Page 37 of Over the Emerald Valley
His mind conjured an image of Temaj with the jewels around his delicate, arching neck, green inlaid in gold splayed across his collarbones.
Solon let the stones slip through his fingers and tumble back into the pile with the others. He made a quick mental count of how many buckets to a row and how many shelves from the ground up for inventory, committed the numbers to his memory for further calculation, and spun on his heel.
“I’ve seen enough.” He took his leave without waiting for Abasi or the guard to reply.
Tension stiffened Solon’s muscles and tightened his jaw. Maintaining pleasantries at this point was futile. By now, they knew he suspected treachery, and whatever wily games loomed, Solon must come out the victor.
He needed to speak with Neku. Then, with any luck, Temaj would be waiting in his suite when he returned. Temaj, who was stuck in this den of vipers. Who deserved better than the life of a slave.
Solon had to get him out of here. If Temaj could be convinced to help with their mission, Solon could bring his good deeds to Horemheb’s attention and request he be granted freedom. Then maybe…well, best not get ahead of himself when so much was left to do.
CHAPTER12
Temaj
The door clicked open,and Temaj hurried to slink back into the artfully thought-out pose he’d chosen on Solon’s bed.
Finally.
He’d thought the general would never get there. It must be past midnight, and he’d been waiting for hours, though he’d long since given up on holding the seductive pose—one leg stretched in front, the other bent at the knee, on his side draped pleasingly over feather pillows, wearing nothing but delicate silver jewelry on his ankles and wrists and a smile across his clean, paint-free face.
Solon froze at the threshold of the bedchamber, jaw slack, eyes roaming greedily. A flush fanned his cheeks.
Skippers flitted in Temaj’s belly at having caused such a pronounced reaction. Pleasure bloomed warm to have so thoroughly caught his attention. It had been the plan after all, but his own response swelled larger than he could have anticipated, as did other parts of his anatomy.
“What took you so long?” Temaj pitched his voice low and sultry, but a needy edge filtered through he hadn’t intended.
Blinking, Solon didn’t approach, but he didn’t stop staring either, and that was good enough for Temaj.
“I was working. But if I’d known you were waiting as…as you are,” Solon stuttered. Temaj’s smile morphed into a wickedly pleased grin. “I might have hurried.”
“I’m glad to hear that. Come.” Temaj beckoned with a crook of his finger.
Solon obeyed like a fish on a line but with zero of the fish’s struggle. “I want to speak with you. We have things to discuss.”
“Do we?” Temaj let his bent knee fall wide on the green silk coverlet. “Are you sure it can’t wait?”
“I can hardly remember what it was, to be honest.” Solon’s gaze was so intense Temaj’s skin tingled. “You’re extremely distracting like this.”
“Yes, that’s my not-so-subtle plan. Let me distract you from the toilsome tasks of the day.” This was what Temaj excelled at, but rarely had he enjoyed himself so thoroughly in the pursuit. The way Solon looked at him, like he was dipped in gold and worth his weight in it all at once, that kind of focus bristled the hairs of his nape.
“But”—Solon wavered, his gaze locking on Temaj’s—“are you sure? I mean, is this what you want, or…”
“You think I don’t want you?” Temaj rolled to his belly and presented his peach of an ass for Solon’s appreciation.
“Cow’s foot, I don’t know? I hope you do because I want you.”
Throwing a come-hither glance over his shoulder, Temaj fluttered his lids. “I’m not sure what else I can do to assure you. Oh, there is one”—he slid to his knees—“more”—raised his ass—“thing” and wiggled.
“Gods’ chariot, Temaj. I cannot resist you.”
“Then don’t.”
The bed dipped as Solon’s weight landed next to him. Temaj wet his lips and waited. What would the general do with no further instructions?
When a big, warm palm slid from his lower back, over the curve of his ass, and down the delicate skin of his inner thigh, Temaj shivered and pressed back for more.
“Take off your clothes,” Temaj ordered. “I need your skin.”
