. And while they’ve been entirely more intimate, something about holding James’ hand in broad daylight feels momentous. The sound of their footsteps crunching leaves and twigs, the feel of his soft palm against Bobby’s, is almost magical.
They walk lazily through the woods until they finally reach the lake. Sunlight glints off the wide expanse of calm water, ringed with vibrant green trees. He can see the family of ducks that regularly makes its home on the Mason lands splashing near the far shore.
It may not be grand, but it’s beautiful, and the bank on the southern shore is always the perfect slope for lying down in the soft grass. Which is exactly what he wants to do with James,so he tugs gently on his hand, releasing him reluctantly to plop down in his favorite spot, just past the biggest, broadest rock on the lakeshore. It looks a little like a toadstool, and he’s pleased to see the patch of moss on the right side is still there. It’s the little things that give him comfort here.
That, and the sight of James sitting gingerly in his linen pants, cheeks still slightly flushed from their endeavors, and looking gorgeous there in the bright sunlight.
“Your manor is lovely,” James says after a few contented minutes that Bobby spends staring out at the lake and sneaking glances at his handsome... whatever he and James are to each other.
“Thank you,” Bobby says, as if it has anything at all to do with him. “’S nice to be away from the city sometimes.”
“Yes,” James agrees.
He watches the way James stares out across the water. “Do you miss the country?”
“All the time,” James says, meeting his eyes briefly before glancing away. “I was very fond of my stepfather’s lands.”
“Where are they?”
“Near the Peak District, by Epworth,” James says. “We had twenty acres of land, and he—well, I—was involved in helping the village and overseeing some of the rents and such.”
“Oh,” Bobby mumbles, surprised. “You’re young for that. What has your stepfather been doing?”
“Helping reluctantly and drinking,” James says. “I didn’t domuch. But I helped with some of the trade in town, looked over books—simple things. But it was nice. I felt—” He trails off with a shrug.
Bobby watches James fiddle with his cuffs. “Have you spent much time at the Demeroven estate?”
James bobs his head. “It’s big. Lovely, but big. I mostly walkedthe grounds or stayed in the library out of my mother’s way. She redid half the manor. I rather liked Lady Havenfort’s style, but my mother... Anyway. And my stepfather adored the late viscount’s study, almost as much as he loves the one in London.”
“Maybe you’ll find more to do after the season.”
James shrugs. “Not sure I’ll spend much time at the manor, or even keep it. My stepfather’s been going on about staying in London full-time.”
Bobby notes the way James’ shoulders have risen, how he’s picking at the skin around his thumbnail on his left hand. “Do you want to live in London full-time?”
“God, no,” James says, immediate and firm.
That would suit Bobby just fine. Not that they need to think about it this week. At least not right now. Instead of letting that thought fester in his head, he reaches out to still James’ hands.
“Then you needn’t,” Bobby says.
