He was a master at isolating his moves, popping—or what he called ‘twitching’, with an almost natural ease and power.
He came closer, his dance coming to an end. Placing his palm over his chest, he rolled and popped his chest out three times as if his heart compelled his movements.
She smiled when he reached her. “You’re beautiful.” The instant she spoke, she blinked as if waking from a spell. “Your dance is beautiful. That’s what I meant to say.”
He gave her a doubtful smirk that turned soft the instant a blush rushed across her face. “I dream of touching you.” He feigned surprise and covered his traitorous mouth. “I dream of dancing with you. That’s what I meant to say.”
Aria didn’t know which was more intimate and giggled at the poor comparison.
“How did you find me?” he asked.
“Toric led the way. I was lost.”
He gave the bird perched on a bare branch a few feet away a curious look. “Toric doesn’t usually offer his aid to strangers. Thank you, old friend.”
The bird croaked and flew off.
“Gray, can all animals understand humans?”
He took her hand. His was warm, as was his gaze when he pulled her toward the center of the clearing. “I’ll tell you the answer if you dance with me.”
She followed, and without telling him what she was doing, stepped into him, close to his chest. His arm came up instantly to hold her, but she stopped him, taking one arm and closing it around her waist. He smiled. She took his other hand and held it up and away.
“This is a more intimate way to dance in the future,” she let him know with her body a hair’s breadth away from his. She could feel his heat radiating off him. It felt nice in the cold. Her steps were loosely taken from the waltz, but she went where they took her.
He caught on quickly and swirled her around the circle until she threw back her head to laugh. When her gaze settled on him again, she saw that he’d been staring at her. At her neck. She blushed a little and then leaned her head on his chest.
His heart beat against her cheek just before he pulled her one step closer. Holding her hand, he pressed it to his chest and held it as if it were a treasure.
She’d never been held so. Was it because she’d never had time? Or could she have had all the time in the world and still never found a man like him?
Sighing against him, she closed her eyes and let him naturally lead. He held her, safe against the weather.
Around them, the animals dispersed. All were happy their “Grayson” had returned. They squeaked and buzzed and made a variety of other noises. Was it as they had done when he was a boy with no human friends? They had all been there for him, with him when his mother left, and when Gable and Cavendish and their friends beat him to a pulp. They were there when his grandmother left—until Harry killed Abigail the goose. Because he loved his friends, he’d pushed them away.
“All animals have the ability to understand human language, if they hear it enough,” he told her as promised. “They pick up emotions first. It’s more instinctual than learned. Most humans don’t communicate with them, so they never learn to interact.”
“But you don’t communicate by speaking to them,” she pointed out.
“I can communicate through telepathy,” he told her. “Thanks, I’m told by Harper, to my distant grandfather.”
They spoke briefly about the Ashmores. Aria didn’t tell him Harper was his mother’s sister. That truth was for Harper to tell.
Finally, they headed back to the castle where a steaming hot meal of partridge and turnip stew with fresh bread awaited them.
Harper appeared beside his chair and slipped into the one next to it. “You weren’t dancing in the forest, were you?”
He didn’t answer but spread his gaze over everyone in the dining hall with the slightest of smiles curling his lips.
“You know what the doctor told you, Grayson. Are you dense?” Harper leaned forward to set her angry gaze on Aria on the other side of him.
Gray’s smile vanished and was replaced by a pout that made him look like a repentant puppy. “Why are you snapping at her? I left the castle three hours ago, long before she found me.”
“Did you stop him?” she asked Aria.
“You know I do as I please,” he interrupted, leaning forward to block her view.
Aria understood why Harper was angry. Aria had been careless with him. She was wrong, and the very least she could do was not hide behind him but admit it. “No, I didn’t try to stop him.”