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“It sounds lovely,” Galen replied with a dreamy sigh, and he could almost picture it. Arthur tending to business during the day and sharing his bed at night.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” Azriel said, bereft, and Galen felt the melancholy emanating from Azriel, and knew it concerned Mr. Blackburn’s tragic story.
“We will be reunited again soon. I’m certain of it.” A sad smile creased Mr. Blackburn’s cheek, the fine lines of grief more evident around his sallow eyes. Galen couldn’t shake the sense of foreboding from those words, or possibly from his darkening aura. But maybe Galen was only feeling emotional, given what the man had shared.
“I believe it too, sir,” Galen said around a thick throat. “And you seem to have such beautiful memories.”
“We learned to make use of the time we had together.” Mr. Blackburn gave them a pointed look. “Which brings us back to the present. I didn’t mean to get lost in the past.”
“No need to apologize,” Azriel said. “Thank you for sharing more about your life.”
Mr. Blackburn dipped his head in gratitude, then refocused on them. “And what of yours?”
“Sir?” Azriel asked.
“Your dreams. Do you hope to continue working in the apothecary?”
“I’ve been afforded a great opportunity here, under Madam Langley’s direction,” Azriel replied carefully.
“He enjoys helping others,” Galen blurted. “He’s very good at it.”
“Thank you,” Azriel said, pink dotting his cheeks. “But I would settle wherever I am needed, even if it means moving on.”
It was the first time he heard Azriel discuss the possibility of a life outside of Moon Flower, but before he could weed through it, he felt Mr. Blackburn’s gaze turn to him. “And you, Galen?”
“I…I am not sure, sir.”
“Galen loves to draw. And he is very good at it,” Azriel said, smiling as he echoed Galen’s earlier words.
Galen felt heated and dipped his head. “That’s not likely to get me anywhere.”
“You never know when an opportunity might arise,” Mr. Blackburn replied. “You should not let your talents go to waste.”
Suddenly Galen remembered what Harris had said to him in the kitchens upon finishing his portrait.
“I dare say you are quite talented. You might consider setting up an easel in town to create portraits for payment. You would, of course, have to have a permit.”
It wasn’t something Galen had ever considered, but the idea pleased him greatly.
Chapter 23
“Shall we?” Mr. Blackburn asked, taking a seat in his preferred chair across the room.
“Yes, sir,” they replied in unison.
“Please undress each other.”
Once they were disrobed and standing before him, Galen felt restless, like he might crawl out of his skin, that tight, electrostatic feeling buzzing again, this time heightened.
“Azriel, would you like to touch Galen in a more meaningful way?”
“More than anything, sir,” Azriel said in a hoarse voice, and the stitch in Galen’s chest pulsed deeper.
“Then by all means, don’t be shy.”
They turned to face each other, both sets of cheeks heated. Azriel reached his hand out to Galen and locked their fingers together. That was new for Galen. He’d never held anyone’s hand before. It made his heart flutter as he looked into Azriel’s eyes.
“So lovely,” Mr. Blackburn said. “Do you feel safe with Galen?”
“I do,” Azriel replied, biting his lip in that endearing way.
“Would you like him to fuck you?”
Galen gasped, his other hand covering his mouth for a brief moment, as if he were a shy virgin instead of an experienced whore.
“It would please me greatly.” Azriel’s prick bounced against his abdomen.
“And Galen? Is that something you would enjoy?”
His cock plumped even further as his gaze traveled over Azriel’s bare and enticing form. “I suppose it might be obvious.”
It was a moment of levity to break through the tension, and smiling felt good.
“Neither of you need any help to become aroused,” Mr. Blackburn said with a chuckle. “Now, then. Show me how you would prepare Azriel to take your cock.”
Galen began trembling, and he realized he was thinking too hard, considering too much. Azriel squeezed his fingers as if to reassure him.
“Have you had much opportunity?” Mr. Blackburn asked.
“No, sir,” he admitted. “I’ve mostly been on the receiving end. And even when given the occasion, the encounters have always been…rushed.”
“I see,” he said in a thoughtful tone. “Allow me to assist. Hands and knees on the bed, Azriel.”
Cheeks reddened, Azriel did as told, and once he’d arranged himself on the bed, Galen lost his breath upon seeing him. The smooth curve of his back, the plump cheeks of his buttocks.
“He is pretty that way, isn’t he?”
“Very,” Galen replied, and heard Azriel’s low groan.
“Look how he’s leaking. He wants this so much.” Mr. Blackburn’s voice had turned to a lower register, one Galen now recognized as indicating he was stimulated. “Touch him.”
Galen carefully feathered his fingers down the knobs of Azriel’s spine and across each of his cheeks as Azriel trembled. When he repeated the action over his thighs, the backs of his knees, and down to the soles of his feet, Azriel practically purred. It registered for Galen just how sensual a simple touch could be, and he lamented not having more of these possibilities.
