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“You were getting one of your looks.”
“Hm.”
Seth was surprised that Raider had noticed his expression—because it seemed like Raider had been avoiding looking at him all day. It had started naturally enough when Seth had sat behind him this morning, and he hadn’t thought anything of it when they’d fucked. The position hadn’t allowed for eye contact.
Heat pulsed into Seth’s groin at the memory of Raider sheathing him so abruptly. I needed it, Raider had gasped, leaning back against him with Seth’s cock hot and throbbing inside him. Fuck, I love it.
Seth had never been so passive during sex, and it had been a surprisingly erotic experience to lie back and be ridden like that, to be inside Raider but to not be in control. To know that Raider wanted him like that, that he’d brought himself to orgasm on Seth’s cock. And feeling Raider’s body seize on him …
Gods, Seth had come so hard.
He made himself take a slow, easy breath. Even though his aroused state was hidden by the heavy material of his pants—not to mention his (now dingy) white kaftan—it wasn’t much fun navigating the busy streets with a stiff dick.
His discomfort aside, Seth was relieved to have the distraction of dodging men and women leading animals or pushing handcarts while Raider guided him through the maze of square, mudbrick buildings. If they talked, Raider would realize how anxious Seth was.
Why had Raider barely looked at him today?
Was he distancing himself? To … leave?
He’d better fucking not be.
Yet, arriving in Aqarat, Seth couldn’t help but remember that he’d hired Raider to get him here, that Raider was owed payment for that.
Why the hell hadn’t they talked about what would happen when they got here?
Why the hell hadn’t Seth just said, I love you, stay with me, we need to figure this out?
But he hadn’t said that—and now the moment was gone.
Aqarat’s merchant quarter was nothing like the quiet bazaar in Shalaa. Vendors in colorful robes thronged the streets, hawking their wares—everything from rugs and lamps to plucked chickens and meat pies, beads and baubles and promises of magic amulets. Red-lipped prostitutes in gauzy kaftans strolled the streets, bangles clacking at their wrists and ankles. Scruffy children darted through the crowd, and Seth hoisted his packs a little higher and fixed a glare on his face to discourage pickpockets.
Raider, noticing this, grinned.
Fuck, Seth loved that grin. How had he ever scorned it? Why was he such an idiot?
Raider flipped a coin to a fruit vendor and plucked two oranges from the man’s cart. He peeled one and handed it to Seth.
“Did you lift that coin from me?” Seth was quite sure that Raider had no money. He’d spent it all in Shalaa before they’d left. On supplies. On his horse. On raaki.
Raider grinned again. “And you were worried about all the little brats running around.”
“Brats? Do you not like children?”
“Oh, I love them. But they are brats. I mean, come on, you can’t really love a thing if you don’t see it for what it is, can you?”
Seth’s breath caught. This was the kind of shit Raider liked to throw out as casually as he’d thrown out that coin. Something so deep and real that Seth needed time to process it. He didn’t have that time right now, not in this crush of people, so instead he ate the orange that Raider had peeled for him, suppressing a moan of delight. Raider, eating the other orange, threw back his head and groaned freely.
Licking his fingers, Raider asked, “Do you want to check for arcane oddities or anything like that?”
Seth’s heart sank a little at the reminder of why they were here. “I guess. But, Raider, we need to—”
“Don’t.” Raider’s eyes squeezed shut. “Please don’t.”
Fuck.
Fuck.
Any courage Seth had mustered to broach this subject—the subject—vanished.
