Roman and Julienne's heart desire
Chapter 37: Easily flustered

Chapter 37: Easily flustered

"Good morning," Roman said, his voice low and smooth, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

His dark eyes were fixed on her with an intensity that made her cheeks flush instantly.

There was something about the way he looked at her—like she was the only person in the world—that caused her heart to flutter uncontrollably.

Flustered, Julie quickly lowered her eyes, hoping he wouldn’t notice the deepening color on her face.

"G-Good morning," she greeted back, her voice barely above a whisper.

The sound was so soft it almost melted into the silence of the room, but Roman heard it, and it only made his smile grow.

Seeing her like that—blushing, shy, almost trembling in his arms—he couldn’t resist the urge to tease her a little.

The corner of his mouth lifted into a smirk as he tilted his head slightly, studying her expression like it was the most fascinating thing he’d ever seen.

"You want to shower?" he asked, amusement dancing in his voice.

Julie gave a quick nod, perhaps a little too quickly, and the motion made a few strands of her hair fall across her face.

She was desperate for him to let go—not because she truly wanted to escape, but because being so close to him was overwhelming.

Her heart was beating too fast, and her thoughts were too jumbled to make sense of.

Every second in his arms made her more nervous, more aware of every inch of space—or lack thereof—between them.

He didn’t let go.

Her skin was tingling, not just from the warmth of his body but from the sheer awareness of his presence.

She felt caught between two states—uncomfortable in her nervousness, yet strangely comforted by the safety of his arms.

It made no sense, and yet it was exactly how she felt.

She wanted to run. Maybe if she moved fast enough, she could escape the weight of the moment, the butterflies fluttering wildly in her stomach.

If she stayed lying there with him for even one more second, she was sure she’d faint.

"Let’s go bathe, then," he said casually, as if the suggestion was nothing.

Julie’s head snapped up at his words, her previously lowered eyes now wide open, staring at him in disbelief.

Her entire face turned a deep shade of red, the heat rising to her ears.

She stared at him with shock written all over her face, lips parted as if to protest, but no words came out.

Roman’s expression lit up at her reaction. Her eyes—big and round with surprise—were almost comical.

He couldn’t hold it in anymore and burst into laughter, his deep chuckle echoing through the room loud enough that someone on the ground floor might hear.

Startled, and more embarrassed than ever, Julie scrambled off the bed, ran to the bathroom, and shut the door with a loud click.

A second later, the sound of the lock sliding into place followed.

Inside, she pressed her back against the door, breathing hard, face still burning.

"Easily flustered," Roman murmured with a teasing smirk as he shifted his hand from where it had been resting on the bedside drawer.

"Hmm," he exhaled a sigh of relief as he scrolled through the trending posts online. One headline caught his eye, and a proud grin crept across his face.

"Good job, Azazel," he said with a chuckle.

Meanwhile, Julie pressed a hand to her chest, feeling her heart hammering wildly.

"What’s wrong with my heart?" she whispered to herself, her palm resting over the frantic beating. It thudded like a drum.

"Calm down, Julie. Calm down," she muttered under her breath, closing her eyes and inhaling deeply.

"Things changed so fast," she said aloud, sliding down to sit behind the door, letting her head fall back against the wood with a soft thud.

"But thank God I got to tell him everything," she continued with a bright smile.

Her relief, however, quickly gave way to embarrassment as a vivid memory flashed through her mind—the kiss they had shared the night before.

"My virgin lips," she whispered, blushing furiously, a shy smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

In the haze of emotions, Julie forgot that Roman was still waiting in the room.

She had rushed into the bathroom and only realized her mistake after finishing her shower.

Wrapping a towel around her, she looked at her reflection and gasped.

"Oh no. How am I supposed to walk like this?" she said, staring at her bare legs and damp skin.

The towel barely reached her mid-thigh.

"What are you going to do, Julie?" she asked herself, pacing in the bathroom, nerves getting the best of her.

Her heart hadn’t slowed down one bit.

She peeked out the bathroom door, carefully poking her head into the room.

Her eyes swept the space—and to her relief, Roman was nowhere to be seen.

In a flash, she darted out, barefoot and wrapped in just the towel, hurrying toward the closet.

She shut the door behind her and leaned against it, letting out a long, shaky breath.

"Phew," she whispered, smiling to herself, thinking she had successfully avoided another awkward moment.

But that smile didn’t last.

As she turned around, she froze. Her eyes widened in horror as they landed on Roman—standing casually with his arms crossed, a smirk playing on his lips.

He was about to exist the room after changing, when the door was suddenly open and there come in the half necked Julie.

Her eyes bulged as they met with the smirking man in front of her.

She gasped, panic rising in her chest as her eyes frantically searched for something—anything—to hide behind.

But to her misfortune, there was nothing within reach.

Roman’s gaze slowly scanned her from head to toe.

Seeing the woman he loved—and was married to—standing there in nothing but a towel, her hair damp and cheeks flushed, was a sight no man could easily forget. A blessing, even.

His brain told him to look away, to walk past her as if he hadn’t seen anything. To give her the dignity of privacy.

But his heart said otherwise: You should tease her.

He could already imagine her reaction—flustered, stuttering, maybe even running off with that adorable squeal of hers.

Still, one look at her trembling hands and red face, and he knew now wasn’t the time.

"...."

She looked like she might pass out.

"I’ll be outside," he said calmly, his voice even, his expression unreadable.

Without another word, he turned on his heel and walked out of the room with composed grace, closing the door behind him.

As soon as he stepped into the hallway, Roman let out the breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. A smile tugged at his lips.

Downstairs, the scent of freshly cooked food wafted through the air.

Right on time, Carla, the head maid, was about to head upstairs to announce that dinner was ready when she spotted Roman already making his way down.

He took a seat at the long dining table, quiet and patient, waiting for Julie before touching a single dish.

Rose and Elizabeth exchanged subtle glances from across the room. They were surprised—shocked, even.

A genuine smile rested on Roman’s face. That was rare. Especially these days, when his expression had been more ice than warmth.

Roman’s smile grew, the edges of his lips curling higher as his thoughts drifted back to the scene upstairs.

She looked like a deer caught in headlights, he thought, biting back a laugh.

And that towel... barely hanging on. She clutched it like her life depended on it.

He pictured the way she peeked from the bathroom, her eyes darting nervously before she made her little dash—so determined and so utterly unprepared for what awaited her.

How can someone be that adorable and not even realize it?

Then he remembered the pink creeping up her cheeks, the way she tried to vanish into the floor when she saw him. His heart warmed.

She’s mine... all mine. And somehow, even in chaos, she still manages to make my day better.

"She’s so cute," he murmured under his breath.

But Carla, who was setting the table nearby, caught it. Her brows lifted just slightly, though she said nothing.

Young couples... she thought to herself with a knowing smile.

"You seem to be in a good mood, my son," she said aloud, glancing at him with curiosity.

"Yes," Roman replied simply, the warmth in his voice undeniable.

A soft, satisfied smile remained on his face.

Julie arrived moments later, her steps quiet, her head bowed slightly as she took a seat at the table.

She didn’t dare lift her face, still recovering from the earlier embarrassment.

Carla nodded at her in gentle acknowledgment, and Julie gave a small, grateful nod back—an unspoken apology and thanks all in one.

"Ah, madam has arrived," Carla announced gently. "Serve the food."

Elizabeth and Rose quickly moved to bring in the dishes from the kitchen, sneaking glances at the awkwardly silent Julie and the smiling Roman, both clearly caught up in their own thoughts.