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“Bastard.”
It was a transgression on their relationship, but Aleksey allowed it. He took it as praise and admiration for his superb horsemanship. He gave a mock bow of acknowledgement and added cheerfully, “So, my winnings?”
What did you give the man you surrendered to daily? Aleksey already enjoyed everything Ben had to offer, inside and out. It wasallhis.
Grinning inwardly at this thought, he let his mind dwell very pleasantly on the taking of Benjamin Rider. There were actually many things they hadn’t tried yet, Ben being finicky and permanently worried about his straight credentials. And his dignity. And his hair, come to that.
Ben’s gaze left his for a moment.
He glanced back the way they’d come.
And then Ben leant forward and kissed him.
If Ben had swung and punched him out of the saddle, Aleksey couldn’t have been more stunned.
Akiss.
Anothermanhad just kissed him.
Ben Riderhad just kissed him.
However he phrased it, it didn’t compute.
Clumsy, cold, unskilled as it had been, it had been a genuine kiss.
But a kiss was a sign of affection.
Wasn’t it?
But also betrayal.
And a prelude to farewell.
Aleksey had a great deal more experience of betrayals and farewells than he did of affection.
Without conscious volition, he did what he always did when he felt threatened.
He attacked.
Ben had a very obvious and easy wound to reopen.
“Who was the body in the fire, Benjamin?”
He was the one they’d not spoken of at all.That’swho he was.
He was the man Ben had betrayed him with.That’swho he was.
Ben apparently considered this subject off limits—that somehow this betrayal, this fucking around on the side, was nothisbusiness. Well it clearly was.
He’d thought of little else since that night.
There were many things he wanted to know.
Had they slept side by side? Shaved together? Brushed their teeth at the same sink? Eaten sitting up at a table, watched TV together?
Did theytalk?
Did they laugh?
