Page 33 of Over the Emerald Valley
“Have a seat.” Temaj gestured to the chaise he’d been occupying. Three chaises were pushed together side by side, low to the ground, with an inclined back of plush pillows and a long seat so one could stretch out their legs.
“Where will you sit?” Solon had apparently done the math. Four people, three chairs.
“On you. Obviously. So I suggest you find a comfortable position.”
Solon shook his head, but his expression remained fond. He lowered himself to the chaise, arranged the pillows to his liking, propped out his legs, and waited.
Temaj dropped into his lap sideways with a contented sigh. He could get used to this level of accommodation from Solon. If a hand job was all the man needed to acquiesce to Temaj’s whims, all the better for both of them.
Met went to sit down, but Seli caught his elbow. “We need to sort the perfumes, Met, remember? Come, let’s get that done.”
“Oh, right. The sorting of the perfumes. How could I have forgotten? Yes, dear.”
“You’re sweet, but you don’t need to leave,” said Temaj. “The general owes me a story, and I’m feeling generous. Want to sit in and listen?”
Met looked happy to hear that.
Seli only squeezed his arm harder. “Thank you, but the perfumes aren’t going to sort themselves.” She tugged Met along. “We’ll see you later.”
They left Temaj and Solon alone, for which Temaj was grateful, but he was also suddenly shy. He hadn’t prepared for company. His clothes were the ordinary white linen, cut wide for comfort and not to show off his features. He wore no jewels and no paint. His hair hung loose around his shoulders. At least he’d bothered to wash and brush it earlier. Small favors.
“They seem nice,” said Solon.
“They are.”
“Are they…together?”
Temaj hummed an affirmative, leaning against Solon’s chest. The general smelled good. Like sunshine and clean sweat.
“How does that work?”
“In the usual way, I suppose. She likes him. He likes her. And so they’re together.”
“But…” Solon’s expression turned thoughtful. Temaj could practically see the wheels of his mind spinning. “Doesn’t their…work interfere?”
Temaj shrugged in a manner that brought them even closer. “Why would it?” On Solon’s lap like this, he was the taller, which he took full advantage of. He wrapped his arm around the general’s shoulders and clasped his hands to hold the man in place. Not that Solon was protesting. On the contrary, he circled Temaj’s waist with his arms.
“Apologies. It’s not my place to judge. I’m glad they’re happy.” Solon’s thighs flexed under Temaj’s bottom. “Is this really what you want to be doing with your day? I can’t help but think I’m intruding.”
“You’re a welcome surprise. I can chat with Seli and Met anytime.” He didn’t know the length of Solon’s visit. The man could leave tomorrow, and they’d never see one another again. He preferred to ignore the melancholy that rolled through him. “Your time, however, is limited. I’ll take all I can get.”
A flash of emotion touched Solon’s gentle expression. Maybe sadness. Maybe weariness. Some mix of both. It was gone seconds after it had appeared. “I prefer your company over Khu’s any day.”
“I should hope so. He’s rather tedious, isn’t he?”
“You know him?”
“I’ve entertained Khu. He’s a nervy sort of fellow. Uptight. Boring, but not unkind. Likes to watch. Odd requests.” Temaj scrunched his nose. “Though, of course, I didn’t tell you that. It would be unprofessional of me.”
“Tell me what?”
“Good answer. Fortunately, Khu tends to choose women over men, so he rarely comes my way. All the better, really. He’s not much of a challenge.”
“The other man left with him.”
“Qeb? Yes. I was curious about that too.”
“Let’s not talk of them when I owe you a story. What sort of tale would you hear?”
