Falling For My Bodyguard||Julia Jones

3

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Recap:
(Despite the various questions and details they discussed, the conversation between them stayed firmly on a professional level. Luca never strayed from discussing his job, his skills, or the specifics of how he would protect her. He was there to provide a service, and he wasn't about to let personal or romantic feelings complicate their working relationship.
Or so he thought...)
3

The phone rang only twice before a cheerful voice answered on the other end.

"Hey, Jules!" her friend greeted, sounding just as enthusiastic and friendly as always. "What's up?"
Julia leaned back on the couch, a smile almost escaping her at the sound of her friend's voice. "Hey," she replied, her tone more relaxed now that she was talking to her oldest friend. "I just wanted to check in, see how you're doing. Things have been hectic for me lately, just needed a friendly voice, you know?"

""Hectic, huh?" her friend responded, her tone sympathetic and understanding. "Well, you know you can always call me when you need to vent or just chat. What kind of hectic trouble are you in now? More crazy fans? Or did the press dig up some old gossip again?"

Julia laughed slightly and said "Is having a new bodyguard hectic enough?"
Her friend gasped appreciatively. "A *bodyguard*?" she asked, clearly intrigued. "Jules, that sounds pretty intense. And what, you're not getting some buff old guy like you'd expect? Is he young and handsome?"

Julia chuckled a little at her friend's interest. "Yeah," she admitted, a hint of intrigue in her tone. "He's young, and... yeah, you could say he's handsome. But he's all business, totally professional. Not a hint of personal interest or fan behavior."

Lia was clearly more excited now. "Oh come on," she teased, a suggestive note in her voice. "You can't just say he's handsome and then not give me more details. I need the juicy scoop, Jules. Is he tall? Muscled? Is he one of those rugged, dangerous-looking types or is he more clean-cut? Give me something here!"
Julia let out a small laugh, feeling a little amused at Lia's enthusiasm. "Calm down, girl," she replied, a smile on her face. "He's... tall, yeah, and definitely muscular. He's got a bit of that strong, rugged look. Not overly buff, but you can definitely tell he takes care of himself. And he's got a bit of a shadow going on. He's definitely got that dangerous look, but he's also well-groomed. It's a nice balance, I guess."

As Julia spoke, continuing to describe Luca to her friend, she was wholly unaware that the subject of their conversation was just a few feet away.

Luca stood quietly by the door, his figure leaning against the doorframe almost silently. He listened intently, but his face betrayed no emotion, remaining impassive and stoic as it had been the entire time he had been there.
He heard Julia's description of him, as she talked about his height, his muscular build, the slight shadow on his jaw. He didn't let any reaction show on his face, but the corner of his mouth almost twitched into the barest hint of a smile, the slightest sign that he was not unaffected by her comments.

He knew it was a little unprofessional, but he couldn't help but feel a touch of satisfaction at the fact that she was talking about him with her friend, a hint of curiosity and intrigue in her voice. It was a small ego boost, in a way, and it momentarily distracted him from the constant need to be stoic and composed.
Lia didn't skip a beat. "Damn, Jules," she responded, her tone envious. "He sounds like the total package. Strong, handsome, and dangerous? You're telling me you have this hot guy working for you and you're not at least a little bit interested?"

"It's not like that," Julia retorted, a hint of defensiveness in her voice. "He's here to do a job, not to be my date. Besides, he's so damn serious and formal all the time. He wouldn't know how to flirt if it hit him in the face."

Lia laughed at her friend's words. "Damn, you're describing a challenge to me, Jules," she teased. "You know how I feel about the serious, no-nonsense types. I think you just need to try and break through that tough exterior. A little bit of charm and persistence, and you might get him to crack a smile."
Julia rolled her eyes at Lia's suggestion. "Yeah, right," she replied dryly. "I'm sure all it would take is a wink and a smile, and he'd suddenly become a different person. He's all business, Lia. Plus, you know I'm not exactly looking to start a relationship right now."

The conversation between Julia and Lia continued long into the night. They talked about everything, from the new bodyguard to the latest gossip in Hollywood, and even a bit about themselves and their recent life events.
The hours passed in what seemed like minutes, and Julia found herself feeling a lot more relaxed by the time they finally said their goodbyes for the night.
As she hung up the phone, Julia realized how late it had gotten. It was nearly midnight, and she had been talking to Lia for hours. The house was quiet again, and she realized that Luca was most likely in another room, keeping his watchful eye over her as he was paid to do.

Julia headed to the bathroom to brush her teeth and get changed into her sleepwear. Despite the warm summer weather, she had a fondness for Christmas-themed pajamas, and tonight was no exception. She opted for a pair decorated with snowflakes and Santa Claus, laughing softly to herself as she changed.
As she looked at herself in the mirror, she paused for a moment. Wearing Christmas pajamas in the middle of summer probably wasn't the most normal thing to do, but they were comfortable and she loved them.
She splashed her face with some cold water and looked at her reflection again, the snowflakes on her top and the jolly Santa Claus making her look slightly absurd. It was a harmless whim, but she was glad no one was around to see her in such attire.

Julia tied her hair into a loose braid, the golden locks cascading over her shoulder in waves. She then turned off the lights and climbed into bed, pulling the covers up to her chin as she got comfortable.
Despite the late hour and the long conversation with Lia, she felt surprisingly relaxed.
The hum of the air conditioner was the only noise in the room, and it didn't take long for her eyelids to get heavy as she finally allowed herself to drift off to sleep.
Tomorrow was a new day, and she had a hectic schedule to look forward to.