A Lover of Men (4 page)

The footman met him near the front door. “A Mister Rafael Gaudi to see you, Sir.”

“Thank you, Will. We’re going out. I shall be back sometime late tonight.”

“Very good, Sir.” Will opened the door for him, and he met Rafe on the stoop.

“Ah. Good evening, Phineas.” Rafe grinned at him, something about those almost black eyes lending him a wicked air. Unlike Phineas, Rafe dressed to the height of fashion, his cravat snowy white, his trousers a light gray with a black coat. His waistcoat was a rich claret, but hidden beneath the coat it was classic rather than garish.

“Why are you smiling at me so?” Phineas asked, his hands itching to reach for Rafe, which was ridiculous because they hardly knew one another, and this was about Lelia.

“Because your evening attire is as somber as you try to be all day.”

“You think I am not presenting my true self?”

Rafe gestured, and Phineas walked down the steps with him. “I think you are a man of hidden depths,” Rafe said. “Where are we going? The theater? A Molly house?”

Phineas laughed, surprised into a loud bray. “What do you know of those places?”

“More than you, I’d wager.”

His laughter fled. “Have you been looking into my past, Rafe?”

“Some, yes, though I spent the morning following Miss Lelia.”

“What?” Phineas stopped, jerking Rafe to a halt beside him. “Why?”

“So I could get to know her, naturally.” Rafe shrugged out of his hold. “She’s spirited.”

“She is.” He stared at Rafe suspiciously. “Did you introduce yourself to her?”

“I did.” Rafe chuckled. “She actually hunted me down in a bookshop and accosted me with a heavy religious tome.”

“Oh, good heavens. Well, you shall have another opportunity to annoy her apace. We are going to meet her. She dashed off a note to me only an hour ago.”

“Excellent.” Rafe began walking once more, setting a pace even Phineas found challenging. Such a vigorous man.

“You would think so, I suppose.” His townhome was not far from Lelia’s on foot, if one cut through a few gardens. He and Rafe made quick time, and he caught Rafe’s sleeve again to tug the man away from the front door. The knocker had been taken in, so Phineas knew they need to go to the kitchen door.

Rafe raised his brows, but followed quickly and quietly. Phineas knocked once they made their way through a narrow alley between two rows of the fine homes, and Jack the footman opened the door, frowning until he saw Phineas.

“Ah. My mistress is expecting you, Sir Moore. Who else may I announce?”

“Mister Rafael Gaudi, if you please.”

“Follow me.” Jack led them through the kitchen, where an enormous cat and a tiny dog snored together on a rug. Phineas chuckled. The dog must be kept out of the main part of the house, and he’d not heard the beast during his earlier visit.

They went once more to the gentlemen’s lounge, and Jack announced them before bowing them inside.

Lelia waited for them, still wearing a morning gown, and her foot tapped against the floor, her eyes flashing fire when she saw Rafael. “You! How dare you, sir? First you accost me in public and now you step into my home?”

Surprising him, Lelia flew past Phineas to hit Rafe’s chest, pounding the wide expanse with her fist.

Rafe laughed aloud, plucking her off him and settling her a few paces away. “Now, now. Listen to your future husband for a moment.”

Lelia whirled on him, and Phineas held up both hands in a placating gesture. “I hired him, Lelia.”

She stopped, her frown drawing down her brows. “What? Why?”

“Because I needed someone to help me look into who is trying to kill you.”

Lelia turned back to Rafe. “And how are you qualified for this?”

“I worked as an intelligence investigator.” Rafe shrugged. “I have a gift for it.”

“He comes highly recommended by my former commanding officer,” Phineas agreed. “I felt as though the best course of action was to present myself with a male companion, and Rafe agreed.”

She chewed her lower lip, clearly thinking this over for long moments. Then she thumped Phineas on the chest. “My God, you’re making yourself the target. Really, Phineas, that is too reckless.”

“No more so than asking a man you don’t know to marry you,” Rafe pointed out.

“You stay out of this,” Lelia said, shaking a finger at Rafe.

“How can I when I must know all to truly investigate your issue?”

Phineas pressed his fingers to his eyes. They were like children, squabbling with each other. What had he gotten himself into?

