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Copyright © 2014 by Elle Brace
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DISCLAIMER
Please don’t be stupid and kill yourself. This book is a work of FICTION.
It is fiction and not to be confused with reality. Neither the author nor the publisher or its associates
assume any responsibility for any loss, injury, death or legal consequences resulting from acting on
the contents in this book. The authors opinions are not to be construed as the opinions of the
publisher. The material in this book is for entertainment purposes ONLY. Enjoy.
 
  
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

By: Elle Brace

 

 
ISBN: 978-1-62761-854-0
© Elle Brace 2014
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Dedicated to ALL my readers on wattpad,
this one is for you…
 
 
 
 
Prologue
 
 
 
He was tall.
 
At about 6’1”, he towered over my 5’4” height and made me feel
shorter than I usually did.
 
I watched as yet another female walked out of his office, looking
flustered and flushed with embarrassment as she readjusted her business
skirt.
 
“Ms. Johnson?” An old lady wearing a pink plaid jacket called out,
pushing her glasses back up the bridge of her nose as she scanned the
waiting area.
 
I stood up at the sound of my name and greeted her with a nervous
nod and a smile that probably turned out more like a grimace.
 
“This way please.” The lady said, escorting me into the office that
nine other girls had previously entered – and exited - before me.
 
I clutched tightly at the folder containing my carefully listed skills
and qualifications; I had worked all week to perfect it, just for a chance at
this job.
 
“Thank you,” I muttered. She gave me a reassuring pat on the
shoulder before exiting the room quietly and shutting the door behind her
with a soft ‘thud.’
 
I let out a nervous sigh before turning around to meet the man I’d
only ever seen on billboards, the internet and magazines. It was the first
time I would see him in person.
 
“Name,” he stated, a deep British accent lacing the singular, blunt
word.
 
I cleared my throat and wiped my sweaty palms on my grey pencil
skirt. “Hello,” I said, “My name is Emily Johnson.” I smiled nervously at
the authority figure seated on a large leather chair behind a dark, polished
marble desk so large it almost took up the entire length of the office.
 
He didn’t glance in my direction as I walked forward and placed my
resume on his desk with shaky hands.
 
“Take a seat,” he muttered, still staring intently at his computer
screen.
 
I nodded, even though I knew he wasn’t going to be paying
attention to the gesture. “Thank you.” I took a seat in one of the navy
coloured leather chairs that were placed in front of his desk, and gripped the
arm of the chair with such force that I watched my knuckles turn white.
 
A few silent moments passed before his hazel green eyes flickered
in my direction briefly, and then doing a double take.
 
I felt my eyes widen slightly and I visibly swallowed from
nervousness. Was I not wearing the correct clothing? Did he recognise me
from somewhere? The nerves creating the knot in my stomach became
stronger, and I felt the knot begin to expand.
 
“Ms. Johnson, was it?” he asked, raising an eyebrow as his gaze
slowly scanned my attire before coming back to meet my eyes.
 
 I gulped and nodded, causing him to smirk and get out of his seat.
 
“I- I have a resume…” My voice trailed off, the thought continued
only by the finger I pointed toward the folder I had so painstakingly spent
hours on. He wasn’t paying attention to that. Instead, he walked over to
where I was sitting until he stood directly in front of me.
 
“Get up.” His tone was commanding, and I felt my body jerk out of
the seat before my brain could process what was happening.
 
Looking at him in closer now, I saw that the magazines and pictures
I had seen him in did not do him justice.
 
Who was he, exactly? He was Adrian Kingston, the 25-year-old-
billionare-playboy who owns Kingston Corp. His father spent 23 years
building the company, which now includes over 350 hotels and offices in
New York City alone. I knew this because I had done my research before
arriving for this job interview – to become his assistant in the Head Office
of the Cooperation.
 
He suddenly moved closer, so close, that I could smell the mixture
of cologne and aftershave he was wearing and was able to identify dimple
marks in his cheeks while he smirked down at me. From this distance, it
was also hard to miss the thick lashes that surrounded his eyes.
 
“What do you think of me, Ms. Johnson?” he asked, snaking an arm
around my waist and pulling me towards his solid torso.
 
My eyes widened in shock and I felt my cheeks begin to turn
scarlet. “I-,” I stuttered, “I don’t really know you well enough to answer
that, s-sir.” I inched my face back to put some distance between our close
proximity.
 
Adrian ignored my attempt to move away and leaned in so that his
lips were near my ear. “Do I make you feel nervous?” he whispered,
nibbling at my earlobe as I felt my throat go dry.
  
“I wouldn’t say you; t- the job is what I’m nervous about. If you
would look at my resume-”
 
His lips moved down so that he was trailing light kisses onto my
collarbone. “If I don’t make you nervous, do I turn you on?” he asked in a
hoarse voice, pressing our bodies closer to each other than before.
 
“I-” I cleared my throat and frowned slightly, “I don’t think what
you’re asking is in context as to what this interview is about. My resume-”
 
“Why look at a piece of paper when I have a beautiful woman
standing right here?” he smirked. “You have a nice ass, by the way.” I felt
one of his hands slowly slide down from my waist to my rear and giving it a
rough squeeze.
 
I gasped and jumped in his hold, before pulling away in frustration.
“Excuse me, Mr. Kingston. I am here solely to achieve my goal of getting
this job. I don’t know what you’re trying to do – and quite frankly, I don’t
like it either. You’re rude and disrespectful. Now, if you don’t want to look
over my credentials and qualifications,” I snatched the resume that I had
spent hours putting together off his desk, “Then my business here is done.
Thank you for your time.”
 
I glared and turned to leave but then remembered something else I
wanted to say. I stopped in my tracks and turned back to face him. “Oh, and
you want to know what I think of you now? I think you’re a spoiled little
rich sleaze who thinks he can have everyone he encounters, eating out of
the palm of his hand.”
 
I slung my bag over my shoulder and stormed out of the office
without glancing back.
 
So that’s why all the girls that got interviewed walked out flustered,
I thought to myself as I walked past the remaining applicants. Good luck to
them. Seriously.
  
“Uh, excuse me! Ms. Johnson!” The old lady who had escorted me
into Mr. Kingston’s office shouted just as I reached the halfway point down
the hall.
 
“Yes?” I replied, looking back in confusion. Had I forgotten
something? I mentally scanned my bag. Everything was there…
 
“Mr. Kingston wanted me to inform you that you have gotten the
job. You start as of right now, and your first task is to get rid of all the
remaining applicants. Welcome to the team.” She gave me a sympathetic
smile before shuffling back down the hall way and disappearing into a room
on her right.
 
I stood in shock for a few moments, processing the news the lady
had just revealed. I got the job? Me? The one who snapped at him a called
him a spoiled little rich boy? How does that even work?
 
Unsure about what just happened and how I felt about it all, I
decided to shake off my shock and try to complete the first task given me
by the unpredictable man who was apparently my new boss. Get rid of the
rest of the applicants. I scoffed internally; of course he’d make his newly
hired assistant do his dirty work.
 
I walked back to the group of girls who were giggling amongst
themselves. They stopped abruptly when they noticed me smiling nervously
in their direction.
 
“I thought you were already rejected by him,” a red head sneered.
“Back for more? Talk about desperate.” The others laughed.
 
I tried to keep the urge to glare buried deep within me. My nerves
have now been replaced by anger. “Actually, I was just told that I was
hired,” I told them with a sarcastic smile. “My first job is to get rid of you
lot. Maybe you can come back later for more? Oh wait – the job is already
taken. Sorry. Have a good day.”
  
“Yeah right,” the red head scoffed. “We saw how you left his office.
He didn’t hire you. You’re just trying to get rid of the competition because
you’re too intimidated by us.” She rolled her eyes and settled in her seat
smugly, looking at the other girls.
 
I sighed and rubbed my temple. “Yes. I’m so intimidated by you all.
How will I ever survive knowing you’re all out there, being the perfect little
bitches you’re all being right now?” I pretended to fake sob, before my face
turned blank again. “Now, on behalf of Mr. Kingston, please leave, or I will
call security to escort you lovely ladies out.”             
 
I didn’t even know if the building had security, let alone the number
to call.
 
The 5 pairs of eyes glared up at me, and I felt as if I was shrinking
under their gaze. The red head spoke again. “You’re pathetic. We’re all
smart enough to know that you’re lying. Adrian wouldn’t hire someone like
you. You’re too short and way too curvy. He’d want someone slim and
petite, not to mention someone who actually has a pretty face.” Her gaze
focused on the thick black rims that surrounded the lenses that helped me
read clearer, and I felt my temper slowly taking over the rational side of me.
I was about to burst when a deep voice kept it from happening.
 
“Ladies.”
 
Adrian’s voice came from behind me. I caught the smell of his
cologne before I felt two large hands being placed on my shoulders.
 
“What Ms. Johnson is saying is correct,” he told them. “She has
officially been hired by me. Thank you for coming in today, but you are not
needed anymore. Leave, or I will call security to drag you out.”
 
The 5 girls who were frozen with shock, but the red haired girl
recovered quickly. “But Adrian, surely we’re more qualified-”
 
 “I have personally looked over Ms. Johnson’s qualifications and
found her to be the perfect candidate. This discussion is over. Have a nice
day.” His dismissed them coolly, before I felt his warm breath on my neck.
“Come into my office once they leave so I can brief you on your role as my
assistant.” I nodded stiffly, conscious of the close proximity between our
bodies.
 
“Don’t worry, I won’t try anything,” he chuckled softly. “Even
though I want to.”
 
He pulled away and I turned to catch his smirk just before it slipped
off his face and he turned to leave.
 
I turned back to the girls – who were looking at me as if they were
measuring what coffin would fit me best – and gave them a small smile.
“Thank you for your time,” I repeated, stepping aside as an indication for
them to leave.
 
“This isn’t over, you obese pig,” The red head sneered before
shoving her handbag up her slender arm and stomping past me, “I’ll get you
fired within the next month. This job is mine.” The other girls followed
after her.
 
I looked down at my body and sighed. Yes, I was pretty large in the
chest and rear area, but I was pretty slim everywhere else. I went for regular
jogs in a park nearby and ate clean once a week. I shook my self-esteem
issues out of my mind temporarily, and entered Adrian’s office after a heavy
sigh.
 
“I’m going to be very quick with this because I have a meeting in
10 minutes,” he said, even before I closed the door. “You are to learn my
daily schedule by heart. From the time I open my eyes in bed ‘till the time I
shut them. You are to know what coffee I drink and have it at my desk by
8:55AM every day. I only like it made by a certain barista at a specific
Starbucks 4 blocks from here. You are to know what size I am in everything
– including underwear – and keep a spare item of clothing on you at all
times in case something goes wrong. You only get a half hour lunch break
but will get a full hour on Saturdays.” As he spoke he was shuffling though
a stack of papers on his desk. When he finished, he handed them all to me.
 
“You are also responsible for any irrelevant paperwork that comes
through to me. This,” he pointed at the paper on top of the pile, “Is my
planner. You are responsible for organising it fortnightly and bringing it to
my apartment every Sunday evening. You can email it to me as well but I
prefer to have the original copy in case I decide to make any adjustments.
Your working hours are 8:30AM until 6:00PM, but there will be a lot of
evenings where you and I will stay back late in the office to manage larger
projects. Mrs. Brown, the lady who escorted you here, will show you where
your new desk is located. You answer your phone at all times and only refer
the important ones back to me. Mrs. Brown will give you a list of who to let
through. The line for my office is the number one on speed dial on your
phone. Any questions?”
 
I stared at him blankly before I felt my eyelids blink. “Yes, how do
I know what paperwork is irr-”
 
“Mrs. Brown will explain what is and what is not important for me
to see or do, and that will become your responsibility. Now, if you’re not
planning on wasting my time with any more of your imprudent questions,
I’m going to leave now.”
 
I frowned and opened my mouth to defend myself but remembered
he was my new boss so I just nodded and began to turn around to leave the
office.
 
“Oh, and Ms. Johnson?” he called out, making me turn back. “I
suggest you keep a spare pair of underwear in your drawer at all times as
well. I’m pretty sure you’re going to be needing them.” He smirked before
dismissing me once again, leaving me confused with his statement.
 
Why on Earth will I be needing a spare pair of underwear at work?
I thought to myself as I walked over to the room I had seen Mrs. Brown
enter previously. “Um, excuse me, Mrs. Brown…?” I knocked on the open
door gently.
 
The woman looked up from the papers in front of her and pulled her
glasses back up the bridge of her nose before smiling. “Ah yes, Emily dear.
Call me Suzie. Mr. Kingston has briefed you on your job as his assistant, I
take it? You’re looking rather confused. Take a seat, I’ll explain it to you in
more detail then show you to your new office shortly. Aren’t you excited?
This is an excellent job! And great pay, if I do say so myself!” She grinned
brightly, and I felt my lips tug into a smile as well.
 
I mentally agreed with her. It was a great job, I just mentally prayed
that I was going to be able to stay sane around the most attractive male in
America (literally, he was voted the number one ‘hottie’ in Cosmopolitan).
 
***
 
“DID YOU GET THE JOB? IS HE REALLY AS HOT AS
EVERYONE SAYS HE IS? DID HE MAKE YOUR HEART MELT WITH
HIS CHARM? DID YOU HAVE SEX?”
 
My best friend’s overly excited voice screeched from my iPhone’s
speaker.
 
My eyes widened at the last question and I felt my cheeks getting
warmer. Even though she couldn’t see me, I knew Amy was trying to make
me squirm. “You’re so blushing right now. I can feel it in my blood! You
had sex, didn’t you?! Was he amazing? Ask him to do me!” I heard her sigh
and I almost gagged into the speaker.
 
“Amy!”
 
“What?” she said innocently.
 
“We did not have sex. It was a formal meeting. He’s pretty rude.
And throws a lot of… suggestive comments, but yes, I got the job!” I
squealed, grinning at the blank television screen in my apartment.
 
More squealing erupted from the speaker of my iPhone and I felt
my hand automatically move the phone away in order to keep my hearing
intact. Once she was done, I placed the phone back on my ear. “Thank
you.” I laughed as I heard her catch her breath.
 
“We have to celebrate tonight! I’ll call Molly and Claire! We’ll go
down to-” Her voice got cut off by a soft beep and I frowned and looked at
my phone. An unsaved number blinked in my face, signaling that there was
someone on the other line. “Sorry Amy, there’s someone else on the line
and I don’t have their number saved. We’ll definitely go out to celebrate!
Text me the details, okay? Bye!” I quickly hung up and pressed the green
button to answer the other call. “Hello?”
 
“Ms. Johnson, I need you to come in to the office immediately.” It
was unmistakably Adrian Kingston’s deep, British voice. My eyes widened
in shock. “There is some paperwork here that we need to sort through
together and it needs to be sent in by tonight. I expect you’ll be here in less
than half an hour?”
 
“Sir, I live a good 20 minutes away from the office. It’ll take me a
little longer than half an hour to get there.” I stuttered nervously. A night
call already? I still didn’t even know the location to my office properly!
 
“If you stopped complaining over the phone and got moving, it
wouldn’t take long at all,” he snapped. “I’ll see you in half an hour.” The
line went dead. I detached the phone from my ear and stared
uncomprehendingly at the blank screen, before shaking out of my daze and
rushing back to my bedroom to get dressed for work.
 
I called Amy as I pulled out my white business shirt and black
pencil skirt and thrashed my pajama bottoms off. Amy answered on the first
ring. “Hey! I just confirmed with the girls, they’re up for it!” she said
excitedly.
 
 I groaned as I stubbed my toe on the corner of my bed before
zipping up my pencil skirt and tucking the shirt in neatly. “Ames, I’m so
sorry. He’s already called me in to fill out some paperwork that needed to
be mailed by tonight, apparently. I’m so sorry, raincheck?” I asked as I
pulled my semi-dry hair into a sleek pony tail and applying a coat of light
pink lipstick. Thank god I had natural ringlets that didn’t frizz after every
shower I had.
 
“Already? Damn girl, you’re going to have your work cut out for
you! Don’t apologise, it was your celebration drink, you banana!” She
laughed, before gasping. “You better be wearing sexy lingerie! Late nights
alone in the office with a sex god? I think I can predict what’s going to
happen.” I could practically feel Amy wink as I rolled my eyes and put my
black pumps on and grabbed the bag I prepared once I got home.
 
“Amy, get your mind out of the gutter,” I joked. “Anyway, I have to
go. He expects me to be there in less than half an hour. I’m so sorry for
cancelling on you girls. I’ll make it up to you guys, I promise!”
 
Amy scoffed. “Shut up! You’re putting the blame on yourself as if
you don’t have a good enough reason to be cancelling! Say hi to the sexy
beast for me, will you? I’ll let you go now because you’ve just wasted 5
minutes talking to me.”
 
“I’m a woman. Multi-tasking is in our blood,” I laughed. “I’m
leaving my apartment now. Love you!”
 
We both disconnected the phone and I made my way to call the
nearest cab.
 
This is how it all began.
 
 
Chapter One
 
 
 
“Hi, excuse me. I’m so sorry. I’m looking for…” I squinted at the
scrunched piece of paper in my hand, trying to make out Suzie’s cursive
writing. “I can’t tell if it’s Alien or Allen?” I laughed awkwardly as I felt
my cheeks redden.
 
The Starbucks employee giggled. “It’s definitely Alien. You should
see his face.” She winked. “Are you the new assistant for Adrian Kingston?
You are so lucky. He’s literally the hottest male on this planet! I’ll get Allen
for you. He’ll make Adrian’s usual quicker than you can blink! For your
benefit, of course.” The teenager giggled again, and I found myself smiling
at her bubbly personality.
 
“Thank you,” I told her gratefully. “Can I also get a latté with two
sugars, please?”
 
“Of course! I’ll brew it myself! I’m a mean latté making machine!”
the girl declared with a battle cry.
 
“Lisa, are you making customers uncomfortable again?” A male
voice sounded from behind a wall, causing Lisa to run off to the coffee
machine and start on my coffee.
 
“What? Of course not, Allen! I bring the customers in with my
charm. It’s your face that makes them uncomfortable.” Lisa laughed at her
own joke and I couldn’t help but let out a small giggle as well. “By the way,
Adrian’s new assistant is here! She needs his usual – STAT!”
 
 “Can you at least try to remember that I’m the one in charge of this
place?” Allen’s voice was much clearer now, as he walked out of a back
room while tying an apron around his waist. I caught his eye and his
eyebrows instantly shot up in surprise as he gave me a once over. “You’re
his new assistant? You look way too smart to consider going for that
position.”
 
I frowned. “What’s wrong with ‘that position’ exactly? I’m
perfectly qualified for the job.” I said angrily.
 
Allen put his hands up as a gesture of defense, and his blue eyes
looked at me in amusement. “He picked a sexy and feisty one this time.
Maybe you’ll last longer than the last one did. I hope you do. You’re pretty
interesting.” He smiled at my attitude in approval.
 
My anger was replaced by confusion. “Um… thank you?” I asked,
unsure of how to respond.
 
“No problem. What’s your name?” he asked as he mixed milk into a
large coffee cup.
 
“Emily Johnson, it’s nice to meet you.” I said, running a hand down
the length of my skirt to straighten it out.
 
