Scavengers: Collection - Books 1-4 (Zombie Gentlemen) (m/m zombie steampunk erotic romance) (16 page)

“I’ll stay tonight and we’ll see,” James said quietly caressing his back with his fingers.

“You should employ me,” Ira joked with a broad smile, nuzzling his partner’s neck.

James looked at him with a puzzled frown. “As who?”

“As... a teacher of survival skills...?” laughed the other man, patting James’ bottom.

The aristocrat had a very serious look on his face. “It does make some sense, right? It could work...”

Ira swallowed, very slowly pulling back just enough to look into James’ eyes. He had been joking, but the idea did appeal to him. Even with all the treasures he gathered during his trips, he would still not be welcome in a nice neighbourhood. Why wouldn’t he give it a try? The idea of... keeping such a close contact after an short acquaintance this was crazy. There was only a small chance that two men like them could get along in the long run, but right now, he felt so good and comfortable in James’ presence. Hell, he actually thought about him many times after they parted ways on Paddington Station! And if James eventually got bored with him, he still had something to return to. He had cash put away in four banks, as well as several secret stashes both inside and outside of city walls.

“Everybody should have skills like that nowadays, right?” asked James again, ripping Ira out of his thoughts.

“Zombies are no predictable lot,” answered the other man, giving him an Eskimo kiss.

James laughed, clinging to him tightly. “But there are things one could learn. Train maybe... Get muscles like you...”

The other man let out a sharp breath. “You really want that?” He preferred his boys smaller than him.

“No, I’m fine. But maybe my sonny boy could use that...”

Ira laughed out loud, hugging him in delight and shaking his head. “Want me to teach that kiddo?”

“It’s never too early I suppose...” James smiled. “With all the craziness out there.”

“I prefer teaching you, my beautiful boy.” Ira kissed the other man and ran his thick fingers through the soft hair.

“I’m pretty capable.” James raised his eyebrows. “...Do you really think it could work?” he whispered.

Ira’s breath sped up a bit as he studied James’ face with a weird cramp in his abdomen. He never thought someone like him would seriously take a move like this into consideration. He wasn't stupid, but when he looked into those large, honest eyes, he couldn't make any other decision than to go with it. “D’ya want it to?”

“I think it would make me very happy,” James said in an official tone.

Ira swallowed, playing with his long hair, unsure of what he should say. “I make you happy?” he finally  asked  in a gentle voice.

“It’s like... you understand me...” James slowly looked into Ira’s eyes. “These dark needs... and you don’t seem to judge.”

“How can I judge?” the man sighed, shaking his head and slowly grasping James’ wrist still covered by reddish welts left by the rope. He massaged it with caution.

“Anyone else would...” he sighed.

“We’re not alone, ya know,” sighed Ira, placing a delicate kiss on his lover’s bruised flesh.

“What do you mean?” James smiled as his gaze followed the other man’s moves. The host shook his head, slowly caressing the other hand as well. He wanted to be honest with him.

“There are men like us.”

“I’ve never met them,” confessed James, kissing him on the cheek.

“Would ya like to?” asked the other man kissing James’ temple. He wanted to make him feel cared for after the rough buggering.

“Oh no, no!” James shook his head rapidly. “The less people know, the better!”

“But ya'll get stuck with me...” breathed Ira. When he first tasted sex, all he wanted was to bed as many handsome men as possible.

“I would like to get stuck to you every night,” said James, with an even wider smile. Ira’s heart skipped a beat, as he looked into that beautiful face.

“That’s... nice of ya,” he murmured, feeling strangely vulnerable.

James gave him a worried look all of a sudden. “‘Nice?’ Oh my! Was I too forward?”

“Oh... noo, come on!” Ira gave him a light slap on the ass. “Was just surprised!”

“I’m not sure how to act. You’re so experienced and I’ve only been with Katherine.”

Ira let out a long sigh while pushing him onto his back. He then leaned down to place a kiss on his collarbone. “No worries, I’ll teach ya,” he promised in a soft voice.

