DangerbyDalliance (3 page)

With a roar Archer let go and streams of semen exploded in
Warren’s mouth. He swallowed and gently eased the pressure until he licked the
upper half of the cock with light touches.

“Lord,” Archer said. “If I’d known that finding you an
intriguing model would result in this I would have looked much harder.”

Warren gave his lover’s cock one last kiss before settling
his arm around Archer’s waist and resting his cheek on Archer’s upper thigh. He
tried to relax but his throbbing penis made that kind of difficult.

Archer stroked his hair, his breath still uneven. “Give me a
moment and I’m all yours.” He panted. “You’re welcome to start without me.”

Warren turned to the side, his cheek still against Archer’s
thigh, opened his trousers and pulled down his undergarment. A second of relief
flashed through him when he removed the tight constraints.

He clasped his cock, moving up and down the hard length. A
low groan escaped him. He increased the force of his grip. Archer moved his
hand down the back of Warren’s neck to his shoulders. From there he pushed the
rags of the shirt aside and pinched a nipple between two fingers.

Warren flinched and increased the speed of his hand.

Archer gently moved Warren’s head from his thigh until it
rested between his spread legs. He leaned forward and teased both of Warren’s
nipples. His hardening cock rubbed against Warren’s cheek. “Cup your balls,
Warren.”

Archer’s soft words lashed through him.

“Cup them nice and tight. You know, the way you like it.”

Warren followed the order. Archer increased the pressure on
Warren’s nipples.

“Yes.” The pinch of pain raced through Warren into every
cell in his body. “More,” he panted.

“We’ll get there. First I want you to get rid of the
trousers.”

Warren pushed and wiggled until he lay between Archer’s
thighs, naked but for the leftovers of the shirt.

“Move up so I can reach better.”

Warren pushed back and up until his shoulders rested against
Archer’s chest.

“Much better.” Archer bit his neck, just a slight nip, but
enough to drive Warren’s oversensitive body higher. “Spread your legs and grip
your dick.” Archer’s husky voice slid across Warren like a touch.

“Arch, I’m not up for much more play.”

Archer rolled Warren’s nipples between his fingers.
“Really?” He increased the pressure, moving to that fine line between pain and
pleasure. “Are you sure?”

Warren arched his back into his lover’s touch. He tightened
his grip on his cock, half cupping his balls as well.
So close. So damn
close.
He bit his tongue to keep his pleas from escaping. It was so much
better when Archer chose to act dominant.

Archer rolled the nipples with fingers that bit tighter and
tighter.

Warren hardened his grip around balls and dick, rubbing
faster and faster. When Archer continued to pinch his nipples but nothing else,
Warren couldn’t stand it any longer. “Do it!”

Archer leaned close and dug his teeth into Warren’s
shoulder. At the same time he pinched both nipples with a force that catapulted
Warren over the edge. He flew apart with a hoarse groan and slumped against
Archer.

His lover now tenderly kissed the bite mark and gently
rubbed his nipples, helping him to slowly come down.

“I love you.” Warren rubbed his cheek against Archer’s
chest, wanting to lean into his partner and never move again. Whatever happened
next with Miss Rigdon, he knew it would change them. Most likely on a
fundamental level.

As Archer wrapped his arms around Warren and said, “I love
you,” Warren could only hope that it would be change for the better.

* * * * *

After a sleepless night Sarah rose early. As she donned a
day dress that matched the color of her eyes, she planned her day.

First she would pay Mr. Kemmer a visit and inform him in no
uncertain terms that she would pay their taxes within the given time frame. She
could send him a letter, but she preferred to do this face-to-face.

She was unsure how he would respond. Kemmer might carry a
handsome and trustworthy façade, but beneath it was a whole other person. One
who worried her.

Instinct told her he would not be happy to have his plans
foiled.

And he could still hurt her if he spread rumors.

She couldn’t bear to imagine the sly looks and whispers she
would have to endure if their financial situation became public knowledge. They
depended on the teaching opportunities her father had. How good would it look
if a math and science teacher couldn’t keep track of his money?

Sarah straightened her shoulders.
It won’t come to that.
I’ll make sure.

She picked up her short jacket matching the dress and strode
downstairs. Her father sat in the dining room plowing through breakfast and the
latest edition of
The Inventor
.

Sarah nearly choked on the rage that suddenly shot to the
surface. She loved her father and had learned early he regretted his mistakes
even if that never stopped him from making more. His brain just wasn’t set up
for normal chores like paying bills or looking after a house. Something that
had worsened after her mother died. It was as if by stepping away from the
realities of life he could distance himself from the pain of her loss.

