Page 56 of Royal Rising

To be honest, it might be being held by Kalle that makes me a little out of breath as well. I’ve danced with Kalle plenty of times, even to that song, but that—

He holds me differently. Tight, but somehow wrapping himself around me as he leads me through the tables so I’m not getting bumped or bruised. People move out of the way as we fly around the room, but I don’t worry about running into anyone because of Kalle.

It’s like he’s got me in a little bubble, and no one is part of it but him and me.

He’s never smiled down at me like I’m the only person in the room.

So much so that when the song ends, I blink with surprise. “That was… I can’t believe we did that,” I gasp as the laughter rolls through the room. Another song comes on, something by Great Big Sea and the dancing starts again.

Except for Kalle and me, now standing off to the side.

“Yeah.” It’s Kalle’s customary reply but the way he’s looking at me isn’t. His blue-eyed gaze roves around like he’s checking for something, and his smile—

I step back, breaking his hold. “What?” I demand.

“What?” he echoes, still gripping my hand in his.

“Do I have something on my face?” I slap my free hand to my cheek. “The way you’re looking at me…”

Like I’m a woman.

“Can’t I look at you?” Kalle asks in a low voice, tangling his fingers with mine.

The way he says it—

“That was quite the performance.”

I turn, and there’s Mathias, his smile not quite meeting his pale blue eyes. “Looks like the dancing lessons certainly paid off,” he says to Kalle without much of a glance at me.

My fingers slip out of Kalle’s grip and it’s as if I’ve stepped out into the rain.

Mathias is here. He texted and said he’d stop by, but seeing him here in the bar, with me breathless and slightly sweaty, makes the shots I had with Lyra and Kate begin to swim in my stomach. I can’t help but feel like Mathias is intruding, like he’s someplace he shouldn’t be and reprimanding us about it at the same time.

Kalle’s smile changes into something like a grimace. “I’ve never heard any complaints.”

“You wouldn’t, since conversation’s never been one of your strong suits.”

“With me, it’swhatI say that matters, not how much. Worthless conversation has never been my thing.”

“Am I missing something?” I glance between them. Kalle, who had been laughing and pressed tightly against me only a moment ago, is now ramrod straight, jaw clenched with tension. “You’re like two dogs trying to pee on the same stump.”

Mathias stiffens, before he forces a laugh and finally looks down at me. His smile still hasn’t reached his eyes. “Not at all. The two of you looked like you were having fun.”

“I was.” I tell myself to relax, that I haven’t done anything wrong. It was just dancing.

“I almost got pushed out of the bar area by the crowd.”

I glance over to see that some of those who had been dancing have followed Lyra off the floor to swarm around the bar. Bethie is with Tyler serving drinks with Chase flitting is around and trying to help.

I back away. “I should get back there.” A roll of thunder, the loudest one yet, crashes overhead and I flinch.

“It’s fine.” Kalle reaches out like he wants to grab my hand, stopping just before he touches me. “They’ve got it covered.”

Mathias reaches for me as well. He doesn’t stop and his fingers tangle with mine, long and slender and cool to the touch. “How late are you working?” he asks, his smile finally reaching his eyes. “I thought if Kalle is back from his date… We should talk.”

Kalle’s face instantly shutters and now he steps back from me like I’ve insulted him. “Leave whenever you want,” he growls.

I watch him stalk back to the bar with a pang that feels a lot like regret. He’s quickly swallowed into the group waiting to be served, leaving me by the pool table with Mathias.

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