The Royal Rogue (Tales of Lilleforth #3)

Chapter 6

Chapter Six

N ow that Thomas knew Evan was the Rogue, he wondered that he hadn’t seen it before. Granted, Evan did a bloody fantastic job of acting like a brainless, harmless, waste of space, but still. Thomas had always prided himself on his powers of observation, yet he’d missed that Evan’s entire ‘brainless and harmless’ act was just that—an act.

And what was more, he’d never once wondered why it was that wherever Evan went, disaster seemed to follow. Or rather, like everyone else, he’d assumed that Evan was a victim of bad luck rather than the cause of it, and it was simply unfortunate that he was always in the wrong place at the wrong time whenever something tragic happened.

Like a viscount falling down the stairs, for example.

The morning after they’d dealt with the body, Evan had stayed in his bedroom until almost noon. Then he’d wandered into the kitchens like a lost lamb, forlornly asking if there might be something to eat. Thomas had been eating his own lunch, and he’d had to hide a smile when Cook had looked at Evan with something like pity and asked if the poor dear wouldn’t like some cake after the terrible shock he’d had.

She’d actually called him a poor dear—like he was an orphan or a stray kitten and not a man who could snap someone’s neck in the blink of an eye.

Now that Thomas was in the know, it was fascinating watching Evan swan about the palace, drifting in and out of spaces where he didn’t belong, wearing his absent-mindedness like a cloak that shielded him from prying eyes.

Thomas had thought Evan was handsome before, but now that he knew the man possessed a working brain and a ruthless streak, the seeds of attraction he’d previously felt had only grown, blossoming into both genuine admiration for Evan’s skills and a desire for Evan to hold him down and fuck him stupid—or even better, the other way around, although Thomas was open to whatever was on offer.

Thomas wasn’t sure what that said about him. Surely someone being an infamous spy and a killer to boot should have killed the flicker of arousal he felt? But instead, the flicker was now a roaring flame. All the fantasies he’d entertained about the Rogue were suddenly much more real now he could put a face to the name. When he imagined Evan pinning him down against the sheets—or against the wall, or the table, or any other flat surface—it made his blood heat and his cock stiffen. And when he imagined himself doing the pinning? His blood ran even hotter.

He was helpless in the face of his attraction.

He shifted restlessly where he was standing outside the king’s offices. Now was not the time to be thinking about Evan pinning his anything to anywhere. And it wasn’t like it would ever become a reality. Evan wasn’t interested in Thomas. He’d said so. He’d made a point of saying he was teasing, like he was worried Thomas might get the wrong idea. The rejection had stung more than Thomas wanted to admit.

And yet, he flirted with you in the first place. Maybe he did mean it after all.

Thomas pushed the thought aside and straightened his posture. He needed to focus on finding out who was threatening the king and stop worrying about whether the duke liked him.

As if summoned by a thought, Evan appeared at the end of the long hallway. Even at this distance Thomas recognised the sway of his hips as he meandered aimlessly past a group of court officials who were chattering among themselves. The group seemed unaware that Evan had paused right next to them, ostensibly to look at one of the many tapestries that lined the walls, but Thomas had no doubt it was so that he could take in the details of their conversation. Once the men had made their way to the staircase and disappeared out of sight, Evan lingered a moment longer then straightened up and strode towards Thomas with a determined gleam in his eye.

“Are they in there?” he asked. “No, wait, of course they’re in there. You’re not guarding an empty room.” He swung the door open and paused, raising an eyebrow. “Well, are you coming in or not?”

Thomas followed him inside.

King Leopold looked up from the pile of papers on his desk and drawled, “No, please do come in, Evan. We’re not busy at all.”

Evan flapped a hand. “It’s paperwork. It’s not going anywhere. And I’m here to do you a favour.”

Leopold sat back in his chair. “Oh?”

“Yes. I’m taking you riding.”

Leopold and Felix exchanged a glance.

Thomas cleared his throat. “Excuse me, Your Grace, but given past events, it was decided that Their Majesties can only ride with a full contingent of guards.”

Evan rolled his eyes and threw himself into the chair across from Leopold’s desk, stretching his long legs out in front of himself. “Yes, because nothing says everything is fine and we suspect nothing like a king who rides three and four days a week suddenly staying locked up in his office. Or worse, going riding but taking half the guard with him.”

Thomas opened his mouth to argue and then shut it. Evan was, of course, right. Thomas wondered again how he’d ever thought the duke stupid.

Leo sighed. “I understand what you’re saying, but Thomas is right. The last two times someone tried to kill one of us we were on horseback, so you can see why I’m not in a hurry to go riding right now.”

“It would be nice, though,” Felix said, letting out a wistful sigh of his own. “We haven’t been out in almost a week.”

