A vermin! A ver—
Celine cleared her throat, intentionally this time, drawing out a peeved groan from Bastien.
He poked his head out to look at her.
“I’m starting to believe you actually have a penchant for spoiling my fun,” he muttered, taking his sweet time meeting her gaze. He looked dishevelled from head to foot: his brown locks tousled, his toga awfully wrinkled, the golden circlet he had onearlier entirely missing from his head. Celine caught sight of it on a bush by the garden gates, glinting under the moonlight.
“Isn’t your boyfriend getting lonely, baby vamp?” he taunted, despite Jeanne’s presence. “You should get back to your depressing party, Celine, and let us enjoy ours out here.”
“I don’t think so,” Celine replied. She eyed Jeanne. “Your mother was looking for you. Do you want me to tell her you are out here, traipsing the gardens half-dressed, or do you have a better story?”
Jeanne paled. She glanced at Bastien like he would care enough to manufacture a lie for her. “She won’t do that, will she?”
“Beats me,” Bastien drawled with a shrug. “Celine is full of surprises. For one, I didn’t know she was a voyeur.”
Heat flared up Celine’s cheeks. Barring the occasional flirting and obscene banter, Bastien had yet to say something this malicious to her.
“What is wrong with you tonight?” she snapped, her voice steady, albeit flat.
“Leave,” Bastien told the other girl. “Jeanne, leave.”
Jeanne scoffed. “You are not serious!”
“Leave,” he repeated. “BeforeItell your mother what I was doing to you just now.” Letting her go, he grasped Celine’s wrist, tugging her closer until she settled into the space that Jeanne had previously occupied. She staggered forward, her palms pressing against his warm chest.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Celine demanded. From a distance, she could hear Jeanne’s heels sink mutedly into the grass as she scuttled to return inside the mansion. Celine prayed she wouldn’t run into Jacques.
“Resuming the fun you just interrupted,” Bastien muttered. Without warning, he drove her further up against the pillar,so that the marble dug into her bare back. “Jeanne and I had planned such a fun night. I suppose you will suffice now.”
He spoke in such a way that Celine felt his breath caress her cheek, the faint touch of air almost sensual. The champagne smelled sweet on his lips.
“Let go of me,” she hissed. “You’re drunk.”
He did not relent. “I’m not that drunk.”
Celine tried tugging her wrist out of his grip, but her efforts were rendered useless. Bastien continued to hold her caged between his arms. For a treacherous moment, the soirée and everyone in attendance wafted away from her mind like steam from a tea cup. All that occupied her focus was Bastien—his firm body pressed against hers. The hand that had dropped one of her wrists was snaking around her waist now, sending shivers up her spine.
“You forget thatyoufollowed me out here, Celine.” Bastien insisted cruelly. “And since we’re on that subject, why did you? If you were jealous…though you have no reason to be, do you?”
The excuse spilled from her lips effortlessly. “I was simply looking out for Jeanne. Knowing your ways, I didn’t want her to be the leading lady of the rumours over brunch tomorrow.”
“That’s impossibly sweet of you, baby vamp. But you needn’t concern yourself with who I leave a party with. Unless you want that girl to be you.”
“I would rather be dead.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes.”
His mouth curved. “Stop lying, Celine. That’s not rage in your eyes.”
“I’ve crossed to homicide now.”
Before he could respond, something shuffled around the bushes on the edge of the pavilion. Then footsteps treaded up on the wooden platform.
Giving Bastien no time to protest, Celine pushed him forward with all the strength she could muster. Their positions switched. Bastien’s back was pressed against the tree while her chest was pressed against his. And they were both hidden from view.
His brow creased in disbelief. “And you accuseme—”
