Chapter 224


    Chapter 0224


    We made it five steps out into the hallway before Nichs started asking questions.


    “Did something happen?” he asked.


    I didn’t want to lie to him, so I shrugged. “Nothing big.”


    “Nothing big is still something.


    With my hand on his arm, Nichs dictated how fast and slow we walked. He slowed now, making it


    clear he would stretch this out if he needed to. He was worried about me, I could see from the look in his


    eye. He wasn’t going to let me off the hook easily.


    Softer, he asked, “Did Julian do something?”


    “No,” I said. Julian had stopped himself before he could. That was assuming that leaning in for a kiss


    had been what he was actually doing, and not just teasing me. “I don’t know. It was confusing.”


    “Tell me.”


    I wanted to. I needed to talk to someone about what happened, and who knew Julian better than.


    Nichs? But I was unsure. With their rivalry, and Nichs’s jealousy, if he knew that Julian had tried to


    kiss me, how would he react?


    I’d likely receive no answer that would actually help me.


    I decided to keep it vague. “Julian’s been acting strangetely. He’s… softer around me, sometimes.


    Kinder. I’m starting to wonder if he actually feels some kind of fondness for me.”


    “Julian isn’t capable of fondness.” Nichs’s voice lowered, Bitterness clipped his words. “He cannot be


    trusted with any woman’s heart. Especially yours.”


    “I didn’t say he had my heart.” Recognizing Nichs’s jealousy, I gently corrected him. While I often


    didn’t mind Nichs’s envious side, especially when it came to kissing, I didn’t want him to think I was so


    easily miscing my heart.


    “He doesn’t yet.” Nichs sighed. “But please be careful. He’ll try to steal it.”


    I nced at Nichs out of the corner of my eye and thought of the mysterious Bridget who had once


    I tried to imagine it, a time from before even Nichs and I were together. Could Nichs have been so


    different that he wouldn’t have given any consideration to his brother’s feelings? Julian had made it seem


    Trying as hard as I could, I still couldn’t imagine Nichs that way. Perhaps there had been a


    misunderstanding. Julian might have misread the entire thing. It just didn’t seem possible.


    As we continued to walk, Nichs’s arm moved from my arm to around my waist. He kept it there,


    gradually tugging me closer and closer to his side all the way to the stairwell leading up to the guest


    rooms where the candidates were staying.


    The hallways were barren by now, the candidates in their rooms and the servants done for the day.


    Nichs stopped me halfway up the stairwell, before we reached the top and could see the guards at


    my door or they could see us.


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    He wrapped both arms around my waist and turned me toward him. I easily slotted against his chest.


    –


    There, this was the jealousy I recognized the sexy kind.


    I licked my lips, anticipating a kiss. He leaned down far enough for me to feel his breath on my cheek,


    but he did not yet close the distance..


    “Nick…” I whispered. My thoughts were already drifting until only this moment lingered in the forefront of


    mind. He was so close. His body was hard against me.


    my


    “I should kiss you until you forget all about him,” Nichs whispered, his voice a low growl. “Only my


    name should fall from your lips.


    “Nichs…”


    “That’s right.” He dropped his mouth closer, Our lips brushed together but never quite met.


    He leaned back with a satisfied hum. I chased his mouth but he gripped me tight, keeping me from


    seeking too far forward.


    1 whined unhappily.


    He smiled. “Sometimes the anticipation of a kiss can mean more than a kiss itself. Is this what he did,


    Piper? Tease you into thinking of him?”