“Exactly,” said Evan. “Everyone knows you love your horses, Leo. And Felix was a stable boy before you married him.”

“Excuse me, I was the royal groom,” Felix said.

“Same thing,” Evan said, with all the carelessness of someone whose position had always been at the top of the heap. “Anyway, my point stands. If you two stay indoors much longer, it’s going to look suspicious.”

Leo arched an eyebrow. “So, in order to not get killed, you want me to go and do the one thing that I’ve been told I’m not allowed to do in case it gets me killed?”

“In a nutshell, yes.”

Leo looked over at his husband. “Well then. I suppose we’re going riding.”

Felix’s face split into a grin and he pushed himself to his feet. “When are we leaving?”

D espite his initial misgivings, Thomas found himself looking forward to being out in the sunshine and fresh air. And proving Evan’s point, Mother Jones, the stablemaster, commented, “I think Blackbird missed you, Your Majesty,” as he saddled the king’s horse. Their recent absence hung like an unspoken question in the air.

“I’ve been wading through the paperwork from the trade deals, and Felix is a monster who refused to let me out until I’d finished it,” Leo said, with just enough of a pout to make it believable. Thomas knew that it wouldn’t be the first time Felix had kept Leo at his desk despite the king’s protests.

Mother accepted the explanation with a soft smile. “Ah well, you’re due a nice long ride then,” he said, petting Blackbird’s cheek.

One of the young grooms was still preparing Thomas’s mare, Poppy, when a cheerful voice rang out across the courtyard. “Hello!” Evan strutted across the cobblestones, his hands clasped behind his back, and peered at Thomas’s mount like he’d never seen a horse before. “Is mine here somewhere? I might take him out. For a bit of fun.”

Mother Jones’s eyebrow shot up in surprise. “You’d like to ride… for fun, Your Grace?”

“Why not? It’s a lovely day for it.” Evan tilted his head back and inhaled, closing his eyes. He opened them a moment later and wrinkled his nose. “Lord, it stinks of horse shit.”

“You generally find that in the stables,” Felix said with a laugh.

Evan laughed along with him and then wandered over to the main stalls. “It’s this one, yes?” he asked, making a vague motion in the direction of a compact grey gelding, almost like he wasn’t quite sure what his horse looked like.

“Ollie!” Mother called.

His youngest groom in training came running from the other end of the stables and skidded to a stop in front of him. “Yes, Mister Jones?”

“Prepare His Grace’s horse, quick as you like,” Mother said.

Ollie set about his task while Felix saddled his own horse, and before long they were on their way, the clatter of hooves on cobbles giving way to soft thuds as they rode out through the gate and into the broad, sweeping meadows that surrounded the stables. They headed in the direction of the nearby woods. Leo and Felix rode alongside each other and Thomas stayed back far enough to give them some semblance of privacy. Evan pulled his horse up alongside Thomas, wobbling precariously in his saddle right until they were out of sight of the stables. Then he said in a low undertone, “I’ll be right back.”

“Where are you going?” Surely Evan wasn’t leaving them?

Something of what he was thinking must have shown on Thomas’s face. Evan grinned and said, “Watch and learn, Captain.”

Seconds later, his horse shot forward at a gallop, weaving wildly back and forth across the rough dirt path that had been carved through the meadow by thousands of hoofbeats.

If Thomas didn’t know better, he would have passed the display off as Evan’s inability to do anything properly, including controlling his horse. But since he did know better, he paid attention, and it didn’t take long to work out what Evan was doing. He rode between the various raised hillocks and high points that littered the meadow, travelling in a wide, sweeping pattern, veering between any raised areas that might provide some sort of vantage point. Then he lingered at the highest point, ostensibly to try to calm his horse, for exactly long enough to scout out the surrounding area.

Evan had taken ineptitude to an art form, and all Thomas could do was watch in admiration. But at the same time, he wondered if Evan ever got sick of being taken for a fool. If it grated, to be so easily dismissed.

That thought, and any others, were driven from his head when Evan stood in his saddle. Thomas’s mouth went dry. A wave of desire flooded through him as Evan turned from side to side and Thomas was treated to the sight of his thighs flexing, the curve of his arse outlined by the tight fabric of his trousers. He swallowed around the sudden lump in his throat, imagining what it might feel like to run his hands over the firm mounds of flesh.

Evan on any given day was attractive, but Evan on horseback was enough to knock the very air from his lungs.

When the duke rode back to his side, Thomas dragged his gaze away from Evan’s thick, toned thighs with difficulty.

“Well? What did you learn?” Evan asked, eyes bright.

“Amazing how that horse of yours insists on stopping at the top of every rise, isn’t it?” Thomas said. “See anything interesting?”

“No, but then, I didn’t expect to,” Evan said. “People who trade in hemlock and secrets don’t suddenly stage clumsy ambushes.”

