I really hope this works.
Elena peered through the window of the royal carriage at the elegant moonlit estate home towering before her. The lamplit windows glowing in the night beckoned in warm welcome, a stark contrast with the fluttering in her stomach. Closing her eyes, she placed a hand over her racing heart. She was about to make her entrance at a masquerade ball as Analucia Flores, a friend of Naomi Turner's visiting from Paraiso.
The ball was to be the Avaloran high society social event of the year, and Elena, the queen, had declined the invitation, sending her cousin, Grand Chancellor Esteban along with her best friend and advisor, Naomi, in her place. It hadn't been hard to convince him that she was exhausted from the constant demands and the social posturing from the nobility that came along with the crown, and for the most part, she had been telling the truth.
What she really wanted, however, was the chance enjoy a party without the pressure and responsibility that came along with the title of "queen"; to pretend she was someone else for one night–– someone with nothing to lose and everything to gain. She wanted a night of freedom–– away from the prying eyes of her court–– to do whatever she wished with whomever she wished to do it with.
A thrill ran through her as she realized that her wish was about to come true.
Elena took a deep, calming breath and stepped from the carriage, pausing to smooth the ebony folds of her dress. If anything could convince her that she was someone completely different that night, it was the daring gown that graced her slender frame. She ran a hand along the sensual curve of her waist, accentuated by the tightly cinched corset, Elena grinned wickedly as she didn't think she could imagine a gown more different from her typical style than the one she wore that night, yet, somehow, she found herself absolutely loving it.
As she climbed the stairs leading to the front door, excitement and confidence building with each step, she adjusted the silk mask that covered most of her face. Pulling herself to her full height, Elena stood before the door and squared her shoulders, her lips curving into a confident smile as she raised her hand to knock. She could do this.
She was ready. The night was hers.
–––––
Mateo couldn't believe he'd let Naomi talk him into attending this party. He was the farthest thing from a noble and felt awkwardly uncomfortable stuck in the middle of this crowd of high society Avalorans. He didn't know what to talk about or how to act and the thought of asking one of the beautifully adorned women milling about the room to dance with him made him feel faint with anxiety. He didn't know why she'd even wanted him to come, seeing as she was busy with court business.
Well, he thought with a wry smile, at least the people are interesting to watch.
And they were. The ballroom was an explosion of color with shimmering fabrics, beads, feathers and crystals from the many different elegant costumes worn by the party goers. He saw masks of all shapes and sizes–– jaquins, butterflies, birds, flowers–– Mateo chuckled as he saw one that was the clear likeness of an Avaloran Pasofino, complete with a long swishing horse hair tail attached the the back of the gown.
He had to admit that the food was good too, though he was used to good food seeing as he spent the majority of his time at the palace. In fact, most of his meals were taken in the royal family's private dining room with Elena and her family.
A small pang of regret shot through him as he thought of his best friend and how he wished she was there. The party would be a hundred times more fun at her side. But he was glad that she was taking an evening for herself and wondered what she was doing.
He smiled softly as he thought of the look of blissful joy on her face she took her horse for a long ride, or the way her nimble fingers might quietly dance across the strings of her guitar or the way she would relax as she walked through the palace gardens.
His thoughts were interrupted as the guard by the ballroom entrance announced the arrival of another guest. He didn't quite catch the name, but he glanced over and felt his heart stutter in his chest as he spied the stunningly gorgeous woman who had just entered the room.
The young woman was darkness and mystery itself in her black swan gown and mask. Her skirt was a masterpiece of frothy black fabric floating around her like the shadows of night. Lightly brushing the ground, the skirt gathered at her waist and opened into a thigh high slit where he blushed as he noticed a pair of incredibly shaped legs peeking out among the layers of ruffled fabric. Mateo was in awe as he noticed her every curve hugged by the silky black bodice that shimmered with delicate black and silver beads in swirling abstract feather-like patterns— his mouth went dry as he imagined running his own hand along the dramatic curve of her waist. The young woman carried herself with a certain grace that was also somehow familiar, though he couldn't place a finger on how exactly.
Hundreds of tiny shimmering beads encrusted her black swan mask in feather-like whorl patterns much like the patterns on her bodice, curving elegantly along her cheekbones into delicate points at her temples. An elaborate arrangement of black feathers, ribbons and rhinestones adorned the mask and swept up, encircling the elegant mounds of hair artfully twisted into place at the crown of her head. He wondered how long her hair must be, heat rising up his neck, leaving him feeling rather hot and twitchy as a vivid image of her silky tresses beneath his fingers flashed through his mind.
