Page 18 of His Noble Savior

Coming was the most beautiful sensation. He moaned through his orgasm, dizzying joy rushing through him. Onlywhen his climax ebbed away did Richard pull out. He cleaned Lilian with the towel, the soft fabric soaking up his release. When he was done, he pulled Lilian into his arms and held him, stroking his back.

Lilian nestled against him, basking in his scent, in his warmth. It took a while until what he’d done hit him. He went rigid in Richard’s embrace. For a moment, he stopped breathing.

“Lilian?” Richard’s voice was full of concern.

It made him feel even worse. He pulled back, too ashamed to face Richard, but he forced himself. “I’m sorry I sprang this on you. I don’t know what I was thinking. You must—”

“Shh.” Richard cupped the back of his head. “It’s fine. Please don’t feel bad about what happened. You needed release, and I was happy to provide it. It doesn’t have to change anything between us.”

Hadn’t it changed something? The edge of disappointment scraped over Lilian’s heart. “Nothing has changed?” he asked, not sure which answer he was hoping for.

“No. If you want me to, I’ll hold, comfort, and protect you the way I always have. I promise I won’t make it sexual. This is your safe space. You’re one hundred percent safe with me. Just because this happened once doesn’t mean I expect anything from you. I don’t. It can be a one-time thing. If you want it to happen again, I’ll be there, but I have no expectations. As I said, you can take things day by day.”

Lilian’s vision swam. “I don’t deserve you.”

Richard kissed his brow and hugged him. “Yes, you do. You deserve every good thing this world can give you and more.”

Lilian snuggled against him. Safe in Richard’s embrace, fatigue claimed him, sending him to sleep.

True to his word, Richard kept their relationship as comfortable as it’d always been. He treated Lilian with the same kindness and respect and was a perfect gentleman whenhe applied the faerie oil, his touch never lingering or straying to Lilian’s prostate. Not that Lilian would’ve minded. Having come by Richard’s hand once, he yearned for a repeat. Richard’s constant touch grounded and aroused him, turning him as soft as butter in the sun.

Lilian’s inner injury was healing well, the soreness taking longer to return after each treatment. While Lilian was glad to be getting rid of the pain, it would also mean the end of Richard touching him intimately, burying his finger deep inside him to spread the stimulating oil. Soon, Lilian wouldn’t need it anymore. That was a good thing, he reminded himself.

His time with Richard was limited either way. Richard was going to marry a princess. Lilian would have to leave Somerdale Castle and return to the Spring Court. Resuming his old life wouldn’t be easy. Sure, he had his hollow tree where he would create pretty dishes and vases, but there was no one to hold and look after him. He’d barely felt safe there before the orcs abducted him. Now, the absence of a door he could lock made him twice as nervous. He could have one made by a carpenter in Verdell, but it’d be costly. Even with a door, it’d be easy to break into his tree and take him. An ax was enough. Moving into a house in Verdell was too expensive. Lilian could sleep on someone’s floor, but that wasn’t exactly safe either. Perhaps Richard would allow Lilian to stay in Somerdale Castle after his marriage, but the princess wouldn’t like that if she found out what had happened between them.

A few days after Lilian had unraveled on Richard’s finger, James of Castlehill came to visit. It was a sunny spring day, and Richard welcomed him on the terrace behind the main building. In the shade of blooming apple trees, the servants set up elegantly carved tables and matching chairs.

James—a slender man with blond hair and icy, calculating blue eyes—arrived in the company of Raziel, an elf knight. Lilianwas in awe of him. He hadn’t seen many elves, and this one packed muscle and was armed to the teeth. Raziel stood close to James, and his gaze flitted over shrubs and trees, taking in every detail as if he expected someone to jump out of the greenery and attack. Richard had mentioned that an elf had been charged with James’s protection, and Raziel was taking his dutyveryseriously.

James, on the other hand, frightened Lilian. His cool exterior matched his character, and Lilian clung to Richard. James wasn’t a bad person; otherwise, Richard wouldn’t have invited him, but his intelligent eyes locked on Lilian as if he could see right into his soul. A shiver raced down his back, his fingers curling tightly in Richard’s velvet clothing. Richard slung an arm across his shoulders, and it felt like a shield.

When they sat down on the garden chairs, Lilian took his place on Richard’s lap. James and Raziel threw him curious glances but didn’t comment. Richard didn’t care if Lilian snuggled up to him in front of others. How did he deserve such a wonderful man? He dropped his head onto Richard’s shoulder, and a sense of calm washed over him. Richard’s scent pacified him like nothing else. A strong arm wrapped around his waist, proprietary and protective.

Richard and James discussed movements on the front and what they could do to get Nathan back. Raziel, who revealed extensive military knowledge, contributed to the discussion with his expertise, suggesting troop placements and allocating human knights instead of autumn fae to certain operations.

Lilian understood nothing of military maneuvers. His mind wandered, and with Richard’s hands on him, his thoughts strayed to the night he’d made him come, to the way for the first time in months, Lilian’s insides had rejoiced in release, spurts of seed erupting from his cock. Richard did that to him.

Lilian’s cock rose in his trousers, painfully straining againstthe unforgiving resistance of the fabric. His balls filled and grew tight until they ached. He hadn’t come since that night.

Lilian tried and failed to distract himself with the conversation at the table. He couldn’t follow, and his thoughts returned to the gutter. At the same time, the soreness inside of him intensified. Richard had applied faerie oil in the morning, but some days its effects didn’t last as long as others. While Lilian’s healing process was going well, there were bad days, and this was one of them.

Well, taking care of his discomfort would have to wait. He could hardly disrupt Richard’s meeting.

The attendants brought servings of fruit flan, and Lilian eyed the cake topped with berries and pieces of exotic fruit he’d never seen. Perhaps he should eat something to distract himself. But the more he thought about it, the less appetite he had. At the moment, hunger wasn’t his greatest need.

The smarting in his hole worsened. Was the discomfort connected to his mounting arousal? His throbbing cock and aching hole made thinking straight impossible. Lilian fidgeted, pinching his lips. He’d get through this meeting. As soon as James and Raziel left, he’d ask Richard to take care of him. Just a little longer.

The meeting dragged on, and the pressure in Lilian built. He couldn’t take it much longer. Clenching his teeth, he soldiered through another quarter-hour, but eventually, it became too much.

He needed the faerie oil, and he needed it now. Maybe more than faerie oil. Should he excuse himself and apply it himself? But how? The sting sat deep, and it’d be hard for him to reach the place where he needed the oil. Richard had to do it. Besides, the prospect of being separated from him, even for a few minutes, was so daunting that he trembled at the thought.

Defeated, Lilian, with his cheeks on fire, leaned in andwhispered in Richard’s ear. He confessed that he needed faerie oil, expressing how sorry he was to interrupt the meeting. Lilian prayed the others didn’t hear what he was saying.

“Of course,” Richard said quietly.

He told James that he had something to attend to and excused himself and Lilian, leaving their guests on the terrace. Lilian couldn’t bear looking at them and shuffled inside.

“I’m sorry,” Lilian said as they took the stairs to their chambers, Richard’s hand a comforting weight on the small of his back.

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