He spun her in circles, dipped her backward so her back arched over his arm and her hair nearly brushed the ground. He swayed with her held tight to his chest and rested his lips on her forehead. And as one song spun into another, the crush of people around them grew. More friends of Adeline’s, Lady Imogen and a porter named Jack, joined their number, and Al dragged Os into the fray, too. All around them their friends danced, everyone laughing and embracing, switching partners and cheering each other on as they grew bolder and drunker on merriment alone.
And Adeline looked up at him with the softest, most contented smile, and heknew, he knew in a way that seemed to sink through his chest and force his heart to fight its way up from the depths of that knowledge.
Kai knew that he wanted to make her smile like that more than he wanted to draw breath. Knew that no matter what the Merrow chose, he could never bring himself to leave her.
And that, ultimately, was the problem.
Chapter 38
Adeline
“You’re all clearly jealous,” Ger called out over the overlapping shouts and delighted crowing. “I am an excellent dancer.”
“You’re a hazard,” Os grumbled, to another burst of laughter.
“I don’t know, I think he’s got a certain talent,” Jack offered.
Ger dropped a smug smile into his cup as he drank, though he didn’t spare the poor boy the glance he so clearly craved. Adeline looked at Jack’s bright, lovelorn face and felt a deep pang of sympathy. It had been less than two days since she and Kai had had their talk in the Healer’s tent. She had not yet forgotten that feeling; the pining and uncertainty.
He sat behind her now, and she put her hands over his where they rested around her waist, pulling his arms so his hold on her tightened. He kissed her forehead in response. It was nice.
More than nice; it was the very definition of bliss to be lying here on this couch, half-reclined across Kai’s lap with his steady heartbeat at her back. And maybe, if they’d had a moment alone since the Healer’s tent, it would have been enough.
But itwasnice.
There was a certain kind of contentment in the chaos of the crowded parlour. It was one those rare moments in time, just bright and loud enough to distract her from that silent, empty space where Mareda should be. For that, at least, she was grateful. But as the ball had begun to wind down and they’d been among the stragglers still swaying determinedly on the dancefloor, Ger had taken it upon himself to round up their friends and invite them all to share a nightcap in Adeline’s rooms. Al and Imogen took turns singing rowdy drinking songs by the fire, Ceri having roped Os into keeping time with her using the silver spoons she’d found while rooting quite comfortably through Adeline’s drawers. Ger played the gracious host at the drinks trolley while Jack made doe eyes at him from across the room.
Perfectly nice,she told herself again, though even in her head she couldn’t help but add:If a bit crowded.
It was almost on reflex that Adeline leaned her head back to look at Kai – and when she did, she found him already watching her. His hazel eyes drifted over her lips and throat, his pupils spreading like an ink stain as he took her in. His hand came up under her chin, and he spread his fingers against her throat, guiding her back into an upended kiss. Her stomach came alive with flutters, heat washing through her until her face grew warm and flushed.
It was only the briefest brush of lips, but they broke apart to whistles and catcalls, and a disgusted groan from Ceri. Adeline lobbed a cushion in the general direction of the noise, and someone yelped in protest.
“You’re making quite a habit of these public displays,” she said quietly to Kai, as she settled back against him. She pressed a hand to her hot cheeks, glad that he couldn’t see how flushed she was from that one brief kiss. “Whatever happened to all those courtly manners?”
“Deepest apologies, Princess,” Kai murmured against her forehead. She could feel his smile on her skin, and wondered if he could feel the heat of her skin after all. “Forgot where we were for a moment.”
She turned in his arms, as much as she could, twisting to face him.
“We’re in my rooms. There just happen to be several other people here.”
His smile widened, then melted away as he held her eyes just a moment longer. And then, speaking so low that only she could hear him, he said: “Pity.”
The air had very suddenly leeched from the room. She could not breathe, and with her brain starved of breath, she couldn’t think of a single damned thing to say; no response that was clever or alluring enough.
“Alright Princess, let’s get that dress off.”
Shock bolted through her. Adeline sat up so fast she teetered at the edge of the seat and was saved only by Kai grabbing a handful of her skirts.
Imogen stood over them, one fine eyebrow raised.
Adeline managed to recover herself with a gasp of breath disguised as a laugh, and as she gazed up at her friend, she batted her lashes.
“Rather presumptuous, Imogen,” she said, the tremble of her voice just about passing for amusement. “Aren’t you going to woo me first?”
“Oh Ade,” Imogen patted her cheek, almost consolingly. “My love, if I was flirting with you, I wouldn’t need toaskyou to undress. But you’re not going to get out of that thing by yourself, and I’m going to bed.”
“You are?” It might have sounded a touch hopeful. “I mean; oh, is it that late already?”
