A Prince's Ransom
an excerpt

The first thing on Marcas's mind was creating some sort of shelter for the night. It didn't have to be permanent, just something to keep them out of the rain. The palm trees just off the beach weren't exactly dense enough to keep them dry on their own, but they found two trees close enough together that they were able to prop the boat up against the trunks, making sure to put the open side downwind. Marcas lashed the boat to the tree trunks as best he could with what little rope he had.

"You're sure this won't come crashing down on us while we sleep?" Gavin said, staring at the makeshift shelter skeptically.

"Afraid to be trapped in a small space with me?" Marcas quipped. Making it to shore had somewhat lightened his mood, at least enough for him to take cheap shots at the prince again. But he was tired and very uninterested in chattering on until sunrise. Another strong gust of wind and the light beginnings of a downpour were all the encouragement his aching muscles needed. He shrugged his jacket off and folded it into a makeshift pillow, then stretched out on his back under the boat.

It wasn't until the storm shifted to a true rain that Marcas felt Gavin lie down beside him. The prince didn't seem to want to touch any part of him, and for some reason he found that amusing. He smirked slightly in the dark, knowing it was highly unlikely Gavin could make out his facial expression.

"I won't try anything, if that's what you're afraid of," he said quietly, then yawned. "Too tired anyway."

"That's entirely reassuring." Gavin's reply was terse.

"Don't be daft, Gavin. We're both at least half soaked. If we don't huddle together for warmth we'll both catch cold." Marcas wasn't sure if his logic was convincing. He really was only half serious. But he found there was nothing wrong with wanting to fall asleep with a warm body pressed against you, even if there wasn't a threat of pneumonia.

Just as Marcas began to truly fall asleep he felt Gavin inch closer until he was pressed up against him.

"This means nothing, Captain Drake," the prince whispered near his ear.

"Of course it's nothing," Marcas mumbled back. "Make sure you forget all about it when you're telling your old man how fearsome and cutthroat I am."