[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
to ensure better meals, but what purpose would Aten have in it?
The longer I thought, the less certain I became. Mhotep had
seemed frightened of Aten, and I d thought nothing of it. Now, I
wrinkled my brow and wondered if perhaps I hadn t been wrong
all along.
Aten hadn t taken his news well. It had weighed on him I d
seen that myself. If Mhotep knew his pharaoh at all, he d have
anticipated Aten s reaction. Was that what had made Mhotep
cringe and prevaricate? Reluctance to add to his king s burdens,
rather than fear of his temper?
51
IN THE SHADOW OF THE SUN
I spent the latter half of the day wandering after Aten, trying to
make sense of it, and hardly noticed when he led me back to his
apartments.
His laughter startled me back to myself. You look positively
overwhelmed. Come, sit. Look, I ve had supper brought for you.
I blinked at the laden table. But I just ate.
That was hours ago. It s well past evening. He ushered me to
the table. Sit. Eat. Nafrit likes you, too, you know. She ll have my
head if she finds out I ve let you starve.
My appetite roared to life as I lowered myself into the chair.
Good luck to her. I daresay she doesn t realize the task ahead of
her, if that s her aim.
Aten grinned as he watched me eat. Or she knows something
you don t.
Perhaps, I conceded with a snort, but I didn t believe it for a
moment.
Aten let me eat undisturbed, for which I was grateful, but the
weight of his regard made the skin along my spine itch. I ignored it
until my plate was empty and my stomach full, then caught his eye.
What is it?
Nothing at all. He circled the table like a cat on the prowl.
My mouth went dry. I edged back, but before I could even rise,
Aten had one hand on my shoulder, the other sliding into my hair.
He bent, his mouth a whispered promise against mine. You
have had a very long day, my Seth. Shouldn t you like to make
your way to bed?
I shivered at the play of his lips over mine. If I thought you
talked about sleep, I should like it very much. But I know you are
not.
He laughed softly. His tongue teased my lips, working them
52
IN THE SHADOW OF THE SUN
open until I could not refuse. When I parted for him, reluctantly
accepting his kiss, he made a low, humming sound in the back of
his throat and claimed my mouth.
I groaned and brought my hands up to fist in his hair, unsure
whether I meant to pull him in or shove him away. The moment I
touched him, he sat astride my lap, his weight grinding his hips
against mine as he crushed our chests together.
I couldn t think like this. Not enough to protest, and certainly
not enough to stop. His teeth bit at my lips, making me shudder.
Then he soothed the sting with the liquid glide of his tongue, and I
sighed into his mouth.
He kissed as though it were play, and echoed every stroke of
his tongue with the rocking pressure of his hips on mine. I moaned,
hardly able to remember that I didn t even like him much and
certainly didn t want to spend another night in his bed.
I was panting when he broke away, and he was, too. I curled
my fingers around handfuls of his hair and tugged. I wasn t sure
whether I wanted him to continue or not, but all I knew was that
this in-between would drive me mad.
And now what do you think? Aten scraped my lips between
his teeth with each word. Does going to bed sound somewhat
more appealing?
It did, it was true, but I was too stubborn to admit it.
He stroked his fingers along my throat and let his weight settle
onto me. I shut my eyes with a shudder, lips parting as I sucked air
through my teeth.
Aten took advantage of it to pull me up, onto my feet and into
his kiss. He guided me across the room and into the bedchamber
without breaking it.
My feet moved without thought, eager to follow, and the only
53
IN THE SHADOW OF THE SUN
thing on my mind was his kiss and how much more I wanted.
The bed struck me at the back of my calves. Trepidation shot
through me when he pushed me back until I fell.
He climbed over me, his mouth even hungrier on mine as his
body pressed down against me. He slid his leg between mine and
ground it hard against my aching cock.
I bit at his mouth in an agony of frustration. Aten broke away
with a laugh and watched me from just above as he repeated the
motion. I shut my eyes and shuddered, unable to help my reaction.
Tell me you want me, he breathed against my mouth.
I stilled beneath him and blinked my eyes open. He tried to kiss
me. When I didn t respond, he rose up, his brows lifting as though
to say, What? It s not such a horrible request.
It wasn t, but it still sat ill with me. I shook my head and pulled
him back down so I could distract him with my kisses.
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]