DangerbyDalliance by Tina Christopher

passion and delight.
    Archer sank into the kiss.
    Breathing was optional. Her touch was like a lightning
strike. Her voluptuous form so close to him drove him mad. Only when she
slumped against his chest, breathing hard, did he pull himself back together
again. Behind her Warren grinned like an idiot.
    Archer rolled his eyes and tucked her closer to his chest.
    She clung to him until her breathing evened out and lifted
her head. “I—” She cleared her voice. The sensuality in it raised the tension
inside him even higher. “I will see you tomorrow.”
    “You most certainly will.” He gave her one last gentle kiss
before releasing her. It didn’t hurt that he had to steady her the first couple
of steps until she found her footing again.
    Warren tucked her arm through his and guided her to the
entrance hall. Archer followed them a couple of steps behind. He watched as she
took her gloves and coat from Jennings and sent him and Warren a brief smile.
“Until tomorrow.”
    She turned around and accompanied Jennings to the side
entrance, where their unmarked steam coach waited.
    It rankled him that she couldn’t come and go as she liked,
that they had to hide her presence to protect her.
    Warren grasped his hand and dragged him up the stairs to his
bedroom.
    “What do you think happened?” Warren pushed him gently until
he sat in one of the leather armchairs in the seating area at the foot of the
massive bed.
    Archer shrugged. “I am not sure. At first I believed her
façade, but I don’t think she only wants sex from us.” He snorted. “At least I
hope so. I already feel her here.” He tapped his heart.
    Warren sank into the chair beside him. He closed his eyes and
dropped his head back. “We are making progress. Maybe we came too close and she
is pushing us back to protect herself.”
    Archer studied his lover and smiled. “The Dorvee Emotional
Reasoning Machine.”
    Warren threw him a disgruntled look.
    Archer chuckled and took his friend’s hand. “You may be
right. This means we have to give her assurances that we want more, that we are
in it for the long haul. Show her this isn’t just a phase.”
    Warren nodded. He pulled Archer’s hand to his lips and
sucked a finger into his mouth.
    Archer groaned.
    His lover released him and kissed Archer’s palm. “She is the
most beautiful and responsive woman I have ever met.”
    Archer agreed and exhaled. Giving Sarah assurance would mean
opening himself to his emotions and the rejection that could come with those
feelings.
    It wouldn’t be easy, but their future was worth the risk.
    Warren stretched out his hand and stroked Archer’s
still-hard cock. His hips jerked. “What was that for?”
    Warren shook his head and yanked him close for a deep, hard
kiss. “What do you think? Stop worrying about the worst that can happen and
work on that foundation. Today she allowed both of us to bring her to
fulfillment.” He cupped Archer’s cheeks. “Both of us, you idiot. She wouldn’t
let you close if she didn’t trust you or feel for you on some level.”
    The slice that the loneliness he’d experienced moments ago
had cut into him scabbed over. Archer nodded. “You are right.”
    “Of course I am. And I am also right when I say you need to
let go.” Warren cupped his lover’s cheek. “If there is pain to come, we will
deal with it. But not trying guarantees pain.”
    Archer caressed Warren’s temple. “When did you get so wise?”
    Warren chuckled. “I was born this way.”
    Archer shook his head and pulled him close. “I love you. I
cannot imagine my life without you in it.” The string of worry eased for the
time being. He hoped their plan would work.
    Nothing else bore imagining.
    * * * * *
    The next day Sarah sat at the lunch table, the words of the
paper swirling before her eyes. She still couldn’t believe what she had done
the day before. How could she risk her father’s livelihood— her livelihood—for the fleeting pleasure of Archer’s