tether the reins of both mounts to a post beside a watering hole.
“I will purchase food and return shortly. Remain here until I return.”
She glowered down at him, irritated by his arrogant command, but she didn’t argue. She was too tired. Besides, with her stiff legs and aching muscles she had no intention of going anywhere at all.
Yet he hesitated as he peered up at her, and she realised he was waiting for her to respond.
“I will not run,” she said dryly. “I would not get very far even if I did.”
He arched a single brow and studied her more intently as if trying to ascertain from her expression the truth of her response. Seemingly satisfied with what he read upon her face, he visibly relaxed.
“I shall return shortly,” he said again before he strode purposefully towards the agora.
Her eyes never left him as she followed every move of his powerful body, his muscles rippling beneath the harsh rays of the sun. He walked with the confidence of a man who was always in charge, so he easily drew the attention of curious onlookers. She scowled when she noticed she wasn’t alone in her admiration. Several women turned their heads, ogling him as he passed by.
He strolled through the agora until he stopped at a pretty young woman’s cart who looked to be no more than eighteen annos .
“ Barely a woman.” She snorted when the young merchant flipped her dark, glossy hair over her shoulder and fluttered her eyelashes. She was flirting with him. Lamia narrowed her eyes when Thanos smiled down at the girl as he gathered several figs, loaves of bread and a large chunk of goat cheese and placed them into his sack. When he was done he handed her several coins. The woman beamed as she closed her hand around them and said something that caused him to chuckle. Lamia frowned as his eyes sparkled with laughter before he waved farewell to the little temptress and strolled back to where he’d left her with the horses.
As he drew near, she forced herself to school her features into a blank mask, hoping that her irritation didn’t show on her face. But she needn’t have bothered because he busied himself with packing the food and checking on the condition of both horses, barely sparing her a glance.
Once he was done, he once again lifted himself atop his mount, but this time she did not wrap her arms around his waist. Instead she crossed her arms beneath her breasts and rested the side of her body against his chest. She knew she was being childish, but she could not help it.
He’d flirted with that girl although he’d known she was watching. Despite all of his flowery words and his displays of tenderness, he was still a man no different from any other. For just a moment, she’d allowed herself to believe his words, that she could be the woman he desired, that she wanted to be the woman he desired. But Thanos was a virile man, and far too handsome to ever be satisfied with just one woman. And, if his flirting was any evidence, she certainly wasn’t the woman who could satisfy him if she couldn’t even hold his attention for more than a single sun rising.
* * * *
After leaving Sellasie, Thanos followed the main trail that ran along the northern edge of the Laconian plain until it was almost dusk. He knew he was pushing the pace a little hard, but he was trying to make up for the time he’d lost by going after Lamia and then stopping for food.
By the time he found a suitable area to make camp, they were both exhausted. Tossing several more small branches of wood onto the fire so that it would burn through the eve, he looked up when Lamia returned from relieving herself. She didn’t meet his gaze as she sulked all the way to their bed mat and lay down with her back to him.
He frowned at her rigid back. She had been sullen and distant from the moment they’d ridden out of Sellasie. At the time he hadn’t questioned her, thinking that she was simply weary from their journey, but now he knew it to be
“I will purchase food and return shortly. Remain here until I return.”
She glowered down at him, irritated by his arrogant command, but she didn’t argue. She was too tired. Besides, with her stiff legs and aching muscles she had no intention of going anywhere at all.
Yet he hesitated as he peered up at her, and she realised he was waiting for her to respond.
“I will not run,” she said dryly. “I would not get very far even if I did.”
He arched a single brow and studied her more intently as if trying to ascertain from her expression the truth of her response. Seemingly satisfied with what he read upon her face, he visibly relaxed.
“I shall return shortly,” he said again before he strode purposefully towards the agora.
Her eyes never left him as she followed every move of his powerful body, his muscles rippling beneath the harsh rays of the sun. He walked with the confidence of a man who was always in charge, so he easily drew the attention of curious onlookers. She scowled when she noticed she wasn’t alone in her admiration. Several women turned their heads, ogling him as he passed by.
He strolled through the agora until he stopped at a pretty young woman’s cart who looked to be no more than eighteen annos .
“ Barely a woman.” She snorted when the young merchant flipped her dark, glossy hair over her shoulder and fluttered her eyelashes. She was flirting with him. Lamia narrowed her eyes when Thanos smiled down at the girl as he gathered several figs, loaves of bread and a large chunk of goat cheese and placed them into his sack. When he was done he handed her several coins. The woman beamed as she closed her hand around them and said something that caused him to chuckle. Lamia frowned as his eyes sparkled with laughter before he waved farewell to the little temptress and strolled back to where he’d left her with the horses.
As he drew near, she forced herself to school her features into a blank mask, hoping that her irritation didn’t show on her face. But she needn’t have bothered because he busied himself with packing the food and checking on the condition of both horses, barely sparing her a glance.
Once he was done, he once again lifted himself atop his mount, but this time she did not wrap her arms around his waist. Instead she crossed her arms beneath her breasts and rested the side of her body against his chest. She knew she was being childish, but she could not help it.
He’d flirted with that girl although he’d known she was watching. Despite all of his flowery words and his displays of tenderness, he was still a man no different from any other. For just a moment, she’d allowed herself to believe his words, that she could be the woman he desired, that she wanted to be the woman he desired. But Thanos was a virile man, and far too handsome to ever be satisfied with just one woman. And, if his flirting was any evidence, she certainly wasn’t the woman who could satisfy him if she couldn’t even hold his attention for more than a single sun rising.
* * * *
After leaving Sellasie, Thanos followed the main trail that ran along the northern edge of the Laconian plain until it was almost dusk. He knew he was pushing the pace a little hard, but he was trying to make up for the time he’d lost by going after Lamia and then stopping for food.
By the time he found a suitable area to make camp, they were both exhausted. Tossing several more small branches of wood onto the fire so that it would burn through the eve, he looked up when Lamia returned from relieving herself. She didn’t meet his gaze as she sulked all the way to their bed mat and lay down with her back to him.
He frowned at her rigid back. She had been sullen and distant from the moment they’d ridden out of Sellasie. At the time he hadn’t questioned her, thinking that she was simply weary from their journey, but now he knew it to be
Similar Books
