She just didn't know it yet, but for now...
Julian sensed the exact moment exhaustion finally took hold of Fleur, and he immediately turned to one of the executives representing management. One hard look was all it took, and the crowd was right away dispersed.
When they were alone again, Fleur smiled up at him sleepily, knowing without being told that Julian was responsible for making everyone go away. "Thank you."
A disturbing surge of protectiveness swelled up inside of him, but Julian told himself that this was only normal. He might not be a saint, but his conscience wasn't completely dead.
"This is your floor, isn't it?"
She nodded.
"What's your room number? I'll walk you to your door."
Since she hadn't been raised to be a damsel in distress, Fleur's instinctive urge was to refuse. And she would have done exactly that, too...if she could just find the energy to do so.
"Room number?" he prodded.
She gave it to him with a sigh, and his lips curved. "Was that so hard?"
"I'm normally not this helpless."
"I used to think you were," he acknowledged, "but yes, I now know otherwise."
"Good."
"But—-"
Fleur frowned. There was a but? Why was there a—-whoa!
She finally found herself swept up in his arms, and when her stunned gaze flew back to him, Julian said, "I also know you're dead on your feet. So this is me doing another good deed—-"
"Another?"
He let his eyes widen back at her. "Did I not help you manage your fears a while ago?"
Fleur tried to fight off a smile...and failed. When Julian meant to charm, it was impossible not to be charmed.
"And now that we are clear on how much you owe me..."
Fleur's heart started to pound. Since this was Julian, whatever he had to ask was sure to be terribly—-
"I'd like to work for you."
Mischievous.
That was what she had been about to think, but with what he had just said, it obviously should've been 'money-grubbing' instead. Or maybe she had heard him wrong? Could she? Please God, let it be that, so...
"What's that again?" Fleur asked.
"I'd like to work for you."
"Oh."
Julian's lips pressed together when he saw Fleur fail to hide her disappointment.
"I heard you right, after all."
And now she looked resentful, which both his mind and dick found too fucking adorable...with emphasis on the 'fucking'.
They had finally reached her room, and Fleur politely asked him to let her down. All she wanted at that point was to hide in her room and sulk. How could she not have known he was a fortune hunter?
A fortune hunter!
She could usually smell them from miles away, but maybe it was because they had met in Paradijs, and that was why she had expected him to be wealthy himself. The membership fees here were no joke, but what if he wasn't even a member?
"Would you not care to ask what position I am applying for?"
No, Fleur thought crabbily. I absolutely do not want that, but since I can't suddenly ignore a lifetime's worth of etiquette lessons...
She forced a smile. "Yes, of course. And I'll see what I can do."
"If you do not mind, I would like to volunteer..."
Ha! Volunteer? Like he didn't expect to be paid!
"...as your twelve-day lover."
Chapter Three
Fleur was about to gasp when Baby, It's Cold Outside suddenly started to play.
That...was her ringtone!
And oh my gosh, so that was how he knew!
Julian saw Fleur's gaze dart to his pants' pocket the moment her phone started to ring, and if he had needed any more proof of how his little flower was anything but brainless, this was pretty much it. In mere moments, he could see Fleur mentally connecting the dots in lightning speed—-
"You read my email," Fleur accused.
"It was not my fault that your email was there to read."
Her mind started playing back those unforgettable minutes they had been stuck in the elevator, and Fleur could totally see it now. She had used her phone's screen to double as a torch, and that must have given Julian his first glimpse of her unfinished email. After that, he had borrowed her phone, and oh God, no wonder he had kept pressing the emergency button so many times!
"In case you're wondering," Julian murmured, "I managed to read everything—-"
Fleur gasped. "You—-"
Her phone rang again, the sound cutting off, and when she realized it was Ariana Grande's Santa Tell Me—-
She quickly held her hand out. "Give me back my phone."
"Of course." And Julian readily raised his arms like a suspect under arrest.
Fleur sputtered and choked, torn between exasperation and just the teensiest, weensiest bit of temptation?
"All yours, milaya."
Her phone rang for the second time, and Fleur squared her shoulders. She would get in more trouble if she were to make her brother call her for a third time, so...
I have no choice, Fleur told herself as she slowly slid her hand inside his pocket, and of course her fingers right away felt the muscular hardness underneath his pants. She found her phone, and afterwards...