Tease Me Read online

That intention had failed.

  Even through the din of the crowd, I could hear the undertone in my voice, the seriousness in my words, the sincerity.

  I didn’t regret that now. Yes, such sincerity, such seriousness, might be out of place during this time, and at this moment. But that didn’t make my words any less true, and irrespective of where we were, or why we were there, nothing was more important than making sure Dallas knew that.

  Her dark skin was glowing as usual, and a second after I’d finished speaking, she added a bright smile that only enhanced that glow.

  “Thank you,” she said.

  There was no flair, no bombast or embellishment, simply Dallas accepting the compliment I had so honestly and heartfeltly given.

  There was something to that, something wonderful, and for just a brief moment, everything in the room seemed to fall away.

  I’d always felt this connection with Dallas, something like a tether between her and me, and not one that I didn’t appreciate. But this felt monumental. Our connection was taking on a new significance that simultaneously pulled me in and scared the shit out of me.

  “Looks like Cree and Aaron are by themselves. Can we go over quickly and say hello? I don’t want to monopolize them, but I don’t know if I’ll get a chance to later,” Dallas said.

  I blinked, shook my head, and then nodded enthusiastically.

  “Yes. I’m certain they would appreciate it, and I want to make sure I have a moment with them as well.”

  I did, but even more, it was important for me to have some distraction now. Whatever I was seeing in Dallas tonight was affecting me, and a moment to clear my head was exactly what I needed.

  I lifted my arm and offered my elbow to Dallas. At first she laughed and smacked my arm, but when I left my arm there, silent but insistent, she gently put her hand in the crook.

  I led her across the lawn and into the building to Cree and Aaron. I had no illusions that every single person at the party was taking note of who I was with.

  I didn’t care.

  All I could think about was Dallas and when I would kiss her again. The gesture had been innocent, and I’d intended it as a way to give her a little boost of the confidence she should already have.

  But I hadn’t considered what kissing her would do to me.

  As I’d kissed Dallas, so many things had changed, while at the same time staying the same.

  Or maybe nothing had changed, and I’d simply opened my eyes to something I had seen before but had been too stupid to recognize.

  I didn’t know the answer, but I would have to figure it out.

  And I would, just not right now.

  Instead, I simply relaxed, allowed myself to enjoy this time with Dallas and my brother’s important night.

  “Aaron?” I called as I approached.

  “Kristian,” Aaron said as he crossed to give me a quick hug. “I was wondering if you were going to be able to claw yourself out of Marta’s clutches long enough to say hello.”

  “Lucky for me, Dallas came through like she always does,” I said.

  “Dallas! You look amazing. How’s it going?” Aaron said, giving Dallas a quick peck on the cheek.

  “Going good. And you look great too. And so do you, Cree,” she said, smiling at her friend.

  “Thanks to you,” Cree replied.

  I wasn’t exactly sure what they were talking about, but assumed it was something they both understood from the bright smiles on both their faces.

  “Getting engaged has really mellowed me,” Aaron said.

  “How so?” I asked.

  “I didn’t invite Marta, and any other day, I’d kick her ass right out,” he said.

  I laughed. “But now you’re busy making eyes at your lovely fiancée. Not even Marta can get under your skin.”

  “Incredible, right?” Aaron said, looking content.

  “Yeah,” I responded.

  “But why is she here?” Aaron asked, still looking content.

  “I assume that was Father’s doing,” I said.

  “Unless Leo has lost his mind,” Aaron responded.

  “I can assure you that my mind is firmly intact,” Leo said as he stepped over to join our group.

  Cree turned to look at him. “Hi, Leo. How are you this evening?” she asked.

  She was uncharacteristically tentative, something I understood. She and Leo didn’t know each other well, and Leo, while as welcoming as I’d ever seen him, didn’t often go out of his way to make others feel comfortable. But I was certain that over time, things would get better.

  “I’m fine, Cree. Happy to be here to celebrate with you and Aaron. Congratulations again,” he said.

  “Thank you,” she responded.

  I smiled despite myself, loving how my brother could turn it on and off like that. His words were completely sincere, but he still had the capacity to project a regal bearing that I and certainly Aaron hadn’t yet managed to capture.

  “Is Sarah here?” Dallas asked, looking over at Leo.

  “No. She had other duties to attend to this evening,” he said.

  “Oh. I was hoping she’d get to drop by,” Cree said, her disappointment clear.

  “I suggested that she make plans with you at a later date,” Leo said, his voice even icier than usual.

  “Okay,” Cree responded.

  Leo then turned, but not before I saw discomfort on his face. I wanted to ask what was up, but instinct told me that now wasn’t the time to open that topic.

  “If Marta is being meddlesome, or rude,” he said, giving Dallas a significant look, “let me know and I’ll have her escorted out.”

  “That won’t be necessary. She’ll be on her best behavior. And besides, your father is here. She wouldn’t risk showing her ass in front of the king, now would she?” Dallas said.

  Even Leo laughed at that one. “Probably not,” he said.

  “Good, and besides, I know how to handle Marta, so don’t worry about me,” Dallas said.

