With a rush of panic, I realize that I’ve crossed a line I shouldn’t have. I flirted with him. He’s right about me being intoxicated. I trip over his feet, then my own. Kai manacles my arms to keep me upright. His hands are so big the tips of his fingers touch around my bicep.
“Steady on, Gwen. We have an audience.”
He bypassed every highborn lady present to have his first dance with me, all because his friend may or may not have insulted my honor, and now I’m embarrassing him. Giving everyone a reason to believe the worst things said about me.
Nana will be furious. This is precisely the situation she was worried about.
Kai doesn’t mean anything by his attentions. I know that. But clearly, people already believe there is more to our relationship than mere friendship. I would like for that to be the truth, but I don’t want to be dishonored—and I know he would never do that to me.
Given his status, he can ruin me, but he cannot repair the damage by marrying me. Sobering thought. I try to collect myself but my feet won’t cooperate. “Can we sit down?”
Kai’s mouth ticks up in amusement. “I was right about the beer.”
“Yes, you were right about the beer. No need to be smug about the fact.”
He leads me off the dance floor as quickly as he dragged me onto it. I’m less woozy now that I’m not trying to remember thesteps to a reel. I lean against the stone wall. Cold seeps into my back. Perspiration sheens my skin.
Kai braces one arm against the wall above my head. He brings his bare hand to my face. Air seizes inside my lungs. I want him to touch me so badly.
Gently, he tucks a loose strand of hair behind my ear. Affectionate. Fond. Sweet.
Not what I want.
My pulse kicks hard when his gaze drops to my mouth and lingers there.
“I need to get back to my family.” Regret laces his tone, and lances my heart. I force myself to nod. “You should go home. Do you want me to walk you there?” he asks. What a gentleman, looking out for my safety.
But this is Kai’s celebration. I’m not selfish enough to drag him away from it simply because I foolishly downed an entire tankard of ale.
“I’ll be fine. I know every stone of this castle, Kai. I won’t get lost.” I slip out from beneath his arm. He catches my hand and drags me back.
There’s an intriguing hint of darkness in the way he looks at me that melts my insides. I’m curious about that part of him, but he is always careful to conceal it from me.
“One kiss? For luck?”
He’s as breathless as I am. All I can do is dip my chin once, and then tip my face to his expectantly. He feathers his fingertips along my jaw. Should I keep my eyes open, or close them? Anticipation sizzles on my skin. Up the sides of my throat. Down my spine. Lifting the fine hairs on my arms.
He bends his head. Warm breath skims over my lips. My eyes flutter closed.
Before his lips touch mine, a cold breeze hurtles across the courtyard. It blows my skirts up all the way to my knees. Stingslike a thousand tiny cuts dot my skin. The lust drains away in an instant.
“What the?—”
Kai throws his arms up to protect his face. I cower against him as the freezing maelstrom whips around us, up my skirt, stinging my calves and thighs. He wraps me close, but the metal buckles are so cold it bites my cheek. I push away, bringing my hands to my stinging face.
The wind dies as quickly as it started, the cloud of snowflakes breezing across the courtyard like a demonic force. I stare after it, stunned. We’ve never had snow in Montrace before. I turn to Kai. He gapes at me, covering one eye but peeking through his fingers and blanching.
“What’s wrong with your eye?” I gasp. In the same instant, he says, “You’re bleeding.”
When I take my hands away from my face, they’re streaked with bright crimson. I stare at them in bewilderment. Sticky wetness drips down my legs.
“Got a snowflake in my eye. It smarts, but I’ll be fine.” Kai examines my face. “Those cuts aren’t deep, but there are so many of them. You should get them tended to. They’re all over your face and arms.”
He reaches for my chin. For a breathless beat I think he might finish our interrupted kiss, but instead, he swipes at my hairline. I flinch. When he draws his hand away, a tiny white speck is perched on his fingertip.
“Fascinating. A snowflake that doesn’t melt.” He stares at it intently. “Each one is unique, you know.”
“I was the one who taught you that fact.”
