Page 100 of Alive At Night

Juni didn’t reply. She turned promptly on her heel, hurried to her desk, and unloaded her bag. Her reaction immediately made me regret my comment. Because while I did love watching Juniper blush, I hated when she shut down. When that Juni-like wonder faded. And that was exactly what happened.

Juni was silent for most of the day after that. When she did talk to me, it was strictly professional, strictly work-related. Reestablishing those boundaries was likely good for us, but still. It bothered me. I wished it was as easy for me to stay focused on work as it apparently was for her.

Around five thirty, she turned to me with a pleasant smile, and I thought that maybe I was going to get something else out of her besides a clipped comment or question, but once again, I was disappointed.

“Do you want to stay late tonight to work on Grayson’s case?” she asked. “Or maybe tomorrow?”

Surprised, it took me a second to reply. “Let’s do it tomorrow. I’m pretty tired from the weekend. I’m sure you are, too.”

Although she’d probably slept a hell of a lot better than I did last night.

“I am,” she admitted, “but I want to ensure that we give the case enough attention. Gabriel deserves that.”

“Okay.” My throat tightened with emotion. Gabrieldiddeserve that. “Tomorrow it is.”

Juni nodded but continued watching me curiously as I started packing my things. It was nearly dark outside; the clocks rolled back a few weeks ago, and now the nights were long and came early. At this hour, the rest of the office was quiet. A few people had left for client dinners tonight, and most everyone else had called it quits for the day or brought their work home.

I was about to call it quits. It had been a long day with a busy mind. But Juniper’s voice stopped me in my tracks before I could reach the door.

“Julian, wait.”

I turned slowly. Something about how she said my name made all the hairs on my arm stand on end.

Juniper stood, aggressively smoothing down her black, silky skirt, and I just knew right then and there—

“Can we talk before you go?”

Yep. There it was.

“Talk about what, Juni?”

I fucking knew what.

Juni sucked in a breath and then swallowed.

“The kiss.”

CHAPTERTWENTY-FOUR

juniper

“ISHOULDN’T HAVE KISSED you, and I’m sorry.”

Despite my words, Julian’s face remained a blank slate as he stared at me from his position halfway out the door. His lack of reaction made me wary. I should be apologizing for a lot more than the kiss, but I couldn’t get myself to bring up any of the other embarrassing things. I shouldn’t have kissed him. I shouldn’t have asked to wear hishandsas abra. I shouldn’t have goaded him to touch me while asking for proof.

To say I’d been dying of mortification for the last thirty-six hours was an understatement.

Yes, he kissed me back. Thoroughly, too. But then he pushed me away. And I wasn’tthatdrunk. I wasn’t too drunk tokiss. All I wanted was a few more moments with his lips on mine.

Okay,fine. That was a lie. But still, Julian had been steadfast in his refusal to kiss me, to touch me, to even look at me. My memories might have been fuzzy, but I would never forget how stiff he’d grown when I tried to sleep half-naked—another thing I shouldn’t have done.

Once upon a time, he told me he wasn’t afraid of a little bare skin, but he proved that statement dead wrong over the weekend. Afraid, repulsed…who knew exactly how Julian felt about me sleeping without a shirt, but he sure as hell didn’t want it to happen.

Always good enough to kiss, never good enough to wait around for anything else—that was my story.

I cleared my throat. “I think I just got carried away with all the fake…” I trailed off when a muscle in Julian’s jaw clenched and tried again to explain what I meant.

“I know all those moments on Saturday night were just for show. I know that, Julian. I just forgot for a split second, got swept away in them, and I’m sorry. You don’t need to worry that—”

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