DivineSpecial:
Wow I think Adrian loves Emily

Wow

Chapter Eight


  


  


  


“Honey, at the rate you’re shaking, I’m pretty sure I can classify that as a seizure.”


  


Rita grabbed hold of my hands as she sat me down in the same chair I was in the last time she worked on my hair.


  


“Calm down! It won’t be as bad as you’re thinking it will be. Plus, I’m only putting your hair in a simple side style, so you don’t attract a lot of attention!” I relaxed a little. Maybe she’s right, maybe I’m just overthinking things…


  


“Which will still happen,” she said, “– because you’re just beautiful, hairstyle or not.” She caught my expression transform from relief to pain, as if someone had put a dagger through my heart. “But that’s not the point,” she amended quickly.


  


“Em, come on!” Amy barked through the phone, “Stop stressing about this. Mr. Sexy Pants will take care of it!” I heard the ruffle of a bag of chips pierce through the speaker of my phone, punctuating her stern reminder. If there was one thing I was absolutely certain about in life – it was the fact that Amy ate like a pig on her period.


  


I took a deep breath. “Okay. Okay. I’m sorry. I’m overreacting. I’m just really nervous. Thank you guys.” I let out a tight smile, glancing at Rita, who returned the gesture.


  


“That’s what we’re here for, bitch,” Amy declared, before I heard her crunching into the speaker.


  


I groaned as Rita let out a short laugh. “Ames, shut up. You sound like a horse munching on carrots.”


  


“HEY! THAT’S REALLY INSULTING! And I-” Amy’s voice got cut off by a beep, and both Rita and I glanced over to my iPhone to find Adrian’s name flashing on the screen.


  


“Ames, Adrian is calling,” I told her, grimacing as I waited for her reaction.


  


“I’m sorry, who?” she said, “I only know someone named Mr. Sexy Pants.” She burst out in laughter at her own joke. I rolled my eyes and pressed ‘Answer’ to Adrian’s call – abruptly ending Amy’s howls. I was about to take the phone off speaker and put it against my ear but Rita slapped my wrist away, glaring.


  


“No phones near the working area,” she scolded, spreading her fingers over my head and covering my ears to indicate the place that was forbidden.


  


“Sorry,” I mumbled sheepishly, before looking back over to the phone. “Mr. Kingston, is everything okay?” I asked nervously, biting my lip.


  


“How long do you need to be ready and over here? You’re driving Suzie mad. All the volunteers are here but yourself. You have an hour.” I noticed he was using his business tone – implying that he was either around important people, or he was pissed off at me for some reason. I mentally raked through yesterday’s lunch in my mind to look for any signs of me pissing him off, and came up with nothing – indicating that he was around other people.


  


“Yes sir,” I responded. “I’ll be there as soon as I can. I apologise for the inconvenience.” I adopted his professional tone, and heard Rita mutter a swear word under her breath. She began to smoothen out a soft crème in my hair in a rush, and I winced slightly as she pulled a little tighter than usual. “Is there anything else?” I asked after recomposing myself.


  


“That’s all.” He ended the call.


  


“ONE HOUR?” Rita exclaimed. “THIS MAN GIVES YOU NO TIME TO PREPARE YOURSELF!” She began to straighten my semi-blow-dried hair, which I had done before she arrived to make her job easier.


  


“It’s okay!” I tried to calm her. “Luckily, I already have most of my makeup done and my dress is already on! Take your time.”


  


She looked over to my reflection in the mirror and I watched as her eyes scanned my attire briefly, before she sighed in relief.


  


“Okay. That’s good. You’re okay with the simple soft waves to the side, right?” she asked, giving me a curious look as she finished straightening the last few strands of my naturally wavy hair carefully.


  


“Yep!” I confirmed with a nod. “Anything that will make me look like a piece of cardboard next to the others.”


  


She instantly began working on pinning my hair to the side securely and working on the waves on the side. We chatted aimlessly like last time, and I also decided to send a text message to my mother before she could have a meltdown as to why I didn’t call her today. I assured her I wasn’t dead or lying in a pool of my own blood in an alley somewhere, and attached a smile at the end of the message for good measure.


  


It took about 20 minutes all up for Rita to curl the waves to perfection, and I found myself admiring the silky looking blonde locks once again while I thanked her countless times.


  


“You don’t have to thank me so much, it’s my job!” Rita exclaimed, laughing my gratitude off. I blushed and grinned, before helping her pack her products that were scattered all over the vanity in my room.


  


When we finished, she pulled me into a quick hug. “Okay, sweetie. Text me and tell me who you end up going home with! Have fun, no matter what happens, okay? You look stunning, as usual!” She waved her goodbyes as she rushed out of my apartment.


  


I closed the door behind her softly, and leaned against the cool wood for a moment, gathering up all my stray thoughts. A worst case scenario began forming in my head, and I bit my lip as a terrifying image appeared in my mind: of possibly going home with David Walter and of him taking advantage of me.


  


I shook the thought out of my head. Adrian will take care of it. He promised.


  


I kept repeating that to myself as I applied last-minute mascara and nude lipstick, and slipped on my nude Louboutins. I rushed out the door while slinging a small bag over my shoulder. A black car was waiting outside my apartment building when I came down, and I recognised the driver from the previous business dinner I had attended with Adrian on my first week of work.


  


“Hello, Miss,” he said as he opened the door. I smiled and thanked him as I slid into the dark car. Once I was settled, he shut the door softly behind me. I heard him get into the front seat himself, and then the car rumbled to life.


  


“Mr. Kingston has called me three times now in regards to our whereabouts,” he told me. “I apologise in advanced for the pace we will be driving at, but Mr. Kingston insisted I get you to the venue in under half an hour.”


  


“It’s fine. I’m so sorry.” I grimaced, mentally picturing Adrian snapping at the poor driver because of me.


  


“Nonsense.” He laughed, before the car fell silent for the rest of the ride.


  


***


  


We arrived at the venue Suzie had arranged in 18 minutes, and I got out of the car with wobbly knees due to the speed the driver was going at the entire time. Adrian had called him during our trip, and I could hear his deep voice barking orders at the driver, all the way from the backseat.


  


“Thank you so much!” I gushed, smiling at the driver and giving him a small wave. He returned both gestures before driving off, leaving me to enter the back entrance of the venue alone.


  


I gulped as I made my way through a blue, metal door and instantly began coughing as copious amount of perfume assaulted my nostrils. I cringed as the girls around me continued to spray more of the heavy scents.


  


“EMILY! THANK GOD YOU’RE HERE!” Suzie gushed, suddenly turning up directly in front of my path. The girls in the room stopped chatting and all turned toward the door, where I was currently standing, rubbing my arm awkwardly as I tried to smile – but grimaced instead. “You look absolutely incredible, dear!”


  


“Sorry I’m late, Suzie. And thank you.” I smiled, before pulling her into a quick hug. “So… what do I have to do?” I asked, biting my lip curiously.


  


“Well, now that you’re here, we can get started. Everyone is already seated. It’s a big turn out!”


  


Suzie turned her attention away from me and addressed all the girls in the room. “Okay, everyone get in order, you all remember your numbers, yes?” Suzie looked around the room expectantly. Everyone nodded, including myself. The number 7 popped into my mind. “Good,” she said with approval as she ushered all of us into a line. When she got to me, she spoke in a hushed tone meant for my ears alone.


  


“Sorry Emily, you don’t have time for any last minute preparations. Not that you need it anyway.” With that terrifying thought, she left the room.


  


Seconds later, we heard her on the microphone, announcing the beginning of the event. That’s when I felt every set of eyes in the crowded dressing room on me. I looked up to find each woman glaring at me, and I widened my eyes in surprise.


  


“So, Emily,” A voice began, and I immediately recognised it as Anna’s. “What’s the deal between you and Adrian?” she asked, raising a perfectly penciled eyebrow at me.


  


“Uh…” I swallowed nervously as the girls broke formation and circled around me. “Mr. Kingston? There is no deal.” I looked at the faces around me in confusion. What on earth were they talking about? There was no deal between Adrian and me.


  


Anna rolled her eyes and scowled. “We know you’re sleeping with him. So what are you doing that’s making him pay more attention to you than us?” She took a step closer. “What on earth – I haven’t slept with him, he’s my boss!” I exclaimed incredulously, frowning in annoyance.


  


“You-” Anna was cut off as Suzie called out her name, and she threw one more venomous glare in my direction before sauntering off in the short green dress she was wearing, swaying her hips in the process.


  


I stared at her retreating figure in disbelief before turning back and glaring at the rest of the group around me. I wasn’t going to go through this shit again. I already went through it in high school.


  


“Does anyone else want to falsely accuse me of sleeping around while we’re still in our little support group circle?” I asked sarcastically. The girls gave me surprised looks, before glaring and going back to their proper places. I rolled my eyes at their sudden lack of participation in picking on me as I settled down on my spot.


  


Jessica, the next girl on the list, was announced. She vacated her spot and we all shuffled up one more seat, moving forward in line. Suzie listed Jessica’s ‘qualities’ before the bidding began, and I decided to tune out then, texting Amy to tell her what just happened. Slowly, the girls in front of me decreased in number, and I tuned back in as soon as I heard number six, a girl named Sally, being called up.


  


My breath hitched in my throat as I felt my heart beat against my chest rapidly, and I slowly put my phone back into my small bag, trying to distract myself from the feeling of my stomach exploding inside my body, just as the biddings on Sally began. What if Adrian didn’t ‘take care of it’ and I had to go home with a complete stranger? What if no one bid on me at all?


  


People gasped as Suzie banged the wooden gravel and called out, “SOLD! FOR $38,500! Sally has had the most generous contribution so far!” People clapped and the dreaded moment finally came. “I’d like to call up our 7th volunteer for the night, Ms. Emily Johnson!”


  


I knew it was coming yet I still froze at the mention of my name. I stayed glued to my position until I received a light push from someone behind me. “Go!” she hissed, bringing me back to reality.


  


I stumbled out from behind the curtain and instantly began blushing as I clumsily attempted to straighten myself. Once I was standing up straight, I looked up, and my eyes widened in shock. There had to be at least 300 people here!


  


“Emily is new to the staff list as Mr. Kingston’s new assistant,” said Suzie in a playful tone, “I’m sure some of you may have heard of her. This girl is not only beautiful, but smart, caring, funny and feisty.” I gave her a look of horror, receiving a small smile in return. “Shall we start the bid at $10,000?” she asked, glancing around the large venue.


  


My eyes scanned the room and instantly found Adrian. He was staring at me with the same expression he had on when I wore the black dress. When I looked around, I found that most of the men in the room also had the same look on their faces, adding to my grief. Someone cleared their throat, breaking the silence and the trance the room was in.


  


“$10,000.” My eyes flew over to find the man who had spoken. He had a bald spot on the top of his head, making his skin shine in the light. I tried to keep my disgust hidden as he smirked in my direction, and I went to look over at Adrian again. He was still staring.


  


This was his definition of ‘taking care of it?!’


  


“We have $10,000 from Mr. Blackford. Can I get a $10,500?” Suzie called out, and another man instantly put up his number. “$10,500.”


  


“$11,000!” Another man shouted from the back, slightly jumping out of his seat when he announced it. “$15,000.”


  


My blood turned cold as I recognised the voice, and my eyes met David Walter’s. He looked as smug as ever. I swallowed nervously and looked down at my shoes. Adrian wasn’t going to do anything, by the looks of it.


  


“$16,000!” The man who previously placed a bid on me from the back called out, wiping David Walter’s smug expression off his face.


  


“$17,000.” David stated, frowning slightly.


  


“I have a bidder on the phone who couldn’t make it tonight and likes the look of this one. $20,000.” It was a new voice, a woman’s. She was tall, with a raven black mane surrounding her pale features. She sent a small smile in my direction and I briefly returned it, trying to mask my tears.


  


“I’ll put $30,000.”


  


It was another familiar voice, and my eyes widened at the sight of Allen’s grin. He waved at me and I almost fainted from relief – until I saw Adrian’s death glare directed to the back of Allen’s head. Allen noticed me staring at Adrian, and his smile instantly slipped off his face as he turned around to meet Adrian’s harsh gaze. Adrian said something and he scowled at Allen, before turning his attention back to me.


  


“$35,000!” A new voice called, and my eyes landed on yet another rich man in a suit, who was staring at my chest. I glared in his direction and covered the area with my bag.

“The feisty side is coming out. I like it. I’ll put down $40,000.” It was another stranger, smirking in my direction.


  


“You’re not the only one, Liam,” David Walter chuckled, before his gaze landed back on me. “$50,000.” He declared.


  


“$52,000.” The man – Liam – countered, glaring at David.


  


“$55,000,” David said, the same glare crawling onto his features.


  


“Oh my,” I heard Suzie mutter from beside me. I looked over at her shocked expression and grimaced. I was done for.


  


“$60,000!” Liam exclaimed, his eyes narrowing even further.


  


“$100,000,” David announced, smiling smugly at Liam, whose eyes widened at the statement.


  


“150,000!” The bald man who first began the bid announced, taking everyone by surprise.


  


“$500,000.”


  


A collective gasp echoed in the venue, and everyone turned in shock to the woman who was speaking on behalf of whoever was bidding on the phone. “And my client is willing to top off any other bid that may be announced after that,” she added, her eyes narrowing slightly as if challenging the others in the room.


  


My eyes widened as my lips parted in shock. Half a million dollars?


  


Suzie cleared her throat after a dragging silence, and stepped back up onto the microphone. “Uh…” she began, still in shock. “$500,000. Going once…” No one said anything.


  


“Going twice…” My eyes flickered over to David Walter, whose hand clenched and flinched around his bidding number.


  


“SOLD TO THE BIDDER ON THE PHONE!” Suzie announced, banging the gravel three times before letting out a long breath. “Wow. Half a million dollars. Ms. Emily Johnson, ladies and gentlemen! Our highest bid so far!” The room had erupted into thunderous applause, continuing on as I got off the stage. I made my way over to the lady with the phone.


  


“Hello Emily,” she said with a smile, as she slipped her phone into her pocket. “If you don’t mind me asking,” I began nervously, gripping my bag like a lifeline, “Who am I going home to tonight?”


  


“It’s a surprise,” she said simply. She gave me a mysterious smile before placing a slender hand on my shoulder. “You need to sit next to your boss, for the time being. I’ll come collect you when the event is over.”


  


I nodded and waved at her as I slowly made my way over to the table where Adrian, Allen, two people I didn’t recognise and Adrian’s parents were seated. There was only one seat available on the table – and it was wedged in between Adrian and Allen. Great, two people I really didn’t want to talk to.


  


I took my seat silently, not making eye contact with either of the men I was seated in between, and placed my bag on my lap demurely. “Hey, Em!” Allen greeted, smiling. I glanced briefly in his direction, before turning back to Suzie, who was now announcing Courtney’s ‘qualities.’


  


“Shortcake,” I heard Adrian murmur into my ear, making me stiffen from the proximity. Regardless, I brushed him off by turning my shoulder so that he faced my back. It was his fault I was going home with a complete stranger who probably wants me to have sex with them to begin with – no amount of flattery in the world would change that.


  


“Shortcake, please listen to me for a moment,” Adrian said into my ear once again. I realised he was keeping his voice low because we were surrounded by business people. I took a deep breath before turning around to face him, and gave him my fiercest glare. I hope it came across clearly that I was in no mood to talk to him right now. Not waiting for a reaction, I turned my attention back to the front of the venue.


  


Adrian sighed from beside me, and I saw him glace at Allen from the corner of my eye.


  


Suddenly, someone chuckled on the table, making me avert my attention from Suzie. My eyes landed on Adrian’s father, who was looking at me and chuckling, eyes twinkling in amusement.


  


“My, my,” he said. “My son is not one for rejection. I like you. If he ever fires you, let me know. I’ll give you your job back in the blink of an eye.” He winked, and I looked at him in confusion as he continued laughing.


  


Once he sobered up, he smirked at me, and I was taken aback momentarily because he looked exactly like Adrian – just an older version. “Mason Kingston. Nice to meet you, Emily.” He nodded, and his smirk grew. “You’re very beautiful.”


  


I began to blush as I looked down at my bag. “Uh…” I trailed off, trying to figure out Mason Kingston’s cheerful behaviour. “Thank you, sir,” I finally said, smiling slightly.


  


“I hope my slut of a son hasn’t been treating you badly.” My eyes widened in shock as the sentence left his mouth, and he burst into a fit of loud laughter, attracting gazes from the tables around ours.


  


“Mason,” Adrian’s mother snapped, “that’s quite enough.” She glared at her husband before she turned the glare to me. I frowned slightly at the harshness of her look, and looked down at the empty plate in front of me to avoid her gaze.


  


“Katherine, relax. I’m just having a little fun. Something you should try once in a while when we’re not in be-” Katherine shoved a carrot into Mason’s mouth, and he chuckled as he chomped on it, purposely loud.


  


Katherine turned toward her son with the slightest ghost of a smile. “Adrian, honey. I would like to speak with you after this is over.”


  


“What about, dearest mother of mine?” Adrian asked wryly. Her eyes travelled over to me briefly, narrowing a little just before they returned to Adrian’s face.


  


“Just something,” she said vaguely. Adrian, however, noticed the brief look his mom gave me, and he glared as he wrapped an arm around my waist. I wanted to pull away – still angry with him – but I figured he was trying to prove a point to his mother.


  


“Sure.” He smiled at his mother tightly. “By the way, Emily and I are planning on going on a trip next weekend. Just thought I’d let you know.”


  


My eyebrows shot up in surprise before I managed to mask it. I internally scoffed, thinking, You wish.


  


“That’s… interesting.” She finally said, glaring in my direction again. My blood began to boil and I gnashed my teeth together. What the hell was this lady’s problem with me? We’ve never met! I picked up a carrot and took a bite before remembering Adrian’s arm around me. I disentangled my waist from his grip just as Mason spoke up.


  


“Emily, have you ever tried stuffing things in between your chest? I mean, they’re pretty huge. I see why my son has taken particular interest to you as his assistant.” He winked as I choked on the carrot I was in the middle of swallowing, and my face turned into a tomato as I felt the heat radiate on every corner of my face.


