enough that she could make out the words. That meant he wanted her to hear them.
“We women dress ta flatter ourselves. No’ ta invite yer gaze.” She tugged at her bodice. “And it’s no’ too low. I’m quite properly covered.”
“I beg to differ.” His curt reply was tempered by his roguish grin.
She narrowed her gaze at him in warning.
“We should go back inside before Eynsford or one of his pack starts a search for you,” Alec said as he offered her his arm.
“Since ye have already ogled my bosoms, I’d like ta ask for a boon,” she said quickly. It came out all in one breath.
Then she wanted to hide her face in her hands. But she did want him to kiss her again. She doubted she’d ever get tired of his kisses, not if she lived to be a million years old.
“Recompense for my lack of manners?” Alec looked affronted. But then he shrugged. “If you plan to ask me to help you win one of those mutts, the answer is no.”
What a wonderful idea. Why hadn’t she thought of it herself? He seemed to lose all rational behavior when Lycans were involved. She could certainly use that to her advantage, couldn’t she? “I’d do no such thing,” she lightly protested.
“Uh-huh,” he challenged, nodding his head in agreement.
“Of course you wouldn’t.” He inhaled deeply and then let the breath out. It was an action reminiscent of his old life, a habit that was hard to break. “What’s this boon you’d like to collect in exchange for my ogling?”
What was the best way to go about this? Someone more adept at flirting would know just what to say. “Do ye find me pretty, Alec?”
“Good God, Sorcha,” he moaned. “Fishing for compliments now, are you?”
“Never mind,” she clipped out and moved to brush past him. She’d made a blasted fool out of herself with that misstep. But she’d never needed to flirt or use a man’s jealous nature to her advantage before. Perhaps she could talk Cait into giving her lessons.
Alec grabbed her arm as she tried to escape back into the ballroom. “Sorch,” he said, attempting to placate her.
“Don’t go.” No, stay here and continue to make a fool of yourself, the amusement in his eyes seemed to say.
“Name one good reason why I should stay,” she countered.
“Very well, I’ll answer you,” he ground out. Then he groaned, as though doing so was painful.
She straightened her shoulders and prepared for the worst. She had started this exchange, after all. She would have to take whatever he said in the spirit in which it was intended. And if it was truly awful, she’d run back to her room and cry her eyes out for the rest of the night.
“You’d like for me to be completely honest, correct?”
Havers! Must he drag this out? “No, I want ye ta lie ta me, Alec.” She rolled her eyes dramatically.
He chuckled. It was a warm sound. Very much like the old Alec, before he’d been reborn. Before his low laughter could come to a stop, he moved quickly, his arm snaking around her waist and drawing her close to him. Sorcha pressed her palms against his chest in an effort to steady herself. He was so hard beneath her fingertips. This was exactly where she’d wanted to be all night. Perhaps she hadn’t made such a terrible blunder after all. She should ask him on a regular basis if he thought she was pretty.
“Stop doing that,” he warned quickly.
“Doin’ what?” She tilted her head back to look into his face.
“Touching me,” he clipped out.
“I believe it was ye who grabbed me. No’ the other way around.”
“True,” he conceded with a good-natured shrug. “But that doesn’t give you license to explore my person.”
“I need a license ta touch ye? Somehow I doubt that.” Her fingertips flexed against him again. Then she moved to disentangle herself from his arms. He didn’t budge. Didn’t let her go.
“Don’t do that,” he said, his voice soft and hard at the same time.
“Now what am I doin’ wrong?” she sighed.
“You’re wiggling. Stop it. I want to talk to you.” With his free hand, he tipped her chin up, forcing her to meet his dark gaze. “You are not pretty at all,” he said slowly.
At once her heart ached and the sting of tears formed behind her lashes. She’d thought she could take whatever he had to say, but… “You’re bloody beautiful,” he added before she could respond.