“It’s hot today,” Rae said, wiping his brow. He tethered his horse and lightly stroked her nose before turning to look out over the lake.
They were about three miles or so from the hunting lodge, spending the day riding, Benedict showing him the area. Before leaving they’d packed a lunch, and as he looked out over the lake before Rae rather thought it was about time to eat.
“So what do you think?” Benedict asked, fingers touching Rae’s hip lightly as he joined him at the edge of the lake.
Rae smiled. “Beautiful,” he said. The lake was blue, the sky bluer still, all of it trimmed with the lush green of the forest. Lips brushed lightly over his throat and he laughed softly. “So I guess we’ll stop for lunch here, then?”
He could feel Bene’s smile against his throat, the chuckles warm breaths of air against his skin. “That depends on what I ca have for lunch,” Bene said, hands curving around Rae’s sides to rest flat on his chest and stomach, the mouth at his throat becoming more intent.
“Hungry?” Rae asked, fighting a laugh. This was their sixth day away from the palace. Six days away from that stifling gilded cage. Six long, wonderful days so far in which they’d not had to hide or fight from Bene’s family.
Never had he seen Bene happier, and seeing that made him the happiest man alive. Rae leaned back against his lover, tilting his head to grant Bene better access, thoughts of food vanishing beneath a hunger for something else entirely.
“Maybe in a bit,” Bene murmured in his ear before. Then he abruptly pulled away, hand tangling with Rae’s tugging him along the edge of the lake to a small ledge just hanging out over the water. “Do you like it?”
Rae watched Bene as he stared out over the lake. “Quite,” he murmured.
Bene turned to smile at him – and caught him staring. “Oh,” he said, looking almost boyish as he smiled. Rae had never seen his lover so light-hearted…he hoped from now one he would always see it.
Returning the bright smile, Rae dragged Bene down and kissed him deeply, intoxicated on the scent of amber and forest, the rich flavor of his lover.
“I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you outside for so long, beloved,” Bene said as he pulled back, chuckling, green eyes jewel-bright with mirth. “Are you certain you’ll survive outside your office? With no paperwork?”
Rae pinched him. “I would if you would give me something better to do.”
“Mm,” Bene said. “I’ll give you more than you can handle.”
“Oh?” Rae said, smirking. “We’ll see.”
Narrowing his eyes, Bene bent and kissed him hard.
Rae immediately took it over, sinking his hands into Bene’s soft hair, then wrapping his arms tightly around Bene’s neck, holding him as close as he possibly could, possessing every last bit of that addictive mouth.
The world spun and then he was being pressed down upon the grass, legs spread as Benedict settled between them, a hard heat pressing against his own, making him groan because there was entirely too much cloth between them.
“So tell me, beloved,” Bene asked, teeth grazing his throat. “How does it feel to go six days without throwing anything at someone’s head?”
Rae bit at Bene’s lower lip. “Four,” he murmured, feeling his cheeks flush slightly. “I overheard someone at that first inn plotting to make you ‘an offer you couldn’t refuse.’
Bene paused in the process of undoing buttons to look at him—then threw his head back and laughed.
“Shut up,” Rae muttered, and attempted to shove him off.
Instead, Bene merely kissed him again and went back to removing clothes.
Rae broke the kiss and began to help, groaning every time they pressed together. “We are far too old to do this in the grass like young bucks, Bene.”
“Hmm, I do not think so. Not when you look so very devastating spread out on the grass, beloved. I bet you’d look even better wet from a swim.”
Shivering at the idea of a soaking wet Benedict, Rae pushed away the bothersome jacket and shirt keeping him from properly appreciating Bene’s chest and shoulders. When the fabric was finally tossed aside, he immediately set to appreciating with mouth and hands. “I hope you brought something, if you’re planning on giving me more than I can handle.”
Bene rumbled low and attacked his throat, nipping hard and then lapping at the mark. “Of course,” he replied, then licked at Rae’s lips before taking a deep kiss
Rae moaned and took it over, even as he bent his legs to bring Bene closer, hold him tighter. Rare was the occasion Bene took the lead, took him. He frowned when Bene broke the kiss and pulled back – but then the scent of amber blended with grass and trees and fresh water, making him moan all over again.
Warm hands smoothed over his thighs, then he felt the cool slick of Bene’s amber-scented oil. It warmed quickly as Bene pressed one finger inside him, easing the burn to a pleasant ache. Rae groaned and tugged Bene back down far enough to put his mouth to one of those fine shoulders, nipping and lapping at the skin, eager for every taste of his lover he could get.
The heat of summer did nothing to help, making their skin slick with sweat, caused his hair to stick to his neck and forehead with a maddening itch. It wasn’t however, distracting enough to draw him away from the maddening skill of Bene’s fingers as one became two, stretching him, making him need. “Bene…”
Bene bit down sharply on nipple, adding a third finger, chuckling as Rae swore. He shifted to take a kiss, swallowing Rae’s curses and feeding him laughter. “More than you can take, beloved?”
Rae dug his nails into Bene’s back and rode the fingers torturing him. “Stop teasing or I will go for a swim and leave you here to take care of yourself.”
“Mm, you’d probably watch,” Bene said with a smirk.
“Shut up,” Rae snapped, though it was true. “Now, Bene.”
Bene grinned and obeyed, removing his fingers and slowly, torturously pressing inside, eyes fastened on Rae’s face.
Rae gasped and dug his nails in deep, head falling back on the grass as he let his lover in, panting as Bene entered him fully and hot lips trailed wet kisses along his throat and shoulder. “Move.”
“Always so bossy,” Bene said with a laugh. “It’s a wonder to me you are not the prince.”
Snarling, Rae bucked up, making Bene shudder. “Now.”
“Yes,” Bene gasped out, then obediently began to move, immediately moving fast and sure and Rae sensed he would be quite sore because really they should be too old to fool around so carelessly in the open but then Bene drove in hard and he forgot about everything but heat and movement, the site of his lover lost to both, moving above him, eyes fastened on Rae.
He dragged Bene down for a kiss, taking control of it even as Bene controlled the pace of their love-making. He came hard screaming his lover’s name, feeling the rush of wet heat as Bene followed him. He shuddered in the aftermath, Bene hot and sweaty on top of him.
With a grunt he rolled them, forcing Bene to lie on the grass, nibbling idly at his shoulder as he settled on top of his prince. “That wasn’t more than I can handle,” he said with a smirk when he trusted his voice to obey him.
Bene’s laughter rumbled in his chest. “The day isn’t over yet, dear heart.” He turned Rae’s head to kiss him long and slow – then shoved him off and stood up.
Swearing, Rae stood up beside him. “What is your—”
“There’s an island in the center of the lake,” Bene said, pointing. “I bet you’d look wicked on all fours in the center of it.”
Rae smirked, immediately following Bene’s thoughts. “Not if I beat you to it,” he replied, as Bene had known he would – then bolted to the ledge and dove into the water, barely noticing the shocking cold of it as he raced Bene to the island.