“Does your head hurt, sweet?” Rafe came to him, slipping around behind him to rub at his shoulders, an intimate gesture that shocked him into absolute stillness.

Phineas opened his eyes to find Lelia staring at him, her eyes narrow shards of sapphire. She looked… fierce. “I thought you had hired him to investigate. I was under the impression that the rest was a sham.”

“I labored under the same impression with you, Miss August,” Rafe murmured, his breath stirring the fine hairs on the back of Phineas’ neck.

Between Lelia’s clear displeasure and Rafe’s advances, Phineas could hardly contain himself. His cock rose to press against the front of his breeches and his breath caught. What had he gotten himself into indeed?

Lelia glanced down when Phineas shifted from foot to foot, then her gaze flew up to his. “I— Oh. I should. Or perhaps you ought to go. This is my house, after all.”

With that, she turned and fled, her slippers barely making noise on the floor, even though she attained a most unladylike pace.

Rafe laughed softly. “I think she has developed a soft spot for you,
amigo
.”

Phineas turned, and found himself nearly nose to nose with Rafe. “What are you about, Gaudi? Why are you pressing this particular point so hard?”

“Because she will not be able to keep from wanting all the privileges marriage provides. Can you give them to her?” Rafe’s dark eyes snapped at him, oddly angry.

“I— That is hardly your business, but yes. Contrary to my reputation, I have known the charms of a woman more than once.”

Rafe shocked him once more by reaching out to touch his cheek, fingers sliding over the pale scar that ran just under his ear and out along his jaw. “Tell me about Corunna.”

“Certainly not.” This man delighted in keeping him off balance. “I must go apologize to Lelia.”

“Mmm. Perhaps you ought to wait for this to go down.” Rafe pushed at his trousers with the other hand, palm pressing against the ridge of Phineas’ cock, a motion that nearly sent him to his knees with the white hot pleasure of it.

Too long. It had been far, far too long since anyone had handled him thus.

“I don’t— Don’t.”

“No.” Rafe backed away, smiling, his dark hair falling into his eyes. At least not yet. Let me talk to the lady while you compose yourself.” Rafe strode past him, leaving him gaping, unable to credit what had just happened.

Somewhere Phineas must have had the chance to say no to all this. Now he knew he was in far, far over his head.

What he couldn’t do was let Rafe speak to Lelia first, so he took off at a run, catching Rafe on the stairs. “No. You’ve done enough. I’ll speak to her.”

Rafe studied him, then nodded shortly before returning to the bottom floor. “Will I see you later tonight for our outing?”

“Please. If you go back to my home and wait for me…”

“I will, then.” Rafe gave him a laughing smile. “Come along soon.”

“Yes.” Phineas watched Rafe leave the house, then turned up the stairs, determined to apologize to Lelia. His boots sounded like hooves on the polished floors and thin runner, and Phineas felt like a giant clod. He almost knocked on what surely had to be the lady’s bedroom door, but then he considered Lelia and shook his head, opting instead for the man of the house’s bedroom.

He rapped his knuckles against the wood, hoping Lelia would take pity on him.

“Who is it?” she asked from the other side, her voice subdued.

“Phineas, my dear. Please, let me explain.”

“What is there to explain? Please go.”

“Lelia, we need to discuss this. Shall I wait for you downstairs?” He would not let this go. They were to be married, and if they were to rub along well together at all, they needed to be able to speak candidly.

“Is he there?”

Rafe. “No. He left so we could speak alone.”

He heard her sniff, but he thought in disdain, not sorrow. Then she opened the door. “You might as well come to the sitting room here. I don’t want to face the stairs again.”

He stifled his immediate protest. They were hardly a real courting couple. They were business partners. He stepped into the room, the rich velvet and leather furnishings proving she had not done much to change the room. That meant, at least, that he had a comfortable chair to sit on.

So Phineas waited for Lelia to choose a seat, settling her skirts, before he sank into the cushions of a velvet settee.

“Explain,” she demanded.

“Rafe was proving some sort of demented point.”

“Mmm. That doesn’t explain why he accosted me in a shop today.”

“I think he’s trying to get a feel for both of us. His methods are unorthodox, but I am assured he gets the best results.” He hoped that was truth. He needed to keep Lelia safe.

