31 BREAKFAST

Lucius grin widened and he reached over and ran his thumb down the omega cheek and across his lower lip.

Julien's heart had increased the number of beats.

Thump, thump, thump—

Lucius cocked his head to one side, still grinning: "Breakfast will be in the dining room in fifteen minutes. I'm going to have a shower."

The man headed into the bathroom and closed the door.

Julien let out the breath that he had been holding. His pheromones were racing underneath his inhibitor. His skin tingled where his thumb traced over his face and lower lip. He felt like squirming with a needy and achy discomfort, but at the same time he didn't understand this reaction.

Julien lay back on the soft feather-filled pillows.

The villain was too difficult, complicated and confusing. He was not like a villain at all, but like a white knight described in a book. He didn't know if Lucius cared enough to come and rescue him from danger or if he just wanted to to use him for information or for other things he didn't know yet.

It was far better to take the attitude that he has a lot of time and give up expectations of the future. He will just live in the present and then eventually learn who the villain really is.

But the next he wanted right now was...

This was the best time to escape. Julien scrambled out of bed frantically searching for his jeans. He had bare legs and was all gawky when Lucius emerged from the bathroom wet and glistening from the shower with just a towel around his waist.

The alpha was surprised to see him out of bed: "If you're looking for your jeans, I have sent them to the laundry."

Julien flushed scarlet: "Oh."

Why did this man always catch him on the back foot?

Lucius's eyes were dark like obsidian: "Another pair and some clothes are in the bag on the chair."

Julien muttered ashamed: "Thanks. I'll have a shower too."

What else could he do? Running away couldn't be done now.

In the bathroom, it was hot and steamy from where Lucius had been showering. Julien striped off his underwear and inhibitor. He quickly clambered into the shower, anxious to be under the cleansing stream of water. It cascaded over him as he held up his face into the welcoming torrent.

[System: You had slept in his bed all night and he didn't touch you so why are you so mortified?]

The corners of Julien's mouth pointed downwards: "I'm offline right now."

[System: Your fear hides in many places - in anger, denial, drinking and anything else you compulsively engage in to make yourself feel better. But if you could just learn to be vulnerable for one secon and open up to the other, you would find there is no place left for your fear to hide.]

Julien turned a deaf ear to System's words.

He just thought that it couldn't work for Lucius and him.

[System: Just wait and see...]

Julien narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth: "Where is the delete button!?"

[System: He he, there is no delete button.]

Julien took a deep breath and he started picturing how the the naked System could look in reality.

As he couldn't go offline then it was System turn to shut up.

Julien didn't really minded when System was messing with him, he could easly flip it round and play with System insted. Julien's smile betrayed that it was not a moment of anger but something which he deeply enjoyed.

The water was warm and soothing. He could stay under this shower forever.

The knocks on the door and voice startled him: "Breakfast is ready."

Julien stuttered as he yanked cruelly out of his daydream: "Okay!"

He climbed out of the shower and grabbed a towel. Hastily, Julien dried himself, ignoring the feeling of the towel rubbing against his over-sensitized skin.

He inspected the bag of jeans. Not only the villain brought him jeans, but a dark red shirt, socks and underwear.

Julien flushed when he saw sexy underwear. All red lace and finery. The back was made of a partial see-through fabric that showed and exposed everything.

He dressed quickly and really didn't want to think of the villain in some lingerie store buying this for him. The rest of the clothing was a perfect fit too.

Julien was relieved to find the bedroom empty. He hunted quickly for his phone and wallet, but it was nowhere to be found here. He took a deep breath and finally entered the living area of the villa. It was huge and Lucius was sitting at a dining table on the other side of the room reading a newspaper. He was wearing a white linen shirt with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. It reminded him of their first meeting.

Lucius lifted his chin and pointed to a place at the table. He said in a casual but irrefusable way: "Sit and eat with me."

The table was laden with food, but Julien didn't move.

Lucius raised his eyebrow, directly pulled the seat beside him and spoke in a heavier tone: "I said, come here and sit."

Like a pitiful little boy, Julien lifted his feet and with a rigid and heavy gait, walked to the seat and very carefully sat down.

Lucius gave him an apologetic smile: "I didn't know what you like to eat, so there is a little bit of everything here."

Julien was bewildered by the choice. He put an enormous amount of food on a plate. Eggs, ham and piles of fried potatoes.

Lucius tried to hide a smile as he returned to his egg white omelet.

The food was delicious.

Lucius asked: "Something to drink?"

Julien nodden and then the man passed him an elegant glass of water.

Julien's mouth pressed into a hard line and in a very quiet voice said: "Thank you for organizing the clothes. I will give you some money for it."

Lucius glared at him as if he had offended him on some level.

Did he just wound the villain's ego?

Lucius put down his cutlery and his eyes were burning with some unfathomable emotion: "I can afford it."

He continued to speak, his tone softened: "It's a pleasure. That color suits you."

They sit gazing at each other, neither of them touching their food. Julien was first to blush and stare down: "That's not the point. Why should you buy these for me?"

Lucius's gaze flashed with a wicked gleam: "Because I can."

Julien's eyes flickered with recognition at the man's words: "There is a line in one dinosaur movie 'they were so preoccupied with whatever or not they could, they never stopped to think if they should'. Just because you can doesn't mean that you should."

Lucius arched an eyebrow at him, his eyes twinkling, and suddenly Julien felt that they were talking about something else, but he didn't know what it was.

Lucius said in a low voice: "There's something about you that I'm finding it impossible to stay away. But I think you have figured that out already."

Julien gasped, his eyes wide: "You should stay away!"

Lucius had his elbows on the table, and his chin was resting on his long, steepled fingers: "I don't have to, Julien."

Suddenly, for some inexplicable reason the atmosphere between them changed, charged with an electric, exhilarating anticipation.