  


“Dad,” Adrian groaned, rubbing his temple.


  


I looked around us discreetly, hoping no one had been paying attention to Mason’s comment. I felt Adrian shuffling beside me and I turned to see him shrugging off his suit jacket.


  


He handed it over to me with a look of warning. Wear it, his face read.


  


I took the jacket off him and slipped it on, the sleeves covered my hands by a good few centimetres and the shoulder area was way too broad – sagging on my arms.


  


“I told you not to look hot, Shortcake,” he murmured into my ear, smirking once he pulled away.


  


I glared in his direction before turning over to Allen, who had stayed quiet this entire time.


  


“So, what made you bid on me?” I asked, my tone coming out bitchy. Allen looked at me with surprise before a small grin broke out. He shrugged. “You’re hot.”


  


I didn’t believe him. “Is that all? No one told you to?” I asked, briefly turning to Adrian for a moment before turning back to Allen for my answer.


  


“No. If you’re thinking Adrian told me to bid on you, he didn’t. In fact – he got really pissed off instead.” Allen said the last part in a hushed tone, and I frowned in confusion.


  


“I’m right here, you idiot. I can hear you.”


  


I turned back to Adrian to find him rolling his eyes. Allen just chuckled and shoved a large piece of celery into his mouth, crunching on it loudly. “Can I talk to you for a second?” I asked Adrian, not leaving any room for argument. Surprise briefly flashed through his eyes, before he nodded and got out of his seat, and I followed closely behind.


  


He went to a corner that was covered by thick red curtains, and then turned to face me. “What’s up, Shortcake?”


  


“Don’t you ‘what’s up’ me,” I hissed. “You said you’d take care of me not going home with a stranger tonight, Adrian! Not only am I doing that – but I don’t even know how he looks! You promised!” I pressed my index finger to his solid chest as I pointed at him.


  


He smirked before he stepped forward, wrapping his arms around my waist. I tried to wriggle out of his grip – but he held me in place.


  


“I did take care of it,” he simply said, still smirking.


  


“No you didn’t, Adrian. ‘Taking care of it’ would’ve meant that I would be going home tonight, with no worries of a man that I haven’t even seen yet, betting half a million dollars on me! I mean, he’s only seen a photo! How the hell does he know that the photo shows every feature I have? What if he doesn’t like what he sees and takes all his money back? Or, what if he likes what he sees a little too much and – and wants to have… it with me?!” I looked up at him with a desperate expression, my eyes beginning to water.


  


“Emily…” He trailed off, placing his warm hand on my cheek. “You’re worth every penny they put on you. Don’t worry about it. I keep my promises. I have taken care of it, and you’ll see that tonight. Just trust me on this one.” His gaze bore into mine.


  


I studied his expression for a moment before swallowing back any tears and nodding. “Okay.” I breathed, letting my walls down momentarily. It then occurred to me that we were pressed up against each other behind the curtain, our faces inches apart.


  


“You look really sexy in my clothes. I’m going to make you wear them more often.” Adrian’s gaze trailed down to his suit jacket, barely staying put on my shoulders.


  


He bent down and kissed my neck before I pulled away, glaring, and he chuckled. “You’ll want me soon enough.” He announced arrogantly. I raised an eyebrow and crossed my arms over my chest. “Arrogance won’t get you anywhere, Adrian. Hey!” I suddenly remembered the announcement he made to his mother earlier. “What was that whole ‘going on a trip next weekend’ all about?” I asked, frowning as I bit my lip curiously.


  


His eyes studied my lips intently, and I released them from my teeth, blushing. “What?” He said, turning his gaze back to mine as he cleared his throat.


  


My blush deepened at his reaction, and I found myself clearing my own throat. “You told your mom that you and I are going on a trip next weekend – which we’re not, by the way – but why?” I asked.


  


Adrian’s gaze suddenly darkened. “Don’t worry about it. And we will be going. We have to now that I’ve mentioned it in front of her.”


  


I gave him a look of disbelief but decided against arguing about it at the moment. I’ll leave that for another day. “She doesn’t seem to like me much. I don’t understand why, I’ve never met her before.”


  


“Just… don’t worry about it,” he said. “Don’t let her get to your head.” He pulled me back into his torso and smirked down at me. “Now, about this dress… I think it needs to come off.”


  


The blush returned to my cheeks as my eyes widened.


  


“Adrian,” I hissed, trying to mask my blush with a dark look. “Someone will hear you.” His eyebrows shot up in surprise. “That’s an improvement from ‘That’s never going to happen.’ I think I’m making progress here. Kingston 1, Johnson 0.” He joked, sneaking another kiss on my cheek.


  


I gave an exasperated sigh before pulling out his grip once again, rolling my eyes. “Let’s get back. They might think we’re doing more than talking.”


  


“I mean… I wouldn’t mind proving them right…” He trailed off smirking, before chuckling at my expression “Okay, okay. Let’s go, I need to do my thank you speech anyway.”


  


***


  


By the time the event ended, I was in tears from Adrian’s father, who I realised, shared his humour gene with his son. While he made remarks that made me cry from laughter, he also threw a few suggestive comments involving Adrian and me, and sometimes even based them on himself and me. Adrian would glare at his father every time a comment not involving him came up, and I rolled my eyes at his protective nature.


  


Almost the entire venue was empty by the time the woman came back to me at the table, and she gave me the same secretive smile she wore when we first met; making my stomach do countless flips once again.


  


“Are you ready to go?” she asked. I cast an uneasy glance around the room and only found Suzie, Allen and a few other men left, as well as the staff of the venue. No sign of Adrian. I sighed before nodding. “Yeah. Let’s go.” I called out a brief goodbye to Suzie and Allen, who waved in response. I followed the woman outside to the car park, just as I realised I was still wearing Adrian’s suit jacket. I was thankful, due to the chilly wind that was whipping my hair about and making my toes freeze in my heels.


  


“My client will meet you in the car shortly. It was nice meeting you, Emily. Have a wonderful weekend.” She smiled as I climbed into the black car, and the words registered into my mind.


  


“Wait, what? You’re not coming?” I asked, growing even more nervous at the thought of her familiar face being absent with the stranger I was about to meet.


  


“You’ll be fine” was all she said, before she shut the door of the car.


  


I looked around the dark vehicle nervously, my breathing becoming heavier as the silence of the car suffocated me.


  


It felt like forever had gone by before the door on the other side of the car opened, and my head snapped towards the tall figure who just spent half a million dollars on me. He got into the car, shut the door behind him, and told the chauffeur in front to drive off – all while I continuously stared at him in shock.


  


“Come on, Shortcake,” Adrian smirked. “I told you I’d take care of it.”

Chapter Nine


  


  


  


“Come on, say something!” Adrian chuckled as he unlocked the door to his penthouse suite.


  


I continued glaring, staying silent as the rattling of the keys echoed throughout the empty top level loudly. The door clicked open, and he turned to face me fully, smirking in amusement.


  


“’Thank you Adrian,’” he said in a slightly higher-pitched tone than his usual one. “’You’re the best boss ever.’”


  


My glare stayed. He let out a sigh before pulling me into his torso by wrapping his arm around my waist, and I instantly tried to wriggle out of his stone-like grip. “You’re not as happy as I thought you’d be, Shortcake,” he muttered, looking down at me with a slight pout to his lips.


  


I stopped trying to wriggle out of his grip momentarily to look up and give him a look of disbelief. “Not as happy as you’d thought I’d be? What part am I supposed to be happy about? Coming to your apartment where you’d probably be even worse than someone who bid on me at the auction, or the fact that you didn’t tell me about your brilliant plan to ‘take care of it’ to begin with? How did you do it anyway? I thought you weren’t allowed to participate since it was your charity fundraiser.”


  


“I didn’t participate,” he stated with a grin as he led us inside, still holding me in his iron grip. He closed and locked the door behind us.


  


“Yes you did! You bid on m-”


  


“I didn’t bid on anybody. ‘A client on the phone’ did,” he pointed out with a smug expression, throwing his keys on the counter near the door. I groaned in annoyance before pulling out of his hold and throwing my bag onto the sofa in the living room – beginning my silent treatment rule once again.


  


Adrian chuckled from behind me as he followed me down the hall to the bathroom I showered in last time. I slammed the door shut before he could comment and instantly stripped off my clothing before jumping into the large glass shower area and turned on the gushing hot water. Once I felt squeaky clean and no longer pissed off, I stepped out of the shower and wrapped the towel that was hanging on the towel rack around my body securely before going over to the mirror and wiping off the steam that blurred my reflection and looking for a hairbrush in the drawers. Once I found one, I quickly ran it through my hair, before grabbing the other towel available in the bathroom and wrapping it around the newly tamed blonde locks. A firm knock sounded at the door just as I finished balancing the towel on my head, and I looked over at it and frowned.


  


“Shortcake, I have clothes for you.” Adrian’s deep voice came out slightly muffled from behind the door, and the realisation of my lack of pajamas registered in my mind just then.


  


Sighing, I walked over to the door and cracked it open, sticking one arm out for Adrian to put the clothes in. I waited for the soft feel of material to surround my grip. But instead of clothing, my hand was met with another hand, just as Adrian pulled me out of the bathroom. I let out a startled scream. When my eyes met Adrian’s amused gaze, I gave him a look of disbelief. He barely noticed, as his eyes scanned my body hungrily.


  


“Adrian! Let go.” I tried to pry my arm out of his grip while also trying to hold up the towel securely.


  


“I invited you into my home and let you use my shower. The least you could’ve done was invite me in there with you,” he said in a tone of mock exasperation.


  


I groaned, suddenly feeling tired. “I knew this was going to happen.” “You knew what was going to happen?” Adrian asked, and I looked back up to meet his curious expression.


  


“That this is how my entire time with you was going to turn out,” I explained. “You’ll keep trying to either see me or get me naked, all the while making comments like that to make me either uncomfortable or angry – purely for your own entertainment.”


  


“You know me so well,” he said smugly, and I rolled my eyes.


  


“Unfortunately.”


  


I used the opportunity to yank my arm out of his hold due to the short distraction. He chuckled when I began glaring again, and held out the clothes he put together for me to wear. I snatched them from him, before stomping over to the room I had gotten dressed in last time and slammed the door shut once again.


  


I pouted as I slipped on my bra, and decided to text Amy and Rita at the same time:


  


Do you want to know who I went home with? Adrian Kingston.
Whoop-di-do!
If you have any sort of affection for me – save me!
And don’t tell anyone about this.
He wasn’t supposed to participate.
Wish me luck with Satan in human form


  


I didn’t wait for their replies as I walked out of the bedroom wearing another one of Adrian’s boxers, this one royal blue, and one of his shirts that came down to my knees. This one had ‘The Beatles’ logo printed on it.


  


“Are you hungry?” Adrian asked once I entered the living room. I placed my dress and heels on a secluded chair in the corner of the living room and strolled over to the leather sofa, ignoring his presence completely.


  


I heard him chuckle as I made myself comfortable on the corner of the sofa and switched on the large flat screen television that was positioned in front of me. I tried to disregard the feeling of the leather of the sofa sinking beside me as he sat down.


  


“Come on, Shortcake,” he implored, wrapping an arm around my waist and pulling my body closer to his. “Talk to me.”


  


I bit the inside of my cheek and glared at the screen, continuing my silent treatment. He let out a full-fledged laugh. I tried to keep my expression neutral, even though his real laugh – not his usual arrogant chuckle – had an effect on me I couldn’t yet understand.


  


“Emily.” He tried again, meshing our bodies even closer to each other than before. “What do you want me to do? Lie and say I’m sorry? Because I really am not. I wanted you to come home with me for the night.” I felt his shoulders go up for what felt like a shrug.


  


I continued to ignore him, and aimlessly flicked through the channels that were available on his television. Various programs briefly passed my vision – until I saw the familiar face of Sheldon Cooper pop up, and I kept it on the channel that was currently airing The Big Bang Theory. I temporarily forgot about Adrian’s firm hold around my waist and started laughing at something Sheldon had done to his roommate, Leonard, and my mood was no longer classified as ‘pissed off’.


  


That is, until, the asshole opened his mouth again.


  


“You know, he’s gay.”


  


I could practically feel the smirk on his plump lips as they formed around his statement.


  


“That means you have no chance with him. You have a chance with me – in case you were wondering.”


  


“I wasn’t – in case you were wondering,” I mumbled, rolling my eyes.


  


He chuckled before I felt his long fingers wrap around my chin, pulling my face to face his. “Talk to me. I’m bored.” He pouted. “Or let’s watch a movie together or something. I’ll make popcorn and I’ll even let you choose the movie!”


  


I frowned slightly as his words registered in my mind. “Okay,” I said.


  


“Okay?” Adrian repeated with a surprised expression.


  


I nodded, smiling slightly at his shock. “Let’s watch a movie. Go and make the popcorn while I go through the choices.”


  


Adrian gave me a cautious look. “You’re not… Are you playing a trick on me?” he asked, narrowing his eyes, “Trying to get me to leave so you can escape?”


  


I laughed and shook my head. “Where do you keep your movies?” I asked, pulling out of his grasp.


  


He lifted himself off the sofa at the same time I did, and pointed to the large white cabinet that was located on the side of the living room. “Go crazy,” he said before heading for the kitchen.


  


I walked over to the large cabinet and opened it cautiously, not wanting to ruin the expensive looking piece of furniture. My jaw almost fell to the floor in shock. There had to be at least 400 DVD cases in this thing! The sound of popcorn erupting in a microwave sounded from the direction where Adrian went, and I shook myself out of my amazed state.


  


My eyes scanned the large variety thoroughly; searching for any movie that involved Johnny Depp or The Hemsworth or Franco brothers, before my eyes stopped at the one DVD case I had been itching to watch for a while. I took out the navy coloured case and made my way over to the Blu-ray player before inserting the CD into the machine.


  


“Now You See Me,” Adrian suddenly said from behind me, making me jump and whip around. “Good choice. It’s a long movie too.”


  


I felt my eyebrows raise. “Is that a problem? I can choose a different-”


  


“Not a problem. More like a treat. 2 hours with you not hating my guts? I think I’m going to enjoy myself.” His grin grew as I rolled my eyes at his logic. The microwave signaled the popcorn was finished, making Adrian leave the room once again.

I took my original position at the corner of the sofa and ruffled my hair out to feel less of a strain on my head, then crossed my legs and put a pillow on my lap as Adrian re-entered the living room.


  


“Comfortable?” he asked with a smirk, before squashing up to me with the bowl of popcorn in his hands.


  


I rolled my eyes at his overly excited grin before answering.


  


“I was,” I stated, glaring playfully.


  


He chuckled and pulled me into his warm torso once again before reaching over to the remote control to press play.


  


“Good. Let’s watch the movie.” “Dave Franco needs to marry me,” I stated with a glazed expression as the end credits rolled onto the large flat screen in front of Adrian and me. “He is the most handsome man I have ever laid my eyes on.”


  


Adrian scoffed, before he looked down at me with his trademark smirk and an amused glint in his eye. “He’s not even in my league, and you know it, Shortcake.”


  


Somehow, during the movie, I had ended up in Adrian’s lap, with his arms curled around my waist in a tight restraint so I wasn’t able to shift my position. It was comfortable – really comfortable – and I instantly scolded myself for liking the fact that I was being held in the arms of my boss. “Whatever you say, Adri-poo,” I teased, pinching his cheeks with a grin.


  


“‘Adri-poo?’” he repeated with the same trademark smirk and amused expression.


  


I nodded, still grinning. “Your new nickname. Oh, and you’re right. Dave Franco is not in your league at all. He has an entire league of his own. Far, far away from you.” I winked.


  


Adrian turned off the Blu-ray player and television while he chuckled at my statement. “You’re right as well, I’m afraid. You see, he’s all the way at the bottom of the scale, and I’m all the way at the top. Actually, I’m that sexy, that I don’t even qualify on the scale.”


  


I raised an eyebrow at his inflated ego. “Okay Boss. Sure. If that’s what makes you sleep at night.”


  


“Actually,” he chuckled, “the thought of you makes me sleep at night. You know, with no clothing on-”


  


I groaned, cutting him off. “Do not even finish that sentence and ruin the 2% progress you’ve made with me.” I scowled at him playfully in warning.


  


Adrian was still chuckling when I felt his arms retract themselves from around my waist. One of them slid to my back while the other slid down to the bend in my legs. He lifted me up bridal style, making me squeal in surprise in the process. “Come on Shortcake, let’s go to bed.”


  


“I want to sleep in my own bed,” I quickly brought up. Adrian smirked and ignored my request as he turned off the lights in the living room while still managing to keep me in his hold. A bright light flashed from outside as the house became increasingly quiet, and that’s when I realised it was raining – and there was lightning – outside.


  


My breath hitched in my throat as I envisioned myself sleeping alone in a room during a storm, without Amy to comfort me like the child I sometimes still was.


  


“Or… um, maybe I should get home. I- I think I heard my alarm go off and I- I need to feed my pet hamster.” I lied, gulping in fear as another bright light flashed in my side vision.


  


In the dim lighting of the penthouse suite, I saw Adrian look down at me with a frown. “Are you okay?” he asked, concern lacing his tone.


  


“Okay? Me? Of course I’m okay! Peachy, even! Why would you think otherwise?” I let out a forced laugh, earning another confused frown from Adrian. “I think I should just sleep in a separate room if you can’t get me home at this time…” I trailed off. I would get no sleep at this point, but having no sleep is better than going in blindly and not knowing how I’d react in the same bed as Adrian when there was my worst fear going on outside.


  


“No,” he stated bluntly. I felt gravity do its thing as I was thrown onto the familiar smelling and way too comfortable four poster bed that Adrian owned.


  


“No, you don’t understand…” I trailed off, biting my lip and I ran my fingers through my hair. I didn’t want to tell Adrian that I feared lightning. He’d probably just laugh in my face and call me immature.


  


“I’m not going to do anything you don’t want me to, Emily,” he said with a frown as he unbuttoned the white shirt he had been wearing for the night. “I’m not like that.” He looked angry as he threw the shirt carelessly to the floor.


