Unfortunately, the faint chuckle that escaped him only made her more aware of his presence.
Cassian watched her obvious attempt to compose herself with poorly hidden amusement.
Trying to regain some dignity, Juliet cleared her throat and waved the bartender over.
"We'll take one for him too, please."
The bartender nodded and immediately began preparing a second drink.
Only then did Juliet finally risk looking back at Cassian.
"Now you have to drink your own."
Despite her attempt to sound casual, the faint pink color lingering across her cheeks gave her away completely.
Cassian's eyes lingered on her flushed face for a moment before the corner of his mouth lifted into a satisfied smile.
The expression was subtle.
Small.
But devastatingly attractive.
And the moment Juliet saw it, she realized he knew exactly what he was doing to her.
The realization only made her cheeks grow warmer.
Which, unfortunately, seemed to amuse him even more.
Chapter 17 Restrictions
The bartender set another glass of the same cocktail in front of them, the amber liquid catching the light in a slow, golden shimmer. Cassian didn’t even wait for the glass to settle properly before his fingers closed around it. He brought it to his lips and took a long, unhurried sip, finishing it in a few swallows. When he placed the empty glass back down, the soft clink against the counter barely registered—his attention had already returned to Juliet.
His hand slid around her waist almost absentmindedly, pulling her closer in a way that felt instinctive. His thumb rested there for a moment, a steady pressure that kept her from drifting even an inch away, while his gaze moved past her toward the food counter.
“What do you want to eat?” he asked, voice low and easy, already half distracted by the spread ahead. He tilted his chin slightly toward a meat dish laid out nearby, the aroma drifting faintly through the air. “How about that?”
Juliet followed his gaze despite herself. For a brief second, something unguarded slipped through her expression—an honest flicker of hunger that softened her eyes and parted her lips almost imperceptibly. It was gone just as quickly. She turnedher head away, as though refusing even the thought, and forced her voice into something steadier than she felt.
“No… I don’t want that. I’m trying to lose weight.”
But her body betrayed her before the words even finished settling. Her feet kept moving with him as they approached the counter, her steps light but inconsistent, like she wasn’t fully in control of the direction she was going. Her gaze kept straying back to the food, lingering a little too long each time, then snapping away with visible effort—as if she had to physically tear herself from it.
Cassian noticed everything.
The shift in his expression was subtle. The teasing ease faded into something quieter, as he watched her pretend not to want what her body clearly did. Without a word, he picked up a plate from the counter, then a fork. He scooped a small portion, lifting it until it hovered right in front of her.
“You don’t need to punish yourself,” he said, voice lower now, stripped of amusement. “You don’t have to fix your body overnight.”
Juliet turned her face away on instinct. But her eyes betrayed her again, drifting back despite her efforts, locked onto the bite he was holding like it had a gravity of its own.
“I need to lose weight,” she whispered, tighter this time, almost defensive. “I can’t… I can’t keep eating like this.”
Yet she didn’t move away. Her gaze stayed fixed on the food, caught in that fragile space between restraint and wanting, her breath slightly uneven as if even resisting it took effort.
Cassian stepped closer. His hand at her waist tightened just slightly, anchoring her in place before she could retreat even a fraction.
“Open your mouth,” he said.
