More on this book
Community
Kindle Notes & Highlights
To all the night owls and midnight lovers who chase their dreams when the sun goes down. This is mine.
“You know you’re staring, right?”
I leaned in to whisper back. “If I stare hard enough, do you think she’ll disappear?”
“She’s not going anywhere, Julian.”
“The messier, the better,” she said primly. As if messy and Juniper St. James ever went together in the same sentence.
“You always do, Lily. I don’t exactly expect it to change much now.”
Rebecca Elez was my favorite narrator, and she’d sucked me right into my latest guilty pleasure—a spicy Cinderella retelling.
Would it hurt if I hit it off with my date and we went on to live happily ever after in our own
spicy fairy-tale retelling? Of course not. But it wasn’t a requirement.
“That looks…” I cleared my throat. “Uh, good on you.”
“Why didn’t you tell me that you were such a hazard to take into public?” “Why didn’t you tell me that professional football spectators were such a hazard?”
“You might not remember me, but I was that girl who sat with your family in the crowd and tried to blend in with all the redheads.”
But I didn’t know you went to all of them. Pretty sure you called me an empty-headed jock on at least one occasion. I took that to mean you weren’t exactly a fan of the game.”
“Stop acting un-Juni-like,” he muttered. “I don’t like it.” “Un-Juni-like?”
“Well, it looks better on her than you anyway.”
“This is my favorite bakery.” “Dirty Desserts?” “What? No.” “Naughty Kneads?” “Julian.” “Creative Cream Pies?” “Oh my God. It’s just called Georgia’s Bakery,” she huffed. “Grow up, Julian.”
“Why do you care?” I shot back, instantly defensive as I careened into memories of that night in high school and all the other nights, too. Anxious energy filled my words. “As long as I’m not driving Gemma around, it’s not like it’ll matter to you if I end up in a ditch with a broken neck.”
Julian flinched at my harsh words, his eyes darkening as they swept over me. When he spoke, his voice was eerily low. Unsteady. “Don’t ever say something like that again.”
“I’m not afraid of getting dirty, Lily,” he murmured before snatching my keys from the top of my car and stalking off to pop the trunk.
My scream bounced off the walls of the parking garage as a strong arm looped beneath my back and my knees, and I realized—with a fair bit of horror—that Julian was carrying me.
Julian and I were like magnets—always had been. We were two same-sided magnets, and the repulsion force was overwhelming. Undeniable. There were times, though, that
one of us…flipped. And suddenly, there’d be a pull.
“Feeling’s mutual, Daisy.”
When I brushed past little Miss Elle Woods, I choked a bit on the sudden cloud of floral perfume. God, that was going to fuck with my concentration while driving, wasn’t it?
“See, you don’t care about her,” Greg scoffed when I didn’t say anything. I squared my shoulders. “Wrong.” “Since when?” he repeated, taking the bait exactly how I wanted him to. Because I never, ever passed up the opportunity to make Greg Kennedy regret cheating on Juniper. “Since I started fucking her.”
The only thing that mattered was making sure I never had to hear Noah call Juniper sweetheart ever again.
“You need better headphones, Daisy.” And then he smiled knowingly and walked out the door.
I did fucking enjoy it. That was the problem. I hated how much I enjoyed it.
“As your girlfriend, how satisfied would you say I am?” she questioned, stirring up heat within me. “I need to know how to act.” I adjusted my grip on the steering wheel, wishing I could do something else with my hands. “You’re more than fucking satisfied.”
“Don’t ask for proof unless you’re ready to get it, Juniper.” Fuck. Speaking of words I’d regret, there they were. She’d been right.
One large bed. One set of fluffy white linens. One sleek, black headboard. One.
Julian’s lips pressed into a small smile as he reached to clear my empty plate for me. “Good girl.”
“You know, I think I like the flowers better.”
I opened my mouth to say a downright lie. “I wasn’t looking—” “It’s okay, Juni.” He pushed off the bed without looking at me. “I was, too.”
When Julian finished, he stepped back, appraised his work, and then muttered three words beneath his breath that momentarily halted mine. “There she is.”
“A good way, Daisy.”
I WAS SO FUCKED. Juniper wore dresses all the time to work. But there were dresses, and then there were dresses. And the one Juni had on looked so unbelievable that I couldn’t look at her for more than five seconds without imagining things I shouldn’t be imagining. Namely, taking it off.
Luckily, I was used to being suffocated by beautiful things.
but being referred to as her man hit me harder than any tackle I’d endured during my college football career. I hadn’t been prepared for that. Not a single bit.
But it had nothing to do with knowing impressive people. And everything to do with being one.
I could really get used to seeing Juniper St. James smile at me.
It was a radiant fucking smile.
“And I do like you, Daisy,” he breathed, dipping his head to press it against mine. “Stop telling me how I feel.”
His last words rang in my head. I do like you, Daisy.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this,” I breathed. “But I like you, too.”
I wanted to spend them kissing Julian Briggs.
“She’s not your fucking girlfriend,” I reminded him. “Not anymore.”
That was the one good thing to come from him being a cheating asshole.
Holy shit, I wanted her. So. Goddamn. Much.
“I’m not wearing one.” Her eyes swam drunkenly as she looked up at me. “But do your hands count? Because I wouldn’t mind wearing them to bed.” This was a torture unlike any fucking other.