“You know she called you Alien when she first walked in here?”
Lisa said, laughing as she came up to the counter and handed me my drink.
“I mean, I see why. You’re absolutely hideous so I don’t really blame her.”
Lisa winked at me cheekily before she ducked down to avoid a swat to the
head from Allen.
 
I looked between them both with wide eyes – partly because I was
mortified that she had told him I said that and partly because Allen was
about to hit a 17-year-old girl. Lisa must’ve recognised my look before she
burst into a fit of laughter again. “Calm down! He’s my older brother!” she
explained while punching him on his right arm.
 
 “Oh…” I trailed off awkwardly as I felt my cheeks begin to burn
again.
 
Allen looked up at me and smiled before he handed over the large
cup of coffee over the counter. “Thank you. How much is that all together?”
I asked, directing the question at no one in particular as I scanned the price
board on top of their heads.
 
“Don’t worry about it,” Allen said, a slight smirk forming on his
lips. “This one’s on me – uh, us – think of it as a good luck present for
working for him.”
 
I laughed. “Working for him can’t be that bad.”
 
“He’s my best friend. I think I know him well enough to know that
you’ll have to put up with his bitch fit moods and the countless female
strangers he’ll invite into his office everyday while you do his boring work.
I give you my condolences!” Allen laughed as I bit my lip and frowned in
thought.
 
“Stop trying to talk me into hating my job already!” I scolded with
a smile on my face.
 
“Trust me shortcake, I don’t need to. I’ll give you a week. Now you
better start running back. You’re pretty late.”
 
I looked over at the clock above the door and let out a shocked
squeak. “Thank you for the coffee!” I screamed as I rushed out the door. I
faintly heard Lisa and Allen laughing before the shop was out of ear shot.
 
***
 
“Emily. How are you dear?” Suzie asked as I placed Adrian’s coffee
on his desk and placed the paperwork he had given me yesterday in a neat
pile beside it.
 
 “I’m good, thank you. How are you? Did Richard like the shoes you
bought him?” I smiled as I walked over to her and gave her a hug. She
smelled of lavender and roses.
 
“He loved them! I knew he would; any pair of shoes that is the
colour brown automatically becomes his favourite pair.” She smiled and
shook her head at her husband’s behaviour and I grinned. Suzie had told me
she and her husband had met while she was writing down notes on what
was important and what was unimportant to Adrian. He was her manager at
the supermarket she worked at and used to pick on her all the time.
Eventually, like all teenagers, they fell in love and have been happily
married 38 years.
 
“Are you sure you’re not tired, sweetie?” she asked in worry. “I
know Adrian called you in last night. How long did you two stay here for?”
 
As if my body was trying to answer for me, a yawn escaped before
I could prevent it from happening. “I think until 11:45PM. I got home at
about 12:30AM though, so it wasn’t so bad. Plus, I have a yummy latté to
help me get through the day.” I grinned as I held up my coffee cup.
 
Suzie was about to reply but a voice beat her to it. “Ladies. I wasn’t
aware that my office had become a gossip site for you two to be hanging
around in it.” We both turned to find Adrian at the door with a hard
expression on his face – and I gulped.
 
Great work, Emily. Day 2 and you’re already going to be fired.
Allen and Lisa would love to hear this…
 
I cleared my throat. “Mr. Kingston. Good morning. Suzie and I
were just making sure everything was in order for when you arrived, sir. I
finished all the paperwork you gave me yesterday and your coffee is here,
as you requested. Would you like us to do anything before we leave?” I
asked, hoping to cover up for Suzie and myself.
 
 “Suzie can leave. You stay with me,” he ordered, moving aside as
Suzie scurried out of the office.
 
“Uh, have I done something wrong?” I asked nervously once Suzie
shut the door behind her. He ignored my question and took his seat in front
of his desk while reaching for the coffee and taking a sip. I started to pick at
my nail in anticipation as I waited for his response – or any sort of
interaction for that matter.
 
“Sit down, Emily,” he muttered as he typed something into his Mac
computer. Okay, he used my first name. This can’t be good.
 
I sat down on the exact same chair I was interviewed in yesterday
and instantly began blushing from the mental images that began to resurface
in my head. “Am I being fired?” I blurted unintentionally, letting my nerves
get the better of me.
 
Adrian looked away from the computer screen in front of him to
meet my eyes and raise an eyebrow, as an amused smirk formed on his
features. “No, Ms. Johnson, you are not being fired. We have business to
discuss.” He turned back to the computer screen and typed something.
 
I felt my shoulders sag in relief as the tension in my body released
itself at the mention of my job still being in-tact. I began to play with a lock
of hair as I waited quietly for Adrian to explain why I was here, and found
myself growing bored and impatient rapidly. After a few more minutes, I
looked up with a frown as an impatient sigh escaped my lips – only to find
Adrian smirking in my direction.
 
“What?” I asked in confusion.
 
“Are you done observing the same strand of hair so we can begin or
do I need to give you more time because you might have missed a spot to
look at?” he asked flatly, as I dropped my hair back onto my shoulders.
 
 “I was waiting for you to finish what you were doing on the
computer!” I exclaimed in disbelief, before quickly adding, “Sir.”
 
“I don’t really care. I require your full attention at all times. We
have a business dinner to attend this Saturday. It’s a black and white dress
code and I expect you to be ready and here in my office by 7:45PM sharp.
If you’re even 35 seconds late, you’re fired. I don’t know who I’m taking as
my +1 yet, so don’t make that official. If worse comes to worst, I’ll just use
you. Also, cancel my entire morning schedule, I have-” Adrian was cut off
by his office door slamming open. The sound of jingling bracelets and the
clacking of heels suddenly dominated the otherwise quiet room.
 
I turned around to find a tall blonde in a neon orange shirt and white
mini skirt parade into the office while adjusting the copious amount of
jewelry on her arm. I turned back to Adrian in confusion as he cleared his
throat. “I have business to attend to. You can leave now.”
 
I nodded and turned to leave as the blonde rushed passed me and
threw herself at Adrian. “Hey babyyyyyyy.” She dragged on the word
before crashing her lips onto his. My eyes widened in shock as I quickened
my pace and left the office in shock.
 
Suzie walked by just as I shut the door behind me, a flabbergasted
expression undoubtedly on my face. She began laughing. “Let me guess,
you have to cancel his morning schedule?”
 
I stiffly walked back to my office – dumbfounded by how the
random blonde attacked Adrian’s face. “How did you know?” I asked.
 
“He does this when he’s pissed off over something or – in a very
rare case which has only happened twice out of the 15 years I’ve been
working here – there was a girl he couldn’t get so he deals with his anger by
doing… girls.” Suzie cleared her throat awkwardly.
 
I scrunched my nose in disapproval. “That cannot be healthy.”
 
 She shrugged her shoulders. “We’re all used to it. Every female in
this office – except for myself, of course – has been in that office with
Adrian for a reason other than discussing business matters. Don’t be
surprised when you find about five other girls parade in there throughout
the morning.”
 
I frowned in disapproval as Suzie placed a file on my desk and
walked away humming an unfamiliar tune. About 15 minutes went by
before a knock at my door interrupted me from sorting out the files left on
my desk. I looked up to find a woman dressed similarly to me – a pencil
skirt and business shirt – smiling.
 
“Hi! Is Adrian busy?” She asked, cocking her head to the side as
she waited for an answer.
 
My mind blanked temporarily. What was I meant to say if someone
asked for him? “Uh… I’m afraid so. He’s in a meeting at the moment.” I
lied, smiling back.
 
The girl laughed loudly and sat on my desk, knocking a cup of pens
over. I frowned at the mess then looked back up at her. “I know he’s having
sex. I’m next in line! I just wanted to know if he was done yet.” She
winked, making my eyebrows shoot up in shock.
 
“Do you work here?” I asked curiously as I gathered my pens and
put them back in the cup.
 
She got off my desk and I put the cup back its original position
before looking back up at her to find her nodding her head vigorously.
“Yup! I’m Anna! Marketing department.” She giggled and pretended to
snap photos of me with her fingers.
 
“Oh… I’m Emily. It’s nice to meet you, Anna.” I smiled, still trying
to process the fact that she was waiting for Adrian to have sex with her.
 
 “Likewise! Congratulations on getting the job, by the way! Have
you been in his office yet?” She winked again as she fixed her hair in the
reflective glass surface of the window.
 
“Yes? Countless times. He called me in last night as well because
we had to finish-”
 
“YOU’VE BEEN WITH HIM AT NIGHT? FINISH?! HE DIDN’T
FINISH WITH YOU? WHY? OH MY GOD! I NEED TO TELL MARY
AND NOELLE RIGHT NOW!” Anna exclaimed, rushing to fix her hair.
 
“Wait, what are you going on about?” I asked in frantic confusion.
 
Anna turned to me with wide eyes. “You’ve been invited at night
and had sex with him and you didn’t finish? How was he?! I bet he rocked
your world! I need to go tell the girls right away! They’ll want to meet-”
 
“WAIT! I did not have… it with him! We had to finish some files
that needed to be mailed by last night!” I explained, my cheeks going
scarlet. Anna’s excited expression dropped to one of blankness as she stared
back at me.
 
“Oh,” she stated, before her eyes went wide again. “Wait a minute.
He’s Adrian Kingston. He could pay anyone off if he was late to send
something in and there would be no trouble. He totally wanted to get in
your pants! Okay, tell me exactly what happened last night. From the
moment you got called in until you left!” Anna sat back on my desk and
tipped the same cup of pens over. Again.
 
I frowned. I hadn’t even told Amy anything regarding last night –
and she was abusing me via text message every 10 minutes – let alone will I
tell someone who I’ve known for less than 5 minutes. I opened my mouth to
tell her just that but Adrian’s office door suddenly opened, and the blonde
whose hair was straight and tamed when she arrived, stepped out of the
office with smudged lipstick, messy hair and a flustered look as she
stumbled to put the other pair of her heels onto her foot. She waved into the
office before strolling down the hallway and disappearing out of our sight.
 
Anna jumped off my desk excitedly. “That’s my cue! I’ll see you
later, Emily!” She giggled and waved before entering his office and shutting
the door behind her.
 
And the process repeated itself throughout the entire morning. I met
4 other girls that worked in the building and two random girls who were
asking where his office was. By the time my lunch break came, I was ready
to zoom out of my office before the phone went off. I sighed before
answering it. “Mr. Kingston’s office, how may I help you?” I asked, getting
a pen and paper ready.
 
“Ms. Johnson, come into my office.” Adrian’s hoarse voice sounded
through the speaker before the line went dead.
 
I let out a frustrated sigh as my mind made the image of a burger
and chips from across the road appear, reminding me that it was my lunch
break. I entered Adrian’s office to find him fixing a tie around his neck. If
he heard me enter, he didn’t show it as he straightened the tie in the picture
that was coming up from the webcam.
 
“Are you ready?” he asked after a few moments.
 
“Ready?” I repeated in confusion.
 
“To go out for lunch,” he stated flatly, as if he had told me
previously.
 
“Together?”
 
“No Emily, with my desk chair. Get your things, the car is already
waiting for us downstairs. I’ll meet you at the elevator.” He brushed past me
on his way out the door.
 
 The smell of his cologne lingered in the air as I made my way back
to my office to grab my phone and bag before dashing back out to catch up
to him.
 
“Took you long enough,” he scoffed once I arrived.
 
I looked at him in disbelief. “I wasn’t even two seconds!” I
exclaimed.
 
He ignored my response and walked into the elevator and pressed
the ground floor button. The elevator dinged and the doors were starting to
close as I let out a squeak and hurriedly stumbled inside. To my deep
embarrassment, I landed on Adrian as the doors closed completely. His arm
wrapped around my waist and he steadied me as my cheeks began to warm
up and change colour.
 
“Sorry.” I mumbled, looking away.
 
His arm was still tightly clinging to my waist. I felt him chuckle and
pull me closer to his chest. “Are you ordinarily this clumsy and hot around
people? Or do I have this effect on you?” He whispered the question into
my ear, making my blush deepen.
 
“I- um- I’m naturally clumsy,” I stuttered, trying to pull away. His
grip got tighter and I looked up to find him smirking down at me.
 
“You know,” he said while tracing patterns on my back, “Anna told
me something today.”
 
“Mmm. What did she tell you?” I replied as his hands moved to my
lower back, making my eyelids flutter closed.
 
“She feels threatened by you. So do the others. They think that I’m
going to start using you over them.”
 
 My eyes snapped open at that, and I moved away from him –
catching him off guard.
 
“What did you tell her?” I asked, frowning.
 
He smirked. “I told her not to worry. When I do get you to sleep
with me – and I will – and you come back for more, I’ll treat you like I treat
the rest of them.”
 
I scowled. “Wow. You really know how to make a girl feel special.
No wonder they’re all falling at your feet.” The elevator door opened and I
straightened my skirt before walking off without him.
 
“Emily!” Adrian called out. I could hear his footsteps catch up to
mine as I exited the building but chose to ignore them and walk faster.
“You’re having lunch with me,” he stated once he had fallen into step with
me, lightly grabbing my upper arm to stop me from walking.
 
“There you go again! Thinking you have everyone eating out of the
palm of your hand! You didn’t invite me to have lunch with you to begin
with. You just threw it at my face and expected me to obey like some sort of
slave. Then you go and – and say all that rude stuff in the elevator and
expect me to-”
 
“Shut up and get in the car,” Adrian said with a bored expression.
“I’m hungry.”
 
I gawked in disbelief at his attitude. “No. I’m going to eat across
the road alone and get back before my lunch break is over and there’s
nothing you can do to stop me.” I folded my arms stubbornly.
 
“I’ll fire you,” he smirked.
 
My folded arms dropped to my sides and my eyes widened in
shock. Over not having lunch with him?! “On what grounds?! That’s
blackmail!”
  
“You’re disobeying your Boss’s orders. I’m pretty sure I can fire
you for that.”
 
“You can’t do that! It’s my lunch break and – Ah! What are you
doing?!” I squeaked as he wrapped his arms around my waist and threw me
over his shoulder as if I weighed nothing.
 
“I’m taking you to the car since you couldn’t do so yourself.”
 
“This is kidnapping! You’re taking me somewhere against my will.
Put me down!” I pounded my fists repeatedly on his back. If my assault
towards his back affected him in any way – he didn’t show it. When we got
to the car, he threw me onto the leather seats and slid in gracefully after me.
 
I glared at him before turning away and crossing my arms over my
chest stubbornly.
 
“Emily.”
 
I continued to ignore him as I felt him slide closer to me as the
driver started the car. His hand leaned across my torso and I whipped my
head to see the smirk plastered firmly on his lips as he leaned forward, our
noses almost touching.
 
After a few more moments, I heard a muted zipping noise fill the
silence within the car before I felt a light weight being pressed against my
body. Adrian clicked the seatbelt into place before smirking and pecking
my cheek.
 
“I need my assistant to stay safe at all times,” he said, before slowly
moving back to his seat and clicking away at his phone. I bit my lip and
frowned at him curiously. Why was he being so nice?
 
“Where are we going?” I asked after a while.
 
 “To eat,” he replied bluntly, still tapping at his phone.
 
“Really? I thought we were going to a circus!” I exclaimed
sarcastically. He stopped looking at his phone to meet my eyes and glare,
before looking back down.
 
I rolled me eyes and looked out the window and sighed. That lasted
long. I thought to myself as silence consumed the car.
 
***
 
“Mr. Kingston. I can’t even afford to use the bathroom in this
place,” I muttered in awe once the driver dropped us off. I should’ve
expected it – Adrian Kingston bringing me to a five-star restaurant where a
glass of tap water was worth $30.
 
“Why do you care?” Adrian frowned. “I’m the one paying. And call
me Adrian outside of the office. Mr. Kingston is my father.” He took my
hand in his and led me inside.
 
I looked down at my plain grey business skirt and white shirt and
grimaced. These clothes were nowhere near good enough to be in if I was
eating in this place. My hair was down in no-frills curls as well. I sighed
and kept my gaze on my feet as the waiter led us to a private booth at the
end of the restaurant.
 
I could feel people – women in particular – glaring at me like I was
something unwanted stuck to their shoe.
 
“What’s wrong?” Adrian asked once we were seated.
 
“I’m just not very comfortable eating here,” I muttered, glancing
back at the people occupying tables within the restaurant. Adrian must’ve
noticed my brief glance, because I turned around to find him glaring at the
women throwing daggers in our direction.
 
 “Ignore them. They think they’re on top of the world because they
have a bank account that’s full. It’s not as full as mine, so you don’t need to
worry.” He reassured me before opening up the leather menus that were
placed in front of us.
 
I opened my copy and scanned over the menu briefly. The writing
was in gold and carved against the leather in a cursive font. “Won’t I get in
trouble for going over my half an hour break?” I asked as I scanned the
seafood section, cringing at the price of the caviar.
 
“I’m your boss,” Adrian murmured distractedly, preferring to
concentrate on the menu. “You’re with me, so of course you’re not going to
get into trouble.”
 
“Oh, right,” I laughed. “Sorry, I forgot for a moment. So is there a
particular reason as to why we’re here?” I asked curiously as my eyes
landed on a burger in the menu and I grinned. I looked up when Adrian
didn’t reply and found him smirking at me.
 
“I take it you’ve found your order?” he chuckled, and I felt my
cheeks warm up and the grin slowly start to slip off my face.
 
I nodded briefly and looked down at the table, waiting for my blush
to fade.
 
“I want to discuss what you’re wearing to the event on Saturday.
There’ll be a lot of press there, so I expect it to be something brand-named.
I’ve put $2,000 in your account for you to find something decent.
Remember,” he said as he called the waiter over, “its black and white
themed.”
 
My eyes widened in shock. I was still stuck on $2,000. I found
myself repeating the figure in a hushed tone, feeling completely
gobsmacked.
 
 Adrian’s eyes met my widened ones and he raised an eyebrow. “Is it
not enough? That’s fine. I’ll add another-”
 
“No! No. It’s plenty! That’s practically what I used to earn a year!”
I exclaimed in shock. Adrian replied by giving me a confused look before
telling his order to the waiter, then fell silent as I did the same.
 
“Please don’t freak out at everything we talk about from now on.
Now, I’ll get someone to do your hair so you’re not late…” He launched
into his expectations for the night, and I found myself listening intently,
laughing at the occasional jokes he made and scoffing at the inappropriate
comments he made about my body as we ate our lunch.
 
Maybe Adrian Kingston wasn’t such a bad guy, after all.
 
Chapter Two
 
 
 
“Stop gawking and help me find a dress!” I hissed as I thrust the
laptop into Amy’s lap.
 
My best friend, who was sitting on the sofa crossed-legged, was just
as dumbstruck as I was the first time I learned about the generous amount
of money Adrian had given me for the event on Saturday.
 
“Let me get this straight,” she stated, setting the laptop aside as she
wriggled into a more comfortable position, “He gave you $2,000 to buy a
dress that you’re only going to wear on that one night because he doesn’t
want you repeating any outfits, then decided to add another $1,000 so you
can buy shoes to match? And he paid for your $140 burger? Why are you
not as freaked out as I am about this? Compared to him, I’m like – like –
like plankton to a whale!” She finished her statement with flailing arms,
then sagged shoulders and a pout.
 
I raised an eyebrow at her. “Are you calling him fat?”
 