Mateo was certain he was gaping, but he couldn't quite bring himself to tear his eyes away from the mysterious young woman who was now peering around the ballroom as if looking for someone.
"She sure is beautiful, isn't she?" a voice spoke from behind him, causing Mateo to jump violently in surprise.
"Don't sneak up on me like that!" Mateo hissed over his shoulder at the grinning blonde who was now watching him with a sly smile.
"What? It's not my fault you decided to act like a dork drooling over Analucia as soon as she walked in the door!" Naomi teased.
"Haha, very funny. Wait––" Mateo said, "Did you say her name is 'Analucia'? You know her?"
"Yeah, she's an old friend visiting from Paraiso."
"I didn't know you had friends in Paraiso."
"Yeah, well, I traveled a lot before I came to Avalor and since I'm not a quirky, reclusive wizard who prefers spell books to people, I made a few friends along the way," she elbowed him playfully.
"Ow! Ok, point taken," Mateo grumbled as he rubbed his arm gingerly, still not taking his eyes off of the elegant young woman in black. His heart skipped a beat and took off again at an erratic pace as the young woman looked in his direction and smiled widely.
"Calm down!" Naomi hissed in his ear. "This is your chance to meet her! Ask her to dance!"
"What?!" Mateo nearly yelped, "M–me? Ask her– You've got to be joking!"
"This is what the masquerade is all about, Mateo de Alva," Naomi whispered fiercely, stepping in front of him as she put one hand on her hip and jabbed a finger into his chest, "You get to be whoever you want for this one night. Now, do you want to spend the night as a people watching wallflower or would you rather have an amazing time dancing the night away with a beautiful girl in your arms?"
Mateo swallowed hard as he watched the girl over Naomi's shoulder crossing the ballroom, getting closer and closer by the second. He wondered what it would be like to be confident? He wondered what it would be like to charm a young woman like that and have her in his arms?
It seemed impossible, yet–– somehow–– possible.
Naomi was right. He could choose to be confident behind his mask. This young woman didn't know him. No one aside from Naomi even knew the royal wizard of Avalor was attending the party that night. He would do this, he would put aside his fears and self doubt and enjoy the one night of freedom that the masquerade had to offer.
Mateo raised his head, standing straight and tall as he shoved the self doubt that had been his constant unwelcome companion for so long to the far reaches of his mind. He would be himself–– though a confident version of himself. And any mistakes or foolery would not be remembered as Mateo mistakes, but of the tall, dark stranger who would cease to exist as soon as the ball was over.
Empowered by this revelation, Mateo grinned roguishly as an odd newfound confidence swelled within him. He could do this.
He was ready. The night was his.
—Elena sighed with relief and smiled as she made her entrance with little fanfare. Her assumed identity meant nothing to the social circles of Avalor and very few, aside from the interested bachelors scattered around the room, paid her any attention as she was announced and made her entrance. Elena kept moving, scanning the room quickly for any sign of Naomi.
She wasn't interested in dancing with every single male in the room who wanted her because she was pretty any more than when they wanted her because she was the queen. She wanted to make a true connection with someone, have a riveting conversation, sense that there was some sort of–– she wasn't sure what–– chemistry, perhaps–– between them.
Elena knew that she'd set herself a near impossible task seeing as she only had a few hours to find that connection, but she certainly wouldn't waste her one evening of freedom dancing with bachelors, young and old, she had no interest in. That was the queen's job, not Analucia's.
Her lips split into a wide smile as she spotted the blonde bouffant that she was certain belonged to Naomi and made to dash across the dance floor to catch her but realized that was a very Elena thing to do and she needed to slow down if she was to maintain the charade all night. As much as it pained her, Elena made her way slowly and carefully through the crowd, excusing herself politely each time someone stopped her to request a dance.
As she worked her way through the crowd, Naomi came into view and Elena paused, realizing that her friend was not alone. No, she had been talking with a tall, dark young man who stood beside her. As Elena approached, Naomi shoved the young man, apparently sending him on his way.
"Naomi!" Elena called out with a smile, waving at her friend.
"Look who finally decided to join us!" Naomi said, her eyes twinkling with mischief, linking arms with her best friend.