  


My throat went dry at the sight of his body, and I looked away as soon as it registered in my mind that I was checking my boss out. I tried to hide my burning cheeks by clearing my throat. “I know you’re not. It’s not that-”


  


“You don’t even own a pet hamster,” he pointed out with the same bluntness as before. He pulled his pants down right in front of me, so that he was standing in nothing but navy coloured boxers.


  


My eyes went wide as they travelled up his entire body, before they stopped at the trademark smirk that was occupying his lips. “But I’ll act like one if that’s what gets you off,” he suggested, making his smirk grow as he got into the bed beside me.


  


I choked on my own saliva as my eyes grew even wider in shock, and I felt my whole face burn in embarrassment. “What? I- no, that’s not even – I don’t- what-” I stuttered, suddenly aware of everything that surrounded his almost-naked body and my heated one.


  


He chuckled before pulling me into his solid torso, his skin feeling warm against my bare arms. “I was joking. I know there’s only one thing that gets you off – and that’s me.” The smirk returned to his dark lips and my embarrassment faded as I rolled my eyes at his comment.


  


“No,” I replied smugly, “it’s Dave Franco.”


  


Adrian’s arrogant look instantly dropped as he looked at me in disbelief. “Are you serious? I’m way more hotter than he is!”


  


I tapped my index finger on my chin and closed one eye, putting a false expression of thought before replying. “Hmm. No, I don’t see it,” I teased, breaking out into a grin.


  


“Let me show you then,” Adrian declared, before I felt him pin me down to the bed as he climbed on top of me. I squeaked in surprise and instantly began blushing as he looked down at me and restrained my body by my wrists.


  


“A- Adrian,” I stuttered, attempting to sound firm.


  


“Yes, Shortcake?” He gave me an innocent look while still managing to keep the smirk plastered onto his features. Another bright flash of lighting followed by a loud eruption of thunder, came from outside the window, temporarily making me forget the fact that Adrian was almost naked and on top of my flushed body. I looked over to the window in mortification.


  


“Please let me go home,” I whispered, fear instantly taking control of my nerves as another bright light flashed from outside. The sound of the pouring rain increased in volume and I forced myself to drag my gaze back to Adrian’s face, which was looking down at me with both concern and curiosity.


  


My eyes met his and I witnessed the realisation slowly sink in. “You’re afraid of the rain?” he asked, cocking his head to the side as he waited for my reply.


  


“No,” I answered boldly, trying to mask my fear as I witnessed another bright flash occur from the side of my eye. He frowned as his gaze travelled over to the large window that occupied one of the walls in his room. More of the realisation seemed to settle into his expression. I gulped and avoided his gaze before his eyes could lock me in as shame and embarrassment flooded my veins.


  


“You’re afraid of the lightning?” he questioned, as I felt his head turn back to face me. I didn’t reply – too ashamed at the fact that he had figured out my phobia, and not trusting my voice to be strong enough to lie.


  


One of his hands uncurled themselves from my wrist and I felt his warm fingers slip under my chin as they guided my face back to meet his concerned expression.


  


“You can tell me,” he said, voice dropping down to a deep murmur. “I’m not going to judge you.”


  


More thunder rumbled outside. I gulped and looked straight into his hazel eyes before I felt my head nod a fraction as my reply. Surprise flashed in his features as he stared down at me for a few moments. I could practically feel the laughter that was about to erupt from his system, and I waited for the shame to sink into my skin even deeper than it already had.

Except, no laughter came.


  


Adrian bent down and kissed my forehead, before I felt the entire warmth of his body leave mine in a fraction of a second. Disappointment and longing flooded through my veins – and the fear and shame I was feeling was temporarily forgotten. I looked down at his shirt in embarrassment, not wanting to see his reaction to the newly discovered information he found about me – and was surprised once again when I heard the zip of curtains echo throughout the large room, as it suddenly turned pitch black. I heard shuffling before a small bedside lamp flickered on, illuminating Adrian’s handsome face in the darkness of the room.


  


“Is this good for you?” he asked, the concerned expression never leaving his features. I stared back at him in surprise for a few moments, blinking as my mind temporarily blanked from answering his question. Why wasn’t he laughing at me or making fun of me?


  


Realising that he was still waiting for a reply, I nodded meekly, flushing again from his concern and my lack of response. “I… Thank you,” I mumbled as he re-entered the bed. He instantly pulled me into his torso once again, wrapping his arms around my body in a protective manner.


  


“You should have told me,” he murmured into my hair as he stroked my back in a soothing motion. My body began to heat up in embarrassment again as I suddenly felt conscious of every inch of my body pressed against his. We stayed silent for a while in the same position – he continued to stroke my back as the sound of the pouring rain and rumbling thunder became muffled from my face being pressed into the crook of his neck – blocking out any lightning that I would’ve been able to witness.


  


After a while, he pulled away slightly and looked down at me with a small smirk.


  


“I know you’re uncomfortable,” he stated as his gaze travelled down to the royal blue boxers I was wearing, before he looked back up to my chest area, where I was still wearing the strapless bra.


  


I felt every pore on my face pulse as the heat spread through them, and I looked away from his knowing gaze. He pulled away from me completely, and the same longing feeling returned to my body as it instantly turned cold due to his withdrawal.


  


“Take them off,” he commanded in a firm tone, leaving no room for argument.


  


I looked at him cautiously for a while, before sighing and nodding. There was no point trying to argue with him. “Turn around,” I mumbled, still blushing in embarrassment and self-consciousness.


  


“Why? It’s not like I haven’t seen it before,” he pointed out, “Plus, we’re sleeping in the same bed.”


  


I glared in his direction and crossed my arms over my chest, making him chuckle. “Okay, okay. I’ll turn around.” His grudging tone made me smile a little as he turned away from my body.


  


I quickly shrugged off the boxers and pulled off the bra while watching Adrian’s back with caution, afraid he was going to turn around any minute. I dropped the pieces of clothing on the floor and got back into bed. Adrian instantly turned around and pulled me into him once he felt the mattress dip from my presence, and smirked down at me.


  


“Better?” he asked, as I watched the green in his hazel eyes begin to take over the brown.


  


I scowled up at him playfully. “Stop enjoying this so much.” His fingers brushed along the side of my thigh.


  


He chuckled before he pressed me closer into his body, and my eyes widened in shock as I felt a familiar, hard thing press at my lower stomach. “Too late.” He smirked, making my expression turn to one of horror.


  


“Adrian! It’s been, like, 30 seconds!” I hissed, mortified.


  


He chuckled again before kissing the tip of my nose. “That doesn’t mean I haven’t been thinking about it previously.”


  


I gasped in shock before groaning at his dreamy expression. “You’re impossible,” I declared, shaking my head in disbelief.


  


“I’m incredible,” he corrected, smirking.


  


“Let’s just get some sleep,” I said, trying to hide my smile.


  


“Do I at least get a goodnight kiss?” he asked as a hopeful glint appeared in his eyes. I studied his expression for a moment, letting the gush of the rain outside fill the room, before my fingers unconsciously tangled themselves into his hair, pulling his head closer towards me. I reached over and kissed his cheek softly.


  


“Thank you,” I murmured, “for everything you’ve done tonight.” I gazed into his eyes once I pulled away from his cheek.


  


Surprise, along with an unreadable emotion, crossed his features as he stared down at my blushing face. He nodded in acknowledgement before turning around to switch off the small lamp. My eyes adjusted to the darkness moments after the light was off, and Adrian took his original position of pressing me into his body in a protective manner, shielding me away from the lightning outside. I fell asleep smiling.

Chapter Ten


  


  


  


“What the hell? How is that even possible? You don’t even sleep with me when there’s lightning!” Amy’s disbelieving tone screeched from the speaker of my phone, the volume making me cringe slightly so early in the morning. Adrian was still in his bed, asleep, so I used the time to call Amy and talk to her about last night – due to the violent messages she had left me, both on my answering machine and in writing form, in regards to explaining to her what happened.


  


“I know… it was weird.” I hesitated and quickly felt a blush coming on. “This is going to sound really cheesy, and don’t make any conclusions with what I’m about to say – but I felt as if… I don’t know… like I was safe in his arms.”


  


The line was silent for a moment before I heard Amy squeal then sigh, making me groan.


  


“Ames!” I exclaimed in a hushed tone, rolling my eyes at the hopeless romantic side of my best friend, “Didn’t I just say no conclusions?!”


  


“Come on, Emily, even you know that it’s sweet enough to create a cavity.” Amy sighed again. I smiled, liking the fact that she couldn’t see my face for this conversation. Of course, she was my best friend – and knew me better than I knew myself. “I knew it! I can feel it in my skin! You’re so enjoying this!” Amy squealed excitedly. The smile instantly disappeared from my lips as that blush I felt earlier crawled up my cheeks. “Shut up,” I mumbled, embarrassed.


  


Amy snickered before uttering a swear word. “My mom’s calling me. Shoot, what have I done?” Her panicked tone was cut off by the phone indicating another call.


  


I laughed at her misery. “Uh-oh. Someone’s in troubleeee!” I sang cheerfully, liking the fact that our roles reversed.


  


“Shut up and go back to your lover boy.” I could hear her scowl over the phone, before hanging up on me. I laughed softly at the now blank screen of my iPhone and quietly made my way back to Adrian’s room. I entered as quietly as I could, and shut the door behind me before climbing back into the comfortable bed. It was still early – about 7AM – but Adrian was awake.


  


“Where did you go?” he asked in a groggy morning voice, pulling me back into his covered body and moaning softly into my hair. I blushed, remembering my conversation with Amy as he wrapped his arms around my waist, slightly brushing against my bare stomach as the shirt rolled up a little from the movement.


  


“I- I just had to make a phone call and text my parents,” I mumbled, still nervous about being so close to him.


  


“Mmmm… that’s okay,” he murmured, placing a light kiss on the tumbleweed-like morning hair that I was currently sporting. “Let’s go back to sleep.”


  


I matted at my hair self-consciously, mentally cursing myself for not fixing up in front of a reflective surface of some kind before coming back in here, then cursing myself again for wanting to fix myself up in the first place. He was just my boss.


  


“M’kay,” I agreed, snuggling into him before becoming stiff in his hold and scolding myself again for getting too comfortable with him.


  


“What’s wrong?” Adrian asked, noticing my sudden stiffness and looking down at me with a sleepy, concerned frown. He had pulled back slightly to get a full look at my face. I groaned inside, wondering how I was going to be able to hide my expression now.


  


“Nothing, sorry,” I replied, smiling slightly and forcing myself to relax in his hold. He pulled me back into him and tucked me into the crook of his neck, and we both dozed off. An annoying, shrill sound pulled me out of my sleeping state, and I frowned before snapping my eyes open to find the source of the irritating thing to put an end to it. I turned around slightly – still being restrained by Adrian’s surprisingly firm hold in his sleep – and found his phone vibrating on the bedside table that was occupying his side of the bed.


  


“Adrian,” I moaned as the annoying repetitive tone continued to ring out, “Answer your phone.” I pushed him slightly to wake him up.


  


He groaned and stirred in his position, tangling our legs together and pulling me -if possible – into his body even more. The ringing stopped, and I sighed in relief, starting to get comfortable in the new position I was in due to Adrian’s sleeping state.


  


But then the phone began to screech out again. I squeezed my eyes shut, as I felt my temper flare. “Adrian!” I snapped.


  


“Shortcake, you’re getting me excited,” Adrian mumbled into my hair, and I felt his lips spread into a smirk.


  


“What? I- Oh. Adrian.” I groaned, trying to push myself away from his crotch area while blushing furiously. He chuckled and kept me in place and I frowned, still blushing. “I didn’t even do anything!” I exclaimed, going even redder in the cheeks.


  


“You don’t have to,” he said, before the phone started ringing again.


  


“Just answer your damn phone,” I snapped, trying to mask my embarrassment with attitude. He sighed and reached over to grab his phone, then pressed the answer button and placed it against my ear. I looked up at him with wide eyes as my voice box buckled, making him chuckle.


  


“Adrian?” His mother’s voice came out from the speaker, making me freeze in shock. It’s your mom! I mouthed at him in panic, making him shrug in reply.


  


“Uh… No, this is his assistant, Emily Johnson. H- How can I help you?” I stuttered nervously, earning another smirk from Adrian as he pulled me back into his torso.


  


“Where is my son?” she asked in a snippy tone, getting straight to the point. Not that I wanted to converse with her any more than she did with me.


  


I looked over to him, well aware of the fact that he could hear every word she was saying due to our close proximity. His hands momentarily left my waist as he pressed his palms together and put them on the side of his face to pretend he was asleep. I nodded in understanding and he placed his arms in their original position.


  


“He’s asleep at the moment,” I informed her as politely as I possibly could. “Would you like me to take down a message?”


  


The line was silent for a few moments. I frowned in confusion, thinking she had hung up on me, until I heard a sigh. The line stayed silent after that, and I looked up at Adrian, giving him a questioning look.He just shrugged, smirked again, and then bent down to kiss the crook of my neck. My breath hitched in my throat as he continued trailing kisses down my neck, and I struggled to keep my breathing level in case his mother heard anything over the phone.


  


I tried pushing him away before he stopped kissing my neck and smirked at me again, and I gave him the fiercest glare I could muster while still feeling flustered from his kisses.


  


“Yes.” Adrian’s mom finally spoke up, breaking my glare. “Tell him to call me as soon as he wakes up. I need to speak with him.”


  


I looked over at Adrian to see if he had heard the message, and he scoffed a little in response before I felt his hand travel up the length of my leg and stop on my ass, squeezing it softly. My eyes could have popped out of their sockets from shock. I bit down on my lip.


  


“O- Okay. Anything else?” I stuttered as he began to kiss my neck again, making my breathing almost uncontrollable.


  


“Are you sleeping with my son, Ms. Johnson?” she asked flatly, making me go rigid in Adrian’s hold. He stopped kissing my neck to glare at the phone that was currently glued to my ears, before his eyes met mine.


  


Say yes, he mouthed, taking me by surprise.


  


What?! No way! I mouthed back, giving him a skeptical look. He pulled the phone away from my ear, and replaced it with his lips.


  


“Say yes,” he whispered in a husky voice. “Say yes or I’ll fire you.”


  


“That’s not fair and you know it,” I snapped back quietly, pulling away.


  


“Please!” He shook his head and gave me a pleading look, almost making me crack. He pouted for good measure too, capturing my gaze and keeping it glued to his.


  


I glared before sighing. “Fine,” I hissed.


  


He mouthed “Thank you” and brought the phone back to my ear.


  


I nodded and cleared my throat as I turned my attention back to the call. “Yes, Mrs. Kingston,” I said as confidently as I could, trying to cover the waver in my voice. “Your son and I are sleeping together.” Technically, I wasn’t lying. We were sleeping together… just not sleeping together.


  


“Well, I’d like it to stop this instant,” she snapped, taking both Adrian and me by surprise. His eyes met mine, and I gave him a panicked look. What do you want me to say? I mouthed.


  


He frowned and rubbed his jaw in thought as a small frown etched onto his features. Soundlessly, his mouths formed the words, Say no and hang up.


  


My eyes widened at his command, and I bit my lip nervously. If there was one thing I hated doing, it was hanging up on people. Unless they pissed me off beyond belief – I found it disrespectful beyond explanation.


  


Nevertheless, I listened to him, trying to sound as confident as I could before answering. “With all due respect, Mrs. Kingston, that won’t be happening.” Statement made, I then threw the phone at Adrian with a squeak. He caught it and immediately pressed the ‘end’ button before bursting into a loud laugh and pulling me into a hug.


  


“What was that?” he asked after his laughter died down, and I blushed as he looked down at me with his signature, amused smirk.


  


“Shut up,” I mumbled. “I was scared.”


  


He chuckled and reached over to kiss my cheek, and I suddenly remembered the kisses he left on my neck.


  


“Hey!” I protested, “What’s with all the kissing, Romeo?” I let sarcasm drip from the nickname.


  


He sneaked another kiss on my neck, getting my soft spot and making me bite my lip to stop any form of reaction from escaping my lips. “I was trying to get you to moan or at least gasp so my mother would hear and get really pissed off,” he explained with a shrug.


  


I rolled my eyes. “Why? And why did you make me tell her that we’re sleeping together? We’ve only known each other for a month, Adrian. She probably thinks I’m a gold-digging LovePeddler.” I whined, pouting as I ran my fingers through my hair.


  


“No, she won’t.” He gave me a long, serious look before continuing. “You don’t know much about me, Emily, so I’m going to let you in on a little secret. You’re the first girl I’ve ever let into my home, into my car, into my bedroom to wear my clothes, and also, the only person that I have ever allowed to even touch my phone. If my mother sees you as anything, it’ll be as the girl that’s going to steal her little boy away from her – nothing else.”


  


He broke off the look, sat up and began stretching.


  


I stared up at his form in shock – partly because I was watching his muscles flex in a way that made me drool a little in my mouth – and partly because I was still processing the fact that I’m the only girl that has been in his house. I frowned and bit my lip. He had to be lying. This was Adrian Kingston; he’s slept with more women than Tiger Woods probably has –and that was saying something.


  


Adrian stopped stretching and turned toward me, the ready smile on his lips hardening into a frown when he saw my expression. “What?” he asked, cocking his head to the side.


  


I sat up before answering. “Are you lying to me? I can’t be the only girl that has come to your apartment. You’re Adrian Kingston. You’re known for sleeping around-”


  


He cut me off. “Sleeping around doesn’t mean that I invite them over to my apartment. They invite me over, and I accept their offer, then leave. No strings attached.” He finished his explanation with a pointed look, letting the realisation settle in my mind. “Oh,” I murmured, looking down at my bare thighs. For some unknown reason, the idea of Adrian with another woman sent an ache through my heart – it was small, but it still hurt. I shook myself out of that idea, my eyes widening slightly at the thought. What was wrong with me?!


  


“Emily,” Adrian said, placing his index finger under my chin to pull my gaze up to meet his. “You’re the only woman that’s ever been up here. I promise.” He pulled me closer to him and looked down at me with a sincere expression. I looked up to meet his eyes and nodded in understanding before my gaze unconsciously trailed down to his lips.


  


Adrian noticed the movement because he suddenly inched closer, so that our noses were touching. My breath stopped in my throat as I looked back up to meet his eyes – which were staring at me with a lustful expression. He began to move in more – before the door of his bedroom creaked open, and in came the same maid who I had run into the last time I was here.


