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.

wasn’t quite as cutting as it had earlier been. “This isn’t as

flirtatious with me to bother Nicholas. But I struggled to understand why it was working. Although Nicholas had made it clear from the start that he didn’t like the idea of Julian and me together,

Nicholas’s reactions were still tethered

not seem like the glare of a man who was simply trying to protect me from his promiscuous brother. He looked… jealous.

I thought of something,”

led me closer to Nicholas and Lilliana. Before I could truly react, Julian abruptly disappeared, so when I came out of my

glanced, and Julian had masterfully switched partners. Now he danced around with an

looking Lilliana.

I, up at him. I thought he might walk

original partners.

went around my waist

and the cameras – mostly

wasn’t jealous, I didn’t want him to think that I was interested in Julian, so I told

softened a little. “You wouldn’t need to tell me. I’d always be able to

in costume or not.”

heart pounded in

entirely confident. How could he be so

I

ask him. I was afraid to hear what he might say, or if he might take the words back

mean it, Piper,” he said,