“My sister’s wedding is in less than nine hours.” I smile despite everything. “So here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to take a shower. I’m going to order us breakfast. We’re going toeat something and pretend to be normal people for a few hours. And then we’re going to go watch my sister marry the love of her life, and we’re going to celebrate, and we’re going to dance at the reception.”
“I don’t dance.”
“You do now. That’s the deal.” I poke his chest. “You want to date me? You dance at weddings. Non-negotiable.”
“That seems like extortion.”
“That seems like romance.” I grin at him—because if I don’t grin, I might cry, and I’ve already done my makeup. “Besides, you owe me. I’ve spent four days dealing with vampire drama at my sister’s destination wedding. I deserve a dance.”
“Fair point.”
I stand. Hold out my hand.
He takes it. Lets me pull him to his feet.
“Julian?” I say.
“Yes?”
“Thank you for coming back.”
He pulls me close. Presses his lips to my hair.
“I sort of had to.” A grin creeps across his face. “You paid me.”
I laugh—soft, exhausted, real.
“Speaking of which, don’t you think you have enough money?”
“Us billionaires wouldn’t stay billionaires if we gave back all the money we made.”
“Really?”
“When was the last time you looked at your bank account?”
“Before we left.”
“Your money was already refunded. I’m here on my dime.”
“Finally! Some good news!”
“Wasn’t not-being-hunted-by-a-guy-trying-to-kill-me good news?”
“It was, but I really wanted to buy a camera with that money.”
“Poppy, the last thing you’ll ever have to worry about is money. We’re even giving Chris and your sister the best present ever: a free destination wedding.”
“Really?”
“They won’t know about it until they go to check out, but it’s all been comped. Hotel rooms for them and all the guests. Food. Wedding. All of it.”
“That’s going to be expensive.”
“Like I said, best present ever—all in your name.”
“That’s too generous.”
“I own the place, so it’s less generous than you think.”
