Page 14 of Waves (Tangled Crowns #6)

I had no chance to ask what she meant because the competitors descended upon us then and I got to see all of them decked out to the nines in haunting finery.

Mateo was, ironically, dressed as a drowned sailor, though his silver tail whipped back and forth underneath the ragged and rotting outfit he wore.

His face, like mine, was artfully skeletal.

Valdez had chosen to become a possessed dolphin; his eyes somehow magicked a glowing red for the evening and lined with kohl.

A dolphin-shaped cape flowed around him, constructed to rise into a peak at his back and then split into a tail.

His pink hair was slicked straight up in a fashion that would have been wild and unkempt on anyone but him.

The fact that he still looked so utterly attractive when he also looked a bit evil was not lost on me.

And when he kicked up one corner of his mouth in a grin, my wings fluttered girlishly.

Humberto was completely painted pale green. “I’m a full ghost,” he announced when I raised a brow.

“Be careful people don’t try to banish you then,” I told him.

He gave a careless shrug. “They can try.” His eyes traveled over my shoulder, and I followed his gaze to spot Gita floating along in a shimmery white gown with green paint loaded into her hair and onto her skin. Instantly, I was certain I knew where Humberto’s inspiration had come from.

“Oh, a pair of ghosts, you should go compliment Gita on her costume,” I urged, attempting to play matchmaker.

Sahar seemed to agree with me based on her smug demeanor when the man wasn’t looking.

“Majesty, you look edible,” Valdez shot forward, trying to claim my attention. “Can I escort you?” His proximity made my spine melt a little, though I tried to hide it.

“Of course,” I slid my hand into the crook of his elbow and let him lead me around the edge of the crowd. As we swam, I became aware of our height difference, particularly when my left wing inadvertently tapped him, the tiny point of connection sending a tremble through me.

“Careful with those wings, Avia. Or I’ll start thinking you’re aching to touch me,” he flirted.

That made me giggle a bit, though I rolled my eyes, not wanting him to know he had the upper hand. “I’ll work on restraining myself.”

“Well, don’t work too hard. You wouldn’t want to hurt my feelings.” he retorted, somehow managing to slide my hand around his waist and his around mine simultaneously. Our torsos pulled together, and I became certain that my pounding pulse had to be obvious.

“You have those?” I sucked in air between my teeth, faking a cringe. “Ew.”

His laugh shook his entire body, his mirth jostling my side. The smile I gave him was both proud and teasing. “What? I’m serious. Feelings are for fools.”

“Well, you know what they say…” he trailed off just as his thumb traced a circle onto my hip.

“Hmm?”

He turned in the water, both hands suddenly surrounding my waist, fingertips digging deliciously into my hips as he leaned down, those glowing eyes burning holes right through me.

His lips hovered just a breath away. “They say fool me once—” His lips brushed over mine, a tempting ghost of a kiss.

“Fool me twice—” His lips pressed harder and for a second, his entire body dragged against the front of mine.

This time, when he pulled back, I nearly chased him, and I was certain he knew it.

“Fool me three times…” He hovered over me, tempting mouth only an inch away.

I closed only half the distance. “There is no saying for getting fooled three times.”

“There is now,” he murmured before sweeping me into a deeper, open-mouthed kiss that sent sparks shooting gloriously all the way to my toes. Breathless urgency swept over me. This time, when Valdez retreated, he had to wrench himself back out of my grip.

“Had to make a fool of me,” I murmured, though I wasn’t mad at all. Except, perhaps, for the fact that we were in public.

“On the contrary, I’m a fool for you,” he countered with a wink as he slid my hand right back into the crook of his elbow and swam on like he was a gentleman and not a dirty rogue.

“Is it gentlemanly to compete for my hand due to a bet?” A real question slipped out of my lips unbidden, loosened by his kisses most likely.

The pirate paused, his expression thoughtful as he turned and peered down at me. “I like to win. In everything.”

“But doesn’t that turn everything into a game?”

“Are you implying you’re just a game to me?”

I simply gave him a dark look in response.

Leaning back down so that his lips brushed against the shell of my ear, Valdez’s whisper was so potent that it drowned out the crowd around us. “I take my games very seriously, Majesty. I don’t let up. I don’t lose. I don’t walk away.”

“You will have to if you’re cut.”

“I won’t be.”

“Or if I tell you to.”

"You know that telling me not to do something is nearly a guarantee that I'll do it, right?"

"Well, then, you definitely shouldn't kiss me again."

His grin became predatory a second before his lips were on mine, hot and demanding.

The hand near my jaw moved to my neck and his fingers gently encircled my throat, squeezing lightly.

Something about that motion, about that hint of a threat, thrilled me and I pressed my body into his.

My hands reached up, knocking back his cloak as I buried my fingers in his hair, yanking at the roots.

“See? You won’t cut me.” His arrogance was as smooth as mulled wine, sweet and warm in its delivery. And he followed it with a kiss to my neck that made me drunk.

“And why won’t I?” I forced my face to remain indifferent, but it was a close thing.

“Because you’ve got plenty of sweet men surrounding you. Good upstanding young men, honorable old soldiers. But what you’ve got and what you want are very different.”

“What I want?” I shouldn’t have asked. I knew better but he was too good at stoking a response in me.

Valdez’s fire-red eyes met mine once again and truth seemed to flare from them as he said, “You want someone who’s a little bit bad. Just like you.”