Amy’s blue orbs widened even further as she grabbed the laptop
and rapidly typed something in. After a few seconds, she thrust the laptop in
my face. “DOES IT LOOK LIKE I’M CALLING THIS WALKING SEX
SYMBOL FAT?!” she screeched as my eyes landed on a shirtless photo of
my Boss on the cover of GQ Magazine. My eyes widened and I closed the
tab and grimaced.
 
“Don’t show me photos of him shirtless,” I grumbled.
 
Amy smirked as she snatched the laptop back from me. “Oooo! Is
someone developing a cruuuuuuush?” she teased, before ducking her head
and laughing as she narrowly missed the pillow I threw in her direction.
 
I glared. “No. I just know how he uses his appeal – that’s all.” I
shuddered as I mentally counted how many girls walked into his office this
morning. “Honestly Ames, they come parading in like he’s the stem to their
flower!” I exclaimed with wide eyes.
 
Amy gave me a blank look before bursting into a full fit of laughter,
once again putting the laptop aside to smack her thigh multiple times and
rock backwards and forwards. I frowned. “What? What happened?” I asked
in confusion, frowning at her.
 
“’Stem to their flower’! Em! He does actually have a stem.” She
pointed down to her crotch area and winked, “And us lovely women like to
refer to our goods as flowers.” She pointed to her crotch area again.
 
I frowned. “I’ve never heard of that reference before. You need to
meet a guy, like right away.” I reached for the laptop and placed it on her
lap once again. “Now help me!” I demanded.
 
She laughed, waving me off. “Relax, I’ve got this. Go make us both
a cup of hot chocolate.”
 
“Sure, marshmallows this time or are you ‘watching your weight’
again?” I laughed, remembering the last time Amy had tried to eat healthy –
it didn’t last long – she broke as soon as she saw a chocolate bar in my
fridge.
 
“HA-HA.” Amy glared, trying to fight a smile. “Stuff so much in
that I won’t even be able to drink the hot chocolate! And it’s black and
white themed, right? And he said he wanted the dress to be brand-named?
God, he sure is picky for a man. That doesn’t matter though – he’s still as
hot as hell.” Amy laughed, winking in my direction.
 
I rolled my eyes and ignored her as I lazily strolled into my kitchen
and took the ingredients out to make my famous hot chocolate. As I was
mixing the milk, I heard Amy gasp from the other room. “EMILY! IF YOU
HAVE ENOUGH MONEY LEFT OVER, CAN I PLEASE BUY A DRESS
TOO?”
 
I laughed before answering. “Of course you can, Ames!” I called
out. “It’ll be like a personal thank you gift from Adrian himself.” I tipped
the mini marshmallows into Amy’s mug before starting on mine.
 
Amy didn’t reply, and I took it as a sign of satisfaction before my
best friend’s body came stumbling into the kitchen with widened eyes. “Did
you just call him Adrian? As in you’re-on-a-first-name-basis-with-the-
hottest-person-living-Adrian? How did you manage to leave that part out
when you were telling me everything that happened?!” She slapped my arm
as punishment for this apparent transgression.
 
“Hey!” I squeaked, rubbing the spot as she frowned at me and took
her mug. “I’m sorry! I didn’t know saying his first name would be such a
big deal. Plus, you kept referring to him as ‘sexy pants’!” I argued,
continuing to mix my chocolate into the milk.
 
“Um, Hello? Breathing is a big deal! So obviously his name is too!
I don’t know what to do with you anymore.” She muttered other things to
herself that I couldn’t understand, as she exited the kitchen while plopping
marshmallows into her mouth.
 
I raised an eyebrow and shook my head at her uniqueness as I put a
spoonful of marshmallows into my own hot chocolate and following her
out. Amy and I had been best friends since Junior year, when I came to high
school as a transfer student from Vermont. We clicked instantly, obsessing
over Harry Potter like our lives were dependent on it. We had both made it
to NYU after graduation – where we started our degrees in business and
teaching – and stayed attached at the hip the entire time.
 
I smiled at her ‘concentration face’ as she sipped her hot chocolate
and scrolled through the dresses revealed on the bright screen thoughtfully.
“I think I’m going to go for Chanel or Hervé Léger,” she mumbled to
herself before swiftly typing it into the search engine. “That’s always the
safest option to begin a successful career in.”
 
After what felt like hours (to me), Amy let out a startling yelp.
“This is it! I don’t care what you and your uptight morals or your sexy boss
say; you’re wearing this dress Saturday night.” Amy gave me a look I was
all too familiar with – her eyebrow was slightly raised and her lips were set
in a thin line – that’s when I knew that there was no room for arguments.
 
“Show me.”
 
Amy passed over the laptop as she took another sip of her hot
chocolate and observed my expression – no doubt waiting to see my
reaction. I studied the dress – it was a plain black bandage dress that had a
V shaped neckline and enough material to cover my shoulders.
 
“You can wear it with the peep-toe Louboutin’s we bought you last
year,” she explained, taking another sip of her drink. “And we can put your
hair up in a high bun or in a nice side hairstyle.”
 
I looked at the dress again in doubt. It looked awfully fitting to the
body…
 
“Don’t you dare tell me it looks too tight, Emily Hannah Johnson,
or so help me I will email an image to your boss pretending to be you and
asking for his approval of the dress. You have the perfect body shape for
it!” Amy gestured at my chest area like that was enough to prove her point.
 
“Ames…”
 
“You’re not finishing that sentence!” she snapped, snatching the
laptop from me and doing something with a stern expression on her face.
 
“What are you do-”
 
 “WHOOPS,” Amy grinned. “I accidentally pressed buy!” She
pretended to gasp. “Oh no! What will you do now?!” She asked in a mock-
dramatic tone. My eyes widened in shock before I glared at her and put my
hot chocolate down.
 
“Amy! Why would you do that?! What if he doesn’t deem it worthy
enough for the event? That’s – how much was it?” I asked curiously, cutting
myself off.
 
“$1,345.” Amy answered, looking both smug and amused.
 
“Oh. That’s $1,345 gone! Wait, what? $1,345?! And you bought it?
Are you crazy?” I screeched, my eyes growing wider than before.
 
“Emily, chill! I did my research while you were making our hot
chocolates; his other assistants used to wear much tighter dresses then what
this will be on you. They were much shorter and much more revealing too.”
Amy frowned, recalling the images she had seen.
 
“In case you missed a little physical difference between them and
me – they’re tall, slim, runway models and I’m a short, curvy geek!” I
wailed, giving up and slumping on the couch in defeat.
 
Amy rolled her eyes. “Shut up. That’s all the more reason for you to
wear the dress. Your hourglass figure will make that dress look a million
dollars more than its actual pricing. You’re also going to wear red lipstick-”
 
“The theme is black and-”
 
“To match the bottom of your Louboutin’s. I don’t care if the colour
scheme was fucking purple. You wear what I tell you to wear.” Amy glared,
before gulping the rest of her hot chocolate down.
 
“This is why I don’t ask you for help in this department,” I
mumbled, bringing my own cup to my lips and taking another sip.
 
 “What was that?” she asked, raising both eyebrows at me.
 
I grinned. “I said… I love having you around my apartment?” I
tried, before giggling and giving away my lie.
 
Amy laughed and launched a pillow at me that I caught clumsily,
grinning again before using it as a shield. “I’m leaving now. It’s getting late
and I don’t want you to look tired in front of Mr. Sexy tomorrow.” She
winked.
 
“Do you just want to stay over? It’s way too late to go home now.” I
frowned in worry as I watched her get off the couch and grab her hand bag.
 
“Nah. A toughie like me? I’ll be fine.” She grinned, pulling me in
for a quick hug.
 
My frown deepened. “Are you sure?”
 
“Yes! Now let me leave, woman! Jeez, you have serious attachment
issues.” Amy’s joke made me roll my eyes.
 
“Just make sure you text me as soon as you enter your house,
okay?” I gave her a stern look as she opened the door to my apartment.
 
“Okay, mother.” She waved before shutting the door behind her, and
I faintly heard her footsteps echo throughout the stairwell of my apartment
building.
 
I sighed as I picked up the pillows and placed them back into their
original positions on the couch before collecting our used mugs. I put them
in the kitchen sink and washed them. As I re-entered the living room, my
phone buzzed. Frowning curiously, I unlocked it to find a text message.
Amy? I thought to myself as I picked up the laptop and walked to my
bedroom.
 
I clicked the green box to find a message from Adrian Kingston:
 
What are you doing?
 
My eyebrows shot up in surprise as I placed my laptop on my desk
and took off my sweatpants. It was past midnight; surely he wouldn’t be
calling me in to go to work now, would he? I decided to reply after I took
off my bra and got into bed.
 
Just getting ready for bed. Why?
 
I pressed the send button and got under the covers comfortably
before my phone buzzed in my hand.
 
I pressed on the message icon again and his name appeared:
 
Just curious. What are you wearing? ;)
 
I rolled my eyes and typed a quick goodnight before sending it,
ignoring his attempt at flirting. Not even 30 seconds later, my phone buzzed
again.
 
Ok fine. Be at the office at 7:30AM tomorrow.
We have an important meeting to attend too. Don’t be late.
 
I groaned into my pillow and threw my phone onto the bedside
table in frustration. Was this life’s sick joke? A form of payback just
because I spent a couple of hours having fun with my best friend?! I
grabbed my phone to readjust my alarm clocks, to find another message
from Adrian:
 
If you are late, I’ll have to punish you.
 
My eyes widened as I typed a reply.
 
Will you fire me?
 
I sent the message and bit my lip in anticipation as I went back to
adjusting my alarms. As soon as I was done, my phone buzzed.
  
I was thinking a different kind of punishment.
One involving less clothing.
 
I frowned at the message curiously for a moment before the
meaning behind it registered in my brain and I rolled my eyes.
 
I’ll make sure to be extra early then.
Goodnight, Adrian.
 
I yawned and was about to put my phone down when it buzzed
again, twice. Letting out a frustrated sigh, I clicked on the message icon to
find a message from Amy telling me she was kidnapped on the way home
but that her kidnapper miraculously let her text me. I was far less thrilled at
the second message, which was another reply from Adrian:
 
You’re no fun. :(
 
I ignored Adrian’s text and decided to reply to Amy’s:
 
I take it you’ve arrived safely. Good.
I’ve got a devil of a Boss making me be at work
an hour earlier than usual tomorrow, so goodnight. Xx
 
I put my phone on the bedside table and turned in the opposite
direction, letting sleep take over.
 
***
 
“Emily, what are you doing here so early? What time did you
arrive?” Suzie’s soothing voice came from the entrance to my office –
making me lift my head up and blink at her in a daze.
 
“7:00AM. Mr. Kingston told me there was an important meeting on
today and said I had to be here by 7:30AM,” I explained, making Suzie
frown as I yawned. “Why, what time is it?” I asked curiously.
 
 “It’s 8:20AM, dear. There is a meeting on today but it doesn’t start
until 10…” She trailed off, a puzzled expression crossing her features.
 
My eyes widened as my frown deepened. “But-”
 
“When did he tell you that?” she asked, cutting off my sentence
unintentionally.
 
“Last night! Just before I went to bed!” I exclaimed, before jumping
out of my seat and shoving my things into my handbag. “Shoot! I have to
go and get his coffee!” Allen and Lisa’s faces appeared in my mind as I
dashed out of my office all the way to Starbucks in my black pumps.
 
By the time I arrived at the small coffee shop, I was out of breath.
“Allen! Lisa!” I called out, anxiously waiting for a reply.
 
“Hey Emily, what’s up?” Allen smiled as he casually strolled out
from behind a wall, wiping his hands on a blue and white checked cloth.
 
“I need Adrian’s usual, quick!” I stressed, pressing a $10 bill onto
the cool glass surface near the cash register.
 
Allen chuckled. “Did someone sleep in this morning?” he teased,
grabbing a large cup from the stack near the coffee machines.
 
“No.” I groaned. “I did the opposite. Your jerk of a best friend told
me to be in the office early this morning for a meeting – which I recently
discovered doesn’t start until 10 – or he’d ‘punish’ me.” I groaned again as
I looked at the time. 8:35AM.
 
Allen chuckled. I watched his shoulders shake from laughter while
he poured milk into the cup. “Day 3, and it sounds like you’re already
giving up.” Allen smirked, mixing Adrian’s order thoroughly.
 
I was about to reply to his statement but was cut off by a startling
shriek.
  
“SURPRISE!!!” Lisa called out all of a sudden, jumping out from
behind the wall holding a cup of coffee. “I made you your latté! I know, I’m
an amazing life saver, you can thank me later. You’re going to be late if you
don’t get a move on soon!” Lisa scolded with a smile as she handed over
the heavenly smelling drink.
 
I was about to thank her but she stopped my intentions, once again
by glancing at her phone screen and gasping. “And so will I if I don’t leave
soon! Are you sure you’ll be okay on your own, Allen?” She had turned to
her brother, who was pressing the lid down tightly onto the coffee cup.
 
Allen rolled his eyes as he handed Adrian’s order over to me. “Yes,
Lisa! I told you that a thousand times last night. Hurry up, or you’ll miss
your train.” He pushed her in the direction of the exit, and she grinned and
waved before thanking him and disappearing out of sight.
 
“You should really leave as well,” Allen said, an amused expression
crossing his handsome features once again. “The note you gave me covers
both of your orders. It’s 8:42AM. You have around 10 minutes to arrive and
put his coffee on his desk.”
 
I gave him a pained look. “Thank you so much. I’ll see you
tomorrow!” I called out before I left and dashed through the hustle in the
streets of New York.
 
I was in Adrian’s office by 8:57AM, placing his order in its proper
spot, just where he liked it to be in. I sighed in exhaustion. I was going to
kill him when he arrived.
 
I stared at the cup with the infamous label curiously. I didn’t
actually know what the contents within the cup were, and never bothered
asking anyone either. I felt my body slightly lean in so that my nose was in
line with the hole in the cup’s lid, and I closed one eye to peer into the
contents.
 
 I could see a whole lot of foam and I could slightly make out melted
chocolate on the surface of the drink. Before my investigation could
continue, someone cleared their throat, and my head snapped up in their
direction. Adrian stood at the entrance smirking, holding a few files to his
chest with his left arm. “What,” He began, his smirk growing, “are you
doing, exactly?” He asked this in amusement, not anger, and I felt my
cheeks flame in embarrassment.
 
“I- uh, I was just – no, hold on a minute, you!” I glared, pointing an
accusing finger in his direction as he closed the door silently behind him,
the smirk never slipping off his plump lips.
 
“You’re doing me?” he questioned, his eyebrows rising. “Let’s get
started then.”
 
I blushed furiously as his smirk grew. “You said to be here at
7:30AM! You said we have an important meeting! I-”
 
“We do have an important meeting,” he interrupted, walking over to
where I was standing and placing the files in his hands on the desk.
 
“What was the point of making me come into the office so early?” I
pressed him. “The only meeting I had was when I met all the cleaners this
morning!”
 
Adrian chuckled as he came face to face with me. He bent his tall
frame downwards so he could be at level with mine. “I like seeing you
worked up. You bring out the feisty side of yourself and leave the innocent
assistant behind temporarily.” A satisfied smirk reappeared on his lips as
my eyes widened and my cheeks began turning pink again.
 
“T-that has nothing to do with you making me come in so e-early,” I
stuttered, suddenly conscious of just how close Adrian was by inhaling the
scent of his cologne.
 
 “It made you angry, didn’t it? That was my goal. Payback for not
playing along last night.” He was referring to the text messages, and I felt
the temperature of my cheeks soar up higher as the mental images
resurfaced in my mind.
 
He pulled me in to his torso before leaning down again so that his
lips were levelled with my ear. “From my experience, that usually means
three things. You’re either a lesbian,” He kissed my jaw line and moved
down to my neck and I shuddered, making him move back up to my ear,
“Which can’t be true because you react to my touch. You’re either taken by
someone,” he moved his hand to the small of my back and pressed my body
even closer to his.
 
“But I’ve asked around, and they’ve all confirmed that you’re 100%
single. Which brings me to my last conclusion.” He met my eyes and
smirked, “You were wearing either nothing or very limited clothing, and
didn’t want to share that with me because you’re too decent to do so. But
don’t worry,” His hand slipped down and gripped my backside and I
gasped, my eyes growing wide and my body flushing in heat.
 
His smirk grew. “Judging by your reaction, I’d say it’s the latter.”
He held on to me for a few more moments before his grip around my waist
slowly loosened, and he strolled over and took his seat behind the desk,
leaving me flushed and flustered by his actions and his discovery.
 
He sipped his drink and began working normally, like I wasn’t in
the room and our bodies weren’t melded together a few moments ago. I
breathed in deeply. The air was mixed in with Adrian’s scent. I tried to pull
myself together. I grabbed my coffee cup from his desk and cleared my
throat.
 
“Would you like anything before I go, sir?” I asked, my voice
shaking slightly.
 
“Be ready by 9:30,” he murmured, more focused on the papers in
front of him.
  
I nodded, even though he didn’t see my gesture, and wrapped my
fingers around the cool metal of the door handle before being interrupted.
 
“It’s a latté with extra foam, chocolate topping and 1 sugar.” I
turned around in confusion, thinking he was talking on the phone to
someone but realised what he was referring to as he lifted the cup of coffee
up to his lips, bringing back how the he found me when he walked in.
 
I smiled slightly, still embarrassed from our previous encounter,
before leaving his office.
 
 
 
 
Chapter Three
 
 
 
Saturday came rolling by way too quickly for my comfort, and I
found myself growing nervous and fidgety throughout the day at work. If
Adrian noticed my jumpiness at all, he didn’t make any comments on it.
 
“Have you got the list of all the names with you?” he asked as I was
leaving the office, referring to pieces of paper that had the names of global
business owners printed on it. I nodded and held up the documents.
 
“And I have your favourite pen with me in case you lose it,” I
added, “Don’t forget to pick up your shoes from the man down the road
from here. He’s probably done polishing them by now. You’re wearing the
black pair. Have you decided who your plus-one is going to be yet?” I got
my small notebook out to write down the lucky? girl's name.
 
“Yes. I’m taking a girl named Adrianna Coleman. If any press ask
you about her, say she’s just a friend and that I don’t like my association
with other females published – to respect their privacy, of course.” He
smirked. “She’s amazing in bed.”
 
I raised an eyebrow and rolled my eyes at his last comment before
putting the notebook and my pen back into my bag. “Is there anything else
you’d like before I go?” I asked curiously as I briefly glanced at the screen
of my phone to check the time.
 
“I’ve given Rita your address so she can work on your hair as soon
as you get to your apartment. Just… relax, okay? You shouldn’t receive
much attention at the event, but if you do, I’ll make sure to steer the
conversation in a different direction.” As he assured me, he rubbed my back
in a soothing motion.
  
I blushed at the gesture and at the fact that he knew why my
behaviour was the way it has been throughout the day. I cleared my throat.
“Thank you.” I murmured. “I’ll see you soon.” I gave him a small smile,
before heading home.
 
***
 
“Are you Emily?” A blonde piped up, peering down at me as I
ascended the stairs that led to the door of my apartment.
 
I smiled as I reached the last step. “Yes, you must be…Rita? Hello,
thank you so much for coming. I’m sorry if I’m taking from your personal
time.” I frowned, remembering that it was past 6PM.
 
