Examining him for the reason he looks so put out, I touch his cheek with my pointer finger, but it slips right down his face. “Did you get jealous that guy was dancing with me?” I say as we go up the steps, and I laugh until a hiccup cuts it short. “I’ve never seen you jealous before. It’s cute. Can Strategia be cute? Isn’t it against the rules?”

“I was on the other side of the room for no more than half an hour. How did you manage to bond with old Angus, much less concoct a performance in that time?” Ash says as he continues up the stairs.

“Whisky!” I say, and spread my arms out. “The old man—”

“Angus,” Ash offers.

“Angus said it was a solution to…well, I don’t remember to what, but it made sense at the time,” I say.

Even though I can tell he’s still concerned, a smile steals across his face. His dark brown eyes focus on me in a way that makes me feel like I’m the only girl in the world he smiles at, even though I know for a fact that’s not the case.

“Why are you so attractive?” I say, and his eyes widen. “No, seriously. I want to know. It’s weird.”

“It’s weird?” He tries to maintain a serious expression, but his voice sounds like it’s covering a laugh.

“Yeah. Super weird.”

“I’m afraid I don’t know how to answer that,” he says, and puts me down gently in front of the suite, waiting for me to get my footing before he lets go.

I lean against the wall, and as soon as he finishes opening the door, I touch his hand. He intertwines his fingers with mine, and I pull him toward me.

“I’m going to kiss you right now, Ashai, so don’t you dare try to object,” I say, and the smile he gives me is so knee-weakening that I’m grateful not only for the wall behind me, but for the builder of this wall in particular, and for the inventor of walls in general.

He gently slips his hand behind my neck, and my skin tingles where he touches me. His lips hover above mine. “I would never refuse a kiss from you.”

I move my mouth to meet his, and the tingles that started in my neck spread through my entire body. He steps a little closer, and his body meets mine, pressing my back into the wall.

Then suddenly there is the sound of voices on the staircase and we break our embrace. He offers me his arm to walk into the room, but I stumble in just fine on my own.