Page 70 of Beneath the Starlight and Storms

“I…” He’s right, but not for the reason he thinks.

The song ends and I take step back from him as he frowns.

“Let me show you around? I have a hidden garden that was just completed. It’s breath-taking.”

“Maybe some other time?” I reply, while having no thought to go through with it as I glance around for Hook.

Basilius’ eyes grow heated as he takes my hand and lifts it to his lips. I stiffen and start to pull it back, but another hand appears and takes it, holding it in his grasp.

“I can take it from here.” Hook gives Basilius a dark smile and glare to match. But something inside me instantly eases at his touch.

“Of course.” Basilius’ eyes grow cold once more as he gives him a tight-lipped smile. One that is just as fake as the one Hook wore before our little dance.

They stare one another down before I clear my throat wanting to hurry this along. We were still in the middle of the dance floor and people were starting to stare.

Basilius turns to me, his smile instantly warming. “Thank you for the dance. If you change your mind, I’ll be around.” He frowns as he dips his head to Hook before leaving.

Hook pulls me over to the side of the room where a table of food lays. The remnants of tension quickly eases from my shoulders as I pick up a small cake with white frosting.

“What did he ask you?” Hook grits out, his eyes on Basilius’ retreating back as he moves across the hall to his Dark hounds.

“He wanted to show me his new garden,” I tell him.

“Did he now?” Hook clenches his jaw, the look in his eyes murderous as he glares openly in his direction. “And you said?”

“Does it matter? You wasted the time to glare over at us instead of going to look for the item you came here for.”

Hook looks stunned before turning to me with a frown.

I raise a brow. “You didn’t honestly think Iwantedto dance with him?”

He clenches his jaw, taking a step closer to me. “Then you should have saidno.”

I should have but I thought I was actually helping.

“He was a good dancer, at least.” I shrug.

“If you wanted to dance, you should have askedme.” Hooks eyes narrow to slits as he glances back to where Basilius was.

I look at him, really look at him and finally decipher that look of his, smiling when I do.

“You’re jealous.” I expect him to deny it. To roll his eyes at me and tell me I’m crazy.

But he doesn’t.

His eyes blaze with anger as he turns to stare at me. “Of course I’m jealous. I’m jealous ofanyonenear you. The thought alone makes me want to rip them apart.”

I bite my lip, hiding the smile that wants to spread across my face.

“Then maybe I shouldn’t tell you what else he said,” I tease.

Hook freezes before he whips back around to the dance floor, his eyes narrowing on the room around him.

“What are you looking for?” I swipe my finger through the white frosting.

“That bastard Basilius. He’s going to—” Just as Hook turns around; I swipe the frosting across the top of his nose.

He looks at me with incredulous eyes, his nose now adorably covered in white.

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