Chapter 3 – Alex #2
Rae’s eyes sparkle with mischief. “I have just the plan.”
“If she says yes, maybe we should leave the carriage behind again,” Kian says with a wink.
5 weeks ago - before the curse
“Would you stop rubbing up against me?” Sera complains. “Your cock is all up in my backside, and that is the last thing I need right now.”
My eyes widen in shock at her brazen words, but I can’t hold back the chuckle.
It’s nearly impossible not to touch while sharing a horse.
I’m unsure if I should curse or thank Kian for leaving the carriage behind on our trip down to the southern isles.
“My lady, this is not exactly comfortable for me either. You’re the one rubbing that backside all up against me. ”
“I am not!”
“Liar.” I shift awkwardly in the saddle. “I didn’t realize you were always so fiery.”
“Watch out, Lord Grey, or I’ll light you on fire,” she mutters under her breath.
“That’s ominous.”
She snorts, and I wish not for the first time that I could see her face, see what expression she’s pulling. This is the longest we’ve ever been together, though it’s not going quite how I’d hoped.
The uneven terrain has me cursing under my breath, as each jolt pushes her up against me. I can’t help that I’m attracted to her. I was a goner the moment I first laid eyes on her. If only she weren’t so damned—
“Let’s stop here for the night!” Kian calls out loudly. Thank the realms for a short reprieve.
I hop off my horse and reach a hand up to help Sera dismount, but she ignores me and slides off gracefully on her own. I’d almost think she lied about her riding experience.
“You’re welcome!” I call after her as she heads toward Rae, ignoring me like she usually does.
I groan as I raise my arms overhead and stretch my back.
It’s aching even more than usual due to the stiff posture I held myself in to try to avoid rubbing up against Sera every minute of that ride.
I’m tempted to ask Kian if he could ride with me instead but decide it’s not worth the ribbing I’m sure to get.
Not to mention, there’s no way we would fit. Can I walk?
“Help me set up the tents please?” Kian asks, starting to unhook them from our packhorse.
“Sure thing.”
“You hanging in there?” he asks me.
“As well as I can be I suppose.”
“You both looked incredibly uncomfortable on that horse together.”
“Was it that obvious?”
Kian snorts.
We work in comfortable silence, the tents going up with no trouble. It’s good to be doing something with my hands, to have the distraction.
“It’ll be nice to get a little break from her,” I admit. “It’s not easy being around someone who loathes the very air you dare to breathe.” Though I still don’t understand why.
“Nah, she doesn’t loathe you,” Kian says. “I’d bet you ten casks of my finest liquor that she would very much like to bed you.”
“Kian!” I complain. “They are not that far away from here. What if they heard you?”
“So?” He winks. “By the way, you’re going to have to share a tent.”
My head whips toward him. “Are you kidding me? The ladies can’t share?”
“I’ve been separated from my wife long enough,” he says seriously. “After nearly losing her again . . . I just—I need to be near her. Even if that’s all it is.”
“I swear to Luna, if you start fucking her in the tent right next to us, I will throw a bucket of water on you. That’s the last thing I need to witness.”
He smiles sheepishly. “No promises.”
I groan, rubbing at my temples. “Why in the hells did I ever agree to come on this journey?”
Kian throws an arm around my shoulders. “Because you’re my best friend and you knew I’d need you.”
“Sure . . .”
Rae and Sera emerge from the trees with armfuls of branches and throw them into a pile near the tents.
“Is that enough to get started?” Rae asks Kian.
“It’s perfect, love.”
“Gods, I can’t wait to lie down,” Rae moans. “After sitting on Phantom all day, I just want to be stretched out.”
I glance at Kian, and he mouths, “Beneath me,” and I nearly lose it.
“I’ll set up the bedrolls, Rae,” Sera says, heading for the horses before Kian stops her.
“Already taken care of.”
She looks almost unnerved not to have an immediate task but nods. “I guess I’ll turn in then. I don’t even want to eat.”
She heads into the nearest tent, and I sigh. She’s not going to be happy about the sleeping arrangements, that’s for sure.
Kian starts the fire and we divvy up our rations.
“One of us will need to hunt tomorrow,” Kian says.
“Sounds good. It’ll be nice to have something fresh,” I agree as I take a bite out of the chewy, smoked meat.
“Ouch,” Rae complains. “I almost broke a tooth on this bread.”
“Stale already?” I ask. “Gods, I was looking forward to that.”
