I sigh, exasperated. “Obviously, that stain is not going to come out like this. You’ll need to take off your shirt and soak it.”
His grin is wicked. “You’re trying to get me naked? Again?” He says this far too loud and I’m sure far too many people hear it. I pin him against the tree, clamping a hand over his mouth so no more nonsense can come spewing out of it.
I’m trying not to laugh and failing miserably. I snort and clamp a hand over my mouth, shaking with less than silent laughter at my current situation. At that, I feel Kai’s lips smiling against my palm and tug my hand back before I can change my mind.
“Don’t stop,” he murmurs.
I nearly choke on my laugh. “Stop what?”
“That. Laughing.”
I still at his words, unable to stop myself from falling silent.
He gives me a look, frowning slightly. “You never listen to me, do you?”
And with that, I’m being pulled towards the carpeted dance floor.
“What are you—?” I sputter as he stops abruptly at the edge of the dancing couples and spins around. Words fail me when he lifts the back of my hand to his lips, brushing a kiss over my knuckles. Then his mouth finds the pad of my thumb, lips lightly pressing there before they vanish so quickly I wonder if I’ve imagined it.
I’m stunned into silence.
Kai seems pleased by this.
Still holding my hand and grinning widely, he sweeps into a surprisingly steady bow as he says, “May I have this dance?”
I don’t get the chance to answer before he tugs on my arm, pulling me into him and onto the dance floor. I’m wrapped in his arms, pressed tightly against him. His mouth is suddenly at my ear, murmuring, “I wasn’t really asking.”
I pull back so I can look into his face, scoffing. “I thought you said you were a gentleman?”
“Only when I want to be.”
My eyes wander to his stained shirt, visible to everyone around us. “Kai, your shirt. Maybe you should change—”
“Darling,” he cuts me off with a humored huff, “I’m used to being covered in other red, sticky liquids far worse than wine.”
True.
I try to push the gory thought away and let him sweep me across the rugs. The sun has set, casting the guests beside us in shadows and flickering lamplight. It’s so familiar—the feel of each other, the footwork, the flirting. Familiar. But what amazes me the most is how steady and sure Kai is on his feet. How articulate he manages to be even while intoxicated. I suppose some masks never seem to slip.
And then it finally happens. Kai stumbles, if only for a moment. A slight trip of his feet.
“Look who has the clumsy footwork now?” I smirk, not realizing how badly I’ve wanted to see him struggle during a dance. During anything.
He gives me a dull look. “Yeah, well, that tends to happen when you’re drunk.”
“You said you were only a little drunk, remember?”
“Fine. Then you can cut me a little slack.” He’s looking me over, shaking his head at what he sees. “Besides, your dress is very distracting. I like it.”
I huff out a laugh. “That is a terrible excuse.”
“That’s because I was giving you a compliment, not an excuse.”
“Well then that was a terrible compliment.”
I see the challenge flash in his eyes before I hear it in his voice. “Then why don’t you give me an example of a good compliment, Gray.”
I should have seen that coming. Of course he is going to use this as an excuse for me to finally flatter him—except that I won’t. “Fine,” I say curtly. “Your hair looks very...soft.”
“Soft?” Kai echoes with a cough that might have been a laugh. “Oh, come now, you can do better than that.” He leans in closer, his voice taunting as he adds, “And if you want to run your fingers through my hair, I wouldn’t be opposed to—”
“Your smile.” I cut him off before his offer can tempt me. “I like when you truly smile. When you’re not wearing the mask of the future Enforcer or the prince, and you simply allow me to see you. It’s a smile I wish you would share with me more often.”
I swallow and fall silent. That was not at all what I intended to tell him, and yet, that doesn’t make it any less true. At the sight of that smile, it’s easy to forget who he is and what he does. At the sight of that smile, I see a boy instead of the king’s deadly pawn. At the sight of that smile, I see someone who is more than a friend instead of someone who would kill me if they knew what I am.
And suddenly, that smile is sounding very dangerous.
“Even with my stupid dimples, you still like my smile?” Kai’s words are soft, slightly breathless, and my answer is equally so.
“Even with your stupid dimples, Azer.”
His lips twitch into a variation of that smile I shouldn’t be seeking out, though it’s softer than the ones I’ve seen before. He opens his mouth and—
“Malakai.”
Our eyes snap to the queen now standing a few feet away, a pleasant smile on her stunning features. “Do share her with the other gentleman, won’t you?”
“She’s mine for the night, Mother.” Kai’s eyes are back on me. “A small price to pay for ruining my clothes.”
But the queen is gone, whisked away by chattering guests and dancing figures before the words even left Kai’s mouth.
I blink at him, unable to stop the smile spreading across my lips. “Your name is Malakai?”
“Yes, well, I’ve also been called devilishly handsome, devastatingly powerful, and more recently, a cocky bastard.”
“Whoever called you that must know you quite well.”
“Yes, more than I care to admit,” he says quietly. The drone of violins fills the silence that stretches between us. When he finally speaks, Kai’s question is quiet. “Are you ready for tomorrow?”
I’m reminded of Kitt’s same question at the previous ball as I say, “Are you?”
He exhales slowly. “I have to be.”
There’s a long pause.
The smile I give him is sad. “That’s not what I asked.”
“Smartass,” he mutters under his breath, managing to truly make me smile. “The truth then?”
“The truth always.”
“Then no. I’m not ready,” he sighs, ducking his head close to mine. “But we’ll be fine. We always are.”
I nod numbly, not needing him to explain what he means. Both of our lives have been a series of trials that we’ve had to survive. Only now, we are going through one together, one we will fight our way out of just as we’ve done in the past.
As if to emphasize his words, he reaches up and flicks the tip of my nose, sharing that smile of his with me. And rather than pushing him away like I know I should, I find myself smiling back.
We settle into a comfortable silence as we spin. The garden is now bathed in moonlight, and lamps are flickering warm light over the faces swirling beside us.
Kai suddenly dips me, his fingers grazing the bare skin peeking between the slit of my dress before lazily gliding up the cool dagger resting upon my hot skin. I bite back a surprised yelp while he only laughs. “Didn’t I tell you that daggers aren’t needed for dancing?”
He places me back on my feet as I breathlessly reply, “Depends on who your partner is.”