The Copper Horse #2 Pride (28 page)

Erik chuckled
and leaned down to kiss Reuben’s arm. “You like it, darling?”

Reuben quickly
nodded and slid off the kneeler to shuffle between Erik’s thighs.
Maybe he’d at least get to suck him off. Reuben nudged Erik’s
crotch with his leather muzzle.

“Naughty!”
Erik’s voice was soaked with delight. He opened his thighs to give
Reuben more room.

Reuben let out
a nasal sigh and traced Erik’s cock with his muzzle. If only his
arms weren’t bound in the back, he’d massage Erik all over. He
didn’t anticipate his master’s slim thighs to tense abruptly on
both sides of his head when the door to their booth opened with a
loud screech. He mumbled through the bit, torn between feeling
trapped and the sense that he could spend all of his life where he
was.

“Master?”

Oh, this was
something serious if Hans sounded uncertain.

Reuben slid out
from between Erik’s thighs and didn’t know what to think when he
looked up at... Percy Preston? The bushy ginger locks were
unmistakable, but Reuben did another take, and it wasn’t Percy’s
face he was looking at. Was it his double? Either way, Reuben’s
heart started throbbing and he backed away on his knees. The man
was so tall that the top of his head almost brushed the ceiling of
their booth. Long, graceful limbs and sharp cheekbones would make
him appear almost elfin if it weren’t for the mischievous smile
that tugged at the corners of his long, pretty mouth. The face was
not as beautiful and symmetrical as Erik’s or Percy Preston’s, but
there was something about him that made it impossible for Reuben to
tear his eyes away. The man threw back his long velvet cape with an
elegant gesture, revealing a contrast of emerald and fuchsia that
made up his flawless outfit.

“Ferris
Deverell.”

Reuben blinked
at his master’s words and examined the stranger more carefully.
This
was Ferris Deverell? What kind of man did
the Dandy
Doctor
have to be to come into a hornet’s nest like this and
arrogantly sit in one of Erik’s chairs without asking for
permission? Reuben couldn’t tear his eyes away from Deverell and
inched closer with curiosity. He wanted to compare him to Percy
Preston’s acting.

Deverell
crossed one endless leg over the other and raised a sharp eyebrow
at Reuben. “Is this the fair Copper I have heard so much
about?”

Reuben smiled
behind his muzzle, already growing fond of the unexpected visitor.
He was talked about? He looked at his master, unsure of what he
should do. Erik looked as uncertain as Hans, but eventually gave
the
Dandy Doctor
a polite smile.

“Indeed. I
didn’t realize the fame of my new stallion had crossed the walls of
London.”

Deverell combed
his long fingers through his fiery hair and sighed, ignoring Hans’s
stare. He was not as peacock-like as depicted on stage, but the
word ‘dandy’ described him well. “It only reached the ears that
wanted to know.”

So, Dr.
Deverell wanted to know about
him
? Reuben lifted his chin
with pride and straightened his back. He rather wished he wasn’t
wearing the mantle now, so he could show off his big, bulky
muscles. That way Deverell could go back to where he came from and
tell those other people what an amazing horse Reuben was.

“He enjoyed you
as a character, Lord Deverell.” Erik sounded very collected, so
Reuben assumed he didn’t know this man well.

“Ah,” Deverell
snapped his fingers and invited Reuben over with a gesture, “As did
I. A truly amusing spectacle. I shall ask the actors for their
signatures later.”

Reuben looked
at his master, but Erik gave a lazy nod, so without further ado,
Reuben decided to show off all his assets. He’d practiced getting
up in hooves countless times, so he hoped to make his master proud.
The leg with the recently sprained ankle trembled slightly as he
stood up, but he still managed without Hans’s help. He snorted and
shook his head to make the feathers in his plume move. Deverell’s
green eyes widened as they followed Reuben’s face and then
continued on to his crotch.

Yes, eat
your heart out, Dr. Deverell.
Reuben stood tall and proud. He
blinked when Deverell reached out to pet his cock without even a
trace of shame. Wasn’t this man supposed to be a
whoremonger
?

“That is a
well-trained pet, Mister Dal. I’m impressed.”

“Thank you, he
is an exceptionally dedicated beast.” The pride in Erik’s voice
made Reuben’s chest swell, and the word ‘beast’ had him feeling all
masculine and powerful. Even if he was a
tame
beast.

