in0 (20 page)

“But…” Jonathan was speechless. He had been anticipating returning the favor to Phillip and was keenly disappointed. Not only that, he couldn’t believe that just the act of sucking his cock had made Phillip come. It was a heady feeling, a powerful feeling.

“I told you I should be thanking you,” Phillip said. At Jonathan’s continued silence, Phillip reached out and held onto the side of Jonathan’s head, his thumb caressing Jonathan’s sharp cheekbone. “I told you it was a feeling I’ve never had before. The joy of finally being able to love you, Jonathan, the excitement of holding you in my mouth, tasting you, it was enough. I came with you. Thank you.”

Jonathan felt a huge grin spread across his face. It was arrogant, it was satisfied and he knew it, he just didn’t care. An answering smile was Phillip’s response. Phillip leaned forward and took Jonathan’s lips.

He took them as he had the night before, as he had this morning, as if he owned them. His kiss was dominant, blatantly sexual and thrilling. Jonathan surrendered to its power, giving his lips, himself over to Phillip, enjoying this kiss more than those that had gone before because he was no longer denying what he knew to be true. He loved Phillip and Phillip loved him, and they were lovers. Tonight Phillip would make Jonathan his in the most primal way, and that knowledge was in his kiss, arousing Jonathan yet again.

A sudden knock at the study door had them pulling apart quickly. Jonathan lost his balance and fell backward on his hands. He looked completely decadent, and Phillip was mesmerized. Jonathan’s shirt was completely undone and pushed off his shoulders, caught in the bend of his arms, flowing around his muscular torso, framing it beautifully. His biceps were pronounced as he held himself up by his hands, and they tempted him nearly as much as the still semi-erect penis rising from the nest of Jonathan’s dark hair. His pants were still down around his boot tops, so Phillip could admire the firm muscles of his thighs, the smooth curve of his hips. Without thought hishands reached out to touch, to claim, to arouse, to satisfy. A second urgent knock brought him to his senses.

“What the bloody hell do you want?” he barked out, frustrated in his desires.

“You have visitors, Mr. Neville,” Sheldrake intoned flatly from the other side of the door.

Suddenly there was the rattling sound of the knob turning, and another voice spoke.

“Let us in, old man, we’ve come to nose around, I mean visit.” Tony’s voice was amused and they could hear him and Jason laughing.

“Don’t come in,” Phillip commanded loudly, scrambling around to Jonathan’s side to block him from sight of the door. He sighed with relief when it wasn’t necessary. Immediately, before it was even open an inch, the door closed with a snap.

“What on earth are we all standing in the hallway for?” Kate’s voice came clearly through the door, and Jonathan groaned as Phillip closed his eyes in frustration. They flew open again at the next comment.

“I daresay Phillip and Maggie are in a compromising position,” Veronica said dryly.

“Oh God,” Phillip moaned painfully. He was quite sure no one had ever had such poor timing as their old friends.

Page 84

Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv
erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

“Oh of course!”Kate trilled happily from the hallway. “Well, we’ll just wait in the drawing room, hmmm?

There is an available drawing room, correct? Hello, Maggie!”

Phillip and Jonathan looked at one another in dawning horror. There was no way to extricatethemselves without revealing Maggie was not here.

“Hello? Maggie?” Kate persisted. “Really, dear, there’s no need to be embarrassed. You are still newlyweds.” They actually heard the door rattle again, and Jonathan began scrambling to right his clothing, nearly tripping over Phillip who was ineffectually trying to help.

“Kate, for God’s sake,” Jason said, exasperated, and the rattling stopped. “Just say hello, Maggie, so we can go sip lukewarm tea.”

Jonathan cleared his throat. Phillip could feel his eyes widen in disbelief. Jonathan shrugged a frantic question at him, and he had no idea how to answer. Let Jonathan decide this one, he thought.

“Umm,” Jonathan said into the sudden silence on the other side of the door, “it’s not Maggie. It’s me, Jonathan.”

Veronica’s laughter broke the tension. “Oh this is too much!” Veronica roared.“Oh how utterly delicious! Do I get to tell everyone?”

“Veronica!” Kate’s voice was stern, but it softened considerably at her next comment.“Well, how foolish of us not to see that possibility, my dears. We’ll be in the drawing room. Take your time.”

