Page 89 of By Marsh and By Moor
“We en’t always made things easy for each other, have we?”
Solomon’s expression softened.“Maybe not.”
Companionship was not something Jed had ever sought out.Not something he’d ever thought he might want.Now he craved Solomon’s presence in his life, every morning and every night.
The sun was low in the sky now, and the air around them was still and peaceful.A falcon swooped overhead, then dove towards the woods.Ledcombe was somewhere down among those trees, and Jed felt a tug at his heart.But he’d already turned his back on that path.
Perhaps Farmer Harlow would be willing to buy Bess from him.Jed would go to Mr Morgan with Penwick’s letter, and let the man of business handle it.And then… “Is that offer of yours still open?The stables at the Jarret Arms?”
Solomon looked up sharply, hope flaring in his eyes—and then dimming again.“Yes, but…”
Jed felt his breath catch.“But?”
“If I have your mind and body but not your heart and soul, I don’t think I could bear that.”
It was a punch to the gut.Jed fought for words.“Solomon, you can’t think— You’re the only good thing that has happened to me since I ran.You do have me, upon my life.I love you.”
Silence stretched out between them, broken only by the whistle of wind over the hilltop.Solomon’s throat bobbed, fear and startled joy chasing each other across his face.“But do you still trust me?”
Jed couldn’t lie.He had to answer honestly.“I want to try.”
At that, the tension bled from Solomon’s shoulders.Jed reached for him, dissolving the distance between them, pulling him into a kiss.
It was a soft, tentative brush of a kiss, but no less of a relief for all that.After a few seconds, Solomon drew back, searching Jed’s face.
“I love you,” Jed said again.“I don’t know how this will work out—how things will be between us—but I want to try it.”
“I thought I’d lost you.”
“I know.You haven’t.”
Jed leaned in again, and they tumbled back into the grass, Solomon laughing up at him, eyes bright in the setting sun.Jed crawled over him and ducked his head for another kiss.
“Tell me about this inn,” Jed ordered.
“You’re the one who’s been there before.I en’t even seen the place yet.”
“Well, tell me about the two of us there.”
That made Solomon’s smile broaden.“We’ll work together.No master over us.A couple of stable boys to help us.Local lads.And we’ll have a room somewhere for sleeping in, just the two of us.No one will find it remarkable if we’re tucked into some little room in the attics together.We’ll have coaches stopping at the inn, and carts and waggons… Every evening, we’ll sup with Wallace and Emma in the kitchen, and then we’ll go off to bed—”
“And I won’t be able to keep my hands off you,” Jed finished, hand sneaking into Solomon’s breeches.
Solomon laughed and squirmed, fumbling at Jed in turn, rolling him over on the grass.
They retreated to the old mine building they’d slept in before and laid out their coats on a bed built of ferns.It was warmer now than it had been the last time they were here; no need to light a fire.They undressed unhurriedly and lay down together.
Jed closed his eyes, soaking it all in: the smooth, hard lines of Solomon’s forearms under his fingertips, the rake of Solomon’s nails across his chest, the warm breath whispering over his skin.Then Solomon rolled onto his back, and Jed sat up on his haunches, looking down at him.
“Take yourself in hand,” Jed commanded.
Christ, but it was a glorious sight: Solomon’s fingers wrapped around his eager prick, his head thrown back, exposing the long column of his throat.
Jed had never felt such joy—such a wave of affection that he ached with it.So this was what love was.He wanted to do everything for Solomon: delight and gratify him, protect and defend him, turn to him for comfort, laugh and cry with him, and just now, make him come so hard he saw stars.
He lowered himself over Solomon and kissed him slowly, open-mouthed—a fiercely joyful kiss.They were free men, their enemies far away, and a new world lay before them.
They could look forward to innumerable days and nights of this: working together, fucking, falling asleep in each other’s arms.They could have this as often as they wanted.Jed’s heart swelled fit to burst with the joy of it.
