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Amid the swirling lights and spinning dancers, there was one particular woman who caught his eye.
He couldn't say what it was about her that was so magnetic—her slim athletic body in her long blue dress, her short-cropped raven hair framing her face, her intense dark eyes peeking out from behind her mask—just that he was drawn to her like moth to flame, compelled to approach her from across the room.
Raleigh maneuvered his way through the crowd, eyes pinpointed on her. She was also watching him; maybe she felt it too.
He walked right up, barely cognizant of the older men surrounding her, engaged in their own conversations. He stopped a few paces away, extending a hand.
"May I have this dance?"
There was a hush, a lull in the chatter. Mako Mori said nothing, but gently placed her hand in his.
He guided her out to the dance floor. His arms came around her smoothly and they eased right into the rhythm of the waltz.
"I don't think I've seen you before," Mako commented lightly.
"Well then let me introduce myself," Raleigh said with a grin. "Raleigh Becket, at your service." He peered at her. "You're Stacker's little girl, aren't you?"
Mako smiled wryly. "Correct. I don't think my father thinks too much of you, Raleigh Becket."
Indeed, when Raleigh peeked over the top of Mako's head at the knot of well-dressed gentlemen, the man had stern, unamused eyes on him, watching him warily.
Raleigh looked back to Mako. "What about you?" he asked. "What do you think?"
Her eyes twinkled. "I haven't decided yet," she told him. "It depends."
"Depends on what, might I ask?"
"On how well you dance," she replied cheekily.
He hugged her a bit closer, a silent acceptance of her challenge. "Oh, okay then. In that case," he teased, "prepare to be amazed."
He spun her around in a tight circle, perfectly timed. She responded with enthusiasm, her skirts billowing out around her heels.
They swayed and swept along to the music, movements in perfect accord, two organisms in symbiosis, their bodies harmonized with the rhythm and the flow of the dance. Their turns and transitions were seamless.
Mako was graceful as a stag and matched Raleigh's every move with a tangible sense of admiration. Raleigh chanced spinning her then catching her and dipping her low, making her gasp briefly in surprise.
"So, impressed yet?" Raleigh jibed.
"Hardly," she said, though her eyes betrayed otherwise. As Raleigh pulled her back up, Mako used the momentum to bring herself closer to him, so she could grab hold of his shoulder and whisper into his ear. "We should continue this… elsewhere," she hinted.
"Yeah, I think that might be a good idea," Raleigh agreed, with a quick glance towards the door. His hand slipped down Mako's arm until it found hers and with a casual air he squeezed them through a gap in the dancers.
Stacker straightened up, but the two had already vanished from sight, disappearing neatly into the crowd of jewel-toned gowns, velvet vests, and delicate feathers.
He sighed. Well, the rookie had Mako's attention, which was more than she'd given anyone else that night. He couldn't be so bad if Mako liked him.
He decided he'd keep eyes on the gardens just in case, though.