Read SAFEHOUSE (A BWWM BILLIONAIRE ROMANCE) for Free Online Page B
Authors: Mia Caldwell
surrounding area yet. Julien explained we were close to the city of
Arbois, and not too far from the border of France and Switzerland.
“Do you get a lot of snow here?”
Julien laughed out loud, nodding his head. “You could say that. We are
in the mountains after all. Not much further up the road is a famous ski
resort. It’s always full of celebrities that try to get away. I actually ran
into Jordan there once.”
“Jordan? Jordan… As in?”
“Sorry. Michael Jordan. You might’ve heard of him,” he laughed.
My eyes bugged out, and I froze, my mouth open and just inches away
from my sandwich. “You lie like a rug! Are you serious? The Michael Jordan? As in the basketball player that my dad had a
total man crush on?”
He choked on his food, quit trying to clear his throat. I couldn’t
help but grin at him. When he recovered, he promptly began laughing his ass
off. It felt nice to know that somebody appreciated my ridiculous humor.
“Yes, that guy. He was there with his family, when was it . . . about
1996? Right around the same time that he came out that awful movie.”
I turned my fork out pointing it at him threateningly. “Hey. Don’t
hate on Space Jam.”
Julien threw his hands up in mock self-defense, his eyes wide. “My
apologies!” His face broke back out into the crooked smile of his, making me
blush again.
As he turned away to wipe something from his face, I couldn’t help but
wonder what exactly was going through his mind. He was being awfully nice to
me, and while he seemed like a really nice guy and all… I felt myself becoming
more suspicious. It was probably just because of my paranoia, but what else
would lead someone like him to try and charm someone like me? We were from
totally different worlds, with totally different backgrounds.
And let’s face it, I probably wasn’t his type.
He probably fell for the well-educated, wealthy, tiny little white
girls that probably flit all over him when he goes back to the states. Somehow
that image just popped right into my mind, making me grit my teeth.
I had to figure out what his angle was. Maybe then I would feel little
bit more at ease around him.
“So what made you decide to open a halfway house? I mean that just
seems so… random, don’t you think?”
That caught his attention. “What do you mean by random?”
“I mean you’re an heir to a billion-dollar company. You’re famous,
and… look at you! With everything you have going for you, what makes you decide
to open up your enormous home to people on the run?”
His cheeks reddened, but he didn’t look pleased with my observations.
Maybe I shouldn’t have brought it up at all.
“That sounds like something a reporter would ask me. Is it so
far-fetched to think of me as someone who wants to help others?” His voice was
low, and he looked at me with the kind of intensity that made me swallow
against the lump in my throat.
I bit my lip, not wanting to hurt his feelings. Of course he was a
good guy. Of course he wanted to help. Maybe I was just turning into a psycho.
“I’m sorry, Julien. I don’t mean that you’re someone who wouldn’t help
others. It’s just that, I don’t know, there are so many other things you could
be doing with your life I guess. I just don’t see anyone waking up in the
morning one day and saying hey, maybe I should open up my house to people who
could possibly bring in all sorts of danger along with them.”
Julien just shook his head, a smile making its way back onto his face.
“You know… Growing up, I always wanted to be a detective…” he said
wistfully.
I caught myself letting out a squeak of a laugh, forcing it back down
quick as Julien stared at me.
“I couldn’t, of course. My family name makes that sort of thing
impossible. Everyone treats you differently when money is no object… I can’t
live a
Arbois, and not too far from the border of France and Switzerland.
“Do you get a lot of snow here?”
Julien laughed out loud, nodding his head. “You could say that. We are
in the mountains after all. Not much further up the road is a famous ski
resort. It’s always full of celebrities that try to get away. I actually ran
into Jordan there once.”
“Jordan? Jordan… As in?”
“Sorry. Michael Jordan. You might’ve heard of him,” he laughed.
My eyes bugged out, and I froze, my mouth open and just inches away
from my sandwich. “You lie like a rug! Are you serious? The Michael Jordan? As in the basketball player that my dad had a
total man crush on?”
He choked on his food, quit trying to clear his throat. I couldn’t
help but grin at him. When he recovered, he promptly began laughing his ass
off. It felt nice to know that somebody appreciated my ridiculous humor.
“Yes, that guy. He was there with his family, when was it . . . about
1996? Right around the same time that he came out that awful movie.”
I turned my fork out pointing it at him threateningly. “Hey. Don’t
hate on Space Jam.”
Julien threw his hands up in mock self-defense, his eyes wide. “My
apologies!” His face broke back out into the crooked smile of his, making me
blush again.
As he turned away to wipe something from his face, I couldn’t help but
wonder what exactly was going through his mind. He was being awfully nice to
me, and while he seemed like a really nice guy and all… I felt myself becoming
more suspicious. It was probably just because of my paranoia, but what else
would lead someone like him to try and charm someone like me? We were from
totally different worlds, with totally different backgrounds.
And let’s face it, I probably wasn’t his type.
He probably fell for the well-educated, wealthy, tiny little white
girls that probably flit all over him when he goes back to the states. Somehow
that image just popped right into my mind, making me grit my teeth.
I had to figure out what his angle was. Maybe then I would feel little
bit more at ease around him.
“So what made you decide to open a halfway house? I mean that just
seems so… random, don’t you think?”
That caught his attention. “What do you mean by random?”
“I mean you’re an heir to a billion-dollar company. You’re famous,
and… look at you! With everything you have going for you, what makes you decide
to open up your enormous home to people on the run?”
His cheeks reddened, but he didn’t look pleased with my observations.
Maybe I shouldn’t have brought it up at all.
“That sounds like something a reporter would ask me. Is it so
far-fetched to think of me as someone who wants to help others?” His voice was
low, and he looked at me with the kind of intensity that made me swallow
against the lump in my throat.
I bit my lip, not wanting to hurt his feelings. Of course he was a
good guy. Of course he wanted to help. Maybe I was just turning into a psycho.
“I’m sorry, Julien. I don’t mean that you’re someone who wouldn’t help
others. It’s just that, I don’t know, there are so many other things you could
be doing with your life I guess. I just don’t see anyone waking up in the
morning one day and saying hey, maybe I should open up my house to people who
could possibly bring in all sorts of danger along with them.”
Julien just shook his head, a smile making its way back onto his face.
“You know… Growing up, I always wanted to be a detective…” he said
wistfully.
I caught myself letting out a squeak of a laugh, forcing it back down
quick as Julien stared at me.
“I couldn’t, of course. My family name makes that sort of thing
impossible. Everyone treats you differently when money is no object… I can’t
live a