He just hadn’t expected to miss his pretty groom quite so much.
ChapterNine
Felix breathed deeply, enjoying the crisp morning air as Blackbird trotted across the wide expanse of meadow. The days were growing warmer, so he’d decided to ride before the heat of the day. He’d been astride for long enough that there was an ache in his thighs, but he didn’t really mind. Blackbird needed her exercise and Felix was happy to take her out, what with Leo being so busy.
Of course, Leo wasn’t the only one who was busy. The entire main stables had been in a flurry of activity preparing for the influx of visitors and their horses, and even Davin had managed to put in several days’ hard work, though he had complained loudly the entire time. They were as ready as they could be, which meant Felix was free to take Blackbird out.
The gates of the stable yard came into view. As they entered, Blackbird tossed her mane and slowed to a walk, allowing Felix to lead her inside with no fuss. He let her eat and drink before he set about brushing her, and it wasn’t long before he was done, running a hand over a freshly groomed flank. He tried not to look at Leo’s empty saddle on its stand, a stark reminder of the king’s continued absence.
Eight days.
It had been eight days since Felix had seen Leo, and he missed the king more than he was willing to admit. Felix wasn’t stupid, and he knew that he and Leo couldn’t ever be anything more than they were, and that he’d have to give the king up eventually, but that didn’t stop the ache in his chest.
The thing was, Felix mused as he cleaned and stored the grooming equipment with a sigh, the more time he spent with Leo, the more he found himself enamoured of him—and not just for his excellent spanking technique and his ability to fuck Felix through the mattress.
Leo listened to him like hemattered, and at least half their time in bed was spent talking and laughing, which wasn’t something Felix had ever encountered with his previous lovers. He’d come to the realisation over the last week that, as inconvenient as it was, he might possibly be fonder of his idiot monarch than he’d first thought.
Stupid, he chided himself.
It didn’t matter what Felix thought and felt. It didn’t matter that despite his father’s warning, he was pining like a fool.
Leo was theking, and as such, duty would always come first.
Felix just had to remember that, enjoy what they had while he could, and put aside the ridiculous fantasies that had started to creep into his dreams—the ones where Leo and he just…kept being lovers, and nobody needed an heir, and there wasn’t a princess in sight.
Blackbird flicked her tail and stamped impatiently, dragging him out of his thoughts. Felix led her outside and released her, and she trotted over to where Shadow was waiting for her under one of the trees. Tomorrow, he decided, he’d take Ollie with him and let him ride Shadow as reward for the effort the lad had put in during the week. Ollie was only fifteen and a reserved soul, but he had a natural aptitude for horses and was eager to please—and unlike Davin, he didn’t slip away to spoon with the kitchen maids when he should have been working.
Felix wishedhecould slip away for some unscheduled spooning, but he didn’t hold out much hope of that happening for at least another week, not with the visitors here—and if Leo was coerced into proposing, it probably wouldn’t happen at all. He had a feeling that the king’s betrothed might take a dim view of sharing her future husband with a mouthy commoner who worked in the stables.
* * *
The visitors arrived just before noon in a whirlwind of noise and activity with a procession of carriages and carts and staff, and the next few hours were taken up helping Mother, his grooms, and the stable boys feed and house the various mounts and get them settled. Felix was glad of the distraction if he was honest, because at least it stopped the unpleasant squirming in the pit of his stomach when he thought about Leo spending time with the princess.
Gods, Leo would have to be all pomp and ceremony and formal robes for an entire week. It would be torture for him. Felix had no doubt he’d manage it, but he was also certain that Mattias would be forced to listen to Leo’s petulant grumbling about the need for footwear and manners. He wondered if Mattias would find it as entertaining as Felix did when Leo pouted. He wished that he could be the one Leo was complaining to, just so he could mock him until Leo put him over his knee.
He shoved the thought aside. His job this week was to take care of the horses, and Leo’s job was to take care of the kingdom.
It was just how things were.
He stepped back, surveying the controlled chaos as the last of the horses were fed, watered, and stabled. It had taken a decent chunk of the afternoon, but with everyone pitching in, it was done. He nodded approvingly at Davin, who was currently topping up the feed troughs in the stalls, and, probably swept along in the excitement of the new arrivals, was working harder than Felix had ever seen him. “Well done, Davin.”
Davin beamed at him. “Thank you, sir. Did you see the princess? I did. She’s got red hair like it’s on fire, and she’s only a tiny little thing, but she’s so—” He made a curving in and out motion with his hands in the air to indicate exactlywhatthe princess was. “I’d have her any day of the—ow!” Davin turned and glared at Mother, who’d clipped the back of his head with a broad palm.
Mother glared right back, hands on his hips and chin jutting out. “She’sroyalty, Davin, not one of your kitchen girls! Have some respect!”
Davin hunched his shoulders up around his ears. “I’m just saying, Leo would have to be mad to let this one go.”
Mother rolled his eyes. “His Majesty King Leopold, lad. And it’s not for us to speculate, is it? It’s for us to take care of the horses and keep our mouths shut.”
“Sorry,” Davin muttered, dropping his gaze to the floor and rubbing the back of his head.
Felix swallowed the sudden lump in his throat, and it became a lead ball lodged in the pit of his stomach. What if Davin was right? What if Leo found Sophia too tempting to pass up?
“You all right, Flick? You’ve gone all pale.” Mother’s brow creased in concern.
“Fine,” Felix managed to say. “I just need some air.” He pushed his way past them and walked outside, resting his elbows on the wooden railing and taking a deep breath as his eyes stung for no reason.
Except that was a lie. He knew why they stung.
