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"What a shame!" the guy said, jumping over the small counter that separated the player from the target. "Since you couldn't win her a prize I suppose a consolation kiss will have to do!"
"What?" Ace and Shelby said together.
"This event is all to celebrate love! And you two make a beautiful couple! Don't be bashful, give her a kiss!"
The few people who were listening cheered with their encouragement. There was no way of getting out of this. Not without causing a scene and they already had far too many people looking in their direction.
I love a good kiss,Mina whispered.Don’t you want to kiss him, Ace?
Did she?
She thought the gods said something else but Ace couldn’t concentrate. Her head filled with static.
Shelby turned toward Ace. She smiled sheepishly, a blush creeping up her neck and settling on her cheeks as Shelby inched closer. Her eyes danced from his lips to his dark gaze, then down to the hand that was rising to cup her cheek.
Shelby used a single finger to tuck her unruly strands back behind her ear. The light brush of his skin was like silk against Ace’s cheek. Her breath caught in her throat. Her body stilling as he leaned toward her ear first to whisper.
"I intentionally lost. Had I knownthiswas what would happen I would have happily hit that target." His breath tickled against her earlobe before he pulled back just enough that their noses brushed.
How fucking romantic.
Ace let loose her breath and tried to forget about the hurt that formed in her chest again. "It's just for show," she whispered back.
He dipped his chin in a short agreement. Their bodies aligned, Shelby lightly leaning into her. His full lips pressed to Ace’s mouth.
The crowd roared somewhere behind her and the attendant clapped dramatically. Fire spread through her veins. Shelby's hands were in her hair, teasing behind her neck, slipping down to her waist. His towering frame was wrapping around her. His clean scent everywhere.
Shelby wastouchingher.Tastingher…his hand on her back held her up as her knees went a little weak.
He pulled away, leaving her stumbling.
Ace’s mouth chased after his, disappointment flooding her as she found nothing but air. Giving a tense smile and a wave to the crowd, he lowered his head and pushed past those around them to disappear into the masses.
Ace's lips felt swollen. Hot. It took her a moment to gather herself before she submerged herself in the crowd and followed after him. Her fingers lifted to brush against her mouth as her mind replayed the kiss again and again.
She found Shelby stopped between this booth and the next, his hands shoved deep into his pockets and his attention set anywhere other than on Ace. The sun cast a shadow from the tent over him. She came up to his side saying nothing.
Her teeth scratched at her lower lip as she chewed it to try and forget how soft Shelby's mouth had been on hers. Ace let her eyes wander the crowd, another attempt to distract herself from Shelby's long, tense silence. Shouldn’t one of them say something?
"We nev—" Shelby started.
"Do not move." The queen's angry voice carried on the wind. A voice Ace would recognize anywhere.
She tried not to shake as she spotted the queen scanning the crowd. Her attention fell on an animal not too far away.
The silence that followed this wasn't the same awkward silence that they’d had after they shared a kiss. No this was a stunned silence as they watched the queen take the collar and leash off of an animal and march back up to the big wheel and clasp the leash around a man's neck. As she walked off he followed after her quietly as she came to the group of men at the booth diagonal from Ace and Shelby.
Ace and Shelby sank into the shadows. They took note that no personal guard followed too closely behind her but there were still plenty of men watching her. She didn’t exactly need a guard on her twenty-four-seven, not with that staff in her hand. Ace thought for a moment that she might like to take it and crack the globe on top of the queen’s head.
"Did she just put that man on a leash?"
"I do not envy him."
A young guard ran up to her side, looking more than flustered. His entire body seeped in red as he stepped closer to the queen. His voice was hushed enough that Ace couldn't hear him at this distance.
"Let's get closer. "
"That doesn't seem smart," Shelby said reluctantly.
