Chapter 11 #2
George stared at him with wide eyes, gnawing lightly on his bottom lip. “Are you—” he began, only to break off, his cheeks flushing. “That is, does this invitation have anything to do with last night?”
“Last night?” Theo echoed. “You mean… what happened at Redford’s?”
“Yes,” George whispered. “Is that—is that why you’re asking me? Because you want to—” Again he broke off, his flush deepening further. “You’re probably not thinking any such thing…” He trailed off uncertainly.
Theo barked out a laugh. “Are you asking me if I have designs on your virtue?” George glanced around in horror, checking to see if anyone was near enough to overhear them, though Theo would never have said such a thing unless he was already sure no one was.
“No, no, I realise you wouldn’t want that!” George protested, his expression agonised. “That is, you couldn’t possibly want—”
“Couldn’t I?” Theo interrupted, lifting his brow. “George, I would be more than happy to repeat last night, if you wanted to. I enjoyed our encounter immensely, but I would never press you to agree to something you didn’t want.”
George stared at him for what felt like several long, agonising moments, his face very pink. “I enjoyed it too,” he said faintly, “but I’m not sure we should repeat it. You see what we did as something purely physical, an appetite to be satisfied. I don’t think that’s how I’m made.”
Theo couldn’t deny the truth of what George had said about him. He only wanted passing pleasure from his lovers. If George was looking for sentimental feelings, he was right to have reservations—that was not something Theo could give him.
Yet he couldn’t quite let go of the possibility of… something.
Setting his hand at the side of George's neck, he allowed himself the brief indulgence of stroking his thumb along George’s jaw, enjoying the rasp of faint whiskers there, and the way George shivered at his touch.
“Come as my friend,” he said at last. “But know that if you decide to join me in my bed, you will be welcome any time.” Reluctantly, he dropped his hand back to his side. “I will be very glad to have your company either way, as a friend, or as a lover.”
George stared at him, wide-eyed. Then he gave an astonished, almost giddy laugh. “Well, then.” He bit his lip, considering, and Theo was surprised to realise how nervous he felt, waiting for George’s answer.
“All right,” George said at length. “I’ll come. I’ve nowhere else I need to be after all, and a change of scenery is very appealing just now.”
Theo grinned, relief and pleasure drenching him. “Excellent! Now, are you sure you can manage the whole journey on horseback without your carriage? Will you miss the velvet upholstery and hot bricks for your feet?”
George laughed. “I’ll have you know I’m a very proficient rider. I don't need velvet and hot bricks.”
George was a damned sight more than merely proficient.
He may not have been particularly keen on team sports at school, but he had always excelled at riding.
Theo vividly remembered seeing him jump a fence at Dinsford Park that was so high, Theo himself would never have attempted it—and Theo was a bruising rider.
But George had sailed over that fence with room to spare and hadn’t even seemed to think it was a particularly impressive feat.
And why that memory should make his cock swell, he didn’t know.
“I admit you’re an excellent horseman,” he replied, shifting a little in an attempt to hide his cockstand. “I remember that very well. Can you climb mountains as well as you ride?”
George laughed. “Probably not, but I’ll do my best.”
“Just make sure you bring stout boots—you’ll need them.”
George’s eyes gleamed. “I can manage stout boots.”
“And since we’re riding all the way there, bear in mind that you’ll only have what you can carry in your saddlebags. You’ll be limited as to what clothing you can take.”
George grinned. “I’m sure I can manage for a week. And if we’re going to your estate after, I can have some more suitable clothing sent up separately.”
Theo grinned at him. “That sounds like an excellent plan,” he agreed. “We’ll be quite disreputable-looking after a week on the road, and we wouldn’t want anyone taking you for a highwayman on your way back to Wiltshire.”
George grinned back. He looked boyishly excited now, his wariness gone. “What time do you plan to set off tomorrow?”
“After breakfast,” Theo said. “I’ll call here at around ten o’clock. I warn you, though, I intend to set a swift pace. I think we can make it to Llanberis in a week, but we’ll be pushing hard every day, so make sure you breakfast well before we leave.”
“I will. A dozen eggs at least.” George's dark eyes were bright with excitement, a wide smile gracing his beautiful mouth.
Theo’s heart briefly stuttered as he eyed George’s mouth, and just for a moment, he felt a pang of worry for himself.
He was so careful, always, not to want more than he could have.
But there was something about George. There always had been.
Perhaps that was why Theo had kept him at arm’s length when they were boys, pushing him away with his curt advice on how to be more assertive, more masculine, more demanding of respect.
Perhaps Theo was making a mistake, arranging to spend so much time with him?
Well, if he was, it was too late. There was no question of reneging his offer now, not when George was looking lighter and happier than he had all day, just at the thought of going on this modest trip.
Shaking off that thought, Theo raised a hand in an awkward farewell. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning, then.”
“Ten o’clock,” George agreed. “I’ll be ready and waiting.”