  


She was humming to herself while holding a duster and a bucket that was filled with chemicals, before her eyes landed on Adrian and me. She gasped in shock and I jumped away from Adrian’s hold – mortified that she had walked in on us almost kissing.


  


“I- I’m so sorry, Sir. I did not know you were home,” she stammered. Turning to me, she said, “Hello again, dear.”


  


“It’s alright, Maria,” Adrian replied after clearing his throat. “Continue what you were doing, don’t mind us.”


  


I glanced over at him briefly to find him looking as surprised as I was as he ran his fingers through his bed hair, making me bite my lip. I blushed and instantly turned away, my own shock finally settling in. I was about to kiss Adrian Kingston – my boss!


  


“Okay, so maybe I lied,” Adrian smirked, acting like the almost-kiss never happened. “There has been one other woman who has come here. She’s cleaning my ensuite as we speak.”


  


I was… hurt… by how casually he could gloss over what had almost happened. But I covered up my emotions with my usual sarcastic attitude and just rolled my eyes at his comment, barely missing a beat. He clearly was not affected by it, so why should I be?


  


“I should get going,” I said, before stretching out my own limbs and letting out a moan as they cracked in all the right places. My eyes snapped open as a groan sounded from Adrian, and I looked over at him in confusion.


  


“You need to stop that, Shortcake,” he grumbled, looking pained.


  


“Stop what?” I asked, still confused. He shifted in his position and my eyes travelled down to his crotch area, where an obvious bulge was sticking out, making me squeak in surprise and cover my eyes with the palm of my hands. My fingers felt radiant with the heat from my cheeks. “Adrian! Y- You’re the one that needs to s- stop.”


  


“It’s not my fault you sound sexy as hell when you moan!” he exclaimed, making me remove my palm from my eyes to glare at him.


  


“It’s not my fault you’re always excited!” I retorted, blushing harder.


  


He chuckled and pulled me back into him. I tried to avoid his crotch area and pushed myself away as far as I could, still recovering from the almost-kiss.


  


“Adrian, I need to get home,” I said again, looking up at him with a serious expression.


  


He held my gaze for a few moments before he sighed. “Fine.” He pouted. “We’ll eat breakfast then leave,” he stated, letting go of me and walking into his wardrobe – leaving me feeling flustered and confused about my feelings towards him.

I walked into my office Monday morning with the usual coffee orders in my hands, and almost dropped them all over the plush carpet in shock as a short scream erupted from my mouth. I walked out of my office and looked down the hallway frantically, trying to see if anyone else was as shocked and as panicked as I was; only to find everyone acting completely normal.


  


My legs started moving towards Adrian’s office – where I hoped to find Suzie – and I collided with a solid, familiar smelling body just as I opened the door. I barely managed to keep both cups of coffee intact.


  


“Shortcake,” Adrian said with a smirk as he wrapped an arm around my waist, keeping me pressed against his body.


  


“I- um…” I trailed off, biting my lip as Adrian’s presence made me temporarily blank out on what I wanted to say. My eyes looked beyond him momentarily, where I found men in trade boots and plain navy polo shirts moving furniture around in his office. “What’s going – hey! That’s my desk!” I exclaimed, recognising the familiar light brown wooden piece of furniture that they were placing in front of my desk chair, which now occupied the space where the sofa used to be in Adrian’s office. “What’s going on?!” I asked, turning back to Adrian.


  


“Welcome to your new office, Shortcake.” He smirked, taking his cup of coffee out of my hand.


  


I frowned and bit my lip as my eyes landed on his large, marble desk. “Where’s your office going to be then?” I asked in confusion. “Right here,” he said after taking a sip from the cup. My eyes watched his lips for a split second before I tore my gaze away to look up at his hazel eyes, still confused. “We’re sharing my office,” he stated, raising an eyebrow as he waited for it to register in my mind.


  


“Why? Does someone need mine?” I asked, frowning.


  


He shook his head. “It’s more practical for you to be in the same room as me. This way, it’s easier to deliver messages to each other.”


  


My eyebrows shot up at his comment. “I’m sure that’s the only reason,” I noted dryly, before taking a sip from my own coffee cup and pulling away from his hold.


  


He chuckled just as a worker walked up to us. “We’re all done here. Is there anything else you want moved?” His eyes travelled over to where I was standing and raked over my body slowly as he asked the question. I glared at the man just as Adrian pulled me back into his torso.


  


“Yes,” Adrian snapped, “your presence from my office. Get out.” He glared at the worker, who was still making it so painstakingly obvious that he was checking me out. Adrian let out a low growl after the worker didn’t respond, a sound that rumbled throughout his entire body and sent waves over to my own.


  


The worker snapped his gaze away from me and looked over at Adrian with a fearful expression, before he gulped and nodded, leaving the room quicker than I could blink. “Fucking dickhead.” Adrian scowled and said under his breath, making my eyebrows shoot up in surprise once again.


  


“Adrian,” I said in the calmest tone I could manage once we were alone in his office.


  


“Yes, Shortcake? Are you finally going to confess your undying love for me?” Adrian asked wryly.


  


I rolled my eyes and glared. “Why did you move my desk? And I want the real answer this time.” I emphasized the last part, once he opened his mouth to respond to my question.


  


“I want to spend more time with you,” he stated, shrugging casually before going around to sit at his desk. I stayed frozen in my position from shock, before I shook myself out of it and mentally fought against the ecstatic feeling that was erupting within my insides. Recovering, I moved to take my seat behind my desk. I realized quickly that the workers had jumbled up the items on the desk. Sighing in frustration, I began repositioning my stationary and paperwork so that it was organised the way I liked it to be. I finished with a flourish, and looked up to find Adrian smirking at me.


  


I let out a startled squeak and fell off my desk chair from the shock, landing in an awkward position with my legs  in the air and my arms bent in unnatural positions as Adrian began to chuckle.


  


“Did I frighten you, Shortcake?” he asked as I saw him peer over my desk to smirk down at my fallen figure. I glared up at him before trying to get out of my awkward position; well aware of the fact that my pencil skirt had managed to slide down and put most of my legs on show. He chuckled again before I felt his strong arms wrap themselves around my waist and pull me up – over his shoulder. A sense of déjà vu flashed through my mind as I remembered the day he forced me to go to lunch with him, and I scowled at his backside.


  


“Adrian, put me down.” I hissed, flushing.


  


He walked back to his desk and sat down before letting me down on his lap while keeping me in the position he put me in – which was straddling him. “Okay,” he smirked, making me glare at his plump lips.

“Adrian, someone might walk in!” I exclaimed, pressing my palms against his chest to try and push myself off of him.


  


“I’ve locked the door,” he stated, still smirking.


  


I glared down at him before letting out an exasperated sigh. “I need to get back to work.” I tried, hoping to convince him with a new logic.


  


“I’m your boss,” he replied, that smirk of his growing impossibly wider. “I’ll tell you when to get back to work.”


  


“Just let me go!” I whined, pouting slightly.


  


“Kiss me,” he stated, looking into my eyes with a serious expression. “What? N-No!” I stuttered, attempting to glare at him but failing miserably from my flustered and shocked state.


  


Adrian studied my expression for a moment, before glaring slightly. “Where do you want to go this weekend?” he finally said, rapidly switching subjects.


  


“This weekend?” I repeated, confused again as I temporarily forgot the fact that I was straddling Adrian in his office.


  


“The trip I told my mother we’re going on. Where do you want to go?” he elaborated, pulling me into him so that he could reach over to his desk and grab his coffee off the table.


  


I groaned, remembering the night of the fundraiser. “Adrian. I told you that isn’t happening. I barely know you! Just take one of your fan girls. I’m sure they’re more than willing.” I glared, suddenly in a foul mood at the thought of Adrian going alone on a weekend trip with someone like Anna.


  


“No. I want you. Besides, it’s you I’m ‘sleeping with, remember? Or do I need to refresh your memory?” He smirked, before bringing his lips to my neck again, making a small gasp escape my lips from the sudden contact.


  


“I…” I trailed off as he kissed my soft spot again, and I bit down on my lip to stop a moan from escaping. “I don’t understand what you’re trying to prove to your mom.” I said carefully, trying to conceal my heavy breathing.


  


His hands unwrapped themselves from my waist and made their way down to my thighs, which he gripped firmly, keeping me in place. “You,” he said as he placed another kiss on my neck, “are,” he placed another kiss near my jawline, making my eyelids flutter closed, “absolutely beautiful,” he finished, placing a kiss dangerously close to my lips, making my eyes snap open in shock.


  


“Adrian…” I trailed off, looking into his hazel eyes with a serious expression. My cheeks were still slightly flushed at the thought of his lips being pressed against my skin, and I tried to recover from it as quickly as possible. “You need to stop this,” I declared, making my tone as firm as I could.


  


He stared back at me for a while, before sighing. “You’re right. I’m sorry,” he mumbled, taking me completely by surprise once again. “What?” I asked, still trying to process the fact that he didn’t reply with a sexual remark or a comment regarding the fact that I was in love with him.


  


“I don’t apologise often, Shortcake,” he said with a small smile, “and I sure as hell don’t repeat myself when I do.” He removed his hands from my thighs – only to wrap his arms around my waist once again.


  


I rolled my eyes at the gesture as I continued to calm my breathing, all while I glared at him. “Hey! You didn’t answer my question!” I exclaimed.


  


He smirked before replying. “How do you expect me to even think straight with you on my lap right now? There’s only one thing that’s straight on my body, and it’s not going to help you unless you help me get rid of it.” I stared at him in confusion for a moment, before my eyes slowly travelled down to his pants, where the same bulge from yesterday morning was sticking out, making me groan and push myself off him in an instant. “Adrian!” I groaned again, covering my eyes to avoid looking at it. And just like that, the Adrian Kingston I came to know had returned as he chuckled at my reaction.


  


“What do I have to do for… that to stop appearing?” I asked frantically, making my way back to my desk to get away from him.


  


“You can’t do anything, Shortcake. You’re just too sexy.” He stated simply, smirking in my direction as I took my seat in my chair. I rolled my eyes at his smirk before trying to get myself back on track on my desk. Moving me into the same room with Adrian was one of the worst ideas that have ever come across mankind. At this rate, no work was ever going to get done. “We’ll fly over to California Friday afternoon after work and spend the weekend at a beach house we own. So have your bag packed and here at the office by then so we can leave from here. For now, I need you to email our head office in Tokyo and ask them about the new indoor pool that was being built in one of the hotels there. I want to know the progress and if the customers think it’s a good idea. I need to take a cold shower since someone won’t help me get rid of this – even though they’re the cause of it.” He threw a mocking glare in my direction and smirked once I began blushing.


  


“Shut up,” I mumbled, avoiding his gaze as I turned on the computer screen in front of me to try and erase what just happened between us both a few minutes ago. “Wait, California?” I asked, his words finally registering in my mind. “Adrian, do you know how bad this is going to look!” I threw a worried glance in his direction.


  


He stopped what he was going and glared at me. “Why do you care about appearances so much?” he asked, scowling. “Is there someone you’re trying to impress or a man that doesn’t let you go anywhere with me?”


  


“What? No! I was just-”


  


“Then we’re going,” he cut me off, before disappearing into the same matte glass door that he disappeared into two weeks ago when we stayed back to organise his planner. I stared at the glass door in shock, before I heard a shower turn on behind it.


  


What the hell? Who keeps a shower in their office? I thought to myself as I stared at the door curiously. I wonder what else was behind that thing…


  


My curiosity faded as I sighed and looked back at the computer screen in front of me, clicking on the email icon. I was going to California for the weekend with my boss – who I was slightly attracted to. Who also almost kissed me, twice now.


  


This was going to be one hell of a good story to tell Amy tonight.

Awwwwn so much love this story

Chapter Eleven


  


  


  


Amy had my suitcase packed the minute the words ‘I’m going to California for the weekend with Adrian’ left my mouth.


  


Somehow, in that short span of time, my multi-tasking best friend had also managed to get the news to both Molly and Claire, and issue a very convincing warning that I not even dare to go near the suitcase during the week. I was under no circumstances allowed to shuffle through the contents to see what exactly was stored in the navy coloured bag.


  


I thought of my friend now, as I watched my working day tick closer to an end from the clock in Adrian’s – our – office. I sighed as I stared at the bag that contained my essentials for the coming weekend trip, and frowned as images of what Amy may have packed appeared in my mind. What if she packed sweatshirts and sweatpants instead of normal clothing? Or what if she forgot to pack pajamas or underwear?


  


“Shortcake.” Adrian’s deep, British accent sounded, pulling me out of my thoughts.


  


“Huh?” I asked, turning around toward the direction of his desk – only to find him standing next to me, looking down at me with a smirk. “It’s time to go,” he stated. I saw a flash of excitement pass through his hazel eyes.


  


“Right,” I mumbled, not as excited as he – or Amy – were about this trip. Amy had made a $100 bet with Molly about the fact that I wouldn’t sleep with Adrian this weekend. Instead, she predicted that we would kiss. Molly agreed to this, but still believed that the kiss would lead to Adrian taking me into bed. I shook my head at both of their predictions and denied them both.


  


Not that the thought of kissing Adrian hasn’t been on my mind lately – but they didn’t need to know that.


  


“What time is the flight?” I asked as I got out of my seat and slung my bag over my shoulder. Adrian picked up my suitcase and began to drag it behind him, making me frown.


  


“I can do that,” I told him, trying to pry his firm grip away from the handle. “It’s in an hour,” he told me, ignoring my failed attempt at trying to drag my own suitcase. “We need to get there as soon as we can. Do you have everything with you?” He cast a sideways glance in my direction as he pressed the button for the elevator. I looked over at him and nodded before glancing around uneasily. People were staring – both with curiosity and menace.


  


“Ignore them,” Adrian murmured into my ear, suddenly closer to me than he was before. I looked up and met his hazel eyes before swallowing visibly and nodding, stepping into the elevator after him.


  


“We’re flying first class,” Adrian said once we reached the car downstairs. I looked over to find him waggling his eyebrows at me, making me laugh.


  


“I still can’t believe you’re making me do this,” I muttered, glaring at him playfully.


  


He chuckled and wrapped an arm around my waist before handing my suitcase over to the driver to put in the back of the car. “Think of it as a business trip where you get to live with me for the weekend and I get to see you in a sexy bikini. You did pack a bikini, right?” Adrian asked, looking at me with alarm.


  


I threw another glare in his direction before shrugging. “I don’t know,” I said truthfully.


  


Adrian gave me a funny look. “What do you mean you don’t know?” he asked, frowning in confusion.


  


The car began to move as I gave him an uneasy smile. “I didn’t pack my bag. My… friend did. So I’m warning you in advance that if you see me in anything weird, it’s not my doing!” I began to blush at the mental image of myself, walking around in a tracksuit in melting temperatures.


  


“Well I hope your friend packed some sexy lingerie,” he said, avoiding my swat to his head with a quick dodge and a chuckle. I rolled my eyes but could not help but smile, secretly excited to go to California for the first time. “Mr. Kingston, welcome back. It’s been a while.” The greeting, by a female voice, made me snap my slack jaw shut. Seeing the size and appearance of the beach house Adrian owned had left me open-mouthed and speechless. “Brooke. Thank you. You’ve fixed everything for our arrival, I presume?” He asked, raising an eyebrow as if to challenge her. She nodded and handed over the keys, her fingers brushing against the palm of his hand longer than necessary. I glared at the offensive limb, silently hoping it would fall off until I caught myself. I averted my gaze and mentally scolded myself for having these awful thoughts.


  


“Good. Now leave.”


  


Adrian had said it flatly and matched it with a glare. Her flirtatious act was replaced with a look of surprise, and she went scurrying down the white wooden steps away from us in the blink of an eye.


  


Adrian turned over to me with a smirk. “This is how it’s going to feel when we’re married and are opening the door to our newly built mansion,” he commented, making my eyes widen at his presumptuousness. “Or,” he continued obliviously, his smirk growing, “When we open the door to our hotel room where I’ll have my way with you over, and over, and over again.” His eyes instantly darkened as he looked down at me with a lustful expression, and I began blushing furiously.


  


“A- Adrian,” I stuttered even though what I actually attempted to do was scowl at him.


  


“I’m kidding,” he chucked as he got the door to open. Once he let us in, he said abruptly, “We’re sleeping in the same room.”


  


He carried both our suitcases and dumped them on the floor of the house. I sighed, not bothering to argue with him on his weird fetish to sleep in the same bed as me. Anyway I had other things on my mind - like the eye-popping house I had just entered.


  


The place was huge! Much bigger than what the outside of the house suggested. White furniture was scattered all over the light brown polished wooden floor, with an island bench being the only thing separating the living room from the kitchen. Beyond the living room, a back porch with steep stairs was connected to the house, leading straight to the beach.


  


“Do you like it?” Adrian asked, smiling. My wide eyes turned to face him, my lips still parted in shock, and he chuckled at my expression. “I’ll take that as a yes,” he observed with a smug smirk, making me snap out of my daze. “This place is amazing!” I breathed, looking up at him in excitement.


  


“I know.” He grinned, making me smile. “Come on, let’s go to our room.” He picked up both our suitcases and dragged them behind him, with me following in tow. I still disapproved of the fact that he was taking responsibility for moving my suitcase around, but couldn’t argue with him about it due to a deal we made on the plane that consists of stripping in front of him if I ever spoke about it. I’m still not sure how he managed to get me to agree to that.


  


Somehow, Adrian had hauled both our suitcases up the white stairs at the same time; and I began feeling guiltier by the second. I bit down on my lip to refrain from saying anything, and continued following him through a large white door. “This,” he began, putting down our bags with a smirk, “is our room.”


  


“No way,” I breathed, looking around the spacious area in awe. The wall facing the beach was mostly occupied with glass, where a balcony was located behind the doors. A bed that was almost the size of Adrian’s back home was located near the glass wall, giving a clear view of the beach. A large flat screen was also put on the wall opposite of the bed, and there was a door that was slightly opened, revealing a small bathroom connected to the bedroom.


  


“Holy shit,” I whispered, looking around the room once again.


