The Luna Choosing Game

His gaze sent a pleasant shiver down my spine. Blushing slightly, I glanced away from him and toward the cameras instead. Their presence reminded me of where I was and what Julian had just asked me.

I cleared my throat. To Julian, I said, “You’ll have to wait and see.”

He laughed.

Ten minutes later, Julian held out his hand, “Will you dance with me, Piper?”

I knew he was up to something, but with the cameras watching, I couldn’t refuse.

I placed my hand in his. He closed his fingers around mine, and tugged me closer to the pianoforte.

Then he pulled me into his arms.

At the same time, Nicholas led Lilliana to dance as well. They held each other stiffly and at a

respectable distance. The moved with formal, stilted steps.

Julian placed my hand on his chest, and Nicholas nearly tripped over his own feet. Yet he immediately

righted himself and continued dancing.

it had

But I struggled to understand why it was working. Although Nicholas had made it clear from the start that he didn’t

supposed Nicholas’s reactions were still tethered to those

seem like the glare of a man who was simply trying to protect

something,”

Julian abruptly disappeared, so when I came out of my spin, I was pressing flat into the chest

switched partners. Now he danced around with an

looking Lilliana.

I, up at him. I thought

original partners.

went around

now, Julian had led Lilliana – and the cameras – mostly

so I told him, “If you wanted to know what costume I’d

gaze softened a little. “You wouldn’t need to

in costume or

pounded in my

seemed entirely confident. How could he be

I

to hear what he might say,

it, Piper,” he