“Ah. Another word that’s too modern for you. Cute is—” He glanced down the hallway as Queen Freya reached the top of the stairs. “Can you act as well as you can hear?”
“Excuse me?”
“Play along.” He slammed a hand against the wall close to her head, making her jump.
He was trying to draw the queen’s attention, she realized. She glanced toward the queen to see if it had worked, but he suddenly blocked her view, leaning in close.
She stiffened. “What are you—”
“Shh.” He nuzzled her neck.
She shivered at the feel of his breath feathering the curve of her neck. Goodness, she could hardly breathe. Was that the tip of his nose trailing up to her ear? It made her skin prickle with goose bumps. “Is—is this the distraction?”
“Mmm.” He nibbled softly on her neck.
She pressed her palms against the wall, seeking its support, for she feared her knees would give out. “You couldn’t think of anything else?”
“No. We’re having a moment of passion.”
“We are?”
He nipped at her earlobe. “Do you always talk like this when you’re having a moment of passion?”
“I—what makes you think I’m having such a moment?”
He paused, then drew back to look at her.
Was that a glint of gold in his eyes? It made him look wild. And hungry. She glanced away, biting her lip. Why did he have to be so appealing?
“You’re not feeling anything?”
She shook her head. Thank the goddesses, he could no longer hear her thoughts.
“Then I’ll have to try harder, won’t I?” He pulled her close, locking one arm around her waist. His other hand cupped the back of her head.
She gasped. They were pressed against each other so tightly, she couldn’t breathe without her breasts pushing against his hard chest. The hallway swirled before her, so she shut her eyes and grabbed on to him for support. If he tried any harder than this, she might melt into a puddle at his feet.
His breath warmed her neck, then she felt the soft brush of his lips, grazing her throat and moving to her cheek. Closer and closer, he came to her mouth. Good goddesses, was he going to kiss her?
“Gwen?” he whispered, his lips moving against her skin.
Was he asking permission? She drew in a shaky breath. She was tempted, so very tempted to turn her head and meet his mouth with her own.
“You stopped talking.” His mouth reached the corner of hers. “Does that mean you’re feeling the passion now?”
She blinked. Was he playing with her? Had this all been a game to him?
“Silas!” the queen screeched. “Whatever are you doing?”
He drew a deep breath, his chest moving against her. Then he released her as his mouth curled up. “Oh, dear. We’ve been caught.”
Chapter Thirteen
Damn, he wanted to kiss her. Silas slapped himself mentally to stop lusting for Gwennore and instead focus on the irate queen, who was hurtling toward them like a fired cannonball. He could practically see the steam coming out of her ears.
The three ladies-in-waiting accompanying the queen didn’t appear at all angry. They remained behind Her Majesty, exchanging grins. No doubt, they were excited to witness such a scandalous moment. It wouldn’t take long for them to spread the news around the castle that he’d been caught kissing his mistress in the hallway.
If only he had kissed her. That had been the original plan. But once he’d pulled her into his arms, he’d found himself unable to force a kiss without her permission. So he’d tried to make it look like he was kissing her. Unfortunately, the more he had resisted doing it, the more he’d wanted it.
If they had been alone, would she have let him? Fool. If they had been alone, he wouldn’t have needed the distraction. Clearly, he was too overwhelmed with lust at the moment to even think straight.
Holy Light, he wanted to kiss her. He wanted to do more than kiss her.
“How dare you!” Freya stomped a foot on the wooden floor. “It’s one thing to bring a mistress to our castle, but to fornicate in the hallways is really—”
“We hadn’t progressed that far,” Silas muttered. He glanced over at Gwennore and noted a blush creeping up her cheeks. Even her cute ears were turning pink. She must be embarrassed. Damn, now he felt guilty in addition to feeling frustrated. But it couldn’t be helped. Until Margosha managed to make her escape, he had to keep this scenario going.
Freya scoffed. “If we hadn’t interrupted you, you would have been fornicating.”
He groaned inwardly. I can only hope.
“Do you realize you’re misbehaving right in front of my bedchamber?” Freya continued.
“Ah.” Silas glanced at the nearby door. “My apologies, Your Majesty. We were caught up in a blazing inferno of passion. Right, Gwennie?”
Her ears turned a brighter shade of red.
“See how hot she is?” He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close. “My darling Gwennie is practically feverish with desire.” When a sound escaped from her, somewhere between a groan and a whimper, he winked at her. “I know it’s hard, snookums. I can barely wait, myself.”
The glare she shot at him was so heated, he half expected sparks to shoot from her eyes and sizzle across his skin. Holy Light, if they did have a moment of passion, they might set the bed on fire.
“Patience, bunnykins. We’ll find a bedchamber soon.” He spotted Margosha slipping out the dressing room door, behind the queen and her three ladies. With her arms filled with supplies, Margosha scurried away from them, down the hallway.
Freya crossed her arms, scowling at him. “I have never seen you behave like this before. The elfin whore is clearly a bad influence on you.”
Silas’s hand tightened on Gwen’s waist. “Disparage me if you wish, Your Majesty, but do not speak ill of Lady Gwennore.”
Freya huffed. “You defend her? An elf?”
“She’s beautiful,” Silas declared, and he felt Gwennore stiffen beside him. Did she think he was lying?
“She can never be anything more than a
