I have a little more of The Sorcerer's Guardian for you today. Here is Savarin trying to rationalize away the moment he and Loriot had in last week's snippet.
He’d noticed that Loriot was an attractive man the first time they’d met, but when they’d met, Savarin had been working on an assignment for the crown and Loriot was the new captain of the guard, also working. It hadn’t been the time to pursue something back then if he’d wanted to, and it certainly wasn’t the time for an affair now. He had far too much to do with his work on the protection spells, on top of everything else he always concerned himself with, to jump into a casual affair with anyone. And Loriot was someone he worked with from time to time in the service of the crown, not someone to think of as a potential partner. His initial offhand observation of Loriot had receded in his memory. Loriot became Captain Loriot only.
Until that strange moment between them last night. Which was best forgotten.