Page 111 of Petite Fleur

This professor just gapes at us for far too long, not responding but also not moving, and I love that he’s stunned her into silence.

"How about we get those results? You're stressing out my dessert." Leon says with a cocky grin while his hand remains on my throat. His thumb keeps rubbing my pulse point, I assume to make sure this professor knows that I am his dessert.

I blush deeply, embarrassed that he felt the need to comment on the remark I made earlier, but honestly, I’m not even sure why I said that.

I’m not sure why I’m so jealous that a much more successful and age appropriate woman is hitting on him, but I am.

This woman clears her throat and focuses on the screen rather than on the camera view for a few minutes.

"You passed." She announces flatly.

I'm grinning like a darn fool, I passed all my exams? I passed my third year of college!

"What's the score?" Leon asks, his voice is cold and clinical like when he reminds me of our situation, it's somehow even more terrifying when it isn't directed toward me.

He's a terrifying man when he needs to be.

I visibly see this woman pale at his tone and her eyes shift toward the screen again. "Environmental Conservation, 98" Shereads off. She continues to read off all the scores from all of the finals I took today with my lowest score being in biochemistry, and it was 78%.

So I passed all my classes this year!

Leon gives a short nod, seemingly not impressed with my scores.

It sends a wave of shame through me that he's not proud, but why would he be?

He's a freaking doctor! I'm sure he passed all his exams with flying colors, and I bet none of them were about plants like the professor pointed out.

"Are we done here?" He asks her. His voice is still void of any emotion, and frankly, I don't like it. I want to cower away from him and the way he's staring at the laptop with so little emotion.

"We are done." The professor answers, but Leon has the laptop slammed shut as soon as those words are uttered.

His entire face changes to a softer one as soon as the computer is closed and he finally breaks out into a smile. "You did amazing, ma fleur." He says warmly.

I look up at him, smiling back and feeling my shame melt away at his praise. "Thank you." I say genuinely.

I don't know if I'm thanking him for telling me I did well, letting me take my exams, or for sticking up for me, but it doesn't matter.

Leon offers his hand to me, one that I take willingly as he guides me to the kitchen table. "I just have to pull the cornbread out of the oven and we can eat, okay?" He asks.

“Okay.” I say quietly. I have to give him the trust that he’s begging for, I’m still scared of being sick, but I’m too hungry and too tired to put in the effort to make something myself, so I’m telling myself that Leon wouldn’t let anything happen to me.

Chapter 43

Maeve Henderson

While dinner was delicious, the tension in the room was so thick that it was visibly uncomfortable.

Leon keeps looking at me like he wants to eat me alive, and every time I look up, his eyes are already on me.

If it wasn’t so arousing, it would be intimidating.

“Go grab a shower, ma fleur, I will clean up in here.” He promises me as soon as I’m finished eating.

I can’t argue, I want to, I want to insist that I help since he’s been so kind today, and I know his leg is sore, but I’m exhausted.

I’ve been up since sunrise and have been staring at a screen for the entire day.

So my head is throbbing, my back hurts from sitting in the same position, and I think my brain is fried from overuse.

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