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.

cutting as it had earlier been. “This isn’t as fun as I’d

to bother Nicholas. But I struggled to understand why it was working. Although Nicholas had made it clear from the

Nicholas’s reactions were still tethered

did not seem like the glare of a man who was simply trying to

of something,”

react, Julian abruptly disappeared, so when I came out of my

masterfully switched partners.

looking Lilliana.

me, and I, up at him. I thought

original partners.

arms went around my waist

had led Lilliana – and the cameras –

was interested in Julian, so I told him, “If you wanted to know what costume I’d be wearing

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

in costume

heart pounded in my chest.

entirely confident. How could he be so

I

hear what he might say, or if he might take the words

mean it, Piper,” he said, just