Page 19 of A Hunt So Wicked
“Goddess, no. It’s good for his ego, though. Everyone needs theirs in check from time to time.” Dair and I twisted together, and our height difference wasn’t a hindrance in the slightest. I stepped closer to him when he pulled me toward his chest, enough for me to “accidentally” step on his foot.
“I am so sorry!” I proclaimed, moving back and putting the appropriate space between us. He didn’t move though. He stopped dancing completely, as though I’d glued his foot to the floor instead of stepping on it. His face may as well have been carved from marble with the lack of expression. Nervously, I raised my hand and placed it on his arm. “Dair?”
Slowly, his deep green eyes slid to mine, and they seemed to flash with a burst of… yellow? My own eyes widened, on the verge of gasping, when it was cut short. Leaning down, Dair inhaled deeply, his nose close to my neck. What was with these guys pulling stunts like this? Were they used to taking such liberties with women at court?
“What is that scent?” he asked, awakening goosebumps along my arms.
“W-what scent?”
“Your scent, my lady. It has been puzzling me all evening,” he replied, confusing me even further. However, earlier, when Torin was at my neck like this, I knew he was playing with me. Toying with the fresh meat on the market. With Dair, though, this felt predatory. Like at any moment, he might lunge forward and bite me.
All of the men here must be drunk. Two for two now, they seemed to have a switch within that caused them to go from reasonable gentlemen to complete brutes.
“Well, I don’t know the answer, my lord. I’m not wearing any perfume, nor did the servants provide scented bathing soap. If the scent is unpleasant, I can excuse myself.” I made to do just that when his massive hand caught mine and pulled me back to him in beat with the music. He didn’t skip a single move as he maneuvered us around the other dancers, staring down at me the entire time.
“You misunderstand me, Miss Evie. Forgive me for being forward, but I think you may be the most enticing thing I’ve ever smelled in my life.”
“Um…” I didn’t know what to say to that. What a bizarre compliment. “You smell… pleasing as well.”
Dair’s nose wrinkled at my statement. “Pleasing? Onlypleasing?” He was exasperated as he turned his head to his shoulder and inhaled. “This is some of the most expensive cologne in the realm!”
I shrugged and inhaled him. “I mean, it is nice… but below that, you have some natural hints of pine and—” I paused and took another deep breath. What was the other thing? “Like freshly dug soil.”
He frowned. “Dirt. You think I smell like dirt?”
I laughed as we moved to the center of the floor. “It’s one of my favorite smells, actually. I garden with my father often. We grow all of our own vegetables and some fruit. I love when my hands are covered in rich soil, and my knuckles ache from the work of the day. I enjoy doing work that gives me immediate visual results…” I trailed off, realizing that I’d been rambling and, once again, giving away more of myself than I’d wanted.
“I see. So you need immediate gratification?” His tone was teasing. He was flirting with me.
“What good is doing anything if you don’t get anything satisfying in return?”
He lifted the corner of his mouth. “Sometimes, the best things are worth the wait. When your hard work finally pays off, it can be—” He paused, and I held my breath, desperate for some reason to hear what he was going to say. The way he stared down at me with searing heat told me he wasn’t talking about gardening. The breath I’d been holding shakily rushed out of me when he brushed a rogue curl away from my eyes. “The most beautiful thing you’ve ever seen.”
The music was slowing, our dance nearly over, and I felt trapped in a bubble that only held the two of us. Twice now, I’d been blindsided by boyish charm, and in that moment, under Dair’s spell, I found that I didn’t mind.
“And do you?” I whispered, and he waited for me to continue. I swallowed thickly. What was I doing? “Workhard?”
The only thing I’d ever seen smolder in my life was a fire, but now I could add the look I was getting in response to my question.
“Oh, I can be relentless,” Dair replied as the final note came from the violin.
My head was swimming, like there wasn’t enough oxygen in the room. All there was for me to breathe was him. We stopped moving, along with everybody else, and I felt a hand brush against the row of green buttons that ran up my spine, breaking the spell. Turning my head, I found Torin standing right behind me, close enough to hide the fact that he was touching me. His partner was on his right, oblivious to everything, with her eyes pinned to the dais the kings were getting situated upon.
“But what of duty?” Dair asked abruptly.
“Duty?” I repeated, confused by his question and trying to ignore the playful fingertips at my back.
“Sometimes results aren’t seen for years, and one has to continue their work, regardless of gratification,” he explained. Ah, now we were talking about his role as a royal. A future king.
I spoke loud enough for both of the royals I was pinned between to hear. “The only person I owe anything to is myself. Probably better that you’re the royal here and not me.”
The fingertips halted, and Dair’s brow pinched. No matter how attractive they were, I wasn’t here for them. It was better if they heard it loud and clear; I had no interest in belonging to one of them.
The crowd began clapping, and other women rose from their chairs, eager to get on the floor to meet the men. I noticed Isla staring in my direction with a concerned expression, so I gave her a small smile.
That girl was so kind I was actually quite worried that she would get eaten alive by the mean girls… but then I spotted Riv coming to stand beside her, and I knew my unease was misplaced. She’d be more than okay.
“That concludes our first dance!” King Ero said from his throne. “You were all magnificent! We invite everyone to enjoy the dance floor at this time. The party shall conclude at eleven!” He waved his hand for the orchestra to start up once more, and I needed to get the hell out of there. Women were already encroaching on the two men beside me.
