Chapter 36 Tempting
Adeline stared down at Julian, her expression still filled with surprise as her mind tried to catch up with what was happening in front of her. Seeing him on one knee like that felt unreal, almost like something out of a story she had never believed in. For a brief moment, she forgot about the press conference waiting for them, forgot about the reporters, the scandal, and everything else that had brought them to this point. All she could see was him, steady and confident, holding out a ring like this was something that actually meant more than just strategic partnership.
She almost got carried away by the moment, almost let herself feel something deeper than she should have, but Julian’s voice quickly pulled her back.
“Are you planning to keep me on my knees all day?” he asked, a small hint of amusement in his tone. “We have a press conference to attend in a few minutes.”
The words broke whatever spell had started to form, and Adeline blinked, letting out a soft breath as she shook herself out of it. A small smile slowly formed on her lips as she looked at him, her composure returning just as quickly as it had slipped.
“Yes,” she said simply. “I’ll marry you.”
The answer came out calm since she had already accepted it long before this moment, even though something about saying it like this felt different.
Julian didn’t hesitate. As soon as the words left her mouth, he took her hand gently and slid the ring onto her finger. The diamond caught the light instantly, shining in a way that made it impossible to ignore.
“I never imagined I’d be proposing to anyone,” he said as he straightened slightly, still holding her hand. “Much less you, Adeline Carter.”
Adeline let out a soft breath that turned into a faint laugh, her shoulders lifting slightly in a small shrug. “Life is full of surprises,” she replied, her tone light but honest in a way she didn’t bother to hide.
Her eyes dropped for just a second to the ring now sitting perfectly on her finger. It was beautiful, more than she expected, but she quickly forced herself not to focus on it too much. This wasn’t about the ring, and it wasn’t anything romantic. It was an arrangement, a plan, something they had both agreed on for their own reasons.
“Alright, get up,” she added, glancing back at him. “Anyone would think you’re actually serious if they saw you like this.”
Julian let out a small chuckle as he rose to his feet, his eyes still fixed on her. “I am serious,” he said, his tone more grounded now. “This might be strategic, but it was still my idea, and you still deserve a proper proposal.”
Adeline tilted her head slightly, studying him for a moment before her gaze flicked back to the ring again. “How long have you had this?” she asked. “And how did you even get my size right?”
Julian slipped his hands into his pockets casually, like the entire situation was far more normal than it actually was. “I got it yesterday,” he answered. “But I took your measurements days ago. Didn’t want to risk getting something too big.”
Adeline raised a brow at that, clearly not expecting that level of detail. “You shouldn’t have bothered,” she said after a second, her tone calm but slightly dismissive. “This is… a bit much.”
Even as she said it, she couldn’t ignore the weight of the ring on her finger. It felt real in a way that made her slightly uncomfortable, like it blurred the line between what was fake and what wasn’t. She reminded herself again that this was all part of the act, nothing more than a piece of a larger plan they were putting together.
Julian shook his head lightly at her response. “Just accept it,” he said. “It would be strange if we told the entire world we’re engaged and you didn’t even have a ring.”
She opened her mouth to argue, but then stopped. There was no point. He wasn’t wrong, and arguing over something like this would only waste time they didn’t have.
“Fine,” she said instead. “Good thing you’re at least tactful.”
She turned slightly, glancing back at the mirror again, her eyes scanning her reflection quickly as she adjusted a loose strand of hair that had fallen out of place.
“We should go over everything one more time,” she added. “Just to be sure we don’t mess anything up out there.”
Before she could say anything else, she felt his hand wrap around her arm, pulling her gently but firmly back toward him.
Adeline blinked in surprise as the distance between them disappeared again. Julian stepped closer, his presence immediately filling her space, his gaze dropping briefly to her lips before meeting her eyes again.
“I have a better idea,” he murmured, his voice low.
Her hand instinctively came up to rest against his chest, her brows pulling together slightly as she looked at him.
“Julian,” she said, her tone warning but not harsh, “we have a press conference soon. I’m dressed for it, and I don’t want you ruining my outfit or my hair.”
There was a brief pause, but instead of stepping back, he smiled slightly, the expression calm and almost teasing.
“I’ll be careful,” he said quietly.
Before she could respond, his lips brushed lightly against her neck. The contact sent a small shiver through her, one she tried to ignore, but her body reacted before her mind could fully catch up.
“You don’t even have to do anything,” he added, his voice low against her skin. “Let me take care of you.”
Adeline let out a soft breath, her fingers tightening slightly against his shirt as she tried to stay grounded. She knew this was a bad idea, knew they were already pushing things further than they should, especially with what they were about to do in front of the press, but the way he touched her made it harder to stay completely unaffected.
“You’re unbelievable,” she muttered under her breath.
Julian let out a quiet chuckle, clearly not bothered by the comment as he continued to press light kisses along her neck, careful and controlled just like he said he would be.
The sensation made her close her eyes for a brief second, her composure slipping just slightly as a soft sound escaped her lips before she could stop it. It wasn’t loud, but it was enough to betray the effect he was having on her.
“Julian…” she started, but her voice didn’t carry the same firmness as before.
He didn’t stop, his movements slow and deliberate, like he had no intention of rushing even though time was clearly not on their side.
Adeline let out another quiet breath, her head tilting slightly to the side without her realizing it, giving him more access as she tried to balance the tension between what she should be doing and what she was allowing to happen.
“You’re insane,” she said softly, a small, breathless laugh slipping through her words, but she didn’t pull away. Instead, she let her hand rest against his chest, her grip loosening as she gave in, just for a moment, to the feeling.