Chapter 20
A s it turned out, Dominick had burned his hands. Not badly enough to cause permanent damage, thank God, but badly enough to turn the skin an angry red in places. The doctor had warned they might blister before coating Dominick’s hands in some sort of ointment and wrapping them in bandages.
“I feel like one of those mummies you hear about from Egypt,” Dominick said idly from where he sat on the edge of Alfie’s bed. Just his fingertips were bare, and he used them to scratch the bandages on his other hand. “Perhaps we should stop there when we travel. See if we can’t find some long-dead Egyptian king’s tomb filled with treasure.”
“Stop scratching,” Alfie snapped. He couldn’t bear Dominick being injured at the best of times, and this was hardly the best of times.
It had been a long night. After the body had been seen to, there were the remaining villagers to be dispersed, the ones who didn’t see why a little thing like a murder should come between them and a free drink. Then he’d had to face his own servants, send someone to check on Mrs. McConnell, have the remaining food brought in, ensure the other fires were doused… The list went on and on. Gil and Mr. Howe helped with the organisation, ensuring no one went outside except in pairs after Alfie insisted, but the clock had been chiming in the early hours before he and Dominick finally made their way up to bed.
In some ways, the distractions had been welcome, giving him no time to think about Dominick’s injuries, the captain’s murder, or the killer they now knew for certain stalked Balcarres.
“Who do you think—” Dominick began, but Alfie didn’t let him finish.
“No,” he said firmly, placing one knee on the bed beside Dominick’s hip, then the other, until he was seated in his lap. Dominick wrapped an arm around him to keep from falling back. “Tomorrow. We can discuss it tomorrow. I don’t want to think about who or why or anything else tonight. I don’t want to think at all.”
Dominick looked up at him. This close, Alfie could see grey flecks of ash caught in his golden hair and he didn’t want to think about that either.
Then Dominick gave him a sly grin. “I think I can help with that.”
Alfie took Dominick’s face in his hands and kissed him. As he rubbed his thumbs over Dominick’s cheekbones, he could feel something gritty caught in his stubble. He pulled back, and saw streaks of soot rubbed into his skin.
Dominick frowned. “What’s wrong?”
Alfie shook his head. He wasn’t going to think about it, but he couldn’t look at it either. “Wait here.”
He went and wet a cloth in the wash basin. When he returned, Dominick tried to take it from his hand.
“Absolutely not, you’ll soak your bandages.”
Dominick huffed, but tilted his face as Alfie directed and let himself be scrubbed. There was something soothing about washing the evidence of the night from him. Alfie ran the cloth over Dominick’s hair for good measure. It wasn’t as good as a real washing, but it would do for now. On a whim, he did the same for himself before dropping the cloth back into the basin. He couldn’t tell if he’d done a thorough job, but Dominick wasn’t complaining and being close to him felt far more important than being perfectly clean right now.
He returned to the bed to find Dominick scowling down at his hands on his chest.
“What are you doing?”
“Trying to get this bloody waistcoat off, but I can’t manage the buttons.”
“Stop that,” Alfie said, grabbing his wrists and pulling his bandaged hands away. “You’re going to injure yourself further.”
Dominick grinned up at him. “Going to undress me yourself then? Or should we call Jarrett back in here to do it? He’d love that.”
“If you’re not careful, I will,” said Alfie. “And I’ll let you be the one to explain it to Gil in the morning too.”
The jest was forced, but it felt better than the fear that had been consuming him. He tried another. “Or perhaps I’ll send for Madam Carnbee. Unless you don’t think you can compete with Graham for her attentions. The magistrate’s wife and the stable master, who would have suspected?”
Dominick laughed. “I knew you’d want to find out for yourself. He’s a bit of a dark horse , eh?”
“You’re terribly unfunny.”
“Yet you love me anyway.”
“I do.” The words came out more tenderly than Alfie had intended, but he couldn’t help but be serious about his love for Dominick, especially at times like this when he was reminded once again how easily love and lives could be lost.
But he wasn’t thinking about that tonight, God damn it.