  


“Are you still against this trip? Or sleeping in the same bed as me?” Adrian asked from beside me, smirking once I turned to meet his eyes. I stared at him blankly for a second, still registering the fact that this was where I was going to be sleeping for the next three nights, before I jumped into Adrian’s arms and wrapped my arms around his neck.


  


I’ll give to him – his reaction time was pretty quick. He instantly wrapped his arms around my waist and held me up and my legs wrapped around his waist as I hugged him.


  


“Thank you so much,” I murmured near his ear, before pulling away to see his expression. “This place is incredible.”


  


He blinked back at my expression before a smile broke through his plump lips. “You’re welcome,” he replied as his hold around my waist tightened, pulling me into his body more. I began blushing once the realisation of my actions set in fully – and Adrian smirked at my embarrassment. “I quite like this position, Shortcake.” His eyes travelled down to my chest area, in level with his chin due to the way he held me.


  


I rolled my eyes before trying to get out of his grip, and he shook his head at my attempt before I felt myself being thrown onto the large, cushiony bed. I let out a startled yelp as Adrian climbed over me, locking my body in between his legs.


  


“Let’s get the honeymoon started, shall we honey?” he asked in a sweet voice, smirking down at my stunned expression.


  


I placed my palms on his shoulders and tried to push him away with all my strength – failing miserably. He chuckled at my weak attempt at moving him before he climbed off the bed, going back to his suitcase.


  


“It’s late,” he said. “Let’s shower and get some rest. Do you want to shower in this bathroom or the main one down the hall?”


  


I climbed off the bed and straightened my skirt before answering. “I’ll use the one down the hall,” I said, making my way over to the bedroom door to leave.


  


“Okay,” Adrian grinned, following me.


  


I stopped to turn to him and glare. “Alone,” I added firmly, pushing him back into the bedroom. He chuckled before pouting at my glare, and I continued my descent down the hall to find the main bathroom.


  


Once I felt squeaky clean and no longer smelly from the plane, I got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my body tightly, before groaning to myself.


  


“Not again,” I mumbled, realising I hadn’t brought any clothing with me. I stepped out of the bathroom and made my way to our bedroom as quietly as I could, before stopping to see if the shower was still running.


  


I let out a sigh of relief once I heard the water still gushing down, and quickly prodded over to my suitcase and zipping it open. My eyes widened in shock and I felt my whole body flush in embarrassment as my eyes scanned the lace undergarments Amy had packed for me. I scowled at the flimsy material and quickly went through the rest of the suitcase, desperate to find more appropriate things. My scowl deepened as I reached the bottom.The contents of my suitcase were as follows:


  


1.                                                                                                                                                                                            only see-through lace bras and underwear
2.                                                                                                                                                                                           two insubstantial looking bikini pieces
3.                                                                                                                                                                                           a sundress
4.                                                                                                                                                                                           a pair of mini shorts
5.                                                                                                                                                                                           and a tank top with ‘I ♥ NY’ printed on it


  


I looked around in panic. What the hell was I supposed to wear to bed?


  


I knew the answer Amy wanted to hear as soon as my eyes landed on the black lace nightdress that was way too short and way too see-through. The neckline looked like it dipped way below my chest area, and I groaned before scrunching the gauzy material and shoving it into the corner of my bag.


  


I bit my lip in thought before discarding the irrational suggestion that appeared in my mind. I was desperate – and was going to murder Amy once I got my hands on her – but not desperate enough to ask Adrian if I could wear one of his shirts. I whimpered softly before taking out the mini shorts and tank top, along with the first pair of undergarments my hands found. With my meager, unfortunate wardrobe, I scurried back to the bathroom to get changed.


  


I re-entered the room while towel drying my hair, still pissed off at the fact that Amy had packed one thing for me to sleep in – if I could even count it as one piece. It was more like ¼ of a piece. I stopped in my tracks once I found Adrian looking down at me with an amused yet lust filled expression, and I began blushing instantly as my eyes trailed own his shirtless body before landing on the pair of black boxers he was wearing.


  


“You know Shortcake,” he smirked, giving me a slow once over. “I said we’re going to bed; not taking a stroll on the beach. Although I do love that on you.”


  


I blushed and threw the towel at his naked torso. “Shut up. I… I’ve had a wardrobe malfunction,” I muttered bitterly, before looking back at him. “What’s your excuse?! Stop being so- so-“ I struggled for the right word.


  


“Sexy? God-like? Incredible? Deliciously good looking? Am-” “Naked!” I exclaimed, cutting him off. He chuckled before walking over to me and lifting me up as he did when I hugged him earlier. My legs instinctively wrapped around his waist and my hands caught onto his shoulders for support before I glared at him.


  


“Put me down,” I muttered, still blushing.


  


“No,” he replied, tightening the grip he had around my waist. “Define ‘wardrobe malfunction,” he asked as he shut the door behind us and started walking over to the bed. He dropped me onto the soft white sheets before climbing in after me, smirking at the fact that I was watching his every move.


  


“I- um- what?” I asked, snapping out of my ogling state and blushing furiously.


  


“Why are you wearing day clothing?” he asked, “Didn’t your friend pack you any pajamas?” The smirk on his face slowly began to shrink away, replaced by a frown.


  


I shook my head and pouted, feeling helpless once again. His frown deepened for a moment before he walked over to his suitcase and pulled out a shirt, not bothering with boxers, and threw it over to me. I caught it clumsily, before looking up at him.


  


“Wear it while we’re here as your pajamas,” he said as he climbed back into bed. “You always look sexy in my shirts anyway.”


  


“A- Are you sure?” I asked, biting my lip down as guilt rushed through me. What if he didn’t have another shirt? He waved off my concerns before pushing me off the bed and laughing as I let out an ‘oomph’. “Go get dressed and come back to me so I can feel you up before we sleep.” I jumped off the ground in shock, looking over at his laughing figure with wide eyes before it registered that he was joking.


  


Glaring, I walked over to the connected bathroom and shut the door before stripping off my clothes and slipping on his shirt. This time, it was a plain blue Ralph Lauren polo shirt, but still stopped just above mid-thigh. It occurred to me then that I was wearing a pair of black lace underwear, and I walked out of the bathroom with my face turning the colour of a tomato.


  


Hoping he wouldn’t realize it, I slipped into my side of bed just as Adrian pulled me closer, making the shirt roll up to my stomach. I squeaked in shock as he looked down at my bare legs, paying particular attention to the lace undergarment. His eyes slowly moved back up to meet mine, and I watched as his Adam’s apple bobbed up and down as he visibly swallowed.


  


“Why,” he began in a raspy voice, pulling me into him even more, “why do you like to torture me, Shortcake?”


  


I felt a familiar large bulge poke into my lower abdomen.


  


My eyes widened before I looked back into his hazel ones, trying to keep my breathing steady. “S-Sorry,” I mumbled. He sighed and pulled my head into his neck, ending our conversation for the night.

“Adrian, stop it!” I snapped, trying to snatch his phone out of his hands as he continued taking photos of me in the black and gold bikini piece Amy had packed for me.


  


“Nope. Just give me one smile!” he reasoned, “If I get a proper photo of you, I promise I’ll stop.”


  


I gave myself another mental reminder to choke Amy because of the fact that she didn’t pack a pair of swim shorts, only the bikini bottom, before glaring at Adrian. “No. No photos. I’m naked!” I exclaimed, jumping up to reach for the phone again. I was also mentally cursing Adrian’s height at this point in time.


  


“Keep jumping, I’m enjoying the view.” Adrian smirked, looking down at my chest area. It occurred to me then that my breasts were larger than the majority of the women I knew, and I froze in my spot, blushing with a mortified expression.


  


“Pervert!” I exclaimed, scowling as I covered my chest with my arms.


  


He chucked before looking over at me again. “One photo, Emily! Please?” He looked at me with puppy dog eyes and grinned, catching me completely off guard. I stared at his expression for a few long moments before sighing.


  


“Fine. But not one soul see’s this photo!” I pointed out, glaring.


  


He first pumped the air before kissing my cheek and running backwards. “I wouldn’t want them to anyway, you’re mine.” He pointedly focused his gaze on a close group of men that was looking in our my – direction. They caught Adrian’s glare and hurriedly looked away, apparently finding an interesting grain of sand.


  


“Smile!” Adrian said in a sing-song voice, grinning at my glaring figure as he got the camera ready. I sent one more menacing glare in his direction before sighing and dropping my hands to my side and grinning widely. Adrian stared at me for a few moments before he shook his head and pressed the iPhone screen, indicating that he took the photo.


  


I ran up to him instantly and snatched the phone out of his grasp before he even had time to react, and clicked on the photo in a hurry before groaning. “I look hideous.” I pouted, observing the photo in more detail. “I’d practically blend in with the sand if it weren’t for my hair and bikini!” I exclaimed, shoving the phone back into Adrian’s hands with a pout. Adrian chuckled and wrapped an arm around my exposed stomach, pulling me closer into his shirtless body as he looked at the photo himself. “Absolutely perfect,” he said under his breath, the sincerity in his voice taking me by surprise. He played around with his phone for a few seconds before locking the screen and unlocking it again before showing me what he had done.


  


I let out a gasp before looking up at him. “No! Absolutely not! I am not going to be your wallpaper!” I snapped, glaring in an attempt to hide my blush.


  


“You have no choice in the matter,” he replied with a smug smirk, making my glare harden. He held my gaze for a while before I looked away, huffing in defeat. “I hate you,” I muttered, looking at my toes like a child.


  


He chuckled before sneaking a kiss on my cheek, making me look up and glare again. “No you don’t.” He grinned. My eyes began to narrow even more before an idea popped into my mind.


  


“How about we take one together?” I tried, looking up at him with a hopeful expression. “You can make that your wallpaper instead of my naked body.”


  


He thought about it for a moment, then his eyes lit up. Before I could fully process what was happening, he had already lifted me up bridal style. I squeaked in surprise, which he ignored of course. He just held out the phone for me.


  


“You take the photo,” he said as he meshed his cheek onto mine. I rolled my eyes while trying to fight the smile that appeared on my lips at his playful behaviour, before turning the front camera on and snapping a picture of the both of us grinning.


  


“Take another one!” he exclaimed the moment I was done. I turned my face slightly to give him a confused look before pointing the camera back to our faces. Just as my thumb pressed the capture button on the screen, Adrian turned and bit my cheek, making me squeeze my eyes shut in the photo.


  


“What was that?!” I exclaimed as he put me back down on the sand.


  


He shrugged with a smirk before snatching the phone out of my hands. “Just because we took photos, doesn’t mean I’m changing my wallpaper,” he declared, smirking down at me.


  


“Hey! We made a deal!” I scowled, glaring. He shrugged and chuckled as he picked up our soaked towels from the day.


  


“Come on, let’s go have dinner. The sun’s almost completely gone.”


  


I looked out to the skyline where the sun was slowly descending into the water. I patted all the sand off my legs and out of my hair before following him up the stairs of the beach house, where we went our separate ways to shower. “If that asshole looks at you one more time,” Adrian grumbled, glaring at the waiter’s back as he walked away from our table, “I’m going to have a nice long chat with the owner of this place.”


  


I rolled my eyes at his possessive nature. “Adrian, all he did was smile because I said thank you,” I pointed out with a flat expression. His eyes slowly made their way back to my face before he scowled at me.


  


“Haven’t I already told you not to talk to any men?”


  


I gave him an exasperated look before replying. “Yeah, a month ago! Jesus, calm down a little, he’s 16 years old!” I exclaimed, looking back at the poor waiter who was most likely to lose his job thanks to Adrian’s jealously issues.


  


“Whatever,” he grumbled, ending the topic abruptly.


  


I sighed before trying to think of a new topic to bring up, not wanting to eat in an awkward silence.


  


“So… Why are you and your mom so snippy towards each other?” I asked as I shoved a spoonful of mashed potato into my mouth, chewing on it as calmly as possible.


  


Adrian shrugged before also filling his mouth with mashed potato, and I glared at his lack of response. He sighed before answering. “My mother believes I should get married to a girl she knows from England. You know, good family, important in the business industry, blah, blah, blah. I’m not particularly fond of her method, and neither is my father – which is why he took a liking to you when you two met.”


  


I almost choked on the mashed potato I was swallowing when he mentioned being married to someone else, but covered up my reaction by sipping the cup of water I had in front of me.


  


“Is that why she hates me so much?” I couldn’t help but ask, stirring my peas around the plate.


  


Adrian shook his head and swallowed before answering. “She doesn’t hate you. She just sees you as a threat to her whole plan – you’re the only woman I’ve ever even glanced at more than once. I guess she believes that you’re going to be the wedge that finally stops her master plan once and for all.” He ended the explanation with a sip of his wine.


  


I looked down at my white dress and let my hair fall over my face to cover my blush. “Oh, I understand,” I mumbled, trying to calm my racing heart. “What do you want to do when we get home?” Adrian asked, completely oblivious to my internal organs beating against my chest.


  


I looked up to meet his questioning gaze, and bit my lip in thought. “Let’s play a game!” I suggested excitedly, before blushing again at the loud volume of my voice.


  


Adrian chuckled at my embarrassed state, before nodding in agreement. “What kind of game? I vote Truth or Dare.” In a loud voice that made people from other tables look over in our direction with puzzled expressions, he announced: “I dare you to give me a strip tease.”


  


“Adrian!” I hissed, looking over at his amused expression in mortification. He laughed softly before drinking the rest of his wine.


  


“Are you finished eating?” he asked, looking down at the small pile of mashed potato and scattered vegetables that remained on my plate. When I nodded, he threw a $100 bill onto the table and stood up, making me follow suit.


  


We left the small restaurant, which was not very far from the beach house, and arrived back home in under 10 minutes. Adrian locked the front door behind us once we entered, before grabbing my wrist and tugging me along with him upstairs. He opened the door to our room and pulled his shirt off and grinned at me.


  


“I have the perfect game for us to play,” he announced, before leaving me in the room alone. I decided to strip out of the dress then – and locked the door once I remembered it was still wide open, before tugging on Adrian’s shirt.


  


His smell instantly overcame my senses, and I smiled happily before unlocking the door and going over to sit on the bed. Adrian walked in a few minutes later holding a packet of UNO cards, and I instantly broke out into a grin.


  


“Now, I have to warn you,” he said cockily, “I’m pretty fucking good at this game.”


  


He smirked down at me once he realised I had changed into his shirt. He threw the packet of cards onto the bed before taking off his jeans and climbing in with me – taking a position directly opposite. I pulled down the shirt to try and cover my thighs – as well as the bright red thong Amy had left in the suitcase for me to wear – before I began to shuffle the deck.


  


“Bring it on, Adri-poo,” I declared, giving him a wicked smile. I don’t think Adrian took the fact that I was a very competitive player into account until I kept demanding that we’d replay games. The score was a tie by midnight, and as he packed the deck away while I lay in bed, I came to the realisation that maybe he let me win the last game, just so we could stop playing.


  


“You let me win, didn’t you?” I asked Adrian with a slight glare once he re-entered the room and shut the door behind him.

“What? No! You won – fair and square, Shortcake.” He climbed into the bed and instantly pulled me over to him. He smirked before raising the shirt up from my back and looking down to my underwear. I felt his chest jerk, like he was choking on his own saliva.


  


“What?” I asked, my eyes widening in embarrassment as I looked down at the pair of red lace underwear.


  


“Holy shit,” he muttered, keeping his gaze glued to the flimsy material that barely covered my private area. I blushed before pulling the shirt back down, snapping him out of his gaze on my lower region. “Emily,” he muttered as his eyes met mine once again.


  


I squirmed slightly under his intense gaze, blushing. “Y- Yes?” He shook his head and pulled me closer into his torso, before placing a kiss on my hair. “You’re going to be the death of me,” he mumbled, making my heart rate soar.

hapter Twelve


  


  


  


I woke up the next morning to the refreshing beach air, and instantly inhaled the peaceful smelling aroma while stretching my limbs after a comfortable sleep. Adrian groaned beside me and stirred a little, making me look over to him to check if I had accidentally woken him up. Once his breathing fell even, I slowly pushed myself out of bed, careful not to make much sound or movement.


  


Once I successfully escaped the room quietly, I made my way over to the main bathroom to brush my teeth and wash my face, before descending the long staircase to make my way to the kitchen. My stomach grumbled slightly as I scanned the contents of the cupboards, before walking over to fridge and pulling out the loaf of bread that was sitting in the corner of the top shelf, along with 4 eggs and the jar of strawberry jam. I cut the loaf into even pieces before popping the cut pieces into the toaster while turning on the stove for the eggs.


  


I heard Adrian yawn loudly just as I finished spreading jam on one of the cooked toast, and turned around to find him staring at me with a sleepy smirk.


  


“Good morning, Housewife,” he greeted in a husky morning voice, making me blush lightly at the statement. “Is this for me?” he asked, pointing at the eggs and toast in front of him.


  


It was actually mine, but he took a bite from the toast before I could respond. I glared, placing a hand on my hip. “That was mine,” I said, huffing.


  


He shrugged and smirked in my direction before sitting on the bar stool and taking another bite from my breakfast. I gave him a look of disbelief before sighing and turning around to continue his eggs – that were now going to be mine.


  


Once I was done cooking, and after pouring Adrian a large bowl of cereal, I sat across from him and began to eat my own breakfast, closing my eyes as I savoured the taste. Once my eyelids fluttered open again, I found Adrian staring in my direction with a small smile on his face, making me blush.


  


“What?” I murmured, shaking my hair slightly so that it fell onto my face to hide my embarrassment. “I’ve noticed something about you, Shortcake,” he stated, still wearing the warm smile on his lips. I raised my eyebrows in surprise before nodding my head cautiously, indicating for him to continue. “Your eyelids flutter close and you let out a small sigh every time you experience something you enjoy. You just did it now, and you always make that small sigh in your sleep when I wake up in the middle of the night and wrap my arms back around your waist.” He finished his comment by shoving a spoonful of sloppy cereal into his mouth.


  


My eyes widened in shock as his words sank in, and I began blushing furiously at the fact that Adrian noticed something so irrelevant. “O- Oh, really?” I stammered, fumbling with my reply.


