Page 17 of By Marsh and By Moor (Marsh and Moor #1)

Solomon’s hands came up, and he took Jed’s head between his hands, held him there for a moment just to look at him, then pulled him down for another kiss.

There was a tenderness in the gesture that Jed hadn’t looked for, and he felt a warmth in his chest that had little to do with the brush of cocks between them.

Soon, though, their kisses turned harder, rougher, with a building urgency that shot straight to Jed’s aching balls. He sat back, looking around for the bottle of harness oil he’d left on top of a nearby crate.

After years of hurried couplings in foreign ports, Jed was determined to take his time tonight. Make it worth Solomon’s while. He wanted to give Solomon everything he needed and desired. Wanted to see him lose control. Wanted to open him up and share the secrets carved in his heart.

Solomon was watching him. The undisguised hunger in his gaze went straight to Jed’s gut, coiling inside him, hot and thrilling.

Soon, he was ready. He lowered himself onto Solomon’s cockstand, feeling Solomon slide slick and slow inside, savouring the burn. He had done this many times before, in all manner of arrangements, but tonight he wanted to see Solomon’s face.

Solomon’s lips were pressed tightly together, his long frame taut with the effort of keeping still.

“I’ll tell you when you can move,” Jed said, and felt the shiver that ran through Solomon at that.

Then Jed was fucking himself on Solomon’s prick, hard and slow. Solomon was beautiful beneath him, his face transfigured, bright with the flush of arousal. He put out one hand, reaching for Jed’s, and their hands entwined, gripping tight.

“All right?” Jed gasped out.

“Yes. Christ. Jed. ”

“You’re so good. You’re doing so well, don’t you dare move. God, I’ve wanted you for weeks.”

There was something unbelievably beautiful about this, two bodies made one, cradled by the shadows, pleasure made flesh. Solomon’s hand was still in Jed’s, and he quivered beneath Jed, thighs trembling. Jed hardly noticed the ache in his own thighs.

“Now,” Jed ground out. “Let me have it.”

Then Solomon’s hips were snapping up into him, sending jolts of pleasure rolling through him. They set a frantic pace, fighting together for the perfect rhythm, skirting frustration and finding ecstasy. Solomon had a firm grip on Jed’s arse now, hard enough to bruise, urging him on.

It was a joyful thing to see: Solomon’s naked pleasure, his emotion writ large across his face, that bloody reserve finally abandoned. Jed thrilled at every grunt he wrung from Solomon’s lips, every spasm of pleasure that racked his body.

“Harder. Make me feel it tomorrow.”

They were two sides of the same coin, buckle and strap, hand in glove, fitting perfectly together. They moved together, their ragged breathing filling the waggon, until Solomon was spending inside him.

“Your hand… touch me,” Jed got out, and it took scarcely more than the brush of Solomon’s fingers before he too was spending, pleasure surging through him.

They lay slumped together afterwards, gasping for breath.

“Christ, that was good,” Jed said at last, with feeling.

Solomon laughed softly. He turned his head towards Jed, seeking him in the shadows, and Jed pressed a kiss to his lips.

Next morning, Solomon sucked him off, hard and fast, encouraging Jed to fuck his mouth. Afterwards, they lay panting on their backs, shoulders pressed together. It was still dark outside, and the cock had not yet crowed.

Jed’s entire body felt wrung out. “Christ, you’re good at that.”

“I’ve had a deal of practice.” There was a hint of amusement in Solomon’s voice.

“The delights of London, City of Vice?”

Solomon hummed in agreement. When he spoke, he sounded thoughtful.

“When I was a boy, I heard a lot about the evils of man’s carnal nature.

When I… left home and came to London, I think I felt I had a lot of catching up to do.

” He turned his head to meet Jed’s eye and winked.

“London is a monstrous fine place for a young man looking to meet new friends.”

Jed turned onto his side and put one arm over Solomon’s chest to feel him warm and solid under the palm of his hand, to soak up the pleasure of being so close. A long list of tasks awaited them when the sun rose, but for now they could just lie here together.

In the distant stables, a horse neighed.

A glimmer of dawn was creeping around the canvas doors of the waggon.

Jed tilted his head back, examining Solomon thoughtfully by that pale light.

In some ways, Solomon was almost a different person in bed: more open, readier to share his desires in a way he didn’t share anything else.

“If you want something, you’ll tell me, won’t you?” Jed said impulsively.

“Of course.” He sounded puzzled.

“It’s just… Sometimes I think you have a tendency to… think too much of what other people want.”

Solomon gave him an odd look. “I assure you, I wholeheartedly enjoyed everything we just did. And last night. And the times before that.”

“I know. I just… I didn’t mean in bed, so much as out of it.” He realised he wasn’t quite sure what he did mean. But he was saved from having to explain further by the sudden crowing of a cock from somewhere nearby.

Solomon groaned and sat up, feeling around for his breeches. “Ugh. Still twelve miles to Exeter, en’t it?”

“Speaking of Exeter,” Jed said, with a certain reluctance.

“I was thinking of London, and what you said about how easy it was to meet like-minded men there… There are places of that sort in Exeter too, you know. A certain back street. A secluded corner of the quayside. I’d be glad to give you directions, if you want. ”

He made the offer sincerely: he knew the district, and Solomon didn’t. It seemed only right to share his knowledge. But he found himself caring more about Solomon’s response than he had expected.

Solomon regarded him thoughtfully. “I find I’m satisfied enough for the now.”

Something unknotted inside Jed. “Well, good. Same for me.” He got up, feeling oddly lighter. “Come on. Them horses won’t harness themselves.”