RockStarPeach

Title: Arrangement

Characters/Pairings: Giles/Lindsey, Lindsey/Spike, Giles/Wes, Giles/others, other slight pairings

Rating: Adult

Summary: Giles is a ridiculously unfaithful wealthy older man, keeping Lindsey around for pleasure and company, but when someone else catches Lindsey’s eye, he realises he wants more out of a relationship. Giles has sex with just about everyone. Spike tries to. Wes gets in over his head.

Banner by angelstoy Thanks so much, honey!! *hugs*




Previous Chapters

Chapter 20

Lindsey didn’t bother looking up when he heard the knock on his door, half an hour after Rupert had left with Wesley. “It’s open,” he mumbled to the room in general, twirling the phone around in his hand absently. He’d pretty much just slumped down on the couch as soon as the door had closed behind Wesley, not really able to do much besides make a phone call.

“This better be good, pet,” Spike said, letting himself in. “Was just about to get lucky.” Actually, that was a lie. He’d been down at Willie’s, hanging out with Liam and his new boyfriend, Riley, watching them practically hump each other’s legs under the table. He hadn’t been seeing anybody since he and Lindsey had stopped fooling around. After being around for (and the cause of) most of Lindsey’s troubles with Rupert, he was thinking that he’d take a break from his typical style for a while, look for something more than casual sex.

Not that there was anything wrong with that. He spent a great deal of time enjoying that kind of thing.

“Yeah?” Lindsey asked with an amused snort. “Was he deaf, too, or just blind?”

“Funny guy,” Spike said, stopping past the fridge to help himself to a bottle of beer before going to sit next to Lindsey on the couch turning his head to look at him, and waggling his eyebrows playfully. “So what’s up? Finally ready to put out again?”

Lindsey took a deep, shaky breath, playing at his flip phone with his thumb, opening it and letting it snap shut again. He wasn’t really sure why he’d called Spike over. Sure as hell not for the sex that Spike was kidding, mostly, about having. And he really didn’t want to talk about what had just happened, didn’t even want to mention it, because when he did, it would make it real.

“Lindsey, what is it?” Spike asked, dropping the jovial tone they usually had with each other for something more closely resembling concern. “You look like…”

“He left,” Lindsey interrupted, the words out before he even knew he was going to say them. “And he’s not comin’ back.”

“’He’ who?”

Lindsey glanced at Spike sideways, looking at him like he was sort of slow. “Rupert,” he said, turning his head forward again. “Who the fuck do you think? He left.”

“Yeah, until next week,” Spike told him, not understanding the big deal. When Lindsey had said that someone wasn’t coming back, Spike had assumed he meant ever, and there was no bloody way that Rupert wasn’t ever coming back.

“Yeah,” Lindsey said, exhaling heavily and shaking his head. “Forget it.” He didn’t really want to talk about this anyway. “You want to just drink until we’re so messed up that we think fuckin’ each other is a good idea?”

“Seriously, Lindsey,” Spike said, softer now, and moved closer to him, reaching out and turning Lindsey’s face toward him with one finger. “What’s going on?”

“Seriously, Spike,” Lindsey said, mocking Spike’s words, pissed off that he had to say it again, that Spike just didn’t know without him having to say it all. “Rupert’s not coming back.” He brought his arm up to brush Spike’s hand away from his face and closed his eyes, trying to collect himself. For once, this wasn’t Spike’s fault, and he really shouldn’t be taking it out on him.

“Sorry,” he mumbled. “Told me I could stay until the lease on this place is up, but that we were done. I assume that means no more allowance, too. Fuck, I’m gonna need to get a job.”

“Okay, slow down,” Spike said, sitting up straighter, suddenly taking this very seriously. Even though Lindsey wasn’t living with Rupert at the moment, he didn’t think the old man would ever really leave him. They cared about each other too much for that. “Rupert left you? For good?”

“How many fuckin’ times to I have to say it?” Lindsey snapped, instead of just saying ‘yes’.

“But… what the bleedin’ hell did you do?”

Lindsey rolled his eyes, and didn’t even try to keep the sarcasm from his voice. “Yeah, thanks for the support, pal. What the hell makes you think I did something?”

“Uh, cause you’re hotter than hell, a completely amazing catch, the idiot is crazy about you, and we both know that this whole set up here is only temporary until he takes you back. And if he’s suddenly decided not to, it’s not cause he thinks he can do better. It’s because you did something, broke another one of his stupid rules. So, what did you do?”

