Chapter l221

Chapter 0221

I tried to get into the moment, imagining Terry saying something like that to me. The softness in Julian’s

eyes kept me from falling to far into the fantasy.

I cleared my throat. “Don’t you find the trends of modern fashion tiresome? Not to mention wasteful. Why should I throw away a perfectly good dress simply because I have worn it once before.”

“A woman’s dress adds to her beauty. You wouldn’t put a rose inside a paper vase.”

“I wouldn’t pluck the rose at all.”

Julian’s mouth twitched upright. “Not even to show off its beauty. You’d keep it hidden away on some

bush in the corner of the garden?”

“Anyone who knows where the rose bush is, would know they could easily go see the beauty for

themselves. There’s no need to dress it up.”

Julian hummed.

I looked at him, surprised. “What? No good?”

“No, you did fine. The problem is we need to teach you to stop engaging with him at all.”

“How?”

He leaned back. “Oh, something like, ‘If you’ll excuse me, Sir, I must use the bathroom.”

“I couldn’t say that!” I started to laugh.

“You could!” He smiled wide. “He’d leave you alone for a minute, at least. Long enough for you to get

away and come to me or Nicholas. Or even Susie or Mark, or whoever.” His smile sl*pped for a moment.

You can never be alone with him, Piper.”

I agreed. I wanted to tease him more, to get him to smile again. “Careful, Julian, or I’ll think you might

actually like me.”

Julian didn’t smile again. Instead, he stared at me deeply, as if he was looking down into my soul.

Unbidden, I thought of his mysterious past love, Bridget. I wondered if he was still in love with her. I

didn’t know how to ask, or if I should. I wasn’t sure why it mattered to me. 2

Slowly, Julian reached up his hand and cupped my cheek. It was a gentle touch, reverent almost, as he

continued to stare at me,

My face burned with embarrassment and confusion, but I didn’t pull away.

Julian was being surprisingly tender. He could be teasing me, or we could be playing still. But I didn’t

know.

I felt like Julian was letting me see behind the curtain of him, for just a moment. He looked almost… sad.

Lost.

I didn’t know what to do or say to show him the path again.

His gaze dropped down to my l*ps. My breath caught.

He started to lean in, as if to k*ss me.

I startled then, flinching back. He couldn’t mean this. He was either teasing me or he wanted something

quick, I wasn’t that kind of girl.

Julian stopped himself at once. The vulnerability in his eyes sealed away behind a door of indifference.

“If you’ll excuse me,” he said, standing. He left the room without one more word, leaving me sitting there.

confused about what just happened and why, What had it meant?

As I returned to my room, I was stopped in a hall by a servant.

“Tonight will be a banquet night, Miss,” he said. “The royal family will be in attendance for dinner.”

“Thank you.”

The servant bowed then hurried away.

My nerves began to prickle under my skin. I wasn’t ready to face Julian again so soon. What was I event

to say? How should I act? How would he act?

We would undoubtedly be awkward around each other. At least, I would be.

And what might Nicholas think, if he were to see us behave that way?

Would he know something happened? Had something happened?

I was so confused. If I wanted answers, I would have to be bold and ask Julian the question.

But I wasn’t sure I wanted the answers.

I wasn’t sure what I wanted at all.