Clearly sensing his change in mood, Dominick put his bandaged hands over Alfie’s. “I love you too. Shall I show you how much?”
Alfie scoffed. “You’ll do nothing of the sort. You’ll let me undress you, get in bed, and not do anything to risk damaging your hands, understood?”
“I do enjoy when you take control,” Dominick said, and stuck out a foot so Alfie could remove his boot.
Alfie stripped him quickly, but not without care. It wasn’t the sensual tease he’d done before, but it was impossible not to find the act of removing Dominick’s clothes arousing, peeling off layer by layer until he revealed the man only Alfie got to see.
The coat was a bit tricky, the tight sleeves too small to easily pull the bandages through. Dominick hissed in pain more than once as they went, but after that, the rest went smoothly. Once the cuffs were unbuttoned, the shirtsleeves had plenty of room, and the waistcoat wasn’t an issue at all. He’d winked when Alfie had removed his trousers, but climbed into bed when directed. And if Alfie had caught himself staring at Dominick’s bare arse as he did, that was only fair.
He went to double check the door was locked, then crossed through the passage into Dominick’s room to check that lock for good measure. Confirming they were tucked away safely for the night, he made short work of his own clothing.
“Something occurs to me,” Dominick said as Alfie was piling his clothes on a chair for Jarrett to sort in the morning.
“Oh?”
Dominick was sitting up in bed, watching him. “It occurs to me that I might not be able to use my hands, but there’s nothing you can’t do with yours.”
He looked pointedly down at where the blankets were pooling in his lap. “Nothing at all.”
Alfie snorted and Dominick took his amusement as encouragement.
“Think about it,” Dominick said. “Who knows how long I’ll have to put up with these bloody things? Denied even the use of my own hands? They say men can die from that, you know.”
Alfie didn’t want to hear anything about men dying, even as a joke. “And you’re already in peril, are you? After only a few hours?”
“Desperately. Only you can save me, love.”
Alfie went back to rolling up his used cravat. The idea was ridiculous. Dominick was ridiculous. But hadn’t Alfie been looking for a distraction?
He set the cravat down on top of the pile.
Dominick straightened, clearly sensing he’d won. He looked even more delighted when Alfie went over to his dresser and pulled out the bottle of oil within.
“Lie back,” Alfie said.
Dominick did as he was told at once, beaming as Alfie came and stood next to the bed. He pulled down the blankets to find Dominick already half-hard and waiting for him.
“I was expecting just a quick…” Dominick moved his hand in a way that would probably be more obscene if Alfie could see his fingers. “But bringing out the oil? You’re too good for me.”
“Oh, this isn’t for you,” Alfie said. Then he climbed onto the bed, straddling Dominick’s hips again.
Before Dominick could ask any questions, Alfie uncorked the bottle and poured a decent amount over his fingers. Then, making sure Dominick’s eyes were watching his every move, he reached back and slid one inside himself.
“Christ.” Dominick’s whisper was reverent.
Alfie thrust slowly, stretching himself until the finger was buried to the knuckle. Then he added another.
The good thing about doing this himself, rather than having Dominick do it for him, was he could tell exactly what he needed and when he was ready for more without being so blinded by lust he forgot how to form words.
He realised he was rocking back and forth. It felt good, doing this to himself, but it was nothing like the overwhelming sensation of having Dominick in him, preparing him.
He felt a hand on his thigh, then the ends of bandaged fingertips brushed his cock.
He batted Dominick away with his other hand, spilling some of the oil on his chest in the process. He set the bottle on the table beside the bed for safekeeping.
“Ah, ah, ah. No touching. We can’t risk your bandages getting dirty.”
Dominick’s eyes went wide and Alfie saw the exact moment he realised the predicament he’d just gotten himself into.
“You’re a devil.”
Alfie hummed, scissoring his fingers inside himself. “You should, ah, you should have thought of that before you got into bed with me.”
“Christ,” whispered Dominick again, thudding his head back against the pillows.