Lindsey cringed, blood rushing to his cheeks in embarrassment, because Spike was right, he had done something. And it was such a stupid something that he wished he could take back. A completely random something that meant as close to nothing as anything could, and it wasn’t his fault that he was too weak not to take advantage of what Wesley was practically shoving down his throat. Stupid, pretty, irritating asshole.

“I uh… He kinda caught me with my hand down someone’s pants.”

“Wot?!” Spike shouted. “What the hell is wrong with you? I thought you wanted to get him back? You think fuckin’ around is the way to do that? And…” he paused, having thought about the situation enough to be suitably offended. “If you were gonna go shagging someone, what the hell’s wrong with me, all of a sudden?”

“Okay first?” Lindsey started, smiling a little. “Whatever’s wrong with you ain’t sudden. You’ve been that way a while.”

“Oh, you’re a bloody laugh riot tonight, love.”

Lindsey snorted out a tiny laugh, and put his hand on Spike’s knee. “And second, I wasn’t fucking around.”

“Oh? You just wound up with your hand in someone’s pants by accident?”

“Pretty much. He came over, we were arguing, we hit each other…”

“That what happened to your face?” Spike asked, thumb brushing over the emerging bruise, feeling the puffiness. He pulled away when Lindsey sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth, giving away how much it stung. “Wasn’t gonna say anything.”

Lindsey shrugged. “It’s fine. And then we kissed. We kinda got carried away, and the next thing we knew, Rupert was walkin’ through the door. I mean, it wasn’t like we were actually gonna…” Lindsey started, trying to defend himself, but honestly, he had no idea what they would have ended up doing if they hadn’t been interrupted.

“No,” Spike agreed, even though he wasn’t sure either. “Course not. So… was it anybody I know?” Spike hated to admit it, but it bothered him. He wasn’t jealous, not by a long shot, because he was very much over Lindsey by now. But he thought that they’d been getting along lately, thought that they were close enough that Lindsey would tell him if he had something going on. Apparently not.

“Spike, don’t get all needy on me,” Lindsey bitched, knowing Spike well enough after such a short time to know what he was thinking. “I told you, there was nothing going on. It was just one time. One completely fucked up time. And nothing even happened.”

“Enough to make Rupert want to leave you for good,” Spike pointed out. “And I can’t help but notice that you didn’t say who it was.”

“Just… don’t freak out okay?” Lindsey asked. “Cause it wasn’t like I planned it.”

“Lindsey,” Spike said, warning. “Who the fuck was it?”

“Wesley.”

Spike didn’t say anything at first, just stared at him, open mouthed. “Wesley,” he repeated, finally. “As in, Rupert’s new Wesley?”

Lindsey nodded.

“You’re an idiot,” Spike concluded. “And you deserve him leaving you.”

“What?!” Lindsey asked in protest. “You’re always the first one to say that he treats me like shit, and I shouldn’t let him get away with what he does. Always tell me he shouldn’t be able to fuck around if I can’t. So what the hell?”

“Are you kidding me? You know I don’t think you should put up with his double standards, but you’ve made it clear that you more than willing to do that. And if you’re suddenly deciding to take a stand, which – good for you – would be amazing in itself, Wesley is just really not the right guy to do it with.”

“I wasn’t… fuck off! I wasn’t doing anything with him. I know it was dumb, alright? But it wasn’t like we planned it or shit.”

“What was he doing here?” Spike asked, moving even closer to Lindsey, putting his hand over his friend’s on his knee. “And if it was nothing, then why did Rupert get so pissed off?”

“He came to tell me to back off,” Lindsey told him. “Well, not really. But that’s what he wanted. And I don’t know why Rupert lost it like that. Probably because he thought I was gonna taint his new toy. I don’t fuckin’ know.”

Spike snorted and squeezed his fingers, dipping his head down to kiss Lindsey on his swollen cheek. “Yeah, well, there is one upside to not belonging to old Rupes anymore…”

“Down tiger,” Lindsey kidded, smacking Spike’s hand away, but grinned flirtatiously and leaned in to place a friendly kiss on Spike’s lips. “Just because I’m not his boy anymore, doesn’t mean I’ve lost enough self respect to let you go there.”

“Oi!” Spike protested. “I’m a catch!”