“So? You said we won’t be sleeping tonight?” laughed James, wrapping his legs around Ira’s hips.

*

Ira did not lie to him regarding his plans. The night was amazing. James felt so overwhelmed with sensation that he could hardly comprehend the reason why he had been denying himself all of this. They kept making love or just touching each other in the flickering light of the lamp.  Whispered obscenities felt like a caress as they trailed along James’ trembling body, straight to his groin. Ira fucked him on his back, and while they were spooning on their sides, then, they mutually sucked each other off. By the time, Ira’s clock rang 9, James was sweaty, spent and utterly satisfied. Throughout the night, they took short naps, but he felt like he had spent the whole time wide-awake.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he still couldn’t believe that he was actually planning to take Ira into his home! What would Katherine say!? She must have been worried sick since yesterday, but for some reason, he hoped she wouldn’t be too angry. All he could think of was the possibility of having Ira around every day... And Ira was the one who proposed it first!

“You hungry?” he suddenly heard. Along with the words came a sensation of warm air against his ear. Ira was embracing him from behind, his face buried into James’ hair. He pushed his back closer to him with a happy murmur.

“Would you like to go to the opera?” he asked, with a smile, having no strength to think about possible consequences of inviting him there. He heard Ira drawing a sharp breath of surprise and felt a kiss on his arm.

“The big one?”

“The biggest one!” replied James, his skin tingling with excitement of a different kind than yesterday, when he was going mad with lust.

Ira sighed, stroking his abdomen. “I like plays,” he confessed in a voice almost shy.

“You will love these even more!” exclaimed James, turning to the other man with a wide smile. “The best musicians in London!”

Ira swallowed, looking at him for the longest moment. “I’d love it!” he finally said with enthusiasm, hugging him even more. “I’ll be let in if I come with ya!”

James laughed. “Most definitely.” His emotions were running wild since he decided to go with this crazy plan. “I want to make you happy,” he said honestly.

The other man groaned, raising his body to look into his eyes. “Don’t say that kinda’ stuff if you gonna change your mind.”

James gave him a surprised look. All this time he wasn’t sure if Ira understood what he wanted to offer or if he was just looking for some casual fun for a few weeks. “Why would I?” he said but his insecurities kicked in instantly.

The other man swallowed as he looked back at him in the dark. The lamp cast a dim light now, but the windowless room felt like a cocoon obscuring their sensual time together from watchful eyes. “‘Cause you’re a... you can just ‘ave me arrested... or something... you can do everythin’,” Ira explained with caution. “And ya know only me... ya might meet someone else someday.”

“Oh Ira...” James kissed his lips softly. “I consider myself a man of honor, you can trust me in these matters,” he said with confidence.

The other man lowered his eyes a bit, exhaling sharply. “Ya see why that’s a weird case, yeah?”

“You could always blackmail me...” sighed James, “Every story has two sides,” he said and it was followed by Ira’s sharp laugh.

“Ya really think someone would believe me?! A Jewish ex-sailor from the docks?” Ira explained, lowering his body onto the mattress. He slowly pressed his cheek against James’ ribcage, exhaling.

“Surely... if they examined my buttocks after tonight, you’d go straight to flogging for assault,” James laughed carelessly, hugging him tight. The room was so cosy that at this moment, he didn’t feel like leaving. Ever.

His companion’s laughter echoed his own. He slanted his eyes a bit and traced his nipple with a finger. “Bugger, what if they spread ya arse and examine the not-so virgin ‘ole?” he teased.

“Bastard. I’d say it’s all your fault,” James smiled a bit.

“I’d blame all my neighbours!” Ira sat and pulled the other man up with him. They exchanged a sensuous kiss, hands gliding slowly over hypersensitive skin. “Bastard to the core...” repeated James.

Suddenly, they heard a loud knock on the main door and Ira let out a sigh of disappointment. “Come on...”, he said, but immediately slipped out of James’ arms and out of the bed, searching for scattered clothes.