“Nonsense!” she said, waving off my apology. “I love what I do,
and I’m especially going to love working on your hair! It’s really healthy
for blonde! What do you do to it?” She waited for my reply a she watched
me unlock my apartment door.
 
I laughed, blushing slightly. “Uh… Shampoo and conditioner?” I
replied uncertainly, my blush deepening.
 
She laughed and pinched my cheeks. “You’re too cute! Well then,
I’m going to love having your hair to work with! Let’s get started. Adrian
told me you needed to be at the office by 7:45 PM,” she squinted at her
watch, “and it’s almost 6:30!”
 
I let out a squeak of surprise. “Already? Um, would you like
anything to drink? I just want to have a quick shower before we start. Or
not,” I bit my lip. “That is, if you can’t do my hair when it’s wet?”
 
Rita raised an eyebrow at me and put a hand on her hip. “Honey;
I’m the best of the best. If you were bald, I’d still make your head work. I’ll
just have a cold glass of water. Do you mind if I set my things up in your
room?”
  
“Of course not! Be my guest.” I grinned at her, before going into
the kitchen and pouring her a glass of water and dropping a few ice cubes
in. Then I followed Rita to my room, where she had already begun putting
her products onto my vanity. I placed the water in front of her, before
blindly grabbing a pair of underwear and going into the bathroom for my
shower.
 
As soon as I returned to the room, Rita ushered me over to the chair
in front of the vanity. “Okay, sit down, we need to get started right away,”
she said, forcing me to sit by pressing my body down by my shoulders. I
barely got to settle in or say a word before I felt a copious amounts of some
sort of crème being lathered onto my slightly damp hair. The loud whoosh
of the blow dryer muted any conversation that could have arisen.
 
Once she turned it off, she leaned over and grabbed a blue bottle
before I felt more cool liquid being applied to my hair. “I’m going to try
and finish by 7PM,” Rita said as she lowered the blue bottle and picked up
a curling wand. “Is that enough for you to do your makeup and travel time
to get back to the office?”
 
“Yes, thank you.” I smiled, growing fond of her. We chatted
effortlessly about random things. How she met Adrian, her two children and
husband at home, the first and only boyfriend I had during college, and
funny things that have happened to us. The time had flown due to the easy
conversation but Rita managed to keep her promise, finishing my hair just 3
minutes after 7PM.
 
“Okay, now you can look.” She laughed, handing me a mirror as
she referred back to my whining stage of not being able to see my hair in
the conversation.
 
I looked at the hair in the reflection and my eyes widened. “Wow,
you really are the best,” I murmured, my hand unconsciously going to touch
the style.
 
 Rita slapped my hand away before snatching the mirror from me
and spraying a curl once more with hairspray. “Don’t touch your hair unless
it’s an accident, okay?! Now, I really have to rush off. Send me a picture of
the final product! Actually, I’ll just get it off the internet.” She winked as
she gathered her things and shoved them into her bag.
 
“Thank you so much, Rita. Honestly, my hair looks amazing
because of you – and I’ll make sure to let everyone know that if they ask.” I
winked too, laughing along with her.
 
“You’re going to look gorgeous, hairstyle or not. See you babe!”
She pulled me in for a quick hug before exiting my apartment in a rush, and
I closed the door behind her softly.
 
I walked back to my room and decided to work on my makeup first,
in case anything went wrong and I would have to fix it. I applied liquid
eyeliner, 3 different types of mascara that almost made my eyelashes touch
my brow bone, eye shadow, bronzer and blush. Then, remembering Amy’s
stern advice with a sigh, I rifled through my bag and found the tube of
bright red lipstick and applied it onto my lips, instantly making their plump
form stand out from the usual light shades. By the time I was done with my
makeup, it was 7:20PM, and I rushed to get my dress from the closet on the
other side of the room.
 
I slipped it on hurriedly, then my high heels. After that I grabbed
my bag and shoved in the tube of red lipstick, my phone, house keys, a
band aid and antiseptic wipes, along with Adrian’s favourite pen and the list
of names given to me earlier that day. Finally I was rushing out the door. I
was going to be late.
 
I arrived at Kingston Corp at exactly 7:43PM and stepped out of the
elevator, frantic. I hadn’t even seen my final reflection yet, due to the rush
of getting here. I immediately headed for Adrian’s office and opened the
door.
 
 “It’s 7:45, we have to go,” I announced, as my eyes landed on his
back in the corner of the room near a water filter that I hadn’t noticed
before.
 
He turned around as he took another sip of water and spit the
mouthful all over the floor as soon as his eyes landed on me. “What are you
wearing?” He choked, putting the cup down with more force than needed,
his eyes never leaving my body.
 
My eyes widened in shock. Wasn’t it good enough for the dinner?
Was it too plain? Too short? “I- I- I’m so sorry!” I blurted. “My friend
picked it out. It’s too tight, isn’t it? I- I’m so sorry. I can just wear the spare
clothes that I’ve left here. They’re black and white. And I can rub off the
lipstick and I’ll-”
 
“Shut up, will you?” he demanded, walking over to where I
nervously stood. My mouth abruptly sealed itself, too nervous to argue
about his rude language. “Why don’t you wear stuff like this to work every
day?” he murmured, the green in his eyes dominating the honey brown as
he snaked an arm around my waist and took in the dress on my body again.
 
“W- We really should get going…” I trailed off, suddenly self-
conscious under his intense gaze. A blush made its way to my cheeks as he
leaned in closer so that I could feel his solid torso through his suit. I
mentally cursed. I shouldn’t be paying attention to those things. He was my
boss, and a womanizer.
 
I was about to put my hand on his chest to push him away but he
sighed and pulled away himself.
 
“Let’s go,” he muttered, avoiding my gaze. “Adrianna will meet us
there.”
 
We stayed silent as we made our way to the black limousine waiting
in front of the office.
 
 I stopped short and gasped, “Shoot. I forgot my coat.” In my worry,
I was barely conscious of just how close Adrian was standing next to me.
 
“Are you cold?” he asked has he opened the door of the car.
 
“Thank you. No, no. I would’ve just preferred to wear it over this
dress after…” I didn’t finish my sentence, but by how he filled in what I
could not say and how he reacted, the implication was clear, and it hurt
more than I thought it would.
 
“I prefer that as well. We can drive to your apartment to pick it up
before we go.”
 
He picked up his phone to dial the driver’s number.
 
I frowned angrily. “I know you don’t like the dress, but do you have
to be such an asshole about it? If you want to cover me up from the paps
and hide the fact that you didn’t get a size 2 model as your assistant, then
you shouldn’t have hired me in the first place.” I tugged at the dress to
cover more of my legs but as I pulled down, the cloth slipped slightly from
my chest area, revealing more cleavage than intended. I pulled it back up.
Unfortunately, the man beside me missed nothing. I could only glare and
blush at his amused expression.
 
He covered it quickly with a glare of his own. “No. I was offering
so that you wouldn’t have so many bloodthirsty men looking at your body
tonight and making comments and suggestions. But clearly, you don’t care
about that; so we’ll just leave you how you are.” He slipped his phone back
into the pocket of his pants.
 
I felt my jaw drop. “So it’s okay for you to make the ‘comments’
and ‘suggestions’ but when someone else does it, it’s not okay? You’re such
a hypocrite!” I exclaimed angrily.
 
“I’m allowed to make those comments because I’m Adrian
Kingston,” he retorted, making my blood boil.
  
“Are you kidding me right now? Do you honestly believe that you
can get away with whatever you want just because you’re ‘Adrian
Kingston?’ You know what, I’m glad Amy picked out this dress. Maybe
it’ll ruin your flawless reputation.” I snarled at him as the glare I thought
had slipped off came crawling back onto my face.
 
His head whipped back to meet my eyes, and I found his expression
mirroring mine. “I don’t give a fuck about what they think of me. I wanted
you covered because you’re mine. Now be quiet for the rest of the trip, and
memorise the names so you’re prepared to give me any information I need
on them when I ask you to. Remember that this is your job, Ms. Johnson,
and I am your boss.”
 
Adrian gave me a stern look and turned away before I could
comment, ending the conversation.
 
***
 
We arrived at the hotel about half an hour later, and I froze in my
position as the rapid flash of bright lights surrounded the car the moment it
stopped. My eyes widened as the flashing came closer to the vehicle, and I
felt my breathing hitch in my throat.
 
“Hey. It’ll be alright, they’re only outside, so we’ll walk as quickly
as we can so I can get you inside, okay?”
 
I looked over to where Adrian was sitting and found him looking at
me worriedly. I nodded, answering his question before taking in a deep
breath. “We should go. We’re already late.” I reached out to open the door
on my side.
 
“No, don’t.” Adrian spoke up, as I felt his hand pull mine away
from the door handle. I looked at him in confusion.
 
 “How am I supposed to get out?” I laughed, attempting to cover my
nerves.
 
“Come out after me from my side,” he said, before I let out a small
squeak as he pulled me over to him by wrapping an arm around my waist.
He smirked down at me before releasing my body from his hold and
opening the door. Shouts of his name instantly erupted from the
photographers around the car, and I used the attention on him as a hopeful
distraction as I got out of car.
 
We walked around the car to meet Adrianna – a tall blonde haired
model with flawless bronze skin and chocolate brown eyes. She pulled
Adrian in for a kiss before linking her arm with his and walking away,
leaving me to scurry awkwardly behind them. My ears perked up as I
walked past various reporters who were standing around the entrance of the
hotel as Adrian got interviewed by others.
 
“One of the biggest business dinners hosted yearly…”
 
“Business names from all around the globe are making an
appearance here tonight…”
 
“If you were here tonight, you’re classified as one of the most
successful businesses around the world. That’s a big title, and…”
 
“… Adrian Kingston, once again with a new lady on his arm…”
 
“… Seems like Adrian Kingston, the current CEO of Kingston
Corp; has a new assistant tonight!”
 
My eyes widened at that statement, and I hurried my pace and put
my head down, avoiding any eye contact I could make with what seemed
like every news and gossip site reporters in the world surrounding me.
 
“Emily.” Adrian’s deep voice murmured, making me look up from
my shoes to meet his eyes. That’s when I realised that I was standing in the
same position. I blushed and scurried towards his side, as he frowned.
“Relax,” he whispered as he placed a hand on my shoulder in an effort to
calm me down. “You’re brining attention to yourself from how rigid you’re
being.”
 
My body relaxed slightly as I looked up and nodded at him.
“Sorry,” I muttered, before following him inside the hotel and into the
conference room that was transformed into a dinner reception, leaving the
reporters behind.
 
“So how do these things work? Is it dinner first then socialising or
opposite?” I asked Adrian curiously. I expected to hear his answer, but
abruptly stopped when Adrianna came into view and blocked my path.
 
“I’m sorry, who are you?” she asked, a slight frown crossing her
features.
 
“I’m Adri- Mr. Kingston’s assistant.” I smiled and put a hand out
for her to shake. “Emily Johnson. It’s nice to meet you, Adrianna.”
 
She scoffed and turned away from me, facing Adrian, who didn’t
notice the exchange because he was preoccupied with someone else.
“Adrian, sweetie. Is this really your assistant? I’m finding it hard to believe
her since she’s so fat.” Her nose scrunched up, and I felt my face turn red
with anger.
 
“She’s not fat at all. She’s rather sexy.”
 
A voice I could not recognize broke into our exchange. The man
walked around Adrianna and Adrian, who I noticed had become stiff.
 
“Hello, gorgeous,” the stranger said, taking hold of my hand and
bringing it up to his lips for a light kiss on my knuckles. “I’m David
Walter.”
 
 I gave the man, this David, a tight, uncomfortable smile and
withdrew my hand as soon as his grip loosened. “It’s a pleasure to meet
you, sir,” I nodded.
 
His eyes travelled down the length of my body, lingering on my
chest area a little longer. “No, no, the pleasure is all mine, I can guarantee
you that. Does the lovely lady have a name?” he asked, raising both his
eyebrows.
 
I cleared my throat as my eyes slowly slid over to Adrian, who was
glaring daggers at David. “She’s just my assistant, David,” Adrian said in a
snippy tone, “no one you should be associating with.”
 
David’s gaze slowly drifted from my figure to meet his. “A little
fun won’t hurt,” he told Adrian with an amused smile, bringing his eyes
back to me.
 
I cleared my throat. “Excuse us, Mr. Walter; Mr. Kingston has other
business to attend to.” I looked over at Adrian as an indication to start
walking away. I could see the anger building within him by his clenched
jaw and fists. Adrian’s eyes met with mine, and he turned to walk away. I
started to follow him, before I was pulled back by an arm that was wrapped
around my waist. I let out a startled yelp as my back collided with David’s
chest.
 
He chuckled. “Mr. Kingston has business to attend to, but I’m sure
you don’t. Let’s get out of here for a little while…” He trailed off
suggestively, making me cringe in disgust.
 
Before I could reply, I felt my body being ripped out of David’s
arms roughly, before I collided into another male.
 
“Don’t touch her,” Adrian growled, directing his command at
David.
 
 David put his hands up in defense. “Now, now. I was just messing
around. Didn’t know she was already spoken for.” David raised his
eyebrows Adrian, waiting for his response.
 
Before Adrian could answer, I put a hand on his chest. “Leave it.
Let’s go,” I muttered, hoping to distract him. He looked down at me before
lightly spinning me around so that I was walking within his eye range.
 
We stopped and spoke to a few more people – both men and women
– before finding our seats on the table assigned to us and sitting down. As
soon as I had gotten comfortable on my seat, I felt my phone vibrate in my
purse. Groaning, I took it out and found my friend Molly’s name in bold
letters.
 
“Excuse me,” I muttered to the table, smiling briefly, before
answering the call and leaving the conference room. “Hey Molly, what’s
up?”
 
“YOU’RE ALL OVER THE INTERNET!” Her voice, along with
what sounded like Claire’s, screeched through the speaker of my phone.
 
I froze in my position, my grip on my phone suddenly becoming
tighter. “What? What do you mean?” I asked in mortification.
 
“There are photos of you on every gossip site! Some are just saying 
you’re not Adrian’s usual type of secretary, others are saying that you and
Adrian have a thing going on because HE WAS TOUCHING YOUR
SHOULDER AND LOOKING DOWN AT YOU WITH A REALLY
CONCERNED EXPRESSION –“
 
“EMILY, WHAT ARE WE MISSING HERE?!” Claire suddenly
burst out, before Molly shushed her and continued, a little more coherently.
 
“But the real issue is one with someone named…” I heard a few
clicking of keyboard keys before she spoke up again, “David Walter, you,
and your fine-ass boss. David looks like he’s hugging you and Adrian looks
really angry – seriously, really angry. It looks like he’s about to punch the
guy. And the title of the article is ‘Lovers’ Spat? Has Adrian’s new assistant
been ‘assisting’ someone else?’” Molly finished talking, and I couldn’t find
my voice to speak.
 
How would they get photos of that? It was inside – there were no
paparazzi allowed inside. I cleared my throat, which was suddenly feeling
dry. “Can you guys send me the article? I’ll talk to you guys later. Thanks
for letting me know.” I waited for their confirmations and goodbyes before
hanging up.
 
I walked back into the conference hall just as they began putting
plates of food onto the tables. Once I reached our table, I tapped Adrian’s
shoulder lightly. He looked back with an annoyed expression, but instantly
raised an eyebrow once he saw that it was me.
 
“Uh,” I cleared my throat as all the other pairs of eyes seated at the
table landed on me, “Can we talk for a second?”
 
Adrian didn’t say anything as he got out of his seat and followed
me out of the room. Once we were outside, I handed my phone over to him,
showing the article Molly and Claire had told me about minutes ago.
Adrian’s eyes scanned the article quickly, and I watched as his hands turned
white from the grip he had on my phone.
 
“Who told you about this?” he growled, sliding his gaze away from
the phone screen to meet mine. “Was it someone threatening you?” he
demanded impatiently, “How much did they ask for to take it down?”
 
I took my phone out of his death grip before he broke it. “No one
told me about it. My friends were… um, browsing gossip sites for… news
on Johnny Depp… and their eyes fell on this article. I thought there were no
paparazzi allowed inside the hotel?” I questioned, attempting to cover the
blush on my cheeks.
 
 “You could’ve just said your friends were stalking me online,” his
expression softened, but only briefly. Turning serious again, he muttered,
“Let me handle it, you can go back inside.” He waved me off as he pulled
his phone out of his pocket.
 
“O- okay. Do you need me to do anything?” I asked before leaving.
 
“Yeah. Don’t talk to any other male in there. I mean it.” He glared,
before turning away and bringing the phone to his ear. I gave his back a
look of disbelief before huffing and making my way back inside to our
table, keeping my head down to avoid any eye contact. Adrian was making
it out as if it was my fault that David came on to me and the article was
released!
 
I took my original seat and checked the time on my phone before
putting it back into my bag. I sat silently for a while before I decided to turn
to Adrianna.
 
“So, where are you from?” I asked with a small smile, attempting to
be polite and willing to set aside her earlier rudeness.
 
She looked away from her reflection in the small mirror she was
holding to glare at me. “None of your business,” she snapped, before
looking at herself again. I sighed and shook my head; someone had
socialising issues.
 
A few more minutes passed and the smell of the food was starting
to affect me. I kept shifting in my chair to try and stop the growl that was
threatening to erupt from my stomach as the waiters walked passed with
plates of food. Just when I thought I wouldn’t be able to take it anymore, a
male waiter bent down and put a plate near the woman next to me.
 
“Sorry… you weren’t here when we asked, did you want chicken,
fish, steak, or the vegetarian meal, miss?” the waiter asked, a bright grin
crossing his features when I slightly turned to face him.
 
 “That’s okay,” I said. “Can I please get the chicken? And let me
answer for my boss as well… Um, if you didn’t know his order already,
he’ll have the-”
 
“I’ll have the steak. Go.” Adrian’s deep voice interrupted, breaking
the eye contact between the waiter and myself. The waiter nodded and
walked away at a suspiciously rapid pace. I turned to Adrian and scowled,
then remembered we were at an event and that he was my boss.
 
“That was rude,” I said in a hushed tone with a frown to match, as
he took his seat in between Adrianna and me.
 
“What part of don’t talk to any other male did your pretty little head
not comprehend?” he growled in a low voice, making his deep vocals sink
deeper as he glared at me.
 
“He was asking what I wanted to eat!” I exclaimed, my tone rising a
little. My palm flew over to my mouth when I realised, and I quickly
removed it. “Sorry!” I whispered, briefly glancing around to see if anyone
was watching the encounter.
 
“I don’t care what he was asking. I don’t want you talking to
anyone, unless I tell you to.” Coldly, he added, “Know your place, Ms.
Johnson.” He turned to Adrianna and gave her a smirk. She put the mirror
down and pulled him in for a kiss and I looked away in disgust.
 
“Hello sweetie, I’m Tania Harrison.” I turned to the lady who was
sitting next to me and smiling.
 
I returned the gesture before answering. “Hi, I’m Emily Johnson.
It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Harrison.” My eyes caught the gigantic wedding
ring that rested on her finger.
 
“Oh please, call me Tania,” she laughed, waving away the
formality. “So, you’re Mr. Kingston’s new assistant? You’re very beautiful.”
She complimented me as I felt her eyes briefly scanning my face and body.
“A figure I’d definitely like to have.” She laughed as I started to blush and
look down at my lap.
 