Still, if he, for once, actually behaved like the grown-up
he was, she wouldn’t be in this situation.

“There you are, my dear. What are your plans for today?”

She managed to bite back the truth. It wouldn’t do any good.
“I have a couple of engagements today and won’t be back until late afternoon.”

He beamed at her. “How delightful, making a day of it with
your friends.”

Sure, if you mean telling a perverted tax collector no
and meeting two men who want me to strip down to my skin, then yes, I am making
a day of it with my friends.
Instead of sharing the consequences of his
thoughtless actions she remained silent.

He bit his lip and looked somewhat sheepish. “So, the little
problem I caused when I built this incantation of my Rigdon’s Banknote
Verification Device has been dealt with?”

The anger slipped away, leaving only exhaustion. “I am still
working on it, Father, but hopefully it should be dealt with by the end of the
month.”

“And Latimer has the machine?”

“Yes, I dropped it off yesterday. He did say it would take
him some time before he could get to it.”

Relief relaxed his face and his eyes, three shades darker
than her own, sparkled again. “I knew you would find a way.” He rolled up his
periodical and jumped up. “I have a few more ideas I want to work on.” He
walked up to her and kissed her on the cheek. “I will see you later then, my
dear.”

Without waiting for her response he hurried from the dining
room. Sarah couldn’t follow his progress, but she knew he’d gone straight down
to his workroom.

With a tired sigh she poured herself a strong cup of tea.
Knowing the day she had before her, she ate a healthy breakfast.

She cleared the table and set everything to rights. With
nothing else holding her back she pulled on her coat and took her ribboned
purse off the hook. She pinned her hat down with her best hatpin and studied
herself in the mirror.

It had to do. She straightened her shoulders and headed out.

Mr. Kemmer was her first stop.

Sarah took the steam bus to the tax office. The ride and
accompanying walk didn’t take her long. She stepped over the threshold into
what appeared to be controlled chaos. Worker bees hurried to and fro. Sarah
worried she’d step in their way and make them drop the stacks of paperwork in
their arms.

She weaved her way to a young man occupying the large
reception desk. “Good morning. I am Miss Rigdon and need to speak with Mr.
Kemmer.”

He jumped to his feet. “Of course, Miss Rigdon. If you would
be so kind and take a seat I will just run in and ensure he is available.” He
gestured to solid brown chairs grouped in another corner.

Sarah nodded her thanks and took a seat. This early in the
morning she appeared to be the only one wanting to speak with Kemmer. The young
man came back and apologized profusely, explaining Mr. Kemmer was very busy and
would be a few more minutes.

Understanding the delay as a way to make her feel powerless,
Sarah just nodded and assured the young man she was happy to wait.

And wait she did.

Kemmer pretended to be occupied for close to thirty minutes,
a slap in the face to every well-respected lady. Sarah gritted her teeth but
continued to pretend sitting there meant nothing to her. Inside her temper
roiled. She wanted nothing more than to storm out of the office and never come
back.

But she couldn’t.

Not only did Kemmer expect an answer today, but she needed
to take back some power for herself, needed to stand up and show the weasel she
was not a helpless woman without options.

Finally the door opened and Kemmer came out. Sarah remained
seated, waiting for him to come to her. He was tall, well-proportioned and with
wide shoulders, and she imagined he made women feel protected. His black hair
had graying streaks that gave him a distinguished appearance. Trustworthy and
reliable.

Or so the women would think.

His presence made her palms grow moist and her mouth dry. He
unnerved her on every level and had done so from the very first day they’d met.

He stopped beside her chair and bowed. “Miss Rigdon, what a
delightful surprise.”

Sarah just barely managed to contain her eye roll. She rose,
ignoring the hand he stretched out to assist her. “Mr. Kemmer.”

His gaze narrowed slightly, but his vapid smile stayed the
same. He gestured to the door he’d just stepped though. “Please come with me.”

She turned in such a manner he couldn’t offer her his arm
and strode toward his office. He scrambled after her, but she didn’t slow down
and marched right up to one of the chairs set before his big desk.

Kemmer closed the door with a hint of force. His jaw
appeared clenched as he sat in the chair beside her, the scent of his
overpowering cologne nearly choking her.

“Mr. Kemmer, I have come today to inform you that our taxes
will be paid in full within the established time frame.” Her tone sharpened and
she met his eyes head-on, wanting to ensure he fully understood. “There will be
no need for any sort of outside deal, any new plan nor any need to assist us
with our payment.”