“Oh God! Who is it!?” James' heart skipped a beat as he sprung up from the bed, dressing frantically.

Ira looked back at him, quickly buttoning his trousers. He left the room as soon as he was decent. “Who wants me?” he shouted and James felt a sudden surge of relief as he heard a familiar voice.

“It’s me!” called Joshua from behind the door.

James sighed, but carried on, not wanting to look rustled. The fact that he still felt Ira’s smell on himself was enough for now. Last night was so incredible, he would even go as far as calling it: ‘life altering’.

He heard the door open and close, which was then followed by whispers he could not understand. After a few moments, however, the conversation became louder and he heard the clatter of metal plates. A distinct smell of food filled the air.

“She wants to meet you, you know,” said Joshua.

“She’ll have to wait, ‘cause I’m movin’” answered the host, mumbling as if he had something in his mouth.

James finally took a deep breath, made sure his clothing was in order and walked out into the main room as if there were nothing out of the ordinary in his presence here. “Good morning,” he said with a polite smile. He tried to ignore the fact that it must have been obvious to the boy, what had happened the night before.

Joshua’s large eyes studied him for a moment and he smiled back. “Will you eat with us, sir?”

“You gotta!” spoke Ira with a full, but definitely smiling mouth as he uncovered a beaten-up metal box. It contained pies, the apparent source of the aroma he sensed before even entering the main room. They looked delicious and judging from the strong smell, they were still hot.

“I will. Who wants to meet you, Ira?” James asked, sitting at the table after a short moment of hesitation.

“A friend,” the man smiled, taking out a pie and holding it against James’ lips, “Pork, my favorite.” 

James blinked a few times, shooting a quick look at Joshua. The boy was pale, with reddened eyes, as if he hadn't slept much, but he still looked attractive in his emerald green morning coat and slightly dishevelled shirt, revealing silky skin on his torso. James felt a little embarrassed as he ate the pie.

“Very tasty,” he said flatly.

“Told ya!” Ira smiled triumphantly, as if he'd baked them himself and bit into his pie with a loud grunt of pleasure.

“The ones on the left are chicken and mushroom,” said Joshua, avoiding the aristocrat’s eyes. He looked up attentively, studying Ira's moves as the man left the table to heat some water for them on top of the fireplace. First, he scooted down, opening a grated screen and shoved in a few pieces of wood to fuel the dying fire.

“Thank you. You probably didn’t plan for my presence at breakfast, I won’t be a burden,” said James, slowly eating the massive pork pie. The food was plain, but well made. He wasn’t yet sure if Joshua hated him or not.

“Not at all!” the boy was quick to say, while gazing at Ira rather than James. “I expected you to be here.”

“You both want tea?” The host interrupted with a slight pout. He looked dashing in just his trousers. Firm, muscled chest and arms revealed.

“Yes please,” James smiled, feeling as awkward as ever. Joshua made him feel ill at ease. They were both Ira’s lovers and here they were, sitting in the same room and pretending the topic didn’t exist.

As if the atmosphere wasn’t heavy enough, Ira came back to the table, placing both of his palms on top of it, as if in an attempt to look more serious. “So, I’m movin’. We’re not gonna see each other that much anymore,” he blurted, looking into Joshua’s eyes.

The boy cleared his throat. “Yes, you said that before...? Where?” he asked, while James pretended to be fascinated by his pie.  From the corner of his eye, he saw Ira’s body shifting slightly back and forth in a nervous manner.

“To his house,” he answered after a moment and immediately shot James a questioning glance, as if to make sure he didn’t change his mind during the last five minutes.

James swallowed as it finally started sinking in. As if telling this to someone else finally made this mad decision a fact. Had he really agreed to this? What was he thinking!? What if Katherine hated the idea? What if  all was about to go horribly wrong? He was uneasy about telling anyone and now this boy would know. God, he also surely knew what they were up to last night!