"Sorry, it took awhile to get out of the palace unnoticed! I had to wait for Esteban to leave and he took forever!"
Naomi waved a dismissive hand, "Nah, don't worry about it. You know I'm just teasing you. The night is young and you know these things usually go until sunrise."
"All to well! So, how's the party?"
"Eh, it's a party. I've spent most of my time keeping Esteban and Dona Paloma from biting each other's heads off, you know how they can be."
Elena laughed, nodding, "Yes, I do."
"I've got the drinks, Naomi," Elena jumped as she heard the quiet male voice speak from just behind her.
Turning to glance at him, Elena did a double take, eyes widening and her breath catching in her throat, as she took in the young man's appearance.
He was tall, wearing a short bolero jacket embellished with intricate, whorled patterns of black and silver beads on the cuffs and lapels. A black dress shirt layered beneath the jacket and a silver sash graced his narrow waist. Elena swallowed hard as she noticed the black pants that had been tailored to perfection over his slim frame, she could appreciate how well the look worked for his build.
Elena's eyes traveled with interest across each detail of his suit, pausing as she met his eyes. Her eyes widened as her mouth popped open with surprised delight.
Though they were shadowed by an intricately patterned silk mask, this young man had the gentlest, kindest eyes she had ever seen. They reminded her of her best friend's eyes–– of Mateo's eyes, but different somehow.
And his smile— well, she couldn't ignore the fluttering feeling in her stomach as she followed the lines of the mask down to where it framed his smile so perfectly. A wide brimmed bolero hat cast a soft shadow over his face, and Elena became fluttery and breathless as she found herself inexplicably wishing to get closer to this tall, dark stranger who, if it wasn't for the lack of chocolate curls in his eyes and the good posture, could be a somewhat convincing doppelganger for her royal wizard.
Blushing deeply, Elena licked her lips, a thrill running through her as she pictured herself kissing that beautiful mouth, imagining it belonged to her best friend.
Wait. Where had that thought even come from?
Elena was speechless and just stared at the young man who was watching her just as intently until Naomi cleared her throat loudly and said, "Hello! Analucia. Are you there?"
Elena startled and looked at her friend, flashing an apologetic smile. As she spoke, she tried to throw in a bit of a Paraisian twist to mask her accent.
"Oh! Naomi! Sorry, I was, er—"
Naomi fixed her with a sly smile, crossing her arms as she said, "Distracted by my friend here? Yeah, I noticed."
"Your— friend?" Elena looked between Naomi and the young man, confused. She was certain she knew all of Naomi's friends outside the palace but she'd never seen this young man before.
"Why is everyone so surprised that I have friends?" Naomi grumbled, "Yes! This is my friend— er— Julian, from school." Naomi gestured to the young man beside her and continued the introductions, "Julian? This is my friend, Analucia, from Paraiso."
Elena held out a hand, smiling as she said, "I'm very pleased to meet you, Julian."
The young man hesitated a moment, exhaled a deep breath and relaxed, smiling as he took her hand and gave her a little bow. Her heart stuttered a few beats as he pressed a kiss to her knuckles, his lips soft and warm. He looked up, saying, "The pleasure is all mine, my lady."
Though his voice was thick with the Old Avaloran accent, there was something about him— something so familiar and yet— she couldn't place a finger on exactly what. All she knew for sure was that she was intrigued by this tall, dark, gentle stranger.
"Well," Naomi said, clapping her hands together, and grinning triumphantly, "now that we all know each other, I have to go. Court business, you know. Julian, watch over Analucia for me, will you? Keep the lordling boys away from her, she really hates dancing with strangers."
Elena shot her friend a look that was a mixture of exasperation and gratitude as Naomi winked, laughing as she hurried off leaving Elena alone with Julian.
Suddenly feeling a bit shy, Elena bit her lip as her mind raced for something to say. Choosing the bolder, more daring route, she fixed him with a flirty smile and batted her eyelashes, saying, "So, I saw you watching me when I entered the room."
Julian, taken aback momentarily, recovered with a slow smile, taking a step closer to her, saying, "Yes, well, I'm pretty sure everyone was watching you. If I spent less time studying mag––er––ancient history and more time reading poetry, I might be able to explain exactly how––er—dazzled I am."
Elena blushed, looking away though she smiled with pleasure at his words. Peeking up at him from beneath her eyelashes, she murmured, "If you can say such things so easily, you must be a natural with the ladies."
