Page 58 of Close Quarter
"Love to." Sarcasm gave Rhys's words a sharp edge.
Silas did not let Rhys see him frown.
Rhys stalked behind Silas the entire length of the hallway to the elevators. Once they stood waiting, Silas put his arm around Rhys's shoulder and brushed his thumb over the soft skin between Rhys's collar and hair. "I've upset you."
"No, it's not..." Rhys pressed against Silas.
"Would Thomas have followed you?"
"No. I would not have let my glamour fall.
My life is of the road and the sword. It's not one I'd wish on another." The hum of the elevators greeted the end of his sentence.
A long moment later, Rhys spoke. His words cut through the empty lobby like a dagger through flesh. "You're not going to stay, are you?"
Silas swallowed against the sudden tightness in his throat. "You are not Thomas in this affair."
Rhys shifted. His eyes were bright.
"If I see the dawn, I promise you seven years.
Seven times seven. However many you wish."
"If," Rhys said. "I don't like the sound of 'if.'"
"Neither do I, particularly."
"And will you always speak true, Thomas?"
Rhys's voice was soft.
Silas couldn't have stopped his chuckle had he tried. "I'm not sure I have much of a choice. I am, after all, a horrible liar."
A soft chime announced the arrival of an elevator. The doors opened to reveal two women on one side of the car and a man on the other. Silas slid his hand to the small of Rhys's back. "Only I am glamoured at the moment."
Though unnecessary, he lowered his voice.
A blush crept up from under Rhys's collar, but he strode forward into the car. Silas followed, letting his hand drop--but not before the others saw.
Both women smiled, not unpleasantly, and eyed the two of them. Their gazes lingered longer on Rhys than on him. Curiosity in their inspection, but not longing.
Good. Rhys's human blood hadn't faded too much.
The doors closed.
One of the women--long dark hair and inky eyes that complemented her burgundy velvet dress --turned her attention to Silas and gave him a knowing grin. "Nice."
He said nothing, just smiled back and placed his hand on the small of Rhys's back again. Rhys's breathing hitched, and his lovely blush crept farther up his neck. His smile, however, held.
The gentleman on the other side of them made a noise somewhere between a cough and a growl.
He had moved as close as he could to the button panel.
Silas stepped backward, using Rhys to partially block the women's view of him. He tapped a finger against Rhys's back and nodded toward the man. "Watch."
Silas dropped his glamour completely.
"Excuse me, is the promenade button pressed?"
