Rhys watched as
Caden selected clothes from one of the trunks, lit the second lamp, and then
stepped behind the curtain in the corner of the cabin to clean up and change.
While he changed, Rhys rubbed the lingering soreness from his leg and walked
around the cabin, grateful that the sharp, searing pain from the day before had
faded into something manageable.
It shocked him
that Caden had yet to ask about his limp or even make a comment regarding it.
Rhys was sure it would happen sooner rather than later. He vowed not to be
caught off guard by it and to swiftly put Caden in his place when it came,
though a part of him really wished that Caden would just get it over with. It
was too easy to be lulled into a false sense of contentment by Caden’s
obedience and fear; in fact, it angered Rhys a little that Caden’s obedience
seemed to come without resistance to any of Rhys’ commands. He’d expected more
of a fight from Caden to establish who would be the dominant one in their relationship;
that Caden seemed to have no wish to fight just made Rhys want to push to see
what he could do to change that.
Rhys thought
back to the comment he’d made about Caden’s father the night before and Caden’s
silent acceptance of it and soft explanation. It was quite clear that insulting
his family would not provoke Caden, nor did it seem like Rhys’ own temper could
get a rise out of him. So then, what would? Was there anything that Caden cared
about enough to fight with him over?
Rhys glanced at
the screen blocking his view of the corner where Caden was changing, and his
hands itched to pull it down. He wanted to see everything his husband had to
offer. He wanted to grab him and haul him close, to feel all that muscle
against him and see if that wouldn’t get Caden to struggle, if only just a
little. Did he have it in him to be a wild and passionate lover, or would he
lie in the bed and passively allow Rhys to do whatever he pleased to him?
Though the
thought of that was enough to bring several ideas to Rhys’ mind that were not
really what he wanted at all. He wanted someone with spirit, someone he could
bend but not break. Rhys thought about the way Caden had remained kneeling in
the center of the bed, head down, when Rhys had made the comment about throwing
him overboard. It seemed to Rhys that Caden was already broken. It was a shame,
but then, when had he ever gotten what he’d truly wanted?
Rhys let out a
frustrated sigh and shoved his fingers through his hair, pushing the strands
back. He was hungry, and Caden seemed to be taking forever just to get ready,
and damn it all....
Just when Rhys
had been about to bellow out an order for Caden to hurry the hell up, Caden
stepped out with his long hair tied back, emphasizing his mismatched eyes even
more than normal. He wore dark brown pants and a loose-fitting tan shirt, along
with a pair of well-worn brown boots, all of which nicely set off his deeply
tanned skin. Rhys noted the way Caden had rolled up the sleeves of the shirt so
that the ends were stretched tight across his biceps, making him look more like
a sailor or a blacksmith than a lord’s son. It made Rhys suddenly remember the
question he’d been waking Caden to ask.
“Your hands, how
did you get all of those scars?” Rhys asked him, unable to pull his eyes away
from his husband. Right now he wasn’t even sure if he cared if Caden lay still
beneath him. He just wanted him.
Caden looked
down at his hands. “Hunting, trapping, skinning the animals, chopping wood,
climbing trees, and messing about in the forge when the old blacksmith had a
moment to teach me a thing or two. I never liked to be inside.”
“I guess not,” Rhys
agreed as he approached Caden and reached out, grabbing one of his hands. Brutes
and Titus both let out low growls that were quickly silenced by Caden with
orders for the hounds to sit and stay while Rhys inspected his hand closer.
Caden just
looked even more dejected. “I’m sorry if the scars offend you.”
“That’s it!”
Rhys exploded, having had just about enough. He pushed Caden against the wall
of the cabin and pinned him there so he could glare down into his eyes. Caden
glared right back, a flash of anger in his eyes so brilliant that Rhys braced
himself for a fight, but none came. The spark faded, leaving Caden’s eyes blank
and calm again.
Rhys snarled at
that, angered even more. “If you make one more comment about your looks,
actions, or appearance offending me in any way I am going to show you what
happens when I truly am offended. Do
you think I would want some soft, pathetic little lordling with ladies hands
and a whining, simpering disposition?”
“I... I don’t
know,” Caden admitted.
“Well then let
me clear it up for you,” Rhys growled, having seen the spark that had flared up
in Caden’s eyes and wanting it back. “I do not!”
When Caden began
to lower his head, Rhys shook him, hard, and Caden’s head jerked back up, eyes
flashing with anger again. Rhys saw his hands clench into fists and gripped him
tighter.
“You want to hit
me, don’t you?”
Caden’s jaw
clenched, and Rhys could hear his teeth grate together. “Go ahead, admit it.
You’re angry right now. You don’t like this, do you?”
Caden made a
low, rumbling sound, but didn’t say a word.
“Words,” Rhys
reminded, leaning in closer.
“No,” Caden
hissed, tensing even as Rhys gripped his arms tighter.
Before Caden
could blink, Rhys closed the last of the distance between them and took
possession of Caden’s lips with a rough, bruising kiss. Rhys pulled back, heart
pounding, upset and frustrated that Caden hadn’t responded.
“Goddammit,
don’t tell me you didn’t feel anything from that kiss!” Rhys demanded, but
before he could say anything more, Caden gripped Rhys’ shirt and reversed their
positions, slamming Rhys against the cabin wall and kissing him with
enthusiasm, even if the kiss lacked skill.
By the time
Caden broke the kiss and stepped back, both of them were panting wildly, eyes
darkened with lust.
“So you do have
fire,” Rhys gasped, watching as several emotions flickered in rapid succession
across Caden’s face.
“I promised my
father I would not do anything to dishonor him or the vows I would be making to
you. One of those vows was to obey. Don’t mistake obedience for cowardice,
Rhys. I am not a coward, but I prefer not to fight if I don’t have to. You’re
in charge, you have made that clear. I will do my best to follow the rules
you’ve given me,” Caden breathlessly declared before releasing Rhys and backing
away. Without another word, he turned, the hounds on his heels as he headed for
the door to the cabin.
Rhys’ jaw
dropped, and it took him a moment to fully comprehend Caden’s words. Surprised
and excited, he was curious to see what other reactions he could provoke from
Caden. “Where do you think you’re going?”
Caden paused and
turned to look at Rhys. His husband looked disheveled and more than a little
bit unsettled. “To the galley to eat. That is what you woke me for, isn’t it?”
oooh, this really sounds interesting!
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