Clarity struck her.
“Because you’re afraid another master would abuse him for his shortcomings, aren’t you?”
When he spoke, his tone was dry and flat. “The world’s full of assholes, milady.”
But Valteri wasn’t one of them. At least not that she’d seen. He might raise his voice and growl when someone irritated him.
But he’d never raise his fist. Not unless someone else was about to strike the first blow.
Nor was he insulting to others.
Because now that she thought about it, she’d seen Wace drop things on him and he had yet to say a word about it to the boy.
Clearing his throat, he jerked his chin toward his ledgers. “Do we have an accord about the accounting?”
“We do. I shall help you.”
“Thank you.” Valteri pulled the chair out for her to take a seat.
As she did so, her hair brushed against his knuckles. Valteri had to bite back a curse as his entire body erupted at the innocent contact.
But even worse was the overwhelming desire he had to bury his hand deep in those thick, flaxen tresses and trail his lips over the succulent curve of her neck.
What is wrong with you, man?
He’d gone daft.
Beyond daft. Yet he could barely drag his thoughts away from how much he wanted to carry her off and make love to her for the rest of the day.
She’d scream if you even tried.
That reality jolted him away from his thoughts. As did the truth behind it.
Aye, she would. No woman had ever welcomed him to her bed. Not even those who followed after camps for battle. Even they cringed when he did nothing more than kiss them after he’d paid them for much more.
It was why he’d finally settled on celibacy. There was no need to keep wasting his money on prostitutes when all he ever ended up with was a begrudged kiss. He’d finally decided to save his money and just take care of his physical needs himself.
But the craving he felt for Ariel…
It was dangerous and disturbing.
Clearing his throat, he pulled a chair over for himself and handed her the ledger he’d been working with before he’d lost patience with the steward.
“I’m supposed to figure five percent for the tax. How does milady equate that to battle? I lop a hand off each soldier?”
Ariel laughed at his earnest tone. “More like an eye or toenail.” She smiled at him. “So, who should we blind first?”
The edges of his mouth lifted as if he wanted to smile and was making an effort not to. “I say the steward. He was a weaselly little bastard.”
In spite of her common sense, she was enchanted by the light in his eyes. He was incredibly handsome.
Breathtakingly so.
Her heart pounding, she was tempted to reach out and touch his hand.
Don’t you dare! For all you know, you’re married!
It was true. She could have a husband and children searching for her.
