Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 32348 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 162(@200wpm)___ 129(@250wpm)___ 108(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32348 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 162(@200wpm)___ 129(@250wpm)___ 108(@300wpm)
But now that it was not?
Wasn’t it time to listen to her heart and see where it would take her?
After getting one of the other junior stylists to cover for her, Poppy quickly stepped out through the back exit before texting the billionaire with shaking fingers.
Her phone rang almost immediately, and her heart threatened to leap out of her chest.
Please, God.
She didn't know what she was allowed to pray for. All she knew was that she needed help.
"Hello?"
"I'm sorry, Poppy."
Poppy's heart made another attempt to burst out of her. Her name on his lips still sounded so shockingly intimate, and she had a hard time concentrating on his words.
"I don't want to lie to you. But I also don't want you to take things the wrong way."
Poppy found herself nodding even if he couldn't see her.
"It's true that I don't remember kissing you. But that can easily be rectified, yes?"
Oh. My. Gosh.
"And before anything else, I want to make it clear to you that Camelia and I had already broken up when I kissed you."
"I know. I f-figured as much."
"You did?" The skepticism in his tone was unmistakable.
"Heather. She told me you had a very rigid set of principles, and—-" Her voice trailed off, and Poppy grew uneasy as a sudden thought occurred to her.
"What is it?"
Poppy didn't know whether to find his intuition unnerving or impressive. Maybe a bit of both?
"You can ask me anything. And you don't have to pick your words with care either."
Poppy decided to take him by his word. "I just want to know how...you and..."
"You want to know why we broke up."
"Only if it's alright—-"
"I found out she was only with me for my money."
Poppy didn't know how to take this. "I'm so sorry—-"
"Don't be."
Poppy was still trying to decide whether the flatness of his tone was something she should worry about when she heard him speak again.
"There's something else I need to ask you about."
"Of c-course." Poppy didn't know why she was suddenly stammering.
"Did I cross the line with you last night?" the billionaire asked abruptly. "Was the kiss something I forced on you?"
"Not...exactly?" Poppy started fanning her face. Why did she feel so hot all of a sudden?
"I need you to be clearer."
"I wasn't expecting you to do that, but it wasn't...unwelcomed?"
Poppy felt like melting by the time she finished choking the words out.
"I see."
If embarrassment could kill, Poppy would've already died several times over in the past minute alone.
"I have one last question."
Lucky her. Not!
"And I need you to be honest with me. Can you promise me that?"
Her brows furrowed. What could Valerian ask her that was so important? "I promise, I'll be—-"
"Did you enjoy my kiss?"
Oh. My. Gosh.
She wished she could think of something more profound to express her shock, but the words were all her mind was presently capable of.
"Yes or no, Poppy.
Poppy cleared her throat.
Twice.
Thrice.
And finally, she managed to choke out, "Uh...huh."
Chapter Twelve
"HE ASKED ME TO WAIT after that," Poppy shared with a blush, "and I said, um..."
"You'd be happy to wait?"
"Better."
Heather's brows shot up. "Really?" This, she had to hear.
"I told him I'd wait for as long as he—-"
Heather groaned even before Poppy had finished. "That's worse, Poppy. That's the absolute worst!"
"I just felt the need to be honest," the younger woman said sheepishly.
Heather could only sigh in response. Honesty was the best policy, after all, and even she didn't think it was right to insist otherwise.
"You're so pure, Poppy."
Poppy immediately shook her head at this. She was not pure at all, considering how every night she hadn't been able to stop herself from reliving the time she had fallen into Valerian's lap. Now that the memory was no longer "forbidden", all she could think about was how her nipples had instantly turned hard as they scraped against the hard wall of his chest.
Such thoughts were the opposite of pure, but she just couldn't help it. Valerian was the first man she had ever felt such a powerful attraction to. And after eight long months of denying such feelings even existed, it still seemed surreal that there was no longer a need to hold back on anything.
Heather suddenly reached for Poppy's hand to give it a squeeze. "I just want to say thank you. Valerian's been working nonstop to turn things around for the company, but I know that's still not an excuse to not call you for an entire week."
"I truly don't mind," Poppy assured the other woman. "It's not like I haven't ever seen him at work." There was also the fact that she had gobbled up all the articles and interviews she could find about Valerian, but that was probably something she should keep to herself. Heather was already worried she was too nice to her brother as it was.
Poppy headed back to work after her lunch date with Heather, and she spent the rest of the day like she usually did. Ever since her phone call with Valerian, it was as if she had been operating under a rose-colored haze. Nothing had been able to make her stop smiling—-not even when Giovanni had seriously asked Poppy if her creepy smiles were an indication that she was auditioning for a horror movie.