Page 2 of An Earl's Bet
“No.I am not.I earned my knighthood all on my own.”
“You did?”
Earnest was hardly going to admit to Lord bloody Horden that he’d grown up in the Duke Street Orphanage with Sebastian, and that Sebastian, Adam and Nobbie had taken him under their wings and become his friends, his family, when no one else wanted him.As if a Lord with everything could possibly understand that.With that in mind, there was only one logical choice.He ran away from Lord Horden before he could make the situation worse by talking too much.It was, surely, better to bolt than suffer Horden’s pity.
At least a quarter hour later, although it could easily have been shorter or longer as time was immaterial when he was running away from hurt, he cursed his instinct for self-preservation because now he was wandering the hallways of this, frankly, stupidly large house wondering if he shouldn’t have been more honest with Lord Horden.Self-preservation?Hardly.Earnest may as well admit it to himself.He was lost.He couldn’t talk to anyone even if he’d wanted to, and what good had talking done last time anyway?His mouth got him into more trouble than it ever helped him avoid.
He threw open a random door, unsure of what to expect, but hopefully he’d find somewhere comfortable to curl up and sleep off the evening’s excess.He could get un-lost tomorrow.The room had a sumptuous bed but was otherwise sparsely furnished.It must be a spare room, since there were no personal items anywhere on display, so he threw off his clothes and climbed under the covers.
He let out a moan as he lay down.The linen sheets were so soft and decadent, making the bed the most comfortable and luxurious one he’d ever lain in.He tucked the covers around him, hugged the pillow, and drifted off into a drunken stupor.
A little touch on his cheek surprised him, and he woke enough to glance around.The room was dark bar one feeble candle sending hopelessly pathetic shards of light around it.Earnest was a little woozy; it must be the drink still working its way through his system.Maybe he’d imagined the caress.
“Why can’t I resist you?”Now Earnest knew he was dreaming, because in the real world, Lord Horden would never say such a thing.He kept his eyes closed and pretended he didn’t hear it, wishing it were true, but knowing that it must be his own brain being unhelpful.Besides, he couldn’t deal with Horden throwing him out again.People didn’t throw him out.Not anymore.He was always the one who left first, often with a dramatic flounce to make his point, even when he didn’t have a point.
“What are you doing in my bed?”Lord Horden asked.No such luck.Apparently he wasn’t dreaming.
“Your bed?”Earnest gulped.Didn’t every bed in this house technically belong to Horden?
“Yes.I went back to dinner to be a good host and when I came to bed, you were fast asleep in here.Did you do it on purpose?”
Earnest scrunched up his face.“This is your bed?As in the actual one you sleep in when you are here?”Bollocks and damnation.Of all the beds in this monstrosity of a house, and he’d accidentally fall asleep in Horden’s bed?There had been nothing in the room to indicate it was Horden’s room, like a big sign.‘Warning.Danger ahead.’What were the odds?Nobbie would know.He understood maths in the same way Earnest liked to play with words.
“Yes.We have established that.”
“I didn’t know.”He didn’t want to admit that he’d been lost.“I drank too much at dinner and I thought it was my bed.All the rooms in this house look the same to me.”Better to be thought charmingly annoying than useless.
“Oh Earnest.What am I to do with you?”
“Fuck me and kick me out again?”He was pathetic because he actually wanted that; well the fucking part at least.Being kicked out was never good which is why he went to such lengths to avoid it.Life had taught him that people used him for fun but didn’t want to keep him.It was always better to focus on this moment—the enjoyable part—then leave before anyone had the chance to dismiss him.
He may as well ask for what he really wanted and enjoy the opportunity that his own disastrous inability to know where he was had provided.“Impale me with that giant cock of yours like the greedy whore that I am.”
Lord Horden’s eyes widened, and he glanced around the room.“How can you say such things?”
Chapter 2