Blue doesn’t react much outwardly, but he turns his head just enough to answer something calmly while the mayor smiles in that annoying way politicians do.
I force myself not to move.
Technically nothing inappropriate is happening, and bothering the city mayor is not the best idea. Still, he’s irritating as hell.
Eventually dinner ends, and the host returns to the stage, announcing that the ballroom section is now opening. Huge glass doors slide apart near the far end of the hall, revealing another massive space beneath an open ceiling where silent fireworks are already lighting up the night sky in waves of gold and blue.
Music starts playing almost immediately after that. Slow, elegant stuff at first while couples begin moving toward the dance floor.
Blue stands from the table, composed as always. The mayor makes a small gesture as if he wants to lead Blue somewhere, but Blue turns slightly and starts walking toward the opposite side of the room instead. Wow. Bold move.
I trail after him. There is a row of small balconies that lets people watch the fireworks in a more private atmosphere and in smaller groups. One of the balconies empties as we walk past, and Blue immediately turns toward it.
He swiftly moves past the dancers. The balcony is luckily one of the most secluded ones overlooking the city.
After one last quick glance around, I step in behind him and close the glass door, separating us from the crowd.
Blue leans against the railing and looks up at the sky lit with fireworks.
Behind us, in the ballroom, couples sway across the dance floor while soft music drifts outside, mixing with the scent of flowering bushes somewhere around the expo building. The sky looks magical, but I look at him instead. Green, gold, blue, and pink bursts flash above our heads, their colors sliding across Blue’s thoughtful face.
The silver shimmer dusted over his cheekbones catches the light every few seconds, and his whole outfit seems to absorb the colors around him. The subtle holographic sheen creates analmost magical effect, like faint traces of iridescence are floating around him.
Blue’s profile stands out against the darker background, delicate and perfectly sculpted, long lashes casting shadows over his cheeks while his soft lips gloss slightly in a mix of pink, violet, and red.
"You’re the most beautiful omega I’ve ever seen," I blurt out because there is physically no way I can keep that inside anymore. It literally forces its way out of me.
I’m almost sure Blue is about to get annoyed, but instead he tilts his head slightly and answers in that calm voice of his.
"I’m asking again. Are you courting me, Gabriel, despite how clearly I explained my position on that?"
"I know I’m not supposed to. So please, don’t call it that." I exhale quietly and rub the back of my neck. "It’s just… these things keep slipping out of me, okay? Because it’s true. That’s genuinely how I feel. You’re beautiful, perfect to me. Am I supposed to lie? Pretend I don’t see it?"
Silence.
Blue just keeps looking at me while lights reflect inside his sapphire eyes.
Meanwhile, my brain is running through ten different possible outcomes, except my 5-sec skill sucks during conversations because people take too long to answer, and five seconds isn’t enough to predict emotional disasters.
Finally, I just throw myself off the cliff.
"People are dancing," I say cautiously. "Maybe we could dance too?"
That finally gets a reaction. Blue immediately grimaces a little and throws a sideways glance toward the couples moving behind the balcony doors.
"I don’t dance."
"Oh. Why not?"
Silence again.
"Is it the touching thing? I mean… you have those gloves you use when you open doors. You could wear them if you wanted."
Another flicker of unease passes across his face.
"I don’t approve of the custom."
"The custom… of dancing?"