  


He nodded before looking up at me with a smirk. “Don’t get me started on how many times you’ve done it when I’ve touched you,” he added while his smirk grew at my horrified expression.


  


“Shut up!” I exclaimed in a squeaky voice, before jumping out my seat and taking our empty plates to the sink. He just chuckled as he chomped on more soggy cereal.


  


“We’re going to spend the day on the beach again,” he stated while I began to wash the plates under the running water.


  


“Okay, fine with me,” I replied, washing off the soap.


  


“We’ll eat lunch there too,” Adrian continued. “We need to make the most of it since our flight is at 5AM tomorrow morning.” 5AM?!” I exclaimed, turning around to give him another look of disbelief. I almost choked.


  


He nodded, before getting out of his seat and placing the bowl into the sink and giving me a pointed look. “It’s a five-hour flight, so we’ll already be missing most of the morning in the office.”


  


I nodded in thought, feeling slightly disappointed at the fact that I was going to be leaving this place. “I understand,” I said, sighing slightly before turning off the tap. “Let’s go up and get dressed then. I want to soak up as much sunrays as my pale skin can take in before we go back to hell.” I grinned at him.


  


He returned the cheeky look and bit my shoulder playfully, making me squeak in surprise, before we both raced up the stairs of the beach house, laughing loudly. “Feed me!” Adrian demanded, glaring at my exasperated expression.


  


“Adrian, you’re not two! Feed yourself!” I snapped back, glaring at him. His glare deepened before he pulled me into his seated body, making me scream out in surprise. “Are you insane?!” I exclaimed, looking down at him and watching as his glare transformed into a smirk.


  


“Feed me,” he repeated, lowering his voice. I looked around the crowded beach in shock, hoping no one was watching our encounter as I felt his hand slide down to grip my rear end, making me gasp lightly. “There you go again!” he said in a sing song voice, pointing out the small gasp he’d noticed from the morning.


  


I blushed furiously before shoving three pieces of fries into his mouth grudgingly, distracting him long enough to be able to extricate myself from his shirtless body. I stumbled away, feeling a little clumsy but nevertheless free.


  


He chuckled at my lack of coordination, making me glare at him again as he chomped onto the fries smugly.


  


“You are so obnoxious,” I mumbled loud enough for him to catch my statement.


  


“Are you sure you want to be saying that to your boss’s face?” he asked with a smirk, raising his eyebrows playfully.


  


“Absolutely!” I grinned, then pulled my tongue out at him. He chuckled and gave me the same small smile as he did in the morning, before getting out of his seated position. “Really?” he questioned again, walking towards me in a threatening manner.


  


My eyes widened and I began to walk backwards as my eyes landed on his smug smirk before trailing back up to meet his gaze. I gulped and let out a loud squeal just as he began charging at me, making turn around and run towards the water as quickly as my legs would take me with a heavy stomach.


  


Suddenly, I felt a familiar pair of arms wrap around my waist, and before I could try and wriggle out of his old, I was hoisted over Adrian’s shoulder while he chuckled.


  


“Adrian!” I squealed, “Put me down!” “Apologise,” he said. I could hear that smirk of his in his voice as he reveled in my misery.


  


I grumbled before pounding my fists on his bare back, scowling down at his red swim shorts. “Adrian!”


  


He began to chuckle again but stopped abruptly once an admiring sigh sounded from the side of our bodies, causing us to both freeze in shock and confusion.


  


Adrian turned to the source of the sound, making me scowl at the fact he was turning me even further away from it, before stopping.


  


“How long have you two been married?” a soft, feminine voice asked, making my eyes widen in shock as I went limp in his hold.


  


“We’re not married.” I laughed nervously, responding before Adrian could. I wiggled in his grip and tried to get my lips as close to his ear as possible. “Put me down, it’s rude!” I hissed into his hair, getting sand on my lips in the process. Adrian began to loosen his grip on my waist slightly as he let me slide down his body, but kept me plastered into his side once my feet touched the floor.


  


My eyes finally met the source of the voice, and I smiled at the middle-aged couple politely, blushing slightly at the fact that Adrian wouldn’t let me go.


  


“Oh! Sorry, how long have you two been dating then?” the woman asked, returning my gesture as she wrapped an arm around the man – who I assumed to be her husband – next to her.


  


I opened my mouth to respond but Adrian beat me to it this time, cutting me short with a peck on the cheek. “Three years. Funny you bring up marriage, actually. I’ve proposed to her three times, and she still insists on rejecting and publicly humiliating me every single time it happens.” Adrian pouted, making me snap my head up to meet his amused expression.


  


“I-” I began, but was cut off once again.


  


“It’s really getting to me, you know?” Adrian continued, “I don’t know what to do anymore. My heart feels like it’s going to explode from the inside out every time you say no to me.” He looked down at me with a self-satisfied expression, just as the double meaning behind his words registered in my mind. He was talking about the fact that I say no every time he asks me to sleep with him!


  


I glared up at him, blushing furiously as the couple watched us with amused expressions.


  


“I mean, sometimes I think you’re only with me for the sex, apple,” Adrian stated, giving me a look of disbelief that only I knew was false.


  


I continued to glare at him and even pouted a little myself. “Well fuzzy bunny, I didn’t want to have to tell you this… but since you’ve brought it up… I don’t want to marry you because you’re kind of… lacking… in that department.” I let my gaze trail down to his crotch area. Two can play at this game, I thought smugly. He looked back up at me and glared. “I’m sure he loves you very much, sweetie,” said the woman, giving me a comforting pat on the shoulder and a warm smile. “No matter how… um, lacking he is. That won’t matter at the end of the day! I mean, from the way we saw you two act towards each other all day today, we can tell how much you’re fond of each other. I think you should accept the next time he proposes.”


  


I began to feel guilty at the fact that we were lying to such a sweet couple, just as the man spoke up, directing his advice to Adrian. “Any maybe you shouldn’t propose somewhere so public next time.” The man winked, grinning.


  


The lady and I laughed at his statement, before I looked up at Adrian, who was smirking down at me. “I’ll keep that in mind for Take #4. Is that alright with you, fluffy munchkin?” he asked, raising one eyebrow as he waited for my answer.


  


I almost gagged at the nickname he gave me, before placing my palm on his chest and gasping. “That would be amazing!” I gushed, grinning as widely as I could.


  


The couple exchanged amused glances before the man bent down to place a kiss on the woman’s lips, making her blush.


  


“Well, we’d best be off,” said the man, “We have to make the most of our 25-year anniversary without the kids around as much as we can.” He looked down at the woman with an all too familiar expression I had seen on Adrian’s face when I’d be in my underwear. The woman began to blush even deeper before waving at both Adrian and me, and they continued their stroll near the waves, holding hands.

“You’re an idiot!” I scowled as soon as they were out of earshot, making him smirk down at me as I struggled to free myself from his hold.


  


“A pretty convincing idiot,” he said, grinning proudly at himself. “They ate up the lie like it was their next meal!”


  


I gawked in disbelief before slapping his muscled arm. “That’s because you told them we’d been dating for three years and that you’ve proposed to me!” I scowled, frowning.


  


“Oh, you’re in no position to talk, Shortcake. ‘Fuzzy bunny’?” he repeated, breaking into a fit of laughter. I tried to glare up at him, but ended up joining his laughter. “That almost cracked me – I’ll give you a point there,” he declared after we had calmed down. I smirked before biting my lip in thought. “Hmm. I believe that now makes the Tally board Kingston: 1. Johnson: 2 – I’m including my UNO win as a part of my score.” I grinned up at him smugly.


  


“I let you win,” he confessed, making my nostrils flare in anger.


  


“I knew it!” I shouted out, jumping slightly. “You couldn’t stand the fact that you were about to be beaten by a girl, so you decided to let me win on purpose so your ego wouldn’t – oh my god! Is that a crab?!” I exclaimed excitedly as I spotted a red animal crawl across the sand sideways.


  


Adrian gave me a confused look before his gaze travelled over to where all my focus was suddenly averted to, and I ran over to the crab in excitement. “Oh my god. It’s a real crab! Look! It has hands and it’s walking sideways and it looks angry and everything! A real crab!” I squealed excitedly, grinning down at it as it continued to scurry sideways along the sand. I sighed happily before looking up to grin at Adrian – who I found staring at me with that funny, small smile on his face once again. His usual playful expression had softened, and he was watching me with a glazed expression over his features.


  


Once he noticed me staring, he snapped out of his daze and blinked a few times before looking at me, and I thought I could see a faint pink colouring on his tanned cheeks, showing me that he was blushing. He covered it up with a smirk. “Yes, Shortcake. Very good! Now how to do you spell that?” he said slowly, treating me like a kindergarten child.


  


My excitement faltered slightly as I glared as his mocking attitude, before I ran over to him and grabbed him by his wrist, dragging him over to the sea creature. “Isn’t it so beautiful?” I murmured, getting lost in its bronze/red shell colour.


  


Adrian sighed beside me and I turned around – to find him staring at me with the same glazed expression yet again, making me flush. “W- What is it?” I stuttered, feeling self-conscious under his gaze.


  


He snapped out of it once again at the sound of my voice, and shook his head, frowning as he clenched his jaw.


  


“Nothing,” he said, avoiding my gaze. “Let’s get back inside and spend the last few hours here indoors.”


  


I frowned and bit down on my bottom lip curiously, but didn’t question it as he dragged me away from the sea creature, back to the beach house in silence. By the time I had finished washing up the cutlery we used to make our lunch for the beach, showering, and re-packing my suitcase neatly, the sun had set, turning the light blue waves right outside the beach house into a dark navy – almost black colour. Adrian had gone out to the stores that were a street away from the house to buy a movie while he waited for me to finish my shower, and returned with Law Abiding Citizen, making me grin broadly at the excellent choice.


  


He suggested that we watch the movie in bed in case we fell asleep, so that we were comfortable before the early flight tomorrow morning, and I nodded in agreement at his logic.


  


“Just wear my shirt, Shortcake, it’s not like I’m going to handle your body at the sight of Gerard Butler.” Adrian smirked, making my eyes go wide with shock as a blush crept up towards my cheeks. “Well, I won’t. But who am I to say that you wouldn’t want to? That’s it, isn’t it? I’ve finally figured out what makes your prized jewel click! You want me to act like a murdering psychopath? Brilliant. Who do you want me to kill first?” he asked, chuckling once I threw a pillow in his direction.


  


“I told you not to ever refer to my… lady parts using that phrase ever again!” I groaned in disgust.


  


“Okay, okay. I won’t do it again. But is my theory right? That’s why you don’t want to wear my shirt! Because it’ll be noticeable if you touch-”


  


“Don’t you dare finish that sentence, Kingston!” I snapped, glowering at him. He chuckled while putting his palms up in defense, before climbing into the bed and pressing the play button for the movie to start.


  


I began to climb into the bed but jumped out once Adrian hooked his thumbs to the waistband of his navy coloured boxers. “What the hell are you doing?” I shrieked, covering my eyes with my hands in shock, before slightly moving once finger to take a peek at his current actions.


  


“Wear your normal sleepwear, or these come off,” he threatened with a smirk, and I removed my hands from my eyes in disbelief before sighing in frustration. “Turn around,” I snapped as I snatched his shirt off the bed. A smug smile curled its way onto his lip as his body shifted to the other side of the room so that his back was facing me, and I glared at the flawless tan bitterly as I shoved my mini shorts down my legs and pulled off the tank top. Once I slid the shirt over my body and pulled off my bra, I climbed into the bed.


  


“Idiot.” I scowled as he turned back to me with a smirk before inching closer towards me so that the side of our bodies were squashed together.


  


“Shhh, you’ve missed the first five minutes of the movie,” he whispered into my ear, making me glare at the television screen as I tried to keep my expression from reacting to his hot breath against my neck. About halfway through the movie, Adrian spoke up again.  “I need you to do something important for me when we get back to the office tomorrow,” He stated, making me turn over to him with a curious frown.


  


“Of course,” I said, laughing a little, “I’m your assistant, that’s my job.”


  


“No, no…” He trailed off frowning as he clenched his jaw. “I need this to happen. I don’t want it to.” He specified, glaring slightly.


  


“Adrian…” I trailed off, not liking the sound of it, or his expression towards the favour. “What is it?” I finally asked.


  


“I’ve been talking with… someone… who I’ve managed to negotiate one of the best business deals I’ve ever heard of. It’ll be great for the hotels, and my father’s real estate company combined,” he explained, looking over at me.


  


“Well, that’s great!” I grinned. “Who’s it with? And what’s my role in all of this?” I asked, not seeing the negative aspect of his favour yet.


  


“Well… the only way they’re going to be convinced is if you talk to them,” he stated, not looking me in the eye. My curious frown returned as I glared at him slightly.


  


“Who’s ‘them?’”


  


“Walter Inc.,” I barely heard Adrian mumble, making me freeze in my position beside him.


  


“As in…” I trailed off. “David Walter’s business,” Adrian confirmed my thoughts, making me feel queasy. “He said the only way he’d agree to the deal is if you and spoke with him in a room alone for a while.”


  


“No fucking way!” I snapped, jumping out of the bed and glaring at Adrian. “Being ‘alone in a room’ with that pig is practically signing me up for sexual assault!” I exclaimed angrily, fuming at the fact that Adrian was even considering this offer.


  


He glared up at me before replying. “He won’t do anything. The room you two will talk in will have surveillance cameras and I’ll be right outside the door if anything happens,” he explained in a snippy tone, trying to end the topic.


  


I wasn’t having that. “No way! David Walter is not coming near me, whether it was in a room filled with thousands of people or whether it was him and me alone. It’s not happening.” I crossed my arms over my chest before my anger dried up in my mouth. “Is this…” I trailed off, my eyes widening. “Is this why you brought me to California? To convince me by trying to spoil me?”


  


“What? No!” Adrian growled, getting out of the bed to walk over to me. “And you have no say in the matter. I am your boss!” he professed, raising his voice slightly.


  


“What boss sets up their assistant for sexual assault?!” I snapped back, scowling. Adrian let out a frustrated growl before stepping closer towards me, making me take a step back in response as my back collided with the cold, glass window. “Do not test me, Emily,” he warned in a low voice, closing the small space in between us completely by pressing his tall figure against mine.


  


“I’m not testing you,” I declatred firmly, glaring up at him. “I’m telling you. It’s not happening.”


  


He loomed over me, and I realised then just how close we were to each other. The realisation seemed to settle into Adrian’s consciousness at the same time, and his eyes slowly left mine and trailed down to my lips. I licked them out of habit, and let my own eyes drift to Adrian’s plump lips, duplicating his movement. My chest began to rise and fall rapidly as the thought of his lips pressed against my own flashed through my mind, and my eyes snapped back up to meet his. He looked down at me with a furious frown before his eyes briefly went back to my lips. He let out a low growl and slammed his palms against the glass windows beside my head, making my eyes widen in shock as the glass vibrated beneath my body from the force.


  


“Bleep it,” he muttered, before I felt one arm circle around my waist and pull me closer and another tangle itself within my blonde waves. He crashed his lips onto mine with a strong force, sending shock waves throughout my entire body.


  


I gasped and stood frozen in shock for a moment before my lips began to move against his, hungrily. My fingers wrapped around the back of his neck and gripped his soft hair, making him groan at the gesture. My breathing became heavier as his tongue licked my bottom lip, before he forced my mouth open impatiently. My whole body was on fire as the arm around my waist hoisted my body up against the glass window, making me instinctively wrap my legs around his waist for support. Some tiny part of me at the back off my mind was telling me this was a very bad idea – but I ignored the small, irritating voice as the kiss deepened –before a gunshot sounded from the television screen; washing over me like a bucket of ice cold water. I pulled back abruptly, untangled my fingers from his hair and jumped off – and away – from him.


  


“I- I-” I stuttered in my flustered state, looking at him with wide eyes as my mind replayed the kiss. “Oh my god,” I whispered to myself, running a hand through my hair as the reality of the situation settled into the rational side of my brain. “Emily…” Adrian trailed off, making my shocked eyes look back up at him. “That-”


  


“Never happened,” I stated as firmly as I could, taking him by surprise.


  


“What?” he asked, frowning.


  


“I- It- It was a mistake, Adrian. A stupid, stupid mistake.” I tried to get ahold of myself, and hide the shakiness and excitement that still tingled throughout my entire body. “I apologise for acting so inappropriately,” I said in the smoothest voice I could muster.


  


“Emily-” Adrian began again, frowning angrily at me. I shook my head, cutting him off, before slowly making my way to the door of the bedroom.


  


“I need some air,” I mumbled, grabbing my phone on the way out of the room before making my way downstairs to the back porch that led to the beach.


  


The freezing air slashed against my face and bare legs like a sharp blade, and I wrapped my arms around my chest to protect myself from the harsh winds. I looked out into the dark ocean, replaying the events of 5 minutes ago, over and over again in my mind.


  


I had just kissed Adrian Kingston.

The kiss happened, stop denying it Emily
Thanks for the update

Ann2012:
The kiss happened, stop denying it Emily Thanks for the update

Just like you denied our last night "good time"
Good afternoon hun

Emex100:

Just like you denied our last night "good time"

Good afternoon hun

For your dream ba?

Ann2012:
The kiss happened, stop denying it Emily
Thanks for the update

They need to a silly hot f****ck honestly
The suspense is just too much ..it is glaring both of them want each other ...why pretending
Ak86 ...I beg let them f***ck and stop all these rubish
Sweet popcorn for u

Adesina12:


They need to a silly hot f****ck honestly
The suspense is just too much ..it is glaring both of them want each other ...why pretending
Ak86 ...I beg let them f***ck and stop all these rubish
Sweet popcorn for u

it is not yet time, we are still playing hard to get maybe someone is coming along the line so let wait and see before we decide.

Ann2012:
The kiss happened, stop denying it Emily
Thanks for the update

Seems like she is hallucinating and she is not sure yet maybe u need to kick her about before she knows wat she did just saying.

Ak86:
it is not yet time, we are still playing hard to get maybe someone is coming along the line so let wait and see before we decide.

