No i think he has actual feelings for her, there was a time when he said "I knew you would leave my body with scars the second i saw you" something like that. So i assumed he actually fell for her at first sight kinda.
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He fell in love at first sight when they were kids, when he was working as a stable boy
there actually is a backstory! there's a spinoff of the main novel completely in Riftans POV and it goes into depth about his past and why he fell in love with Maxi, he knew her long before she knew him i'll tell you that. https://lightnovelheaven.com/series/riftans-pov-under-the-oak-tree/
This makes soo much more sense and is more realistic.
Why does Riftan like Maxi. I know its a weird question but don't you think its even weirder that he married her because of her father, then went straight to war and when he came back he was all over her even though he hardly knew her same way she didn't know him. TBH her reaction to him when he tried was more normal. Is there like a back story because I don't think he likes her just coz she's his wife.