The fire still roared when Jasper returned to the circle. The tribe's voices lifted high into the night sky, hands clapping in rhythm, bodies moving with joyous abandon. Nicole sat at the edge, her cheeks flushed from the warmth of dancing, a small crown of flowers nestled in her dark hair.
Her eyes found Jasper instantly.
He smiled at her.
It was too perfect his lips curved with practiced ease, his expression softened just enough to soothe, his movements graceful as ever. To anyone else, it was charming, radiant even. But Nicole had come to know him too well. The smile was a mask, and behind it something dangerous still burned.
Her chest tightened as he drew closer, the tribal garments hugging him in a way she hadn't expected. The fabric draped loosely at his waist but clung to his shoulders and chest, revealing the sculpted lines of muscle beneath. Firelight traced the ridges of his abdomen, the hard cut of his jaw, and the elegant strength that had always been his.
