Fortitude - 42. Chapter 42

“We did it.” Teddy and I sat facing each other in the carriage on the way back to my parents’ house. I had my hands folded together, but Teddy was sitting on his to hide the trembling. We were both riding a natural high, but the prospect of what we were about to do loomed high.

“You did it.” He’d led us through the dusty tunnels, eventually leading down to the cell. Better, we’d found keys just inside a heavy, wooden door that led to the cells. I’d snagged them and tried each key on the door until one opened the cell.

It didn’t look like anyone had been in the tunnels for ages, but to be safe, I removed just the key to the cell and replaced the ring on the hook driven into the rock wall.

Teddy smiled. I liked seeing that look on his face. As stressful as everything had been, we were closer than ever before. He was all I needed.

Back at my parents’ house, my mother bombarded us with questions. It was all I could do in order to escape without having to describe the quality of the buckles on Sir Varket’s shoes. “We’re going to organize our next report on the King’s list. Perhaps you may accompany us when we deliver it to the palace” I said. I nudged Teddy, and he backed up. “We’ll be back down for dinner.”

My mother patted her hair. “I’ll have to arrange a beauty parlor then.”

“Oh no, ma’am. You’re quite beautiful as you are,” Teddy said.

She preened, and I nearly gagged. “Thank you, Theodore.”

We made our escape, finally, and hurried along until I could slam my door behind us and lock it. “She is a vulture,” I spat. “Feasting on the rewards from our sacrifice.” It was getting harder to pretend I didn’t know what my parents had done to us.

“After tonight, it won’t matter. She won’t get a dime, and the king will no longer be able to use us with Schvesla’s machine.” Teddy rubbed my shoulders and pulled me into his chest, giving me a one-armed hug. I leaned against him.

“How about a nap?” I asked. “We’ll need the rest, and I didn’t sleep very well last night.”

“I don’t think I’ve slept very well in weeks.” Teddy eyed the bed. “Your mother would have a conniption if she knew we lay down in the middle of the day.”

“Lazy good for nothings, definitely.” I’d heard it before. “But I don’t care.” I nuzzled Teddy’s neck. “I want you.”

“In the light?” Teddy’s eyes were huge, and his cheeks flushed pink.

“You know that saying, ‘You’ll never know what you have ‘til it’s gone’? I don’t want to wait. We’re in danger of being discovered at any time.” Now that we were down to it, now that we were going to find Schvesla’s machine and shut it down that night, my nerves were shot. I was trying to hold it together for Teddy, to remain confident, but if I had my choice, we would never leave my room again.

We’d remain safe together, always. But I knew that wasn’t possible, and so did Teddy. But if we were going to risk death upon discovery, I was going to do it with the sight of him ecstatic in pleasure locked in my memory. I needed the taste of him on my lips and the feel of him in my hands. “Let me love you.”

Teddy nodded, not speaking. I drew off his sling and eased him out of his clothes and onto my neatly made bed. I tore off my vest and shirt, but my fingers fumbled with the ties on my pants.

Finally, I stood bare before him. My chest was rising and falling quickly, and my manhood jutted obscenely in front of me. Teddy licked his lips, and I groaned. We’d touched before but never where I could see the naked want in his eyes.

“Will?” Teddy whispered.

I put one knee on the bed, and then the other, crawling over to him. “I’m here. How’s your arm? Do you need a pillow?” I reached for one, but he stopped me.

“No. I’m fine.” He slid his hand up my arm and then down to my chest, brushing his fingers over my nipple. “They’re so small.”

“And sensitive,” I gasped. He pinched the other one, rolling it between his fingers. My erection brushed against my stomach as my muscles tightened, leaving a wet smear behind. I stilled his hand before he could do it again.

“I want to touch you.” I wanted to be smooth, to seduce him, but my voice broke.

Teddy heard what I didn’t say, and as always, he let me have what I needed. He relaxed on the bed and spread his legs. The muscles in his slender thighs trembled, and I had to touch them first. The hairs on his legs were crinkled and prickly down by Teddy’s knees, but on his inner thighs, closer to his core, the hair grew soft… and his skin softer.

Nothing was softer than the skin over his manhood.

The look on Teddy’s face mesmerized me. I kept looking at the flesh under my hands and then back to his face, trying not to miss anything.

“Too much!” Teddy finally gasped, arching and shuddering. “I’m gonna….”

“Not yet.” I let go, and Teddy grunted.

I crawled closer and leaned down.

“Mean.”

“I won’t leave you wanting,” I whispered against his lips.

It was awkward, and erotic, as I tried to figure out how to kiss him and stroke our erections together. Teddy bucked in my hold and the tips of our erections caught. I groaned, squeezing my hand down on them. A tingle ran down my spine, the zing pushing me closer to the edge.

“Will,” Teddy said against my mouth. His fingers dug into my sides and I went faster, pushing, seeking that pinnacle.

“Teddy!”