Indulgence 2: One Glimpse by Lydia Gastrell

ancestral estate that was barely large enough for the servants? Ah, but space would not be a problem since there would be no money to pay servants. And Lily. Dear God, how would he tell Lily that he could no longer protect her and no longer provide the future he had promised for Sophie?
    He caught the sob before it could pass his lips. This was his fault. He was weak and unnatural, and now he was paying the price. His entire family was going to pay the price no matter which choice he made. Ruined by poverty or disgrace.
    As he entered his dressing room, much to the shock of his idle valet, John snorted a mad, disgusted laugh at himself. It just occurred to him at that moment that he did not even know where Shaw lived.
    * * * *
    Sam dropped his head back against the velvet pads of the carriage seat and groaned. He was half amazed and half irritated that he was getting hard again. Again , after damn near two days of endless enticement.
    Julian wiggled in Sam’s lap and laughed as he dragged his tongue across the exposed top of Sam’s neck.
    “We-we’re almost there.” Sam huffed and put his hands on Julian’s hips as if to guide him away, but he did not quite make it that far.
    “Really? You are already ‘almost there’?” Julian’s laugh vibrated against Sam’s neck, sending shivers down his back and directly to his cock.
    “That’s not what I meant,” Sam countered. Though he was hard and panting and more than tempted to flip Julian onto the opposite seat, exhaustion overwhelmed him. And it was more than just physical exhaustion.
    Since taking Julian up on his offer the day before last, Sam had spent damn near every waking moment with the man. They had dined at White’s and other clubs, sat a few rounds at the faro tables, and even perused the horses at Tattersall’s for half an afternoon. But all of it, every moment of it, had been laced with sex. Sam could swear he had had more risky, hurried, and downright stupid pleasure in the last two days than in his entire life.
    “We’re almost there. Julian.” He groaned when Julian sucked his earlobe between his lips. “Julian, the footman is going to open the door any moment.” Sam forced some seriousness into his tone.
    Julian grumbled and leaned back, his flushed lower lip protruding comically. “Ah, very well.” Like an expert dancer, Julian stepped back and fell into the other seat.
    Sam panted and worked to straighten his cravat, as well as to covertly press down on the front of his trousers.
    Julian chuckled. “Are you sure you have to go home? I’m quite certain I could be an adequate host, even if my humble rooms don’t compare to the Shaw household.”
    Sam was sure that sleep was not a priority in Julian’s plans for the evening, should he take up his offer, but it was more than that. Sam waited, wondering if there was anything more to Julian’s offer, or to the last two days for that matter.
    “You can’t possibly be tired,” Julian said, twitching his lips in a smile. “You’re a very hard man to exhaust.”
    Good Lord, was Julian trying to kill him? Sam shook his head and grinned, but it was only to cover the fact that he was still waiting for Julian to give him some other reason to spend the night with him. Some finer reason, perhaps.
    Sam was glad when the carriage stopped, for he did not like the sudden turn of his thoughts. Was he really looking for fine sentiments from Julian Garrott? From anyone? He could just imagine the taunting Julian would give him if he had an inkling of what Sam was thinking. Julian was in a lustful mood, and his preferred bedmates were probably out of town. There was nothing more to it than that.
    The carriage door opened, and the footman stood back. Sam hopped down and turned casually. “Good evening, then, Julian. Breakfast tomorrow?”
    “Afraid not, old boy. Other plans,” Julian replied with a sigh.
    Sam felt surprisingly relieved but curious too. Whatever Julian’s plans were, he did not look