Chapter Seventeen

POPPY WAS A MESS.

For the nth time.

But unlike previous instances, she had butterflies instead of mosquitoes or something similarly horrible buzzing around inside her stomach.

She had been up early in the morning trying to figure out what Valerian had in store for her. All he had been willing to tell her last night was that she needed to dress up and that Joel would help her with anything she needed.

"Oh my."

Joel placed a hand over his chest. "You look absolutely stunning, Ms. Cortez. That gown seems made for you."

Joel was the private butler assigned to her suite, and the man had been a godsend, just like Valerian had told her he would be. When she had shyly asked him for assistance in finding a gown, Joel had come up with an entire rack for her to choose from, not to mention an assortment of shoes and accessories as well.

"Isn't it too revealing?" Poppy asked nervously.

"It is—"

"Joel!"

"But that is how it should be, Ms. Cortez. After all, our goal is to turn Mr. Rossfield's head, yes?"

And so despite her own misgivings, Poppy allowed Joel to convince her to stick with the strapless form-hugging gown and a pair of crystal stilettos to match. Joel had also insisted she take a gold necklace with a heart-shaped pendant, which the butler slyly assured her would draw Valerian's eyes straight to her décolletage.

"Mr. Rossfield just texted. The hotel's Italian restaurant, La Serenata, will be closed to the public tonight. Your handsome gentleman has booked the entire place for your date."

Poppy's heart started pounding as she followed Joel's lead. It still seemed so surreal to have Valerian go through so much effort...for her.

Please God, please let this not be a dream.

A pair of waiters were waiting by the restaurant's garden entrance, and the two men bowed to her in greeting before throwing the double doors open.

"Shit."

The whispered word came from Valerian, and hearing his initial reaction to her would've broken her heart...if Poppy didn't also happen to see the expression on his handsome face.

I can't believe this is real.

After eight long months of feeling invisible—

Valerian was looking at her like she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

Was this truly real?

And as if to answer her question, she then heard Valerian say for the second time—

"Shit."

****

THE SOUND OF POPPY'Sshaken laugh was like a kick to the balls. It didn't just bring Valerian back to his senses, but it also made him realize what he had said.

Twice.

Color darkened his cheeks.

Get a grip, Rossfield!

He took a step towards her...and nearly ended up tripping. Over his own damn feet.

What the hell?

Poppy was visibly struggling not to smile when he finally reached her, and a grimace flashed over his features. Considering how he had inexplicably turned into a clumsy idiot in the past minute, he should consider it a blessing he hadn't yet turned her off.

"Are you okay?" Poppy asked.

"My ego had seen better days, obviously."

"Oh."

"You know you're doing a bad job at hiding your smile, right?"

"O-Oh."

Valerian couldn't remember seeing anything lovelier as he watched a helpless smile form over her lips.

"Can we start over with a clean slate? You did say I was shit—twice."

A bubble of laughter escaped her as she said the last word and the sound was just too damn adorable.

And hot.

Valerian felt like he was losing his mind.

Adorable and hot did not go together, dumbass.

Or at least that hadn't been the case...until now.

Until her.

Poppy.

She was still looking up at him like she considered it the best dream ever that he had said ‘shit' upon seeing her.

And it was still the hottest and most adorable thing he had ever seen.

I give up.

And then he was hauling her close and doing what he had wanted to do from the very first moment he saw her.

Poppy didn't even have the time to gasp as Valerian pulled her into his arms and covered her mouth with his.

And this kiss was just like the other times he had kissed her, with the way her brain shut down as his tongue thrust past her lips.

She could only clutch his shirt between her fingers as the kiss deepened. Could only whimper against his lips as she grew dizzier with every stroke of his tongue. She would gladly give up breathing for this kiss to never end—

But of course, it did end, and Poppy didn't even realize how she was looking at him until Valerian's gaze gleamed down at her in amusement.

"You look like you're ready to cry out of frustration."

Poppy hurriedly shook her head even though a part of her was convinced it was so mortifyingly true. "N-No, I'm not."

"It's alright," he soothed. "I promise I'll do more than kiss you later on—"

Poppy let out a gasp. "T-That's not—"

"But for now, I'll need you to do one thing for me."

Her heart threatened to stop beating when she saw him reach for something in his pocket.

Was he going to—

"Will you..."

He couldn't possibly—

"Sign something for me?"

Poppy stared dumbly at the gold-plated pen he had placed in her hand.

Huh?

Poppy found herself seated across Valerian ten minutes later, but instead of the romantic candlelit dinner she was expecting, he had her even more confused over the contract he wanted her to sign.

"I don't understand. I don't want your money—"

"I know you don't," Valerian said calmly, "but I need to make sure you're taken care of, in case something happens to me."

"I don't think I like the sound of that."

"The rebels in Risto think of me as the enemy because of the deal I made with the royal family. There's a slight possibility that they'll want me dead—"

Poppy could feel herself paling as the full import of his words started to sink in.

"And I need to know you'll be okay even if I'm not around."

"But—"

"If I have to be completely honest, this offshore account is also meant to dissuade you from feeling lonely if I'm gone. Contrary to popular opinion, money - if there's more than enough of it - makes a better bedfellow than another man."

Poppy didn't know whether to laugh or cry. She had never imagined Valerian to be a jealous man. She had been working for him for eight months, and not once had he acted jealous over his ex.

Yet here he was, meticulously ensuring that his wealth would keep her from seeking another man's company in case...he wasn't around for long.

Poppy bit her lip hard to stop it from trembling. Just the thought of someone wanting to hurt Valerian made her want to cry. It made her feel so helpless, knowing the kind of enemies he had.

Please God. Please protect him. Please.

"There's another contract I need you to sign."

Poppy could only shake her head at this point. "Another one? What for?"

"Have you heard of Heart's Match?"

Poppy's confusion grew. "Everyone's heard of it." The company was the first and most successful of its kind, with its female CEO having arranged marriages for billionaires and their (e)mail-order brides.

"Then you know who Charlotte is?"

"The CEO?"

"Yes. I needed her help with the second contract. It's another failsafe, so to speak. And it will only take effect if the royal family manages to take back control of their kingdom."

"I still don't get it."

"Charlotte has come up with a PR plan that would effectively introduce you as my wife while employing certain legal measures to keep Camelia from saying anything against you in public."

"But I'm not your wife."

"Yet."

Valerian had already gone down on one knee before he had even finished speaking.

Is this real? Can this really be happening? I can't believe this is real.

When he reached to pull out one more thing from his pocket, it was not another pen, but a small velvet box.

And inside of it, of course, was a diamond ring.

"I can't wait for the world to know I'm the luckiest man alive," Valerian said roughly. "It kills me that I have to keep it a secret. You deserve more. You deserve everything. And one day...I swear it, Poppy. I swear I'll give you everything. But right now, I can only ask you this. Will you be my wife in secret?"

Poppy was crying so hard by the time he finished, she could only choke out her answer.

"Yes, yes, yes!"

Valerian was on his feet in an instant, and she could only release a teary laugh as he swiftly slid the ring down her finger...before once again handing her back his pen.

"The sooner you finish signing the contracts, the sooner I can keep my promise. I'll kiss you for as long as you want. Touch you. Fuck you—"

She clapped a hand over his mouth. "I get it!"

But Valerian was just as swift as removing her hand and lowering it back to her side. "You haven't gotten anything yet. But you will get me and my cock—"

Oh my goodness.

"—-as you as you sign the damn contracts."