He dabbed a little extr
a lip color on her mouth and opened his large hand loosely over her lower face, his fingers on her jaw. She looked up into his golden brown eyes, knowing what was coming next. He rubbed the smooth stone over her lips. Her body tingled with awareness.
“I don’t think I’ve ever mentioned this, but I really wish you wouldn’t do that to other women.”
“Do what?” he asked, blinking in surprise.
“Use that stone. On other women. When you’re doing makeups.”
He opened his hand and stared blankly at the onyx stone. He looked at her face, and she knew he was thinking of all the times he’d made her shake in pleasure with that stone.
“I’d never use it for that, with other women,” he said dryly. He grew thoughtful and set down the jar of lip color he’d been holding. “Come to think of it, I don’t use it much to blend makeup anymore, either.” He nodded once. “Okay, I won’t use it at all.”
“Thank you,” she said, beaming. “Another compromise made. I won’t forget it.”
He walked closer to her, looking somber and handsome as the devil in his tux. Gia had requested that if he did escort her to the ball, he wouldn’t wear a makeup. There had been something elementally wrong about Seth being hidden behind a façade that one time. He was the master of disguise, not the wearer. Besides, she liked the idea of him being her cornerstone of reality in this crazy business.
He grabbed her hand and lifted it. His mouth felt warm and firm against the back of her hand. She wondered if the shivers she got from his touch would ever fade.
“It’s well worth it, to see you so happy,” he said quietly. “Don’t forget that we have a private appointment in here after this damn ball. I’m going to peel off this makeup and have you all the ways I did on that first night here, and a few more ways besides.” He gave her a sharp, pointed glance that sent a spike of excitement through her. He brushed his fingers over a curl in the wig she wore, and false hair or not, her skull prickled with pleasure.
“I’m glad Joy was here to say the makeup was good because I’m beginning to think I’ll never be able to make you up with any objectivity,” he said thoughtfully. “I always just see you, whether you’re a boy or the first lady.”
“That’s a good thing, isn’t it?”
He examined her closely. “No,” he said finally with an air of finality. There was something else in his expression. He was pleased. “It’s better than good. I was so wrong to ever doubt you. I used to feel so alone in this make-believe world. I loved it, but I was an outsider. I protected myself against it, like I thought it’d make me unreal somehow if I gave in to it. Now I’m not alone.” He pulled her closer against him, his strength and heat resonating into her.
“You’re my rock,” she told him feelingly. “I want you to know that.”
His slow smile made something flicker at her core.
“We may exist in a world of smoke and shadows,” he told her, leaning down to touch her lips ever so fleetingly with his own. “But there’s nothing realer in my world than you, Gia.”