<i>Well, you’ve made assumptions before.</i><br/><br/>Keth responded with a long hum, not so much as response as an acknowledgement of what was said.  He noted the casual display of the body next to him and had a short debate with himself whether the view beyond the boat was any nicer than that within.  They were both lovely, but the closer of the two beauties could be touched.<br/><br/><i>…I wouldn’t go over without you.</i><br/><br/>Now that had Keth’s attention, and he debated whether or not he should take it as a challenge.  It might’ve been cute words from a sassy prince trying to flirt with him, or maybe Ryland was so confident in his own strength and skill.  How was Kethaias to know?  All he’d seen of the man that didn’t speak of easy palace life was the riding, and that was just that day.  Maybe he was a fine fighter.  Maybe he could wield a sword.  Those thoughts shouldn’t have been able to get him worked up, but he thought that Ryland would’ve cut a fine image in warrior’s garb.<br/><br/>“You think so?” he responded, and there was a hint of something that Ryland hadn’t seen before.  Just at the corners of his mouth, there was the faintest curl.  Even that little bit seemed to light his eyes up, too.  Kethaias had an imposing face with those stoic expressions of stone, but there was a softer, much handsomer face hiding underneath.<br/><br/>“I think I would still win.  In the end,” he admitted.  His own posture shifted ever so slightly, curling him in more toward Ryland.  “You would be miserable as a drenched prince.”  Were the waters there frigid, or warm?  He imagined that they could be either, maybe depending on season or even time of day.  More than likely they would be cool, if no other reason than the way the surrounding mountains sheltered them from the sun.<br/><br/><i>You can always say when to stop.</i><br/><br/>He had watched the way Ryland toyed with the braid, watched as the dark hair met pretty lips.  It was seduction, but the prince was being sneakier about it.  Oh, but he knew what he was doing, had to, because Keth wanted to kiss that mouth more now than ever.  He shifted a little more, body language alone saying that he was far more interested in the man next to him than the beautiful scenery they had come for.<br/><br/>“You may continue,” he said, that ghost of a smile threatening again.  “If nothing else, I’m entertained.”