Page 116 of Alive At Night

“Constantly, Daisy.” The confession brushed against my lips. “I think about you constantly. I want you constantly.”

My eyes fluttered shut as I felt Julian’s lips press against the corner of my mouth. And then my jaw. And then I tipped my head back slightly to allow him to trail his open mouth down my neck. He tugged the ends of my long hair to keep me exposed for him before groaning my name into that spot where my pulse thumped faster and faster. My breathing came in short spurts as his free hand slid up my back and fisted my dress like it was all he could do to hold on to his restraint.

I didn’t want him to restrain himself, but I knew he was waiting for me to say something. And while I longed to demand that he put that talented mouth to work, I’d learned my lesson.

“That’s an awfully bold statement without any proof,” I said breathlessly.

I needed proof. More of it. Or a different kind of it, at the very least.

I felt Julian’s dark chuckle against my skin as he released my hair. His face emerged from the crook of my neck again, gaze meeting mine. It was bright. He smirked. “Don’t ask for proof unless you’re ready to get it, Juniper.”

“I’m ready.” I licked my lips, trying not to pay too close attention to how Julian’s eyes dropped to my mouth.

“Tell me more,” he encouraged.

“What do you want to know?”

“I couldn’t give you what you wanted when we were younger. What do you want now?” His eyes glittered, hopeful. “Is it something I can give you? I need to know what you’re ready for. I need to know what proof you want.”

Years. I’d wanted this version of Julian for years—the one who looked me in the eyes and told me I belonged in his life, in any capacity. But now I didn’t want to just exist in his life. I wanted to live itwithhim, which was a terrifying realization.

Although it made my answer easy.

“I want you, Julian,” I admitted. My voice sounded raw to my ears, but it also sounded real. “I’vebeenwanting you. So now I want you to prove that you want me, too. Completely and constantly, like you claim. Not just in these moments.”

Julian’s lips split into a satisfied grin, reminding me how ridiculously handsome he was. “Not just in these moments?”

I’d thought that maybe he’d feel rejected by those words—that this, right now, wasn’t enough for me to move forward. But he seemed giddy about it.

“It’s hard to trust that things that happen at night will still feel real in the morning,” I explained.

Julian nodded, taking a step back, and my body ached with the separation. He’d come back, right? He had to.

“Don’t be a moonflower, Julian,” I whispered.

But his grin only grew. “I won’t be. I’m going to give you proof morning, noon, and night, Juni. Trust me. This is the easiest thing you’ve ever asked of me.”

I didn’t know what to say to that. I’d never witnessed Julian with this sort of elated expression on his face before, and it was leaving me speechless. He didn’t seem bothered by my silence, though. Leaning forward, he gave me the briefest kiss on the forehead before striding off toward the door again.

When he reached it, he glanced back. His lips curled as he trailed his gaze over me, making me regret not kissing him when I had the chance.

“See you in the morning, Juni baby,” he murmured.

And then he was gone, leaving me excited to fall asleep for the first time in a decade.

ten years ago

“Julian?”

That voice. God, I knew that voice. It washed over me, a sweet relief.

And then, there she was. Standing on two feet at the other end of the hall, though she seemed unsteady. Her eyes were wide and red and pretty. Tear tracks stained her cheeks, mixing with streaks of mascara. Her face was as messy as her hair, but fuck, I couldn’t stop looking at her.

I stared, unable to even get her name out, my mouth opening and closing in shock.

What the hell was happening to me?

“Gemma’s in here,” she said quietly, jerking her thumb toward the hospital room.

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