“Thank you,” I murmured, looking over at her own attire. She was
dressed in a simple white dress that had three-quarter sleeves and a think
black belt rested just above her waist. “What are you talking about? You’re
skinny!” I exclaimed, before feeling my cheeks heat up even more.
 
She laughed and again made a vague, waving gesture at my
statement. “Skinny, yes, but you have curves in all the right places. I bet
your boyfriend goes crazy over you.” She winked, and my cheeks, if
possible, grew warmer.
 
“I- I don’t have a boyfriend.” I smiled, looking down in
embarrassment.
 
“Adrian.” I heard Adrianna whine, making my head snap in their
direction.
 
I found Adrian smirking at me knowingly, and it confused me until
realisation set in. He must have been thinking about the day he made me
come into the office early for not replying to his texts. Before I could react,
the waiter who had taken my order previously returned and placed a plate in
front of Adrian before doing the same with me.
 
“Thank you.” I looked up at the waiter and smiled. He looked like
he was about to reply but glanced over at Adrian before nodding with a
brief smile and leaving.
 
I looked over at Adrian to see him still glaring at the waiter’s back.
“Adrian!” I hissed, and he slowly peeled his eyes away from the waiter.
“Stop glaring at him like he murdered a child,” I scolded.
 
“Whatever,” he muttered, before picking up his knife and fork and
digging into his meal.
 
 I shook my head and turned back to Tania. “Sorry about that, what
were we saying?” I asked as I met her gaze. She was smiling smugly and
looking back and forth between Adrian and I. “What is it?” I asked in a
panicked tone.
 
Her smile just grew as she picked up her fork and shrugged.
“Nothing,” she said, before placing a piece of her chicken into her mouth
elegantly. I frowned and bit my lip curiously, but didn’t push the subject.
 
 
 
***
 
“Remind me to call Jason Turner on Monday morning regarding the
products he wants to have in my hotel. And remind me to email Martin
Harrison in regards to-”
 
“Martin Harrison? Is that Tina Harrison’s husband?” I interrupted,
before blushing at the annoyed glance Adrian threw in my direction. “Yes.
To email him in regards to the business arrangement we made.”
 
I finished writing it down in my notebook and nodded. “Anything
else?” I asked as I looked up to find him on his phone, frowning.
 
“Yes. I hope you remembered to keep a spare pair of clothing for
me in your office. I may need it on Monday.” He frowned in disapproval.
“You have done that already, right?”
 
I glared. “Yes. I have a black, a navy and a grey suit pressed and
ready for you to wear and shoes and underwear and ties and socks. Is there
anything else?” I repeated, annoyed. He looked surprised before shaking his
head and looking back down at his phone.
 
After a few more minutes of silence, I cleared my throat. “Thank
you… for everything today,” I muttered quietly, looking down at my lap as
I fidgeted and played with my fingers.
  
“It was nothing,” he responded bluntly, and we fell into silence
again.
 
“Emily.” I looked up at the mention of my name, to find Adrian
smirking at me. “That dress looks beautiful on you,” he stated as his eyes
scanned the fabric once more. I started to blush once his eyes met mine.
Again, I could not help but notice how the green of his dominated the
brown in them.
 
“Thank you.” I murmured, avoiding his eyes.
 
“Although, I think it’d look better on the floor of my bedroom.”
 
I looked back up to meet his eyes to find the smirk on his face
growing and I frowned. “But you wouldn’t be able to see it properly on the
floor?” I said in a confused state, before gasping as the realisation set in.
“Adrian!” I punched his arm and blushed harder as he chuckled.
 
“So naïve and gullible.” He chuckled as he pulled me over to his
side by wrapping an arm around my waist. “I know you want to do it.”
 
“No, I really don’t.”
 
“Yes you do. You think about it all the time. It’s obvious too. The
way you react to my touch…” He trailed off as I felt a warm hand slowly
travel up my thigh, making me shiver from the sudden contact with my cool
skin. Adrian looked satisfied with himself, certain he had just proven his
point. “You also haven’t had anything like this happen to you in a while. I
will gladly change that…” I frowned at his words and stopped his hand.
 
“No thank you. I’ve told you countless times, Adrian, and I will say
it again. I’m. Not. Interested.” I glared up at him and scooted back to my
seat just as the car stopped. I looked out the window to see that we were in
front of my house, so I slung my bag over my shoulder and opened the
door. “I’ll see you on Monday.” I winked, before slamming the door shut.
  
The car drove off as soon as I started climbing the stairs of my
apartment building. I checked my phone as I did so. It was almost 1AM.
Thank god tomorrow was Sunday. I could sleep in after a long week of
working for Adrian Kingston. I sighed as I got to my door and opened my
bag to get out my keys.
 
Except, I couldn’t find them. I began to panic as I rummaged
through the small space of the bag. I packed them. I was 100% sure of that.
Could they have fallen at the event? No. the only time I had opened my bag
then was when Molly had called and when I had taken my lipstick out.
They were still in there.
 
I sighed in frustration as I kicked my door before dialing the last
person I wanted to see.
 
“I knew you’d change your mind.” Adrian’s arrogant voice sounded
from the speaker of my phone.
 
“No, actually. I just wanted to ask you if my house keys are in the
car anywhere. I can’t get into my apartment because I seem to have
misplaced them.” I heard a bit of shuffling in the background before it was
quiet again. “Nope, there’s nothing here.”
 
I sighed. “I’ll just call my friends to see if they’re still up or I can
just crash at a hotel for the night. Thanks any-”
 
“You can stay at mine for the night,” Adrian stated.
 
“Yeah,” I scoffed. “Over my dead body.” I laughed, until I heard
Adrian telling the driver to turn back around to my house.
 
“Stay where you are,” he said when he turned his attention back to
me.
 
“Adrian. I’m not staying at-”
 
The line went dead.
 
 
 
 
Chapter Four
 
 
 
I had set Three Rules during the drive to Adrian’s apartment – and
went over them in my head carefully as we stepped into the elevator of one
of the biggest hotels he owned. He lived in the penthouse.
 
1. No sleeping in the same room as Adrian Kingston. I was not that type of girl, I knew
what he would get up to and most importantly, he was my boss.             
 
2. No touching Adrian of any sort. Touching in his eyes would lead to something more.
Something I didn’t want happening.              
 
3. No staying longer than necessary. As soon I wake up, I would leave and make my
way over to Amy’s house.             
 
Yes you do. A small voice laughed in my mind, but I frowned and
ignored it as he unlocked the door to his penthouse suite.
 
“You know, since we are at a hotel, I could just stay in a separate
room?” I suggested, biting my lip as the realisation hit me.
 
“No,” he stated bluntly, before dragging me over to a hallway and
entering the second room on the right. I was met with a four-poster bed, a
flat screen television that took up most of the wall across the bed, two doors
– one that lead to an ensuite and another that was filled with clothing – and
two bedside tables with lamps.
 
“Is this where I’ll be staying?” I asked in awe as my eyes scanned
the contents of the bedroom once again. It was the size of my entire
apartment!
 
 “This is where we’re staying,” Adrian smirked down at me as he
pulled of his tie. “This is my room.”
 
I frowned and turned around to respond to him – only to find him
making his way over to the walk-in wardrobe – where another two items of
his clothing were pulled off his torso.
 
I cleared my throat and focused my vision on the peep-toe of my
heels. “Adrian. I really think I should sleep in a separate room. To keep
things professional, you know? I don’t want anybody getting the wrong
idea…” I trailed off, blushing. The reality of the situation was that I didn’t
want Adrian seeing me in the thing I have adapted to throughout the years –
sleeping in nothing but my shirt and my underwear. Even in the coldest
conditions – I had to sleep without any pants on or a bra.
 
“Nobody will find out. We’ll be fine.” His voice sounded from the
room, coming out a bit muffled due to the distance in between us.
 
I let out a nervous laugh. “What I meant was… I’m not sure it’s the
best idea because… you know…” I trailed off again, unsure of what to use
as a convincing excuse.
 
Adrian exited the room and threw a shirt and a pair of boxers at me
with an amused expression. “No, I don’t. Care to enlighten me?” he asked
as he raised an eyebrow. A smirk started forming on his lips as I clutched
the clothing to my chest and opened my mouth to respond. “Is it because
you’re planning on sleeping naked, Emily?” His voice dropped down to a
husky whisper as he walked towards me, and I felt my back make contact
with his bedroom wall as I unconsciously moved backwards.
 
“I-, no, o-of course not,” I stammered, my cheeks heating up under
his gaze.
 
He chuckled. “Let me correct myself. Almost naked then? I really
don’t mind.” He shrugged while his bottom lip stuck out in a careless pout
as he stood directly in front of me. “It’ll be even.” He smirked again, and
that’s when my vision trailed down to his shirtless torso and plaid pajama
bottoms. I was about to answer him, but he cut me off again. “Plus, less
clothes, less work.” His smirk grew and my voice found itself again.
 
“I want my own room, please.” I glared, fighting the urge to look
down at his body.
 
He chuckled and stepped away from me. “I was kidding. I would
never do anything you don’t want. It’s only a matter of time before you do
want it, though. I can guarantee you that. I can already see that you’re
trying to resist me. Come on,” he said abruptly, “you can get dressed in my
walk-in.” It ended the topic. For now.
 
I frowned at his back as he walked over to the attachment to his
room and held the door open for me. “If you need help taking off your
clothes, just give me a shout. I’ll gladly be of assistance.” He winked,
before shutting the door. I shook my head at his comment and took off my
heels before eyeing the door handle once more – paranoid that he was going
to walk in. I heard his voice a few seconds later and let out a relieved sigh.
He was on the phone.
 
I quickly stripped out of the tight fitting dress as another relieved
sigh escaped from my lips. I was never going to wear that dress again. I
slipped on Adrian’s shirt, a vintage-looking The Rolling Stones tee that fell
mid-thigh, and instantly inhaled the scent. I couldn’t picture Adrian in
something so casual, I thought to myself as I bit my bottom lip and slipped
on his plain red boxers. They were slightly over-sized at the waist, so I
rolled them up a few times to fit.
 
I folded the dress and picked up my shoes before exiting the room –
only to find Adrian standing at the door with his arm extended. “I was just
about to open the door,” he stated, once my gaze landed on his outstretched
arm.
 
“Right,” I smirked. “Where is my room so I can put down my
things?” I asked as a yawn escaped my mouth. I looked over at the clock on
the bedside table near Adrian’s bed and my eyebrows shot up as 1:47AM
blinked back at me in bold numbers.
 
Adrian grinned and took a step back before pointing at the ensuite.
“You can put them in there. I’ve already told you – this is your room.”
 
I sighed tiredly as my shoulders slumped in defeat. “Adrian. I really
can’t sleep in the same bed as you,” I said as I walked into the attached
bathroom and placed my dress and heels in there.
 
When I re-entered the bedroom, Adrian was already pulling the
covers off. “We’re both tired. It’s just one night. I won’t do anything.”
Adrian nodded reassuringly as he patted the empty spot beside him.
 
I sighed and bit my lip as I looked down at the clothes that currently
sat on my body. How bad could a pair of boxers and my bra be for one
night? Adrian clearly wasn’t going to budge with his decision. I took out
any bobby pins that were in my hair and shook it out before climbing into
the other side of the bed. As soon my head hit the pillow in a comfortable
position, Adrian scooted over and wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling
me into his half naked torso with a satisfied smirk.
 
“Adrian,” I groaned, trying to push him away from my body. I
failed miserably – due to his strong stamina and my lack of strength at 2 in
the morning – and decided to go with the flow. Rule #1 was broken.
 
***
 
3:45AM.
 
Adrian was snoring softly beside me, a heavy arm resting over my
sweating body. It wasn’t summer, it wasn’t even a hot Spring night. The
thermo in the room was set at a temperature that is usually defined as
perfect to the human body; but it wasn’t to me. I was wearing too much
clothing, and the wire of my bra was poking at my breasts uncomfortably. I
looked up at the ceiling and frowned. This was a penthouse suite, there had
to be other rooms in here.
 
Sighing, I hesitantly lifted Adrian’s arm off my body and slid out
from underneath it, quickly placing a pillow in my previous position to act
as an alternate me. I tip-toed to the door before leaving it and sighing in
relief. I was way too tired to explain myself to Adrian right now.
 
I looked over to the door that was closed right across me and bit my
lip. I shouldn’t be invading Adrian’s privacy like this. I looked over to
where I entered the penthouse suite. The living room had nicely furnished
leather couches that I could sleep on, but they had no blankets or pillows. I
shook my head and tried to open the door across from me – only to find it
locked. I frowned slightly, my curiosity taking over the rational part of my
brain. What could be in there? I discarded the thought temporarily as I
moved on to the next door in the hallway. The door was unlocked, and I
entered to find a bathroom.
 
I let out a frustrated sigh as I closed the door again and opened the
door next to Adrian’s room. I was met with a king-sized bed. Not as big as
Adrian’s – few beds were - but a mattress would’ve sufficed at that
moment. I grinned tiredly as I closed the door behind me and unhooked my
bra and slipped off the borrowed boxers. I threw the bra across over the
mattress and heard it land on the floor with a soft ‘clump’, before I pulled
the covers over my bare legs and snuggled into the soft pillows.
 
***
 
“Why are you in here?” A husky voice asked, pulling me out of the
blackness that had just overcome me.
 
My eyelids reluctantly opened as I made out the tall, shirtless
silhouette of my boss bending down to be levelled with my face.
 
“I couldn’t sleep with you,” I mumbled, shifting my position in the
bed to get more comfortable.
  
“Why not?” he exclaimed, running a hand through his bed hair. “I
didn’t do anything!”
 
“It’s not you, it’s me,” I muttered.
 
“I feel like you just broke up with me,” he mumbled, and I let out a
small laugh. “Fine, we can both sleep in here then.”
 
I heard footsteps walk to the other side of the bed.
 
“No, Adrian!” I shot up from my sleeping position to stop him from
entering the bed just as his eyes landed on my black lace bra, sprawled
across the floor next to his red boxers. My cheeks flushed as his eyes met
mine and he smirked.
 
“Ah, I see.”
 
“Yeah. Goodnight,” I said as another yawn escaped my mouth and I
shifted my position back to my original sleeping one. As I did so, I felt the
mattress dip on the other side and I squealed and fell off the edge of my side
of the bed as Adrian chuckled. “I told you not to come into the bed!” I
groaned as I untangled myself from the sheets that were pulled down with
me.
 
“If I knew you I was going to get that view, I would’ve done it
sooner.”
 
I looked down to find that the shirt and rolled up in the midst of me
untangling the sheets and my legs and backside were on show. My cheeks
began to change colour again as I slowly got up and re-tangled the sheets
around the bottom half of by body – covering the exposed skin.
 
“We’re sleeping together. Whether it’s in this shit bed or my
luxurious one is up to you. Make your choice.” Adrian shrugged, propping
an elbow onto the pillow and resting his head on his palm. Any comment I
would’ve made dried up in my throat as my eyes travelled down the length
of his body, before my eyes widened and I looked down at the tangled
sheets and mentally cursed myself. Amy was going to have a field day
when she heard about this.
 
“Your room,” I muttered, my gaze still glued to the floor.
 
“Brilliant,” I heard him say, before I felt my body being lifted off
the ground and thrown over a broad, solid shoulder. Without the sheets.
“Adrian!” I hissed, my cheeks growing an even deeper shade of red.
 
“It’s okay shortcake, I’m not looking.” He chuckled, as I felt a sting
spread in my backside.
 
“Did you just slap my ass?” I asked in shock as I felt my body fall
onto Adrian’s soft mattress. I quickly grabbed the covers on the bed and
covered my legs up before Adrian chuckled and joined me.
 
“What if I did, shortcake?” he smirked, snaking an arm around my
waist and pulling me into his body. “Can I have a hug before we sleep?” he
asked as he stuck his bottom lip out in a pout.
 
I frowned. “Why?” I asked suspiciously, slightly squinting my eyes
at his innocent expression.
 
He shrugged. “For the sake of going to bed at 4 in the morning.
Pleaseeeeeeeee?” He dragged on, shocking me by giving a full, pearly
white smile. I sighed after a while and nodded.
 
“Okay. You’re weird at 4AM.” But I pulled him in for a hug.
 
“Mmm…” he mumbled into my hair, and I felt his lips curling into
yet another smirk. I pulled away and he chuckled.
 
“What did you do?” I asked as his smirk grew.
 
 “You hugged me pretty tightly there,” he responded, avoiding my
question.
 
“You’re the one who was pushing me into you!” I retorted.
 
“Yes I was,” he said shamelessly, before pulling me in for another
hug.
 
“W- What are you doing? What is that?” I asked nervously as I felt
his kneecap poke into my stomach.
 
“I’m hugging a sexy woman who barely has any clothing on, at 4 in
the morning, in my bed. Do you really think that’s my knee?” he asked as
an eyebrow arched up. I looked down at the small space between us and
found a large bulge poking out in the middle of our bodies. My curiosity
acted for me as my arm went out to inspect the thing – but just as my
fingers slightly stroked it, Adrian groaned and I jumped back, realising
what it was.
 
“Oh my god. You- you- you have a- a thing!” I exclaimed as I
crawled back to the edge of the bed, making sure I wouldn’t fall off again.
Adrian’s eyes fluttered back open as his gaze met mine and he smirked.
“Like I said; I’m in bed with an incredibly beautiful and almost naked
woman, you don’t honestly expect me to be normal, do you? Come on, let’s
get some sleep.” He ushered me over to him, and I looked down at the
bulge in his pants with uncertainty before cautiously going back to my
original sleeping position.
 
“If you try anything, I will kick your ass,” I warned, sinking into the
softness of the pillows.
 
He chuckled and moved closer to me. “I won’t. Goodnight, Emily,”
he murmured into my hair.
 
I mumbled a response before I let darkness fill my vision, and I fell
asleep with the thought that I had unintentionally broken Rule #2.
  
This was going great.
 
***
 
It was way too bright.
 
I was sure there was no way I could open my eyes without going
partially blind in the room I was in. I found myself stretching on the soft
mattress I was sleeping on and sighed in relief when a few of my limbs
cracked. My eyes flew open as a soft snore sounded from beside me and my
outstretched arm made contact with a solid part of the bed. I looked over to
my right to find Adrian fast asleep, not even centimetres away from me,
snoring softly as his legs and arms entangled with my body and pulled me
closer towards him.
 
My body stiffened at the contact, and I looked over at his face to
find a slight smile forming on his plump lips, making me frown in curiosity.
 
“Adrian,” I whispered, “If you’re awake, this isn’t funny.”
 
Neither Adrian’s expression nor his body shifted after I had said
those words, proving that he was still sound asleep. I put my head back onto
the pillow and looked up at the ceiling. I was trapped. My eyes wandered
around the room until they landed on a cleaning lady, and my body instantly
stiffened once again. She was bopping her head to herself as she quietly
closed the ensuite door behind her while balancing a bucket of chemicals
and sponges in the other hand.
 
I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping she wouldn’t notice me, until I
heard the door of the room close softly. This was getting ridiculous. I don’t
care if Adrian wakes up; he’s the one who wanted us to sleep in the same
bed in the first place.
 