It was Julian's turn to blush and look away, laughing, "I don't know about that. Until this evening I— er—" he trailed off as he glanced at the crystal goblets in his hands, and, smiling crookedly, he cleared his throat and offered her one. "Would you care for a drink, my lady?"
Nodding, Elena took the offered goblet, purposely allowing her fingers to brush his, gasping at the spark of electricity when her gloved hand connected with his, even for that brief moment. Looking up into his eyes, her breath caught in her throat as she saw that they reflected her own surprise and wonder as her fingers lingered upon his for just a moment longer before she took the goblet and sipped quietly.
Julian watched her, hesitation flickering in his eyes as he released a breath and grinned more widely, speaking in that soft Old Avaloran accent that sent goosebumps up Elena's arms and made her weak at the knees, "I'm not so sure about how much of a natural I am when the fear of simply telling you how beautiful you are makes saying it out loud impossible. Though," he added wryly, his grin becoming crooked, "I'm sure you probably already know."
Elena took another sip from the goblet, glancing up at him from beneath her lashes as she said demurely, "Perhaps, but it's always nice to hear the words from a handsome young man such as yourself."
Elena couldn't tell since the mask was covering his cheeks, but she thought Julian might be blushing, though his gaze upon her intensified sending a flash of heat across her skin, losing herself in those hazel green eyes that were so familiar, yet so different.
"Well then," Julian stepped closer as he spoke, his voice low and husky, "You should know that you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen and I have been terrified at the idea of even speaking to you from the moment you walked in that door."
A slow, feline smile curved across her lips at his words. Perhaps it was chemistry, or perhaps it was the wine going to her head, but Elena knew that she'd found what she'd been looking for that night.
And she was going to do everything in her power to make the most of the next few hours with this beautiful, charming young man who made her heart flip flop in the most oddly pleasant of ways.
—Mateo watched with wide eyed surprise as Analucia tipped her goblet back and drained the wine in a single gulp, setting the goblet upon a passing tray without so much as blinking. The heated gaze she fixed him with made his blood sing as heat flooded his cheeks. He'd never had a girl look at him like that before. It was the strangest feeling.
Perhaps there was something to this whole confidence thing after all.
Before he could utter a word, she plucked his own goblet from his hand and deposited on another passing tray. Placing a dark gloved hand against his chest, she leaned in—goosebumps flashed over his skin as her lips brushed his ear—and she whispered, "Dance with me, Julian."
This was it. This was his chance. The chance Mateo had been desperately wanting since he'd laid eyes on her. Heart thundering in his chest, he grinned roguishly and bowed, offering his hand to the beautiful young woman standing before him.
Mateo startled as she placed her gloved hand in his and the spark of electricity returned, only now it was a full current running from where her hand held his to his shoulder and into his chest.
Straightening, he led her to the dance floor just as the final notes of the song faded. Sighing inwardly, Mateo took her waist and her hand, preparing to dance the next waltz. If he was being honest, he wasn't a fan of that particular dance. His mother had taught him many Avaloran partner dances as a child––the waltz wasn't one of them. He knew the steps but always felt as if he were on the verge of stepping on his own feet. However, he wasn't going to allow his own awkwardness to ruin this once in a lifetime chance to enjoy the company of this beautiful young woman as he danced the night away.
But wait. Those guitar notes—that wasn't a waltz. That was a rumba! He grinned widely, meeting Analucia's eye. He could dance the rumba in his sleep.
But could she?
By the sly purse of her lips, he could almost imagine the elegantly arched eyebrow raised in challenge beneath her mask.
This was going to be fun.
He adjusted his position, holding her hand delicately and placing his other hand flat against her shoulder blade.
Closing his eyes, Mateo allowed the music to wash over him. He remembered the old lesson he'd been given when he'd first learned this dance. In the Rumba, Mateito, you and your partner should move together like twin willow branches in the wind.
He inhaled deeply and opened his eyes, meeting the smoldering intensity of her gaze. His mouth went dry as he fell into the steps and her hips twisted and swayed in perfect sync opposite his own—as if their hips were connected by some mysterious thread of force. As one unit, she mirrored his movements perfectly, stepping away as he stepped closer and back again.
