Page 22 of Reckless Hearts

Seb’s eyes graze over my body, his gaze lingering on my nipples, which pebble under my Aladdin waistcoat.

“Yeah, there are a lot of outfits tonight that appear to be tempting hypothermia,” he says.

“We’re not all sensible enough to swaddle ourselves in robes like you,” I say. “I’m jealous of your costume right now.”

Seb ducks his head, and even in the dim light, I can see the blush coloring his cheeks. “The beard is a bit itchy.”

Looking at his blush, I can’t help trying to make it spread.

“Do you think Gandalf ever used his magic staff for…you know, nonmagical purposes?”

When Seb gets my meaning, he gives a choking sound, and sure enough, his blush deepens.

I hold up my hands, my expression innocent. “Hey, I’m just saying, it’s a long journey to Mordor. And even wizards have needs.”

Seb’s furious blush makes me feel more like myself. This is who I am. Marcus the joker. The charmer. The person who can fluster guys like Seb so easily.

I expect Seb to retreat in his embarrassment, but instead, he takes a hesitant step toward me.

“I don’t think I’ll ever look at Gandalf’s staff in the same way,” he says.

He sits next to me, the top of his arm not quite brushing against mine.

“Besides, Gandalf wasn’t really the one who journeyed to Mordor. That was Frodo and Sam. Gandalf turned up at the end to save Frodo and Sam from the erupting volcano, but he flew on an eagle, so I guess that wouldn’t have taken very long.”

I can’t help huffing out a laugh. “I guess I need to rewatch the movies.”

“They are classics for a reason,” Seb says sincerely.

The silence stretches between us, but it’s not uncomfortable. There’s a strange peace sitting here with Seb, away from the noise and chaos of the party.

I tilt my head back again. “You’re studying science, aren’t you? Tell me about the stars.”

Seb bites his lip. “What do you want to know?”

“I don’t care. Just tell me anything.”

“Do you know that stars are different colors based on their temperatures?”

“Really?”

“Yep. And it’s the reverse of what you’d expect. Blue is the hottest kind of star, and red is the coolest. Our sun is a yellow star, but the majority of the stars in the Milky Way are red dwarfs.”

I slide a look over at him. “For some reason, that just brings to my mind an image of one of Snow White’s dwarfs dipped in red paint.”

Seb laughs. I like the sound of his laugh. It’s deeper than you’d expect, like it’s a laugh he will grow into.

“Do you realize the light we’re seeing right now actually comes from the past?” he asks.

“How does it belong to the past?”

“Light is the fastest thing in the universe, but the distances in space are so vast that it takes years for light to reach us, even from the closest star. Like, look at the Southern Cross.” He points to the familiar constellation of stars that make up New Zealand’s flag. “The closest star in the Southern Cross is eighty-eight light years away. So the light we’re seeing tonight left that star eighty-eight years ago.”

Seb’s voice is full of enthusiasm. When was the last time I felt that kind of genuine passion for anything? My life is such a carefully choreographed dance of appearances and expectations. But here’s Seb, earnestly sharing his knowledge, not trying to impress or seduce, just…being.

I stare at the night sky, and a knot forms in my throat.

“So, we’re looking at the past,” I say.