Page 31 of Sea and Sky
Kyler’s heartbeat pounded against him. He didn’t know if it was from the strenuous activity or fear. He clutched him close. Gavin wasn’t the only one with an erection. Kyler sought friction with every thrust of his hips. He clung to Gavin’s back. Sweat drenched them both, but that could be the late summer heat baking them.
“Slow down, my strumpet,” Gavin whispered. “You can’t come in my arms. At least not yet.”
That brought a joyous laugh from Kyler. His cheeks flushed. “I may have gotten a little overzealous,” he whispered back. He nibbled at Gavin’s neck, but stopped his bucking.
Gavin adjusted his grip and walked the few steps up the platform. He bowed to his brothers, then proceeded to his empty seat, right next to Princess Ailey. He kept Kyler in his arms, which meant Kyler straddled Gavin in the seat. And the man rocked against his hardness before Gavin could still his wily hips.
“Ailey.” Gavin stopped to swipe Kyler’s hair from his eyes. It’d been brushed and braided, but a few tendrils escaped the ribbon. The pair made eyes at each other. “This is Kyler.”
She tipped her head, watching their display. She lingered on Kyler, examining him as if perhaps she was trying to remember him from some place. He watched the princess, seeming to inspect her in return. Her lips bent to a smile. Wide. It showed through her eyes. “You have a lover. How delightful.” She clapped her petite hands.
Not the reaction Gavin was going for. Kyler stiffened in his lap.
“Oh, Gavy. We’re progressive in Avondra. I’d never begrudge you a lover.”
This wasnotgoing as planned. If she was okay with him having a lover—
“I’m not his lover.” Kyler pressed himself closer to Gavin, cupped his cheek. “I’m his pair-bond.” The little minx pressed his lips to Gavin’s and tongued his mouth open. Gavin couldn’t resist the kiss if he wanted to.
Once Kyler broke the kiss, he leaned back and untied the top of his shirt to reveal the fake mark Gavin had placed on his shoulder.
Ailey’s eyes went wide. “How?” Her lips trembled. “You made a promise, Gavin. You were to be mine. Avondra’s. We need you.” She threw her napkin on the table and rose. “Fix this,” she directed at Leander. As she stomped down the platform, all her ladies followed. She led them down the dining hall and through the door. Leaving their floral perfume in their wake.
“That was easier than I thought,” Kyler whispered so quietly, surely no one else had heard.
“I wouldn’t be so sure.” Ailey was known to be stubborn. “This isn’t over.”
“Brother,” Ambrose drawled as he walked over to take Ailey’s now vacant seat. “I thought you weren’t going to make a big show of things until after your adventure.” His eyes roamed over Kyler and Gavin wanted to growl.
“I don’t remember agreeing to that.”
“Fine. How about you share with the court how you found this lovely specimen?”
Heat radiated from Kyler, and Gavin leaned back to see he’d blushed again. With his kiss-swollen lips, he was delectable.
Kyler squirmed in his lap to face Ambrose, but the words that came were directed at Gavin. “Do you want to tell our story or should I?”
This should be good. “Go ahead, love.” Gavin rubbed Kyler’s back as he moved to sit on the arm of the chair.
With a nod, Kyler started his tale. “I work with my uncle on The Golden Goose. It’s a merchant ship.”
Everyone that could hear him leaned closer for the story, Leander included.
“After particularly good negotiations with the lord of Cavena for silks, my uncle wanted to celebrate. So we made port at Uvena island.”
A wave of laughs went up. Uvena island was a known pirate hangout.
Kyler raised his hands. “We went for the wine.”
More laughs. And he continued. “I had made a bet with a rather large dragon shifter named Petren. Lovely man. I bet I could out drink him.”
The hall roared. Of course, no one believed such a lithe man could out drink a dragon shifter.
“Come. Come, have a little faith.” He shook his head and turned to Gavin. “They don’t believe I could do it.”
“I didn’t either, if you would recall.”
Kyler sighed. “I do. Well, as I’m sure you all realize, I lost.” His shoulders slumped, and he leaned forward. “Guess what the loser had to do?”
