Aik was a study in contrasts.
He was the picture perfect image of a monk, despite the fact he’d been in Shah’s harem for years now. Every morning he diligently went through the martial disciplines that were part of a monk’s training. That was always followed by sparring with Beynum and Witcher, something Kiah loved to watch before going for his morning ride.
Body toned, unmarked, even the gold he wore was minimal and in keeping with what monks might wear for many of their more formal ceremonies – a thick gold band around his throat, more at his wrists, occasionally at his upper arms as well. Simple. He did not have a tattoo the way Beynum did, nor was he pierced like Witcher. Neither did he wear his hair overlong, as did Kiah and Nanda. No, his hair was only shoulder length, respectable and simple.
Yet the man who looked like a monk could rival Beynum when it came to saying improper things, and he was the only one who could match Beynum in every way. So poised and calm, the man could hold perfectly still for hours – not even Nanda could manage it quite as well as a monk used to hours upon hours of meditation.
His appearance did not give away at all that he could converse as sharply as the court-raised Nanda, or drink as hard as rowdy Beynum.
So while certain things Aik did should not surprise him, they did. Aik looked like a monk but was through and through a concubine.
“Aik—” Kiah fumbled to get a grip, but did not dare grasp the shelves for fear of tumbling or otherwise ruining the costly books and scrolls filling them.
The library. He wondered sometimes if Aik was worse than Beynum, simply because he looked so proper.
He bit his lip to keep from moaning and wondered if his cheeks could possibly get any hotter.
Then a hand shoved inside his pants to grab a firm hold of his ass and tease at intimate places, and Kiah realized they could get much hotter. “Aik—” This time it was Aik’s mouth that cut him off, kissing sure and deep, almost making Kiah forget where they were.
Except the private reading room they were in was only a thin wall away from the rest of the library, and he’d seen at least half a dozen people when he’d come in search of Aik.
He whimpered as Aik shoved his pants and skirt away entirely, exploring him thoroughly, touches maddening and brazen.
“Someon—” His attempt to speak was once again cut off by a kiss, and Kiah gave up. He’d come to see if Aik wanted to join him and Beynum for lunch – so far, he’d not even managed to get the question out.
A morning spent reading had, apparently, made Aik restless.
As well as mischievous.
Fingers pressed boldly inside him, and Kiah shivered. The approving sounds Aik made at finding him more than ready did nothing to ease his shivers.
He gasped and dug his nails in as Aik wasted no time, lifting him up just so, pressing him into the shelves and pushing inside. Books dug awkwardly into his shoulders and back, and a bit of scroll poked and scraped his neck, but as Aik began to move Kiah ceased to care – he doubted he would care if someone walked in right then.
In a few more minutes he would care, and likely die of mortification because it was getting more and more difficult to stay quiet because Aik knew just how to thrust, and the rough rhythm was perfect, and the smell of sex mingled with books and tea, all overlaid by how indecent and—
Kiah kissed Aik, clumsily because really it was hard to concentrate on anything, but it was all he needed to muffle the cry he could not entirely bite back.
Slowly the world came back into focus, and he whimpered again as Aik slowly pulled away. He didn’t let go of Aik’s broad shoulders, however, still not quite trusting his feet. “You’re evil,” he said when he could finally make his tongue work.
Aik grinned, and there was nothing even remotely monkish about the expression. “You are the temptation which leads me to evil. Did you come here for another purpose, pretty colt, or merely to encourage me in wickedness?”
“Like you need the encouragement,” Kiah said, then his eyes went wide as he realized at how easily he’d teased Aik.
“True,” Aik said, laughing and ducking his head to brush a brief kiss across Kiah’s mouth.
Kiah smiled. “I came to see if you wanted to eat lunch with Beynum and I. The others are still in session with Shah.”
“Mmm, lunch,” Aik said, nibbling lightly at his jaw, then giving him another kiss.
“Food,” Kiah retorted, cheeks flushing anew.
Aik merely grinned. “Eventually.”
“Decadent monk,” Kiah said, but smiled all the same as he righted his clothes so they could return to their rooms.