At her last comment, Jason and Tony were apparently unable to repress their hilarity a moment longer, and their laughter encouraged Veronica’s to new heights.

Phillip turned to look at Jonathan, and he couldn’t help it. He began to grin and was relieved when Jonathan did the same.

“Well, I daresay it’s going to be hard to be dignified when we walk in the drawing room,” Phillip drawled.

“Dignified?” Jonathan snorted. “I shouldn’t even try for it. I’m going for the brandy decanter immediately.” He finally managed to stand with Phillip’s help, and between the two of them they got his pants up. They were laughing too hard to button his shirt for at least a minute or two.

They walked to the door together, and Phillip couldn’t resist pulling Jonathan to him for one last kiss. It was short but tender, with a promise of the night to come. Words weren’t necessary as they parted and Phillip opened the door.

Only to find Sheldrake on the other side.“I’ve sent refreshments to the drawing room, sir,” he said to Phillip, straight faced. “I’ve also sent your man up with hot water to shave Mr. Overton and lay out some fresh clothing.” His face was impassive, but his eyes were merry.

Phillip cleared his throat as he watched Jonathan’s cheeks flush in embarrassment. “Yes, well, thank you, Sheldrake. Well done.” He grabbed Jonathan’s elbow and steered him toward the stairs. He hadn’t even thought to clean up before seeing Jason and family. He was too besotted with love and desire to think clearly. Thank God for Sheldrake. He felt himself smile inanely and, grabbing Jonathan’shand, ran
Page 85

Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv
erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

up the stairs, dragging him laughing behind him.

Jonathan discovered to his relief half an hour later that he was able to be friendly and nonchalant around their friends if not dignified. He was in a daze, this morning’s intense experience with Phillip almost like a dream. Had his best friend really become his lover? He closed his eyes briefly and envisioned Phillip as he’d been that morning, kneeling at his feet, sucking Jonathan’s cock voraciously, swallowing his seed even as Phillip himself came at the pleasure of having Jonathan’s cock in his mouth, his naked body at his disposal. He found it hard to concentrate on what Jason was saying, even though he was talking about Robertson being still at large.

The memory made Jonathan’s cock begin to swell, and his eyes flew open in alarm, only to encounter the amused glance of Tony. The other man walked over to him where he stood by the window.

“So I take it things are better here than they were when you were at our house recently?” Tony asked carefully, his glance shrewd.

Jonathan took a sip of tea and as Jason had predicted it was indeed lukewarm. He used the time to form an answer.

“Yes, all is well,” he replied noncommittally.

Tony laughed low. “Come now,Jonathan, that was very circumspect. This is Tony you’re talking to. You came to us for help with Maggie. Has she come around?”

Jonathan sighed and put his cup down. It was obvious Tony would not be put off, and really they did owe him and Jason and Kate a debt of gratitude. Their intervention had, Jonathan believed, helped bring Maggie to them.

“Yes,” he smiled at Tony, “Maggie has accepted both of us in her life, much as you and Kate and Jason are together.”

Tony clapped him on the shoulder gently. “I’m glad, Jonathan. You seem happier than I’ve ever seen you—both of you. How does Maggie feel about the two of you?”

Jonathan tensed. In spite of Phillip’s assurances this morning, he was apprehensive about telling Maggie that the two men she had only just welcomed to her bed had turned around and become lovers only hours later. It had only been a short time ago that Maggie was a reluctant lover to her husband. Yes, she seemed to have come out of her shell, sexually speaking, but would the thought of her two male lovers fucking each other drive her back into it? Jonathan realized his greatest fear was that Maggie would make him and Phillipgive one another up if they wanted to be with her. He didn’t think he could do it. He wasn’t willing to give her up either. Would they have to woo her back to their bed again by seducing her into accepting their new physical relationship?

His prolonged silence alerted Tony that something was wrong. “She doesn’t approve?” he asked, his voice neutral.

“No, no, it’s not that,” Jonathan rushed to assure him. He’d not have Tony thinking ill of Maggie. She had never spoken an unkind word about him and Jason, and she knew the nature of their relationship.

The thought made Jonathan perk up.

