Delicious. Fuckable. Enticing.
“…handsome tonight, that’s all.”
Thomas’s smile widened. “Thank you. You look rather fetching yourself.”
Evan allowed himself a moment to preen. Knowing he looked amazing didn’t mean he didn’t like hearing it.
“So,” he said, turning back to the mirror—ostensibly to check his reflection, but in reality to give Thomas a better view of his arse—“the ambassador for Falsmark shows no signs of leaving even though the talks are over, so I think we can safely assume he’s involved in the plot against Leo.”
“Either that or he’s enjoying the free hospitality,” Thomas said. “Has he said or done anything else suspicious?”
“No, which makes him all the more questionable in my opinion,” Evan said. “He never drinks more than half a glass of wine at dinner, always retires early, and doesn’t dally with any of the other guests. That’s the behaviour of somebody who’s trying to remain unnoticed.”
“And yet you noticed him,” Thomas stated.
Evan turned to face him, picking up his burgundy jacket and slipping it on, then running his hands down the front to smooth any errant creases. “That’s because I’m the best at what I do. My mission tonight is to jolly the ambassador along until he agrees to drink with me, then get him tipsy enough to spill his secrets.”
He spun around, arms outstretched. “Now, do I look like a brainless fop who can only remember the location of his left bollock because it’s attached to the right?”
Thomas’s voice was rough when he replied. “Trust me, sir, in those trousers everybody knows where both your bollocks are.”
Evan beamed. He’d shimmied into his tightest black trousers with the intention of impressing the captain with his best features. It was having the desired effect if the way Thomas’s pupils had gone dark was any indication.
“Why, Captain,” he purred, “are you attracted to me?”
Thomas’s face flushed pink, and was it wrong that Evan found it delightful seeing such a big man so easily flustered?
Evan stepped closer, just to see Thomas’s reaction.
Thomas’s breathing hitched but he didn’t back away, and when Evan pressed a hand against his chest, Thomas’s thundering heartbeat told him all he needed to know. “Youareattracted.” He let his mouth curve into a teasing smile. “Perhaps we could have that kiss after all?”
Thomas’s eyes closed as he tipped his head back as if praying for strength, and when he spoke his tone was more wistful than anything. “We shouldn’t. You’re the duke and I’m just a guard.”
“And the king is married to a stable hand. Besides, I’m a very attractive man. You’d be a fool to pass up this opportunity.”
That startled a laugh out of Thomas, and some of the tension drained out of his frame. “Does that actually work as a seduction technique?”
Evan shrugged. “Sometimes the best way to get people to do what you want is to tell them to do it. For example, at some point in the near future you should take me to bed and fuck me.” He gave Thomas his most winning smile. “You won’t regret it.”
Thomas’s voice was a low growl when he said, “I’m sure I won’t,” and for a second Evan’s hopes were raised, but then Thomas blew out a sharp breath and added, “but right now you’re supposed to be at dinner and I’m supposed to be guarding the door, so perhaps this is a discussion best continued later.”
Evan couldn’t decide if he was annoyed at Thomas for being so damnably sensible or encouraged by the promise contained in that one word—later.In the end he opted for encouraged. The additional flare of arousal caused by someone telling him no was a welcome surprise.
He sighed loudly and stepped back. “Fine. We’ll talk later, after I get the ambassador tipsy, take him back to his rooms, and see what I can find out.”
Thomas nodded, but his brow furrowed and his mouth was pinched into a flat line.
It took Evan a moment to identify what he was seeing—it wasn’t something he was familiar with—but then it hit him.
Thomas wasjealous.
The knowledge should not have caused warmth to curl in his chest, and it definitely should not have been followed by the urge to set Thomas’s mind at rest. And yet he found himself saying, “Did you know the ambassador hasfivechildren? Personally, I’ve never quite worked out how he was able to get a wife in the first place.” He screwed up his nose. “The man looks like a frog that was hit with a shovel.”
Thomas blinked. “Wait, does that mean you don’t plan to, um…”
“Seduce him? Heavens, no. I havestandards.”
The crease disappeared from Thomas’s brow, and he let out an undignified snort. “He does have a very unique look about him.”