I turned my head to look at the time and my eyes widened once they
read 2PM. This was the longest I had stayed in bed for since the one time I
went to a college party and got wasted. I slowly untangled myself from
Adrian’s body and ran into the ensuite to grab my clothing and shoes and
left Adrian’s room in a quiet hurry.
 
I ran to the door that I discovered was the bathroom and came to an
abrupt halt once I saw the cleaner in there. She dropped her sponge from
her surprise and I quickly rushed forward to pick it up for her.
 
“I’m so sorry,” I told her frantically, “I didn’t think anyone would
be in here.”
 
“It’s quite alright. Are you okay, honey? You look a bit frazzled…”
She trailed off, giving me a look of concern.
 
“No, no. I’m fine. I’m so sorry, again.” I smiled nervously, and
instantly began making my way out.
 
“Excuse me, miss!” the cleaner whispered just as I placed my hand
on the handle of the door. I turned around to find her putting her things in
the corner of the bathroom. “I can continue this later,” she said. “You look
like you’re in a bit of a rush. How’s about I whip up a quick breakfast for
you while you shower? Mr. Kingston does not usually wake up for another
2 hours.”
 
“I’ll decline the breakfast,” I answered. “Thanks for the offer,
though. Sorry to inconvenience you. I won’t be long.” I shut the door
behind her after she nodded and smiled.
 
After a quick shower, I wrapped my body with a fluffy navy towel
that was hanging near the shower. It was then that I muttered a curse,
suddenly realizing something important.
 
“Shoot. I forgot my bra in the other room.”
 
I shook my head and took out my phone to dial Amy’s phone
number.
  
My body collided into a warm, solid wall just as I heard Amy’s
faint ‘hello’ sound from the speaker.
 
“Where do you think you’re going in such a hurry? And naked,
too?” Adrian, still sounding groggy, asked as he wrapped an arm around my
waist and smirked sleepily down at me.
 
“I-” I stuttered, as I heard Amy’s gasp come from my phone.
“YOU’RE WITH SEXY-” I hung up the phone before she could continue
and blushed.
 
“I have to go home,” I muttered, remembering that I was in nothing
but a towel.
 
“You don’t have keys to get into your home,” he pointed out, his
smirk growing wider as he ran his hand through my damp hair.
 
“Yes, I’m aware of that,” I said, trying to keep focus while his
distracting fingers played with my hair. “But my f- friend has a spare key
th-that I can take.”
 
“At least have brunch with me. Then you can go. I even asked the
driver last night to double check the car in case your keys are in there.” His
hand dropped to my cheek, and he pulled my face towards his, making me
blush again.
 
“I- I don’t think I should stay any longer. Thank you for your
hospitality.”
 
I tried to sound as formal as possible, before dashing into the room
where my bra was and locking the door securely behind me. Even from
behind it I could hear Adrian chuckling, cut only by the sound of another
door closing shut.
 
 I dried myself off and put on the dress again before re-dialling
Amy’s number. The moment she picked up, I said, “Before you burst out
with quest-”
 
“YOU’RE AT ADRIAN KINGSTON’S HOUSE?” she screeched
into the phone. “YOUR BOSS? YOU’RE AT ADRIAN KINGSTON,
YOUR BOSS’ HOUSE?! WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED LAST NIGHT
THAT I WASN’T AWARE OF ALREADY THANKS TO THE WORLD
WIDE WEB?!”
 
I opened my mouth to reply to her questions but she cut me off
again. “You stayed overnight. Oh my god. You had sex with him, didn’t
you? Oh my god he sounded so hot with his deep, gruff British morning
voice and sexiness. Was he shirtless? How did it happen? How long did it
last? Was he good? Great? Excellent? Indescribable? In a positive or
negative manner? Oh my god, I can’t believe you shagged the hottest
walking male specimen that currently inhabits this ear-”
 
“AMY!” I said loudly, cutting off her rant. “I did not have sex with
him!” I exclaimed as she caught her breath.
 
“Don’t be silly. Why else would Adrian Kingston, let a girl stay
overnight?” Amy asked.
 
“When we got back from the event last night, I found out that I had
lost my house keys on my freaking door step. So I called Adrian and asked
him to search the car to see if they were there, and he said no and that I was
staying at his place for the night even though I told him that I could just
stay at a motel or something until I went to yours in the morning. He was
supposed to meet his Adrianna, his date, to the dinner last night. I don’t
know why he stayed with me instead.” I frowned curiously as I remembered
Adrian’s comment in the car.
 
Amy gasped. “This is a sign! You have to have sex with him!”
 
 “No, Amy! No. This is not a sign. This is what people call bad luck.
That’s not even the worst part. Ames, he had…” I trailed off shuddering,
before speaking again in a hushed tone. “He had… a boner,” I whispered. I
could feel my eyes widening.
 
Amy was silent for a few seconds before she burst into a fit of
howling laughter, and I took the phone away from my ear to give her
contact icon a flat look before placing it back to my ear.
 
“Are you done?” I asked. I was all alone but I was blushing.
 
“Oh my god. You have honestly made my Sunday. What did you
do?” Amy asked, and I heard a chair screech against her tiles.
 
“Well… I don’t actually know.” I sighed. “Can we talk about this
face to face? After the devil releases me from hell, I’ll come over and I’ll
recount everything – yes, even the way he breathed.” I answered her
unspoken question, and rolled my eyes as she giggled.
 
“You know me too well. Okay, fine. But if I find out that you left
anything out,” she threatened, “I will choke you!”
 
I laughed before shutting the phone and putting it back into my bag,
then sighed and left the room.
 
“Adrian?” I called out, my voice echoing in the long, empty
hallway.
 
“He’s in his room, honey!” the maid’s voice responded from the
kitchen.
 
“Oh. Thank you!” I smiled in gratitude and saw her wave a spatula
in the air as a response.
 
I made my way to Adrian’s room and knocked slightly before
opening the door.
  
“Adrian?” I called out, opening the door a little wider, but not wide
enough to see inside the room.
 
“You can come in, shortcake,” I heard him chuckle from the other
side of the door. “I won’t bite.”
 
“Oh, um, okay,” I mumbled as I pushed the door open and stepped
into the room. Adrian walked out of his ensuite with a white towel wrapped
around his waist, making his tan skin look even darker as he wiped his hair
with another towel. Once he noticed me gawking, he smirked. “’Thought
I’d return the favour, shortcake. Is there anything in particular that you
wanted?”
 
I cleared my throat and looked down at the floor. My thoughts
became jumbled from the shirtless male model in front of me and frowned
and bit my lip to pull myself together. “I’m afraid I have to pass up the
opportunity of brunch with you. I have other matters to attend to. If you do
find my keys, please give me call. I’ll come by and pick them up. Thank
you… for letting me stay last night.” The last bit I added with a small smile,
before turning to leave the room.
 
“Emily,” Adrian called out.
 
I barely made it two steps away from his room before an arm
snaked around my waist and wedged me between the wall and a shirtless
body. My eyes widened and my cheeks flushed as I realised he was still in
nothing but his towel.
 
“You’re staying to eat,” he stated, a slight frown appearing on his
face.
 
“No, I’m not,” I insisted, my expression mirroring his.
 
“Yes, you are. You have to.”
 
 “No, I don’t ‘have to.’”
 
“Emily,” Adrian said with a clenched jaw. “I’m your boss, you have
to listen to me.”
 
I laughed sarcastically. “Don’t you dare use that tactic in this
situation. You’re my boss? When was the last time bosses made their
assistants sleep in the same bed as them when there were other rooms
available? Or when was the last time bosses blackmailed their assistants
into having lunch with them? Or feeling them up? From where I’m standing
right now, you should listen to me. Stop being a hypocrite, for starters. Like
I’ve told you numerous times before this, stop thinking that everyone you
meet will eat off the palm of your hand because you’re ‘Adrian Kingston’
and lastly, stop thinking that you’re going to get me to sleep with you. It
will never happen. Oh, and if it ever does? I give you full permission to
make me your bitch – something I don’t allow anyone to do. Have a nice
brunch, Mr. Kingston. I’ll see you at work tomorrow morning.” I smiled
briefly, before putting my heels on and walking out of the penthouse in
anger.
 
The sound of glass shattering into pieces caught my attention as the
elevator door dinged open, and I looked back at the entrance of the
penthouse suite in horror just as the maid came rushing out.
 
“Miss,” she said anxiously, “Please come back inside. M- maybe
you can calm him back down?” I saw the fear in her eyes.
 
“He’s never done this before?” I asked in shock as I heard another
thing break in the house.
 
“No Miss,” she answered, “and I have worked for Adrian since he
was born. The last time he threw a tantrum was when his father had told
him that he was in charge of the company; but even then it wasn’t this bad.
I never believed he’d get angry over a girl standing up to him.” She looked
over at the door of the penthouse.
 
 I frowned and bit my lip before nodding. “It’s okay, I’ll take care of
this. You can go home if you like.” I gave her a reassuring smile and a
squeeze on the shoulder before re-opening the door that I was so eager to
leave just 5 minutes ago.
 
“Adrian,” I murmured softly as I placed my bag on the table near
the entrance.
 
“What the fuck do you-” he abruptly stopped once he noticed me
standing at the doorway. I had reassured the maid but seeing him this mad, I
couldn’t help but flinch from the harshness of his words.
 
“How about I make us some brunch, huh?” I asked as I plastered a
fake smile on my face and cautiously walked over to him, not knowing
what I was getting myself into.
 
I had broken Rule #3.
 
 
  
Chapter Five
 
 
 
What am I doing?
 
I placed the plate full of food in front of Adrian before walking over
and taking a seat opposite him on the dining table. We ate in silence, and I
internally groaned as I shoved another mouthful of eggs and chomped it
down in an inhumanly manner.
 
I did not handle awkward situations well. I was the awkward
situation. Was I meant to speak, or leave him be? Adrian didn’t say a word
after I had re-entered his house, apart from leading me to the kitchen and
telling me not to add any olives because he hated them. We were on the
same boat for that.
 
His tantrum instantly stopped after that, and I was met with a
silence I was neither comfortable with nor able to break. Was I supposed to
start up a conversation? If so, about what? What if conversing ticked him
off again?
 
“Can you shut the fuck up,” Adrian snapped, finally meeting my
eyes.
 
“What? I haven’t said anything this entire time!” I exclaimed,
putting my fork down in shock.
 
“You don’t have to,” he muttered while ripping off a piece of bread
and shoving it into his mouth. “Your facial expression says it all. I’m
surprised I’m not eating brain matter right now because your head looks
like it’s about to explode.”
 
 The thought of my own brain matter being mixed with the food in
front of me nauseated me, and I cleared my throat and pushed the plate
farther away from me to signal that I was done eating.
 
“Sorry,” I mumbled, gulping down my whole glass of water before
getting up and taking my plate to the kitchen.
 
“You barely ate, Emily,” Adrian said in a stern tone. When I turned
back around, I found him frowning at me.
 
“I’ve eaten enough.” I glared, before turning back to the sink and
pulling at the tap as water came rushing down and spreading onto the plate.
I heard Adrian’s chair scrape against the marble floor violently, before I felt
his solid torso being pressed up against my back tightly. My breath hitched
in my throat as he put his plate of food in the sink before snaking both arms
around my waist in a backwards hug. “Why are you so damn difficult with
me, shortcake?” he murmured into my ear. “You’re never like this with
Allen, or when we’re at work.” I could practically feel the smirk that was
implanted on his plump lips as his chin rested on my left shoulder.
 
“I’m only difficult to those who are difficult to me first,” I replied
in an even tone, trying to mask the fact that he had an effect on me. “You’re
my boss at work, so I have no choice there, and Allen is nice to me, so I’m
nice back. It’s not rocket science.”
 
“No, I know that. Rocket science refers to aerospace engineering
and focusing on how a rocket functions. Unfortunately, your mind doesn’t
have a text book I can read to figure it out like rocket science does – hence
why I’m asking the source of what has clouded my mind ever since the day
we met. But I can see that I get through to you sometimes. I just have to get
close.”
 
I finished washing the plates then turned off the tap before rolling
my eyes and turning to face him in an awkward pose that reassured my
conscience that my face wasn’t too close to his.
 
 “And violate my personal space? Yep, that’s the way to go if you’re
planning on winning a girl’s heart!” I faked enthusiasm, earning a chuckle
from Adrian.
 
“I never said I was going to win your heart over. I just want to have
sex with you.” He shrugged, and my facial features quickly transformed to
a venomous scowl.
 
“Not happening,” I snapped, placing my wet hands flat on his broad
chest before pushing him away. They left two imprints that looked tiny on
his white shirt, but made it almost transparent enough for me to make out
his tanned skin underneath.
 
“Why not? I know you want to,” he pointed out, earning another
eye roll from me. “Plus,” he added, a smirk re-forming on his lips, “I’m
pretty damn excellent at it, so you won’t regret your decision.”
 
“I don’t care how good or bad you are in bed, Adrian,” I declared
angrily, “I’m just not that type of girl.” I tried to convey the finality of my
decision through my tone.
 
He sighed. “Fine. I’ll just have to win your heart over the old-
fashioned way before entering your prized jewel.” The infamous, undying
smirk reappeared as I gasped in mortification before my features scrunched
into a look of disgust.
 
“Adrian!” I exclaimed as my cheeks instantly flamed. “Don’t ever
say that again.” I shuddered as his words replayed in my mind, and looked
down at my shoes as I felt my blush deepen.
 
“What? Refer to your lady part as a prized jewel? Why not,
shortcake? It clearly is, since you’re not letting me go near it.”
 
“Oh my god,” I frowned. “Will you stop talking about… that so
casually? And stop calling me shortcake!”
 
 “You’re something different, aren’t you?” he chuckled, amusement
brightening his eyes.
 
I was about to reply but was cut off by a short knock on the door.
 
“Mr. Kingston.” A man’s voice came out muffled on the other side
of the door. “I found the keys you were talking about in the car.”
 
My head instantly whipped in the direction of the door. “Is he
talking about my keys?” I asked, hopeful.
 
“Well, unless there was anyone else using my car that also happened
to lose their keys, I’d say yes, they are in fact, your keys, shortcake.” He
walked past me with a grin as he went to open the door, and I glared at his
back as he took the keys from his driver. “Thank you,” he stated in a simple
tone, before shutting the door.
 
I squeaked in excitement and snatched the keys out of Adrian’s
hands. “Yay! I can finally go home and get out of his horridly
uncomfortable dress and call my parents and do some work and read a book
in peace.” I grinned, sighing as I mentally envisioned the plain four walls of
my bedroom and my oh-so-comfy sofa in the petite little apartment I
worked my butt off trying to buy.
 
Adrian raised an eyebrow at my excitement and smirked, but didn’t
say anything as he walked over to the living room. He grabbed a black
leather jacket that was thrown carelessly on the sofa and a set of keys, then
placed his hand on my lower back.
 
“Come on, shortcake. Let’s get you home.”
 
***
 
“Dad, everything is fine- No, I didn’t call because I was busy; not
because I’ve forgotten you guys…Yes, I’ll visit when Blake goes down to
see you two. Tell Mom not to worry about this stuff – it’s just a new job,
once I get the hang of it, our regular calling schedule will be back. Okay, I
love you both. Bye.”
 
I hung up the phone and rolled my eyes at an amused looking Amy,
who let out a small laugh once I huffed. “They honestly need to calm down
a little.”
 
“Hey, at least your parents care about you. The last time I wasn’t
the first to call them was on graduation day at college!” We both burst into
a fit of laughter before Amy cleared her throat. “How’s little ol’ Blakey
doing anyway?” Amy asked curiously, plopping onto the couch beside me
after she had inserted the DVD for Warm Bodies into the DVD player.
 
I shrugged. “He’s okay. As successful as any lawyer would be, I
suppose. The last I heard from him was when he asked me for a photo of
me. Remember when I told you about that? It was like two weeks ago.”
 
Amy nodded. “Yeah, I remember. Anyway, let’s get back to Mr.
Sexy pants!” She squealed excitedly. “So he actually just casually stated
that he wanted to fu-”
 
“I swear to god if you continue that word, Amy Hale,” I warned, “I
will personally drag you out of my apartment and take you across the hall
so you can sit with Mr. Flecture and his wrinkly nakedness.” We both
shuddered at the mental image of the old, hairy man across the hall from
me.
 
“Do you? God, he’s such an arrogant jerk to you. I love it!” She
shivered with an excited expression, and I gave her a look of disbelief.
“What?” She shrugged innocently, “You’re living my dream. Let me have
my moment. Anyway, I just want to know what that little tantrum episode
was about. I mean obviously it was about you leaving, but I didn’t know
he’d be… angry. It’s kind of a turn on, isn’t it?” She grinned as a glazy look
transformed her usually playful eyes and I threw a pillow at her face.
 
 “Amy! A 25-year-old throwing a tantrum is not a turn-on.” I
frowned. “It was pretty weird though… I mean, his maid said that it’s only
happened once in his life before… and Suzie told me he deals with not
getting his way by sleeping with an endless amount of girls until he feels
like he’s satisfied. He is honestly the weirdest person I’ve ever come
across.” I frowned in thought.
 
“Come on, he’s nothing compared to sticky Stanley.” We both
shared another mutual shudder as the memory of our freshman college days
resurfaced in our minds, and the mental image of a tall, lanky boy with
slightly crooked teeth and grey eyes sat next to Amy, touching her notebook
in class and making it sticky enough to hang on a wall. He did the same
thing to a pen I let him borrow. And my arm. I remember taking four
showers that day, to try and rub off the sticky fingerprints he left on my
arm.
 
“Okay, maybe not the weirdest. But he’s definitely something
else…” I trailed off.
 
“Sexy. That’s what else.” Amy giggled as I grabbed the same pillow
I used to attack her previously, and threw it at her face again.
 
“You’re impossible when it comes to discussing men,” I declared as
the doorbell rang.
 
“That’s why I’m the best person to talk to when it comes to them!”
She grinned. I shook my head at her logic and opened the door to greet
Molly and Claire, but they beat me to it.
 
“We come bearing cookies and cream ice cream!” Molly
announced, grinning.
 
“And lollies! You can’t have a girl’s night without lollies!” Claire
added, trailing behind Molly as they entered the house.
 
 “Hello to you too,” I muttered, giving them a sly smile as they
looked back and gave me sheepish looks.
 
“Hi,” they replied in unison, making both Amy and I laugh.
 
There was a short moment of silence before everyone’s eyes grew
wide and I was the first to place my thumb on my nose.
 
“NOT IT!” I screamed loudly.
 
“NOT IT!” Molly and Claire repeated shortly after me.
 
“Aw, man,” Amy whined, “It’s always me.” We laughed. Amy,
Molly, Claire and I have had a tradition of an individual in the group being
the ‘maid’ for the day ever since we first became close. Amy was usually
always the slowest to respond to our method of choosing the maid – but it
was the quickest and fairest way to do it.
 
“What would you all like me to make for dinner today?” she asked
in an overly phony enthusiastic voice, glaring at us all once we laughed at
her again.
 
“Emily, it’s your call today,” Molly declared. They all turned to face
me.
 
