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Yes. Absolutely.
Concealing whatever it was he’d lifted from Seth’s belt in a closed fist, Raider slid his other hand between their bodies and grabbed Seth’s dick through his pants.
“I like this,” Raider answered, words rasping through his constricted throat.
The storm Raider had been waiting for flashed through Seth’s eyes. Instead of unleashing it, however, Seth yanked away.
For a moment, the Curator stood in the middle of the cramped room, chest heaving, fists clenched, cock straining against the lacing of his pants. Raider’s own cock was less constricted but no more satisfied.
Raider stared at him, baffled and pretty damn annoyed. It wasn’t often that Raider was at a loss for words, but this was one of those occasions. Before he could figure out what the hell to say or do, Seth turned—and stormed from the room.
CHAPTER 9
IN THE PREDAWN dimness, Raider wedged the wrapped butter into his saddlebags, bid Gangi farewell, and climbed stiffly into Umae’s saddle.
The early start had meant a cold breakfast and no kahve. It also meant chilly air, and that meant Raider’s body hadn’t warmed up enough to get supple. He shivered miserably (and stiffly) in his kaftan as he guided Umae onto the dirt track that would take him and Seth away from Shalaa.
The path lay wide here, where Shalaa’s livestock, including Gangi’s camels, frequently plodded back and forth to forage the nearby scrubland. Rocky hills lumped high in the distance, standing sharper against the sky as it lightened. Even though there was enough space for Seth and Raider to ride abreast, Seth kept his horse behind.
They hadn’t spoken more than a handful of necessary words since yesterday, and those without flavor. That wasn’t Raider’s style and it wouldn’t last, but he’d been … well, he’d been a bit upset.
Seth was so damn stubborn. He couldn’t possibly deny that he wanted Raider, and Raider had no intention of denying that he wanted Seth. So what was the problem?
This was simple. Nothing on earth, in fact, could be simpler.
But Seth apparently, was determined to make it complicated and agonizing—as though it wasn’t obvious what was going to happen.
Raider would make it happen. The alternative, giving up and giving Seth his space, wasn’t to be considered. (Raider wasn’t that nice, and it would be pointless in any case.) At the moment, though, Raider was inclined to sulk—and damn the man for making him do it!
As they reached the craggy, scrub-covered hills, the path narrowed, cutting around humps of tawny, crumbling rock.
When a rain of sandy debris fell pattering behind Raider, making Umae dance, he heard a familiar shiiing! and twisted in his saddle to see that Seth had yanked his sword from the scabbard angled across his back.
Above, a bell clanged dully, and Raider glanced up to see a goat leap its nimble way up the rocky slope. Somewhere in the distance, a boy shouted.
Raider chuckled. “We’re still in civilization.”
“This,” said Seth, “is not civilization.”
Seth sheathed his sword. He did it expertly, sliding the weapon home in a single, smooth movement over his shoulder.
He’d donned a white kaftan, which hung open over his Curator’s garb. The hood framed his broad, handsome face, and the whole ensemble was a delicious mix of masculine power and elegance. Once again—damn the man. How was Raider supposed to stay mad at him when he looked like that?
“Ah, yes,” Raider drawled, feeling more like himself. “How could I forget that our little town must look like a cluster of hovels to a big-city man like you?”
Seth frowned. “I’m not a snob.”
“Yes, you are.”
“We’re on a goat track,” Seth said pointedly, “not in Shalaa. Besides, is it really your town if you don’t really live there?”
“I live there more than anywhere else, so, yes.”
Seth frowned again, like a new thought had occurred to him. “Where are you from?”
“Oh, here and there.” Raider untwisted himself and settled back into his saddle. “I’m a feather on the wind.”
It was Raider’s standard answer. People usually accepted it easily, gave a laugh or shook their heads, but the Curator made a contemplative sound that said the subject would come back up.