“Yeah, you are,” Lindsey agreed, forgetting about their joking in a moment of pure honesty.

“You know you need to keep the hell away from him. He’s cute,” Spike conceded, grinning slightly and licking his lips as he thought about just how cute. “But you fucked up going near him, Linds. I know you’re upset cause your sweetie bear has fucked off, but if you couldn’t keep your hands off the one guy in the world that you should have stayed away from most, then you deserve it.”

Or more probably, Spike thought, deep down, Lindsey wanted to drive Rupert away, because he really couldn’t handle the kind of relationship they shared. Not anymore. And if it was going to make Lindsey happy, in the long run, if not the now, he wanted Rupert to fuck the hell off.

And he’d say whatever he could to get Lindsey to realise they were better off apart, even if he didn’t believe it himself.

“Well,” Lindsey breathed out moving his leg so that it was in closer contact with Spike’s. “I was hoping for a little more support. But seeing how I called you up, I can’t say I’m surprised.”

“Hey, I’m supportive!”

“Yeah, a veritable crutch.”

“Lindsey…”

“Yeah, yeah,” Lindsey said, cutting Spike off, smiling at him. They looked at each other for several seconds, Lindsey wishing for help, to be made to feel better, and Spike hopelessly unprepared to be what Lindsey needed. The smile fell from Lindsey’s face, slowly, almost so that he didn’t notice, but when he realised he was frowning instead, confused and angry and desperate, he moved his hand to Spike’s arm, clenching his fingers tight around the muscle.

“Spike,” he begged, voice ragged, and not even knowing what it was he wanted. Whatever the other man would give him, probably.

“Pet,” Spike said, voice catching almost as much as Lindsey’s. It hurt to have someone he considered a very good friend hurting so badly. “It’s gonna be fine,” he said, trying to sound like he meant it. Everything always was. The stuff that happened in the mean time was usually shit, and Spike wouldn’t know how to pretend it wasn’t, but in the end, things would be alright.

“I love ya for sayin’ so, Spike,” Lindsey said. “But it’s not even gonna be close to fine.”

Spike sighed and wrapped his arm around Lindsey, pulling him in close and resting his chin on the top of the other man’s head. “William,” he answered.

“What?”

“My name,” Spike told him. “Is William. And for what it’s worth, lover-boy, even if you think you’re on your own, you’ve got me.”

“That’s…” Lindsey answered, nudging closer to Spike, working his shoulder under the blond’s arm. “That’s actually worth a lot.”

He buried his face into Spike’s side, closing his eyes tight, and seeking out Spike’s hand with his own. “Thank you.”

***

“Well?”

Rupert didn’t even bother to turn his head, not feeling the need to respond to Wesley’s demanding tone.

They’d been home for over thirty minutes, sitting next to each other on the living room sofa, in the dark, Wesley’s heart hammering in his chest, needing for one of them to say something. Rupert was content in the quiet, enjoying every minute that passed, because it just made his young lover that much more nervous, and at the moment, that was exactly what he deserved.

“Rupert, please!” Wesley said, looking at the older man and lifting his hand, moving it toward Rupert, wanting to touch him, but then dropping it again. He knew he shouldn’t touch him right now if he didn’t want it. “Say something.”

“Like what?” Rupert asked, his tone deceptively casual. “You’re in a significantly large amount of trouble for what went on tonight, and I’m at the moment considering the best way to get the message across that what you did was in no way acceptable, but you dodged a bullet, because as angry as I am with you, it’s nothing compared to how I feel about Lindsey right now?”

“Is that…” Wesley asked, swallowing around a lump in his throat. “Is that what you’re thinking?”

“You’ve both betrayed me, Wesley,” Rupert told him. “That’s what I’m thinking. But lucky for you, Lindsey’s betrayal is far more severe. Not only did he tell you something I specifically told him not to, but he took advantage of you, convinced you to act inappropriately, breaking rules he knew you were meant to obey.”

Wesley didn’t respond to that at first, a very large part of him wanting for that to be the truth, for Rupert to blame Lindsey for the whole thing, and put his arms around Wesley, tell him he knew it wasn’t his fault and that he forgave him. But that wasn’t the way it had happened.

“It wasn’t his fault,” he said eventually, quietly.

Rupert looked at Wesley again, but didn’t say anything. He knew the younger man would tell him more if he just kept silent for long enough. People hated silence when they knew there was something to be said, and they tended to fill that silence with truth and confessions.

