Page 23 of As Many Stars
“That’s not it.” Cam’s voice was the voice of a man holding the broken pieces of a crystal globe together, knowing they’d splinter if he let go. “That’s what you think of yourself, isn’t it, lad?”
“Is that true?” Ash took a step forward. Touched Blake’s face, lightly: scholar’s fingers brushing Blake’s cheekbone, the corner of one eye. Blake knew he felt the burning sea-salt there; he’d been trying not to let it fall, but Ash’s hand broke every barricade he’d haphazardly built up.
Ash made a little hurt noise, discovering the tears. “Oh, no. No.”
Cam said, very gently, “Kiss him, go on,” and Ash glanced back, laughed—not a real laugh, the sort that came out of too many emotions, realizations, unfoldings—and leaned in.
His mouth was warm and unpracticed and sweet. The kiss danced along Blake’s veins like wine, intoxicating, dizzying,a gift that turned his head to white-hot sparkles.
Ash kissing him. Cam’s hand at his head, holding him in place. Honey and solid oak, starlight and deep Scottish roots.
His knees wanted to buckle.
Cam stepped in and kissed him too, and Ash did not pull back, so they ended up tangled together: tongues, mouths, meeting, shared and sharing, delicate and hungry, beloved and brand-new. Cam liked to take charge, directing; Ash kissed like champagne, all delight. Blake gave up and gave in and let himself be kissed, wanted, tasted, consumed.
“We want you,” Ash said, and bit Blake’s lip. “We love you. We were planning this lifewithyou.”
“I love you,” Cam said, “the person who smiled at me, on a rainy street and a chilly day, and made me want to smile back. And I love him—” That one was for Ashley, who beamed. “—because he’s all brightness and sugar and twinkles—starlight, like you said—and I didn’t expect that, but I should’ve known anyone you’d love would be worth the loving. So I do. And that’s not any more or any less than how I feel about you.”
Blake honestly did wobble on his feet, at that.
“All right,” Cam said, “let’s try this, then. Bedroom.” He put his hand on Blake’s wrist. “Ashley, your turn.”
“Hmm.” Ash’s grin blossomed, magical as night-flowers. And he set a hand on Blake’s hip, then slid it over: a stroke across Blake’s cock, blatant, obvious.
Blake heard himself gasp.
“Yes,” Cam agreed. “I was thinking we’d wait, you weren’t doing as well as I’d’ve liked, but…some of that’s this, isn’t it? You weren’t feeling right, and we weren’t giving you what you need.”
“I don’t need…”
“Yes you do, and you’ll take what we give you.” Cam paused. Looked him squarely in the eyes. “But you tell me, first. That that’s what you want. Us taking care of you.”
“I…” He couldn’t ask. Could he?
Ashley stroked his cock again, over his trousers. Played with the buttons. Let the hand linger over Blake’s length. “Wait,” Cam said to him, and Ash stopped. His eyes were anxious.
“I do…I mean, I want…” Blake swallowed. It was difficult. “I want you to. To give me what I need. To—to take care of me. If you…want that.”
“Aye,” Cam said, and kissed him: hand in Blake’s hair, other hand on Ash’s waist. “I do. We do.”
Chapter 13
In sunstreaked light, through giddy halls, they moved to the bedroom—not simply Ash’s bedroom, but theirs, because it was, Blake thought. The thought opened up bashfully, like one of the decorative flowers. All three of theirs—
Cam kicked the door shut with alacrity. The servants no doubt heard the thump; Ash shrugged and said, “Everyone I employ knows I love you both, and, honestly, they love you too; I’ve asked.”
“They like you, too.” Cam hauled him in, kissed his throat, a hint of roughness; Ash moaned, and Blake watched the pink mark take shape over the column of his neck. Cam added, a murmur over that spot, “I’ve asked, too. Downstairs. Not as much a gentleman as you are; figured they’d talk to me. They know you’ve been doing your best, with the house and the estate and all. On your side, they are.”
“Oh.” Ash sounded somewhat dazed. “That—truly? Oh.”
Cam turned back to Blake. “Now, then. What should we do with you?”
“Anything,” Blake said. He meant it. “Anything you want.”
“As your physician…” Cam was plainly not above using that, grinning about it; well, he’d earned it. “I’m advising you to strip naked. And get on your knees. Hands behind your back.”
Blake heard himself make a sound. Pure need. Inadvertent. Yes. Oh yes. Please.
