The party was in full swing, the air filled with the sound of laughter, clinking glasses, and the smooth jazz band Victor had hired for the evening. Cora stood near the edge of the room, a glass of champagne in hand, trying to steady her nerves. The kiss, the confrontation with Frank, and the weight of her mother's suspicions were all swirling in her mind like a storm she couldn't escape.
Jace was across the room, talking to his father and a group of business associates. Every so often, his eyes would flicker toward her, and Cora would quickly look away, her cheeks burning.
"Get it together, Cora," she muttered under her breath, taking a sip of her champagne.
But getting it together was easier said than done. The memory of their kiss—and the way Jace had looked at her afterward—was seared into her brain. She couldn't stop thinking about it, no matter how hard she tried.
As the band transitioned into a slow, romantic melody, Victor Hart clinked his glass to get everyone's attention.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Victor said, his voice booming. "I think it's time for the happy couple to share a dance. What do you say?"
The room erupted in applause, and Cora felt her stomach drop. She glanced at Jace, who looked equally panicked, but there was no way out of this.
Jace walked over to her, his expression unreadable. "Shall we?"
Cora forced a smile and nodded, though her heart was racing. "Let's get this over with."
Jace took her hand and led her to the center of the dance floor, where the other guests had cleared a space for them. As he placed one hand on her waist and took her hand in the other, Cora felt a jolt of electricity at the contact.
"Just follow my lead," Jace said, his voice low.
"I'll try," Cora said, her tone dry.
They began to sway to the music, their movements awkward at first but gradually falling into sync. Cora could feel the warmth of Jace's hand on her waist, the steady rhythm of his breathing, and the way his eyes never left hers.
As the song played on, the tension between them became impossible to ignore. Cora's heart was pounding, her mind racing with thoughts she couldn't quite articulate.
"This is… nice," Cora said finally, her voice soft.
"Yeah," Jace replied, his tone equally quiet. "It is."
There was a long silence as they continued to dance, the world around them fading into the background. For a moment, it was just the two of them, lost in the music and the warmth of each other's presence.
"Jace," Cora said, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Yeah?" Jace asked, his eyes searching hers.
Cora hesitated, then shook her head. "Never mind."
Jace studied her for a moment, then sighed. "Cora, we need to talk about this. About… us."
Cora felt a flicker of panic, but she nodded. "I know. But not here. Not now."
Jace nodded, though his expression was unreadable. "Later, then."
As the song came to an end, the room erupted in applause, snapping Cora and Jace out of their bubble. They stepped away from each other, their hands lingering for a moment before finally letting go.
"Well done," Victor said, clapping Jace on the back. "You two are quite the pair."
"Thanks, Dad," Jace said, his tone dry.
Cora forced a smile, though her mind was racing. She needed air.
"I'm going to step outside for a minute," Cora said, her voice shaky.
Jace nodded, his expression concerned. "Do you want me to come with you?"
Cora shook her head. "No, I'll be fine. I just… need a moment."
As she walked out onto the balcony, Cora let out a long breath, trying to steady her nerves. The cool night air was a welcome relief after the stifling heat of the party, and she leaned against the railing, staring out at the city lights.
A few minutes later, Jace joined her on the balcony, his expression unreadable.
"Hey," he said, his voice soft.
"Hey," Cora replied, her tone equally quiet.
There was a long silence as they stood there, the tension between them almost tangible.
Finally, Jace spoke. "That kiss and the dance… it meant something, didn't it?"
Cora felt her stomach drop, but she nodded. "Yeah. It did."
Jace sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know what's happening here, Cora. But I do know that this… whatever it is… it's getting harder to ignore."
Cora turned to him, her eyes wide. "What are you saying?"
Jace hesitated, then shook his head. "I don't know. But we need to figure it out. Soon."
Cora nodded, though her mind was racing.