By having them in his colors and entering with them, Darling had made a very public statement about his feelings where she and Maris were concerned.

Maris jerked his chin toward the dance floor. “Let’s really get under their skin and rub their noses in it, shall we?”

Laughing, she set her glass down, then took his proffered arm and allowed him to lead her toward the other dancers.

Once they reached the floor, he swept her into his arms and masterfully guided her through the elaborate steps.

Bored beyond human endurance, Darling glanced away as he tried not to roll his eyes at the ancient gerent in front of him who was droning on and on about the good old days under the reign of Darling’s grandfather.

As he glanced around the room, his gaze was drawn to a bright flash of maroon—a color only one woman had permission to wear tonight.

The moment he focused on Maris and Zarya as they danced together and laughed, his blood began racing. If anyone other than Maris dared to hold her like that and make her appear so deliriously happy, they’d be searching the dance floor for their body parts.

As it was, Darling was captivated by her beauty and vitality as they swirled together. Strange how, in all these years, he’d never known that she could dance. Never mind, do it so well.

He went instantly hard.

Desperate to be the one who added the color to her cheeks and make her laugh like that, he excused himself, then headed to the dance floor. In the back of his mind, he was well aware of the gossipmongers who watched and ruthlessly shredded his every movement. As governor, he wasn’t supposed to dance at all. It was considered beneath his position.

However, he was a different breed than his predecessors. Tradition had a place in the world.

But it wasn’t here tonight.

Maris pulled her to a stop as he saw Darling’s approach. With an extremely formal bow, he surrendered her to Darling’s custody.

Her face lighting with a smile that set fire to every part of him, Zarya took his hand and allowed him to pick up where Maris had stopped. “I didn’t think you were allowed to do this.”

“Fuck them,” Darling said nonchalantly. “What good is being governor if I can’t dance with the most beautiful woman here?”

Zarya’s blood raced as he dipped her low. The strength of his arm supporting her made her think of other times when he’d held her in private. Something that made her even more breathless than the quick dance.

His lips were so close to hers that it was all she could do not to kiss them. He straightened her, then twirled her around, and brought her back against the front of his hard body. Her head reeled from the sensation of all that power surrounding her as they moved in perfect synchronicity. With each step, she could feel how much he desired her as her hip brushed against his groin. It left her even more breathless and weak.