He still
couldn’t get over the fact that Deverell had pet his stiff prick.
Since it was a night for full-fledged horse play, Reuben decided to
go for it and test the man a little further. He took an elegant
step forward, arching toward the hand in a silent demand for
petting.

Deverell’s face
lit up like a child’s in a sweetshop. “What a beautiful cock you
have here, Copper. I bet it makes your master proud.”

Erik snorted.
“Just don’t let him spend.”

Reuben let out
a nasal moan of complaint but still stuck his hips out, eager for
fun, his face already flushed from the touch. He loved how Erik had
groomed him into a man worth desiring.

“I assume it is
your pleasure.” Deverell kneaded Reuben’s cock up and down,
flattening his hand over the head of the prick and pushing it
against Reuben’s taut stomach. It was hard to keep quiet when
Deverell’s other hand climbed up Reuben’s thigh and cupped his
balls through the tight leather.

“What is it
that you came for, Doctor Deverell?” Erik sounded bored, but that
couldn’t be because of Reuben’s performance, could it?

Reuben moaned
into his bit, enjoying the skillful fingers, and bowed to nuzzle
Deverell’s hair through the mask. It had a fresh minty scent, and
he’d gladly come all over it. The image presented in the play
seemed horribly wrong. Deverell knew his way around a cock.

Deverell bit
his lip, alternating his gaze between Reuben’s face and Erik. “Dima
Gregorovich has an offer he wanted me to discuss with you.”

Erik went
silent for a second before sending Hans out to guard the door from
the outside.

Hans tensed up,
his face becoming even more unpleasant than usual. “Are you sure,
Master?”

“Go.” Reuben
could picture Erik’s dismissive gesture in his mind without having
to look back at him. His focus was broken when one of Deverell’s
hands found Reuben’s tail and gave it a gentle tug.

He jerked his
hips toward Deverell’s face with a long whinny. Oh, how he longed
for touch there. The phallus moved in and out minutely, and Reuben
tried to catch Deverell’s gaze to plead for more. But at this
moment, Deverell only had eyes for Erik.

“He is safe
then,” Erik said as soon as the door closed behind Hans.

Deverell
nodded. “He is well, and sends his regards to the best forger in
Britain.”

Reuben stopped
humping Deverell’s hand and focused on the topic of conversation,
even though his mind was hazy with lust. He realized they were
talking about Gregorovich, the man Erik and Frey had tried to
eliminate with forged documents and a medical procedure at an
asylum. What if Deverell knew? What if he attacked Erik now? Reuben
imagined himself standing between them, giving Erik enough time to
flee.

“They are well
received.” Erik was very polite, much more polite than he would be
if Deverell really was just a silly dandy.

Deverell patted
Reuben’s cock and eventually took his hands away. “May I give him
some sugar?”

Reuben looked
to his master and lowered himself to his knees so that the muzzle
of his mask could be opened easier. He loved sugar.

Erik nodded but
didn’t spare a glance at Reuben, completely focused on the
unexpected guest. “What does he want?”

Deverell’s
hands froze at the buckle of Reuben’s muzzle. “Is it safe?”

“He is my
horse—you can speak your mind.”

For a moment
Reuben thought the question of safety was about biting Deverell. It
didn’t even occur to him that he could be considered a different
kind of threat. Reuben kneeled, patiently waiting for his sugar,
even though his body was hot and sweaty under the leather. At least
a treat would sweeten the fact that he wasn’t going to come any
time soon.

Deverell
frowned, but took out a paper bag and plunged his hand in. “He
wants
you
.”

“Does he
now?”

Deverell put
the sweet cube into Reuben’s waiting mouth, pushing it past the bit
so the taste exploded on Reuben’s tongue. “Shall we talk
business?”

Reuben sucked
on the sweetness, his breath still unsteady from arousal, but he
tried not to embarrass himself by moving his hips. He tried to lick
Deverell’s fingers before they pulled away.

Erik snorted.
“As expected from a man as bold as you, though I am still wondering
whether you are bold or mad to come here.”

Deverell shook
his head and offered him a genuine smile over Reuben’s head. “He
wants you. Let bygones be bygones.” He waved his hand dismissively.
“Gregorovich could use the skills of a man like you.”

