Sebastian subtly slipped his hand into his overcoat pocket. “I’ll follow you,” he said, as he curled his fingers around the glove.
* * *
Back in the main house, Sebastian followed Geoffrey into another wing, through twisting corridors until they came to a solid door. As Geoffrey opened the door, Valemount’s angry voice spilled out from the room.
“Goddamn you, Fine.” Valemount was bright red, as the other men looked on, wide-eyed. “The H6 is my fucking favorite.”
Wesley had one finger on the single chip in the center of the table and was calmly pulling it toward himself. “Perhaps you shouldn’t have wagered it, then.”
Valemount threw up his hands, his gaze going to the door. “Geoffrey, thank Christ,” he said snappishly. “Come collect your cousin before I lose the bloody house.”
Sebastian looked questioningly at Wesley, who held up the chip. “I believe you mentioned something about wanting a chance to drive the H6?”
Sebastian’s eyes widened. Surely Wesley wasn’t implying—
“Well, that’s me done for the night.” Wesley looked around the table. “Unless any of you gents wanted to play another round?”
Not a single one of the other seven men were meeting Wesley’s eyes.
“I think I’ll retire,” Sir Reginald said.
“Me as well,” Lord Ryland said quickly.
“Breakfast will be served at seven, then to the kennels.”Valemount’s tone was still very dark. “We loose the hounds at eight sharp.”
Sebastian’s stomach turned over.
The men filed out of the room, talking too loudly to each other as they all traversed down the halls and up the curving main staircase to the second floor. Sebastian was trying to think of an excuse to get Wesley alone when Wesley said, loud and clear, “Don Sebastian. Could we speak for a moment?”
The other men exchanged knowing looks. What did they think Wesley wanted to talk to him about?
Well, Wesley would know what he was doing. Sebastian followed Wesley into his guest room as the other men continued down the hall. Sebastian firmly shut the door behind him and leaned on it, blowing out a long hard breath. “I have things to tell you,” he said quietly.
“I have things to tellyou,” Wesley echoed. “But first—”
He was suddenly on Sebastian, pressing him to the door, swallowing Sebastian’s noise of surprise with a kiss. Sebastian’s mouth parted automatically, eyelashes fluttering closed.
“I was wrong,” Wesley said against his lips, bringing Sebastian’s hands up above his head. “Fuck tailcoats, and tradition while we’re at it. Let’s run away together to the wildest places we can find.”
Sebastian bit his lip, hard, to hold in a groan, as Wesley kissed his inner wrist, where the shirt cuff had been forced up and his tattoo revealed. “Did you really win Valemount’scar?”
“He wants to fob his niece off on you,” Wesley said, his lips against the lion.
Sebastian’s eyes popped open. “He what?”
“Marry you and Lady Nora, without a thought for what either of you might want. Or whatImight want, which admittedly he doesn’t know that I have a stake in this, but I still did not take it with grace,” Wesley said. “So yes. I took that pretty Hispano-Suiza that picked us up. And one of his lesser London properties. And a side printing business. The car is for you, by the way. You’ll look delectable behind the wheel.”
Sebastian had to laugh. “Wesley.”
“I will not apologize or return any of it.” Wesley brought their faces back together. “Imagine Valemount thinking he could take you from me,” he said, his breath ghosting against Sebastian’s lips. “Frankly I let him off too easy.”
Sebastian kissed him, heart pounding from Wesley’s words and the breathless rush of having Wesley on him. He would have dropped to his knees, but the sound of voices cut through the door, Lord and Lady Ryland laughing with each other across the hall.
Wesley pulled back, and they looked up into each other’s eyes for a moment.
“What did you wish to tell me?” Wesley finally said, letting Sebastian’s wrists go with obvious reluctance.
They moved deeper into the room together, Sebastian filling Wesley in on his evening.