Tension unlike any he'd ever known built between the pair as the dance went on. He became so intune to her every movement, guiding her to spin elegantly around him—his heart stuttering as she brushed past him and away again. His hands ghosted along her curves, tracing her waist, her arms, her cheeks as they moved together, arms swaying and swirling in the air around them to the sensual melody.
Barely breathing, he spun her slowly once more, guiding her to press her back against him as they stepped in unison to the music—she gasped as he brushed his nose slowly along her neck as one arm was snaked around her–– still holding her hand––and his other hand ran slowly along the curve of her waist.
Mateo almost forgot they were in the middle of a very public space as she pressed more firmly back against him, still stepping in time to the music. Her nearness, her scent, her very being nearly driving him over the edge of self control as he struggled to maintain even an ounce of the chivalry that was a deeply ingrained part of who he was.
He could sense that the song was coming to a close and spun Analucia slowly around him until she was facing him. Her eyes were no longer smoldering—they had erupted into flickering flames.
Wrapping one arm around her waist, she mirrored his movement and they stepped, slowly, sensually in a circle around each other, Mateo running his free hand up to brush along her hair and down the back of her neck. His heart beating in his throat, he guided her back into a deep dip as the final notes faded away.
Her breathing was uneven as he leaned over her. His face inches from hers, their ragged breaths intermingling as they stared into one another's eyes. Her wide amber eyes mirrored the desire he felt pounding in every cell of his body.
Hyper aware of her arm around his own waist, her chest pressed to his, her leg twined seductively around the back of his thigh, all rational thought trickled from of his mind as he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.
Shock hit him like a hammer as he realized what he'd done—he'd taken the liberty of kissing her without asking. But before he could pull away to apologize, her free hand slid to the back of his neck and held him to her as she kissed him back. Her lips soft and warm, molding themselves perfectly with his.
Barely breathing for fear of waking from this incredible dream, Mateo felt the world slipping away. So lost he was in the sensation of her—her kiss, her touch, her scent.
The next song, a high tempoed salsa, began, but the couple was too lost in one another to care.
Pulling back slightly, Mateo still held her firmly in the dip. He smiled softly, and was surprised when she smiled shyly in return, biting her lip in a way that was so utterly familiar. Maybe it was a typical girl thing to do, but he could vividly picture Elena chewing her own lip the same way when she was feeling a little nervous.
"I—could use some fresh air," she murmured breathlessly, distracting him from his musings as he pulled her up from the dip. "Will you walk with me?"
"Of—of course, my lady," Mateo said, offering his arm and turning to walk towards the arching double doors that would take them to the gardens.
—Elena's heart galloped wildly—she was walking on air. The night was going better than she could have ever dreamed. Julian was exactly who she'd been hoping to meet. He was handsome, a brilliant dancer, kind—and the chemistry between them? Well, she wasn't an expert in that area by any stretch of the imagination, but she felt a strong attraction to this mysterious young man.
And after that dance? That kiss?
She was positively weak at the knees as she tried to maintain her own confident mystique. She knew that following her instincts and breaking into giggles like some schoolgirl was neither sexy nor was it mysterious.
The cool evening air brushed her cheeks and she sighed happily, pressing herself closer to Julian's side as they walked the path leading away from the estate, towards the far reaches of the garden and beyond. She reveled in the physical connection between them and found herself wanting more. Elena smiled widely as she thought about how natural his kiss had felt.
And how easy it had been to return.
A strange pull had taken root in her core, drawing her towards him. She couldn't walk away now if she tried—she was in far too deep.
The night was quiet, the sounds of the ballroom far behind them—seemingly in another world entirely. The couple walked the estate grounds for hours, lost in conversation and small, affectionate touches as they talked of every topic imaginable.
She told him about her love of chocolate, her sister, her friends back home, and the pressures of growing up in her family. He told her of his mother, his love of chilequiles, and the isolation he often felt in spite of his devotion to his studies.
Elena mused to herself, wondering who this boy was. He reminded her strongly of someone, but—that was impossible. Wasn't it?
Would she be able to see him again after this night? Would he even want to see her if he knew she was the queen of Avalor? She really hoped so.
"What are you thinking about?" Julian asked quietly, the fingers of his free hand brushing softly over her own fingers perched in the crook of his arm, sending tiny little tingles of pleasure along the skin of her forearm.
