“This is incredible,” I exclaimed in awe, spinning in a tight circle to absorb the room in its entirety.
“Always is.” Pia grabbed my hand, dragging me to the nearest buffet station and selecting a goblet of rose-colored wine for each of us. We sipped on our drinks, waltzing through crowds of people who swayed to the whimsical tunes that saturated the room.
My thighs peeked through the slits in my gown with every step I took. In my travels, I glanced around, searching for a certain soldier. My breath caught at the sight of him, standing with his poised posture, his dark hair shining against the contrast of the tinsel and lights. Sebastian was deep in conversation with Sawyer and Jocelyn, laughing and looking as though he was truly enjoying himself.
Good. He deserved some fun—most of his free time was consumed by looking after me.
Kohen joined the group, his hands full of liquor which he passed out amongst his friends. Sebastian flashed his teeth in a thank you before sipping his drink. He looked dashing in his charcoal uniform. The jacket of his ensemble was unbuttoned, revealing the ivory dress shirt he wore underneath. His boots were black, their silver laces matching the buttons that cuffed the sleeves tightly around his wrists.
As if he could sense my wandering gaze, Sebastian peered up from his glass and his cerulean eyes caught mine. I jerked my head away, praying that he didn't notice me staring. When I finally got the courage to glance over once more, his back was towards me.
I finished my drink in one swift gulp. “I have a feeling I'm going to be needing a lot of this tonight,” I said to Pia, just as she caught sight of Kohen. She grabbed my arm, pulling me across the dance floor to join him and the others.
My heart collided forcefully with the walls of my chest asmy adrenaline-thickened blood pumped. “Wait. I'm gonna go get some more wine first,” I stammered.
“Oh come on,” she groaned, pausing her motion but not releasing my wrist.
“I am not nearly drunk enough to talk to Sebastian right now.”
“You talk to him every day. The only difference now is that your boobs are out.” Ignoring my plea, Pia tightened her grip and led me straight to the group of head soldiers.
She released me to throw her arms over Kohen. She kissed his cheek, who blushed from the contact. I smiled faintly to myself as I watched them. They seemed really happy together.
“Maeve! You look gorgeous!” Jocelyn addressed me, admiring my dress selection.
My head tilted down with my grin. “So do you,” I complimented her burgundy gown. My gaze avoided Sebastian, though I was unsure why I suddenly felt so nervous near him.
“You clean up nice, Willawood,” Sawyer said, pulling me into a one-armed hug. I suppose we could be considered friends now, which was a bit ironic all things considered.
I gave Sawyer a modest thank you, then despite my best efforts, found myself looking into Sebastian's face. I released a soft breath full of angst as I prepared to address him.
“You look charming tonight.” My voice reflected my insecurity.
The hall was filled with so much noise that I was unsure if he even heard me, but Sebastian took another sip of his drink and stepped towards me, leaving some distance between us and the others.
“Thank you.” His gaze roamed over my body, unashamedly taking in every inch of me. He pulled his glass away from his mouth then moved to stand by my side.
I inhaled deeply and my body relaxed from the familiar aroma of frost and pine, now mixed with the sweet sting ofwhiskey. We both looked straight ahead, observing our group of friends mingle with one another.
Sebastian's arm brushed against my waist as he leaned his lips to my ear. “With all of the books I've read, you’d think I would have discovered the words to express how beautiful you look this evening. But I don't think such words exist.” As he stood straight up, he slid his hand up the side of my waist, trailing his fingertips to the middle of my back where he let them linger. His touch sent an exquisite sensation flowing through my body, coating every inch of my skin before settling amid my thighs.
“Maybe you should be in the archives then, instead of here sipping on whiskey.” My breathing shook on my exhale as I made light of his compliment.
He snickered into his glass then tilted it back to take a drink, saying after he swallowed, “In all honesty, I would choose the archives over one of these parties any day.”
“Me too. I’m not one for crowds.”
He explored my bare skin, his thumb tracing down the curve of my spine, stopping when it reached fabric. “What’s keeping us here then?”
A gasp escaped my throat as he hooked his finger under the fabric of my dress, just enough to make me shiver.
“I would say your duty as a head soldier and crown prince,” I answered breathlessly, wriggling a bit to distract myself from the wetness forming between my legs.
His finger explored deeper down my dress, skimming the dimples of my back. His whiskey-coated breath tickled my neck when he whispered, “My duty is to look after you. Wherever you lead, I will follow.”
I couldn't speak.
Then, without any notice, Sebastian slid his hand away from my skin. Sawyer gestured for him, and he stepped away without another word, leaving me frozen to the marble floor, trying to rid myself of the lust that had devoured me.
