“Hello, Your Highness. General Thalsar.” I nodded to them.
“Now, what did I tell you, Shane?” the Princess chided me. “Call me Sana. I'm sure we're going to be great friends.” Then she waved her hands at a bottle of wine and two full glasses in the center of the table. “Pass out the wine, Thal.” To Tae, she added, “I hope you don't mind. We weren't sure how long you'd be and your steward left this bottle with us, so we went ahead and poured some drinks.”
“As you were meant to,” Tae said as he accepted a glass from Thal.
I smiled as I took mine and tried my best to make it genuine, but I could have sworn I'd heard a snide tone beneath the Princess's kind words. The way Thalsar grinned at me as I sipped felt a bit vicious as well. But then servants arrived with our first course and things seemed to mellow. Food always makes things easier. If nothing else, it gives you something to do with your mouth when you can't come up with anything to say.
There were four courses and a dessert, and I enjoyed every one of them so utterly that I had even the elegant Sanasenne laughing like a little girl at my groans. Coffee was served with dessert but after we finished our cake, Tae suggested that we retire to a sitting room to enjoy the rest of our beverages.
There was a room just off the dining room, which I imagined was for this very purpose. It was smaller than most rooms in the palace, but appointed lushly, with thick carpets that squished beneath my boots, jewel-toned velvet upholstering the couches, and a fireplace that was already lit. The lighting was low and a coffee service waited along one wall in case we needed refills. I chose a loveseat by the fire, happily taking the fur blanket from the back of it and laying it across my lap.
Before Tae could sit beside me, Thalsar did. Since it was a loveseat and not a couch, this had him pressed up against me, and he put an arm around my shoulders for good measure. I flinched and drew back from him.
“Thal,” Tae said in a warning tone.
“What? You can't hog our valorian, Tae,” the General pulled me closer. To me, he said, “Relax, Shane; I don't bite. Not unless you ask me to.”
I looked at Tae for help. He grimaced at me in apology but then took the couch across from us with Sana. She slid up next to him and laid her hand on his thigh. I looked from that hand to Tae's face. His expression was tight and uncomfortable, but he didn't remove her hand. I had to finally admit that this was beyond the behavior of friends, and I suddenly knew that I'd been right to be wary of them. These people had been Tae's lovers; I was nearly certain of it.
I make a point of not fighting over men. First of all, I think it's silly. If a man wants me, he'll choose me. If he wants me and doesn't choose me, or doesn't do what needs to be done to be with me, then he doesn't care about me enough. And if a man doesn't care about me enough to do what needs to be done, then why would I waste my time fighting over him? Second, I just think it's embarrassing. Like a form of groveling. I'm all for showing my love for someone, expressing myself, and demanding the same in return, but fighting over him with another potential lover? No. Not happening. That being said, fightingfora man I love is something else entirely. If he needs my help or is being attacked, I will have his back. That was not the case here. In fact, it was a little of the opposite. I needed Taeven to stand up for me, but he had taken a seat instead. I can't express how much that disappointed me.
I weighed my options. I could respond in two ways; I could either welcome the General's advances and try to make Tae jealous out of spite, or I could remain as dignified as possible and speak to Tae about this privately later. I chose option two with a twist.
“I'm sorry, Thalsar, but I don't snuggle with men when I'm in a relationship. Especially if the man trying to snuggle with me is in a relationship as well.” I took his arm and removed it from my shoulder, then went to sit in the only chair—a big wingback across from the fire. I took the blanket with me.
Sana laughed her ass off. “Sweet Goddess, I don't think I've ever seen you brushed off before, Thal.”
“I meant no offense.” I held up a hand toward Thal's furious face. “I'm sure you didn't mean anything by it, but I was uncomfortable, and I don't let anyone make me feel uncomfortable. Not even a general.”
Thal lifted a brow and nodded to me, his expression shifting to respect. “Maybe you're good enough for him after all.”
“Oh, so this was a test?” I lifted my eyebrow too.
The General shrugged.
“Are you even bisexual?” I asked him casually.
Sana burst into another round of laughter, but quieted when Thalsar shot her a nasty look.
Thalsar schooled his features when he settled his stare back on me. “I am bisexual, and I find you very attractive, Shane. Does that shock you?”
“Not at all. Thank you for the compliment.”
“Would it shock you to know that I enjoy being both top and bottom? That I would like nothing more than to be between you and Tae tonight—fucking you as he fucked me.”
I swallowed past the dryness in my throat as my cheeks heated. The image of him in bed with Tae and me popped into my mind but instead of arousing me, it turned my stomach. I was utterly speechless.
The General smirked at me. “Itdoesshock you. How adorable.”
“Thal, stop it this instant,” Tae said firmly, finally sticking up for me.
“I'm just testing his mettle, Tae.” Thal cocked his head at me as he pulled a flask out of his coat. He tossed it to me. “How about something stronger than coffee, Shane?”
“That is enough!” Tae stood up and went to take the flask from me.
“What is this?” I asked him, keeping the flask out of his reach.
“Knowing Thal, it's something very strong.”
