Page 85 of A Broken Throne of Bronze

“So…?” he echoes, the tone of his voice raised in question.

“That kiss was…” My eyes flick down to my soup, and I bite my lip.

“Amazing,” Viridian finishes, as if he were breathless.

“Yes. Amazing.” I repeat, looking back up at him. No one has ever made me feel the way Viridian did with just one kiss. No one.

Kissing him felt so…

So right.

As if he were the only one that I was ever designed to kiss.

I know my thoughts sound silly. And that to anyone else, it would seem like I’m acting like a naïve teenage girl. Maybe I am.

But right now, I don’t care.

I don’t care.

“I’m glad.” Viridian’s mouth breaks into a wide grin, and I can’t help but beam at him. This male I once despised. This male that I know I should still despise.

I can’t find the energy to loathe him.

Not anymore.

We finish our first course, then the next. It goes by all too fast. I don’t want this night to end.

Something tells me that Viridian doesn’t either.

He rises from his seat and moves toward me purposefully. “Dance with me,” he breathes.

“Here? But we don’t have music,” I say, standing.

“Who says we need music?” He stares at me intently, holding out his hand.

I take it, and he tugs me closer until I’m pressed to his chest. He rests his other hand on the small of my back, holding me close.

He sways his hips to an imaginary beat. Still holding his hand, I interlock my fingers with his and follow his lead.

I don’t know how long we dance like that, gazing into each other’s eyes. We don’t say much, but we don’t need to. Our bodies, our eyes, and our faces tell each other anything and everything we want to say.

Even though no words are spoken, I feel as though I understand him better than I ever have. Perhaps even better than I’ll ever understand anyone else.

The realization settles into my bones. Though, I don’t fight it. This time, I embrace it. I welcome it with open arms.

There is nowhere else I would rather be at this moment.

With this male.

Viridian steps back and spins me. My mouth parts, the hint of a smile tugging at my cheeks, and I finish the twirl in his arms. He leans forward, tilting his head down into the crook of my neck. Breathing me in. Then his lips brush against my skin, sending shivers trembling through my body.

He pulls away, his eyes still fixed on the soft skin there.

“Come.” He motions his head toward the double doors. “It’s late.”

I nod. Fatigue weighs down my limbs, and I know I should sleep. But sleeping means that tonight ends.

I don’t want tonight to end.

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