Free Convincing Arthur by Ava March Page B

anyway; he'd only used it to distract him from a pain no longer there.
    Last night… He shifted his hips to accommodate his growing erection, the sheets a
    soft caress against his skin. Just thinking about last night made him hard, but knowing
    it was the start of a relationship with Arthur made his heart swell near to bursting. No
    way could Arthur not have felt the connection between them. Never before in his life
    had sex been anything more than just sex, two people using each other for their own
    selfish pleasure. But last night had been more, so much more. The way Arthur had
    touched him, the care he had shown him, the way he looked at him with more than lust
    in his eyes…
    He meant more to Arthur than empty pleasure.
    For the first time in as long as he could remember, he actually looked forward to
    returning to London. Would they split their evenings between Arthur's bachelor
    apartments and Leopold's town house? Or would Arthur prefer to meet at Leopold's?
    He held no illusion they would spend every night together—the need for discretion, of
    course—but a few nights a week should be manageable. Hell, he'd take once a week.
    The promise of Arthur could well sustain him for six days.
    But no need to wait today.
    He flung aside the blankets and swung his feet over the side of the mattress.
    Damp, cold air hit his bare skin, making his erection wilt. Usually he was too
    preoccupied with the sledgehammers pounding his skull to notice the lack of a fire in
    the morning. Overindulging before bed guaranteed a night without Arthur haunting

    Convincing Arthur

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    his dreams, but it did have an unpleasant side effect. Knowing he would never again
    wake with an aching head…just one other thing to look forward to.
    He made to stand, then stopped, frowning at the whisky bottle on the floor by the
    bedside table. If he had held on to his patience a bit longer, not given into despair so
    quickly, that bottle would not be empty. Yet… He gave his head an experimental shake.
    Nothing. No pounding whatsoever. Umm… Perhaps a bout of vigorous exercise served
    as a preemptive cure for sledgehammers. Who knew? He shrugged. Right or wrong, he
    wouldn't have need to test that theory.
    He went to the washstand to splash water over his face. Eyes closed, he blindly
    reached for the towel beside the basin and swiped it over his wet face, dragging it along
    his bristly jaw. The shave could wait. He wanted to see Arthur now.
    After donning a pair of comfortable, well-worn breeches, he snagged the navy
    blue silk dressing gown from the armchair by the fireplace and slipped it on. He
    frequently trudged downstairs in search of a steaming cup of tea to clear his head, so
    his lack of proper attire wouldn't raise any eyebrows by his staff.
    He passed a quick hand over his hair to tame the mess created by Arthur's greedy
    fingers, and then left his bedchamber and made his way to the dining room. What to do
    today? Nothing out of doors, at least not while it rained. Billiards again? Maybe. Arthur
    might want to put his nose back into the pile of papers Leopold had dragged him away
    from yesterday. He could indulge him for a couple of hours, as long as Arthur
    promised to indulge Leopold after…perhaps with a quiet afternoon secluded in the
    study. The drapes drawn closed and the door locked. They could put the leather couch
    to good use.
    As Leopold went down the main stairs, the front door opened and Jones entered,
    flicking the rain off the sleeves of his black coat. The footman quickly closed the door,
    shutting out the wind. Damn dreadful weather. The rain beat against the house in what
    sounded like an ever-increasing tempo. Wonderful. A deluge. At least he didn't have to
    go out in it.

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    Ava March
    The sharp crack of a whip stopped him in his tracks. Beneath the sounds of the
    storm was the distinct crunch of gravel under carriage wheels and horses' hooves.
    He felt the color drain from his face.
    Heart in his throat, he took