He was dressed in his own clothes today, and Felix took a moment to appreciate the excellent fit of his riding trousers. As Leo approached, his face split in a smile. “Is Blackbird ready to ride? I thought I’d take her out if you’re free to accompany me?”
Felix grinned. “I’m always available for you.”
Leo’s smile widened. “I’m glad to hear it.”
There was a small delay in saddling the horses while Leo backed Felix against the wall and kissed him thoroughly. Felix couldn’t say he minded, not when he got to run his hands along Leo’s muscled back and down over the curve of his arse in return. And once they’d gotten that out of their system, it didn’t take them long to get saddled up.
They mounted their horses and Felix closed his eyes for a second and took a deep breath, the scents of straw and sweat and horse filling his lungs, before he gave a light flick of the reins and Shadow moved forward, obedient as always. Leo and Blackbird fell into step beside him, the horses’ hooves clattering on the cobbles when they crossed the yard. “Did you have anywhere you wanted to go in particular?” Felix asked.
“I know a quiet spot. Mattias gave me disappointed looks all morning until I dealt with my correspondence, and now I need to clear my head.” Leo twitched his reins and picked up his pace to a trot, heading out across the expanse of the meadow towards the distant edge of the woods, and Felix followed suit.
Leo was an excellent rider, confident in his movements and in complete control. Blackbird obeyed his slightest signal, and Leo showed no hesitation in pressing her into a gallop until her hooves went flying over the grass, faster than Felix had ever seen her run, and they raced ahead. Felix spurred Shadow on as well and it didn’t take long before he was pulling alongside them—and what he saw took his breath away, because Leo on horseback was a thing of beauty.
His hair was windblown, his shirttails askew, and he looked nothing like royalty at all. He was grinning like a madman, his cheeks rosy from the wind and his face a picture of absolute joy as he leaned forward in the saddle urging Blackbird on. His eyes were alight with exhilaration, and he showed no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Felix settled in next to him and let Shadow have his head, and together they surged forward, the horses’ hooves thundering against the hard-packed soil of the dirt track that led to the woods, the stables becoming an ever-decreasing speck in the distance. Felix’s heart thundered in his chest with the sheer thrill of it as they rode and rode and rode.
It was almost a disappointment when Leo straightened in the saddle, causing Blackbird to slow to a trot and then a walk, but Felix knew it was the right move. Shadow’s sides heaved with exertion beneath him, and he couldn’t imagine Blackbird was any different. He leaned forward and patted the side of his neck. “Shhh, good lad,” he said quietly. “We’ll let you have a rest, shall we?” Shadow tossed his head and snorted in reply as if to say that yes, a rest would be appreciated.
When Felix glanced over, he saw that Leo had slid from his saddle and was leading Blackbird towards a small grove of trees, petting her nose as he did so and crooning at her.
Felix dismounted and followed, and when he rounded the curve of the path, he was delighted to find that there was a small brook with clear water splashing over rocks and a pleasant clearing with soft-looking grass that was strangely flat in a couple of spots. “Oh, this is nice! I didn’t know this was here.”
Leo beamed at him, obviously pleased with himself. “I thought you’d like it. It’s where I come when I need a quiet place to think, and I mostly have it to myself.”
“Mostly?”
Leo indicated the flattened grass. “There’s been a time or two when it’s been occupied by young lovers seeking their own quiet space, in which case I ride on by and pretend I haven’t seen anything.” He led Blackbird over the brook and let her drink before he looped her reins over a tree branch and lowered himself onto a patch of greenery. He settled back on his elbows with his legs extended and his ankles crossed and patted the ground next to him in wordless invitation. Felix didn’t need to be asked twice.
He let Shadow drink and tethered him, then stretched out beside Leo. It wasn’t really any surprise when Leo pressed him flat against the grass before propping himself over Felix and kissing him. Leo was surprising in his tenderness, and they passed the time like that for a little while, trading lazy kisses and letting their hands roam. Felix had hoped that they might take things further, but Leo pulled back with a sigh when his hand bumped against the sheath of Felix’s short sword. “We should stop.”
“You started it,” Felix pointed out, running the tip of his tongue over his lips where they tingled pleasantly.
“I did,” Leo agreed, “but I promised Mattias I wouldn’t be too long, and I do want to be allowed to do this on a regular basis.”
Felix snorted a laugh. “Are yousureyou’re the king and not Mattias?”
Leo stood, extending a hand down to Felix and helping him up. He hesitated, running his thumb over Felix’s bottom lip. “Don’t think for a second that I’m not tempted to pin you down and take you apart until you’re begging right here and now. But I asked you to ride as my bodyguard, not come and dally as my bedmate. Now is not the time nor the place.”
The knowledge that Leo valued his skills as much as he admired his body gave Felix a warm feeling in his chest, which almost made up for the lack of kissing and touching. He resisted the urge to ask Leo if he wassurethey didn’t have time to flatten their own patch of grass and instead loosed Shadow’s reins and hefted himself into the saddle.
Leo mounted Blackbird with a grace borne of long practice and they meandered back towards the castle in comfortable silence, not racing this time but setting a more sedate pace. It was as the horses ambled into the stable yard that Leo cleared his throat. “I wonder, did you have plans for this evening?”
Felix pulled Shadow to a halt and slid to the ground. “It depends. What did you have in mind?”
Leo dismounted and stepped up close, eyes dark and voice low. “I’ve spent the entire ride back watching your arse bounce in that saddle, and it’s done nothing to diminish my desire to pin you down and do wicked, wicked things to you. Will you come to my rooms later tonight?”
“Yes, on one condition.”
Leo raised an eyebrow in silent enquiry.
Felix grinned. “Make sure there’s oil.”
ChapterEight
The next morning, Leo woke to the first strains of birdsong and stretched out a hand, seeking the man he’d fallen asleep next to. He immediately regretted it when he touched nothing but cold bed linens and a wet, sticky mess. But despite the unpleasant dampness he couldn’t hold back a smile, because it was his and Felix’s mess, a tangible reminder of the night they’d spent together.
He rolled onto his back and stared at the canopy of his bed, letting himself remember. Felix had arrived at his room long after most of the castle was asleep and proceeded to slip into Leo’s bed and make himself at home between the sheets and between Leo’s thighs, getting his mouth on Leo’s cock and teasing him until Leo was achingly hard.
