Page 63 of King's Warrior

As soon as the laughter died down, Rufe stiffened. “I could have lost you tonight.” He kissed Niam again, hard, demanding.

This time, Niam broke the kiss, grabbing Rufe’s arm, leading him to the bed, and catching him unawares long enough to fling him backward onto the mattress. Before Rufe could say a word,Niam covered him, kissing, grinding against him, desperate to forget everything but the man beneath him.

His lover. His warrior. Too many clothes separated them. Niam toed off his shoes and rose onto his knees, unlacing his trousers, then Rufe’s. He wrapped his hand around their stiff cocks.

Rufe added his hand around Niam’s, stroking, squeezing. Niam pumped into their hands. Had anything ever felt so good as their cocks rubbing together? Skin! He wanted skin! But not enough to break the spell to undress.

The earlier fear had given way to anger and now to desperation, never to feel helpless again. With Rufe, Niam didn’t. He wanted to locate the oil beside the bed, prepare Rufe, and sink inside, but stopping his current actions wasn’t even possible.

Rufe grunted, rutting against Niam’s cock. The world lost meaning. Only Rufe existed in Niam’s thoughts. This wonderfully perfect, imperfect man. They lost themselves in the rhythm, the shoving, the moans.

“If I could stop right now, I’d bury myself in you," Niam murmured.

Rufe’s voice came out on a throaty moan that went straight to Niam’s cock. “I’d let you.”

Tension began deep within, a driving, undeniable force. Niam thrust again and again, his need met and matched by Rufe.

Ecstasy slammed into Niam. A cry spilled from his lips. He stilled, eyes closed, body tight as a bowstring. His seed spilled from his body, slicking his and Rufe’s grips. He barely registered Rufe’s stiffening, caught in a trance-like bliss.

Niam collapsed onto Rufe, breathing hard. Rufe wrapped his arms around Niam’s back, holding him close, breathing just as frantically. A moment in time when they weren’t king and warrior but merely Rufe and Niam, two men who wanted each other, who found peace in each other’s arms.

Found where they needed to be.

All too soon, Rufe rolled Niam to the side, half-turning to share gentle kisses. “Nothing I’ve ever done was quite as hard as leaving you, but I must go. Eoghan still considers me a suspect, so he’ll be watching me, and I must look for Zanial.” He dropped a chaste kiss to Niam’s nose. “Sleep well, my love.”

Rufe rose from the bed, righted his clothing, and, with a last glance over his shoulder, slipped from the room through the hidden door.

Leaving Niam satisfied, but wanting more. Rufe's last words repeated in his mind:my love.

So much more.

Chapter Twenty-three

The garden bench made a good place to stay out of the way and establish a pattern. Enough people witnessed Rufe coming here every morning with a book. If something happened or something went missing in the castle, they’d likely say, “No, Lord Rufe is always in the gardens at that hour.”

In addition, no one seemed to schedule meetings for him in the mornings. He’d gotten more used to the chill, thanks to Nera’s instructions on how to dress accordingly—mostly, look as much like a bear as possible. He’d even learned how to turn pages of his books while wearing gloves.

Rufe could have stayed inside without the cloak, gloves, and furry hat if castle life hadn’t made him feel out of place. He breathed deeply, watching the steam form whorls that the light breeze batted away.

Despite Vihaan’s arguments, Rufe set him to watching the princes instead of playing bodyguard. Rufe could take care of himself.

Casseign strolled through the garden with unhurried footsteps. “Greetings, Lord Rufe. Fine morn to be out.”

If Cass said so, tightly wrapped in a fur-lined cloak, his breath fogging before his face, cheeks pink with cold.

“May I join you?”

Rufe nodded.

Cass brushed snow off the bench and sat. The cheeriness left his voice as he eyed Rufe’s dozing guard on another bench a few yards away. “I’ve been unable to discover anything about the murdered soldiers. I only know they were all loyal to me and, therefore, to King Niam. The ones found in the ravine I’d sent to help guard King Niam the night of the banquet. The two we took into custody had merely been told by Zanial to hold back at King Niam’s order. Zanial often relayed orders from the king.”

“Someone killed the original two to give the assassin access.”

“Yes,” Cass ground out from between gritted teeth. “That and for their uniforms, though I do not know who took them or what their plans are. They might have succeeded with murdering the king if not for you.”

“I once knew of Craicians who used Cormiran uniforms against trusting Dragans." The unfortunate farm family still preyed on Rufe's mind. I’m glad I was there.” Gladder than words could ever say. His heart clenched at the thought of losing Niam, watching him bleed out on the flagstones. “Any word on Zanial?”

“None so far. I’ll keep you informed. I have replaced the two guards who allowed him to slip through their fingers. Eoghan still insists he saw nothing. The man didn’t simply vanish. We’ll find him. We’re still searching for Bert, as well. Once he left the keep,he didn’t return to his parents’ house.” Cass rose and continued down the path.

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