Page 40

Chapter

Thirty-Nine

L oche’s mouth twitched when she only stared at him.

Was this a game?

Another way for him to unsettle her?

“You’re asking me to dance?” she got out.

Amusement brightened his eyes. “It would seem so. I am certainly not asking that grumpy guard of yours.”

Merrick snarled softly beside her, and she quickly offered Loche her hand when the Fae seemed about to say something.

Or perhaps to knock Loche out.

He clearly didn’t take well to being humored.

As Loche led her onto the dance floor, she tried to ignore the glares they received.

He seemed completely unfazed as his arm circled her waist. Pulling her close, he guided the hand she’d placed on his shoulder to his chest and gripped the other one tight.

“Why are you doing this?” she whispered.

His heart thumped steadily against her hand, and when she glanced up at him, his eyes flared for a second before he offered her a smirk. “I enjoy riling up these stiff nobles. And what better way to do it than dancing with the person they hate more than me.”

She frowned at him and moved to step away, but Loche didn’t allow it; he only pulled her closer.

Bowing his head, he brushed his lips against her cheek, lowering his voice. “You wanted to dance, and I think you’ve had enough of a bad day.”

Goose bumps whispered across her skin where his lips grazed it, and she cleared her throat. “You could have helped me.”

He pulled back, slamming his eyes into hers. “You can help yourself, darling. But there is something holding you back from doing so, and I haven’t figured out what it is yet.”

Although I will was implied in his tone.

Lessia forced herself to roll her eyes, forbidding guilt to seep into her features.

They stayed silent for a moment, and as furious whispers reached her ears over the music, she stiffened again.

“Don’t let them get to you. They’re bastards, every single one. Besides, they’re not just angry that you’re here. I mightily angered every person in this room today.” Loche grinned at her, the boyishness from earlier crinkling his face and embers of pride filling his eyes.

He was enjoying this.

Lessia tilted her head. “How can they hate you so much? They elected you.”

His grin widened. “That’s exactly why.”

The music picked up speed, a surge of energy pulsing through the room, propelling the soft tunes into faster ones.

Loche wiggled his brows. “Come on, let’s give these bores something to talk about the next few weeks. I assume you actually can dance, given the pining look on your face when you watched the floor.”

She didn’t have time to nod before he spun her out in a wide circle, and a shocked giggle escaped her when he followed with a low dip.

Tuning out the gasps around them, she let herself become one with the music and let Loche glide, spin, and dip her until she was out of breath.

The couples around them gave them a wide berth, many halting their own dancing to watch, but she didn’t care as the music ran through her veins. Her lips lifted into a real smile as Loche lifted her, spinning around in a circle, her silky skirts flying around them.

As he set her down, the music shifted again, an alluring melody seeping through the room.

He didn’t hesitate as he pulled her close, guiding her arms to wrap around his neck and securing his own around her waist.

Loche’s eyes glittered when she lifted hers, and a current ran over her skin when his thumb gently caressed the exposed skin on her back.

She really should tear her eyes away, but when his darkened and he pulled her impossibly closer, until his heart hammered against hers, she let her hands weave into his dusky hair.

Loche shifted her away from the center, every deliberate movement of his hard body sending a tremor down her spine and the little space between them crackling with electricity.

His hands continued to roam over her back, flooding her veins with warmth, until they reached a dimly lit corner, where he positioned her out of sight from the rest of the people.

As they swayed from side to side, his eyes burned into hers until it felt like every nerve inside her was on fire.

When a glass clattered behind him, Lessia jerked, and she instinctively went to take a step back.

Her eyes widened as Loche stepped with her, his hands still caressing her back, eyes locked on hers.

What was she doing?

Lessia’s heart nearly stopped when Loche leaned in, so close their breaths mingled.

A smile spread across his face, but surprise filled his eyes when he whispered, almost as if to himself, “You want me.”

A blush threatened to creep up her neck, and she stuttered, “Wha— No, I don’t.”

His eyes flitted between hers, his smile faltering. “Tell that to your eyes.”

She averted them, becoming acutely aware of how every inch of her body aligned with his.

When she took a step back this time, he let her.

Cautiously lifting her gaze, she found his face steeled, his features once again etched with hardness.

“You should stay away from me, Lessia.”

With that, Loche bowed and spun on his heel, leaving her feeling more confused than ever.

“Do you know what you’re doing there?” Merrick sidled up beside her, and she quickly closed her gaping mouth.

Lessia drew a breath, trying to calm her racing heart. “Dancing?”

“That wasn’t just dancing.” Merrick rubbed his neck.

She glared at him. “I am just trying to gain his trust.”

“Don’t forget I can smell you, Lessia. And I know very well what that scent is.” Merrick’s teeth snapped together before he started off in the direction where Loche had vanished.

Feeling as if her face might melt right off, she followed the Fae out of the room.

She had been attracted to him .

But it was only because of the dancing—because she’d felt free—had fun.

She argued with herself for hours, but even the cracked window in her room didn’t help the fire that continued to lick her skin as she thought of the dancing.

Of Loche.