I Know You Read online

  The truth hit her in the gut like a fist. He’d been abandoned by not one, but two families in one blow. She groaned her despair, but Geoff caught her cheek in his palm and shushed her with his fingertips to her lips.

  “It was not very terrible at first. I was able to stay with my Don at Cambridge year round. He employed me as his clerk for some pin money, but wasn’t able to give me much. By the time it came to take my exams, I knew that I wouldn’t be able to remain with him. He was getting old, and was likely going to retire in the near future. When David came to visit after coming back from the Continent, my Don mentioned my likely need for employment. I don’t think they knew I’d overheard, but I had. David hadn’t promised anything beyond putting a word out so I had been surprised when a month later his father arrived on the doorstep asking me to take a job as David’s valet, sight unseen.”

  “David told me all of that.” Anne said, hoping that she wasn’t sounding irritated. “So he brought you back from despair as much as you brought him back from insanity?”

  “I guess you could put it that way. I tried desperately to just concentrate on him, and not think about how I wasn’t raised for a life in service.”

  And that was when it hit her. “You resented being forced to take employment, even though you had no choice.”

  He sat there and stared at her for a moment. She was sure he was going to deny it. Swear that he never resented anything that David had given him, but again, she was surprised. “I did. I hated having to exist downstairs when I was raised upstairs. At first I resented the Earl, for forcing me into it by cutting me off. Then I resented David for being the man to take advantage of my need. But in the end, it was my father I resented the most. He never made a provision for me in his will. He could have, but he didn’t. He acknowledged me without legally providing for me. It was the cruelest trick in the world. It wasn’t until David and I started getting closer that I started to see that my resentment wasn’t going to change anything. I was where I was, and I needed to become accustomed to it.”

  Anne thought about that long and hard. Becoming accustomed to a life you were never prepared for. It was what she was having to do right now. She was definitely not prepared to live with two men at the same time. Yet, she knew that it was a life far preferable than trying to live without one or both of them.

  She tilted her head slightly and really looked at the man sitting in front of her. He was different from the boy she’d known in Yorkshire, like she’d said. But at the same time, he was still Geoff. And he was still the man she loved.

  He just came with an extra man to love.

  “Geoff?” She started, not knowing how to admit this, but wanting to be honest. “I love you. I never stopped loving you. But I love David now, too. And I can’t love him any more or less than I love you. I just don’t think my heart can work that way.”

  Geoff grabbed her hand and kissed her knuckles. “I feel the same way, Anne. The two of you have stolen my heart in each of your own ways, but you share it equally. There will be no fighting for mastery between you. It just won’t be possible.”

  At that she smiled and knew that she was lost forever. She got up on her knees in front of him and caressed his cheek. “I think it is time we put this night behind us and move forward. We have a long day tomorrow.”

  The two of them stripped their clothes off slowly and joined in a slow exploration before he tucked her into bed and returned to David’s room and did the same with the man they both loved.

  The next morning dawned beautiful, bright, and with a rainbow across the horizon that seemed way too poignant. Geoff looked at it through the window of David’s chambers and wondered if there really was a bit of magic in this morning after all. Considering everything he, David and Anne had been through individually, and everything they now faced together, he would gladly accept some magic into their lives.

  He knew that the wedding was going to be small, but still, the presence of the few guests who were present was enough to make Geoff wish he’d not agreed to stand up with David. Why in the hell had he promised something so foolhardy? The Duke, Mr. Edwards, Mr. Edwards’ aunt, and both of David’s remaining siblings were all going to be there. Any one of the men present would have been happy to act as witness to the intimate nuptials. Yet, David had insisted that Geoff be the one to sign, so he’d obliged.

  Before the ceremony no one commented on Geoff’s presence as David’s groomsman. Maybe they all assumed that since Geoff had been the one to pull David from the hellish insanity that had taunted him, that he’d earned his spot on David’s right.

