She swallowed her bit of bread. "What about you?"
"What about me, what?"
She leaned forward and wrinkled her nose. "On what do you pride yourself?"
Stupidity. It was what he seemed to possess an abundance of, but he had no wish to out himself so soon to her. "Nothing."
"I'm serious, Hector."
He glanced away from her. "As am I."
She scooted closer to him until her scent made his head reel again. "There's nothing you excel at? Honestly?"
Before he could stop himself, the truth poured out. "Angering my father, and definitely my sister. I can turn her from a smiling beauty to a vengeful shrew by merely walking into a room. My powers in that regard are truly awe-inspiring. But I take no pride in either. And as you've seen firsthand, my skill with horses is even more lacking than my social graces."
"There has to be something you're good at. Surely you can name me one thing besides angering your family."
"The only other thing I'm accomplished at is hiding pain behind the guise of stoicism."
Bethany froze as she heard the torment inside him. Her heart breaking for him, she reached to touch his hand, but couldn't find it.
"I'm sorry, my lady. I didn't mean to ... I should be going." He was moving away, she could hear his retreat.
"Hector? Please, don't go. Stay with me."
Styxx savored words no one had ever said to him before. Never once. Rather, people were forever sending him away. Before he could stop himself, he headed back to her side.
She held her hands up to feel for him. "Are you still here?"
He placed his hand into hers and allowed her to pull him down next to her. The urge to cup her hand to his cheek was so strong, he wasn't sure how he kept from complying. "I am here."
The smile on her face slammed into him. "Should we just speak of the weather?"
"Whatever topic pleases you."
She reached up to finger his jaw and lips. "The one thing that is hard without sight is judging moods at times. Since I can't see your expression, I can't tell yours right now. You are good at hiding it."
"My mood is that I am happy and content just to sit with you, Bethany." He brushed a stray piece of hair back from her cheek. "You don't even have to speak to me at all."
"But I would like to know you."
Those words tore through him. "There's nothing really to know. I work. I study and I sometimes sleep."
"What do you do for pleasure?"
Not a damn thing. Except for one ...
"I ride to this stream where there is an amazing girl who plies me with beautiful smiles and wine and bread so that I can remove the taste of foot from my mouth."
She shook her head at him. "And before me?"
"There was no before you, Bethany. I had no pleasure whatsoever."
Bethany hesitated at those words. She heard the sincerity in his voice. But was he serious? "None?"
He placed her hand to his face so that she could feel his earnest expression. "None."
Before she could stop herself, she pulled him into her arms and held him close. His strong arms surrounded her with warmth as she breathed his scent in. He held her as if she was unspeakably precious. As if he loved her ...