Page 147 of Alive At Night

I giggled. “Decorated?”

“Shut up,” he grunted. “I’m not good at fashion. You know what I mean.”

The best part about it was that Ididknow what he meant. I liked my dresses with a bit of bounce or flair or a subtle polka dot. But it was more fun watching Julian flounder.

Flashing a smile at his grumpy face, I ducked into the small changing room to put on the black dress, as requested by my date. And once I finally managed to squeeze into it, I stared at myself in the mirror.

The dress cinched around my waist with a tiny, tied bow while the bottom flowed loosely around my hips, exactly how I liked it. It only hit mid-thigh, shorter than I usually wore, and the bodice was a structured fit, nothing like anything else I owned. The off-shoulder neckline plunged between my breasts, and the deeply scooped design combined with the airtight fit meant more than a bit of cleavage was on display.

“Let’s see it, Daisy,” Julian called impatiently.

Something akin to anticipation thrummed in my veins. I wanted to show him this dress, to see his reaction, but the idea tripped my nerves, sending them haywire. I slipped into my heels and swept my hair off my shoulder for the full effect before nervously stepping out to show Julian.

“Holy fucking shit.”

Julian’s lips parted as he stared at me, seeming momentarily stunned. It reminded me of his expression when I’d shown him my dress at Sofia’s wedding, forcing me to see that moment clearly for the first time. His shock was a good thing. In fact, I found that Ilovedmaking Julian speechless. Watching him grapple for words after so many years of verbal sparring? Incredibly gratifying.

Julian sat unmoving on the velvety couch, one arm resting over the top while his champagne flute dangled between his fingers in the other hand.

God, he was so unfairly handsome. I wasn’t sure I’d ever been more attracted to him than now when he was surrounded by pink, plush, and sparkling things. His eyes lifted as he heard me come out of the dressing room, and they warmed while trailing over me.

I didn’t need summers on the Cape. I just needed Julian’s gaze to make me feel the sun, like a hot, shimmering spotlight.

After soaking in his heat for a moment, I cocked my head to the side and returned his look. “Do I look fuckable in this one?”

Julian’s grip on his glass tightened, and he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Why don’t you come over here, and we can find out?”

“Julian,” I hissed, and he lifted his hands up in defense before returning to his casually relaxed position on the sofa.

“We’re getting that one,” he said after clearing his throat.

I bit down on a secret smile. “What if I want another one?”

“I’ll buy that one, too.” He shrugged. “I’ll buy all of them; I don’t care. But this one is coming home with us.”

“What if Iworeit home?” I asked. Julian’s eyes remained hot and attentive, sweeping over me in a continual appreciative assessment. I had to swallow before adding, “And on our date?”

“Please do.” He took a sip of champagne, eyes glittering over the glass rim. “I know how to break bones if I need to.”

I sighed, confident that wouldn’t be necessary. But the way he looked at me still made my cheeks flush, and heat rippled through my body. “Well, I think you’ve answered my question.”

“About what?”

Julian’s eyes locked on mine, curiosity lingering in them. But I lowered my voice before responding, not wanting Charlotte to overhear. There was an entire wall of dresses between her and us, and I didn’t see her anywhere in sight, but still.

“About whether or not I look fuckable,” I said, my grin cocking to one side.

Julian pushed off the sofa, striding toward me. “I should hope you know the answer to that,” he said, husky voice washing over me as he gripped my hip with his free hand and tugged me into him. Into his—oh.“And the only one fucking you tonight will be me, Juniper.”

A zap of heat hurtled through me. It had been days since he’d proven me wrong and fucked me precisely like a fictional man would, and then he’d refused to do it again every night since. Apparently, I’d winced one too many times on New Year’s Day, and now he kept spewing some bullshit about not wanting to hurt me. Although, he’d definitely made it up to me in other ways.

I felt like I was on cloud nine lately. The only time I got an inkling of unease was when Gemma texted me, digging for information about the mystery man I’d woken up with on New Year’s Day. I was going to have to figure out how to tell her, but I might as well see if Julian and I could get through a date night without biting each other’s heads off first.

I’d say it was looking promising so far.

I groaned as Julian tipped his hips into mine, grinding so I could feel how ready he was.

It was a promise for later. My stomach flipped just thinking about it, and I snatched Julian’s glass of champagne out of his hand, needing something to wash the dryness from my throat before attempting to talk.

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