Before Dominick,Alfie never would have dreamed of doing anything so wanton. But here he was, pleasuring himself in the most forbidden way as his lover watched, naked and now fully hard beneath him, but unable to touch.
Just the idea of it had Alfie’s eyes fluttering shut. He thrust his fingers harder, seeking that perfect spot. He cried out when he hit it, waves of pleasure radiating outwards. He struck it again. He was fully hard now too, without even putting a hand on his prick. For a mad moment, he wondered if he’d be able to climax just from this alone.
Then someone else’s hand was on him, fingertips tracing the length of his cock.
Alfie slit his eyes open the barest fraction. “What did I tell you before?”
Dominick gave him a cheeky smile, fingers following the vein along the underside of Alfie’s cock all the way to the head. It was nearly impossible to keep from leaning into Dominick’s touch, but Alfie resisted. There was a point to be made.
“Oh no,” said Dominick, completely unrepentant. One of his fingertips taped the very tip of Alfie’s prick, bringing up a bead of liquid and making his hips jerk. “I must have forgotten. What are you going to do about it?”
Alfie removed his fingers from his arse, wincing at the loss, and climbed off the bed. Hardly believing his own brazenness, he snatched up his cravat.
“If you can’t follow instructions for your own good, you’ll be made to follow them. Hands out.”
Dominick didn’t move from his sprawl on the bed. He stared at Alfie with wide eyes, and for a moment Alfie was afraid he’d gone too far.
Then Dominick licked his lips. “For my own good?”
Alfie nodded, afraid to say more.
Then Dominick stuck out his hands, his wrists pressed together. “Well, if it’s for my own good.”
It took Alfie longer than he’d have liked to tie Dominick’s wrists together. His fingers were slick and his hands trembled with excitement. Finally though, he got a knot to hold.
“All right? Not too tight?” he asked.
“Perfect.”
About to return to his earlier spot, Alfie gave the knot a last tug. But it hadn’t been centred, and one end of the cravat trailed out in a long tail. Without giving himself time to think, he used the tail of fabric to lift Dominick’s arms over his head and tied it through one of the decorative carvings on the headboard.
This new position accentuated the heavy muscle in Dominick’s arms. It was intoxicating to see all the power that Alfie had just contained—that Dominick had let him contain.
“All right?” he asked again, his mouth dry.
“Fuck, Alfie. I don’t deserve you. Yes, it’s bloody all right. Now get back to whatever torment you have next, devil.”
Alfie resumed his position over Dominick’s hips. He shifted, but he didn’t think he needed any more fingers. What he needed was Dominick. From this angle, he looked even more imposing, the muscles of his arms flexing as he tested his bonds, elbows slightly bent and his shoulders spread to their broadest by the angle of his arms. He looked like some hero or god from a myth and Alfie was the wicked monster who’d captured him.
Better make the best of him then.
He ran his hands over Dominick’s chest, gathering up the remnants of the oils that had spilled there. There was enough to coat Alfie’s dry hand, the one wearing Dominick’s ring, and he used both hands to slick Dominick’s cock.
Dominick bucked up, but Alfie had been expecting it and waited him out, swapping hands when it suited him, or using one to tease Dominick’s bollocks.
Dominick gave a wordless moan and closed his eyes. That wouldn’t do at all.
Alfie shuffled forward, rising up on his knees and feeling a twinge in his leg that said he’d likely regret this in the morning. He stopped moving his hands, still holding Dominick’s prick beneath him, but no longer stroking or teasing.
Dominick took several deep breaths, then opened his eyes.
“Why’d you—”
Alfie didn’t let him finish his question before sinking down on his cock. He probably should have used a third finger first, but the stretch of Dominick inside him, just this side of pain, was worth it. He was thick, and the burn of trying to make room for all of him had Alfie gasping.
He rode out the feeling, fingers clenching and unclenching against Dominick’s stomach. Then the burn eased, and there was nothing left but Dominick .
Alfie rose up, just a few inches, but coming back down knocked all the breath out of him. He did it again, changing the angle a little this time, but it still wasn’t quite right.