Elena smiled softly, turning her head towards him as they walked, saying, "I'm thinking that it's a beautiful night," she ran her free hand slowly up his arm. "I'm thinking I'm glad I let Naomi talk me into coming to this party," he shivered as she brushed her gloved fingers softly up his neck, "And—" she paused, stopping to turn fully towards him, cupping the sliver of his cheek exposed beneath his mask in her hand. "And," she continued, her smile turning coy, "I'm thinking—" she leaned closer, close enough that he heard her whisper clearly, "—that I'd really like to kiss you again."
His eyes sparkled with surprised delight as he pulled back, smiling slowly. He bit his lip, chewing it a moment before straightening, as if gathering his confidence, and replied, "I think I'd like that, my lady."
–––––
Mateo's heart pounded in his throat as he looked at the gorgeous creature watching him—her eyes mirroring the desire thundering in his veins.
Which was a very strange feeling, indeed.
He didn't know her. Not really. But he couldn't deny that the attraction between them was almost impossible to resist.
But tonight was a night of freedom from the old inhibitions. He could choose who he was going to be and how he would respond.
So when she shot him a look of invitation that was equal parts sultry and demure, Mateo wasted no time in closing the distance between them, his lips crashing into hers, his hands running up her sides.
Mateo had never kissed a girl in his life. And this moment? With this incredible young woman he'd just met? It was surreal.
Her kisses were sweet—like sun kissed strawberries. Her hands ran feverishly across his chest, over his shoulders, cupping his face as she kissed him hungrily, her tongue sweeping across his lips. A pleased little chirp sounded from the back of her throat as he opened his mouth to her.
He pressed closer, his kisses becoming more heated by the second. He peppered kisses across her lips, her cheeks, her jaw and down her neck.
"Mmm…" she murmured, tipping her head back, arching into his touch, "...Mateo…"
Mateo froze, pulling back to look at her. What did she just say?
Analucia stared back with wide mortified eyes as she bit her lip sheepishly. "Er—I'm so sorry! I—"
Mateo's eyes darted to where she was biting her lip in that oh so familiar way and back to her eyes, suspicion creeping in. "H–how did you know?" he asked quietly.
Analucia cocked her head to one side in confusion. "Know what?"
"My real name? Mateo?"
She gasped. "Y–you're real name?" she asked, her voice quavering.
Mateo sighed, exhaling through his nose and brought his hands up to his mask, pushing it up and over his head, allowing it to fall to the ground, along with the black bolero hat.
–––––
Elena didn't realize her emotions could take so many sharp turns in such a short time.
Mortification that she'd said someone else's name when she was kissing Julian. And not just any name—her best friend's name!
Shock mixed with overwhelming happiness that it had been that very same best friend behind the mask all this time.
Fear that he would recoil if she removed her mask and he realized he'd been kissing his best friend, the queen of Avalor, running his hands all over—
Elena swallowed hard. She wanted his hands back where they had been. His lips at her neck. His body pressed against hers.
But first. She needed him to know. To see—could he possibly still feel the same way if he knew who she already was to him? Or was this just a one night fling for him.
Somehow she didn't think so, but she had to know.
Taking a deep breath, Elena reached for her mask and removed it, letting it drop to the ground as she met his eye for the first time that night as herself.
It was Mateo's turn to gasp. That— that was Elena. The dark, mysterious woman—his best friend. A small voice in the back of his mind whispered, Of course that's your best friend, nitwit. Everything she told you tonight was stuff you already know about Elena.
His breath hitched in his throat as he realized he'd never seen her in such daring attire. The midnight black swan gown hugging every curve and revealing just enough skin to send his imagination spiraling. She looked—dare he even think it? Sexy. She was so incredibly sexy, he could barely breathe.
And there she was, standing there, looking at him like—
His face heated with the realization that the desire in her eyes hadn't changed one bit since he'd dropped the mask. If anything—it had intensified.
Reason and logic abandoning him completely, Mateo let out a strangled sound as he closed the distance, his mouth claiming hers. Blindly he tore his gloves from his hands while he wasted no time in kissing her thoroughly.
Elena responded, her mind dizzy as he pressed his bare fingertips to her back. A thrill of pleasure tingled over her skin each time he touched her. It was like magic.
And she was hungry for more.
As she pressed herself into him, he stepped backwards. Her breathing ragged, her hands straining to pull him as close to her as possible. She stepped closer, her heeled shoe snagging his pant leg, sending her stumbling forward into Mateo.
