“But if you had to guess, knife to your throat, who do you think hemightbe, Captain?” Sam asked.
“I personally haven’t given the Rogue much thought,” Thomas said, which was a blatant lie. He’d thought about the Rogue plenty—just not the way Sam meant. But he was hardly going to admit to his guards that he’d spent more than one lonely evening contemplating the subject of the Rogue and wondering what it might be like if someone like that—a handsome, dashing man of mystery who was as lithe as a cat—were to share his bed. If Thomas had a set of specific, filthy fantasies about the Rogue, that was nobody’s business but his own.
Besides, it wasn’t like they’d ever come to pass. Thomas had no doubt that if anyone ever did find out who the king’s spy was, they’d be dead in the blink of an eye. The Rogue’s reputation for charm was only surpassed by his reputation for ruthlessness.
Thomas should not have found that as attractive as he did.
He dragged himself out of his thoughts. He was here to inspect his men. He clasped his hands behind his back and barked out, “Guards, present!”
They scrambled to line up, and he took his time looking them over. They all passed muster more or less, and Thomas gave a satisfied nod. “You’ll do. Now go and get some supper. You’re expected at the great hall before sunset to stand guard at the king’s dinner. Don’t be late.”
“No, Captain,” they chorused and trooped toward the door.
Thomas followed at a distance, but while they veered off toward the kitchen, he took himself to the great hall where he found the serving staff flitting about, making last-minute preparations for the dinner to celebrate the end of the trade talks. Thomas was just glad that all he had to do was stand near the doors, look imposing, and make sure Evan didn’t throw up on someone or insult them badly enough to start a war.
It didn’t take long before his guards trooped into the hall and positioned themselves around the walls, and soon after that the guests started to stroll in. They were elegantly dressed as befitted the occasion, but they also wore matching stiff expressions, doubtless at the thought of having to go home to their own kingdoms and explain why they were bringing back substantially altered trade agreements. Still, even though the tension in the air was palpable, everyone pasted on suitably fake smiles, and they were impeccably polite to the king and prince consort. Even the duke, seated to the left of the king, was on his best behaviour.
And maybe it was the excellent food and free-flowing wine, but the atmosphere gradually became more jovial. The evening passed with no sign of trouble, and when the great hall was empty apart from the king and his husband and the duke, Thomas finally allowed himself to relax.
The guests would be leaving over the next few days, and then Thomas would be able to take a day off. Perhaps he’d go and find himself a young man. Thomas’s height and muscular build meant he never had a problem finding someone to grace his bed, and a good time was generally had by all. Sometimes such a good time was had that the next morning whoever Thomas had taken to bed would suggest something more permanent, but Thomas had no qualms about saying no and then looking pointedly at the door until they got the hint and left. It probably made him look like a bit of a bastard. But then, you didn’t get to be Captain ofthe Royal Guard withoutbeinga bit of a bastard. Thomas had definitely done things for his king and country that might have raised eyebrows in any other profession.
And besides, while it seemed callous, none of his lovers had ever been quite the right fit, no matter how talented they were between the sheets, and Thomas had no interest in starting an affair when he knew it wasn’t going anywhere. Thomas wanted someone handsome in his bed, certainly, but he also wanted someone clever, someone who stimulated his intellect as well as his dick. Thomas had found that with his promotion came a certain amount of deference from the castle staff, and hemissedpeople arguing with him. Back when he’d just been a guard, there had been a certain amount of back and forth with the other guards that was absent now, and the need to be challenged was like a weird itch in the back of his skull.
He wanted a lover who wouldn’t hesitate to tell him he was wrong sometimes, someone clever enough and bold enough to challenge him. At the same time, he wanted someone who would let him pin them down and fuck them through the mattress. Was that too much to ask?
He didn’t think so.
The king and his husband left the great hall arm in arm, and the duke stood and stretched and stumbled his way over to Thomas, wine glass in hand. “Lord, I hate these formal things,” he said with a sigh. “Can I stop behaving now?”
And perhaps it was the long, tiring week he’d had, but Thomas couldn’t help himself. “Did you ever start, Your Grace?”
The duke’s mouth dropped open for a second, and then he clutched at the front of his shirt. “Such disrespect! I should have you flogged!”
Thomas froze, but then he caught the mischievous gleam in the other man’s eye, and the temptation to play along was too great. So instead of apologising like a sensible person mighthave done, he raised an eyebrow and said, “And who will you be ordering to flog me, Your Grace? The Captain of the Guard, perhaps?”
The duke threw his head back and laughed. “Oh, I knew you had a fun side in there somewhere!”
An unexpected warmth ran through Thomas as the duke’s laughter echoed off the high ceiling, and he allowed himself to smile. “Perhaps, sir,” he admitted. “But as Iamthe Captain of the Guard and not the entertainment, it’s probably best I keep it hidden.”
“Quite right,” the duke said. “How are you meant to intimidate anyone if you’re perceived asfun? But don’t worry, you hide it well.” He clapped Thomas on the shoulder and meandered out the doors.
By the time Thomas had made his way back to his own cottage, he still wasn’t sure whether the duke had meant what he’d said as an insult or a compliment. In the end, he told himself that it didn’t matter because Evan Devere was an idiot.
But still, he hoped it was a compliment.
Chapter Three
“Adrink for you, Captain.” The barman set a pint of ale on the table in front of Thomas. “From the young man at the bar.”
Thomas looked over, and a man who looked to be barely in his twenties raised a hand in greeting. Thomas had seen him in here once or twice before. He was lithe and lean with sandy hair, and he was good-looking and close enough to Thomas’s type if he didn’t look too closely. He gave a nod of acknowledgement.
The young man’s answering smile lit up his entire face. He hopped off his bar stool and headed towards Thomas’s table. He sat and put his own ale down. “I’m Ned.”
He extended a hand and Thomas shook it. “Thomas.”
Ned spun his pint glass around between his palms and looked Thomas up and down before saying, “I’ve seen you in here before. Would I be right in thinking you’re looking for company?”
Well, that was unexpected. Not the offer itself, because this particular tavern was where you went when you were either conducting business that you wanted kept secret, or you wanted the type of company that Ned was offering. But there was usually a ritual—a back and forth of getting to know each other, andsome playful mutual flattery. Ned was skipping those steps, and his approach had all the subtlety of a cudgel to the face.
