Juliet noticed immediately.
She caught the way he avoided looking directly at her, the way his gaze kept drifting toward the crowd as though he was trying very hard not to give in. The realization made a mischievous smile spread across her face.
Before he could react, she rose onto her tiptoes and pressed a soft kiss against his cheek.
Then another.
And another.
One affectionate peck quickly turned into several as she continued showering his face with kisses. When she had thoroughly attacked one cheek, she moved to the other without the slightest mercy, her laughter bubbling softly between each kiss.
Cassian froze where he stood.
His eyes widened slightly as he stared down at her, completely caught off guard by the sudden assault of affection. For a man who rarely lost control of a situation, the sight of him standing there speechless was almost amusing.
Only after she seemed satisfied with her work did Juliet finally pull back enough to look up at him.
"Come on," she coaxed softly, reaching for his sleeve and giving it a gentle tug. "I really don't want to drink alone. Can't you join me? Just a few drinks."
Her voice softened even further as she smiled at him.
"I promise I won't get you drunk. I know you have important things to take care of later, so I'll behave."
Tilting her head slightly, she blinked up at him with wide innocent eyes that looked entirely too sincere.
The sight nearly destroyed what little restraint he had left.
The warmth of her kisses still lingered against his skin, and being this close to her was making it increasingly difficult to think clearly. His chest rose and fell a little deeper than before as he struggled to regain control of himself, his gaze lingering on her face far longer than it should have.
For several long seconds, neither of them spoke.
Juliet simply waited patiently, still holding onto his sleeve while looking up at him with obvious expectation.
Eventually, Cassian let out a slow breath.
"Fine."
His voice came out lower than usual.
"I'll have a few drinks with you."
Juliet's entire face lit up.
The smile that immediately appeared made something tighten unexpectedly inside his chest.
Before he could say anything else, she threw her arms around his neck and pressed a quick kiss to the corner of his mouth.
Cassian reacted instinctively.
Before Juliet could pull away, his hand slid to the back of her head, fingers threading through her soft curls as he pulled her back and captured her lips in a deep, demanding kiss.
The moment their lips met, something inside him snapped.
Weeks of longing, fear, and frustration poured into that single kiss.
His mouth moved over hers slowly at first, savoring the feel of her soft lips beneath his. Then, unable to help himself, he deepened the kiss, coaxing her lips apart with a gentle sweep of his tongue.
Juliet let out a soft gasp, and Cassian took full advantage, kissing her more thoroughly, more possessively.