“It’s just that, well, she doesn’t know,” Jonathan finished hearing the guilt and uncertainty in his own
Page 86

Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv
erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

voice.

“She doesn’t know?” Tony didn’t even try to mask his incredulity, and his voice had risen. “What do you mean she doesn’t know?”

His comments drew the attention of the other occupants of the room. Wolf Tarrant and Michael Kensington had been with the other four when they arrived but were waiting quite properly in the drawing room for their host and hostess, thus missing the scene at the study door. It was apparent, however, that they had been informed by the time Jonathan and Phillip had come down.

At Tony’s comment, Phillip walked over to him and Jonathan. “We have every intention of telling her, Tony. It’s not as if we’ve been consorting behind her back.”

Jason stalked over to them, Kate hurrying in his wake. “Isn’t it, if she doesn’t know? How long has this been going on?”

At his tone, Phillip’s face closed in on itself, and he raised a haughty eyebrow at Jason. Before he could speak, Jonathan reached out and laid a hand on his arm. When Phillip looked at him, he shook his head slightly, and he felt the muscles in Phillip’s arm relax. He saw the others note the intimacy, but he didn’t care. They already knew, and he did not want Phillip to say something that might jeopardize their friendship with Jason.

“I know you’re only concerned for Maggie’s welfare, Jason, but this is really between the three of us,”

Jonathan told the older man quietly. “Because you are a good friend to us, all of you,” he paused to look around the room at the others, “I will tell you that this…aspect of our relationship is quite new, and before we entered into anything we made the decision to include Maggie as soon as possible. And then you arrived.” This last was said with a rueful smile and got the desired effect. Jason laughed and so did the others and a crisis was averted.

“By God, I’ve never been accused of having bad timing before, but clearly we intruded more than we planned. I’m sorry, boys, we shall take our leave.” There was a general milling as everyone moved toward the drawing room door.

“I really think it wise of you to tell Maggie as soon as possible, you two,” Kate was saying as the drawing room door opened to reveal Maggie herself. She was dressed in a beautiful peach morning gown, the color bringing roses to her cheeks and making her dark hair gleam in contrast. She was so beautiful that for a moment Jonathan couldn’t speak, could hardly think if the truth were known.

“Tell me what?” Maggie asked with a smile as she reached both hands out to Kate in welcome. Kate took her hands and the women exchanged light kisses on the cheek in greeting. Nothing would do after except that everyonegreet Maggie with kisses, and in the boisterous melee Jonathan and Phillip exchanged an uneasy glance. Jonathan’s hope that Maggie had forgotten the comment was crushed immediately however.

“How sweet you all are!” she exclaimed. “But you’re not leaving already, are you? I wouldn’t have been such a slug-a-bed if I’d known you were all here.” She held onto Kate’s hand as she turned to Phillip and Jonathan with a smile. “You’re both awful to have a party here without me. Now, what do you need to tell me?”

Her unwitting double entendre had several cheeks blushing as the others suddenly remembered they were leaving. Maggie tried to talk them into staying, but they made vague excuses about another
Page 87

Generated by ABC Amber LIT Conv
erter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html

engagement, promising to return soon and to send warning when they did. This last was said by Jason with a grin at Jonathan and Phillip, and then they were gone.

Maggie turned to them with a sweet smile after the door closed. Jonathan couldn’t resist stepping close to her, pressing up against her side and feeling her heat and the gentle swell of her hip and dip of her waist caressing his stomach and cock through his clothes. He pulled her hand to his lips and placed a kiss there on her palm, his eyes closing at the smell and taste and touch of her.

“Darlings,” Maggie whispered, and Jonathan opened his eyes to see Phillip on her other side. Maggie looked between them, her gaze tender and yet scorching as he saw the memories of last night there.

Phillip had also pressed himself against her and was nuzzling her neck. “I missed you both this morning, you naughty boys, leaving me all alone in that great big bed that smelled like you.”

Jonathan grinned, and he felt Phillip chuckle, the vibration passing through Maggie to him. What a glorious thing, the communion of that.

“We thought you might need a little rest, dear,” Phillip drawled as he pulled away from her neck. “We do have a lifetime, you know. There’s no need to wear you out so soon.”