With every word his nostrils flared and his neck grew
corded. He remained silent for a moment after she’d finished. Then he cracked
his knuckles, rose and slowly walked behind his desk and sat.

“Is that indeed the case?” His voice had taken on an edge.

A small shiver ran down Sarah’s back, but she pushed on.
“Yes, it is.”

“And how did you come into the money to make the payment?”

“I do not believe that it is any of your business. It does
not affect our estate.”

He pressed his lips together and studied his hands. His
fingers were white, he held them so tightly together. “So you no longer find
yourself in a situation where you require my…assistance.”

“You mean do I still find myself in a position where I have
to give in to your blackmail and allow you to take liberties with me that are
utterly and completely improper? No, I do not.” The irony that she was now
beholden in the same way to Latimer and Dorvee didn’t escape her. But they
didn’t make her skin crawl, so for some reason it was all right.

He continued to study his hands. When he looked up and their
eyes met, the hairs rose on the back of her neck.

Rage filled Kemmer’s expression.

She had no idea why he had such a strong reaction to her
words. It occurred to Sarah for the first time that perhaps Kemmer was involved
in some sort of scheme beyond taking advantage of her situation.

He didn’t blink once, his stare frozen on her.

She got to her feet, her heart racing and her stomach
churning. “I will see myself out.” Sarah wanted to flee, but instead set one
foot before the other until she reached the door.

Before she could open it Kemmer spoke. “You are an
intelligent woman, Miss Rigdon. You know I will not just let this go.”

Sarah didn’t turn back, but strode out of the room and the
tax office. Only when she’d reached the street could she take a proper breath.
Her hands shook as she adjusted her gloves.

That went well.
The snippy comment inside her mind
helped to restore her composure.
What in the Lord’s name did he mean?
She took a deep breath and looked around to reorient herself. Kemmer’s words had
unsettled her far more than she wanted to admit to herself. She dug through her
purse to see what money she had with her.

Not enough to catch a hansom to Latimer’s place.

With a mental curse she turned left toward Hyde Park.
The
walk will do you good. Remember what Mrs. Olsen said at the last tea party.
The image of Mrs. Olsen peering through her old-fashioned lorgnette and
studying her full curves in great detail and with a shaking head flashed before
her inner eye.

Sarah focused all her attention on her next step in an
attempt to push her circling thoughts to one side. It didn’t work.

Out of the corner of her eye she thought she recognized a
young man she’d seen in Kemmer’s office lugging papers back and forth falling
into step beside her. But when she stopped and looked around he was gone.

Shaking her head and struggling to pull herself together,
she marched on.

Whatever Kemmer meant, there was nothing he could do. She
would get the money and pay in time. But what if he moved the date by which she
had to pay? He ran the tax office and had the power to make her paperwork
disappear or change.

That thought and others fluttered through her mind on the
long walk to Latimer’s house, with intermittent panicked thoughts of what was
to come once she’d reached her destination.

By the time she’d turned onto a small walkway and approached
the hidden side entrance she’d worked herself into a state. The weight on her
chest grew with every step. She nearly panted, her breathing uneven, when she
knocked on the door.

It swung open and showed her a shirt-sleeved Jennings. “Miss
Rigdon!” He paled, pinching his lips together even more tightly. Sarah stepped
into a small foyer that led to the kitchen. Once he’d closed the door behind
her he hurried past, grabbed his coat from the back of a chair and shrugged it
on. “Apologies, miss. I wasn’t expecting you.”

Something about the discomfort on the older man’s face
helped Sarah settle down. “Please, do not worry yourself. Mr. Latimer, Mr.
Dorvee and I hadn’t confirmed a time for our meeting. There was no way you
could have anticipated my arrival.”

“Mr. Latimer is in his office and Mr. Dorvee is in his
studio. Where would you like me to take you?”

“If you could direct me to Mr. Latimer, please.”

“Certainly, Miss Rigdon. If you will follow me.”

He walked out of the kitchen and along a narrow corridor
until a door in the wall led them back into the main house. A few more steps
and they stood outside Latimer’s office. He knocked and opened the door for
Sarah when Latimer called out.

“Sir, Miss Rigdon has arrived.”

Latimer rose to his feet, once again without his coat. His
strong body moved fluidly and with precision. For a second, fire burned in his
deep-brown eyes before he returned to his neutral expression. “Miss Rigdon.”

“Mr. Latimer.” She cleared her throat, her voice for some
bizarre reason far more husky than usual. She turned to Jennings. “Could I
trouble you for some tea, please? My morning has been slightly arduous.”

He bowed to her. “Certainly, miss. I will have a tray ready momentarily.
Sir, would you like anything?”

