Evan shot him a wicked smile, his gaze heated. “Well, that’s no fun. I’ll just have to get you relaxed around me, won’t I?”
Oh. Hewasflirting.
Thomas bit his lip. Playing along would be a terrible idea. Theworstidea. Getting tangled up with Evan would surely only end in disappointment and hurt feelings when the duke movedon to his next conquest. The sensible thing to do would be to avoid any kind of involvement.
But Thomas wastiredof being sensible. He wanted to experience passion with someone as wild and attractive and tempting as the duke—who was theRogue,and who was apparently equally interested in Thomas.
When would he ever have another chance to pursue his fantasies?
Thomas took a deep breath to settle the butterflies flapping madly in his stomach and said casually, “Perhaps you will. I’m open to offers.”
Evan’s mouth dropped open and then it snapped shut again, and the naked hunger in his expression sent a thrill coursing through Thomas’s veins. He’d rendered the Rogue speechless, and he had the feeling that wasn’t something that happened often.
It was immensely satisfying.
He spurred his horse into a trot and rode away. He was tempted to look back, but instead he kept his gaze trained on the king and his husband, settling into a steady pace and making sure that he rose up in his saddle high enough that Evan got his own eyeful of flexing thighs. Two could play at that game.
And theywereplaying a game, he was certain of that now. A game that, if he played it well enough, might lead to him winning a very attractive prize—one with bright green eyes, a seductive laugh, and an arse like a peach.
Evan huffed out a laugh from behind him and caught up to him just as Thomas slowed his horse to a walk a suitable distance behind the royal couple. It was obvious that some of the tension that the king had been carrying had eased, and his posture was loose and relaxed. Felix, too, was smiling, and Thomas felt a surge of fondness for the pair of them. “Thank youfor thinking of this,” he said quietly to Evan. “They needed the distraction.”
“As long as they don’t ask to stop and fuck in that grove of trees,” Evan replied, equally quietly.
Thomas let out a snort. “You know about that?”
Evan grinned. “Sadly. I stumbled upon them one day while out riding. Someone was groaning in what I thought was pain, and I assumed they were in distress.” He cleared his throat. “It turned out that while someonewasgetting their arse turned pink, my assistance was not required. In fact, they were decidedly ungrateful for my attempted rescue.”
Thomas laughed. “I learned early on to turn a deaf ear to any noises I heard coming from the king’s bedroom, and I always make sure to move out of earshot when they stop at the grove on their rides,” he admitted.
Evan laughed as well, loudly enough that Felix cast a quizzical glance back at them. Evan’s eyes sparkled with mirth, their deep green colour putting Thomas in mind of precious gems. “Leo didn’t talk to me for three days afterwards, and Felix couldn’t look me in the eye for a week.” His smile widened. “Ride with me?”
For a split second, Thomas’s ears deceived him, and he was certain the duke had said, “Ride me.” He had a vivid, startling vision of Evan straddling him and sinking down on his cock right before Evan flicked his reins and spurred his horse into a full gallop, his meaning becoming clear as he went racing out ahead.
Thomas squeezed his thighs together to ease the tightness in his trousers that the thought of a naked, willing Evan had caused. It was a mental picture he’d be revisiting tonight in the privacy of his own cottage, but right now it was decidedly inconvenient trying to ride with a thickening cock.
When Evan raced past, Leo laughed, spurring his own ride on, and Felix did the same, and after a moment Thomassignalled Poppy to pick up her pace. Soon all four of them were galloping across the green fields. Their horses cut a swathe through the lush, thick grass, their long legs eating up the distance, and their thundering hooves matched Thomas’s racing heartbeat as he gave chase, losing himself in the pleasure of riding fast just for the hell of it.
Evan raced ahead, covering the ground at a ridiculously fast pace. Thomas urged Poppy forward, driven by a combination of competitiveness and a ridiculous desire to impress the Rogue. He almost caught up several times, but then Evan would lean forward in the saddle and surge ahead again, and Thomas would find himself left behind.
They rode for several miles like that, and they’d reached the edge of the woods by the time Evan slowed his horse to a walk. Thomas had sweat beading his hairline and his chest was heaving—partly from the ride and partly from the thrill of watching Evan as he’d raced across the meadow with his body low to his mount, his arse in the air.
He dismounted and patted Poppy’s side, and Evan threw one leg over the back of his saddle and slid to the ground with an elegance Thomas could only dream of. It was unfair how Evan could make the most mundane actions seem seductive. Surely, he was doing it on purpose.
Leopold came thundering up to them with Felix trailing behind. “Bloody hell, Evan. You ride like the devil himself is after you!”
“Or men with swords, perhaps,” Evan said drily. He turned to Thomas and shot him a pleased smile. “I must admit, you gave me a run for my money today.”
Tendrils of warmth curled in Thomas’s belly and he had to resist the urge to puff out his chest. “That’s quite a compliment coming from you.”
“I’ve been chased by the best, but I do believe you might be the one to catch me, if I’m lucky.” Evan’s smile became teasing.
The warmth flooding Thomas shifted and became a different kind of heat, sharp and molten, and hunger thrummed through his veins. “If you’reverylucky,” he agreed, his voice rough.
Evan laughed, low and pleased. Their eyes locked, and the air between them grew heavy with unspoken promise, the weight of it gathering like an approaching thunderstorm. Evan leaned forward the tiniest amount and for a moment Thomas wondered if he was about to kiss him, but then Evan let out a frustrated breath and took a step back, and whatever it was that had been brewing between them was gone, chased away like a leaf on the breeze.
Thomas tried not to let his disappointment show. He told himself it wasn’t like he’dwantedEvan to kiss him—not in the middle of a field with the king and his husband watching, anyway.
“So,” the king said, apropos of nothing, “we should go back.”
