Mattias nodded and slipped away into the castle, presumably to arrange the bath, and Leo followed him inside with one arm wrapped around Felix’s waist, keeping him close as he guided him toward the kitchens.
The cook fussed suitably over Felix and fed them both, and by the time they’d eaten and made it to Leo’s rooms, there was an enormous copper tub filled with steaming water set in front of the fireplace, where the flames crackled merrily.
Felix gave a pleased hum at the sight of it. “Oh, that does look good.” He peeled out of his shirt and Leo was glad to see that Felix hadn’t been lying. There weren’t any new injuries of note, just the red marks around his wrists where he’d been tied up, and the last fading traces of his earlier bruises.
He reached out and ran his fingertips lightly up Felix’s ribs and down again, and Felix stood still, letting him touch. “I really am fine, Leo,” he said softly.
“Hush and let me look at you,” Leo admonished, tugging at the laces of Felix’s trousers and pushing them down his legs until they puddled around his ankles.
Felix shoved his smallclothes down as well and stepped out of the whole mess, and Leo was struck anew with how beautiful he was. He reached out a hand and Felix took it.
Leo led him over to the bathtub and Felix lowered himself into the water, letting out a low moan as he submerged himself. “Fuck, that’s good. Everything aches.”
Leo tensed. “You said you weren’t hurt!”
Felix opened his eyes just long enough to roll them. “I said I wasn’tinjured. But my muscles are still stiff. I just got bounced halfway to kingdom come hogtied and slung across the back of a horse, then I threw myself onto a stone floor hard enough to break the chair I was tied to, and then I sat on the back ofanotherhorse to get back to you, and it wasn’t exactly comfortable sharing a saddle with Mattias and his stupidly long legs.” He shrugged, causing the water to slosh, and closed his eyes again.
When Felix put it like that, Leo was forced to admit that perhaps he was overreacting the tiniest bit. He wanted to know the details of how, exactly, Felix had escaped, but he could tell that now wasn’t the time to ask, so instead he lowered himself to his knees next to the tub. After soaping up the washcloth, he dragged it across Felix’s shoulders, leaving a trail of suds in its wake. Felix hummed and leaned forward to give him better access, and Leo continued to wash his bare skin.
He’d never bathed anyone before—it wasn’t something kings did—but he must have been doing a reasonable job if the soft hums and noises of appreciation Felix was making were any indication. He worked his way down Felix’s back and across his chest, before pausing to tilt Felix’s head back and wet his hair with warm water from the jug the maids had left for that purpose. Felix blinked the water away and when he opened his eyes, the droplets caught on his lashes glistened like tiny diamonds. It was so utterly charming that Leo gave into temptation and leaned in to press their lips together.
Felix smiled against his mouth and tangled one wet hand in Leo’s hair, holding him there as he deepened the kiss, tongue darting out and teasing against the seam of Leo’s mouth. Leo let him in, and they stayed that way, tongues tangling as they kissed soft and lazy, until Felix drew back with a satisfied hum.
Leo found himself unable to stop touching Felix. He ran his fingertips through the damp curls at the nape of Felix’s neck until Felix sighed and said, “Stop. If you keep doing that, I’ll fall asleep, and I don’twantto fall asleep. I have plans involving the man I love.”
“Say that again,” Leo said, a thrill running through him at the words.
Felix rolled his eyes, but he was smiling. “The man I love. Which is you. Happy?”
“Very,” Leo said. “Now tell me about these plans.”
Felix hummed. “Well, you’ve just washed me all over in a most arousing fashion, and it’s beenfartoo long since your hands were on my skin. I think you can guess.” He grabbed Leo’s wrist and guided it under the surface of the water to his cock, which was hard against Leo’s palm.
Heat raced through Leo and his own cock throbbed with want. He stroked Felix’s erection just enough to elicit a whimper before standing and holding out a hand. Felix flashed him a mischievous smile and allowed himself to be helped out of the tub. Leo’s breath caught in his throat when he saw Felix’s cock standing proud and flushed against the pale skin of his belly. Felix’s eyes were bright, and his wet skin gleamed in the firelight. “What do you think?” he teased as he picked up a towel, rubbing it over his body in the barest approximation of drying himself before letting it drop to the floor. “Am I fit to grace the bed of a king?”
“Onlythisking,” Leo growled out.
Felix laughed softly and Leo suspected he was mocking him, but he found he didn’t care, too intent on getting Felix into his bed and putting his hands all over him. He stepped forward and cupped the globes of Felix’s arse. Felix gave a soft moan and his eyelids fluttered closed as Leo relished the press of warm skin against his palms, and then Felix was kissing him, his hands plucking at Leo’s damp shirt. “Off,” he murmured against Leo’s mouth.
Leo pulled away so he could undress, and as soon as he was naked, Felix was gliding his hands over Leo’s belly, up and across his shoulders, and down to his hips. Leo shivered under his touch, soaking up the contact. He buried his face in the curve of Felix’s throat and pressed soft kisses against the damp skin, and Felix let out a low groan.
Leo turned them and directed them to the bed and Felix went willingly, falling back against the mattress with Leo on top of him. Leo ground against him, the already-damp head of his cock slip-sliding in the crease of Felix’s hip.
Leo reached between them and lined their cocks up properly at the same time as Felix rolled his hips chasing more contact. His length was hot and slippery and utterly divine as it slid against Leo’s. Their bodies settled into a messy rhythm, every drag of skin on skin perfect, and heat pooled low in Leo’s belly. He wrapped his hand around both their lengths and stroked, and the touch sent lightning racing up his spine. Felix bucked up into his hand, wrapping his arms around Leo’s back and pulling him closer. Leo worked their cocks expertly, and it wasn’t long before Felix let out a choked-off whine and tensed, pulsing in Leo’s hand as he spilled, his entire body drawn taut.
At the sight of Felix with his spine arched, head thrown back, and lips parted, the tension in Leo’s belly coiled tighter and tighter until he couldn’t have held back his release if his life had depended on it. His balls throbbed and he buried his face against Felix’s throat, gave one final, firm stroke, and came with a groan. He gasped and shuddered his way through it, shocked by the intensity of his orgasm, until finally he collapsed, loose-limbed and spent.
They rolled onto their sides and lay together like that, tangled and sated and half-asleep, listening to the crackle of the fireplace, and Leo thought he might quite like to stay like this forever.
ChapterSeventeen
Felix woke to soft kisses on the nape of his neck and Leo’s arm around his waist. As he surfaced to consciousness properly, he smiled into the darkness when he remembered the events of the day before.
Not the attempted kidnapping—he could have done withoutthatparticular adventure, thank you very much—but afterwards, when Leo had called Felix his delight and his treasure and declared that he loved him. That alone had been worth putting up with the other nonsense for.
He sighed contentedly as Leo tugged him closer, filling any tiny bit of space between their bodies.
“Good morning, my love,” Leo rasped, voice rough with sleep, and a thrill ran down Felix’s spine.
