“Is that a command?” I asked, all too aware that my voice was unnaturally hoarse. I brought the rest of my wine to my lips and forced it down with a long swallow. His gaze dropped to my neck, and he grinned.
With one finger, he grazed the hollow of my throat. “I would never force you to do something you didn’t want to.”
I stilled as I fought to keep my breath steady. “You’re drunk.”
“Will you dance with me?” His voice was more like a predatory purr.
As he extended his hand, all I could do was stare. Rorik hadneveroffered me his hand. He’d jabbed my stomach to alter my breathing, and straightened my back to adjust my posture, and teased me with his nearness, but never a gesture like this.
His tone softened. “If you say no, I’ll leave.”
This time, there was a burn to his words. A promise steeped in magic. It was subtle, much like the quiet vow Amalyss had placed on me, but with none of the vile intention. So I placed my hand in his. “Okay.”
He took my glass and set both our stemware on the tray of a passing attendant before guiding me to the floor. A few of the more practiced couples were already twirling together in complicated patterns I didn’t recognize, trading partners and moving with an artful confidence I didn’t have a chance of replicating. Unlike the elders and wealthy townsfolk, I’d never had the luxury of lessons or soirees where I could learn even the most basic steps. I couldn’t fathom why Rorik wanted to dance with me.
“I don’t know any dances.” I hesitated at the edge of the floorboards, and Rorik halted as he glanced down at me. “I’m liable to smash your feet with my heels.”
His wry smirk did wondrous things to my fluttering heart. “Is that an excuse so you can harm me without recourse?”
“Hardly.” I eyed the spinning pairs before us. “But if that’s your concern, you can step on my feet every time I step on yours. A toe for a toe.”
“Oh, Edira.” He draped one of my hands about his neck before wrapping his arm around my waist. With his free hand, he threaded our fingers together. “The only pain I’d ever intentionally inflict on you is the agony of making you wait to feel the pleasure of release.”
My mouth fell open as he took off, spinning us with an effortless grace. Heat ravaged my cheeks as his words played on repeat in my mind in tune with the beat of the music. Apparently, he didn’t consider jabbing me in the gut as “pain,” because his words hinted at something deeper. I couldn’t keep myself from pressing closer to him, from wanting to feel the form of his hard muscles beneath his clothing. I didn’t know how my feet kept up with his. Iwasn’t sure they ever did. At one point, I registered that he’d lifted me slightly in a twirl so my toes skated above the earth, and then he never placed me back down. Not until he dipped me low before bringing me back flush with his chest.
He chuckled at my shocked expression. “Have I snared your attention?”
Indefinitely.“No. I was just shocked you knew how to dance so well.”
“Dancing is a form of training, you know.” He nodded to Ywena, who’d crawled to my sternum and unfurled her wings to flatten herself against my cleavage. I knew he was staring at her and not my breasts, but I couldn’t help but blow out a shaky breath. She shocked me, and I bit my bottom lip to steel myself. Rorik’s eyes immediately riveted to my mouth, and the hunger in his stare was magnified by a sudden, reflective sheen of gold that passed across those ink-black pools.
“Keep breathing,” he said, voice guttural and low and so damn tantalizing.
“You, too.” I couldn’t help myself. I had no idea if he was keeping control or not, but the reaction I got out of him was worth it. His fingers dug deep into my hip and a husky growl escaped the back of his throat.
“Tell me a lie, Edira. A good one.” He spun me out in time with the music before slowly pulling me back to him. “Tell me I’m beautiful.”
I snorted. “You want me to compliment you when you haven’t even acknowledged my appearance? Such an Ever thing to do.”
“Of course.” He dipped me low again, his mouth just inches from mine. “Why be anything other than what you expect me to be?”
Ywena must’ve shocked me at least twice, and his heated gaze drifted to her fluttering wings before shifting to my eyes with a look of pure desire. He held me there for what felt like an eternity,neither of us daring to speak. I feared he’d keep me caged in his arms all evening if I didn’t respond. Part of me didn’t want to.
“You are stunning.”
He stared at me as my words washed over him. “Truth or lie?”
“Which is more dangerous?” What was I even saying? Doing? I’d had only a glass of wine, and yet I was intoxicated. Drunk on him and his presence, unsure of how to proceed but loving the thrill of not knowing what was going to happen.
He pulled us back upright, slowing our pace to an intimate sway, as his lips brushed against my cheek. “You look like a garden.”
At that, I burst out laughing and didn’t even try to keep my breathing even. Shocks jolted over me as I gripped Rorik tighter. “I said the exact same thing.”
Leaning back, he released my hand to trail his fingers along my side. Longing coiled tightly inside me, and I pressed into his touch.
Stop. Stop, stop, stop.Not to him, but to myself. Gods, I didn’t want him to stop. I wanted to stop wanting it, and yet I couldn’t.
“Regardless, you are beautiful.”