  Leo looked at Aaron. “Very well. I still have other guests I’d like to speak to, so I’ll talk to you all later?”

  “Sure. Catch you around,” Aaron said.

  “If you’ll excuse me,” he said, always so formal, even among us.

  “Poor guy,” Dallas said when Leo left.

  “What do you mean?” Aaron asked.

  “It’s clear he just wants to hang out with his brothers and celebrate, but he has to go make asinine small talk with the dignitaries of the world. Sucks,” she said.

  I shrugged. “It’s part of the job,” I said.

  “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

  “Are you guys going to suck up to any dignitaries?” I asked a moment later.

  “No,” Aaron said, emphatic. “I’m here to celebrate with Cree and my friends. If Father and Leo have other things in mind, they are welcome to pursue them, but without me,” he said.

  “Fair enough. The orchestra is playing one of my favorite songs. You mind if I steal my future sister-in-law for a quick dance?” I asked, looking at Aaron.

  Aaron smiled, his expression mischievous.

  “Knowing my future bride as I do, I’m sure she’d suggest that you should ask her that question and not me. However, I’m sure she’ll allow you some latitude on this special occasion. And you’re not stealing, only borrowing,” he said.

  We all laughed, and then I extended my arm to Cree.

  “Soon-to-be Princess Sarda? May I have this dance?”

  “You may,” she said, a little smile on her face.

  She reached out and captured my hand and I pulled her onto the dance floor.

  I was aware of Dallas and Aaron chatting beside us, but then focused on Cree. I didn’t know her well, and took every opportunity I could to fix that.

  “How are you holding up?” I asked, knowing that while she tried to put up a good front, being tossed into this world was a lot to handle.

  “I’m—” She smiled, trailed off. “I’m pr
etty transparent, huh?”

  “No. Well yes,” I said, to which she laughed. Then I continued. “You seem fine, but I know this is your first semi-official event, so I just want to make sure you understand that you’re not in this alone. You know Aaron’s behind you, and so am I, and so is Leo. If you need anything, even just someone to talk to about how silly all this pomp and circumstance can be, I’m a phone call away,” I said.

  She looked up at me and smiled, her expression sincere.

  “Thank you,” she whispered.

  “That’s what family is for,” I responded.

  Her smile deepened, and we continued with the dance.

  When the song ended, I relinquished her and went back to Aaron and Dallas.

  “Come on, Dallas, let’s give the two lovebirds a minute,” I said.

  “Yeah. This is one of my favorites, so let’s go.”

  She grabbed my hand and then led me to the dance floor.

  Though the music was orchestral, Dallas still danced with a freedom and enthusiasm I loved.

  She’d always loved to dance, said it was the way of making art with her whole entire body, and also reminded me that it was one of the only things that made the few formal events she had attended with me bearable.

  I had of course learned the basics as a part of my overall education as a child, but it wasn’t until I had met Dallas that I had seen that the activity could be so much more than another of the litany of things I was expected to know.

  Like now, dancing with her, I felt carefree, content, which was exactly what I wanted.

  When the third song began, my mind again started to drift to the way she looked, remember the way it felt to kiss her, how nice it felt to have her in my arms now.

  I felt the uncomfortable tightening in my pants, tried my best to refocus my train of thought, something that was nearly impossible with Dallas’s warm body in my arms.

  “Maybe we should—”

  “Kristian, would you like to dance?”

  The sound of Marta’s voice was like a bucket of ice water over my head.

  On the one hand, I welcomed the reprieve because I’d been about to tell Dallas how much I wanted her. So I was glad for the break but pissed that it was Marta who had interrupted me.

  “Can’t you see I’m dancing with someone already?” I said, not bothering to look at Marta.

  But I didn’t have to look at her to know how her expression would shift. A flash of anger, bordering on malice at being dismissed, followed by a shy, almost coquettish look that she used to mask that anger.

  “It’s cool, Kristian. You dance. I need to get something to drink,” Dallas said.

  I glanced at her, trying to interpret her expression, but she turned too quickly and was soon gone.

  I looked at Marta, glared at her really, but then offered my hand.

  This night was about Aaron and Cree, and I wouldn’t make a scene, no matter how much I wanted to be anywhere else.

  With someone else.

  Ten

  Dallas

  I wanted to scratch that harpy’s eyes out, not hand Kristian over on a silver platter, but I reminded myself tonight wasn’t about me and that I wouldn’t disrupt Cree’s event.

  The soft snort escaped before I could push it back. Marta would get a kick out of that. The snide bitch would laugh, thank me for being the bigger person, literally. I felt my frown deepen. There was no way in hell that Marta would have been that gracious, and while my mother had always taught me that I was responsible for my actions, that I couldn’t let other people change who I was, I could admit that I was sorely disappointed at having to hold my tongue.

  But that was okay.

  Kristian had seemed vaguely disgusted earlier in the day, something Marta was either too stupid to see or willfully ignored. And more to the point, Kristian wasn’t mine. I wasn’t handing him over on a platter; I was simply doing what I could to ensure that a really good friend of mine had a wonderful evening.

  In that moment, I decided I wouldn’t let Marta destroy that, no matter how much she might try.

