The Duke’s ValetFear dueled with desire, making the moment infinitely more erotic as I was admitted to the duke’s private apartments. Desire because I had loved my childhood playmate for as long as I could remember. Fear because I was about to reach beyond my station…a dangerous thing.
Grown to manhood now and newly burdened by the ducal crown, Raymond de Cheville sat naked in the middle of the pool that served him as a bath. He loosed a brilliant smile upon seeing me.
“Ah, Hugh. Here you are. My new valet.” The playful youth I’d known surfaced for an instant. “It was the only way I could think of to avail myself of the pleasure of your company.”
“Sentiments I reciprocate a thousand times, my Lord Duke.”
He dismissed the two bath attendants and called to me to come scrub his back.
I s
