Temptation ~ The second novelette from "Different Desire", a Gay Victorian Romance and Erotic novelette collection

know , you do not need to pretend to me. ”
    “I-I beg your pardon?” Oliver said with a small nervous laugh to hide his shock. The laughter sounde d shrill and unnatural even in his own ears , and Oliver sincerely hoped that his new student had not been able to somehow read his uncontrolled thoughts.
    “I know , ” Winston said sof tly, “ p erfectly well who you are and why you are here.”
    “Oh. I mean … r eally? ” Oliver said and suddenly had a hard time breath ing calmly. He added weakly, “I assure you, I am only here to help you with your studies ! ”
    “No. You are here because you cannot resist the temptation … ” Winston said and moved even closer to Oliver. He is too near now, Oliver’s overheated mind warned him. Only inches away. Dangerously close! Oliver thought and started to feel oddly dizzy. Winston’s breath was hot against his naked skin and sent shivers down Oliver’s back as Winston whispered in his ear, “ … to dig around in the old library, while pretending to be interested in teaching and tutoring. Am I right?”
    “Well,” Oliver took a rather unsteady breath and cleared his throat , “I-I-I would not perhaps put it quite that way … ” Oliver continued and tried in desperation to figure out how to finish the sentence.
    “No? But it is true regardless,” Winston said with a small knowin g smile that made Oliver wonder in alarm just how much of his own reaction towards him that Winston had noticed. However, before Oliver managed to come to any clear conclusion, the other gentleman abruptly turned his back to him and walked over to the window alcove, leaving Oliver equally relieved and disappointed. “You are not the first tutor, nor the last, who has come here to Wycliffe Castle with the same ambition, you know . ”
    “I believe that–” Oliver started to explain; however , he was effectively cut short.
    “Trust me, Mr Sanders. Upon my word , so far, none of the tutors that my father has employed have succeeded,” Winston said in a rather aloof voice while he thoughtfully looked out of the narrow double-arched stone windows. “In fact, most of them have left the castle within a fortnight’s time.”
    Noble son or not, it was rather rude not to let people finish their sentence, Oliver thought and tried in vain not to study his problematic student’s nicely shaped calves and legs. He adjusted his thin brass spectacles. Some men just should not be allowed to wear tight-fitting breeches and silk stockings like that, Oliver concluded before he chided himself mentally. Really, Oliver. Shame on you!
    The other gentleman was dressed in a faded Wedgwood blue tailed frock jacket that failed to hide his fine-looking legs and pretty bottom that were rather impossibl e not to pay notice to. The frock jacket was simpler than Oliver had expected. In fact, Oliver had imagined the v iscount’s son would be draped in rich lace and expensive velvet, but Wins ton was dressed in nothing fancier than what a well-to-do clerk would have worn in church on Sundays.
    “Well, surely–” Oliver tried to say.
    “It will perh aps be a discouragement for you to hear that I have absolutely no interest in learning the classical languag es such as Greek or Latin.”
    “But perhaps–”
    “Furthermore, I am quite hopeless in geography and history , and I find mathematics impossibly boring.”
    “Hm m . Nevertheless, your father requested–” Oliver started to say, but he was once again interrupted. He pinched the bridge of his nose under his spectacles hard in frustration and tried not to scream. He is quite insufferable, obnoxious, and impolite and … and …
    “I have also a very limited knowledge in politics and science,” Winston concluded and turned around. He smiled in sympathy at Oliver. “I am truly sorry, Mr Sanders, but I am afraid you will find me a rather dreadful student.”
    And perfectly gorgeous, Oliver thought helplessly with a small sigh. But it can only end in disaster, he warned himself without any significant effect.
    “We will see,” Oliver mumbled instead and braved on, refusing to give up. “Perhaps we can draw up a list of subjects and see in which areas you will need the most support , and we will go from there?”
    He sternly pretended that he had not heard Winston’s complain ts regarding his ability to learn and his general disinterest in studying.
    Winston arched an eyebrow at Oliver’s remark and crossed his arms over his chest. At that