Not on your life.“Now is not a good time.”
“Perhaps later, after you have rested.” Ever perky Percy.
Huh. Alliteration.
And was not the issue at hand. I sighed.
In an instant, he was by my side. “My lord?” He did a thorough examination of me from the tip of my toes to my eyes.
Then returned his attention to the problem. “Well, that is interesting.”
You have no idea.
Chapter Four
Percy
Of all the states I thought I might find Henry in, aroused and hard was not one of them.
My first instinct was to pretend I did not notice.
Meeting Henry’s all-too-knowing dark-brown eyes assured me that ruse would not work. Because of his dark skin, I was unable to ascertain whether he was blushing or not.
I suspected he was.
For all his bluster, he had always been a private man.
When I learned of his upset over Caroline and Willam’s engagement, I had understood with great clarity.
Henry had brought the woman home as a potential betrothed.
She instead chose his brother. The heir. The pale-skinned brother.
My friend had been humiliated. Had fled the next day. And stayed away for fifteen long years.
After my personal encounter, when we were merely fourteen years old, I believed Henry to only be attracted to women. Until this very moment, I maintained that belief.
And perhaps he did. Becoming aroused was a natural reaction. Maybe he was thinking of women. Even of a particular woman.
As I had the thought, though, and held his gaze, my perception shifted.
Run or face this once and for all?
“How may I assist you?”
“I cannot…” He let out a long breath. “I cannot…that is to say…well, I…” He clenched his left hand.
“Um. Well. Your, uh…”
“Ignore it, Percy. Sorry.” He winced, apparently truly apologetic.
“Would you like me to, uh, step outside for a moment?” Because that was the proper thing to do.
“No.” Another sigh. “Would not do any good. I cannot get off. Stupid hand will not work for that.”
His look of disgust at his left hand pulled at my heart.
Although the appendage was uninjured, he struggled to accomplish tricky tasks with it.