Issorite

Adesina12:


They need to a silly hot f****ck honestly
The suspense is just too much ..it is glaring both of them want each other ...why pretending
Ak86 ...I beg let them f***ck and stop all these rubish
Sweet popcorn for u

Tell them oooo

Chapter Thirteen


  


  


  


I used to think the most awkward encounter I’d ever experience in my life was when I ran into my crush in senior year, looking like a fire truck had just run me over from the cold I had been sporting all day, and I sneezed – boogers and all – into his face. This was embarrassing enough except, by fate’s cruel intensions, things did not quite end there. I was paired up with him for biology class and he sat as far away as he could, often looking over at me like I was about to pass on the plague.


  


That moment, however, looked like a nicely decorated cupcake in my mind – in comparison to the newly formed awkward memory of sitting next to Adrian on the plane all the way back to New York, and during the drive to my apartment. My mind was still trying to process the fact that he had kissed me, and I enjoyed it. No, not only did I enjoy it; I kissed back. My boss. The guy I thought I had loathed due to his arrogance and sleazy way with women – and I had kissed him back.


  


Once I was in the safety of my bedroom, I finally exhaled the breath I must have been holding since we flew back into New York. I willed myself to relax, and looked at my plain purple bed sheets, absent-minded. Adrian had texted me once I was at my door and told me to take the rest of the day off. It was a brief text, with none of his usual wink faces stringing at the end of the sentence, and I exited the message before my mind could linger on it any longer.


  


I put my suitcase down near my wardrobe before deciding to have a shower, in an attempt to wash off the shakiness that my skin currently inhabited. I texted Amy and told her to come over as soon as she could, silently praying that she had taken the Monday off work like she usually did.


  


Once I finished getting dressed, I exited the bathroom and almost screamed when Amy jumped out in front of me, engulfing me into a bone-crushing hug. “Don’t ever leave me alone on a weekend ever again!” she exclaimed, pretending to sob into my shoulder before pulling away and giving me a toothy grin.


  


Once she saw my grim expression though, her smile instantly dropped and her eyes grew wide with concern. “What’s wrong?” she asked, studying my expression thoroughly. “I…” I trailed off, not quite knowing what to say. I thought about how Amy would react once I informed her about the kiss. “Let’s sit down first,” I suggested, giving her a weak smile.


  


She grabbed my wrist before I could finish my sentence, and pulled me to my living room with a force I didn’t even know she had in her, before throwing me onto the sofa and glaring. “WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?!” she asked with frantic eyes. I opened my mouth to tell her but she cut me off. “What did he do? I swear to God, Emily, if he hurt you in any way, I will throw his body into a wall. I don’t care how hot he is.” Her nose flared in premature anger, but her expression softened – very slightly – at the sight of my amused expression.


  


“Thank you Amy,” I told her, “your threat is… comforting.” It actually was. I missed her. Amy and I had never been separated longer than a day, so this was taking an emotional toll on the both of us.


  


“What happened?” she asked again, more calmly now, her concerned expression returning. I sighed and looked down at my lap while biting my bottom lip.


  


The lip he kissed…


  


“I… Adrian and I kissed,” I finally managed to get out. Saying it out loud finally made the words seep into the realisation part of my brain, and I let out a shaky sigh.


  


Amy, on the other hand, didn’t need long to process my confession. “WHAT?!” she screeched, falling off the sofa in shock. The corners of my lip tugged up slightly in an amused smile as she stumbled off the ground and took her original position across me on the comfy sofa. “You- You- Are you messing with me, Emily Hannah Johnson?” Amy asked, giving me a suspicious look.


  


I shook my head, suddenly feeling a lot less nervous at the news due to Amy’s amusing reaction. “He kissed me, and I… I kissed him back.” I frowned as I recalled the kiss, biting my bottom lip again.


  


“Oh my god,” Amy murmured, looking away from me with a disbelieving look. I mentally counted down from 3 in my head, before she jumped off the sofa with a squeal that had enough pitch to crack glass. “YOU KISSED! OH MY GOD! YOU AND MR. SEXY PANTS KISSED!” she screamed, jumping around my living room in excitement. This time, my face wore the look of disbelief. “Amy! This isn’t something to be celebrating!” I exclaimed, blushing slightly. She stopped jumping around and smirked in my direction, waggling her eyebrows.


  


“Am I missing something?” she asked excitedly, making my blush instantly begin to fade. “Did he get the chance to see the sexy lingerie I packed?”


  


“Funny you bring that up…” I trailed off, slowly rising from the sofa with a glare. Amy’s face paled and she began to back away from me. “I’M SORRY!” she squeaked once her back collided with my wall.


  


“Do you know how humiliating that was?!” I exclaimed, blushing as a flashback of Adrian’s expression once he saw the lace undergarments on my body appeared in my mind, and I shook it out of my head before snapping my glare back on Amy’s fearful expression. “And you didn’t pack a single pair of pajamas! And don’t even get me started on the fact you didn’t pack my swim shorts! I’m never letting you pack my bag for a trip ever again!” I exclaimed, giving her an incredulous look.


  


To my surprise, she began to laugh. I took a step back in astonishment, as she continuously heaved a fresh breath of air, before erupting with laughter once again. I huffed angrily and went to sit back down on the sofa, waiting for her laughing fit to die down. Once she stopped, she came and sat back down with me, still stifling a few giggles.


  


“I’m glad I’m a source of amusement,” I grumbled, glaring at her.


  


“I just want to know one thing,” she began, still trying to stifle a laugh. My eyebrows rose as a signal for her to continue, and she broke out into an amused grin. “What was his reaction to the lace nighty that I packed?” she asked, bursting into a fit of giggles.


  


I glared at her again. “I didn’t wear it!” I snapped, blushing furiously.


  


Her laughing stopped instantly. “What? Why not?! You’re such a party pooper!” She whined, pouting.


  


My eyes grew wide in disbelief. “Are you kidding me? Amy! He’s my boss! Not my husband who’s taking me on a romantic weekend where we’d spend most of our time in the bedroom!” I snapped, blushing. My mind went back to the couple we had met – and guiltily lied to – on the beach, and I wondered if that’s what they spent their time doing.


  


“Ugh! You need to loosen up more,” Amy grumbled, making me glare in her direction again.


  


“He’s my boss, Amy,” I argued.


  


“So? You guys have slept in the same bed,” she pointed out. “He’s practically seen you naked, and now you guys have kissed!”


  


The kiss pushed me off the edge. “I’m not another one of those whores who parade into his office every day!” I exclaimed angrily. “The kiss was a mistake.” I sighed. “It’s so awkward between us now, Ames. What do I do at work tomorrow? Do I act normal? Who has to break the silence, him or me? Oh my god, why did he have to kiss me.” I groaned, pushing my face into the soft pillow that was in my grasp.


  


When I pulled my face away from the soft cushion, I found Amy chewing her lip in thought. “Okay, listen up,” she snapped suddenly. “We’re going to put you in the sexiest business outfit you have. Act like your usual self. You don’t want to show him that the kiss affected you in any way. Say good morning, and ask him if he wants you to do anything. Keep it strictly professional, if he wants to talk, he’ll talk. Got it?” Amy asked, giving me a stern look.


  


I nodded, becoming amused at her sudden professionalism towards Adrian – but it didn’t last long.


  


“I’m sleeping over tonight,” she said decisively. “Now that that’s settled, I need every detail! From the time you got into the plane to go to California until the time you unlocked your apartment door!” She squealed excitedly, inching closer to me with an eager expression.


  


I shook my head and sighed at her excited personality, before launching into the story of the weekend.


  


***


  


“How was the sweet sunshine in Cali?” Allen asked, giving me an amused smirk as he mixed Adrian’s weird latté in the large cup.


  


I shrugged, not comfortable under his prying gaze as he looked over my body once again. “It was okay. Really hot.” I nodded awkwardly, giving him a tight smile.


  


“Allen! Stop checking the poor woman out, you perv!” Lisa snapped from beside him, whacking his head before proceeding with mixing my own latté.


  


Adrian chuckled and glanced back at me before turning around to his sister. “It’s not my fault she looks so hot today. Hotter than usual – I mean. I can’t quite put my finger on it...” He trailed off as his eyes scanned my body once again.


  


It’s the push up bra, I mentally answered him, and a shorter and tighter pencil skirt, not to mention the extra and very unnecessary makeup my best friend made me wear today.


  


“Allen, stop it,” Lisa said, frowning slightly at her older brother. “It’s rude, and you know what Adria-”


  


“OKAY EMILY! I think your order is ready. Here you go!” Allen said in a sudden cheerful tone as he shot a warning look in Lisa’s direction. His sister backed down immediately.


  


“Yep! Definitely done!” Lisa exclaimed, her voice coming off higher-pitched than usual. “Oh! Would you look at the time! You better be going! You’ll be late!”


  


I looked suspiciously at one sibling, then the other, as I handed over the money. “What’s going on that I don’t know about…?” I asked as they both handed me the coffee cups.


  


“What? Nothing!” Lisa squeaked, before her face began to transform into the colour of a tomato.


  


“It’s nothing,” Allen claimed, giving Lisa another warning look before turning a smile on for me. “So, if I recall correctly, you still owe me a dinner.” He changed the subject with a smirk, reminding me of someone.


  


“I don’t owe you anything,” I said wryly, offering him a small smile. “I’ll think about having lunch with you sometime.” I did not believe their earlier claims about nothing going on, but I had no time to dwell on it. I said my goodbyes and rapidly made my way over to Kingston Corp.


  


Once I stepped off the elevator, Suzie instantly greeted me with her motherly hug. “You look absolutely incredible!” she said. The warm smile on her face instantly brightened my mood. “How was the trip, honey?”


  


I smiled back at her as we began walking down to Adrian – and my – office. “Thank you. It was very nice,” I told her, “California has lovely weather.”


  


Her smile widened. “And Adrian’s beach house? I’ve never actually been there, but from the photo I once saw on his father’s desktop background, it looks incredible.”


  


I nodded. “It was very nice. Maybe we can manage to convince him to let you and Richard stay there for one weekend.” I winked, causing her to laugh and blush at my statement, before she pushed the office door open for me. I placed my cup on my desk before walking over to Adrian’s and placing his coffee on the polished marble surface.


  


“Is there anything important on today?” I asked as I dug into my bag and pulled out my notebook to jot down any crucial information. “Did I miss much from Saturday and yesterday?”


  


Suzie frowned in thought for a moment, the movement making her fragile skin wrinkle at the base of her eyebrows, before replying. “Yes, there’s a conference call this Friday with the head office of New Zealand again. They’ve put the ideas you brought up into the advertisement and need to confirm everything with Adrian.” She paused and waited for me to finish writing the sentence before continuing. “Also, Mr. Harrison said he agrees on the deal that Mr. Kingston offered, and Mr. Walter said his offer to accept still stands, as long as Mr. Kingston meets the requirements he laid out. I don’t understand the last one, but make sure Mr. Kingston is informed anyway.” She smiled, and I went rigid from David Walter’s name being mentioned.


  


“David Walter?” I asked in small voice, looking over at her in fear.

“Yes… Emily, dear. Are you oka-” Suzie’s concerned tone was cut off by a gruff clearing of the throat. Both our eyes snapped towards the doorway, where Adrian stood, and my throat instantly dried up.


  


“Good morning, Mr. Kingston,” Suzie said, breaking the silence. “I hope you had a pleasant weekend.” She gave him the warm smile that had worked like magic on me, but Adrian’s pissed off expression didn’t change. He frowned.


  


“It was fine,” he snapped as his eyes briefly flickered in my direction. With some satisfaction, I noticed he did a slight double take before he covered it up by looking back at Suzie. “You may leave now, Mrs. Brown,” he ordered, walking past us both to sit at his desk. Suzie gave me questioning look, and I shrugged slightly to show that I didn’t know what was wrong with him – even though a small hunch sat at the bottom of my stomach. She left the office, and I replayed Amy’s advice in my head before I turned to Adrian.


  


“Good morning, Mr. Kingston,” I greeted him, trying to keep my voice neutral. “Mr. Harrison has accepted the deal you offered him, and Mr. Walter has said that his offer still stands if you meet his requirements. Is there anything you’d like me to do for you, sir?” I kept my stance strictly professional, just as Amy advised.


  


Adrian didn’t look up from his phone, and I mentally cursed my best friend for making me wear all this makeup and uncomfortable clothing. “Cancel all my morning appointments,” he ordered in a cold tone, reaching out to take a sip from his coffee.


  


As the words left his mouth, an unfamiliar poisonous feeling delved its way into my bloodstream, fueling my heart into suddenly thumping against my chest more rapidly. I instantly trained my eyes to my heels to hide my expression. The last time Adrian told me to cancel his morning schedule, there was a whole parade of women lining up at his door to get their daily dose of him, and for some reason, it now bothered me. A lot.


  


“Of course,” I said, trying to cover the slight shake in my voice. “Anything else?”


  


“No,” he answered bluntly. I inhaled deeply and made my way over to my own desk – which I now wished wasn’t in the same room as his – before beginning to call up all the scheduled appointments for the morning. Just as I settled in, the door burst open. A tall, slim red head walked into the room, and I vaguely recognised her from the day of the interview for this job.


  


“Hey Adrian,” she purred, closing the door behind her slowly. My eyes scanned her skimpy skirt and flimsy tank top. I put my head down, concealing my anger.


  


“Amanda,” he greeted. I saw his lips curl into a tight smirk as his eyes scanned her body and he rose from his seat. The red head – Amanda – giggled uncontrollably, as if Adrian had made the joke of the century. She then sauntered over to him, kissing him full on the lips. He responded instantly, pulling her slim body into his own and kissing her back.


  


My lungs closed off at the sight – and I felt my breath stop midway in my throat as I looked over at the pair with wide eyes. Adrian began to lead her to the glass door that he had disappeared into a few times, and just before he shut the door completely, his eyes met mine. He pulled away from her lips and gave me a cruel smirk, before he began to trail kisses down Amanda’s neck and shut the door behind him.


  


For some identified reason that I tried to ignore, my eyes began to well up with tears, especially when loud, high pitched moans began to erupt from behind the glass door. I jumped out of my desk and grabbed the papers in front of me, as well as my bag, and inhaled deeply. By this time I was no longer crying, but pulsing with anger. I left Adrian’s office, slamming the door shut behind me, and made my way over to Suzie’s.


  


She looked up at me in surprise, then with a thoughtful frown. “Emily, are you okay?” she asked. “You look a little teary eyed.”


  


“I’m fine. Do you mind if I stay here for a while? Adrian… Adrian’s occupied for the morning.” I had said it bitterly, and mentally cursed myself for feeling so much anger towards the situation. Suzie nodded with no hesitation, and began to drag a small table she had on the side of the room, before placing it in front of the chair I was standing beside.


  


“I’m sorry,” she said with a guilty look, “I don’t have anything larger.”


  


“It’s fine, Suzie!” I assured her, offering her a strained smile. “Thank you so much. This is more than enough.”


  


She gave me a knowing look, and I frowned curiously as she turned around to walk back to her desk, but didn’t question it. By the time lunch time came around, my body was cramping in areas I didn’t even know were capable of cramping, and Adrian was still going at it with different girls in his office. My anger never dimmed down during the four hours it was going on; not being at my desk adding more fuel to the fire.


  


I decided to text Allen and take him up on the lunch offer we talked about earlier, and told him to meet me at the burger shop across from Kingston Corp. He agreed and was even at the place before I was – making me laugh once I saw him standing in front of the burger shop in a black shirt with the Starbucks logo printed on the left chest area.


  


  


“You don’t look too eager to have lunch with me,” I teased, smirking slightly as his cheeks began to flush a light shade of pink.


  


“Shut up,” he mumbled, looking down at his black Converse shoes. I laughed and opened the door to the small diner, Allen following in tow. “So what made you finally agree to have lunch with me?” he asked good-naturedly. “Have my killer good looks finally caught up with you?”


  


I rolled my eyes and raised my eyebrows. “Yes, Allen. How will I ever be able to survive this cruel, cruel earth without you having lunch with me?” I gushed sarcastically, putting my hand over my chest to emphasize the damsel in distress role.


  


He chuckled and slid into the booth we walked to in the corner of the diner before smiling up at me. “Sexy, smart, feisty, and funny,” he declared. “The list just keeps growing every day.”


  


I rolled my eyes again at his attempt at flirting, before picking up the slightly greasy laminated menu in front of me. “I’m going to go out on a limb here,” I said as I scanned it, “and say you and Adrian were the playboys of your high school.”


  


“And college,” Allen grinned, making me laugh. “Figures,” I stated, biting my lip as I tried to decide between a chicken burger or a beef burger. “So, what was the deal between you and Lisa this morning? And don’t bother saying it was nothing.” I narrowed my eyes at Allen, whose eyes snapped to mine at the mention of the topic. “She began to say Adrian’s name,” I went on, “so I know it’s not ‘nothing’.”


  


“She was just reminding me of a deal I made with Adrian,” Allen replied. “It’s nothing big. You don’t need to worry that sexy and smart mind of yours.” He smiled slyly at my unwavering expression.


  


“Oh, Allen. Your words touch me. Right here.” I pointed to the middle of my chest where my heart was, before throwing another sarcastic smile in his direction.


  


“I know something else that can touch you there, if you like.” He smirked, winking at me.


  


I laughed before throwing a sugar packet at his face, blushing. “Shut up, you idiot.”


  


He chuckled just as a waitress made her way over to our booth. “My offer still stands,” he said, waggling his eyebrows at me.


  


I laughed before turning to look up at the waitress. “Can I please get the beef burger and fries?” I asked. She nodded and wrote down my order, before turning over to Allen.


  


“And you?” she asked, visibly checking him out.


  


“I’ll have her,” he replied, nodding in my direction. “She’s not on the menu, but I’m willing to pay.” It made the waitress giggle.


  


“You’re a cute couple,” she observed, smiling at the both of us.


  


I instantly spoke up. “Oh no, we’re not-”


  


Allen cut me off. “Why thank you, lovely lady. I’ll have the same thing as my sexy girlfriend over here.” He smiled, before looking over at me and winking. I gave him a look of disbelief as the waitress wrote down his order and walked away from my booth.


  


“What is with men and making me their fake girlfriend?!” I exclaimed, more to myself.


