Daz cocked his head. “He was a warrior, through and through, but with a heart too large for one made for war.”
A fascinating description of a man. I nodded again.
Suddenly Dazar’s eyes went wide and he straightened from where he’d been leaning against the house. His entire demeanor changed in an instant from relaxed power to attentive submission. I was curious what could have brought about this change.
“Hey boys. Talking about me?” Tisera said from behind me.
I turned and immediately turned back, averting my gaze. Tisera strode from that odd doorway among the trees wrapped only in a towel! It covered her torso but left far too much of her legs uncovered. And by-the-gods her legs were amazing, rounded and strong.
I was instantly hard once again, trying not to picture what was under that towel.
She walked right past us and into the house without another word, though I did hear a faint chuckle from her.
And with my gaze averted as it was, I got a very good look at Daz’s reaction to her. I instantly knew: he loved her, not like a brother loves a sister, but in the way any man can love any woman.
In the next instant, I realized something else… given everything I’d seen: Tisera had no clue how Daz felt.
I straightened once the door had closed. “She is beautiful,” I said softly, low.
“She is,” he said with wonder, before catching himself. “… my sister, she is my sister and…”
“And you love her, don’t you?” I said, keeping my voice hushed.
He blinked. “How…?”
“It’s plain as day… to everyone but her, apparently.”
Daz sighed and the spirit went out of him. Deflated, he leaned against the wall again.
“She’s seen me as a brother for so long she can’t see me any other way. But I’vealwaysbeen fascinated with her, even when we were kids. I just didn’t know what I was feeling until I was older and by then… she’d found other men.”
“She’s not with anyone now, is she?”
“No, but…”
Ah.
He’d been her brother for so long he didn’t know how to change that relationship. It seemed he and I were in a vaguely similar boat. We were both fascinated with the same woman, and both hoped she’d see us as something more than our current roles: brother and student.
It was a good thing I was an honest and upstanding man. Otherwise, I would have competed with this man for Tisera’s affections, but he’d known her for far longer. He’d been with her all her life. I couldn’t compete with that. So, I would concede…
For now…
“I know this advice may be unsolicited, but you need to tell her how you feel. Tell her before it’s too late. That is all I can say. I lost my wife far too soon. And Tisera is in a dangerous line of work. If she were to die without you having told her, I think you’d be quite devastated, wouldn’t you?” I laid a hand on his shoulder, man to man, reassuring. “Don’t let her slip away.”
I turned and left, heartsick, but having done the honorable thing.
I just hoped Daz would do what he needed to do. Because my chivalry had its limits, and if he didn’t tell her how he felt soon… thenI’dtell her howIfelt.
CHAPTER 11
Dazar
I watched Leo leave,a bit stunned at how easily he’d seen right through me.
He was… very odd indeed.
His colors lingered where he’d stood. I don’t know what he’d been feeling, but it had beenintenseand had left a bit of an after-image once he’d departed. His deep purple hue wafted around me, the intensity intoxicating. Blues and violets were already fading, but they had remained a moment as well.