Leaning forward, he ran his fingers through the golden thicket of Dominick’s chest hair and braced his weight on Dominick’s chest. This time when he came down, sparks burst behind his eyes as Dominick’s cock hit the spot inside him he’d been aiming for.
“Nick,” he panted. When he dropped down again, Dominick rose to meet him, his heels digging into the mattress, and the sparks turned to white flame.
“You’re so beautiful,” Dominick murmured, groaning into another thrust. “So beautiful for me.”
Alfie kept going, revelling in the feel of Dominick below him. He shifted his hands, scratching Dominick’s nipple with his fingernail and earning him a bitten off shout. So he did it again, scratching, twisting, and teasing until Dominick was less thrusting and more just writhing beneath him.
But too soon, that twinge in his leg became an ache and Alfie found he couldn’t lift himself as high as before, then could barely lift himself at all.
“Nick,” he said, his voice nearly a sob. “I can’t. My leg.”
“Fuck. All right. I’ve got this part. Just touch yourself, love, let me see how gorgeous you are when you spend.”
Keeping one hand on Dominick’s chest for balance, Alfie immediately took hold of himself with the other. It wouldn’t take very long, not with Dominick still thrusting up into him, driving his shoulders down into the mattress as he rose up to give Alfie what he needed. Dominick’s strength was incredible and right now, it was leashed, harnessed all for him.
Alfie kept his eyes on Dominick’s so he caught the crafty look in them just before he heaved up in hard double thrust, bouncing Alfie on his lap.
That was all it took. Alfie gasped as his climax overtook him. Seeing his spend coat Dominick’s stomach and up his chest was enough to get him to spend again. He collapsed down onto the sticky mess, still riding up and down as Dominick continued to thrust into him as best he could. The new angle gave Dominick little leverage and with his hands tied, there was nothing he could do about it. If Alfie wanted to, he could leave him like that, used for Alfie’s pleasure and left unfulfilled. The thought was enough to make his prick twitch weakly where it was pressed between their bodies.
“Love, please. I need more,” Dominick’s voice was fraught. He was so close, but only Alfie could control if he climaxed or not. But more than anything, Alfie wanted Dominick to be happy and he knew one sure way to do that.
Dominick’s nipple was right in front of his face. His were more sensitive than Alfie’s, in fact, they were one of his few weak spots. Alfie bit down hard, then laved his tongue over the abused flesh.
Dominick’s breath caught in his throat and his body went rigid. Alfie bit him again for good measure, and then Dominick was spilling into him. The feeling of the hot spend filling him made Alfie feel possessed and possessive. He clenched down, revelling as Dominick shuddered with aftershocks.
When their breathing returned to normal, Alfie lifted himself just enough for Dominick’s prick to slide free, missing the loss already.
Then he reached up and untied the knot that bound Dominick to the headboard. It took even longer to untie than it had to tie, as Dominick’s pulling had tightened it, but after picking at it with his fingernails, he was finally able to get him free.
Dominick’s arms, wrists still bound together, immediately came down around him, cradling Alfie against his chest.
“Are you sore?” Alfie asked, rubbing Dominick’s forearm.
“Not enough to bother me,” Dominick replied. “Are you?”
“Not enough to bother me.”
It was another few minutes before he could pick apart the knots holding Dominick’s wrists together, but finally the mangled cravat pulled loose. Alfie wanted to fall asleep right there in the circle of Dominick’s arms, but he could already feel his own come growing cold and tacky between them, never mind the mess of Dominick’s. He regretted returning the cloth to the wash basin, but it was only a few steps and with Dominick’s hands bandaged, the responsibility of cleaning them up was fully his.
With another groan, this one not containing any pleasure at all, he retrieved the cloth, but could only bother tossing it to the floor once they were clean. Another problem he’d think about tomorrow.
Dominick was already snoring when Alfie sunk back down against him, running his fingers through the slightly damp chest hair, his head cradled on Dominick’s shoulder. As Alfie drifted off, he thought he heard a cry in the distance, something mournful but this time, it was also triumphant.
Before he could be certain, Alfie was asleep and the sound drifted off into the night.