“He didn’t tell me anything,” Wesley continued, when Rupert stubbornly refused to talk. “And he sure as hell didn’t fool me into anything with his wiles. I followed you the other night. I know,” he said, holding up his hand to stop Rupert’s scolding when the older man narrowed his eyes. “I shouldn’t have. You told me that you’d be… late home… sometimes, and you made it more than clear that I was to just accept that, and not ask any questions.

“But… it was happening much more often than I had thought it would. I was… I was jealous, I suppose. And I just needed to know who it was. Who was so important that you’d lie to me to be with, tell me that you were out with friends, or taking care of business, when we both knew that you were going out to be with someone who wasn’t me.”

“Wesley,” Rupert said, voice half understanding, half warning. “When the two of us aren’t together, what I choose to do with my time isn’t anything you need to concern yourself with. Although I do understand that this might be uncomfortable for you, which is why I chose not to tell you.”

“Uncomfortable?” Wesley asked, incredulous. “It’s a lot more than that. It’s… it’s being told I’m not good enough, being reminded that all I am is a substitute.”

“Wesley, that’s not what you are at all,” Rupert protested. At first he had been, but the young man had grown on Rupert quite a bit. Ever since the end of their first week together, Rupert knew that he wanted Wesley in his life. “And just what was it that you were hoping to accomplish at Lindsey’s house tonight?”

“I don’t even know,” Wesley admitted. “Didn’t even know it was Lindsey until he showed up as I was standing outside the building, feeling stupid. I just needed to know. And, yes, alright,” he added, smiling slightly but mostly wincing. “I secretly wanted to tell whoever I found there to back the hell off my man.”

“You’re sweet, darling,” Rupert smiled at him, thinking him just a tad too adorable to bother reminding him that he wasn’t in any way Wesley’s man. “And after you found him, and reminded him of your claim on me, you… just happened to find your tongues down each other’s throats, hands on each other’s cocks?”

“There was no…” Wesley started, eyes wide, frightened. “I mean, we didn’t…” But they did. He could even now feel the soft skin of Lindsey’s cock head under his fingertips, feel the hard press of his lips against his own. “I don’t know what happened. One moment we were arguing, and the next we were kissing. He just made me so angry, I lost control, and I couldn’t help myself. I’m so sorry. But he didn’t force me into anything.”

Rupert let his hand slide from his own leg across the several centimetres separating him and his lover, to cover Wesley’s thigh, fingers moving slightly over the fabric of his pants. “Yes,” he agreed, sounding much more jovial than Wesley thought he had any right to be, and it made him even more unsettled. “He is rather infuriating, isn’t he?”

“It’s obvious you care for him, Rupert,” Wesley said. “Even after all he’s done, all you’ve done, you were still seeing each other. You’ve got this ridiculous bloody face right now, like a school boy with a crush, just at the mention of how irritating you find him. How am I supposed to compete with that?”

“You’re not,” Rupert told him. “He’s out of the picture now, Wesley. But even before tonight, it wasn’t a competition. I asked you to be with me because I like you. I want you. Having you here makes me happy. You’re the one I chose. And it shouldn’t matter.”

“What shouldn’t?”

“Who I’m with when I’m not with you. It’s really none of your business. We’re not a couple, darling. Not in the conventional sense, and I will do as I please.”

Hurt flashed across Wesley’s face, noticeable before he could hide it. He felt stupid for it, knew exactly what Rupert expected, and what he offered in return, but knowing didn’t make it any easier, didn’t make him not want more.

Rupert lifted his hand, placing two fingers under Wesley’s chin, tilted it towards him, and looked at him warmly. “But I do understand your jealousy,” he said. “I’ve been out too often, haven’t been fair to you. That’s over now.”

“Yes, but not because you want it to be. Because you feel like you need to punish Lindsey even more than you have been.” He saw the way they had looked at each other, the way there were both hurting at what had happened, at the situation, and it was painfully obvious to Wesley that there were still unresolved feelings, on both sides.

“Wesley,” Rupert said, voice carrying a mix of compassion and annoyance. “I want you to listen to me very carefully, because I’m about to give you an assurance I have never given to anyone before, and will never give to anyone, not even you, again.”

Wesley narrowed his eyes, nodded.

