He reached out again, and this time, I took his hand. I had no idea why because touchy-feely on the first date, or whatever this was, wasn’t my thing. But I did. It felt … good. Warm and tingly. I stepped closer, my heart fluttering when he tucked my hand in the crook of his arm.
“I heard this place has a secret garden.” He cut into the woods, and I froze.
“Umm.” I pulled my hand back.He could be a murderer.“Out here?”
He looked back at me with a halfcocked grin. “I’m not going to hurt you. I promise. Besides, aren’t you an alpha heir? I’ll bet you could wipe the floor with me.”
Hah!
He had a good sense of humor too. I laughed, genuinely. “I could probably make you wish you weren’t born, yes.”
Maybe, but not before he overpowered me with his ‘roid monkey physique. Dude was jacked, and if he was at this party, he was an alpha heir too.
“Look, I get it.” He retraced his steps, holding his hands up in a gesture of peace. “If you don’t want to come, it’s cool, but my friend said this place is magical, and … I like your blue hair.”
His rambling softened my heart, but still, I hesitated.
He dropped his hands, and his voice softened. “I would never hurt anyone at this school. It’s just … this is the one night a year we get to be …free.”
Something crossed his face after he said the last word, and his lips turned down. He looked … sad. Like every other day of the year, he wasn’t free.
“I really do like your blue hair.” He reached out and touched the end of one curl before lowering his fingers.
Every other girl here had done normal colored hair, black, blonde, brown, red. I was the only one crazy enough to ask for blue…
He turned then and walked into the forest, leaving me by myself.
I like your blue hair.Gah! That was kinda sweet!
“Fine!” I shouted and traipsed after him. “You don’t have to beg!”
I heard him chuckle as I caught up.
“I think it’s right over here. If my buddy is telling the truth.” He took a right.
Trying to maneuver over a log, I lifted the hem of my dress. My foot caught, and I sucked in a breath as I pitched forward.
But I never hit the ground. Somehow, the dude spun faster than lightning and caught me mid-fall. As he pulled me back upright, my body pressed into his chest, and all rational thought left my brain.
The music. The cool night air wafting his yummy scent to me. The glow of the moon through the trees. This was magical. A night to be free, like he said.
“Careful.” He backed up a few inches and I found my last two brain cells. “That’s why I was trying to hold your hand earlier. Those shoes are weapons.”
I smiled. “They are. Thanks.”
His hand slipped into mine again, and we continued our walk until we happened upon a magnificent steel gate.
“Are those … wings?” I gasped, dropping his hand to caress the metal in the shape of two giant angel wings. It was stunning.
He nodded. “I think so.”
Reaching out, he plucked the gate open, and I was grateful it wasn’t locked.
He bowed. “After you, Miss Blue.”
A grin tugged at my lips. He was a charmer, and that was dangerous. I loved a guy who could give a good compliment. Hopefully, whomever my father picked to be my breeding partner and mate would be a charmer too. Pushing those thoughts from my mind, I stepped past the sweet talker.
“Thank you.” I whisked forward, my huge dress skimming the sides of the gate as he stepped in behind me and closed it.
