The Contract Said Leave After, His Mind Said Please Stay Chapter 04

The Contract Said Leave After, His Mind Said Please Stay Chapter 04

Over the next few days, I launched what I privately called my “poke the bear” plan. Actually, no — “ice-breaking” plan sounded less suicidal.

Step one: show up more.

Before this, I only saw Julian for our bi-weekly “appointment” and the occasional breakfast.

Now, I started putting myself in his path.

One night, he was working late in his study, and I walked in carrying a glass of water.

“I brought you some water, Mr. Sterling.” He didn’t even look up.

“Put it there.”

[Why is she bringing me water? She’s never done that before. Does she need something from me?]

[Or… no, don’t overthink it.]

I didn’t leave. I stood there beside him until he finally looked up.

“Is there anything else?”

[Come closer, come closer, come closer.]

“Nothing. You’ve just been working for a while, and I wanted to make sure you weren’t going to pull an all-nighter.” He went still.

[Is she… worried about me? She’s actually worried about me?]

“Got it.” He dropped his gaze back to his paperwork.

[Don’t go. Don’t go. Don’t go.]

“Well, good night, then.”

[Of course.]

“Wait.” I stopped.

He didn’t look up, his eyes still on the page, his pen scratching over the paper.

“Tomorrow… don’t worry about coming down for breakfast. I’ll have it brought up to your room.”

[That counts as caring, right? She checked on me. I’m feeding her. We’re even now.]

I said okay.

Back in my room, I caught my reflection in the mirror and had to clap a hand over my mouth. Even?

You think sending up breakfast puts you on equal footing? Julian, have you ever dated anyone in your life?

Step two: break the touch barrier.

One evening, I was watching TV in the living room. For once, Julian wasn’t working late — he was on the other end of the couch, scrolling his phone.

A whole couch cushion of empty space sat between us.

[What is she watching — some romance show? Who’s that guy? He’s not even that good-looking.]

[Is that her type?]

I faked a yawn and scooted closer. His thumb froze on the screen.

[Closer. She’s closer.]

I scooted again.

[God, she’s even closer.]

I closed the rest of the distance and rested my head on his shoulder. He turned to stone.

His phone almost hit the floor.

[That’s twice now. She’s done this twice. What does it mean? Does she actually — no. Calm down.]

[She’s probably just tired. Yeah, that’s it — just tired. The couch is hard and my shoulder is… what, more comfortable? Is that a thing?]

I closed my eyes, grinning like an idiot. Thank God he couldn’t see my face.

“Sleepy?” he asked.

His voice stayed perfectly even, but inside his head it was a different story.

[Don’t say you’re sleepy. Don’t say you’re sleepy. If she says she’s sleepy, she’ll go back to her room.]

“A little,” I said, “but I don’t want to move.”

[Fuck. She doesn’t want to move. She doesn’t want to move. That means she wants to stay.]

“Then stay,” he said.

He said it like it was nothing — like he was reading a stock ticker.

[Julian, you absolute genius. Nailed it. Totally natural. Ten out of ten.]

I nearly snorted out loud. I caught it just in time.

I stayed right where I was, leaning against him, and we watched TV for half an hour.

For the entire thirty minutes, his phone screen stayed on the same page. He didn’t read a single word.

His head was a mess.

[Her hair keeps brushing my neck. It tickles.]

[Her breathing is so quiet. Did she actually fall asleep?]

[If I smell her hair, is that weird? Yeah, that’s creepy.]

[But it smells so good.]

[One time should be fine, right? Just once.]

[… No. If she wakes up, I’ll never recover.]

Julian, it was too late for that. He’d already embarrassed himself beyond repair inside my head — over and over and over.