Page 81 of Backhanded Compliments

“Was this a date?” Luca asks suddenly, turning abruptly to look at Juliette.

She startles and swallows. “Did you want it to be?”

The breeze skips off the water, and a few of Juliette’s curls tumble over her face. Before she can move them, Luca reaches up and tucks them behind her ear, her thumb curving beneath her jaw.

“You tell me,” Luca whispers.

Juliette swallows, butterflies tickling her stomach as Luca doesn’t drop her hand and doesn’t stop staring at her. Her eyes are hazel-green in most lights, but in this golden hour, they’re almost gilded.

“I don’t want to just be fuckbuddies, if that’s what you’re asking,” Juliette says finally.

Luca’s hand drops, and Juliette knows she’s stuck her foot in her mouth again.

“I would like to date, yes,” Juliette says quickly. “I want to get to know you.”

Luca bites her lip and looks away. Juliette wonders what she is so afraid of, why she can barely breathe.

“I know we’re rivals,” Juliette begins, and Luca looks up from under her lashes, staring at her with a surprisingly vulnerable expression.“And I’m drawn to you, and I want you like last night, of course I do. But, I also want to know you, exactly as you are.” Juliette watches a blush rise on Luca’s honeyed cheeks, her lip still caught in her teeth.

“You terrify me,” Luca breathes.

Juliette blinks. “Really?” She realizes they’re both tilting into each other. She trails her fingers across Luca’s wrist, following the ridges of her veins and the blend where her tanned forearm connects to her paler skin. Luca shivers, goose bumps prickling along her skin as Juliette brushes her thumb across them. Juliette wants to throw her arms around Luca and hold on to her. The moments tick by as Luca breathes and collects herself. Juliette curves her hand over Luca’s and squeezes gently.

Luca looks up again, hopeful and sad at the same time. Her eyes are wide, almost pleading, and Juliette sees her lower lip wobbling before she bites it again. “I can’t promise I’ll never hurt you, Luca,” she murmurs, loving the way Luca’s breath hitches as Juliette says her name. “I don’t want to be who I was. I don’t want to be jealous, spiteful, or petty. I know we’re rivals, but I want us to be so much more. I want to know you in all ways and—” Juliette pauses, hating the shaky feeling in her chest, but she knows she has to put herself into this vulnerable place. “I want you to know me.”

Luca closes the gap between them and kisses Juliette. It’s so surprising that Juliette freezes, her lips parting, and Luca captures Juliette’s gasp with her own lips.

Juliette is grateful for the falling of the light as she tilts her head and kisses Luca back. Warmth travels through her like the first brush of morning light.

Luca recoils suddenly. “Sorry, I—we’re in public,” she says, and Juliette laughs at the panicked look on her face. “Shut up,” Luca snaps without venom, elbowing her in the ribs.

“Oh, you wound me,” Juliette says dramatically, flopping back into the sand. A bubbly, giddy feeling expands in her stomach, and she keeps laughing.

Luca leans on her elbow next to Juliette, clearly fighting off a smile. “Do you think I passed your sister’s test?” she asks as Juliette’s laughter calms down.

“Test?”

Luca looks up, her eyes darting across the beach, scanning for Livia. “Yeah, I think she’s trying to gauge if I’m right for you.”

Juliette shakes her head, not caring if she’s getting sand in her curls. “I’m literally your soulmate. What is there to gauge?”

Luca frowns, and Juliette reaches up to touch the edge of her mouth. Luca’s worry melts into tender affection.

Juliette knows now why lovers call their feelings warm and fuzzy, because Luca’s gaze makes every fear melt away.

“Come to my room tonight,” Juliette whispers, rolling onto her elbow so she can be even closer to Luca. “I don’t want to sleep without you.”

“We have practice tomorrow,” Luca murmurs, but she doesn’t say no. “We can’t do too much.”

Juliette smirks. “Just a little bit then?”

Luca rolls her eyes but starts to smile. “Just a little bit,” she echoes.

“Can’t wait,” Juliette whispers. She closes the narrow gap between them, indulging in kissing Luca sweetly, enjoying the tingling sparks spreading across her skin as Luca’s fingers sweep against her bicep and drop to stroke across the exposed skin at her waist.

Luca breaks the kiss but doesn’t go far, just brushes her lips across Juliette’s cheek. “What do you think your sister would think if we had dinner by ourselves?”

Juliette laughs. “I think that was her intention.” She forces herself to sit up. “I think she’s going on her own date right now.”

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