“Are you going to become lovers?” Lelia asked, her green gaze sharp. Shrewd.

“Lelia!” How little he knew about her. He’d thought her appalled by his aroused state. Now perhaps he believed she was jealous.

“Well, are you? He’s certainly attractive, and obviously a rogue who would very much like to avail himself of your charms.”

“Really, woman, what do you read?” Where did she even get these ideas?

“Hmph.” She crossed her arms under her breasts, which pushed them up against the neckline of her gown, distracting him with their creamy softness. “I know I have said I will look the other way, but I will not have your affairs flaunted in my house.”

“I am not flaunting anything! Rafael Gaudi is not my lover.” She made him crazed. If he truly married her he would most likely end up in Bedlam.

“He wants to be!” She flapped a hand in the air, her hair sliding loose from its confinement on the back of her head.

“Yes, well, you don’t, so what does it matter?” He tried for flip, but when it came right down to brass tacks, his pride was stung by her supposed disinterest.

“Oh!” She leaped to her feet and strode across the space between them. “You’re engaged to me! That matters.”

“You hardly know me.” Phineas stood, feeling the need to dominate the space. Sitting, he was no match for her.

“I know more about you than you believe.” She pressed a hand to his chest. “Gaudi is a scoundrel, Phineas. I know they seem difficult to resist, but you can do it. Do not let your yearning for your dead love push you into his arms.”

“My dead—” Oh, she thought she knew so much about him. Phineas blew out a frustrated breath. “You have no idea what you’re on about, Lelia. Let me assure you, if I was still longing for a dead man, I would hardly be willing to marry.”

“Very gallant, but untrue. I know about Edward Cheney.”

Phineas boiled over, grabbing her arms then yanking her against his chest. “Will you leave Ned out of this, for God’s sake?”

She gasped when her breasts pressed against his chest, her lush lips parting, and it was more than Phineas could bear.

He bent to kiss her mouth, tilting his head so their lips slid together deeply, sealing against one another so he could taste her with his tongue.

Lelia froze for a long moment, then she melted against him, gripping his waist with both hands. She opened up to him as if they were made for each other, and Phineas reached up to sink a hand into her unbound hair, the softness of it taking him completely aback.

When he raised his head they were both breathing hard, and Phineas knew he must leave now or run the risk of consummating their marriage before it ever happened.

“You have a great deal to learn about me,” Phineas told her before dropping one more kiss on her lips. “Be sure you want to know things before you press me.”

Phineas released Lelia and turned on his heel. He needed to catch up with Rafael Gaudi. He had one more person to correct as far as their notions about him.

He might as be hanged as a sheep for a lamb.

Rafe took his time making his way back to Phineas Moore’s townhouse. He found himself dragging his feet, partly out of a burning curiosity to know what Phineas and Lelia might discuss, but also because he’d shocked himself with his jealous antics.

He barely knew Phineas. Why was he so upset at the idea that Lelia August might want a real marriage with the fellow? They made a striking pair. Lelia was tall, vigorous, and curved in all the right places. She also clearly possessed a lively intelligence and high spirits. He would quite approve if he didn’t want Phineas himself.

Something about Phineas Moore spoke to him, made his body tight and his heart ache.

He walked, hand tucked into his coat for warmth. So damp and cold, London. At times he missed the sunny coast of Spain so sharply it was as if someone continually poked him with a pointy stick. At others, the intrigue the English constantly required kept Rafe so busy he could hardly keep up.

He smiled, then stopped to peer into a window someone had left uncovered for the night. Ah, a drunken gentleman, snoring gently over his port. Rafe knew he was nosy; that was what made him good at his job.

The window saved him. Even illuminated as it was from the inside, it showed him the shadow of the man who rushed up behind him, silent as a wraith. The raised arm held a wickedly sharp knife, and Rafe expected a clumsy blow from a footpad. He timed his escape precisely for such, and for his trouble felt the dagger scrape across his upper arm when he barely danced away in time.

So. Not going for a fright and a purse, then. This assailant wanted his life.

Rafe went on high alert, dancing back out of the way of the next strike. Thanks to his rendezvous with Phineas, Rafe was unarmed, a condition he now regretted. He whipped off his overcoat and flung it at the assassin, hoping to foul his next move.