“Lindsey and I are finished. It doesn’t matter how or why that happened, not anymore. And I promise you Wesley - and as I said, listen carefully - that as long as you and I are together, I will not see him. Not go to his house, not take him out to dinner, certainly not have sex with him.

“I’m not pledging my devotion to you either, so don’t go getting too worked up. But when it comes to Lindsey, you have nothing to worry about. Alright?”

It was clear to Wesley that Rupert expected an answer, an agreement, and he didn’t really have a choice but to give it. He could argue, he supposed, tell him that he didn’t believe him, but Rupert had never lied to him before, and the older man would probably take offence at being accused of it now.

Besides, Wesley wasn’t sure he didn’t believe him. Sure, Rupert had held back certain important bits of information from him, but as far as Wesley knew, he’d never told him anything that wasn’t true. And he’d seemed very serious tonight when he’d told Lindsey it was over.

It wasn’t entirely encouraging that Wesley knew Rupert wished that things could have been different, and he could still be with Lindsey. But things weren’t different, and Wesley supposed he might as well just accept what Rupert was telling him.

“Yes,” he answered, not sounding altogether convinced. “Alright.”

“Good,” Rupert nodded, and placed a hand on Wesley’s knee. “Now, bedroom.”

“Excuse me?”

“Bedroom,” Rupert repeated, and stood. “Go there. Now.”

Wesley shook his head as if to clear it, the order taking him somewhat by surprise, but ultimately it was an order, and he didn’t have much choice. “Yes. Yes of course,” he said, and stood as well, following Rupert down the hall.

“Well?” Rupert asked expectantly, several seconds later, when they were both standing next to their bed, and the older man was already half way to undressed. “Do you need step by step instructions? I’m going to fuck you, darling. Don’t just stand there.”

“Right, sorry,” Wesley said, and immediately started to strip. He wasn’t even close to in the mood for sex right now, and honestly he was a little bit frightened. Rupert was angry, he knew, even though he wasn’t yelling or screaming, and Wesley wasn’t interested in finding out what Rupert was like in bed when he was angry. It had been bad enough the first time they’d done it, and Rupert hadn’t even been angry then.

Not with Wesley, anyway. Funny how it was Lindsey that had pissed him off that time, as well.

But since then Rupert had been amazing. Hadn’t always been sweet, and gentle and romantic, sometimes had even been a little bit of an ass, but he’d never hurt Wesley after that first time, and he’d always made it good for him. He truly didn’t believe that Rupert would hurt him this time either, but he had a feeling the act of sex between them this time would be much colder than he was used to, and that was probably just as bad.

It turned out Wesley was wrong. Rupert didn’t hurt him, not anymore than he ever did when he laid him face down on the bed and climbed over him, pushing himself inside without the benefit of lubricant, but the sex was far from cold, either.

It was… nice. Better than nice. Amazing.

“Just lie still, Wesley,” Rupert said, low and breathy in the smaller man’s ear as he entered him, head of his cock pushing past the tight ring of muscle, not bothering to slow down at Wesley’s slight wince, but then he never did.

Wesley’s breath caught in his throat, not quite knowing what to expect, mentally preparing for the worst, but it didn’t come. Rupert’s movements quickly became steady inside him, forceful but more than pleasant, pushing in slowly, then snapping forward when he was almost fully inside, that little bit of rapid pressure at the end of the thrust causing sparks of lust to shoot through Wesley’s cock, again and again.

Rupert pulled out, and pushed in, each time dragging his erection across Wesley’s prostate, making him moan and gasp, lift his own hips slightly, trying to gain a deeper penetration.

“I said be still,” Rupert told him, not angry, just reminding. “But that’s a good idea darling. Lift up a little more, bend your knees. Yes, just like that,” Rupert praised when Wesley moved into an almost kneel, slightly awkward and uncomfortable, and ran a hand from Wesley’s shoulder down his side, and around to encircle his cock with firm fingers.

“Shit,” Wesley cursed, the pleasure of Rupert’s hand moving over him as his cock worked in him forcing the word out. “Oh, shit, Rupert, yes.”

Rupert chuckled warmly and began to speed up his hips, but kept his hand moving agonisingly slowly, delighting in Wesley’s needy whimpers, knowing that all the younger man needed was just a little bit harder, a little bit faster, and he’d be sent over the edge, find his release.

