grinned. “Did you finally manage to ditch the dance card?”
Aiden’s eyes widened, a blush spreading across his face, then he nodded. “Payton beat me tonight though. And my friend Bannon wins for the most original card extermination this time. He accidentally dropped his in the punch bowl.”
Nate chuckled. “Is it a contest?”
“It’s ongoing. We judge on promptness and originality of destruction.
Usually, I’m the first one to lose my card. Payton is generally the most original.”
-79-
J.L. Langley
Pulling the younger man a bit closer than entirely proper, Nate squeezed Aiden’s waist where his hand rested and used his thumb to caress Aiden’s palm. He could feel the heat of Aiden’s body, smell him.
The scent was nice, like bayberry, one of Nate’s favorite scents. Aiden’s ebony curls moved a little on every turn, tempting Nate to run his fingers through the locks. Instead he tried to concentrate on the conversation.
“What do the winners get?”
“The satisfaction of knowing they won.”
The man was charming and competitive…not a bad quality to have.
His innocence was obvious and extremely appealing, making Nate long to corrupt him.
Mirroring Nate’s steps, Aiden never faltered. He grinned, his eyes gleaming. The younger man’s face grew flushed with excitement, then he chuckled, throwing his head back a bit. “Thank you for catching my dance card.”
Nate laughed back, truly enjoying himself. “You’re very welcome. You don’t dance much, do you?”
Aiden shook his head, his gray eyes wide. “Not unless I’m made to, and then my mind is usually on something else.”
“Oh? And what is your mind usually on?”
“My art.” He bit his lip and gave Nate another one of those pointed stares. “I’m an artist.”
“That explains the computers. They’re sketchscreens?”
Aiden bobbed his head.
It made sense. Nate had noticed him watching things closely, as if in a daze. “What do you draw?”
“A little of everything. Still lifes, portraits, landscapes. Anything possible. I want to be good at all of it.”
Something about the way he said it, the zest, made Nate realize how important it was to him. Nate would be willing to bet Aiden was already very adept at it. “I’d love to see some of your work.”
-80-
My Fair Captain
Aiden relaxed again, a grin slowly spreading across his face. “You would?”
Nate nodded and twirled them around. “I would. I’ve always enjoyed art. I try and visit museums when I go to a new planet. I can’t draw a lick, even with the help of a computer, but I like to look. My mother loved the arts, painting, music, acting, but especially paintings and printed media.” It was one of the few things Nate held onto from his youth.
The smile Aiden gave him was absolutely radiant.
Nate smiled back and before he knew it, they were staring at one another, caught in the magic of the waltz as they danced around the ballroom. It was truly one of the strangest moments of Nate’s life.
The song came to an end but they barely noticed.
Nate gazed into the upturned face right below his own. The man had such a beautiful mouth. Dipping forward, Nate licked his lips.
Aiden tilted his head, his eyes closing.
Nate closed his own eyes, inches away from Aiden’s lips.
“Aiden!”
They jumped apart, the spell broken.
Fuck. Nate dashed a quick look around to see if they’d been noticed standing in the middle of the dance floor making eyes at each other.
The young blond man Nate had seen talking to Aiden earlier rushed toward them, stealing peeks behind him. Everyone else seemed to be leaving the room, oblivious to them.
When the young man stopped in front of them, he bowed.
Aiden motioned to him. “Lord Deverell, this is Lord Rupert. Rupert, Lord Deverell.”
Rupert bobbed his head. “Pleasure to meet you, Lord Deverell.”
Turning his attention to Aiden, Rupert snagged Aiden’s free arm and started pulling. “You have to come to dinner
Aiden’s eyes widened, a blush spreading across his face, then he nodded. “Payton beat me tonight though. And my friend Bannon wins for the most original card extermination this time. He accidentally dropped his in the punch bowl.”
Nate chuckled. “Is it a contest?”
“It’s ongoing. We judge on promptness and originality of destruction.
Usually, I’m the first one to lose my card. Payton is generally the most original.”
-79-
J.L. Langley
Pulling the younger man a bit closer than entirely proper, Nate squeezed Aiden’s waist where his hand rested and used his thumb to caress Aiden’s palm. He could feel the heat of Aiden’s body, smell him.
The scent was nice, like bayberry, one of Nate’s favorite scents. Aiden’s ebony curls moved a little on every turn, tempting Nate to run his fingers through the locks. Instead he tried to concentrate on the conversation.
“What do the winners get?”
“The satisfaction of knowing they won.”
The man was charming and competitive…not a bad quality to have.
His innocence was obvious and extremely appealing, making Nate long to corrupt him.
Mirroring Nate’s steps, Aiden never faltered. He grinned, his eyes gleaming. The younger man’s face grew flushed with excitement, then he chuckled, throwing his head back a bit. “Thank you for catching my dance card.”
Nate laughed back, truly enjoying himself. “You’re very welcome. You don’t dance much, do you?”
Aiden shook his head, his gray eyes wide. “Not unless I’m made to, and then my mind is usually on something else.”
“Oh? And what is your mind usually on?”
“My art.” He bit his lip and gave Nate another one of those pointed stares. “I’m an artist.”
“That explains the computers. They’re sketchscreens?”
Aiden bobbed his head.
It made sense. Nate had noticed him watching things closely, as if in a daze. “What do you draw?”
“A little of everything. Still lifes, portraits, landscapes. Anything possible. I want to be good at all of it.”
Something about the way he said it, the zest, made Nate realize how important it was to him. Nate would be willing to bet Aiden was already very adept at it. “I’d love to see some of your work.”
-80-
My Fair Captain
Aiden relaxed again, a grin slowly spreading across his face. “You would?”
Nate nodded and twirled them around. “I would. I’ve always enjoyed art. I try and visit museums when I go to a new planet. I can’t draw a lick, even with the help of a computer, but I like to look. My mother loved the arts, painting, music, acting, but especially paintings and printed media.” It was one of the few things Nate held onto from his youth.
The smile Aiden gave him was absolutely radiant.
Nate smiled back and before he knew it, they were staring at one another, caught in the magic of the waltz as they danced around the ballroom. It was truly one of the strangest moments of Nate’s life.
The song came to an end but they barely noticed.
Nate gazed into the upturned face right below his own. The man had such a beautiful mouth. Dipping forward, Nate licked his lips.
Aiden tilted his head, his eyes closing.
Nate closed his own eyes, inches away from Aiden’s lips.
“Aiden!”
They jumped apart, the spell broken.
Fuck. Nate dashed a quick look around to see if they’d been noticed standing in the middle of the dance floor making eyes at each other.
The young blond man Nate had seen talking to Aiden earlier rushed toward them, stealing peeks behind him. Everyone else seemed to be leaving the room, oblivious to them.
When the young man stopped in front of them, he bowed.
Aiden motioned to him. “Lord Deverell, this is Lord Rupert. Rupert, Lord Deverell.”
Rupert bobbed his head. “Pleasure to meet you, Lord Deverell.”
Turning his attention to Aiden, Rupert snagged Aiden’s free arm and started pulling. “You have to come to dinner
Similar Books
