Beautiful. “You steal my breath, Sunshine.”
A sweet blush stained her cheeks, but the smile she gave him sent the blood in a wild tumble through his veins.
He closed the distance between them in three long strides, covering her bare shoulders with his hands. Her scent wrapped around him. His grip tightened.
“Forget the party,” he said huskily. “We’ll have our own party right here.”
With a small musical laugh, she twirled out of his grasp. “Not a chance.” She came to a stop, meeting his gaze, fire lighting her eyes. “At least not yet.” A smile of seductive innocence lifted one corner of her mouth. “I want to dance. And have a glass of champagne. Besides the others would never forgive you if you missed this party.”
There was also the small matter of her being untried. And the party he had in mind was far too carnal. Another night, perhaps. Maybe another time.
He reached for her hand, then hesitated. “The moonstone.”
Julianne’s smile died. “What if Melisande comes for it while we’re gone?”
“Unlikely. But I was thinking that someone in the enclave might know what it is. Or what it does. We might get some valuable information if someone recognizes it.”
A flash of alarm crossed her features. “If you start asking, it’ll raise too many questions.”
“I agree. That’s why I think you should wear it.” He shrugged. “It goes with the dress.”
A small smile of understanding lifted her lips. “If anyone asks where I got it, I’ll say I found it in the library.”
“The absolute truth.”
She retrieved the moonstone and handed it to him. He placed it around her neck, letting the small stone, framed by fine silver filigree, settle against the satin perfection of her skin. Unable to resist the temptation, he placed a slow, lush kiss on her shoulder, drinking in the scent and taste of her. Goddess, but he wanted to stay right here and explore every inch of her with his mouth.
“Zeeland.”
Reluctantly, he released her and held out his hand. She looked up at him, meeting his gaze with a look of dark passion and deep affection, stealing his heart all over again.
“I should warn you, Sunshine. I’m a jealous man.”
She grinned at him. “No, you’re not.”
He smiled, unable to do otherwise when his heart was near to bursting with pleasure just from the sight of that smile on her face again. “With you, I am. I was about to bust some heads last night even before Jag approached you.”
Her brows lifted. “Why?”
“Because they were all looking at you, wanting you as badly as I did. I could see it in their eyes.”
“I didn’t notice.” Her expression turned warm and serious. “You were the only one I was paying any attention to, Zee.”
“Good.” He kissed her cheek. She was his. Whether she knew it yet, or not. He held out his arm for her and led her down to the main level of the house, then down another open flight of stairs to the basement, which had long ago been finished as an expensively appointed club. Known among the Therians as Club Alex, the room possessed a full mahogany bar, a first-rate sound system and dance floor, two pool tables, and more than a dozen small round tables for the audience to sit and drink and enjoy the entertainment.
Tonight, red and pink hearts hung from the ceiling on accordion streamers that ran from one end of the room to the other. Pop music blasted from the speakers.
And every pair of eyes in the house watched Julianne as she accompanied him down the stairs, every male eye shot through with a mix of raw male appreciation and jealousy.
With a savage smile, he understood. For five years she’d been of age and never once taken any of them to bed. For five years, they’d vied for her attention and failed.
No wonder the sorry suckers were jealous.
His chest swelled with a pride and satisfaction he couldn’t contain. She was his, dammit. She’d always been his.
Always.
Hawke broke away from the crowd and was the first to greet them. He met Zeeland’s gaze with warm approval before turning to Julianne. He bent to give her a quick peck on the cheek.
“You look lovely, Julianne.”
“Thank you, Hawke.” She smiled at the Feral, then turned to grin up at Zeeland, letting him and everyone else know that not even a Feral Warrior could steal her attention from the man at her side.
Grayson slapped him on the back, joining them. “About time you two got together. Nice dress, Squirt.” He winked, earning a feminine roll of turquoise eyes.
“Thanks, Gray.”
At least Grayson didn’t seem to be standing in line to attract Julianne’s attention. Then again, Grayson and Ryland were the only ones who’d known why he left the enclave ten years ago. Both had known how he felt about her.