AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It had been a long while since his mate had died so tragically, but according to what I’d heard about the bonding process, he would never be interested sexually in any other person again—not ever. It was what everyone said, so it had to be true. Didn’t it?
So, that very obvious sign of his arousal couldn’t have been for me. Could it?
Chapter Five
It was supper time before I saw the colonel again. He had sent me a message saying he would be back to check on me at the evening meal, but that he was having a tray sent to my quarters. There was no explanation for why he was exiling me to my room, but I thought I could detect a tone of extreme disapproval in the note. I wondered if I was being punished. But maybe that was more of my imagination working overtime.
Every time I closed my eyes and tried to rest, I remembered that flash of Colonel Tariq’s bare, well-shaped ass in my mind. I hadn’t been able to think of much else since that morning, and it wasn’t as if I hadn’t seen that kind of thing before. I wasn’t that sheltered. In training, I’d bathed in communal baths with other men and our instructors wore the traditional teruga, which was a skirt-like garment in front, just as brief as the breka Tariq had been wearing. It was what all the warriors wore when they sparred or when they were in the ring, and I’d even worn one a few times myself.
It left very little to the imagination, so it couldn’t be that he was embarrassed by the fact that his body had been exposed. Tygerians weren’t normally embarrassed by nudity. Not in the least. The only times I’d seen one bothered was when a Tygerian mate wore something the other one thought was inappropriate and showed too much of their skin to other men. My brother Mikos stayed angry at Ryan half the time about similar issues, because Ryan liked to spar in the Ring.
Then again, I’d basically groped Tariq and had my hands on him, and that must have been embarrassing, not to mention highly inappropriate. It had been strictly an accident, but I still planned on apologizing when I saw him again.
The tray was delivered, and I poked at my food a little, finding I had little appetite. I sat at the table instead and brooded about how I could make it up to the colonel. I vowed I’d take things more seriously and do whatever he told me to do from that point on. I would be a changed man.
Finally, a knock came on the door, and I rushed to answer it. Colonel Tariq was standing in the doorway, looking down at me with a cool and haughty expression.
“I came to check on you, Your Highness, and make sure you have all you need before you retire.”
“I’m fine, but I’m not going to bed this early. If you don’t have anything else planned, perhaps I’ll just go work out, like you suggested earlier.”
“I didn’t suggest it. I simply mentioned this might be a long, boring journey, and I’d try to think of some ways for you to occupy your time.”
“Yes, like working out. I’ve decided I want to do that.”
“It’s getting late for that, and I have a meeting I wanted to attend tonight. Wait until tomorrow morning, and I’ll accompany you.”
“But it’s absolutely not necessary for you to do that. I go alone all the time at home.”
“This is not your home. I know your father would hate the idea of you going around the ship without a bodyguard.”
“Why would he? I’ll be perfectly safe onboard a Tygerian ship full of Imperial guards.”
“Others will ogle you.”
“Ogle me? You mean look at me while I’m working out? Let them. It won’t bother me—I’m used to it.”
He gave me a forbidding look but shrugged his shoulders as if to say there was no accounting for what would or wouldn’t bother me. Just as he began to turn away, I grabbed his arm. He flinched at my touch and looked pointedly down at my hand, so I dropped it.
“Before you leave…won’t you come in and sit down for a few minutes? I need to apologize for earlier today.”
“There’s no need. What happened was…well, it was unfortunate, but it’s over. It shouldn’t have happened.”
“No, it shouldn’t. But it was an accident, and I think we need to talk about it.”
“I don’t see why. You’ve apologized. I’ve accepted. We don’t need to speak of it again.”
He was still angry though. He practically bristled with it. He hesitated another moment and then lifted one eyebrow. “It’s only that…I’m sure you realize I’m charged with ensuring your safety until we arrive at Loros. Nothing more. My presence doesn’t imply there needs to be any kind of relationship between us. There isn’t, nor should there be. I’m assigned as your bodyguard. Nothing else.”
“Sure, I know that.” And I did, but his words still stung a little. I’d thought maybe we could be friends. But that little gem was nothing to what he said next.
“I should explain that your…attraction to me is unreturned, and your advances are unwelcome. I’m sure you understand that, however, and nothing further needs to be said.” After that remarkable statement, he actually started to turn and leave, but I grabbed his arm again and this time I didn’t let go.
“Wait…what? What did you say to me? My attraction to you? My advances?”
“Yes. I couldn’t help but notice. It’s inappropriate and in fact, impossible. It needs to stop immediately, sir.”
“Have you lost your mind?”