That made sense but begged the question. “If you’re not expecting an attack, then why are you here?”

Evan’s mouth quirked up into a smile. “I wanted to talk to you, obviously.”

Thomas’s heart flip-flopped in his chest for a split second and a thrill ran through him before he remembered that Evan wasn’t attracted to him, and this didn’t mean what he wanted it to mean. Evan was obviously here to update him with news about who was behind hiring the dead viscount while there was nobody to overhear them.

He pushed aside the stab of disappointment. “What have you found out?”

“What?”

“About who’s behind the threat. You said you needed to talk to me, so I assume you have news.”

“Oh that,” Evan said, like a plot against the king wasn’t the most important thing happening in the kingdom right now. “No, nothing new on that front. And I don’t need to talk to you. I want to. I thought it might be nice to spend time with an attractive man who doesn’t think I’m an idiot.”

Thomas blinked and a pang of sympathy ran through him, but at the same time, he couldn’t help but wonder—was the duke actually flirting with him right now, or was it just wishful thinking on his part? He cleared his throat. “You’re not an idiot.”

“No, but don’t tell anyone. I have an image to uphold.”

“You do act the part very well, though,” Thomas added, unable to resist.

Evan’s brow creased. “I’m not sure if that’s an insult or a compliment, Captain.”

Thomas grinned. “It’s whatever you choose it to be, Your Grace.”

“I thought I told you not to use my title.”

“And yet here you are using mine,” Thomas said. “And it’s difficult to change the habits of a lifetime. My job requires me to maintain a certain level of formality.”

Evan shot him a wicked smile, his gaze heated. “Well, that’s no fun. I’ll just have to get you relaxed around me, won’t I?”

Oh. He was flirting.

Thomas bit his lip. Playing along would be a terrible idea. The worst idea. Getting tangled up with Evan would surely only end in disappointment and hurt feelings when the duke moved on to his next conquest. The sensible thing to do would be to avoid any kind of involvement.

But Thomas was tired of being sensible. He wanted to experience passion with someone as wild and attractive and tempting as the duke—who was the Rogue, and who was apparently equally interested in Thomas.

When would he ever have another chance to pursue his fantasies?

Thomas took a deep breath to settle the butterflies flapping madly in his stomach and said casually, “Perhaps you will. I’m open to offers.”

Evan’s mouth dropped open and then it snapped shut again, and the naked hunger in his expression sent a thrill coursing through Thomas’s veins. He’d rendered the Rogue speechless, and he had the feeling that wasn’t something that happened often.

It was immensely satisfying.

He spurred his horse into a trot and rode away. He was tempted to look back, but instead he kept his gaze trained on the king and his husband, settling into a steady pace and making sure that he rose up in his saddle high enough that Evan got his own eyeful of flexing thighs. Two could play at that game.

And they were playing a game, he was certain of that now. A game that, if he played it well enough, might lead to him winning a very attractive prize—one with bright green eyes, a seductive laugh, and an arse like a peach.

Evan huffed out a laugh from behind him and caught up to him just as Thomas slowed his horse to a walk a suitable distance behind the royal couple. It was obvious that some of the tension that the king had been carrying had eased, and his posture was loose and relaxed. Felix, too, was smiling, and Thomas felt a surge of fondness for the pair of them. “Thank you for thinking of this,” he said quietly to Evan. “They needed the distraction.”

“As long as they don’t ask to stop and fuck in that grove of trees,” Evan replied, equally quietly.

Thomas let out a snort. “You know about that?”

Evan grinned. “Sadly. I stumbled upon them one day while out riding. Someone was groaning in what I thought was pain, and I assumed they were in distress.” He cleared his throat. “It turned out that while someone was getting their arse turned pink, my assistance was not required. In fact, they were decidedly ungrateful for my attempted rescue.”

Thomas laughed. “I learned early on to turn a deaf ear to any noises I heard coming from the king’s bedroom, and I always make sure to move out of earshot when they stop at the grove on their rides,” he admitted.

Evan laughed as well, loudly enough that Felix cast a quizzical glance back at them. Evan’s eyes sparkled with mirth, their deep green colour putting Thomas in mind of precious gems. “Leo didn’t talk to me for three days afterwards, and Felix couldn’t look me in the eye for a week.” His smile widened. “Ride with me?”

For a split second, Thomas’s ears deceived him, and he was certain the duke had said, “Ride me.” He had a vivid, startling vision of Evan straddling him and sinking down on his cock right before Evan flicked his reins and spurred his horse into a full gallop, his meaning becoming clear as he went racing out ahead.

Thomas squeezed his thighs together to ease the tightness in his trousers that the thought of a naked, willing Evan had caused. It was a mental picture he’d be revisiting tonight in the privacy of his own cottage, but right now it was decidedly inconvenient trying to ride with a thickening cock.