“Like that, do you Wesley?” he asked, thumb brushing over the tip of Wesley’s cock, picking up a sticky slide of fluid and smearing it around. At Wesley’s inarticulate moan of agreement, he answered, “Yes, so do I. You feel amazing, lover. And I’m going to come, soon. Would you like to join me?”

Wesley nodded frantically, wanted desperately to push back against his lover, push forward into his hand, but didn’t dare move after the man had told him, twice, to be still. Rupert was already upset with him tonight, and he didn’t need to give him any more reason to be. “Oh, God yes,” he answered.

Rupert closed his eyes and sped up his hand, the speed faster now than his own thrusts, because he was ready to come already, and didn’t want to push himself over before Wesley was ready. That would ruin the effect.

After several more strokes, Rupert putting a surprising amount of flare into it, designed to bring about Wesley’s orgasm as quickly as possible, the younger man started to tremble, his hands clenching the bed sheets tightly. “Oh, fuck, Rupert yes! Now! I’m going to…”

And then Rupert’s fingers squeezed, painfully tight around the base of Wesley’s cock, effectively preventing him from spilling, and he pulled out of Wesley, twisting him around quickly, so he was flat on his back.

“What…?” Wesley started, shocked and confused at what was happening.

“Shhh,” Rupert hissed out and let go of Wesley’s cock to climb over him, wrapping the same fingers that were wet with Wesley’s pre-cum around his own throbbing erection. He moved up Wesley’s body so that he was straddling the young man’s chest, knees pressing Wesley’s arms into the mattress, holding him still.

Wesley blinked up at him, but said nothing. His cock was still achingly hard, and he desperately wanted release, but judging by the look in Rupert’s eyes at the moment, it was very much the wrong time to demand anything, or even voice a small protest.

Rupert grabbed Wesley by the hair with his free hand, yanking his head back, and jacked himself furiously, hand a blur moving over his dick as he brought himself off, shooting thick, whitish strands of fluid over Wesley’s face. The young man blinked his eyes shut just in time to avoid getting any inside, and the cum landed on his eyelid, cheek, nose, some slipping between his not quite closed lips, and he didn’t even think about it as his tongue darted out to lick it up.

As soon as Rupert was finished he got up, giving Wesley a shove as he did, and grabbed the box of tissues from next to the bed, taking several out and throwing them at Wesley.

“Wipe yourself up,” he commanded, voice suddenly much harsher than it had been a minute ago. “And until further notice, don’t even think about coming.”

Wesley nodded, jerky and quick, and scrambled to grab the tissues and mop up Rupert’s cum before it dripped down and made a mess of the sheets. Rupert would really be pissed off then. And fuck, but Wesley was still hard, had been so close to finishing, and now it looked like he wouldn’t get the chance for a while. He really should have anticipated this.

“I don’t enjoy this, Wesley,” Rupert told him, honestly. “I want you to be happy, emotionally and sexually. And I hate to prevent you from something we both love. But any sexual gratification you experience will be only on my say so. It’s important you know that.”

“I do,” Wesley told him, balling up the soiled tissues in his hand and sitting up a little bit straighter. “I promise, I do.”

“If you did, you wouldn’t have had your hand down Lindsey’s pants tonight.”

“I…”

“As long as we’re together,” Rupert interrupted, voice threatening and final. “You’re not to touch anyone else. Ever. You’re not a fool, Wesley. You knew that already. But I’d suggest you start to take that rule very seriously, or you won’t particularly like what happens.”

Wesley didn’t bother saying that he already didn’t like what was happening, his balls starting to ache and his erection starting to flag, but the need to come not really leaving him. “I promise,” he said. “I’m sorry about what happened tonight, and I promise nothing like that will ever happen again.”

He wasn’t really sure that he even meant that, because as much as he wanted this thing to be just about him and Rupert, he didn’t think it ever would be. That didn’t mean he wasn’t going to try though, because Rupert had promised him that Lindsey was out of the picture, and anything was possible, he supposed.

“Good,” Rupert smiled, his mood seeming to shift suddenly. He leaned toward Wesley and placed a sweet kiss to his lips, letting his own linger for several seconds as he closed his eyes and took a breath through his nose. “As I said, I hate doing this, darling. Now, let’s get some sleep. It’s been a long day.”

Wesley nodded and didn’t protest as Rupert arranged them both on the bed and put an arm around him, and fell asleep. This was what he wanted. Wasn’t it?

TBC