Arden swallowed, pushing down a flutter of excitement. She knew exactly who that was.
His arm fell from his face, and he turned his head. The light caught in the blond of his hair, haloing it, making him shine like an angel.
Her indrawn breath must have been loud enough to catch his attention, here in the sky, where there was nothing but silence. His eyes blinked open, and a frown marred his forehead. “Arden?”
“Um, hi,” she said awkwardly.
He gave her a huge grin. “It is you.”
Dade got up and walked to the edge of his balcony. He stood close to the glass, showing off everything. He wore the skimpiest pair of shorts she’d ever seen, his heavily muscled legs packaged up in red fabric with a white piping. There he stood, half-dressed, as though doing so were nothing out of the ordinary. No one she knew went around without layers and their cloaks. Without sunlight, it simply was too cold.
He appeared as if he owned the world. Perhaps he did.
“I’d hoped you’d come,” he said. “I thought it would be impossible, but I knew if anyone could figure out a way to do it, it would be you.”
The sun glared down into her face. Arden squinted, looking up at the balcony, her gaze landing directly on his package. The sun, caught behind him, made his gorgeous body glow.
She swallowed, then glanced away, embarrassed.
This wasn’t working. Seeing him messed with her resolve. She should leave now, disappear, and not look back. Figure out another way to get the information she needed.
And yet her body moved forward as if answering a siren’s call.
Arden lifted herself onto the moonglass wall. The wind blew stronger here than under the cover of the patio. A gust nearly sent her over the edge. Arden wobbled, catching herself, and planted her feet farther apart.
Dade sucked in a breath. His hands gripped the top of his balcony wall, leaning his body over. His face had pulled tight with worry. “Two moons, Arden, don’t fall.”
“Keep your voice down,” she said.
He leaned farther over the balcony. If he didn’t watch it, he’d be the one to fall over.
“Get back,” she said.
“Keep your voice down,” he mimicked, then rolled his eyes. “I’m fine. Now get up here.”
The balconies, configured like floating platforms, had space between them, jutting over the world below, too far to reach across. Along the bottom, there was a gap between the floor and the glass. About six inches, enough for her to slip her hands into.
Arden didn’t allow herself to second-guess.
She crouched down, balancing on the balls of her feet, then pushed off in a jump, stretching across the empty sky. She reached the balcony, but the momentum kept her moving forward, then jerked her back. Her fingers slipped to the edge, then gripped down, stopping her slide but leaving her dangling over the dark clouds below.
Dade made a noise of distress.
Arden glared up at him.
He held his hands up in surrender. “Sorry. Carry on.”
Her hair whipped around her face. She tilted her head, flicking it so that she could see. She swung from side to side to gain momentum, then lifted herself so that she could slip her foot beside her hand. She got a toehold and wedged herself up. Once she got her other foot on the balcony and her hand on the railing, she was able to hop over the glass, landing next to Dade.
She realized her tactical mistake immediately. It felt even better being close to him. His naked skin looked warm, as if it had soaked up the sun and now radiated its heat. She barely held herself back, her fingers itching to touch and her body wanting to press against his. All she had to do was take off her gloves so she could reach out and run her hands all over his chest.
How could she resist temptation? It seemed impossible.
Dade smiled fully, without reservation. The skin crinkled around his eyes. It spoke of welcome, security . . . home. In that moment, she was confident that he cared for her. That it wasn’t just platitudes or hormones. He wasn’t caught up in political agendas or family squabbles. To him, she was what mattered.
She also knew without any doubt that she couldn’t stay away from him. It didn’t matter how many times she reminded herself what a horrible idea this was: Dade was her drug, a more dangerous and potent version of Shine. And she wanted to get high.
“I can’t stay,” she said. Belying her words, Arden stepped closer to him. His skin smelled of a combination of cologne, sun, and a sweet fruit. She wanted to really touch him, yet was afraid to give in to the temptation. Lingering would compromise the mission. Already she wondered why Colin wasn’t squawking in her ear.
Dade reached up, taking her hands in his. He squeezed her fingers. “For a bit?” He tilted his head and gave her an inviting look. It was soft and full of understanding with enough yearning to have her move yet another step forward. They were almost touching now.
He was practically naked. Naked, naked, naked. The word bounced around her head with the speed of a laser ball. His exposed chest glistened from a combination of sun, sweat, and oil. His muscles flexed as he tugged her so that her body fully rested against his.
Dade reached up to take off her hat, dropping it to the ground. Then he slid her halo-glasses onto the top of her head. He caressed his fingers along her cheek. “I was daydreaming about you. And then, suddenly you appeared. I could get used to my dreams becoming reality.”
Arden felt her cheeks heat. What could she say to that nonsense?
He leaned forward so that his lips skimmed the skin of her cheek. He pressed against it, a light caress, before he let his breath, warm and moist, tickle her. “Tell me you’ve thought about me.”
She wanted to deny it. Yet she found herself nodding, a slight movement that she halted as soon as she realized she was making it.
Arden felt, rather than saw, his smile as he brushed his mouth against her cheek once more.
“I like that,” he said. “I like that you think about me.”
He pressed his body more firmly against hers.
“Wait a second.” She placed her hands against his chest, rubbing a minute, before pushing him back half a step. “I need your help.”
His eyebrow rose. “You need my help.”
“Don’t be sarcastic.” Arden huffed, amused herself. “I need information, and I hope you can get it for me.”
He nodded slowly, while taking another step away. “I’ll help you if I can.”
She didn’t like his hesitation. Nor how he was putting distance between them.
It made her suspicious.
“That night at the club, a friend of mine was detained. I need to find out where the govies are holding her.”
He reacted to what she said, but not in the way she expected. Instead of vague interest, he registered horror. It set off alarm bells in her head.
“What do you know?” she asked.
He shook his head. “Nothing.”
“I don’t believe you.”