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.

quite as cutting as it had earlier been. “This

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

still tethered

the glare of a man who was simply trying to protect me from his promiscuous

I thought of something,”

Julian led me closer to Nicholas and Lilliana. Before I could truly react, Julian abruptly

had masterfully switched partners. Now he danced around with an

looking Lilliana.

looked down at me, and I, up at him. I thought he might walk away or suggest we return to our

original partners.

his arms went around

now, Julian had led Lilliana – and the cameras –

him to think that I was interested in Julian, so I told him, “If you wanted to know what costume I’d be wearing at the Second Ball, I

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

in costume or not.”

in

confident. How could he be

I

was afraid to hear what he might say, or if he might take

mean it, Piper,” he said, just as softly.