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I waited for him to say last night had been a onetime thing. Considering the taboo that hung over us, how could it be anything else?
Malachi's hand turned beneath mine, relaxing the fist and linking our fingers together, even as he tugged them to the side, behind his leg so no one could see.
"I want to be with you again," he said softly. "Tonight. But perhaps I should come in the back door and leave the same way. "
"Not perhaps. " I smiled. "Definitely. "
"Until later then. " Malachi released my hand as the band began to play, signaling the beginning of the show.
"Do you have to perform?"
"No. Tonight is for Hogarth and Mary. "
Hogarth didn't look like a performer; he looked like a hit man.
"What does Hogarth do?"
"Wrestles the grizzly. "
"Isn't that a little dangerous?"
"What would be interesting about the show if it wasn't dangerous? You think it's safe for Sabina to dance with snakes?"
"I guess not. " I only hoped Hogarth didn't end up Swiss cheese while performing in my town.
"And Mary - " I tilted my head. "I thought Mary was a cougar. "
"She is. "
"You let the cougar do her own show?"
"Ah, no. I meant tonight is Jared's night. He's Mary's. . . " He paused as if searching for the word. "Trainer. "
"The animals aren't loose, are they, free to dart into the crowd and wreak havoc?"
"We take every precaution. "
I didn't like the sound of that. "What kind of precautions?"
"We charm the circle. The animals won't go past it. "
I stared at him for several seconds. "Tell me you're kidding. "
"Yes and no. We do charm the circle. It's our way. But we also have guards with guns. You don't have to worry about your people or your guests. We've never had an incident. Never. "
I relaxed somewhat, though I still wanted to shake Joyce for booking such a strange and potentially dangerous show. If I didn't know how much she loved me, I might think she was trying to sabotage me - either in cahoots with Balthazar or maybe to take the mayorship for herself.
But I did know Joyce. She was family - or as close to family as I had these days, except for Grace.
Besides, if Joyce hadn't hired the Gypsies, I wouldn't have met Mal. He'd brought me out of the prison my fear had built; he was leading me back to myself, and I couldn't regret that for an instant.
"I have to go and. . . " Malachi waved his hand in the direction of the performance.
"Of course. "
He hesitated, his gaze dropping to my mouth. I took a breath; my tongue swept my suddenly dry lower lip, and he turned sharply and walked away.
Just his eyes on me had made me want him. If he'd stayed here another second, I would have kissed him, which was probably why he'd taken off in such a hurry. Would his people stone him if they found out about us?
