Read SAFEHOUSE (A BWWM BILLIONAIRE ROMANCE) for Free Online Page A

    “What do I think? Seriously? This place is gorgeous, that’s what I
think!”

 
    He smiled, setting the basket down at our feet. “I’m glad you
approve.”

 
    I helped him roll out a tattered blanket, surprised to see something
so old amongst Julien’s things. I sat down across from him, trying to keep my
legs tucked in under my dress. So maybe the maid’s uniform is a little bit too
traditional.

 
    “So how are you liking life here? I know it’s probably a big
difference from back home,” he asked, pouring us both glasses of juice.

 
    I took the glass from him, sipping at it thoughtfully. “It is a big
difference. But that’s kind of a good thing, at least in my situation. There’s
just too much chaos going on back home. I’m glad to be rid of it, at least for
now. I don’t know what it’ll be like once I actually try and strike on my own,
but I imagine it’s not gonna be as peaceful as living in a huge castle and not
having to answer to five million different people. I get why you decided to
live out here. I mean don’t get me wrong, Marie’s definitely put me through my
paces this week. But as Alain so wisely said just a bit ago, it’s good hard
work. It’s good for my soul. I guess that’s all I can ask for right now.”

 
    I looked down at the sandwiches that Julien placed on a plate in front
of us. I couldn’t help but smile when I saw that my sandwich was an elaborately
made BLT. Gervaise. He might not say much, but he definitely earned a spot in
my heart.

 
    “You think you’ll have a tough time, once you leave here? I don’t
think so. You are a capable woman, I know you’ll be up to handle yourself well
out there.”

 
    “Capable is one thing. I mean I know I’m street-smart… You have to be
where I grew up. This is different. Moving to a foreign country, having to
learn its language, having to take the little bit of what I know and applying
it to wherever I end up? That’s on a whole other level... At least it feels
that way.”

 
    “I read that you were going to school for nursing. Do you no longer
want to do that?”

 
    I snorted. “I’d love to still do that. I was so close to finishing…
But witness protection told me that I needed to find something completely
different to do from now on. There is no sense for me to finish my schooling,
because they thought it would be an easy way to find me. So I guess there goes
that, right?”

 
    It wasn’t an easy subject to broach with me, that much was true. If
there was one thing that made me the most bitter about the whole thing, it was
that I had to give up my dream job. I hadn’t even started it yet, and I was
already slipping through my fingers faster than I could catch it.

 
    “Giving up your life, it must be so hard. That’s essentially what
you’ve had to do. I can’t even imagine being put in your situation right now,”
he said.

 
    “Can we talk about something else?”

 
    Julien frowned, picking up his sandwich and taking a bite out of it.
“I apologize. I had no idea that they had asked you to do that.”

 
    I shrugged my shoulders, taking another sip of my drink. “So this
garden. What’s the deal with that? Has it always been here?”

 
    At that, he grinned. I had to look away, because every time he smiled
at me something fluttered inside of me. It was kindof nice though… It made me
feel normal again.

 
    “Yes, yes it was. I believe it’s one of the original gardens of the
château. The main garden was laid down years after the building was put up.
This one predates all of that by several hundred years… At least that’s what
the realtor told me. It even came with this lovely key. Who doesn’t want to buy
a house with a garden that has a key?”

 
    I laughed, nodding. “I see your point.”

 
    We devoured the rest of our food, chatting about the history of the
home, along with the history of the local area. I hadn’t taken the time to see
any of the