After quickly finishing the meat and leaving my roll untouched, I glance at the small portion we set aside for Sera. Gathering up my courage, I take a swig out of my water skin. Here goes nothing. “I think I’m going to turn in now. See you tomorrow.”
“Night, Alex,” Kian replies.
“Wait,” Rae says to Kian as I walk toward Sera’s tent, plate in hand.
I ignore their whispers as I crouch down and push through the flap into the small tent, trying to be quiet in case she’s already asleep.
“What in the hells do you think you’re doing?” Sera gasps, holding a blanket up to her chest—her presumably bare chest if her exposed shoulders are any indication.
My face heats, but I hold out the meager dinner offering. “I know you said you weren’t hungry, but I brought you what’s left in case you changed your mind.”
“Thanks,” she says skeptically as I set it down next to her.
I sit on the second bedroll and start tugging off my boots. Sera straightens, her eyes full of fire in the dim light.
“I’ll say it again. What in the hells do you think you’re doing?”
“Getting ready for bed,” I say nonchalantly.
“Over my dead body,” she growls.
“Would you miss me?”
She picks up the roll, throwing it at my head, and I barely duck out of the way in time. “What was that for?”
“It was hard as a rock. Hardly any good for eating now,” she quips. “Figured I might as well put it to good use.”
“You have shitty aim,” I tease.
“Get out.”
“You’re going to make me sleep under the stars with the wild beasts, eh?”
“I was in the middle of changing!”
“Don’t worry. I won’t look,” I say, turning to face the other direction.
There’s a rustle of clothing, and I try not to think about what Sera is or isn’t wearing.
“I’m done,” she grits out, and I turn back around. “Where’s Rae?” Her brows knit together, and a renewed fury lights her eyes. “Did you set this up on purpose to get me alone in a tent?”
“What?” A laugh bursts out of me. “Hells no, woman. If I wanted to bed you, I’d ask, and I surely wouldn’t set anything up against your will.”
“What do you call being in here and starting to undress then?”
“I call it ‘Kian made it clear that he is sharing a tent with his wife, and I’ll be damned if I tried to tear them apart.’”
She huffs. “Fine. Keep your hands and cock to yourself.” As if I would try to pull anything without her consent.
“Okay, Spitfire.”
“What did you just call me?”
“I’ve decided that you’re a spitfire and should be addressed as such.”
Sera’s eyes practically roll out of her head. “You have no idea, Lord Grey.”
“Stop calling me that,” I insist. “You know it’s Alex.”
Her violet eyes shoot daggers at me, and I hold my hands up in surrender.
“Don’t go hungry on my account,” I mutter, changing the subject as I remove my coat then fold it carefully.
“Thanks,” she grumbles, and I can’t help the smile that tugs at my lips as she takes a bite of the meager ration.
“Anytime.” Spitfire, I say in my head, not wanting her to throw the meat at me too. She looks exhausted and surely needs something in her belly.
Sliding into my bedroll, I lie on my back, crossing my arms behind my head as I stare up at the roof of the tent.
Sera mutters something that sounds like, “I hope Rae and Kian keep it down.”
“What?” I ask, turning my head to glance at her, hoping she might talk to me, even if it’s just to commiserate our situation.
She’s lying on her side, facing away from me, which is somewhat disappointing.
Despite the angry glares, she really is quite lovely to look at.
I can only hope to someday earn an actual smile out of her.
“Nothing.”
Why does even a simple conversation have to be so damned hard with this woman?
“Do you need anything? Before I turn down the light,” I clarify.
“I’m fine,” she says.
“Okay.” I reach over and extinguish the small gas lamp, and we’re immediately enveloped in darkness.
With the sudden loss of sight, my other senses are heightened.
The subtle noises of nature grow louder, and if I strain my ears, I can hear murmurs from Kian and Rae’s tent.
Things are about to get really uncomfortable if they can’t keep their hands off each other, though the tension between them and Kian’s statement from earlier made it clear they had yet to consummate their marriage.
With my luck, it would be when I’m stuck lying in a tent next to them, having to experience it all secondhand.
I shudder. Rae doesn’t seem like the voyeuristic type though.
I focus my hearing on my own tent, wondering if Sera is still awake.
Her slow, measured breaths make me think she’s either asleep or doing a damned good job of faking it.
Either way, we have a long day of travel ahead of us, so I let out a slow breath and roll onto my side, wrapping my bedroll around me tightly.
The autumn air is cold and the fire from outside doesn’t quite reach us.
Holding back a yawn, I close my eyes and try to drift off.