“Um,” I bit my bottom lip and frowned in thought as I mentally
scanned the ingredients I had in my refrigerator. “We’ll just make pasta and
hot chips today. I don’t feel like torturing Amy just yet. Go get the plates
and chips, Ms. Hale. Chop, chop!” I snapped my fingers and pointed to the
kitchen as Amy lazily pushed herself off the sofa and grumbled nothing in
particular as she shoved passed us, making us all laugh again.
 
“I want wine as well please, Ms. Hale!” Claire called out, giggling.
 
“And a chocolate bar for me!” Molly added, smirking.
 
 “And while you’re in there,” I said, trying to think of a way to
complicate my order, “I wouldn’t mind a big cup of cold water. On the
rocks.”
 
“Fuck you all!” Amy called out, making us burst out into fits of
hyena laughs, Amy joining in from the kitchen.
 
Adrian Kingston was temporarily forgotten at that moment.
 
Almost.
 
***
 
The girls left just past 10:30PM, after Amy had taken her time
cleaning the living room and throwing smug looks in my direction. She
knew I had an OCD when it came to cleaning my apartment, and it wasn’t
long before I broke and told her I’d do it myself. She had laughed and told
me she’d text me when she got home, and I smiled, happy to know that she
knew me well enough.
 
By the time I was done cleaning the apartment to my standards, it
was 11:30PM, and I stripped down to my underwear and a tank top before
falling onto the bed with a tired sigh. It was a long day, and all I wanted to
do was let sleep engulf me in its endless black nothing.
 
My phone, on the other hand, had a completely different plan.
 
It vibrated on the table beside my pillow, and I indulged in a groan
before I slowly dragged it off the table and unlocked it, finding a text
message from Adrian:
 
Can I get a picture tonight? ;)
 
I rolled my eyes and sent a quick no before putting the phone down
on my stomach, not bothering to lock it. Adrian replied instantly:
 
 Why not? It’s nothing I haven’t seen before.
 
I could practically feel him smirking through the phone as I typed
my reply:
 
That was a fluke. Goodnight.
 
I didn’t even get to put my phone back down when my phone
buzzed again.
 
A fluke that’s going to happen again.
You’ll see. Be in the office at 7:30AM tomorrow.
Don’t be late.
 
I was about to reply telling him I wasn’t going to fall for that trick
again when another message came through:
 
I’m being serious this time.
I need to get dressed at the office
and then we need to get started
on the new billboard advertisement for the hotel.
Make sure my coffee is ready as well.
Try not to dream about me too much. Goodnight ;)
 
I glared at the glowing screen of my phone before locking it. I
moaned in frustration as I got under the covers and closed my eyes to get
some sleep.
 
***
 
“You’re early today,” Allen stated with an amused grin as I walked
into the small, and surprisingly packed coffee shop grumpily.
 
“You’ve got a full house today,” I responded, leaning on the counter
as I checked the time on my phone. 7:15AM.
 
“It’s always this crowded at this time,” he explained. “Rush hour.
The usuals, I presume?”
  
I nodded slightly, mumbling a tired ‘thank you’ before he went
away, chuckling.
 
“Hey Emily!” Lisa said in a chirpy tone as she handed two orders
over to two men in business attire. They gave her the money and exited the
shop as I lazily raised an arm in response. She laughed and walked over to
me, getting a napkin for another customer. “Not a morning person, huh?”
she asked with a cheeky grin.
 
I shook my head and she giggled before taking another customer’s
order.
 
“I’m guessing today’s morning call is real this time,” Allen stated, a
slight smirk forming on his boyish features, ”with you getting the coffee
before the usual time and all.”
 
“Yes, it is,” I said as he handed over our orders. “I can already tell
it’s going to be a long week.”
 
“I wish you the best of luck. Hey, maybe when the week is over, we
can go out to dinner and celebrate?” Allen asked, a hopeful look in his eye
as I handed him the money for our orders.
 
“Sure. I’ll see. Thanks for the coffee. See you Lisa!” I called out,
before lazily strolling out of the shop. I was going to be late, but I was too
tired to care.
 
Once I arrived at the office, Adrian was pacing in his room back
and forth, looking pissed off. I noticed he was wearing the exact same
clothes as yesterday when he dropped me off, and I bit my lip curiously.
 
“You’re late,” he snapped once he noticed me standing in the
doorway. I sighed and walked over to his pacing figure, handing him his
clothes and shoes before putting his coffee on his desk. “Only by a minute,
Mr. Kingston, and that was because I had to collect your clothing from my
office.” I stifled a yawn before taking a sip of my latté.
 
“Are you sure it wasn’t because you were too busy throwing
yourself at Allen?” He scowled as he yanked his shirt off his body and
threw it on the floor. Under normal circumstances, I would’ve blushed and
looked down at my ballet flats to avoid staring at his muscular body – but
he was currently accusing me of something.
 
“What?” I asked, frowning. “’Throwing myself at Allen’? Where
the hell did you get an idea like that?” I exclaimed, putting my latté down
next to his.
 
“From the queen,” he snapped sarcastically, pushing his pants down
roughly. I gasped and turned away from his almost naked figure, blushing
furiously. “From Allen, who else?! You’re going on a date with him this
Friday! I didn’t know you were that eager to get into his pants,” he snarled.
 
“What the hell are you going on about, Adrian?!” I retorted, “I’m
not going on a date with Allen! He asked me to dinner, as a friend! And I
haven’t even said yes yet! I said I’d see – not that my personal life is any of
your business, anyway.” I crossed my arms over my chest stubbornly –
even though he could only see my back.
 
“Well he doesn’t seem to think that!” he snapped.
 
I almost turned around to glare at him – then I remembered he was
changing his clothes.
 
“And your personal life is in fact, my business,” he added. “I can’t
have my assistant sleeping around with whoever she meets. It’s
unprofessional.”
 
“Oh, but it’s okay for you to do that?” I blurted before I could stop
myself. “Where were you yesterday anyway for you to come into work in
the same clothing?”
  
“Not that it’s any of your business,” he snapped, and I heard the
slight clink of a belt before he continued, “I was at Adrianna’s house.”
 
“A booty call. That’s good for you. Although, it’s still not an excuse
to come into the office wearing what you were and-”
 
“And it’s my office. I’m the boss around here. I do what I want. That
also means I control what you do. You’re not going to that dinner with
Allen on Friday because you have to stay back in the office and set up my
planner.”
 
“I can do that on the weekend! You know, when it’s supposed to be
done?” I pointed out, getting angrier by every syllable that came out of
Adrian Kingston’s mouth.
 
“Well, not anymore. Every second Friday, you and I will stay back
in my office and we will organise the planner together. That’s final.” His
voice was closer to me now, and I turned around just as he stopped directly
in front of me. “If you so much as squeak in disagreement with the new
rule, you’re fired. Understood?” He raised an eyebrow as he stared down at
my short figure.
 
I pressed my lips into a straight line before pursing them and
glaring up at him. “I understand, Mr. Kingston,” I said as evenly as I could,
trying to mask my fury.
 
He smirked. “Good. Now tie my tie so we can go set up the meeting
room for the billboard ad.”
 
He bended his knees until his face was level with mine, and the
satisfied smirk never left his lips as my hand reached out and tied the tie
around his neck. I pulled it a bit tighter than what was suitable to show my
anger. He just chuckled and pecked my nose before grabbing his coffee and
the files he had placed on his desk before walking out of his office,
expecting me to follow.
 
 
  
Chapter Six
 
 
 
The rest of the week had gone by at an agonizingly slow pace –
even while I was running around like a mad woman who had just lost one
of her cats due to Adrian’s constant indecisive behaviour towards the
project we were working on. Suzie had given me sympathetic looks most of
the time, and even offered to pick up some of the slack I had piled on my
plate; but I declined, not wanting to overwork her either.
 
Adrian had also decided that it was a completely appropriate time to
let his army of Barbie dolls saunter into his office to do god knows what,
leaving me to take all of his crucial calls and basically managing and
overseeing the final outcomes for the billboard design. There was hardly
any interaction between us after the small argument we had on Monday
morning.
 
By the time my work ended on Friday, I was relieved and eager to
get home. I just wanted to change into my pajamas and watch the newest
episode of The Vampire Diaries. I decided to skip Allen’s dinner offer for
the time being – only because this episode would explain to me the whole
idea behind Stefan being Silus’ doppelganger – but offered to reschedule it
with him on another day. I collected all the paperwork I needed to take
home with me and headed to the elevator. I pressed the button to go down,
but Suzie called out my name before the lovely ‘ding’ signaling my escape
could sound.
 
“Mr. Kingston was just asking about you, dear,” she said as she
walked up to me. She too, had a bag slung over her left shoulder and her
blackberry in her hand, apparently ready to leave. “He wants to see you in
his office.”
 
 “You’re kidding,” I sighed. I slumped my shoulders and pouted.
 
She laughed, waving goodbye as I made my way down the hall
towards Adrian’s office. I tried balancing the thick piles of paper in the fold
of my arm as my bag slipped off my shoulder once I reached out to knock
on the door. I heard Adrian’s muffled ‘come in’ before I straightened myself
out and opened the door.
 
“You wanted to see me?” I asked, unable to keep a slightly
impatient tone from coming out.
 
A corner of Adrian’s lip curled up at the sight of my awkward
stance. “We have to work on my planner,” he stated simply.
 
I gave him an incredulous look before I straightened up in
frustration. “Seriously? You were serious about that? Come on,” I whined,
“it’s Friday night. Don’t you have a girl to sleep with or a party to go to?
You’re Adrian Kingston!”
 
“Did you have any plans, Ms. Johnson?” he asked, raising an
eyebrow as if to challenge me.
 
“As a matter of fact, I do.” I put emphasis on the ‘do,’ showing that
I wasn’t planning on cancelling them anytime soon. Well, sitting on my
couch in my pajamas while eating Chinese takeout and watching a
television program wasn’t exactly what most 24-year-olds considered to be
a plan, but it most definitely was to me.
 
“With who?” he asked, his expression darkening.
 
I hesitated before answering. “Just a few friends,” I stated calmly.
Okay, so maybe Elena Gilbert and Damon Salvatore weren’t exactly my
friends, but I was hoping the lie would convince him to let me go because
he’d feel guilty about making me cancel my ‘plans.’
 
 “I can guarantee you that I will have your planner fully prepared by
Saturday night and delivered to your doorstep Sunday morning, Mr.
Kingston,” I added, hoping it’d help the circumstance.
 
“With who?” he repeated, and this time, it didn’t sound like a
friendly question.
 
I gave him an uneasy glance before slumping in defeat. “Fine. You
know I’m lying to you. Please, it’s really important that I watch this though!
I’ve been waiting for it since March! It’s been way too long! I promise I’ll
finish your planner by tomorrow night, to the best standard! But if I don’t
go-”
 
“What the hell are you going on about?” he asked, his dark
expression suddenly becoming confused as he witnessed my groveling.
“Don’t you have a date tonight with Allen that I told you you’re not allowed
to attend?”
 
I stopped groveling and turned confused myself. “What? I’m
talking about going home to watch the season premiere of The Vampire
Diaries!”
 
“Alone?” he asked, giving me a cautious look.
 
“Um… yes?”
 
Adrian studied my expression for a long moment, as if looking for
any evidence that I was lying. Apparently satisfied with whatever it was he
found on my face, he leaned back into his chair and smiled at me, wryly.
 
“If that’s the case,” his cheeky grin grew wider as he spoke, “you’re
not needed anymore. Have a good weekend, and I expect you to be at my
doorstep on Sunday morning with my planner.”
 
“Are you serious?” I asked him in disbelief, all confusion gone
now. “You were keeping me here with you, just so I didn’t hang out with
anybody? Wait a minute – you thought the dinner with Allen was on
tonight, that’s why you called me in, isn’t it?!”
 
Adrian just shrugged, but the smirk that remained on his plump lips
answered my question more clearly than any words could have. “You’re
impossible!” I huffed angrily.
 
“Actually, no I’m not. Impossible in your eyes would be me not
letting you go home tonight and staying here solely for my own
entertainment purposes. I’m letting you go home, so I’m not entirely
impossible yet.”
 
“Yet?” I repeated, frowning.
 
“Well, I’m coming to your apartment – so now you’re welcome to
declare me as ‘impossible’.” The wry smile reappeared on his lips, and I
just stared at him for the moment, processing his words. I started to laugh
nervously, thinking- hoping? - it was a joke, before his solemn expression
cut me short. “You’re not serious,” I stated, dumbfounded.
 
“I am.”
 
“No, you’re not!” I exclaimed angrily. “And you’re not coming to
my apartment, either!”
 
“It’s either your place, or the office,” he said bluntly. “Choose.”
 
“I choose both,” I said with finality. “I go home, and you stay in the
office. Have a lovely weekend, Mr. Kingston.” I turned around to leave.
 
“Since you’re so adamant about not letting me into your home, I
guess we’ll stay together in the office then. We can order in pizza? Or
Chinese? I don’t mind either.”
 
“Adrian, please!” I said, growing desperate. “You don’t understand
how important this show is to me, and I need to watch it tonight! And
alone!” I emphasized ‘alone.’
 
I could see a shift in his expression as he became momentarily
thoughtful, before some kind of an idea registered in his mind and his face
lit up. “Come watch it at my place, then,” he said. “I’ll leave you alone
while it’s on!” he added quickly, probably knowing from the indignation on
my face that I fully intended to decline his offer.
 
I groaned and leaned against the frame of the door in defeat. “What
do you want?” I whined, glaring slightly.
 
“World peace.” That infernal, undying smirk curled in his lips
again, but his eyes twinkled in amusement.
 
“I meant, what do you want from me,” I stated flatly, in a tone that
matched my facial expression.
 
“Just you,” he replied simply, with a small shrug.
 
I frowned at him. I had to admit, curiosity tugged at me, drawing
me towards the idea of going to Adrian’s place. I looked down at my flats
and bit my lip in thought, mentally weighing out the Pro’s and Con’s in my
mind.
 
Pros: Adrian had a television that was the size of the wall, and
I would no doubt enjoy that. His sofa was comfortable, and the
room had surround sound, giving me the ultimate season
premiere experience. He also had any snack at the touch of a
button due to the hotel’s 5-star accommodations.
 
Cons: I’d feel slightly uncomfortable in the foreign setting.
Adrian would be around, need I say more? I wouldn’t be able
to wear what I classified as pajamas – especially not with his
prying eyes.
 
 My comfort was much more important than the size of the
television, so… “No,” I said with a shake of my head, my gaze meeting his
once again.
 
“No?” he echoed.
 
“No. I’d prefer to be home alone, where I can pig out without
having to worry about wasting your resources or having to worry about you
in general, and I’d be able to comfortably wear what I want…” I trailed off,
blushing.
 
“You mean no bra and only your underwear under a shirt?” He
smirked. “I’m definitely coming along then.”
 
“No, you’re not.” I glared. The conversation was starting to repeat
itself, and I sighed in defeat. “We’ll just stay in the office then,” I decided
grudgingly. “Since you’re so desperate to have me around.” I looked down
at my shoes and glared at the black leather. A mental image of Damon
Salvatore’s face formed into my mind just then, and my glare softened into
a pout.
 
“I’m glad you’ve finally come to your senses,” Adrian’s mood
perked up immediately. “Pizza or Chinese food? Like I said before, I
personally don’t mind either; so it’s solely up to you. We’ll work in my
office since it’s the most comfortable.”
 
“Whatever,” I muttered.
 
Real mature, Emily. I berated myself.
 
Adrian just threw another amused expression in my direction and I
glared before walking over to the sofa on the left side of his office. I placed
my papers and bag on the soft furniture before leaving the room without so
much as glancing at him.
 
 I made my way to my office and locked the door behind me before
dialing Amy’s number. She picked up on the third ring.
 
“Hey Em, what’s up?” she shouted into the speaker over the loud
music in the background. “Hold on a second, it’s really loud in here. Let me
just go outside.”
 
I listened as the music from the phone began to decrease in volume,
before I heard a door being pushed open and the music was almost
completely gone. “This place is amazing, you should’ve come!” Amy
exclaimed excitedly.
 
I sighed. “I’m glad you’re having a good time. Even if I did end up
planning on going, I wouldn’t be able to.” As I said this, I felt myself
becoming angry again.
 
“Why, what happened?” she asked, concern lacing her tone thickly.
I began my short whining rant about how Adrian was making me stay in the
office. I said it as briefly as I could so that she could get back in the club.
Once I finished explaining, she squealed with delight and – to my
annoyance – began laughing.
 
“Are you kidding me? Em! If you still think that man has no
interest in you, then you are obviously delusional! He’s making up any
excuse to be around you now! I always knew my best friend would be
shagged by one of the hottest males walking this earth!”
 
I choked on my own spit and she started laughing again.
 
“Ames! That is not going to happen,” I assured her, before sighing.
“I’m going to miss the season premiere. You know how serious I am about
my TV shows!”
 
“I know babe, I know. But honestly? You’re 24. I’m not saying
don’t watch television anymore – but you have to live a little, and not let
them consume your life! How about this, tomorrow night, I’ll come over
and we’ll watch it together, okay? For now, go eat some oily takeout and
stare at Mr. Sexy Pants all night.” She giggled again and I glared at nothing
in particular.
 
“You’re the worst best friend,” I muttered, tracing an invisible
pattern on my shirt.
 
She laughed again and I sighed. “Okay, go and have fun in there.
And text me when you get home safely! And don’t go home with a stranger
that looks like he has an STD!” I warned, smiling a little at her happiness.
 
I practically felt her rolling her eyes. “Okay, mom.” She laughed
again before we said our goodbyes and hung up the phone. I turned around
to open the door again but let my hand rest on the cool metal as an idea
popped into my mind. Adrian was keeping me here by force, so I didn’t
have to be cooperative, right? I decided that I was going to give him the
silent treatment the entire night.
 
My lips stretched into a smug smile as I opened the door and left
my office to make my way over to his. I pushed open his door and Adrian
looked up from his position near my things on the sofa. “I ended up
ordering pizza, is that okay?” he asked, cocking his head to the side as he
waited for my answer.
 
I shrugged, not wanting to say anything. I was hoping he ordered a
cheese pizza, because that’s the only kind I liked.
 
“Okay. I ordered cheese because I didn’t know what you liked.
Let’s get started.” He beckoned me over and patted the seat beside him, and
I made my way over to it slowly, avoiding his gaze in the process. He had
moved my papers onto the table in front of the sofa and had the draft
planner out in front of him as the main focus of the papers.
 
“I have a crucial conference call next Friday with my business
partner in New Zealand,” he said once I was seated beside him. “We need to
put that in as the main focus point for Friday.”
  
He shifted toward me, closing the small space that I had purposely
left between us. I looked up to meet his gaze and glared. He just looked at
me with that grin of his. I sighed in frustration before I moved the position
of my work bag to my lap, and rummaged inside it for some spare paper
and my pen. Something red flashed in my side vision, but I decided to
ignore it as I pulled out my favourite pen in triumph.
 
I wrote down what he said on the spare sheet of paper I found
before turning around to find Adrian’s smug smirk on his face once again.
After a short moment, he held up a bright red lace thong by the corners of
the garment, and my eyes widened in disbelief as my cheeks flamed from
embarrassment.
 
“Are you doing to wear this for me?”
 
