He nodded. “It was your thief, Alana.”
She drew in her breath. The way he said that, it was obvious he believed he’d solved the matter to his satisfaction.
“Just like that? You think a thief goes from being a thief to a murderer, to hide that he’s a thief? Let me guess, you hang thieves here and merely imprison murderers.”
Sarcasm and an insult combined, she wasn’t surprised he sat up, then got up. And he was naked!
She put a hand over her eyes before she felt capable of continuing, “Did he even know I’m the one who accused him? Did you tell him you had me in your prison?”
“Of course not, but he could have easily drawn that conclusion. You were seen being led to my quarters. He could have assumed you were being detained until the matter was resolved.”
Hurt that he could still discount the main threat to her, she said, “Is that really what you believe?”
He suddenly sat down on the other side of the bed next to her and took her hand away from her eyes. She kept them squeezed tight and asked, “Did you put pants on?”
“Yes,” he said calmly. “And listen carefully. I’m willing to acknowledge that there might be more here than meets the eye, but so far the man claims he was only trying to frighten you into withdrawing your charge.”
“You believe that?”
“No. But consider this, a thief tries to cover his crime by getting rid of his accuser, or, as you are supposing, someone ordered that very same man to kill you when no one knows why you’re here except myself and the king? Which do you really think is more likely?”
“So you did tell him?”
“Certainly.”
She was crestfallen. Her father couldn’t be bothered to come and have a look at her?
Before Christoph could guess how disappointed she was, she asked, “Are you sure the king didn’t tell someone else? A member of his family? His closest friends or advisers? Was he alone when you told him?”
The back of his finger brushed her cheek. “Why haven’t you opened your eyes?”
Because he hadn’t had time to put a shirt on, too! Could she manage to look at his face and no lower? She tried. Oh, good grief, he was smiling! The man had read her thoughts!
“To answer your questions, no, no, and yes, I spoke to him in private.”
“And he just shrugged off my claim the same as you have? Why?! ”
“I’ve already told you—”
“My arsenal?” she spat out. “That supports my claim, not yours.”
“You’re not an assassin.”
“Thank you very much, I was beginning to feel unsure.”
He laughed. “You try to make me angry with your sarcasms, but today it won’t work. Did I not warn you how amiable I would be after—”
“Don’t say another word!”
He pretended he was going to flick her nose until she covered it, then with a grin he stood up. “I will agree to that—for now, if you will agree it is pointless to discuss your thief before we finish interrogating him.”
He didn’t wait for her to answer. He moved to his wardrobe to finish dressing. She should have looked away, but with his back to her, she simply couldn’t resist watching him. Those military pants fit him much too snugly. In the dim light, they appeared almost like a second skin, emphasizing how firm and perfectly curved his buttocks were. Her eyes moved slowly up his back, which broadened to his shoulders—then was abruptly covered with his linen shirt. She kept the sigh to herself.
She didn’t think he’d heard her, but he did finally glance back at her for her answer to his terms for striking a bargain so he wouldn’t allude to their lovemaking again.
“Fair enough,” she said.
“Good.” He brought his boots to the bed so he could sit to put them on. He then went right back on his word by adding, “As much as I would rather you stay naked in my bed, your trunks are in the other room. They can be brought in here now.”
