tonight.”
Again, she saw no signs of deception. And if he had indeed sneaked into the masquerade, that would explain how a merchant had gotten into the party. If anyone there knew they were in the company
of a merchant and a beggar…It almost made her laugh out loud.
“You realize if anyone finds out, you will be escorted off the grounds?”
He leaned in even closer. “It’s a risk I’m willing to take. Are
you
going to tell them?”
A shiver danced down her spine. Not from apprehension or fear, but anticipation. She held her breath until he moved away again. The intensity of his stare made her heart beat faster. She heard
the way his breath hitched slightly as he waited for her reaction. He’d come to see her. Arista was unprepared for his honesty.
“No, I will not.” Her reply came out on her exhaled breath. Duty and her reason for being there vanished. Despite all her years of training to be aloof and unapproachable, her
thoughts scattered and she was left unsure. Her gaze dropped to his lips without her consent.
He inhaled sharply and closed the distance between them in two steps. When he touched her bare shoulder, Arista forgot how to breathe. The warmth she remembered so well spiraled outward from his
touch. When he curled his fingers around the back of her neck and inched her head closer, a frantic beat began in her chest.
The indulgent nature of the party wound around them as the strains of music drifted through the air. Fire burned in his eyes, and it made her feel wild and reckless. It made her forget who she
was supposed to be. She was not Lady A now. She was only Arista. And this highwayman wanted
her.
This was a masquerade, after all—why shouldn’t she indulge, just a little? It might be her only chance to let go for one time in her life and just
feel
. No Nic. No Bones. No
Lady A. Just the two of them.
His eyes grew darker. Holding her so her head was almost pressed against his chest, he took her hand and led her into the first steps of a waltz. Her feet followed automatically. Grae held her
tightly and much closer than propriety would have allowed under normal circumstances. She could hear his heart beating. His breath brushed over the sensitive slope of her ear, causing her to forget
everything. When she stumbled, he pulled her completely against him, never missing a step.
Arista had never danced at a party. She didn’t attend them for fun, and had never indulged in the frivolity that went on as she conducted business. And yet, Becky had insisted Arista learn
to dance as part of her training. Right that moment, Arista had never been more grateful that her friend hadn’t listened to her complaints that it was an unnecessary skill. Nothing in her
life had ever felt better than being in Grae’s arms. The ground beneath her feet gave way and she stood on nothing but air.
Grae steered them effortlessly into the shadows. His stare held her captive. “Can I kiss you?”
Still feeling as though she were floating through the waltz, she nodded, caught so completely in this mysterious spell that she couldn’t bear to say no. Grae ran his thumb along her jaw,
softly stroking closer and closer to her lips. When he brushed a finger along her bottom lip, she closed her eyes. She was tense, yet her legs felt like jelly. Grae’s finger moved away, and
when she opened her eyes, he was watching her, his finger hovering over her mouth.
Arista needed to get closer to him—as close as she could. She dug her fingers into his jacket and held on as if her life depended on it. The desire was foreign and unnerving, but not
unwanted, and she couldn’t bring herself to pull away.
Having only been kissed once before, she felt unsure and awkward as she leaned up and pressed her lips against his. He responded immediately. His lips took hers and this time he didn’t
hold back. The masks helped Arista maintain a degree of anonymity, which led her to be much bolder than she would have in any
Again, she saw no signs of deception. And if he had indeed sneaked into the masquerade, that would explain how a merchant had gotten into the party. If anyone there knew they were in the company
of a merchant and a beggar…It almost made her laugh out loud.
“You realize if anyone finds out, you will be escorted off the grounds?”
He leaned in even closer. “It’s a risk I’m willing to take. Are
you
going to tell them?”
A shiver danced down her spine. Not from apprehension or fear, but anticipation. She held her breath until he moved away again. The intensity of his stare made her heart beat faster. She heard
the way his breath hitched slightly as he waited for her reaction. He’d come to see her. Arista was unprepared for his honesty.
“No, I will not.” Her reply came out on her exhaled breath. Duty and her reason for being there vanished. Despite all her years of training to be aloof and unapproachable, her
thoughts scattered and she was left unsure. Her gaze dropped to his lips without her consent.
He inhaled sharply and closed the distance between them in two steps. When he touched her bare shoulder, Arista forgot how to breathe. The warmth she remembered so well spiraled outward from his
touch. When he curled his fingers around the back of her neck and inched her head closer, a frantic beat began in her chest.
The indulgent nature of the party wound around them as the strains of music drifted through the air. Fire burned in his eyes, and it made her feel wild and reckless. It made her forget who she
was supposed to be. She was not Lady A now. She was only Arista. And this highwayman wanted
her.
This was a masquerade, after all—why shouldn’t she indulge, just a little? It might be her only chance to let go for one time in her life and just
feel
. No Nic. No Bones. No
Lady A. Just the two of them.
His eyes grew darker. Holding her so her head was almost pressed against his chest, he took her hand and led her into the first steps of a waltz. Her feet followed automatically. Grae held her
tightly and much closer than propriety would have allowed under normal circumstances. She could hear his heart beating. His breath brushed over the sensitive slope of her ear, causing her to forget
everything. When she stumbled, he pulled her completely against him, never missing a step.
Arista had never danced at a party. She didn’t attend them for fun, and had never indulged in the frivolity that went on as she conducted business. And yet, Becky had insisted Arista learn
to dance as part of her training. Right that moment, Arista had never been more grateful that her friend hadn’t listened to her complaints that it was an unnecessary skill. Nothing in her
life had ever felt better than being in Grae’s arms. The ground beneath her feet gave way and she stood on nothing but air.
Grae steered them effortlessly into the shadows. His stare held her captive. “Can I kiss you?”
Still feeling as though she were floating through the waltz, she nodded, caught so completely in this mysterious spell that she couldn’t bear to say no. Grae ran his thumb along her jaw,
softly stroking closer and closer to her lips. When he brushed a finger along her bottom lip, she closed her eyes. She was tense, yet her legs felt like jelly. Grae’s finger moved away, and
when she opened her eyes, he was watching her, his finger hovering over her mouth.
Arista needed to get closer to him—as close as she could. She dug her fingers into his jacket and held on as if her life depended on it. The desire was foreign and unnerving, but not
unwanted, and she couldn’t bring herself to pull away.
Having only been kissed once before, she felt unsure and awkward as she leaned up and pressed her lips against his. He responded immediately. His lips took hers and this time he didn’t
hold back. The masks helped Arista maintain a degree of anonymity, which led her to be much bolder than she would have in any
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