Page 37 of Only in Moonlight
He pulled away, and now I truly felt intoxicated. The world was spinning, and I could only stare at his face in amazement.
He leaned closer, breath hot on my ear.
“Act natural,” he whispered. “There’s someone in the trees watching us.”
I felt like I’d just been thrown off a horse. Then fallen off a cliff. Then landed in a freezing cold lake.
“What—?”
He crushed his lips furiously against mine, and I opened my mouth welcomingly even as I realized the truth. He hadn’t kissed me because he wanted me. He’d kissed me because someone was watching, and we needed to act like lovers.
My eyes felt hot, and I squeezed them even more tightly shut. How could I have been such a fool?
Valen pulled away again. “I need you not to panic.”
“I’m not,” I croaked. “How far away is he?”
Valen lowered his lips to my neck and traced lingering, lascivious kisses down it. My body quivered, and I clutched him tightly—for the benefit of whoever was watching us, of course.
“About twenty feet behind you, to the right of the water,” he whispered in my ear.
“Do you want to leave or confront him?”
He nuzzled the spot where my neck met my shoulder, his stubble scratching my skin, and hell, I almost wished our stalkerwould come running at us with a knife. That would save me from the humiliating arousal blossoming within my body.
“Confront him,” Valen murmured into my neck. “But not yet. I need to get closer so he can’t bolt.”
Thinking of Valen chasing me through the forest, I doubted the stalker could outrun him. But maybe Valen didn’t want to make a scene.
I clutched his cheek, lifted his face, and kissed him—then bit him sharply on the lip to show what I thought of this little act.
“Leave it to me,” I whispered.
I pushed him away and bounded toward the trees, the skirts of my dress billowing out behind me. I let out a loud, giddy laugh for the stalker to hear.
“You’ll have to catch me!” I shouted at Valen, breaking into another giggle. It was a flirty routine I’d seen used by women at the brothel.
Understanding flashed across Valen’s face. Then he put on a vapid smile, pushed himself up, and chased after me.
I shrieked girlishly and ran. Although I wanted to search the trees for our stalker, I forced myself to look at the water instead. I didn’t want to give the game away. The trees were ten feet away… Then five… My cheeks ached from the force of my fake smile.
“I’ve almost got you!” Valen called teasingly.
Then he shot toward the trees like a charging bull.
A muffled curse reached my ears, and a figure jumped out from behind a tree. He was big, broad, and wearing finer clothing than I’d expect on a criminal stalker. He took off running. Or rather, he tried to.
Valen slammed into him from behind, knocking him into a trunk. The man staggered and spun, but Valen had already drawn his sword. The man held out his hands in surrender.
“Drudon,” Valen said in a clipped voice.
The stalker sneered. “Valen.”
So they knew each other. Wonderful.
I glanced around. A couple was strolling on the other side of the water, but they hadn’t noticed us yet.
“Good day to you.” Valen put on the meanest smile I’d ever seen. “Enjoying a stroll through the gardens? What a delightful happenstance that we’re here at the same time.”
