Chatper 340


    Chapter 0340


    I rxed as best I could, letting the kiss happen for the cameras. Julian’s lips were soft on my own,


    gentle and non-demanding. It was a kind sort of kiss, and for that I was grateful.


    Though I would still have to remember to tell Nichs not to watch the broadcast tonight. He’d made


    Content bel0ngs to N?vel(D)r/a/ma.Org.


    clear that while he was dealing with the thought of me and Julian’s pretend rtionship, having to see it


    would be too much.


    I could rte. The thought of Nichs kissing someone else made my stomach twist, even though I


    knew it was an inevitability.


    Julian broke the kiss first. He pulled back, a small smile in the corners of his mouth. He looked ..happy.


    Satisfied, maybe. And not just in his usual smug, self-satisfied kind of way.


    “Are the cameras gone?” I asked.


    Julian’s smile slipped away. “What?”


    “The cameras?” I nced around. “You saw them, right? That’s why you kissed me?”


    He swallows hard. That’s odd.


    “Yes,” he says. The words sound almost… hollow. “Yes, they’re gone now.” He cleared his throat.


    “Actually, we should continue on now, with our charade. I’m sure there’s more cameras up ahead, in


    the spot we arranged.”


    “Oh, okay.” Iced my hand through his again, and we continued forward.


    Julian sneaked a few sideways nces at me. I pretended not to notice, not sure what he wanted.


    Perhaps the cameras were still upon us, and he was pretending to check me out. In that case, I


    couldn’t call him out and embarrass him and myself.


    Ady would pretend not to notice the attentions of her wanted suitor.


    I tried to y the part as best I could. I couldn’t see the cameras, but they had to be there. Or maybe


    the King was around. I’d better not give anything away.


    What did girls do when they were with the boys they liked? Oh, I knew.


    I threw my head back and started tough.


    Julian fully turned to look at me now. “Are you ill? What happened?”


    I stifled myughter. “Oh… uh… I just thought…”


    Julian blinked once,


    twice.


    “Don’t people in loveugh a lot?” I asked. Although now that I thought about it, Nichs


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    love. We were simply fond of each other.


    My chest hurt at the thought. Now I’d done it and made myself sad again.


    “I suppose they do,” Julian said. He shrugged. “I haven’t really been in love in a good long while ”


    Ah, yes. Julian had loved the mysterious Bridget, who had been stolen by Nichs. A story that still


    perplexed me. And another thing I shouldn’t have thought about right now, when I was trying to pretend


    to be in love with Julian.


    “Maybe we should keep walking,” I said.


    “Good idea,” Julian said, and we did just that.


    A few more feet, took us past the entrance to the gardens. They were beautiful through the paned


    ss windows. I missed walking among them. It had been so long since I’d been outside of the pce


    walls.


    It could have been worse, of course. The pce was huge. There were lots of ces to sit and visit.


    But nothing could rece the feeling of being outdoors, surrounded by fresh air and the scent of


    blooming flowers.


    I’d stopped walking without realizing it. Julian looked at me curiously. I motioned toward the outdoors.


    “I just miss it, I guess.”


    He followed my gaze out to the gardens. When he looked at me again, he had mischief in his eyes.


    “Want to sneak out?”


    Treacherous hope fluttered in my heart. “You mean…?”


    “I’m a prince. These are our gardens. No one can tell me where to go, and you are with me. So …


    would you like to?”