Page 120 of An Empress of Air & Chaos

“Torin, I am not in the mood to bat back and forth with you over the subject of your brother.” She pulled her arm back. “A subject that is none of your concern.” She ground her teeth.

“Fine,” he said sharply. “Dance with me, then.”

Something vulnerable flashed in his eyes for nothing longer than a second. He held out his hand gently, probably the gentlest she had ever seen him move.

Taken aback with the fact that he hadn’t pushed her any further, she looked him over. “You know that dancing never ends well between us.” She flicked her hair over her shoulder and looked into the crowd of people.

“I don’t think it’s that kind of scene, Emara. It’s a formal dance, not an exotic tavern club.” The sound of her name on his lips sent her heart into a frenzy as she snapped her gaze back to his face. “As much as I would like it to be.” He leaned in and whispered, “Let’s show my brother what he is missing.”

Her heart thundered against her chest as she contemplated his offer.

She placed her hand into his and rolled her eyes. “You better behave,” she warned.

A primal smile appeared on his face as he turned and led her to the dance floor. “Don’t I always?”

There were a few couples dancing on the white, star-lit dance floor. Some of them looked extremely uncomfortable as they tried to force a connection; others looked like they could head to get a room any minute, clearly taking advantage of their schmoozing event. Torin pulled her close to him as one hand slid into hers, holding her arm out. The other hand slid down her back and rested at the base of her spine.

A fluttering in Emara’s chest hitched her breathing as he moved her to the music.

There was no mistaking who was leading who.

“I do have one question before I start my course of good behaviour for the evening.” He kept his face straight. “I must ask because the topic is eating my rational thoughts alive. Are you wearing any underwear under that dress?”

A laugh burst from Emara’s throat. “Are you telling me that Torin Blacksteel can’t tell if I am wearing underwear or not?” She laughed again as he pivoted her ‘round in time to the music, surprising her once more at how well he moved in time with melody. “You seem to be losing your touch.”

The sounds that emanated from the composition were slow and steady, smooth and dark. Like Torin’s movements.

“If I had to guess, I would say no. But again, I didn’t have you down as that kind of girl.” He said with a smirk.

“Again,” she lowered her tone down to match his, “you have no idea what kind of girl I am.” She met his gaze as he pressed his lips together. “Nevertheless, you shouldn’t be asking me such questions,” she said lightly in amusement.

“I think it is relevant for me to know such things.” He lowered his hand on her back an inch.

“Do you?”

“Absolutely.”

“Well, if you must know,”—she swallowed—“my dress doesn’t cater to undergarments.” She said it so confidently that she surprised herself. “I thought your trained eye would have been able to tell.” She took a breath. “And it bothers me that you keep saying, ‘I didn’t think you were that kind of girl’ like it’s some sort of shock to you that I am not fluffy and cute and full of rainbows.” She exhaled. “That’s not me.”

He let out a small laugh against the side of her ear that warmed her heart. “Oh, I know it’s not. I just find it funny that you often try to be.” He spoke lowly, “But I must admit, you do surprise me.”

“Stop underestimating me and you won’t be surprised,” she sparred.

He pressed their hands tighter together. “I am not underestimating you. I just needed some clarification, because you have no idea what kind of undergarments, I am conjuring up in my mind right now. Especially that would allow you to wear them without being seen under that dress.”

A giggle found its way from her mouth. “You said you were going to behave…”

“I said I had a question before I started to behave.”

“Well, now question time is over.”

He chuckled again, “The dress is…something else.”

She could feel the beating of his heart against her skin. Could he feel hers?

He lowered his voice, “You have every man in this room looking at you and you don’t even know it.”

Emara didn’t dare turn her head to see if anyone was looking at her; she kept the muscles in her body loose as she moved with the movements of Torin Blacksteel.

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