Page 3 of The Marquess and the Earl (The Unlikely Betrothal #3)

Chapter 3

S leep hadn’t come easy for Nate the previous evening. The connection he felt between him and Lord Knox drove him to distraction. He retraced and dissected every piece of their conversation and the man’s reaction to him, hoping he wasn’t reading into the attraction he believed the man might have for him. He knew for certain he hadn’t experienced such intensity for another in quite a long time.

He was the kind of man who enjoyed romance, and something more than casual interactions with men, with the right man. It was difficult in their society, and sometimes trysts and flings were all that could be afforded.

Part of him felt guilty for the attraction and intrigue he had for another man, but he knew his dear departed love would want him to be happy. Juliana reminded him of the same repeatedly. Deep down, he knew he must move on at some point, but if he found someone he could consider giving his heart to again, it scared him. Even more so was the fact that he wasn’t yet certain if the man was even interested in him. He could have read him all wrong, which wouldn’t do at all.

He threw the covers back and set about readying himself for the day. Thompson knocked on the door a few moments later to help him dress. Once he was freshly shaved and donning a perfectly tailored coat and breeches, he departed to join the rest of the party in the breakfast room.

Upon exiting his room, the door next to his own opened, and Knox emerged. If Nate had known that the man who consumed his thoughts all evening was sleeping just next door to him, sleep would have evaded him completely. He wasn’t certain how he would manage later that evening, other than from sheer exhaustion.

“Good morning,” he said, noting the surprised reaction from Knox as well.

“Good day, my lord.”

The pair fell in step beside each other.

“We still have our deal. I shall protect you from yard games,” Nate said, assessing the man’s response .

Knox shook his head and laughed. “Do you always play the part of the hero?”

Nate shrugged. “For some. Depends on who you ask.” He hoped the man might give him anything that would be a sign that he was interested in more than polite, gentlemanly friendship. With any luck, much more.

But while Knox was engaging and attentive to him, Nate still wasn’t sure.

When they arrived at the breakfast room, many other guests were already there. They each made their plates at the sideboard, and he decided to be bold and take a seat right beside where Knox sat. A hint of sandalwood from the soap Knox must have used wafted in Nate’s direction, and he fought not to close his eyes at the sensation.

He imagined that he might find a reason to press his thigh against Knox’s or to lean closer, if only to ascertain if it would garner a reaction. But he couldn’t do such a thing in the middle of the breakfast room, with the rest of the guests bearing witness. That was a gamble a man in his position could never take without the certainty of how the attention would be received.

Lady Lily was seated on the other side of Knox, and she took up most of the man’s attention. Nate noted that Knox didn’t seem to flirt with her or attempt to win her to his suit, but it wasn’t a definitive conclusion as to whether the man might have an interest in him .

Nate spent most of breakfast staring at his plate and listening to their conversation, still seeking any clues about the mysterious man who captured his attention.

Once everyone had finished with their breakfast, Lady Ockham encouraged them to move outdoors. The entire party did as she directed, and soon everyone stood in a circle around her.

“I want everyone to pair off in teams for a game of Pall Mall, and there will be a prize for the winning team.”

Nate held back and waited to see which young lady might need a partner. He typically preferred to partner with ladies who struggled to find partners otherwise. He took the same approach in ballrooms. Nate did his best to help build the confidence of the overlooked young ladies, while not encouraging them to set their cap at him.

He caught Knox’s gaze and nodded towards the area that had been set up for the spectators. Knox rewarded him with a grin and backed away. Nate noticed that Miss Watson was without a partner. She was the daughter of a baron and commonly pretty. He would assume she was shy, given she just had her first season out in society.

“Miss Watson, might you be willing to partner with me?”

She giggled. “I would be delighted.”

He stood beside her while the rest of the pairings lined up to begin the game .

The game wasn’t usually played with partners, but Nate assumed that Lady Ockham altered the game to encourage couples to pair off and spend time together. They would take turns hitting the same ball, which would mean he would be at the mercy of the skill of Miss Watson to determine if they might have a chance at besting their opponents.

When it was their turn, he motioned for Miss Watson to go first. From the first hit, he knew they were going to be in for a long game, and it was unlikely they would win. At least that would take the pressure off, and he could focus more of his attention on the man who watched from the sidelines.

When their turn came again, Nick stepped up to the ball. He stretched and flexed, putting on a show, then took his hit, quick and smooth, sending the ball through the first wicket.