Reuben felt
Erik’s boot through the mantle as his master stroked him with his
foot.

“How did you
get the idea I would want to migrate under his wing?”

“I come with a
friendly offer. You must see that the world as we know it is
crumbling. Or if you don’t venture out of Bylondon much, I can tell
you this. Things
will
change, and you don’t want to find
yourself under the wing that gets broken.”

Erik sighed,
letting his feet rest on Reuben’s back. “I assume the venture would
not come without a price?”

“You would be
doing the same job, sir. Just in a different house. You could even
have a stable there, if you liked.” Deverell smiled and stroked the
shaved side of Reuben’s head.

“What of my
brother?”

“Your brother
is a smart man, I can imagine he’d find his own path.” Deverell’s
full lips opened, and Reuben could see his tongue tracing the lower
lip.

“What does
Gregorovich intend for him?”

Deverell
shrugged. “Has your brother not spoken to you yet about the deal
he’s made? My lips are sealed, I’m afraid.”

Reuben sucked
on the sugar and followed the green of Deverell’s eyes. He loved
how the sweet cube melted, reaching every place in his mouth.

“A deal?”
Reuben could practically hear the frown in Erik’s voice.

“Or a business
offer, however you might want to call it.”

“When?”

“In times like
these I wish I had a fan, Mister Dal, so I could show how much I
cannot speak.”

Reuben imagined
Deverell with a fan of peacock feathers and grinned.

“Is there
anything that could unfasten your lips?” asked Erik.

“I can only say
that if he hasn’t told you, then maybe his brotherly love isn’t as
strong as I imagined. I would hate to see you and the lovely Copper
stranded in the rubble of change.”

Reuben looked
up at him at the mention of his name. He put facts together:
Frey hated Erik, after all. Would he betray his own blood? Would he
and Erik be left stranded? Reuben whimpered and turned to Erik, who
looked at him blankly.

“He does not
care much for my passions. I am sure you of all people understand
how disturbing such things can be.” Erik’s hand moved, reaching for
Copper, who shuffled closer on his knees.

“Trust me, I
do. Mister Gregorovich can be a conservative pain in the ass, but
that’s what he has me for.” Deverell grinned.

Erik pulled
Reuben’s head into his lap and stroked his nape. “I want what’s
best for my stud farm.”

Reuben looked
up to him in shock. ‘Farm’? Was Erik planning to get more
stallions? It couldn’t be. They’d talked about it before, and Erik
could only focus on one horse at a time. He nudged the inside of
Erik’s thigh with a moan. He
demanded
an explanation.

“I have to
admit, Copper is a proper stud with that lovely cock of his.”
Deverell seemed to have no shame at all. With an attitude like
that, in different circumstances, he and Erik could most likely be
the best of friends.

“What is it,
darling?” Erik stroked Reuben’s cheek with a sigh.

How was Reuben
supposed to explain his anxiety? “One,” he tried to lisp through
the large leather bit.

Erik shook his
head. “I don’t understand horse.”

Reuben huffed
through his nose with a frown and closed his lips around the bit.
Useless.

Deverell
laughed. “He’s adorable, Mister Dal.”

“That he is.”
Erik leaned forward to kiss Reuben’s lips. “Trained him
myself.”

“I’m sure
Mister Gregorovich could offer suitable accommodations in London
for you two. It might become useful if things do get out of hand in
a few months.”

Erik pulled
Reuben up and closed him in his arms. “Do you wish to watch the
second act from here, Doctor Deverell?”

“I’m afraid I
will have to leave you and your pony, though both of you look
perfectly comfortable with that idea.” Deverell smiled and stood
up. “Mister Gregorovich’s offer will stand for three days. If you
wish to pursue it, tie a red cloth around the ankle of the stallion
statues in front of your mansion.”

Erik gave him a
nod, stroking Reuben’s back. “Have a good evening then.”

“I hope yours
will be just as good. I know I am enjoying myself. I can’t wait to
find out what the Dandy Doctor and Gregorovich manage to achieve in
the Parliament.” Deverell winked at them and left the booth just as
quickly as he’d come in. Hans squeezed inside again, but Erik
gestured for him to leave.

“Stay where you
are.”

Reuben looked
up at Erik, unsure of what his decision would be. Their faces were
inches apart, but Erik wouldn’t look at him, seemingly lost in his
own thoughts.