Chapter 282

Julian spun around to find Arabella standing there, her youthful face glowing with mischief.

"Arabella? What are you doing here?"

She wore a crisp white blouse tucked into navy shorts that hugged her curves perfectly. With a playful grin, she said, "Julian, let me hitch a ride in your car to avoid the rain. Now I'm repaying the favor by being your umbrella girl. Fair trade, don't you think?"

He chuckled low in his throat.

"You've got a date, right?" Arabella teased, holding out the umbrella. "Here, take this. I'll be on my way."

As she turned to leave, her ankle twisted sharply with an audible snap. A pained gasp escaped her lips.

Julian was at her side instantly. "Arabella, are you hurt?"

Tears welled in her large eyes as she bit her lip. "I think I sprained it. It really hurts..."

"I'll carry you to the clinic," Julian declared, already scooping her into his arms. Arabella gazed up at his chiseled features. "But your date..."

His lips quirked into a smirk. "You're more important."

A blush crept up Arabella's neck. "Then could you take me to the dance studio instead? I have some pain relief cream there."

Julian adjusted his grip and started walking. Arabella studied his profile. "Julian, when did you first notice me?"

He considered this. "That intercollegiate basketball tournament at Willowridge University. I was team captain, you were leading the cheer squad. When you came out for the halftime performance, I couldn't look away. But you seemed... uninterested in the guys on campus."

Arabella had always been head cheerleader. That day, her skimpy uniform showcased every bounce as she executed complicated routines, driving the crowd wild with her energy and... other assets.

That's when Julian first noticed her. How could he not, when every guy around him kept whispering about the dance department's most stunning girl?

Willowridge's dance program boasted two legendary features - Arabella's chest and Cassandra's hips - both lethal weapons against male concentration.

Warmth spread through Arabella's chest. So Julian had liked her back then. But her heart had belonged to Alexander at the time.

A deafening thunderclap split the sky.

"Ah!" Arabella shrieked, instinctively throwing her arms around Julian's neck.

He looked down, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Scared of thunder?"

She nodded, pressing closer. "Terrified."

Julian's chest vibrated with quiet laughter. "Such a little coward."

Arabella pouted up at him, and suddenly the air between them crackled with electricity.

Just then, Julian's phone rang insistently from his pocket. He made no move to answer it.

Arabella arched a brow. "Aren't you going to get that? Might be important."

His expression darkened slightly. "It can wait."

Meanwhile, Rosalind stood alone in the deserted movie theater lobby. The crowds had long since disappeared into the screening rooms.

She checked her watch for the twentieth time. 8:00 PM. She'd been waiting since seven. Still no Julian.

Her phone call went straight to voicemail. The robotic female voice taunted her: "The subscriber you are trying to reach is currently unavailable..."