Page 55 of Gilded Crown

Jari ducked under a swing, caught his right wrist, dropped his weapon, and forced Aurelius into the wall with a hand on his sternum before he pinned his wrist against the stonework.

“You’re fast, but a little extra strength would do you good.”

Defiance flashed in Aurelius’s eye as he opened his mouth, likely to issue some lashing remark or an order to unhand him. Like anyone would care to listen on the field, and Jari didn’t care to hear it or think.

And he didn’t think as he pressed his lips against Aurelius’s and swallowed whatever poisonous words were about to come out. A faint gasp tried to escape the Prince, and Jari took that too as he slipped his tongue in.

Aurelius eased against him, and his mouth demanded in return. Jari’s cock was already thickening as he pushed his chest against the Prince’s and slipped a hand under his shirt. Aurelius seemed to remember he had another hand as he grabbed Jari’s bicep and returned the kiss with nearly just as much urgency.

Jari wished he had more hands because the Prince’s wrist under one and the smooth skin of his torso with the light sprinkling of hairs wasn’t enough. He wanted to grip Aurelius’s hair, cup his face, encase him entirely in his arms, and slip a hand down the front of his trousers to feel the obvious arousal growing against his own.

He didn’t want it. He needed it, and the Prince’s relaxed body made his cock throb as he tasted Aurelius’s giving mouth. He snaked his hand up, found the Prince’s nipple, and rubbed a thumb over it.

The tension was suddenly back, and Jari’s thoughts stuttered as he tried to figure out what to do or if it was the sort formed by arousal. Aurelius’s knee came up and thankfully missed his groin before it was shoved into his gut. Jari’s grip weakened, and before he could think of a response or reaction, the Prince’s leg hooked on his own.

Jari found himself on his back with wood at his throat as Aurelius stood over him.

“You’re dead.”

“Really? Because I haven’t felt quite that alive in a while.”

With an unreadable expression, Aurelius’s eye focused on him. The tip of his tongue showed for a second as licked his lower lip like he was still tasting the kiss. Lust flashed in his eye, and the muscle in his cheek fluttered.

That was always a sure sign that he was holding back something. Underneath the hard veneer of lies, insults, and snobbery, Jari was suddenly entirely positive that the cold Crown Prince of Nova wanted him just as badly. He’d kissed back. Somewhere beyond the locked gate, lust burned just as brightly as Jari’s, and he’d caught a glorious glimpse of its light before he was shoved out. The temporary easing and kiss had said it all.

That, and the fact that the Prince’s erect cock seemed desperate to burst from his trousers.

“Are you going to let me up?” Jari wasn’t sure if he could keep his hands to himself, and they ached to be back on the Prince. At the same time, there was something about being pinned by his sword and gaze, and he wouldn’t mind in the least if Aureliusflipped him over, pinned him there on the stone floor, and showed him just how hot that pent-up lust could flare.

“On the battlefield, you can’t be distracted.” Aurelius’s gaze scraped down Jari’s body and lingered on the bulge in his trousers. “You’ll train with me every afternoon.”

“If I do that, do I get a reward?” As long as it involved just them, their cocks, and Aurelius gasping against him.

“Yes. It’s called getting to live after war. That’s the main thing everyone wants.” Aurelius finally pulled away his wooden blade and left Jari on the floor as he headed to a rack to hang it up. “Also, don’t try kissing the enemy. They won’t like that.”

“You did. In fact, I think you loved it.”

Aurelius didn’t confirm or deny it, although his usual stiffness didn’t seem to be from his snobby attitude. Jari sat up and watched him put on his coat and do up the buttons. He bit his tongue in time before he asked Aurelius if he needed help before he ended up with a case of blue balls.

“If you come back over here, I’ll do whatever you want,” he blurted. “Even if you want to play with your knife.”

Aurelius paused with his back still to Jari, and he tilted his head. Was he imagining that too? He did the clasp on his cloak, made sure it hung straight, smoothed his hair, and turned with a blank look since the barriers were in place once more.

“No, you won’t do whatever I want.” With that, he left the training room.

“Yes, I would,” Jari mumbled under his breath. Anything to be granted more of that free side that was usually kept locked up.

He stood and adjusted his trousers, desperate to alleviate some of the pressure. He was tempted to take himself in hand right there, but it’d be just his luck that someone would walk in and find him jerking it like a maniac.

“Damn it.”

Chapter Twelve

Once again, it seemed like Aurelius was going to pretend nothing happened. He didn’t reappear until dinner, and he acted like he hadn’t had his lips locked with Jari a few hours earlier.

Jari was tempted to loudly ask him if he liked getting and giving blue balls, but he could imagine the ice that would earn him. A slap would surely be added in, and pouring animosity into the air between them wasn’t a good idea.

He was still sure the Prince wanted him. He was probably so damn repressed by now, he didn’t know how to ask. Obviously, the trauma of whatever happened before hadn’t left him, and if the Zorians had violated him…

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