Page 168 of Only With You

She keeps her gaze glued to our feet. “Trust me, you’re going to want me to look down.”

“Trust me, I want you to look at me.”

When she finally does, I forget it all and almost tell her how I feel, but panic rises and I don’t.

“Relax.” I squeeze her waist and she squirms, faintly giggling. I do it again until I feel her body loosen against mine. “Okay, that’s better.”

I usher her to move, but she stops and winces when she steps on my foot. “Sorry, we might be here all night.”

“I have all night.”

A triumphant smile quirks on her lips. “I knew you liked being with me.”

“Also inside of you.” I return a smile of my own, but it becomes arrogant at the drop of hers.

Julianna shakes her head, her smile returning, and follows my lead. She occasionally steps on my foot, but nothing a littleredirecting won’t help. She quickly gets the hang of it because like everything else, she thinks a little too much into it.

I’m not sure she realises she’s leading, and I’m doing nothing but following her. But I don’t say anything because I like this, holding her, feeling her heart pump close to mine, listening to the faint sound of her hum and how her delicate fingers tangle in my hair at the nape.

“You’re good at this. You should become a teacher,” she teases, looking up at me.

“Teacher? How do you not know I don’t want to go into the NBA?”

“You don’t talk about basketball a lot. Not the way Jagger or Saint do. You’re at one of the best Division I schools, yet you’re only here to piss off your stepbrother. I can tell you enjoy the game and you’re really good at it, but I don’t think you’re passionate about it. Not in the way you’d want to make a career of it.”

I’m speechless, but I shouldn’t be. Julianna always picks up on things.

“You’re right. The NBA has never been my end game. I like to play, but I don’t think I could deal with more years of loud noises. It gets overstimulating sometimes.”

“It’s settled, you’re going to be a teacher, or a tutor. You’re very good at that, too.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, and oh! You should come to class with me tomorrow where I teach the kids. Even if you don’t teach, it’d be good to drop by and see them. They’d love to meet you. You have some fans there.”

“Okay, I’ll go with you.”

“Really?” she excitedly asks.

“Yeah, I’ll go with you.” I’m not very good with kids, but I’m definitely better than Jagger. I don’t know why, but they make him nervous.

After a beat, I say something I’ve never admitted to anyone.

“Music,” I quietly confess. “I want to pursue something in music. The sheet you saw the other day isn’t the first thing I’ve composed. I have more.”

“Will you remember me when you become famous?” she says genuinely, like she really believes in me. Believes that it’ll happen.

“I’ll think about it,” I muse, earning a scowl from her. “I’m going to spin you now.”

I lift her hand and twirl her until she faces me again, then a grin breaks across her face.

“I’ve made up my mind. I’ll go to semi and then drop it.”

I smile at her optimism. “Will you save me a dance?”

“I’ll think about it.” She playfully shrugs.

Something strikes me and I can’t believe I didn’t ask before. “Who are you going with?”

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