The Lion and the Crow by Eli Easton Page B

been a woman servant and not a man, he didn’t mention it. Perhaps he assumed that since so much of the rumors either contradicted each other or were fantastical that part of it was too. Christian was only grateful not to have to lie further.
    That night they stayed in an alehouse for the first time since their journey began. William thought it wise to cast a record of their passage through the town, should anyone look for it. Christian bathed in front of the fire while William went out. When he came in later, he was more than a few pints of ale looser than he’d been for days. Christian sat up in bed and made no secret of watching William as he used the tub of water in front of the fireplace.
    William had not said more than a dozen words to Christian since they’d left the foothills near the castle, much less touched him.
    “I did what I thought I needed to do to protect you,” Christian said quietly, as William stood up from his bath. The water rolled down his muscled body, and he looked so fine in the firelight that Christian would have given his soul for one more kiss, one more night of tenderness.
    “I know,” William said.
    “You think I lied to you. But I did intend to do the things I said, get information about Elaine’s routine. Only when I had the chance at Somerfield, I—”
    “I understand it perfectly, Christian.”
    Christian wasn’t sure William did. Because the thing that made sense of it, words like I love you more than anything I’ve ever had in my life , and I would give anything to keep you safe, to keep you with me were not things he could say to William while he was being cold and distant.
    “Will you ever forgive me?” Christian asked.
    William dried off with a cloth and came to bed. He slipped in naked, which was more than fine, because Christian was naked too. Christian rolled onto his side to get closer to him, but William grasped Christian’s hands, keeping them off his body.
    “I don’t need your protecting. If I cannot be your master, I will be your equal, Christian,” William said in a voice that still tasted of anger.
    Christian stared at him blankly. “William, you are far superior to me, as a knight and as a man.”
    “And yet you kept things from me to ‘protect me.’”
    “Only because I knew you wouldn’t allow me to go into the castle if I admitted to even thinking about killing Somerfield!”
    William stared into Christian’s eyes, his face grim.
    Christian frowned and swallowed. “You’re right. ’Tis an ill excuse.” He took a deep breath. “I did withhold things from you. And I swear I’ll never do it again. Only don’t be cold with me. I cannot bear it.”
    Christian meant it with all his heart. William’s distance had hurt him as nothing had ever done. He knew he’d damaged William’s pride, stolen his revenge, and had not taken seriously enough his need to be protective of those he cared for. And that had nearly been unforgivable to a man like William.
    He waited for William’s verdict, allowing everything to show on his face.
    William’s eyes were still grim, but his hold on Christian shifted. He grasped Christian’s wrists hard and pinned them over his head, rolling Christian onto his back and covering him. Christian found himself out of breath as he stared up into William’s relentless eyes. William only stared down, unmoving, even as Christian felt his lover’s cock hardening impressively against his stomach. Christian himself had been hard since he’d watched William in the bath.
    Christian bit his lips as desire slammed into him. He could not stop his hips from thrusting upward. But William only lay on him more heavily still.
    “If you ever do such a thing again, Christian, I will never forgive you.”
    “I swear,” Christian promised. And then he added, “I would do anything for you.”
    The words were said in lieu of I love you , because he was unable to stop himself from saying something .
    With a sigh of release, William crashed