  The Duke knew, though. He hadn’t said anything since the night before, but he knew full well what Geoff’s presence stood for. His role in not only the ceremony but the marriage it was cementing. Geoff kept looking for a glimpse of disapproval in the man’s eyes, but predictably, there was none. He had already spoken his blessing upon Geoff, and that was that.

  When Anne arrived in the Library, Geoff and David both caught their breath at the exact same time. She was lovely, wearing a simple muslin dress in pale pink with a white lace overlay and pearls to accent everything to perfection. Her bonnet was equally simple, with only a few white feathers and ribbons to offset the pink roses arranged flawlessly to the side. She was innocence and seduction all at once.

  Her smile, as she walked in on her father’s arm was radiance and nervousness and delight and love. Oh yes, he saw the love. She caught his eyes first, nodding and mouthing love you before turning her teary eyed attention to her groom.

  Her other groom.

  It was then that he realized that David was not going to be the only one speaking his nuptials to Anne. Silently, Geoff would be repeating them right by his side. It felt too wonderful to be real, but it was perfection in the very sense of the word.

  In the end, Geoff couldn’t remember everything that was said. He remembered being in a daze, and he remembered his mouth moving without sound as David spoke the vows to Anne. He remembered signing the witness line for the bishop to take back to the Church to register. Then he remembered walking behind David and Anne as they ascended the stairs to accept guests in the ballroom that was set up for the Wedding breakfast.

  All of the scurry and planning had worked itself out, in the end, to a memorable day - for everyone else. Geoff, was living too much in the moment to actually remember what was going to happen, or what had already happened.

  At one point he was pulled aside by the Duke and asked if he was going to have to do the toast for the couple, or if David was going to actually do his duty as groomsman? Geoff was so startled by the question that he actually turned to walk out the door before the Duke caught him and turned him back toward the head table where the drinks had already been poured, knowing instinctively that that had been where Geoff was heading - to get the drinks.

  The toast was probably cheesy. Something about being thankful for Anne coming into David’s life, and being glad that he got to be a part of that life. Really speeches were not his forte and they typically came out of his mouth as rubbish.

  All Geoff really wanted to do was get to the part where everyone left and they could all retire for the night and truly get to what the night was all about.

  The three of them.

  Finally, the Duke stood and made one last speech, thanking everyone for coming, and then ever so politely kicking them all out, saying that the bride and groom needed privacy, not the adoration of sycophants. A humorous chuckle drifted though the room as if the gathered crowd saw a joke in his words. Geoff knew though that just because they were said with a wink and a smile, it didn’t mean they were any less true.

  Once the last guest had been seen to, the Duke stopped Geoff in the hall on the way to the Family wing. “MacAuley.”

  “Yes, Your Grace?”

  The Duke never seemed to be without words, yet this moment seemed poignant enough to rob him of his speech. “I just wanted to let you know that…well, I ordered the Family wing vacated toni
ght to give the newlyweds a night of complete privacy.”

  It struck Geoff that the Duke hadn’t said “bride and groom”. He’d said “newlyweds”. The meaning was clear and almost brought Geoff up short. On instinct, Geoff grabbed the Dukes arm in a firm handshake and nodded his appreciation.

  “The servants have been instructed to steer clear of the wing tonight and tomorrow as well. They know that you will see to all of David’s and Anne’s needs.”

  Again, there was a dual meaning behind those words, and Geoff was speechless in the Duke’s acceptance of him in his son’s life. It was like every dream he’d ever wanted had come true. To be ousted from his true family at such a young age, and now to find himself accepted by a family that could have just as easily turned him away made his heart ache for the joy of it.

  “Thank you, your Grace.” It was all Geoff could think of to say, but it had to be enough.

  By the time Geoff arrived in David’s chambers, David and Anne were already there. Yet they weren’t in any intimate proximity to each other. Instead, they were lounging quietly in front of the fire that Geoff had built an hour ago while they were saying goodbye to their guests.

