“Oh, that’s all true. Especially the bubble baths. It’s the perfect way to end the day.”
Blaze choked on his ale.
“Are you all right?” Durae asked as he spun back in alarm toward him.
“Fine,” Blaze managed. “Can we talk about something other than bubble baths?”
Durae was about to ask what was wrong with talking about them, but Blaze looked deeply uncomfortable. Despite his longing to know, the polite thing to do would be to change the topic, so he asked, “Would you mind telling me how you came across the arcane problem you were solving?”
“We run a cart repair stall in the market,” Blaze said. “We’re from Manabelt originally. We’re here to see the sights, meet people, and say we were there when whatever happens the next two weeks happens.”
“Far more interesting than my reason for being here,” Durae grumbled. His wine was all right, but not to his taste. “My parents insist that it’s time for me to wed.”
“But you’re not interested in marriage?”
“I’m not interested intheirreasons for marriage. But I’m not nearly drunk enough to abuse your ears on that subject.”
“Listening to you talk for hours wouldn’t be a hardship.”
Durae blinked.Was that a flirt?Then the bits of Blaze’s behavior became a pattern he could interpret. Losing his concentration when Durae mentioned sex, flushing and wanting to switch the topic from bubble baths, and now liking his voice wereallsigns that Blaze was interested in him.So he is flirting? How do I flirt back?
“Was that too forward?” Blaze asked.
The best way to find a star was to point the telescope right at it. Durae laughed nervously. “I eavesdropped on your conversation, insisted I knew an answer before introducing myself, and admitted I was looking for a brothel. I also find you incredibly handsome and intelligent. Is there a way to be more forward than that?”
A molten merriment filled Blaze’s eyes. “I can think of a way. Come with me.”
Then he took Durae’s hand and stood.
Whatever pattern Durae’s thoughts might have formed was lost like the moon on a clouded night. Excitement closed off any words he might have said and quickened his step as he followed Blaze out of the tavern.
CHAPTER 3
The Glaesflod was an ambling, wide body of water leading down to the Portage River. Illustrations on the maps Durae had learned from had never demonstrated the slow tumble of its water or how pleasant walking along the banks hand in hand with someone was. He could see it from his inn room, but being with Blaze near the water was altogether different.
But his nerves were jangling together like a purse of silvers in a running thief’s hands. Before they could claim the better of him, Blaze tugged him toward a house. From one of the upper windows, Durae thought he heard Greyun’s crabby voice.
Rather than lead Durae inside, Blaze continued around the building toward the water. Ships of various sizes floated on the Glaesflod, but the house had a private, tiny dock meant more for a small craft like the boat currently tied to it. It was flat and roughly forty feet long. Durae had seen its type when his family had crossed Lake Steorra on their way south. Blaze stepped on board and then held out his hand to help Durae.
Cautiously, Durae made his way onto the craft. It had a cabin at one end that looked smaller than the carriage he’d traveled in.
“Afraid it’s not much, but it’s mine,” Blaze said.
“You work on carts but have this?”
“Using it to build something.”
It had signs of fresh carvings and the scent of new varnish, but Durae couldn’t tell what was being built. It seemed like general upkeep. He turned toward Blaze. “Wha?—”
But Blaze interrupted him with a kiss, and once again, Durae’s head emptied. Kissing in the moonlight like this, with the boat gently swaying them, was a treasure from fate that no amount of staring at the stars could have shown him. Durae leaned into Blaze’s gentle touch on his hips and pressed their lips together a second time.
Before he could do more, Blaze leaned back. “Sorry, I cut you off. What were you going to say?”
“I forgot,” Durae whispered. He clutched Blaze’s shirt. “Kiss me again.”
Blaze did. His lips tasted of ale, which was tangy and far better than the wine, and he licked his tongue at the seam of Durae’s lips. When Durae parted them, Blaze teased him, pressing in just far enough to make Durae’s insides curl into a spring before withdrawing. Durae caressed his shoulders and along his upper back. His clothing was of a coarser weave than Durae’s, and the texture was an unwanted barrier between them. Durae pulled at it.
Blaze maneuvered him backward against a railing and left a slight gap. Then he shed his shirt. The moonlight and town ambiance were bright enough that the fine planes of his chest and torso weren’t lost to shadow. Durae reached out and traced his collarbone with a light touch. One touch led to another until Durae explored down Blaze’s chest to his abdomen. Blaze took the opportunity to reach up and undo Durae’s hair, causing the curtain of white to fall down to his mid-back. As he leaned in for a kiss, Blaze gathered some of his hair into his hand and lightly tugged.
