Page 173 of Swords of Soul and Shadow
Her mother took a seat nearby and kept a sharp eye on their dance. Hallie blew out a sigh, turning her back on her mother. “I’m an adult, for stars-sake.”
Kase pulled her into the next step, a little loop and spin together. “My mother and yours will get along splendidly, I think. All proper and such.”
Hallie shot a glance behind her with the next twirl. Her mother’s eyes didn’t leave her, though her father tried to pull her into a conversation with Niels, who was pointedly not looking in their direction.
Kase’s hand whispered over the curve of her waist. Her mother narrowed her eyes.
Hallie huffed and grumbled under her breath, “We ain’t doing nothing wrong.”
Kase missed a step and just caught himself. “I’m sorry. Did you just sayain’t?”
Hallie’s face caught fire. She’d worked very hard to hide her accent when she knew she’d be going to the capital. It’d taken her months to mask it enough. “I…well…”
Kase allowed a slow grin to curl across his face. “Normally, such an egregious breach of grammatical etiquette would be cause for ridicule, however, when you say it…well, it’s rather attractive, if I do say so myself.”
“Hush, you,” Hallie managed to grind out even though her face probably rivaled her hair.
“And if I don’t, are you going to bless my little heart? I’ll let you.”
Hallie swatted his shoulder. “That’s not even the right context.”
Kase just laughed. She willed her face to return to its normal color and cleared her throat. “As I was saying, weweren’tdoinganythingwrong.”
“Sure thing, darlin.” Kase’s eyes twinkled. He was proud of himself. Blasted man.
“I’m rolling my eyes at you.”
“Of course you are.” He pulled her closer. “Now, back to what I was saying…define wrong…”
Oh no.
“Kase…”
He glanced right and left, his smile listing more to the side and becoming a smirk. Hallie shook her head. “Whatever you think you’re about to—”
He slid one hand into her hair, the other pulling her to him, cutting her off. And then his lips were on hers, no hesitation, nowhat-ifsor teasing. Her eyes fluttered shut as she melted into him, tangling her fingers in the front of his shirt. She’d most definitely get an earful later, but at that moment, she didn’t care. She’d missed this so badly, it hurt.
He kissed her as if there hadn’t been any before it. His thumb traced lazy circles at the tender spot beneath her ear, each stroke memorizing the skin beneath his featherlight touch. His lips were full of yearning and fear and passion. They were firm and desperate, as if he dared stop, she would simply disappear.
If every kiss was going to be like this, she might forgive him for just about anything. For this one moment, she could actually believe they’d have a future, even if it was a short one.
Someone whistled nearby. Another few followed.
Kase pulled back slowly, his arms still wound around her. She very pointedly did not look in her mother’s direction. “That illegal…that be….” She took a breath. “Give me a moment.”
“Told you my kisses were good,” he whispered in her ear.
Hallie bit her lip. He wasn’t wrong, but she refused to give him the satisfaction. Her fumbling words didn’t help her case. “That might be against society rules. Just a little.”
He gave her a short but sweet kiss that did not last long enough for her liking. His grin said he knew exactly what she was thinking. “You should know by now I never play by the rules.”
She went to sleep that night knowing she would give him the world if he asked, and he would give her the stars. They just needed to figure out how to get there first.
Chapter 34
TRUST ME
20 Years Ago