  When Anne saw Geoff enter the room, she rose to her feet languidly and walked barefooted across the carpet to hand him a glass of what looked like port. “I’m not a fan of this myself, but I figured I would keep it warm with my hands until you arrived to enjoy it yourself.”

  When she kissed him, he could taste the light caramel taste of the liquid on her lips, proving that though she’d been holding the glass for him, her lips had most definitely partaken in the concoction inside. With a smile, he took a sip of the warm port and then kissed her again, letting her taste the liquid on his lips this time.

  A hand came down on his shoulder and Geoff tore his mouth away from Anne long enough to see David smiling behind him, leaning down for a kiss of his own. The surrealness of the moment was eclipsed by how right it felt to be holding Anne and kissing David.

  When David lifted his head, he took Geoff’s glass from his hand and placed it down on the table next to the fire. The spell seemed momentarily broken as they all looked at each other with trepidation, like they didn’t know how to proceed. It was Anne that finally voiced this over-arching concern.

  “What do we do?”

  Her innocence in the face of their already scandalous union brought a laugh from Geoff’s throat. It was echoed almost instantly by David, who turned to Anne and answered her question in two ways.

  “We love each other.” He then lowered his mouth to hers and began showing her exactly what he meant by his words.

  It was astonishingly erotic watching David claim Anne in front of him. He remembered that David had taken the opportunity to watch as Geoff had taken Anne’s virginity. He now understood why David had enjoyed it so. Though he actually had been witness to a few couplings in his time - friends at Cambridge managed to get up to many lurid hi jinx during his time there - he’d never really had an affinity to voyeurism.

  But this was different. This was watching two people he loved worship and pleasure each other. This was watching a piece of his heart find happiness. It was the ultimate expression of passion and joy and something that could only be enjoyed when you felt this way about someone - or in his case, two someones.

  Geoff walked up to behind Anne and placed a hand on the side of her ribs. When she started to pull away from David, he shushed her and urged her back into David’s embrace. He then danced his fingers lightly up her sides and to the top of the row of buttons holding her dress in place. With the most tortured of slow movements he released each button one at a time, placing a kiss at the bit of skin exposed by each.

  Once the dress was open to her stays, he sped up the process to allow the breeze of the night to cool her heated skin. The dress sagged at her waist, begging to be removed from her body entirely, so he brushed at David’s hand aside so that he might release her from the first confinements of the night.

  Once the dress was pooled on the floor, his slow movements returned. This time it was the laces of her corset that bade his attention. Once loosened, Anne gave an audible sigh of relief. Geoff moved David’s hand to the corset itself and directed him to assist in the alluring reveal of Anne’s delectable body.

  After the corset, the chemise, stockings and garters were more quickly divulged, until Anne stood in David’s embrace, completely exposed to the room and the eyes of her lovers. It was a rush that Geoff felt straight to the center of his already throbbing arousal.

  With Anne naked, Geoff moved his attentions to David. This was a much quicker sequence as it had happened multiple times in the past few weeks that Geoff could have undressed David with his eyes closed. Not that he would have wanted to.

  The man had a body very much like the Marble Statues on display at the British Museum. The Elgin Marbles if Geoff wasn’t mistaken. Lord Elgin had claimed to have discovered them on expedition in Athens and had brought them home to preserve them from the fighting that was slowly destroying all of the historical artifacts in the area.

  The statue of the God Adonis reminded Geoff very much of David’s physique. Built solidly through the chest with narrow hips, but wide thighs that showed his strength of seat on a horse. Geoff had rarely looked at a man’s body before meeting David, but he couldn’t help seeing the beauty that was David and not wanting to enjoy every inch of it.

  He ran his hands down David’s now bare buttocks and felt the muscles beneath his fingers react with a rippling spasm of pleasure. David then broke the kiss with Anne and stared at Geoff for a moment, so much heat in his eyes that Geoff was sure that David was going to turn feral and attack him passionately.

