Shutter

Chapter One

"Hey there," he said, and smirked at her as she snapped a quick picture of him.

He stood tall – nearly six foot, with a short crop of perfectly styled dark brown hair on his head. His olive eyes stared into Elle's with an air of mystery and just the slightest hint of amusement. His lips held the most perfect pout on a mouth that housed two perfect rows of pearly white teeth. His clothes were immaculately tailored to fit his amazingly toned body. All in all, he was a woman's dream – utterly perfect.

"Do you have any comments on the new rumor that's been popping up on the internet?" Elle asked as she snapped a few more candids of him. His eyes never left hers.

"And what's that?" He asked, cocking his eyebrow in response.

She hated this. She really didn't want to ask him the question. It was his personal business and no one really needed an answer. But her agent was breathing down her neck about getting something substantial from him regarding the subject.

"That you started batting for the other team," Elle said with a sideways smirk, trying to keep it light.

"What?" He asked, cocking his head as he scrunched up his face in question. Elle swallowed hard, wishing she didn't have to blast him right then and there.

"That you're gay," she choked out.

She couldn't believe the words came out of her mouth. It was so disgraceful and completely intrusive. She hated herself for it. She honestly hoped he would just tell her to fuck off.

Everyone went quiet the second she said the words. One of her connections in the business, Charlie – a guy who she teamed up with on occasion, was filming the whole conversation.

Julian let out a little chuckle, shaking his head, before he looked back at her.

"You've been following me long enough. What do you think?" He retorted, cocking an eyebrow.

Elle's breath caught in her throat. What did she think? Well, if she had her way, he'd be as straight as an arrow and irrevocably attracted to her.

"Everyone wants to know, Julian. They don't want to hear what I think," Elle said, smirking at him flirtatiously, conforming to his playful mood. He laughed out loud finding humor where she couldn't.

"Well, let's just put it this way. There are about ten guys standing here and I've only got my eyes on you," he said, flirting with her right back.

The group of cameramen surrounding them and two guys in his posse all let out a collective 'ohh!' from his words. Elle's cheeks blushed hot as her insides twisted painfully. She was so attracted to that man, it hurt.

"Got nothing else to say?" Julian asked, smirking at her.

"Consider me speechless," she said with a shy smile back in his direction.

"Come on, Julian. We've gotta go," his bodyguard said, starting to guide him along toward an awaiting vehicle.

"Hey. What's your name?" Julian asked as he dug his heels into the ground, still speaking to her.

"What?" She choked out.

"What's your name? I feel like we should at least be on a first name basis," he said, smiling at her.

"Uh, Elle," she stammered.

"Elle?" He questioned with a soft smile, and she slowly nodded her head.

"Elle, I'm Julian," he introduced, reaching out to shake her hand.

She thought she might actually explode as they touched for the first time. His hand was soft and big and she could only imagine how amazing it would feel running up and down her body.

He couldn't still be a virgin, right? He dated some of the hottest actresses of the time, for god's sake. If they held off from jumping on that, they were much better women than she would ever be. His entire presence screamed sex. She couldn't even look at him without thinking about it, obviously. He became her number one desire in those lingering moments. She could think of nothing else.

"Nice to meet you, Julian," Elle breathed, making sure he could see the desire in her eyes and hear it in her words. She watched as his tongue flicked over his lips, before a mischievous smirk arose on them.

"Likewise," he said with a breathtaking smile just as his bodyguard gripped onto his shoulder, breaking his attention from her, thus breaking their hold on each other.

"I'll see you around, Elle," Julian said with a promising smile as he got rushed away.

"That you will," she told him, watching as they made their way to the awaiting SUV.

"What the hell was that, man?" Elle heard one of his friends ask him before they were fully out of ear-shot.

"Elle, I got it all. Oh my god. That was perfect," she heard Charlie's voice in her ear as she kept watch on Julian while he walked away.

Julian looked up at Elle seconds before he got into the vehicle, sending one last smile in her direction. Her heart spun in her chest. She couldn't even deal.

How in the hell was she going to be able to do her job after that?