Page 26 of The Labours of Lord Perry Cavendish

“You haven’t upset me,” Jonny assured him quickly, dashing the tears away with the back of his hand and giving Perry a tremulous smile. “Truly, it's just that I’m just a hopeless watering pot. Adam will tell you—the least little thing sets me off. Please ignore my foolishness.”

He glanced away then, and Perry had the sudden sense that without his realising it, something had changed in the last few moments. He went to reach for Jonny, to take his chin and turn his gaze back to meet Perry's, but the man was already moving away, clambering off Perry and the bed and crossing the floor to pick up his discarded drawers. He pulled them on, heedless of the remnants of grease and spilled seed on his body.

Perry watched him helplessly, his stomach twisting as his own words echoed in his head.

“It was the most wonderful thing that’s ever happened to me.”

“We should probably retire to our own beds,” Jonny said as he fastened his drawers. He didn't look up from what he was doing, and his voice was perfectly level. If Perry hadn't seen that sudden gleam of tears, he wouldn’t have guessed anything was wrong. But hehadseen it, and now he couldn’t un-see it.

Jonny strolled over to the jug and basin on the sideboard and dampened a cloth, which he brought to Perry, handing it to him with a smile. “Here,” he said, and Perry took it.

Despite Jonny’s relaxed demeanour and pleasant smile, Perry knew with sudden conviction that Jonny regretted what they'd just done. There were subtle signs in the tense lines of Jonny’s body and the unhappy shadow in his hazel eyes that his easy smile could not banish.

Perry only wished he knew why Jonny regretted it. What was it that Perry had done wrong?

Perhaps he hadn’t done anything.

Perhaps Jonny had simply come to his senses once his lusts had been satisfied, and he’d realised that the last thing he wanted to do was encourage the pathetic attentions of Zander’s none-too-bright friend.

“It was the most wonderful thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Perry closed his eyes and wished to God he could take those hasty, eager words back.

When he opened his eyes again, it was to see Jonny rifling in his wardrobe and pulling out a dressing gown.

Perry took the hint. He cleaned himself up with the damp cloth, then jumped out of bed and reached for his discarded drawers. Without bothering to fasten them, he yanked his pantaloons on top and quickly donned his shirt too, before rolling up the rest of his clothes in a rough bundle.

When he looked at Jonny again, the man had his usual confident expression firmly back in place: a slight arch to one eyebrow, a quirk to his lips. He even seemed faintly amused, as though he was about to utter one of his witty little asides.

Perry might be a bit dim sometimes, but he knew a mask when he saw one. He’d seen how Jonny really felt a few minutes ago.

“Well,” Jonny said smoothly. "Thank you for a lovely evening.” There was a subtle but definite note of dismissal in his voice. Ayou’ll-be-getting-on-your-way-thentone that Perry had heard often enough in his life to accurately peg.

He knew when he wasn’t wanted.

“Likewise,” Perry replied politely, making for the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” His mild tone belied the churning feeling in his stomach.

And then he was out and closing the door behind him.

A few steps took him across the hallway to his own bedchamber.

Once inside, he sat heavily on the edge of his bed, in the darkness, and rubbed the back of his neck.

Tonight had been a mistake. He wasn’t entirely sure why. What they had done together had felt wonderful, at least, it had to him, but at some point, Jonny had had second thoughts.

“It was the most wonderful thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Perry felt sick remembering those words now. They had shown too much of his own heart. Had shown Jonny something he had not wanted to see.

Somehow, tomorrow, Perry was going to have to pretend he didn’t mind that Jonny had had second thoughts about taking Perry to bed—or that those second thoughts had arrived within moments of him spending all over Perry’s belly.

Well, that was a problem for tomorrow.

For now, for tonight, he only wanted to sleep. To forget about his humiliation for a few hours.

With a heavy sigh, Perry got to his feet and began to undress again.

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