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I sort of laughed, unclenching my hand in his hair, moving it to his shoulder. “I thought you said a gentleman didn’t fondle ladies in doorways, or perhaps behind curtains, in this case.”
A self-satisfied grin quirked his beautiful mouth.
“I never professed to be a gentleman. That was an assumption on your part.”
“Oh, well, in that case, let me go find one.”
I pretended to pull away. He snapped me back against him.
“No man of any kind will fondle you or do otherwise ever again.” It was a promise, not a threat. He planted a tender kiss on my forehead and held me there. “I would love to take you out onto the dance floor, hold you in my arms, and show every man here that you are mine and no other’s.”
“So, why don’t you?”
Lion-gold eyes captured me. His hands drifted to my hips and squeezed, but not in a seductive way this time. Protective. Possessive. After a long moment, he blinked and broke the connection.
“Bamal’s demons will know me on sight. I need to keep my distance if we are to lure them into the open.”
I nodded, taking a deep breath and letting it out. He evidently had no desire to keep his distance, nor did I, but we had a mission tonight—to capture Bamal’s henchmen and negotiate a deal with the high demons in his employ. I didn’t ask Jude what that entailed. Honestly, I didn’t want to know.
With my mind on present problems, I pulled out of his arms. “Well, I better get back to work then.”
He cupped my face with large, warm hands, gazing into my eyes for what seemed like forever. His thumb brushed my cheekbone. “Be careful, Genevieve.”
I smiled, tiptoed, and planted a swift kiss on his lips. “You too.”
I slipped out of the curtain and skirted the perimeter of the dance floor, returning back to Mindy, hoping she was in the alcove.
“Genevieve.”
I turned to find Nathaniel looking down at me, having removed his mask. He was handsome, a strong jaw and steady, arrogant gaze telling me he was used to getting what he wanted.
“May I have this dance? Mindy’s sitting this one out.”
I was pretty sure Mindy forced him to ask me to dance to make sure I was enjoying myself. If she only knew I’d enjoy myself better without Nathaniel’s attentions.
“Sure,” I replied, taking his offered hand.
Normally, I would’ve refused politely, but I needed to be in the open. Perhaps a spin around the dance floor would tempt the demons to come out so the others could find them. Thankfully, Nathaniel placed his hand on my waist in a respectable way, gracefully taking my other hand to guide me around the dancers. I was in no mood to fend off roaming hands.
“Are you feeling well?” he asked. “You appear flushed.”
Crap. Evidence of Jude’s caresses were all over me, in the pink of my cheeks and probably in marks along my neck and chest as well. Pale skin revealed everything.
“Perhaps it’s the heat.”
“Ah. Yes.” His lip twitched. I couldn’t tell whether he was mocking me, perhaps having seen me reappear from someone else’s alcove and put two and two together, or whether he naturally seemed like a snide ass all the time. “It is a little warm in this crush of people.”
He led me along, spinning smoothly between the couples. Though I didn’t let on, a prickle of unease warned me that I was being observed.
“So, you and Mindy go to school together at Loyola?”
“Yes.” I nodded with a smile, glancing over his shoulder to try and find who was watching me. “Are you in school?”
“Tulane.”
Condescending smile. How did Mindy fall for these guys? I found myself wishing Dazzling Dave would make a sudden appearance.
“So what’s your major, Genevieve?”