  


“Men? Why, cupcake, I’m crushed,” Allen said, faking hurt. I laughed at his horrible acting skills before shaking my head. “You’re a handful,” I declared. “I don’t think I want to have lunch with you again.”


  


He smirked before leaning forward. “Sorry, what was that? Did you say you wanted to have lunch with me again? That’s great. Every day, 1PM. I’ll be here, in this booth, waiting for you.”


  


His tone had turned serious, but he still managed to keep the amused glint in his eyes, and I agreed with offer, liking the fact that Allen was an entertaining distraction from Adrian.

Chapter Fourteen


  


  


  


I was one more female stumbling into my office away from exploding.


  


Two weeks have gone by – and Adrian was still sleeping with every woman he set his eyes on. If he was trying to prove that the kiss didn’t mean anything to him, he had succeeded on the first day when he brought in the red head that I had fought with on my first day here. To make matters worse, Adrian didn’t even want me moving my desk back into my previously assigned office, and was furious when he came stumbling out of the room with the glass door with another woman buttoning up her pale pink blouse behind him, to find me directing the guys that were moving my desk out to be careful with my things.


  


On top of his women stumbling into my office with sheer excitement and lust present on their expressions, asking me where Adrian’s office was every five minutes, Adrian had said the same five words to me in total the entire two weeks.


  


“Cancel my entire morning schedule.”


  


My veins were about to pop underneath my skin at his infuriating new persona, and I’d always leave the office with steam coming out of my ears. The only highlight of my day lately, has been the hour-long lunch breaks I got to spend with Allen. He always managed to calm me down after I’d scowl and complain about his best friend’s newly adopted agenda, and temporarily made me forget about him by cracking humorous jokes and making suggestive comments while we ate our food in the diner across the road – always sitting in the corner.


  


Today, however, I walked into the diner to find Allen standing patiently near a booth that was on the window. I gave him a confused look, and looked around to find school kids filling every booth – including our silently assigned one in the corner.


  


“These guys are leaving,” he explained after my eyes landed on his tall figure. “It’s the only free booth left.”


  


I shrugged. “That’s fine. I would’ve said let’s go somewhere else but I might be late for work. Sorry.” I gave him a guilty look, and he waved me off, frowning slightly.


  


“Stop saying that. I’m fine eating here, as long as you’re sitting across from me. Or on my lap. I don’t mind either.” He smirked, making me roll my eyes and smile in amusement at his comment.


  


“Sorry for taking so long!” the school girl on the booth apologised, looking up at Allen with an admiring gaze.


  


“Don’t sweat it,” he replied coolly, giving her a lazy, lopsided grin. The girl’s face began to turn red under his gaze, and she scurried off behind her friends, gushing to them about Allen’s appearance. Allen chuckled as he slid into the both, and I took my seat opposite him, admiring the light coming from the window seat.


  


“Maybe we should sit here more often,” I told him with a smile. “It’s better than your little nook and cranny corner over there.” “I don’t need the light from the window because I already have you illuminating my world,” Allen replied, grinning back at me. I began to blush but covered it up with a glare.


  


“Stop being cheesy.” I tried to scowl, but my lips trembled around a helpless smile.


  


“I aim to please, cupcake.” He winked, just as our usual waitress came to the table, grinning once she recognised our faces.


  


“The usual?” she asked. We both nodded and she smiled before walking away from the table.


  


“Still the same?” Allen asked, silently referring to Adrian’s enraging mannerisms. I nodded as a scowl crawled its way onto my lips, and I frowned down at my lap. “I don’t understand why he needs to continue doing that in front of me,” I said, incredulous. “I mean, I get it. California was something he was clearly trying to erase from his memory – but does it really take that many women to forget one kiss?”


  


“It does when the kiss affects you,” Allen said, his usually friendly expression darkening slightly.


  


I frowned and bit my lip in confusion as I looked at him. “I don’t understand. What- oh my- Am I a bad kisser? Is that why he’s doing what he’s doing? To try and forget how bad the kiss was? Oh my God.” I groaned, feeling my entire face pulse in heat from the embarrassment.


  


“No!” Allen answered, a little too loudly, before lowering his voice again. “Are you crazy? Even if you were a bad kisser – which you aren’t, according to an anonymous yet obvious source – your face and body make up for it, trust me on that. Plus, you’re interesting to be around, and extremely funny – although you’re not on my level yet, so don’t get too excited from the compliment.” Allen smirked, winking.


  


I rolled my eyes and pulled my tongue out at him childishly, just as the waitress came back with our orders. She placed them in front of us and gave us a smile before she left, and I instantly shoved a piece of fries into my mouth hungrily. I looked up to find Allen smirking at me in amusement, trying to contain a laugh.


  


“Are you sure you’re hungry?” he teased, chuckling. “You don’t look too eager to eat.”


  


“Shut up, idiot.” I glared, smiling a little as I bit off half of the food in my hand.


  


He chuckled and began eating from his own meal, as we lapsed into a comfortable silence. I had taken three bites of my burger and was chewing it before he spoke up again. “Hey, there’s 20 letters in the alphabet, right?” he asked, frowning slightly in confusion at me.


  


I raised an eyebrow at the random topic, but bit my lip in thought. “No,” I replied, “I’m pretty sure there’s 26.”


  


Allen’s frown deepened, before his eyes lit up slightly. “Oh. I must’ve forgotten U, R, A, Q, T!” he said with a straight face, before breaking into a cheesy grin. I almost spit the water I had taken a sip of during his reply, all over the table, before swallowing it and erupting into a fit of loud laughter, the pickup line bringing tears to my eyes.


  


Once my laughter died down enough for me to form a response, I threw a chip at him. “You’re such a douche!” I exclaimed, still laughing softly at the joke. He chuckled and waggled his eyebrows at me, making me laugh even more.


  


Once my breathing became normal again, I replayed the letters he mentioned in my mind and frowned. “Wait, you only mentioned 5 letters,” I pointed out in amusement.


  


“I know. I’ll give you the D later.” Allen winked, making me choke on whatever was trying to travel down my throat. I banged my hand on the table and coughed a few times before taking a large gulp of water and swallowing it; bursting into another series of loud laughs. Allen chuckled at my reaction as I began to cry tears of laughter again, and threw another chip in his direction before laughing even heavier than before.


  


The door of the diner suddenly burst open, banging against the yellow coloured walls before the sound of glass cracking filled the now silent diner; making my laughter instantly die down as I turned around to look over to the person who made the commotion and cracked the glass door that I pushed open every day.


  


My blood froze in my veins.


  


“WHAT THE Bleep ARE YOU DOING TOGETHER?” Adrian’s deep voice roared as he angrily made his way towards our booth with his fists clenched to his sides. I couldn’t move. I just stared up at his angry expression as he towered over Allen and me, looking like he was about to explode.


  


“Adrian-” Allen began, but was rudely cut off.


  


“Don’t fucking ‘Adrian’ me, mate,” he snapped, “What the Bleep are you doing with her?!” He glared furiously at Allen before his eyes briefly flickered towards my still frozen state.


  


“We’re just having lunch,” Allen tried again, “It’s nothing-”


  


“NOTHING?” Adrian’s voice boomed, growing louder and angrier by the second. “YOU’RE PRACTICALLY HAVING EYE SEX IN FRONT OF THE ENTIRE STREET!” He grabbed a fistful of Adrian’s black Starbucks shirt, and roughly pulled him out of his seat, bringing them both face to face. “Why are you with her, Allen?” he asked in a low, deadly growl.


  


I watched as Allen’s jaw clenched before he pushed Adrian’s hand away.


  


“Because,” he replied calmly, glaring right back at his best friend, “certain assholes were treating her like fucking shit and wouldn’t get over their little bitch fit.”


  


My eyes widened in shock before they briefly flickered around the busy diner. Every single pair of eyes was on us – even the chef had stopped cooking in the small window and was peering over the tight space to observe what was going on.


  


“I don’t give a Bleep,” Adrian snapped back, making my gaze land on his furious expression once again.


  


Allen rolled his eyes before resuming his seat on the red diner chair and plopping a piece of fries into his mouth while shrugging. “Anyway, where were we, Emily? Oh that’s right, I was going to give you the D.” Allen spoke up, and I watched as he tried to keep his expression neutral.


  


“WHAT THE Bleep?!” Adrian roared again, making Allen burst into a fit of laughter.


  


I looked back and forth between Adrian’s furious expression and Allen’s laughing fit rapidly, growing even more confused at Allen’s behaviour. Adrian, on the other hand, didn’t just watch his best friend laugh. He punched him square in the jaw.


  


I let out a surprised gasp as I heard something in Allen’s face crack sickeningly. Allen stopped laughing and groaned in pain as the palm of his hand flew up to this jaw to cradle it soothingly. Neither of us had any time to react before Adrian turned over to me and lifted me out of the tight booth by my waist before throwing me over his shoulder.


  


“We’re leaving,” he growled as I squealed in mortification, still aware that we had everyone’s attention on us.


  


I looked over at Allen with an alarmed and apologetic look before slumping in defeat in Adrian’s firm grasp as he crossed the busy road and took me all the way back up into his office. My face was tomato red – both from anger and embarrassment – by the time we arrived into his office, and he carelessly threw me onto the navy sofa before his tall figure loomed over my awkwardly sprawled one furiously. “Care to explain yourself?” He scowled, glaring indignantly. “Explain myself?” I repeated incredulously. “Who the hell was the one who just broke a diner door, punched his best friend, and dragged their assistant all the way back up into their office during her lunch break after speaking the same 5 words to her for the past two weeks?!”


  


“We have a meeting in 20 minutes in the conference room down hall,” he snapped, completely ignoring my indignant reply. “Be ready.”


  


My jaw fell open in shock, before I quickly recomposed myself. “Hey, I’m not done talking with you!” I demanded while scrambling out of my sprawled position on the sofa.


  


Adrian shot me a flat look before taking his seat behind his desk. “I’m done talking with you. So get out.” He turned his attention to the large computer screen in front of him.


  


“Adrian,” I began, clenching my fists in annoyance, “What the hell did I do to you for you to be acting like this towards me? Not only me, Allen as well!”


  


“17 minutes,” he replied, still focusing solely on the computer screen.


  


I let out a frustrated groan before stomping out of his office angrily, fed up with his immaturity. I opened the door to my office and came to an abrupt stop when I found Suzie sitting in the chair I had in front of my desk. Once she heard my door open, she turned around with the usual warm smile on her face.


  


“Hello, Emily, I’m so sorry Mr. Kingston cut your lunch short. He got… very angry once I told him you were with Allen. It was a bit frightening to tell you the truth…” She trailed off, frowning. “Anyway, that’s not what I’m here for! I have all the files you’re going to need for the meeting. I was originally supposed to go but Adrian insisted you go once I told him you were with Allen…” She trailed off once again and gave me a guilty look, and I frowned at the newly received information.


  


“Thank you, Suzie.” I smiled before pulling her into a hug in an attempt to comfort her. “It’s not your fault. Stop blaming it on yourself.”


  


She laughed softly before meeting my eyes. “How did you know?” she asked with a grin.


  


I winked. “That’s for me to know and you to dot, dot, dot.”


  


She laughed and shook her head at my reply, before handing over the files and leaving the room. I placed my bag underneath my desk before leaving my office and locking it behind me, before briefly scanning the files given to me on the way to the conference room.


  


Once I had set up the table for the meeting, I sat down in my seat and continued to read over the files. From what I was reading, the meeting wasn’t a crucial thing that needed to be running, and the topic was brief and wouldn’t impact on the company as much as other things would have.


  


“Oh good, you’ve done something right for once in your life,” Adrian comment sarcastically as he entered the room. I looked up from the paperwork in front of me and glared at him as fiercely as I could. “If you’re going to be a sarcastic asshole the entire time you and I are in the same room together,” I replied smugly, knowing I was going to hit a nerve, “I’ll just get Suzie to take my place here while I go continue my lunch date with Allen.”


  


And I did. “What did you say?” he asked through gnashed teeth, glaring down at me.


  


“You heard me,” I shot back, keeping my expression neutral.


  


“You and Allen were on a date?” Adrian asked, and I watched as his jaw visibly clenched from anger at the statement.


  


I hesitated before nodding. Mentally, I scolded myself for bringing Allen into this. I didn’t want him getting hurt – again – and I most certainly didn’t want to come in between their friendship. I made a mental note to text Allen a long apology text after this meeting was over.


  


“Why the Bleep are you hanging around him, Emily?” Adrian growled after he saw me nod, and I tried to shrug casually.


  


“I do what I want,” I replied.


  


He opened his mouth to speak just as two men and three women in suits entered the room, and he shot me a warning look.


  


“We’ll continue this discussion later, Ms. Johnson,” he muttered coldly, keeping his glare on me while the others took their seats around their table. “There’s nothing to discuss, Mr. Kingston,” I replied, giving him an innocent look while slightly cocking my head to the side to feign confusion.


  


I watched as Adrian’s nostrils flared out in anger and tried to keep my smirk buried deep within me as four more people walked into the conference room and took their seats. Adrian walked up to the front of the room and instantly switched into business mode – launching into a factor within the Kingston Corp Real Estate department that needed fixing due to low publicity and demands in that area, and the suggested ways to improve it efficiently and at a rapid pace to get it moving again.


  


“I don’t like any of the suggestions or offers I am getting in regards to the department, so I have called you all here today to come up with a suggestion that will help boost buyers,” Adrian explained. “Our target audience are families looking for bigger homes to buy and newlyweds. I want an informal proposal from you lot at the moment, and whoever I believe has the best suggestion will need to write up a plan and submit it over to the marketing department immediately.” After reclaiming his seat at the head of the table, he opened his palms up at everyone and said simply, “Go.”


  


“Why don’t we use sex appeal?” one of the women suggested, tossing a pointed look at Adrian. “Newlyweds would be thinking of that a lot.”


  


I threw a look of disbelief in her direction before my eyes trailed over to Adrian, who was staring at me.


  


Once he realised that I had caught him in the act, he snapped out of his haze and threw a smug smile in my direction before turning over to the woman.


  


“Mmmm. That sounds like a good idea, Ms. Cooper,” Adrian said in a low voice, making her go red in the face. He briefly glanced back in my direction and raised an eyebrow, as if to say ‘Jealous?’


  


I rolled my eyes at his immature behaviour before a man seated across from me spoke up. “That’s nonsense,” he said. “Not everyone thinks about sex. Look at it in a practical perspective. You want to show the consumer that they’re buying something efficient and will last long throughout their entire marriage.”


  


The woman who spoke up scoffed. “It’s a house, Greg. Of course it’s going to last long.” “Why are we only focusing on the newlyweds?” another woman, this one with blond highlights, spoke up, gaining everyone’s attention. “What about the families that are looking to buy bigger homes? I think we should advertise how spacious it is.”


  


I nodded briefly in agreement before another man spoke up. “Sara’s right. We have to look at a broad picture that will target both buyers.”


  


“That’s right,” I found myself chiming in. I blushed a little with embarrassment, but I’ve come too far to back down now. I went on, “I think all your suggestions can be put to use within one advertisement. Show the large space and quality of the houses that we offer to attract both the attention of the newlyweds who are looking for something big and shiny, and also parents who want to ensure the safety and comfort of their growing family. We can show a family with a puppy in one house, and then right next door, have a newly wedded couple moving in to a similar house with the neighbours giving them a hand with their things.”


  


The man who spoke up before I did looked over at me and grinned broadly. “That’s a really good idea. Why aren’t you managing the marketing department?” he joked, leaning forward slightly to get a better view of me.


  


I laughed and felt my face redden even more, before shrugging. “I’m still waiting for the promotion,” I replied, before turning over to Adrian.


  


“Ms. Johnson, you are out of line,” Adrian snapped, making my smile drop instantly.

“W-What? It was a joke!” I exclaimed, looking over at him with wide eyes.


  


“I apologise, Mr. Kingston, I am the one who began the unprofessional comments. You don’t need to put the blame on Ms. Johnson,” the man said, looking over at Adrian with fear.


  


Adrian glared straight at him before speaking up. “Do you have something going on with her?” he asked through clenched teeth.


  


“What? No! I’ve never seen her before today – which is unfortunate, on my part,” he added, casting a lopsided grin in my direction. I gave a small smile in reply, still unsure of how to react in the situation.


  


“Maybe we should get back to the suggestions…” I trailed off, mumbling.


  


“I did not give you permission to participate in this meeting,” he replied swiftly, casting a cold glare in my direction.


  


I felt my blood begin to boil. “Why the hell am I here then?! Actually, why am I even still working for you? For the past few weeks, all you’d have me do is ‘cancel your morning schedule’ and then make me file paperwork from the 20th century! All while you play bed buddies with your whores of the day! Then, when I actually go out during my lunch break, you come into the diner like a caveman and drag me away from someone who I actually enjoyed sitting with! What the hell is your problem?!” I burst, heaving angrily.


  


“Ms. Johnson, don’t make me kick you out of this meeting,” Adrian replied, still glaring. His nostrils flared slightly once again, and I could tell he was trying to control his anger.


  


“Why not?” I retorted, my face turning red with anger instead of embarrassment this time. “You’re not letting me participate in it anyway! And why? Because a guy spoke to me?  My suggestion was good – great even – they all agreed to it. You’re just so fucking immature about the fact that we shared one kiss together – which you’ve done with about 600 other women in the past two weeks alone – to the point where you can’t even reply to a question I ask without going all dry and bitchy at me!”


  


“EMILY, DON’T MAKE ME FIRE YOU!” Adrian roared, jumping out his seat and banging his fist onto the table in anger. He held my gaze for a few moments, before I broke away from his glare. I pushed my chair back and slammed the folder that contained the files shut on the desk.


  


“You don’t even need to do the honours, Mr. Kingston,” I declared, throwing him one last venomous glare as I got to my feet and headed for the door. “I. quit.”


  


I stomped out of the conference room furiously, leaving a stunned looking Adrian behind.


  


For good.

What's with Adrian and threats? Emily did the right thing by quitting... Well-done OP

Lovely story as usual. Op, this update is short

nice one from Emily ....someone needs to put that bitch in his place



but op why this update short like shatta bandle prick

Emily haa

Good Morning CaptainMitch, I hope you slept well.


About the funding Sir.