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I nearly kissed her then.

Instead, I drew her into another turn and caught her against me again, earning a delighted sound from her.

I had crossed far greater distances than the width of this ballroom for the possibility of having Everly close enough to touch. Now that she was here, I had no intention of spending the entire evening politely admiring her dress.

The music shifted, the strings sinking into a slower, deeper melody. Couples moved closer together, and the noise from the surrounding tables softened beneath the swell of the band.

Everly lifted her arm around my neck.

I settled my hand more securely at her waist, and she came willingly against me.

Her fingers found the hair at the nape of my neck. It was a small adjustment, almost casual, but I felt the light scrape of her nails and had to resist the urge to close my eyes.

A woman wearing a magnificent horned headdress passed us, her partner carefully guiding her between the dancers. Beyond them, an older gentleman in a gold fox mask raised his champagne glass toward me.

I recognized him from Friday's security meeting at Harbor & Main. He'd been the one who addressed Leo after I'd explained the technical problem.

Tonight, he seemed delighted by my existence.

I gave him a courteous nod.

Perhaps I should wear the wings to work on Monday. It might finally persuade him to direct a question to the man who knew the answer.

The thought amused me enough that Everly noticed.

"What's funny?"

"An acquaintance appears to have developed better manners since Friday."

She glanced over her shoulder, but the man had already disappeared into the crowd.

"How mysterious. Did you do something to offend him?"

"Not at all. I was exceptionally helpful."

"Perhaps that's where you went wrong. Some people find competence terribly threatening."

I laughed.

Everly could untangle the demands of people who earned far more than either of us, then send them away convinced they'd achieved something. I'd seen her manage it with a pen, a schedule, and astonishing patience.

When her hand slipped from my neck to my shoulder, I caught it and brought her fingertips to my lips.

Her smile softened.

The dance continued around us, but she was no longer watching the musicians or the elaborate costumes. Her eyes remained on mine.

"You're making it very difficult to concentrate on dancing," she said.

"I thought I was doing a respectable job of leading."

"Oh, your dancing is excellent." She slid her fingers between mine. "It's the rest of you that's causing the problem."

I bent until my mouth was beside her ear.

"I'd be happy to make the problem worse."

A small shiver traveled through her, and her hand closed more firmly around mine.