  Instead, though, he simply reached for Geoff’s face and caressed his cheek, before lowering his head and taking Geoff’s mouth with his own. The kiss was electrifying. Felt in every nerve in Geoff’s body from the top of his scalp to the bottom of his big toe.

  The current was almost strong enough to buckle his knees, yet somehow he managed to keep his feet. He reached out to David to solidify his balance and found David’s hand moving his to Anne. At first he believed that her shoulder was David’s intended destination, but it seemed David had other ideas.

  Geoff’s hand stopped under the power of David’s at Anne’s supple breast. Her gasp was one of pleasure and Geoff couldn’t say he wasn’t pleased with the feel of the body beneath his fingertips. As his fingers began massaging the plump flesh Geoff felt a hand reach around and grab his bottom. He knew that it was David’s hand, but it didn’t stop him from breaking the kiss with gasp of his own.

  David brought the hand up to Geoff’s face at that point and began moving all three of them together, until their lips were all intermingled in one hot, wet kiss. Then, with his hand still on Geoff’s face, as if to ensure he wouldn’t break the kiss too soon, David backed off the embrace and began his own removal of Geoff’s clothes.

  Geoff felt every article fall to the floor, at a pace very close to agonizing. The idea that David was probably torturing him was more than feasible. It was something that David would do. When he felt David’s hand brush against the front of his breeches he hissed a breath into the kiss that must have startled Anne, though only for a moment, because she did not protest when he deepened the kiss a second later.

  His tongue began its journey around her lips, asking permission to enter the cove of heat that beckoned him almost as urgently as the one further south. She parted the entrance to the heat and welcomed his tongue with her own, setting off a dance while they both lost themselves in the ecstasy of David’s fingers playing between the two of them.

  Because that was exactly what was happening. Every now and then he would feel David’s hand move from his yet to be uncovered erection to Anne and then back, coated in wet that was surely staining the front of his pants, though Geoff couldn’t quite remember why he cared.

  Then the breeches were gone, as were his stockings and drawers. The coat and
waistcoat had been the first to go, leaving Geoff standing there with just the thin lawn of his shirtsleeves between him, Anne, and David.

  Slowly - and very reluctantly - Geoff stepped back from Anne’s embrace and stared into the eyes of the man that had started everything. Geoff then reached up and removed his own shirt, revealing to both of them his chest and stiff cock. Leaving no doubt in either of their minds that this night was going to be one they would never forget.

  Seeing both Anne and Geoff standing before him naked, David nearly lost his arousal out of pure panic. He was actually here, past the point of no return. There was no going back - not that he wanted to - and there was no one here to judge them.

  His father had already informed him that the family wing had been cleared for the night of both residents and servants. It was just the three of them until the morning when they called for their breakfast to be delivered.

  David had been planning to be the one to strip Geoff completely of his clothing, but when Geoff had stepped back from Anne before the shirt had come off, David had known that the final move had needed to be Geoff’s.

  And it had been a glorious move.

  David watched Anne’s eyes flicker up and down Geoff’s body, taking in his complete nakedness and reveling in their freedom to express themselves without fear of interruption. Her face was becomingly blushed, and David had no doubt that it wasn’t embarrassment that colored her cheeks. She was just as aroused as he was by Geoff’s body.

  Anne’s body was a dream. High breasts that plumped out at the sides and left him wanting to taste them. He couldn’t wait until they were full of milk for their first child. He truly hoped that she allowed herself to feed that child, because the prospect of watching her provide sustenance for the infant, as well as the idea of taking that sustenance himself - or sharing it with Geoff - had his already hard staff painfully complaining of the tension building there.

  Geoff moved toward Anne in a languid, almost feline, movement that had David questioning whether he would have to fight the man for dominance in Anne’s bed. Then a split second later it was Anne that David found himself jealous of as she dropped to her knees and ran her hands down the side of Geoff’s legs.