He glanced over at the sidelines to see if Knox had been watching and found him beaming and clapping along with the other spectators. Nate caught his gaze and gave him a nod. He could have sworn that the man smiled wider, but it might have been his imagination.

Each time Nate took his turn, he fell into a similar cadence. He did what he could to encourage the man to take notice of him and watched to see if he did. They had fallen behind after a few horrendous plays from Miss Watson, but Nate didn’t care. He found he was enjoying the game. The one on the field, as well as the one he played with the man on the sidelines.

Hours later, when the game was over, Lady Eliza and Lord Irvine were declared the winners and awarded their prizes. The group dispersed to roam the grounds, take naps, tend to correspondence, and whatever else they wished to do until a late luncheon would be served on the terrace.

Nate thanked Miss Watson for partnering with him and took off for the sidelines where Knox still watched him.

“You held up your end of the bargain,” Nate said to him. “I only apologize that your cheering efforts didn’t produce a win.”

Knox grinned and Nate’s heart beat harder. “That hardly seemed to be any fault of yours. You play splendidly.”

“I thought of exploring Ockham’s library. Would you care to join me?” Nate asked. The man’s response would be telling, and perhaps if he could get him alone, he might determine once and for all if the attraction was one-sided.

“I would enjoy that. I hear he has quite the collection.”

Nate fought not to smile too wide as it wasn’t a confirmation, but it gave him a bit more hope .

The pair crossed the yard and ascended the steps of the terrace. Nate navigated them to where he understood the private library to be. Once they reached the door, he motioned for Knox to enter first. Nate followed and closed the door behind them once he realized they were alone.

He swallowed hard and turned towards where Knox was. The man was skimming various titles along the shelves. He glanced at Nate and said, “There are so many wonderful editions.”

Nate clasped his hands behind his back and watched. He thought he noticed a familiar bulge in the man’s breeches, but then Knox turned to look at shelves behind him. Nate pushed aside the thoughts that staring at the man’s backside ignited within him as it wouldn’t do to lose himself.

Knox reached for a book above his head and struggled to grab it. Nate was only about two inches or so taller than him, but it would be enough. “Allow me.” He came up behind Knox and reached for the book, his front pressed against the man’s bottom, his cock aware of the proximity. He grabbed the book and backed away to hand it to him.

Knox turned to grab the book, and Nate’s gaze dropped to the man’s crotch, which tested the integrity of the buttons that held his falls in place. Nate grinned and thanked the stars that his instincts had been right.

The man noticed where Nate had focused and hurried to place the book in front of himself. “My lord, I, uh, it’s not…”

“You have nothing to be embarrassed about,” Nate said softly. “Nor do you need to hide your attraction from me. Anything you feel is quite all right.”

Knox swallowed hard, and his neck was flushed. Nate hadn’t been with countless men, but with the experience he did have, he suspected from the uneasiness in his reaction that Knox didn’t have any experience with men. Or he hadn’t glanced between Nate’s thighs to notice that he sported the same bulge and returned his attraction.

Nate turned away and started towards the door.

“My lord,” Knox called out, trepidation in his voice, “please don’t go.”

Nate turned the lock on the door and turned back to face him.

“I just didn’t wish for anyone to enter.”

Knox nodded in understanding and released a sigh of relief, his eyelids heavy with desire. Nate crossed the room back to him. He stepped close and ran his knuckles along the man’s jaw, pleased that he didn’t flinch or back away .

“Have you ever been kissed by a man?” Nate asked, his voice low and gravelly.

Knox swallowed again and shook his head.

“Would you like for me to kiss you?”

“Yes,” he said, but it came out more of a sigh than a word.

Nate shifted his knuckles under the man’s jaw and tilted his chin up to him, then lowered his lips to press them against his. Knox shifted his hands to clasp Nate’s shoulders, and Nate responded by wrapping his arm around the man’s waist and pulling him against his body. He deepened the kiss, running his tongue at the seam of Knox’s lips until he opened for him, allowing him to slip his tongue inside. He wasn’t certain that anything had ever tasted as good.

He massaged his tongue harder against Knox’s, and the man’s hand found its way into Nate’s hair, which caused him to moan into their kiss. The reaction ignited something in Knox, and he took more control of the kiss, their tongues warring and their bodies pressed together. Nate clasped the man’s tight bottom and pulled him harder against his aching cock.

Knox broke the kiss. “May I touch you?” he asked.

Nate grinned and placed a light kiss on his lips. “You can touch me anywhere you like. You needn’t ask. ”

Knox grinned at him and licked his lips. The action sent electric surges straight to Nate’s cock. The man ran his hands down Nate’s body until he reached his falls. Each move of the man’s hand as he worked the buttons drove Nate further into madness. His cock sprang to life between them and Knox gripped it with his hand, lazily stroking it.

