Guardian of Rome (#2 in Gladiator Series)

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

 

Those golden brown eyes made Leonidas shiver as he gazed into them.

The hair on his body stood up and his breath caught in his throat as the overwhelming fear of losing this precious person grew too much to bear.

But Leonidas pushed those fears to the back of his mind as he settled in beside Cato, their lips instantly finding each other.

“You’re late,” Cato observed, a tinge of worry etched into his thick dark brows that lined his eyes perfectly.

“Just some trouble with the new recruits,” Leonidas sighed, instantly feeling better in Cato’s presence as the day’s worries were lifted from his shoulders.

“How did you spend your day?” Leonidas sighed as he stood with reluctance and started to remove his armour.

“As always,” Cato, already undressed, leant back and rested his arms behind his head as those glittering gold eyes gazed at Leonidas, “Training.”

Leonidas was struck, not for the first time, at Cato’s pure beauty. His skin, a lovely mocha colour, was unscarred except for the brand that marked them as all as slaves.

Many would see a lack of scars as weakness but Leonidas knew it was strength; Cato was simply too quick to be caught.

Leonidas prayed it was a gift that stayed with him. Leonidas could not imagine a world where Cato did not exist; in fact, he could hardly remember a life before Cato came into his life.

And Leonidas had the arena to thank for that.

A place of turmoil, death and pain it had also been the place where Leonidas and Cato had met; surrendering to Pompeia for Krista.

Krista had brought them together or else they may have killed each other upon the sands that day.

Leonidas shook the memories from his mind and returned to Cato’s side, sliding in between the animal furs in his tent that marked his position as ‘general’.

Not nearly as grand as Krista and Artorius’s tent, it was better than those shared by the masses but the best feature was the privacy it offered.

“You’re warm,” Cato remarked as his hands slid up Leonidas’s chest and pressed the back of his hand against his forehead.

Leonidas shook him off, too interested in the other activities they would soon be joined in as they had every night previous, “I am well,”

Leonidas was reaching for Cato even as he spoke but soon no more words passed between them as their lips found each other.

Cato smelt of fresh water from the river, his hair was still damp, but it was his lips that captivated Leonidas.

Sculpted and full, they tasted of sweet honey and only worked to increase Leonidas’s frenzy to keep Cato close.

And that is precisely what Leonidas did as he curled his leg around Cato’s and turned him onto his back allowing Leonidas to lie atop him, their fingers entwined above Cato’s head.

Tilting his head to the side, Leonidas was about to deepen the kiss when an irritating noise erupted outside their tent.

“Leonidas? Leonidas!” The voice shouted at him through the thick fabric of his tent.

Leonidas did not move a muscle except to growl in anger at the person who sought to interrupt them.

He felt Cato pull back reluctantly and gaze up at him with those burning gold eyes.