Latimer shook his head, not looking away from Sarah.

Unlike Kemmer’s chill-inspiring stare, Latimer’s eyes filled
Sarah with heat. The snick of the door closing should have frightened her, but
instead it made the flames inside her flare hotter.

He gestured at one of the chairs in front of his desk and
waited for her to sit before doing so himself. “I am sorry to hear your morning
has been trying. Is there anything I can do to help?”

For a second Sarah imagined Latimer and Kemmer facing off,
but as quickly as the picture came she pushed it away. She could not share her
difficulties.

She had dealt with it.

She hoped. “No, thank you. A cup of tea will take care of
that splendidly.”

He raised his brows and leaned back. “That is an amazing cup
of tea.”

She smiled. “Don’t you know? No matter your circumstances,
you can face anything after a nice cup of tea.”

“I will have to invest in the tea trade if what you say is
true. Thank you for sharing your wisdom.”

A flush rose up her cheeks. Never in her memory had she had
a calm conversation with Archer Latimer before. It was rather nice.

Silence fell. It was as if neither quite knew how to
interact on this new level.

“The last few days have been exceedingly warm for this time
of year.” Sarah wanted to cringe, but the weather, the one thing an English
woman could always fall back on, was the only subject that came to mind other
than how handsome he looked and how much fuller his lower lip was than the
upper.

Not exactly appropriate conversation.

A smile lit up his face, but he nodded sagely. “You are
absolutely right. We have a sunroom at the back of the house and it has been
lovely sitting there with the door open to the garden.”

The image of the two men lounging on sofas or daybeds with
the sun highlighting their lean, good looks made her toes curl. “That sounds
wonderful.” Her voice rasped a little.

“Who knows, maybe after your first session today with Warren
you would like to join us.”

His words brought her situation back to her with full force.
She sat up straighter and looked at her hands. “Perhaps.”

Before the silence could turn awkward again a knock sounded
and Jennings entered with the tea trolley. Grateful to have something to do,
Sarah poured both of them a cup of tea and helped herself to the finger
sandwiches. Mrs. Olsen would probably tell her it was unseemly for a woman her
size to eat in front of a man, but right now she needed a distraction. And food
usually helped to stabilize her emotions.

“Have you had the opportunity to look over my father’s
Banknote Verification Device?”

Latimer turned and looked at the models and materials piled
high on the shelves. Then he pointed at the mountain of paperwork in one corner
of the desk. “Unfortunately not. I look forward to taking a closer look, but
right now a number of other subjects have priority.”

A part of Sarah felt relief Latimer hadn’t gotten to her
father’s latest big idea. It meant he could savor his excitement before
reality, and the fact his amazing invention could not be made viable, crashed
his hopes again. Another, darker part just wished for Latimer to tell her
father his contraptions were useless and force him to finally grow up.

As soon as the thought came Sarah pushed it aside, guilty
that she wished her father to experience such disappointment. She needed to get
herself back on track. Unfortunately her track meant she would be posing in the
nude.

She did not finish her cup of tea and set it down. She rose,
forcing him to stand as well. “Could you please direct me to Mr. Dorvee so we
can get this farce started?”

He ignored her sharp tone. “Certainly. Please follow me.”

The relaxed atmosphere they’d shared for a brief moment had
disappeared. For a second she wished it back.

But that was not what she was here for.

Sarah followed Latimer from his office, attempting not to
stare at his well-shaped behind, clearly visible with his shirt tucked in and
no coat. She sped up slightly until she was more beside than behind him in the
wide hallway.

He shot her a look, but remained silent.

After what felt like an age they arrived outside a closed
door. Latimer knocked once and then stepped through. “Warren, Miss Rigdon is
here.”

Sarah followed him inside a square room flooded with light.
The windows along the back wall were nearly floor to ceiling and faced the
garden. One wall had canvases stacked against it. She only saw their backs,
meaning they gave her no insight into Dorvee’s abilities.

Shelves covered half the opposite wall, filled with more
canvasses as well as art supplies and odds and ends. Easels of different
heights stood before the shelves and a large velvet sofa covered the other half
of the wall.

Dorvee lounged on it like a sultan from
Arabian Nights
.
He had a sketchpad on his lap. A big smile brightened his face when she entered
the room. He jumped to his feet, threw the pad on the sofa and strode over to
her. “Miss Rigdon, what a delight. I am so looking forward to our session.” He
clasped her hand and drew her along behind him to the sofa. “Please sit, be
comfortable.”

He turned to Latimer. “Thanks, Archer, I can take it from
here. If I need any help I’ll call you.”