Chapter 156


    His gaze sent a pleasant shiver down my spine. Blushing slightly, I nced 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.”


    Heughed.


    Ten minutester, 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 ced 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, Nichs led Lilliana to dance as well. They held each other stiffly and at a


    respectable distance. The moved with formal, stilted steps.


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


    righted himself and continued dancing.


    Julian smiled, but it wasn’t quite as cutting as it had earlier been. “This isn’t as fun as I’d hoped.”


    Julian was only being so flirtatious with me to bother Nichs. But I struggled to understand why it was


    working. Although Nichs had made it clear from the start that he didn’t like the idea of Julian and me


    together, particrly since Julian was a known yboy.


    I supposed Nichs’s reactions were still tethered to those feelings.


    Though the way he was looking at me did not seem like the re of a man who was simply trying to


    protect me from his promiscuous brother. He looked… jealous.


    “Ah, I thought of something,” Julian said suddenly.


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    While spinning in our circles, Julian led me closer to Nichs and Lilliana. Before I could truly react,


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


    Nichs!


    I nced, and Julian had masterfully switched partners. Now he danced around with an annoyed-


    looking Lilliana.


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


    original partners.


    Instead, his arms went around my waist


    By now, Julian had led Lilliana – and the cameras – mostly to the door.


    Even if Nichs wasn’t jealous, I didn’t want 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 would tell you.”


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


    recognize.


    you, in costume or not.”


    My heart pounded in my chest.


    He seemed entirely confident. How could he be so sure?


    I


    I didn’t ask him. I was afraid to hear what he might say, or if he might take the words back instead.


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


    “Nichs…”


    Before I could finish my thought, one of the cameras had appeared beside us, and the producer spoke


    up, “What do you think of Prince Julian’s little games, Piper? Do you find them delightful? Are they part


    of


    the reason you’ve been falling for him?”


    “..uh…”


    I looked at Nichs, hoping for a rescue, but he totally shelled up again, hiding his emotions behind his


    princely fa?ade.


    Slowly, he ended our dance and removed his hands away from me.


    The growing distance between us felt like a canyon. I wanted to close it again, but I couldn’t with so


    many people watching.


    Even if they hadn’t been watching, Nichs might not have been receptive.


    “Julian is… fine,” I managed..


    The producer furrowed his brow. “That’s it?”


    “If you will excuse me,” I said and retreated, from the cameras, from the producers, and from my


    budding feelings for Nichs.