Yvette looked at him with wide, brown eyes, the firelight flickering in her gaze. Florian studied the pattern of freckles scattered over her cheeks.
“Florian,” Knox called his name, standing at the opening of their tent.
“I’ll turn in soon,” Florian answered.
The displeasure was clear on Knox’s face, but he left them anyhow. Gareth seemed to be retiring as well.
“We should practice, before tomorrow,” Yvette said when it was just the two of them before the fire.
Florian raised a brow.
“I need to practice using my magic on another person,” Yvette explained, “and you need to adjust to not being able to see yourself, or me. It’s harder than it looks.”
He rubbed a hand back through his hair. She was right, of course.
They found an open clearing away from the fire, though still in sight of the camp. Her back was to the lake as she came to face him. The sparkling waters framed her fiery hair. Her pale skin practically glowing in the growing darkness. She was beautiful, entrancing, captivating-
She was gone.
Confusion stole his breath away before his senses caught up with him.
“Even though you can’t see me.” Her voice drifted to him. “I can still be heard.” Around him, the grass bent and swayed. “You can still see the effects I have on my surroundings.”
Florian’s heart skipped as he felt the warmth of her hand spread across his chest. Fate have mercy, did she have any idea what she was doing to him?
“You can still feel my touch.” Her whisper was only inches away.
He’d never be able to explain the logic of what he did next, or how he had known exactly where she was even though he couldn’t see a thing, but Florian reached out and brushed his thumb against her cheek.
Touching her, feeling her hands on him and not being able to see her… it was thrilling to say the least.
She reappeared suddenly, lips parted in surprise.
“Dance with me,” Florian whispered, fingers trailing down her long neck.
“Florian-”
“We need to be able to move together, anticipate each other, even when we cannot see. Is there a better way to learn each other’s movements?” Even as he asked, he could think of several better ways, but pushed those thoughts aside.
“Florian…” her voice trailed off.
He waited for her to protest, to back away, but she remained still against him, unknowable thoughts working behind those clever eyes. Florian brushed his fingers down her back. He took gentle hold of the hand against his chest until they were in proper form.
“Dance with me.” His voice was low, intimate.
He could barely breathe as he waited. Of course, he knew they should be focusing on the perils awaiting them tomorrow. But all he could think about now was the smoothness of her skin and the shallow motions of her chest. He supposed this was as close as he could come to serving both practicality and his insatiable desire just to be close to her.
The moment of decision was unmistakable in her features as she settled into his hold. He was better prepared this time as she worked the magic over them both. The lightness coated his skin as they both vanished into the night air. Florian was the first to step, summoning the reflex planted in him by his dancing instructors all those years ago. It had been some time since he had danced so formally, but the movements came back to him like second nature. Yvette was light on her feet and followed him with ease.
For the first turns, a large portion of his focus was set on moving, despite being unable to see where exactly his steps would land. He was partially thankful that she couldn’t see him as he stared at the ground, marveling as the grass partedbeneath his footfalls. But soon enough he acclimated, trusting his instincts. Florian allowed his mind to drift back to her in his arms, marvelling at the sense that he was dancing with a ghost.
It happened so suddenly it was hard to say who began to fall first. Florian only knew that he tucked her against his chest and turned purposefully to land onto his back. His motivation had of course been to break her fall, but as she appeared atop him, breathless and flushed, locks of her red hair falling loose in her face, Florian couldn’t tear his eyes away. As restless as his wandering spirit could be, it was a sight he knew at once he would never grow tired of.
They remained this way, frozen, one heartbeat and then another. It took every ounce of self control he possessed not to pull her in closer. Not to use every trick and tool at his disposal until that pale skin was flushed with ecstasy, that mouth crying his name.
It was nearly painful to let her go as Yvette overcame the shock and scurried off him to sit in the grass. Her hands began to work busily, fixing loose strands of hair.
“I think we did well, roots withstanding,” she said finally, still breathless and clearly embarrassed.