“That feels so good,” Nate whispered, slowly rocking his hips against the man’s hand. “Please tell me I can touch you.”

Knox grinned at him. “You needn’t ask.”

Nate made quick work of unbuttoning the man’s falls, requiring no further invitation, and in a matter of moments, he gripped the rock-hard cock of the man before him.

Nate lowered his lips again and swept his tongue into Knox’s mouth, tasting the tea with honey on his breath. He matched the pace of his tongue’s movements to that of his hand before he backed Knox towards the settee in the study, not breaking their kiss. When the back of the man’s legs reached the settee, he urged him to sit.

He knelt before him, positioning himself between his legs, and massaged his thighs as he looked up at him. “Has anyone sucked your cock before?” Nate asked, looking up at him .

Knox reached out and cupped Nate’s cheeks, running his hands behind his head into his hair, capturing his gaze. “Not by a man.”

Something about knowing he would be the first man to introduce Knox to such things only made the moment more thrilling. He lowered his mouth over the man’s cock, sucking inch after inch into his mouth until he took the entire thing. Knox bucked and moaned, gripping Nate’s head as he licked and sucked his thick shaft.

Nate slipped his hand between his own legs and stroked himself to the same pace he set for moving his mouth up and down on Knox’s cock. After several hard sucks, Nate was rewarded for his efforts when his mouth filled with warm proof and ragged pants and groans from Knox. He swallowed down and sucked every drop until Knox stilled, fighting to catch his breath.

Nate continued to stroke himself, looking up at Knox, sated and watching him.

“Please, let me,” Knox pleaded. “I have never made anyone, besides myself, come before.”

Nate almost spent at the words but ceased his movements and brought himself to stand before the irresistible man. “I’ll spend no matter what you use, your hand or your mouth. Your choice. Whatever you wish.”

Knox gripped the cock before him, still seated, so he was at eye level with Nate’s large shaft. He made a fist around it and stroked it with his hand. Nate moved his hips to push himself into Knox’s hand, imagining what it might feel like if the man was bent over before him. Perhaps that would occur soon enough. Given Knox’s inexperience, he mustn’t rush things, but a man could dream.

The man’s warm tongue brushed the end of Nate’s cock, causing him to cry out. “Oh, fuck.”

It had been so long since he had been touched by anyone but his own hand, and the experience proved to be intoxicating.

Knox must have liked the outburst because he sucked in more of Nate’s shaft, still stroking the base. The man was a quick study. He sucked harder, and Nate came undone, thrusting himself against the man’s mouth and fist.

“I’m going to…” He thought to warn the man in case he wasn’t ready for the warm eruption that was inevitably coming. Knox responded by sucking hard, and Nate rocked his hips one more time, and his balls tightened as he released everything he had onto the man’s willing tongue.

Knox must have swallowed it all and fell back against the settee, looking up at Nate. Nate wasn’t certain he had ever seen anything more attractive than the sight of that perfect man sated and gazing up at him, having just swallowed everything he gave him. He wasn’t certain what he saw in Knox’s eyes, but it took Nate’s ragged breath away. He hadn’t been hopeful he might find someone he even wanted to feel a deeper affection with until Knox looked up at him that way.

Drawing a deep breath to return the air to his lungs, Nate tucked himself back inside his falls and buttoned them. They had been quite fortunate that no one had knocked on the door or attempted to enter. Nate pulled Knox to stand and buttoned his falls back for him, too. The action felt intimate, and Nate found he liked it. Too much. As much as he had been scared and saddled with guilt over the notion of finding such intimacy with someone else, he craved it with this man.

“My lord,” Knox started before Nate cut him off.

“Nate, please. I believe we can dispense with the formalities.”

He nodded. “I am George.”

“George,” Nate said, trying it out on his lips.

“Nate, should we discuss what just occurred?”

Nate placed a quick kiss on George’s lips to reassure him. “Yes, but not here. We have been hidden away in here for far too long. We shall have a chance again soon.”

George nodded, biting his bottom lip.

Unable to resist, Nate kissed him again and then soothed the place that George had just bit with his tongue. “You were perfect, and I very much want to get to know each other better. We just have to be careful.”

That seemed to ease George’s worried expression. Nate kissed him one more time, hoping the man wouldn’t worry for a second that Nate had taken pleasure from him with no further intention. That couldn’t be further from the truth.