“I doubt I could change who I am,” Rhys told him. “I was raised to protect and defend those I love. God help anyone who does them harm.”
Jack fell silent for a long moment, staring into his ale. Rhys wondered if he imagined the little shudder that shook his shoulders. “Are you saying you’d kill for them? For her?”
“An odd sentiment in this…er, era, but aye,” Rhys agreed. “I’ve pledged my life to protect hers.”
“Who talks like that?” Jack shook his head. “Never mind. Again, I should know better by this point. I guess I didn’t realize you were so close.”
Rhys could tell his declaration troubled his new friend, but couldn’t take them back. To his mind, there were not enough people willing to sacrifice everything for the sake of another. If it were a passé sentiment, he was content with that.
However, he was sorry if he’d unduly upset Jack. “My apologies if the ferocity of my words upsets ye. Alas I can believe nae other way. She’s been my dearest companion other than my brother since Will—”
He hadn’t meant to mention it and tried to stop himself but Jack’s interest was already piqued.
“Will?”
“Willem,” Rhys intoned the name solemnly. His beer and whiskey arrived, but instead of sipping the ale, he took a large swig of the other with a wince. “He was my…friend for quite a long time.”
“I see,” Jack said and Rhys rather thought he did. “For how long?”
“Close to six years.”
Jack whistled under his breath. “That’s a long time. What happened? Did you break up?”
Rhys wasn’t certain what he meant bybreak up, though it had shattered him at the time.
“I’m sorry. If you don’t want to talk about it…”
It was both an out and an invitation. Rather than opting for the former, Rhys was surprised to hear himself say, “Nay, I dinnae mind. He passed away no’ long ago.”
“I’m sorry.” The apology was sincere and Jack took his hand with a comforting squeeze. He asked how it had happened and Rhys glossed over the truth as best he could but it was a relief to talk about it. The pain of that moment had lessened. It was easier than he’d imagined.
“How did you meet?”
“He was my squi—” Rhys cut himself off again, wishing he didn’t have to be so bloody circumspect with someone he’d begun to trust. And care for. “He was in my employ. Despite our time together, he was ne’er comfortable wi’ ignoring the difference in our stations, which kept us from truly bonding despite our years together. As for me, I dinnae acknowledge the more personal aspect of our relationship until Scarlett urged me to. I had been engaged to wed a lady ‘ere that so I’m fore’er grateful to her.”
Jack’s eyes went wide. “Scarlett Thomas is the one who pulled you out of the closet? That’s a story I’d love to hear.”
“One for another time,” Rhys evaded the request. Recounting his drunken conversation with Scarlett about the wives of Henry the Eighth while Willem poured them more wine than they could hold with dignity was definitely not a tale for a friendship only two weeks old. “Now, I thought we were planning on an evening out, aye?”
“Yes, but I told you we were going to a night club?” Jack eyed Rhys up and down with pursed lips. “That’s what you want to wear?”
“Is this no’ suitable for dancing?”
Jack was wearing a tailored paisley dress shirt with a black velvet jacket and jeans. While he looked rather dashing, his colorful garb was not so drastically different from what Rhys had chosen.
“You are not wearing a sweater,” Jack protested. “You’ll die of heat stroke in five minutes. Let me see what else you have to wear.”
“In my room?”
“Why do you say it like that?My room? I’ve been up there before.”
But not while they were alone. The attraction between them was building. Progressing, but given all that had happened in Rhys’s life and his plans for the future—namely those in the past far, far away from Jack Prescott—Rhys wasn’t sure he should or could let their pleasantly casual relationship evolve into something more physical.
And he was even less certain if they went to his room he’d be able to stop it. He had no intention of becoming attached to anything so impermanent.
“I’ll be fine. I’ve a T-shirt beneath the sweater.”
“Rhys?”
