“I can.”
Conrad smiled and kissed him.“You’re sweet.Did you steal me away just so I could save face?”
Sage held up a pack of cards.“We’re going to have a lesson.”
Conrad laughed.“Another one?”
“Yes.And the next time someone suggests a game of cards, you will be prepared,” Sage said matter-of-factly.“We’ll sit on the bed.”He carefully took off his shoes and lifted a knee, thought better of it, and began taking off his jacket, followed by his waistcoat and trousers.
Conrad watched with amusement.“Exactly what sort of game are we playing?”
Sage gave him a mock glare.“I have no interest in mussing my clothes, thank you very much.”
Conrad chuckled and stripped down to his shirt, as well, and joined Sage on the bed.
“Now, what games do you know, if any?”
“All-fours?”
Sage grimaced.“Not likely to be played in London sitting rooms, I’m afraid.”
“Then I’m at your disposal.What game would you suggest?”
“I quite like the sound of that,” Sage mused.Then he cleared his throat.“They were suggesting round games.But that might be difficult to teach with just the two of us.”
“Cribbage?”Conrad offered with a grin.
Sage rolled his eyes.“That’s the sort of game you’d play with your grandparents.Or if you’re Roger, apparently.Besides, it takes hours.”He considered for a moment.“We’ll play Euchre.”
He leafed through the deck and pulled out a number of cards and set them aside on the nightstand.Then he explained the rules of the game.Conrad tried to pay attention.He really did.But he kept getting distracted by how adorable Sage looked when he was focused and how endearing it was to see him attempt to be serious.When Sage ruminated aloud over what they should bet with, Conrad suggested kisses.
Sage sighed.“That will not be properly motivating?—”
“I disagree.”
“You’re supposed to want to win.And if the winner gets to kiss the loser, then there’s no motivation to win.”
“Which means webothwin.”
“You’re impossible.”
“You love it.”
Sage’s mouth quirked.“Try to be serious about this, would you?”
Conrad schooled his features into an exaggerated expression of focus.“How’s this?”
A laugh bubbled out of the other man.“Good enough, I suppose.”
Conrad was not particularly good at Euchre, as it turned out.Though with kisses as the winnings, he didn’t exactly mind.When Sage beat him roundly for a full rubber, Conrad climbed onto his lap to better offer the reward.
“See, this is exactly what I was afraid of.You weren’t in the least bit motivated.”
“Nonsense,” Conrad murmured.“I owe you ten kisses and I’m very motivated to pay my debt.”
Sage grumbled, but his hands slid up Conrad’s back and a grin tugged at his lips.When Conrad closed the distance and kissed him, Sage gave up all pretense of minding his lack of motivation.The kisses started off playful and then turned lazy and decadent.The cards were quickly forgotten, scattered under their feet as they leaned against the pillows and lost count of kisses distributed.
“Apparently you are just as poor a student of card games as I am of swimming,” Sage decided.
“If it means I get to hold you in my arms the next time we swim and then sit by and watch you play when the cards are brought out, I will happily accept those circumstances.”
Sage chuckled, his fingers skimming over Conrad’s skin.“I suppose I can accept it too, when you put it like that.”
“You see?I did learn something from your lesson.You told me to be strategic.”
Sage hummed against him and resumed the kisses.Conrad wrapped his arms around Sage’s neck and tried to push away all the concerns that were pressing into his mind about how he never wanted their time together to end.
