The Lost Fae (The Twisted Crown #3) - A.K. Koonce Page 0,27

Lincoln, who doesn't offer either of us a lick of attention. She doesn't ask or offer an arm once she reaches me. Instead, she tilts her head back with a laugh that echoes off the sea and grabs me, pulling me in. One of her arms links through mine as she tugs me into the fray.

I let out a playful scream and reach to snag Lincoln as we pass. Much too quickly, he takes a step back and holds his hands up, shaking his head. His lips move with the unspoken whisper of 'good luck' and then he begins clapping again.

The pirates don't care that I don't know the dance moves, or that I'm still a touch awkward in my lengthy Fae body as I tower over most of them. Someone passes me another drink and without a thought or worry I chug it down. My eyes lose focus. My body becomes more fluid.

I jump and lift my knees just like they do before we enter into the chorus of the song hooking arms and trading partners. The colors of their clothes and the silver of their greying hair make streaks in my vision. The momentum of their prancing carries me from one person to the next.

Though they may have hate in their hearts for the Fae thanks to Barnabus and his bandits, at this party they could care less if I was a bear trying to eat them. They'd dance with me anyways. And I let them.

As the song comes to a close, the crowd parts just enough that I spy Lincoln who already has his eyes on me. Johanna picks up a much smoother melody, one I imagine to be a love song. I lock my eyes on Ziko and sway my hips. My hands trace up and over my curves until they mingle above my head. I move just for him.

There isn't a cloud in the sky that shades us. Sweat drenches my clothes. But as long as Lincoln is looking, I'll be here dancing. The sun moves across the sky as pirates are coming and going from the dance floor. Lincoln remains where he stands, flicking his gaze from my hips, to my breasts, to my face.

When a crew member laughs and wraps her arms around my waist, I don't push her away. I roll my body against her and smile at Ziko and the way his iron-cut gaze flairs. Without missing a beat, the pirate girl grinds against me unashamedly running her fingers down my legs and up my torso. I shout out my approval as the song changes.

Time doesn't exist in this moment. It could be only a few seconds that I remain like this, pinned under his heavy stare, or it could be hours that I dance without remorse. The spell between us remains unbroken until two pirates trip over themselves in drunkenness and send me toppling forward.

I hit against a solid surface, too soft to be the ground. My fingers curl into pink ruffles and I giggle. My gaze moves from my hands up to Lincoln's face. His smile is long gone. His tongue darts out over his lips and he watches my mouth as it falls open while I wheeze out a breath.

Sometimes his beauty just hits me like that. A punch right to the gut. His eyes glow like warmed honey in the sun, his skin still a ghostly pallor compared to the dark hair he pushes out of his eyes. All I can think about is tasting him. My skin burns everywhere we align. I'm hyper aware of every brush of his body against mine.

Lincoln doesn't miss a beat as he stands me upright. His hands fall to my hips as he presses me against him and moves us to the music that never stopped.

The pirates still roll on the ground laughing from their fall, totally unaware of whatever sort of moment continues to pass between Lincoln and I. Let them be unaware. This... this is just for us.

I have the fleeting thought that one day we can tell our children or our grandchildren about the day we got drunk with pirates while we tried to escape the infamous Lost Court. I can picture our future together, happy and full of memories.

Without a care for the heat, Lincoln's arms wrap around me and I lower my head into his shoulder. There is a little bend in my knees as I rock my hip against his. His fingers run up