Page 78 of The Heir's Bargain

Dani shook her head and interrupted, "That's not it, Fynn. This"—her eyes danced across the room, surveying the spectators—"this isn't my scene. You know that. . ."

My brows drew together. "You've been to plenty of balls before."

"But this one is different."

"How?"

Hazel eyes met brown. "I'm normally not the one dancing in the center of the room, for starters," she mumbled.

"Dani, you're doing fine."

When I pulled her close, she pulled back, and a prickle spiked across my neck. Dani's gaze flicked somewhere behind me.

Her caramel hair brushed across my jaw.

"Forget about them."

"Easier said than done," she mumbled.

Her fingers lightly gripping my hand, she spun, her dress swishing across the floor, spinning around her ankles and into the air. As the purple fabric danced in the air, I could feel Dani pulling away. But I wouldn't let her. Not now.

Dani ran toward every fight, yet for some reason, she wanted to run away from this one, and I couldn't stand by and watch any longer.

I pulled her back in, twirling her toward me. The fabric fell and cascaded onto the floor, diamonds glittering beneath the crystal chandelier. My hand skated down her bare back, her skin warm beneath my palm.

"Dani, whatever reason you are telling yourself—whatever thought is flying through your mind telling you that you shouldn't be here—silence it."

Dani blinked up at me, a deep crease forming across her forehead. The freckles across her nose shifted. "Why? This is not real. What does any of this matter if they do not believe it?"

I swallowed the truth I wished to say and opted for another. "You have never once questioned who you were or if you deserved your spot among the leaders before they promoted Quint. You haven't lost, Dani. We can still show them who you are. We can still prove they made a mistake when they didn't choose you."

"How?" She stared at me, blinking, worry drawing her brows closer together.

"Kiss me."

"What?"

Her surprise mimicked my own, for the two words had escaped before I could call them back.

Friends didn't kiss friends.

But I wouldn't take them back now that they were in the world.

I twirled her away, not stopping the momentum of the dance. The song was ending soon, and we were running out of time.

I pulled her body tight to mine, my nose brushing against the side of her face. The sweet and acidic notes of cinnamon and orange consumed me.

"You heard me. Kiss me, Dani."

"Why would I do that?"

"It's just one kiss," I whispered.

We had already kissed once. While it hadn't changed anything per se, there were some nights when Dani consumed my dreams. When my subconscious dreamed up scenarios that friends should never consider between one another.

That kiss at the tavern was only supposed to convince her friends, but instead, it left me confused and wanting.

In truth, one kiss might have ruined everything for me.

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