They both cried out with laughter as, clinging to one another, they fell to the ground—Elena landing on top of him. Breathless, she pushed herself up, straddling his hips.
"Oh!" she gasped, "Are you ok?"
As he nodded, his expression sobered and she could read the tentative question in his eyes, Are you sure about this?
Was she sure? She had thought she wanted to kiss Julian—and maybe even go a little farther than that. But now that it was Mateo? Somehow the tug between them felt a hundred times stronger. She didn't think she could resist if she tried.
By way of reply, she held his gaze as she peeled off her gloves, one at a time. Taking his hands, she interlaced her fingers with his, savoring the buzz of energy that always seemed to flow between them when they touched.
How had she never recognized it before? After all of these years?
Leaning in, she smiled as she breathed into his ear, "You're mine."
And just as she'd leaned in for another kiss an embarrassed male voice spoke from the darkness behind her.
"Oh! Pardon me, señorita. Señor,"
Elena gasped, panic now rising up inside her as she realized her mask was still lying on the path beside her.
"The guards are making their rounds," Mateo whispered, sitting up carefully somas not to jostle her.
She buried her face in Mateo's neck, hoping the owner of the voice wasn't too nosey. She was not ashamed of Mateo, not in the slightest. But she was the queen and being publicly caught in such a position—well, she knew she'd never hear the end of it from Esteban or the court gossips if she was found out.
Mateo understood. Squeezing her reassuringly, he spoke up, saying smoothly, "My apologies, sir guard. I'm afraid my friend and I got a little carried away."
The guard nodded, clearing his throat uncomfortably, "Understood. Er—you should probably go back back to the party. Guests aren't supposed to be lurking in the shadows so far from the manor. It's not safe."
"Of course, we were just about to head back anyways."
Bowing, the guard moved to continue on his rounds. "Please enjoy your evening."
"And you as well."
Elena peeked up at Mateo, her face flooded with color as she smiled sheepishly. She had never been caught in such a compromising situation before. Though, getting away with it was somehow strangely exhilarating.
Meeting his eye, Mateo grinned unrepentantly and they both broke into fits of laughter.
As they calmed down, he held her close, blissfulness surrounding him like a cocoon in spite of the fact that he was sprawled on the ground in an unknown noble's garden with the queen of Avalor draped over him in what could be seen as a very compromising position if her identity was discovered.
But those were worries for another time.
In that moment, he was reeling from the unexpected turn of events. He had not considered anything even remotely like this happening to him when he arrived at the masquerade that evening.
Mateo was anything but sorry.
He gave her a little squeeze and kissed her forehead, murmuring, "So, it seems we have a few things to talk about?"
Elena laughed, burying her face in his chest and holding him tighter. Moving her head so she could see his face, she raised an eyebrow, grinning as she said, "That is putting it mildly. But I don't think now is the time or place."
Heart sinking slightly, Mateo nodded. "O-of course it's not. You're right Elena, there's plenty of time la––"
"Actually," she interrupted, pressing a finger to his lips, "I was thinking that the hour is so late and the ball is nearly over. We need to try and get out of here without creating a court scandal. Besides," her smile turned mischievous as she kissed him in the nose, "I think we could get a lot more talking done back at the palace if we were more comfortable and perhaps," she ran a proprietary hand across his chest, "we could find other ways to entertain ourselves while we're at it."
Mateo nearly choked at the wicked gleam in her eye. This new aspect of their relationship was going to take some getting used to. But at the same time, he was certain he would manage.
He grinned roguishly. "That sounds like an excellent plan, my lady," he said with a little bow in "Julian's" old Avaloran accent.
Giggling, Elena said in "Analucia's" Paraisian accent, "But of course it is. It was MY idea. Now, be a good boy and help me find my mask, will you?"
"But of course, my lady," Mateo scooped up the black swan mask and helped Elena get it back in place, teasing her with a shower of soft kisses across her nose, her cheeks, her neck.
As soon as they'd put themselves back together, Julian offered Analucia his arm and the two of them strode through the garden back to the party where they said their goodbyes to Naomi who had a bit too much understanding in the sly grin she leveled at them.
Once safely out of the estate home, and inside the royal carriage speeding away from the gossip and prying eyes of the court, the couple removed their masks and celebrated this step in their relationship with sweet stolen kisses and soft touches. Both were eager to explore this newfound freedom in the coming hours and days but in the moment only one thing mattered.
They were together, the night was theirs.