When Evan raced past, Leo laughed, spurring his own ride on, and Felix did the same, and after a moment Thomas signalled Poppy to pick up her pace. Soon all four of them were galloping across the green fields. Their horses cut a swathe through the lush, thick grass, their long legs eating up the distance, and their thundering hooves matched Thomas’s racing heartbeat as he gave chase, losing himself in the pleasure of riding fast just for the hell of it.

Evan raced ahead, covering the ground at a ridiculously fast pace. Thomas urged Poppy forward, driven by a combination of competitiveness and a ridiculous desire to impress the Rogue. He almost caught up several times, but then Evan would lean forward in the saddle and surge ahead again, and Thomas would find himself left behind.

They rode for several miles like that, and they’d reached the edge of the woods by the time Evan slowed his horse to a walk. Thomas had sweat beading his hairline and his chest was heaving—partly from the ride and partly from the thrill of watching Evan as he’d raced across the meadow with his body low to his mount, his arse in the air.

He dismounted and patted Poppy’s side, and Evan threw one leg over the back of his saddle and slid to the ground with an elegance Thomas could only dream of. It was unfair how Evan could make the most mundane actions seem seductive. Surely, he was doing it on purpose.

Leopold came thundering up to them with Felix trailing behind. “Bloody hell, Evan. You ride like the devil himself is after you!”

“Or men with swords, perhaps,” Evan said drily. He turned to Thomas and shot him a pleased smile. “I must admit, you gave me a run for my money today.”

Tendrils of warmth curled in Thomas’s belly and he had to resist the urge to puff out his chest. “That’s quite a compliment coming from you.”

“I’ve been chased by the best, but I do believe you might be the one to catch me, if I’m lucky.” Evan’s smile became teasing.

The warmth flooding Thomas shifted and became a different kind of heat, sharp and molten, and hunger thrummed through his veins. “If you’re very lucky,” he agreed, his voice rough.

Evan laughed, low and pleased. Their eyes locked, and the air between them grew heavy with unspoken promise, the weight of it gathering like an approaching thunderstorm. Evan leaned forward the tiniest amount and for a moment Thomas wondered if he was about to kiss him, but then Evan let out a frustrated breath and took a step back, and whatever it was that had been brewing between them was gone, chased away like a leaf on the breeze.

Thomas tried not to let his disappointment show. He told himself it wasn’t like he’d wanted Evan to kiss him—not in the middle of a field with the king and his husband watching, anyway.

“So,” the king said, apropos of nothing, “we should go back.”

“Already?” Evan said. “We’ve only just—oh. I see.”

Thomas glanced over to find that Felix had untucked his linen shirt and was using the hem to mop his brow, apparently unaware that his lean, toned stomach was on display. Leo was staring at it in much the same way a cat would stare at a twitching mouse’s tail—like he was just waiting for the chance to pounce.

“Yes,” Leo said, his voice strained. “I’ve just remembered I have something important to do back at the castle.”

He gave Felix a hungry look, his gaze raking over his husband’s bare skin.

Felix paused in his movements and looked down at himself, a slow, teasing smile spreading over his features. “Right. Yes. That important thing. I remember now,” he said, tracing a fingertip over the ridges on his stomach and easing the hem of his shirt up far enough that Thomas caught a glimpse of one tight brown nipple.

Maybe not completely unaware then.

Leo started off in the direction of the castle at a lazy gait, and Felix joined him. Given that they were exchanging glances hot enough to spark a bonfire, Thomas wondered if they’d actually make it as far as the castle or if they’d end up stopping at the secluded grove of trees after all.

Evan gave a cough that sounded suspiciously like a laugh and mounted his horse with an easy grace. Thomas followed suit and they set off back the way they’d come, at an even slower pace than Leo and Felix. “Want to wager that the important thing Leo has to do back at the castle is Felix?” Evan asked.

“I’d be a fool if I did,” Thomas said with a laugh. “That’s a losing bet.”

“Shame,” Evan said with a sigh. “I was looking forward to claiming my prize.”

“I doubt there would be much of a prize. It’s not like I have anything to offer a duke.”

“Well,” Evan said, his voice low, “I was thinking of demanding a kiss.”

Thomas twisted sideways in his saddle to find Evan smirking at him. He drew his horse to a halt, his stomach fluttering with anticipation. But then Evan looked Thomas up and down, tilting his head to the side, and said, “But then again, perhaps not.”

That stab of disappointment had no right being as sharp and sudden as it was.

“No,” Evan said, a teasing smile creeping onto his face. “When I kiss you, I’d prefer it to be your choice, not a wager or an obligation. I like my lovers willing.”

And with that he rode off before Thomas had a chance to tell him that he was quite willing, thank you very much.

Judging by the wicked grin Evan flashed him before he rode away, he already knew.