  Besides, a little bit of a break was in order.

  Being that close to Kristian, all the fantasy trappings around us, was dangerous for me.

  I hadn’t exactly been avoiding him in the last week, but I’d been more than happy to tell myself we were too busy to see each other and not push the point.

  Because after I had left him the last time, all I had thought about, all that I could think about, was that kiss.

  Even now, my breath quickened at the thought of it, my body sparking to life.

  I had viewed my request of Kristian as primarily utilitarian. It wouldn’t be a hardship for me to kiss him, to make love to him, and I was realistic enough to accept that.

  But after that kiss, things had changed. It wasn’t about it not being a hardship. Now it was about it being something I wanted, craved, a feeling that scared me.

  Because I knew I was playing a very dangerous game.

  That want, that hunger, could easily turn on me, get me into a situation I wasn’t equipped to handle.

  And when it was over, where would I be then?

  I didn’t know, and I was going to do everything in my power to make sure I didn’t find out.

  I left the library and ventured out onto the lawn, grateful for the cool breeze and a few moments by myself. I found a quiet, relatively secluded spot at the edge of the lawn.

  “You hiding out?” Cree asked.

  “Hey! I didn’t hear you, and what are you doing out here?” I said after I gave her a quick peck on the cheek.

  “Same thing you are. I needed some air,” she said.

  I glanced at Cree, who was positively radiant in one of the dresses we had picked out. Nothing about her appearance was out of place, and in fact her caramel skin was flushed with the glow that I could only call happiness.

  “I don’t know what’s going on inside you, but on the outside, you look flawless,” I said.

  “Thank you. And I feel okay. It’s just—a lot,” she said.

  “I can’t say I understand, but I kind of understand,” I said.

  “I had a chance to chat with Kristian while we were dancing,” she said, looking at me, her eyes dark, her expression calm, but with something in it I couldn’t quite name.

  “That’s good. What did he have to say? Did he give you some tips on how to deal with all this royalty stuff?”

  “No. But he did tell me that if I ever need anything, he’ll be there for me,” she said.

  “And he will,” I responded without pause.

  I knew she could hear the conviction in my voice, worried that perhaps I was a little too strong in it, but there was no alternative. If nothing else—and he was so many other things—Kristian was a man of his word. If Cree needed him, he would be there for her.

  Just like I knew that if push came to shove, he would be there for me.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you like this,” Cree said.

  I gingerly patted my tight ponytail, careful not to mess it up. “Well, it’s not every day that a friend of mine gets engaged to a prince. I thought it was worth it to bring out the big guns,” I said, smiling.

  “You brought the tanks today. Looks good on you, Dallas,” she said.

  “Thanks,” I responded, still smiling.

  The one time I had reached out to Kristian in the past week had been to confirm that this was a formal event. I’d been looking for an excuse, any excuse, not to have to get dressed up like this.

  Once Aaron had told me there was no way around it, I’d given in, but that hadn’t meant I was happy about it. Of course, I would do anything for Cree, but I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel ridiculous.

  Conspicuous.

  Marta might be a conniving bitch, but she knew how to wear the hell out of stilettos and dresses with high slits. She could also wear makeup without getting it all over her clothes, and ending up looking messy and wild-haired at the end
of the night just as I suspected I would.

  I, however, had not been gifted with that ability. So it had taken a great leap for me to trust I could pull this look off, and the look in Kristian’s eyes had been the bolster I needed.

  “You’d better get back to Aaron. I’m sure he’s probably looking for you anyway,” I said.

  “Yes, I’ll get back to him,” Cree said, smiling brightly.

  “You’re not making that seem like such a hardship,” I said, teasing.

  “Well, I’m just being honest,” she said. Then she looked off, contemplative. “Don’t you sometimes find it amazing how this all worked out?”

  I furrowed my brows.

  “What do you mean?” I asked.

  “I mean Aaron and me in love. Getting married?”

  “You don’t have doubts, do you?” I asked.

  Cree’s denial was instant and vehement. “Not a single one. Marrying Aaron is going to be the best thing I ever do. It’s just a little mind-blowing to think about how it all started, how we got from there to here. And strangely beautiful. It’s so weird, but what we think we know and the way things actually work out are usually so different. I don’t think I appreciated that before, but I do now,” she said.

  “I do too, and you know everything happens for a reason,” I said.

  “It does,” she replied.

  I laughed. “Oh my God, you’re so disgusting. You should see the dreamy smile on your face right now.”

  “I would say I’m sorry, but I’m not. Let me go find my man,” she said.

  “Go find him, and congratulations again,” I called.

  I reached up and squeezed her hand and she squeezed back. “Thank you, Dallas,” she said before she wandered off in search of Aaron.

  I again turned my back to the festivities, reflecting on Cree’s words.

  Yeah, things did change, something Kristian didn’t like, and while I tried to be more flexible, I could admit those changes terrified me too.

  In truth, seeing Marta had been yet another wake-up call and reminder that I needed to keep going down my path.

  In a lot of ways, Kristian and I relied on each other, and I had made him my stand-in, the emotional outlet I relied on rather than developing a real relationship.