“What the hell are you doing?” I shrieked, my voice coming out
high pitched from embarrassment. I did not put that in my bag. I didn’t even
own anything like that! I desperately raked my memory to see who went
near my work bag recently, and instantly glared at the painting Adrian had
in his office across from the sofa as I remembered Molly giggling
hysterically on the Sunday they were all over. So this was why.
 
“They’re not mine,” I stated, the heat just burning in my cheeks.
 
“Are you sure about that? You don’t have to hide it from me. In
fact, it kind of makes me wonder what you’re wearing underneath that sexy
skirt of yours right now…” He trailed off and leaned in so that his face was
inches away from mine. His infamous smirk never left his lips and my
breathing hitched in my throat from the close proximity.
 
I felt one of his hands on my thigh and I instantly stiffened at the
contact, unsure of how to react. I thought of my best friend, who was
currently enjoying herself at a club. If this was Amy, she’d jump him. But I
wasn’t Amy.
 
 My shocked expression turned into a frown as my common sense
came back to me like an invisible slap to the face. I glared into his hazel
eyes before I placed my hand over his to stop it from going any further.
“Mr. Kingston,” I told him in a cool voice while I held his gaze steadily.
“I’d appreciate it if we focused solely on the work in front of us.”
 
The smug expression never left his face as he stared back at me for
a few moments, before he nodded and turned his attention back to the draft
planner. He removed his warm hand from my thigh, instantly making the
area cold from the sudden exposure.
 
“Of course, Ms. Johnson,” he said. As he studied his schedule more
closely, his smug expression turned into a frown.
 
“I need to host a charity dinner next Saturday, so put that in and tell
Suzie to organise it. Tell her I want it to be like an auction, where 10 of my
female workers are put in front of the audience and auctioned off for the
night. Tell her to put the ones she knows to be gold diggers, or just plain
easy. You’ll also have to be put in, I’m sorry.” He saw me grimace at the
idea and explained, “They’ll get suspicious if I don’t involve my assistant.”
 
“What do you mean ‘auctioned off for the night’?” I asked,
suddenly feeling nervous.
 
“Do you remember David Walter?” I cringed as the mental image of
the middle-aged man wrapping an arm around my waist resurfaced in my
mind. I nodded at him to continue.
 
“Well,” he explained, “he, along with a lot of other men, come to
these things. Their wallets are fat and they tend to think with their male
region more than their brains.”
 
“You mean like you do?” I raised my eyebrows as a slight sneer
pulled at my lips.
 
 Adrian glared. “Ha-ha. If we prep you all up professionally, they’ll
pay a lot of money to take you home for the night where they can do what
they like. The girls are cooperative.”
 
My expression turned disgusted. “The girls may be cooperative but
I sure as hell am not! I don’t want to go home with some pervert stranger
for the night just because ‘they’ll get suspicious’ if I’m not an option!
That’s disgusting.” I scrunched my nose up as I imaged David Walter
smiling at me smugly. I shuddered in fear before looking back up at Adrian.
“Please, Adrian,” I begged, “Don’t make me do this.”
 
He gave me an apologetic look before his expression turned hard. “I
don’t like the idea of anyone taking you home either. I’ll take care of it,
don’t worry. For the time being, you’re one of the candidates.” His tone
closed off the topic, so I sighed and finished writing the rest of the
information down before Adrian’s work phone shrilled with a ring.
 
He got up from his position beside me and answered it swiftly.
“Yes.” There was a pause before Adrian spoke up again. “Let him up,” he
ordered, before putting the phone back in its position and looking at me.
“Pizza’s here,” he announced, taking his seat beside me again. I nodded and
began to move all the stray papers around the table to make enough room
for the box. Just as I finished, there was a knock at the door.
 
Adrian got up instantly and pulled out his wallet.
 
“That’ll be $14.50,” I heard someone say. I saw Adrian pull out a
$50 note and hand it over to the delivery boy.
 
“Keep the change,” he said dismissively, waving the boy off before
shutting the door. The smell of the cheesy food hit me like a shock wave,
and my stomach grumbled loudly before I could try and stop it from
happening.
 
I began blushing furiously as Adrian looked over at me in surprise.
He chuckled, placing the box of pizza and the bottle of drink on the table.
“Should I have ordered another box?” he teased.
 
“Shut up,” I muttered, avoiding his gaze as my blush deepened.
 
He walked over to his office and opened a side draw, pulling out
two coffee mugs and taking his original position on the sofa. “They’re
clean,” he assured me as I glanced at the cups with a cautious expression.
 
I took out my pocket tissues and gave them both a wipe over – just
in case – before we dug in. By the time we had finished the pizza, we had
the whole of next week sorted to Adrian’s satisfaction and I had a rough
overview of what he wanted for the week after. We discarded the empty
pizza box and drink bottle to the side of the sofa before Adrian took a sip
from his cup and spoke up.
 
“I’m going to give you $6,000 for your dress and shoes this time.
You can keep the rest if you don’t spend it all. I’ll also get Rita to do your
hair again, and you’re makeup-”
 
“Will be done by me,” I cut him off. “I’m not a fan of makeup,
Adrian. I prefer to do it myself.”
 
“You look sexy either way – I was just trying to make less of a
workload for you.”
 
I blushed and smiled slightly. “Thank you, but I’ll be fine.”
 
“You’ll be more than fine, shortcake, believe me.” His eyes raked
over the length of my body, and he licked his lips and smirked.
 
I rolled my eyes and shoved his arm playfully, before focusing my
attention back on the planner. “So for the conference next Wednesday, do
you need me there?” I asked, picking up my pen again to write any
additional notes down.
 
 I felt his arm wrap around my waist and I let out a surprise gasp as
he pulled me into his solid torso. He looked down at me with a rakish grin.
“I need you everywhere, shortcake. Especially in my bedroom where we
can have-”
 
“Don’t you dare finish that sentence, Kingston,” I warned, placing
my index finger on his lips to stop him from talking. He chuckled before I
felt him nip a bite at my finger, making another surprised gasp leave my
mouth.
 
“Yes, you need to be there taking notes while we talk,” he said,
“Who knows, maybe your pretty little head will help us come up with new
advertising strategies for our New Zealand hotel.” He poked my forehead a
few times before placing a peck on it so quickly I had no opportunity to pull
away. I shook my head at his behaviour but moved on, writing down his
instructions onto my notebook. I finished with a flourish and checked the
time on my phone.
 
“It’s late,” I said, shutting my notebook and placing it in my bag. “I
should be getting home.”
 
“Come over,” he said, and I turned back around to him surprise. I
opened my mouth to object but he cut me off before I could even begin.
“Please, Emily. I won’t try anything. It’ll be like last time.” He looked like a
shy child who had just entered a toy store, hope shining in his eyes.
 
“Adrian,” I sighed, his expression making me feel guilty for
declining. “I can’t… it’s not right. I mean, we’ve only known each other for
two weeks – and the last time I came over was just that – the last time.” I bit
my lip as I watched his hope fade and his expression turn dark.
 
He looked away from me before I could see where else it would go.
 
“Fine,” he snapped, extracting his arm from around my waist before
getting up from his seat next to me in an instant. “I’ll see you on Monday,
Ms. Johnson. Have a nice weekend.” He finished with a cold voice, before
disappearing into the unknown room that was connected to his office. He
slammed the door shut behind him.
 
I stared at the shiny, glass matte door in shock for a few moments
before sighing and packing up the remaining papers into my bag. Adrian
was more Bi-Polar than Australia’s weather – which, from what I’ve seen,
is pretty bi-polar. And his mood swings always had something to do with
me. I slung my bag over my shoulder and wondered why, as I got up from
my seat and cast one more look at the door Adrian disappeared into.
 
Just when I thought we were making progress, I thought to myself
as I left his office and walked to the elevators.
 
My mind was on Adrian the entire way home.
 
As I turned the key to my apartment, I remembered something
important and let out a shocked gasp.
 
The red thong was still in Adrian’s office.
 
Blushing, I shook off the image of Adrian, smirking as he held the
garment, which had come unbidden into my mind.
 
 
 
 
Chapter Seven
 
 
 
“YOU’RE DOING WHAT?!” Amy screeched, dropping her phone
in shock. I let out a surprised squeak and picked it up for her as she stayed
in the same disbelieving position. “You’re going to be a prostitute for the
night?!” Amy asked, in the same high-pitched tone of disbelief.
 
I frowned, not liking the way she was taking the news of me being
an involuntary volunteer for the charity dinner on Saturday. “It’s not like
I’m doing it by choice,” I grumbled, sinking onto the soft mattress on her
bed. “Plus, Adrian said he’ll take care of it. I’m sure he won’t let me go
home with a stranger…” Or at least, I hoped he wouldn’t. Ever since our
tiny disagreement last Friday, Adrian had been giving me the cold shoulder
the entire week so far, only talking to me when it was necessary.
 
“No way. There is no way in hell that I am letting you go through
with this. Not you! No! You won’t even look at a guy on the street unless
you knew him well enough to know his middle name!” Amy jumped onto
her queen sized bed beside me. Unlike me, Amy had to wear flannel pajama
pants no matter what season it was – in contrast to my underwear-only
policy.
 
“Like it said, I’m not doing it by choice. I’m his assistant; I have to
be one of the candidates. Just, don’t worry about it. Can you just go crazy
again and find me a dress? Buy yourself a new pair of heels while you’re at
it as well; your snakeskin Louboutin’s are getting kind of worn out.” I threw
a meaningful glance in the direction of the pointed, red outer sole of the
snakeskin printed heels in the corner of her bedroom.
 
 Her disapproving expression suddenly changed to one of
excitement. “$5,000 to spend!” she declared with a determined expression.
“Ah! Okay, let’s do this.” She got under her bed sheets and placed the silver
laptop on her thighs. She lifted the screen open and I decided that I was
going to catch up on some television while she went shopping for a dress.
 
“No colour scheme this time, right?” she asked, casting a sideways
glance at my zoned out expression. I shook my head, not taking my eyes off
the television.
 
“You know, I think Adrian will end up doing something really
romantic on Saturday that will assure you that your private parts are safe
from those horn dogs. You just wait and see.” I turned around to give Amy
a flat expression at her smug smile, then it occurred to me that I hadn’t
actually told her that we got into a slight disagreement on Friday night,
because I was bombarding her with questions about her night.
 
“About that…” I began, a sheepish smile crawling onto my lips.
 
Her head snapped in my direction so fast, that I thought her neck
had broken in the process. “What. Haven’t. You. Told. Me.” She said
slowly, glaring.
 
I picked at my nails before meeting her eyes again with a guilty
smile. “Please don’t kill me! I had just forgotten to mention it to you…”
 
“Well, hurry up then! What happened between you two?! I swear to
God, Emily Johnson, if you have withheld the news of a shared kiss
between you two I will suffocate you with my pillows.” Her eyes narrowed
even further into a death glare.
 
“No, no! We did not kiss. That won’t happen, believe me. We did…
kind of get into a fight on Friday night though.”
 
“Over what?!” she exclaimed, and she put the laptop down on the
space between us. My eyes briefly flickered over to the bright screen, and I
saw rows of gorgeous dresses, but couldn’t stare at them any longer because
Amy snapped the laptop shut with her hand.
 
“Sorry. It was really nothing. I don’t know why he’s still upset over
it. I mean, it’s not like I haven’t rejected him before…” I trailed off, my
own thoughts stopping me from continuing the story. Why was he so
worked up over it? I mean, the last time I had gone over, all we did was
sleep and eat brunch together. It was nothing major.
 
“What happened?!” she screeched, pulling me back into reality.
 
“Well, we were actually having an okay time, you know? Then I
mentioned that I have to get home and he invited me over, again. I said no,
and, well, I don’t know. He just became all snappy and disappeared into a
door that’s in his office. Then, when I went to drop off his planner on
Sunday, he wasn’t home. The maid that cleans his house took it from me
and told me that he stayed at a girl’s place.” I shrugged, not really knowing
what else to say.
 
Amy gave me a look that I thought would burn my skin. “Did you
just give me a brief version of a story involving Adrian Kingston?” she
asked, clenching her teeth together angrily.
 
“Ames, are you due for your period soon?” I asked in amusement,
as her angry expression turned into one of confusion. “I don’t know. Hey,
I’ll check!” she chirped, suddenly cheery again as she reached for her phone
and went on the period tracker app that she had installed. “Huh, would you
look at that,” she said, before shoving the phone right to the tip of my nose.
“I’m due in 3 days.” She smiled widely.
 
I raised my eyebrows at her happiness towards being due for what I
thought was a monthly visit from death, but didn’t question her behaviour.
“Anyway, it’s getting late, and we both have work tomorrow-”
 
“I have to find your dress by 12AM tonight or else it won’t come in
on time! You go to sleep, I’ll take care of it. It’s too early for my bedtime
anyway, granny.”
 
I rolled my eyes before switching the television off. “Suit yourself,”
I said in mid-yawn, “I trust your taste anyway. Thanks so much, Ames.
Goodnight.”
 
“I’m here to help!” she said. “I’ll take a photo of the dress once I
find it and show it to you tomorrow before we go to work.”
 
I nodded and set my alarms before taking off my bra and getting in
a comfortable position to sleep.
 
***
 
“Suzie, please let me help,” I implored her. “It’s a lot of work to put
an entire event together in a week! It’s tomorrow, how about you rest for the
day and I’ll do the rest of the last-minute preparations?” I watched her
scrawl something down on a sheet of paper.
 
“Oh no, I couldn’t do that to you, sweetie. I’m fine, honestly. Don’t
you have an important conference call to be in -” she checked the small
clock on her desk before looking back up at me, “-10 minutes?” she asked,
raising an eyebrow with an amused expression at my miserable look.
 
“Yes, but-”
 
“Ms. Johnson.” I heard Adrian’s deep British accent from
somewhere behind me, cutting my explanation to Suzie off. “We need to set
up for the conference call.”
 
I rearranged my features to a neutral expression before turning
around and nodding calmly, before picking up the files I had put down
beside me and following him down the hall to the elevator.
 
Under normal circumstances, the ride down to the third level and
the quiet walk down the hall to the largest conference room in the building
would’ve been comfortable and over in under a few minutes. Due to
Adrian’s quiet and gloomy attitude towards me though, it felt like it had
taken hours, and the high-pitched sound of a cricket stirring into life was all
the silence needed to confirm that it was one thing – awkward.
 
Once we reached the conference room, I immediately logged in and
began setting up the camera while Adrian got comfortable in one of the
seats closest to the large, flat screen that covered almost the entire wall. I
placed all the necessary paperwork in front of him before going back to
where the Mac computer was and patiently waited for the 10 minutes to be
up.
 
Adrian, on the other hand, had no patience at all. “Just call now,” he
snapped at me. “I don’t have time to wait.”
 
I instantly jumped and pressed the call button on the flat screen
computer. Small beeping noises filled the room, confirming that the
connection was secure and that the phone call was going through.
 
After a few more rings, a man appeared on the screen, frowning
slightly. “You’re a little early, Mr. Kingston.”
 
“Only by five minutes; I have other matters to attend to,” he said in
a cold, snappy tone. In response, the other man’s expression turned to one
of pure business and a little fear. “Now, brief me on the previous
advertisements used before we begin.”
 
As instructed, the man launched into an explanation of the
advertisements they had developed in the New Zealand branch for Kingston
Corp.
 
Deciding that was my cue to set up the conference room, I scurried
around the table quietly while I set up the next meeting that was going to be
held in here in half an hour. I zoned out of the conversation that was taking
place in front of me, until Adrian’s voice brought me back to reality.
 
 “That is my assistant. You have no business with her.” His harsh
tone had lashed out, and my head snapped in his direction, before my gaze
trailed over to the man on the screen, who was staring at me.
 
A blush made its way to my cheeks as I awkwardly cleared my
throat and continued setting up the paperwork in front of each chair that
was placed around the table, until the man spoke up again.
 
“What’s her name?” he asked, and I frowned slightly, thinking, I’m
in the same room, you know.
 
“Mr. Evans. If you wish to keep your position – no, your job – then
I suggest you listen to my advice when I say that you have no business with
her.”
 
I looked over at Adrian to find his jaw clenched as he threw a
ferocious glare in the direction of the man on the screen, and my eyes
widened slightly.
 
“Sorry, Mr. Kingston,” Mr. Evans muttered. “It won’t happen
again.” The conversation steered back to business. The conference call
ended about 15 minutes after that encounter, when I was already seated by
the computer and ready to switch everything off. Once I was done, I looked
over at Adrian for his next assignment.
 
“What do you think we should do?” he asked after a short silence,
his voice coming out emotionless.
 
I tried to mask my surprise before answering. “About the
improvement? Personally, I don’t believe what they’ve created is good at
all. You want to convince the consumer that the hotel is a safe place to stay
in with a family; for example, showing what the hotel has to offer children.
I mean, there are tennis courts and swimming pools in the New Zealand one
as well, right? You also want to show that an individual can relax during
their stay there. Show the massaging places and spa resorts you have there
as well.
  
“Sex appeal being the only aspect of the advertisement isn’t really
going to get you anywhere unless you’re aiming the advertisement at horny
teenagers,” I finished, biting my lip.
 
Adrian looked deep in thought for a few moments, rubbing his
jawline and frowning slightly before I saw him nod slightly in agreement.
“You’re right. Email what you just said, over to the New Zealand office and
tell them I approve.” I nodded briefly to acknowledge his order while
writing it down in my notebook as a reminder.
 
“Anything else?” I asked once I was done.
 
“Have you found a dress for tomorrow’s fundraiser?” he asked,
slightly raising one eyebrow in my direction.
 
I got out of my seated position and nodded slightly as the image of
the dress Amy had sent me from her phone this morning popped up in my
mind. The dress was much more decent than the last one she had chosen,
and I thanked her countless times during the morning rush before work. She
told me she only bought it because she didn’t want any horn dogs to be
perving at my deadly curves; although the dress still barely covered
anything and looked like it would stick like a second skin from the top half.
Amy had also bought a pair of nude heels to go with the dress, and I
squealed in delight once she had told me they were Christian Louboutin’s.
 
“Good,” he nodded, before everything became silent again. I
frowned as I realised that Adrian had started the conversation first this time,
and spoke before I could stop myself.
 
“You spoke to me,” I blurted, instantly flushing all over in
embarrassment.
 
He took in my flushed state thoughtfully, before speaking up. “I
always speak to you?” he said, although it sounded more like a question.
 
 “No… you haven’t really, uh, um… forget it,” I mumbled, going
redder in the face as I looked down at my black skirt.
 
I didn’t hear him get out of his seat, but suddenly, he was standing
directly in front of me, his towering form looking down at me as he hooked
his index finger around my chin and pulled my head up to meet his gaze.
 
“Tell me,” he demanded, staring into my eyes. My mind blanked
temporarily as the intensity of his gaze distracted me from my thoughts.
 
“Uh…” I tried to recall the events that occurred a few minutes ago.
“It’s just… Well, I feel as if you’ve been avoiding me for the past week,” I
admitted. I broke away from his gaze.
 
“I have,” he responded flatly, making my eyes snap back to his face
in surprise. No one with a sane mind admits something like that so casually!
I thought to myself as my frown reappeared on my face.
 
“Why?” I found myself asking before my brain could respond to the
moving muscles of my lips.
 
He shrugged, suddenly pulling away from me. “You annoyed me
last Friday.”
 
My eyebrows shot up in disbelief. “I annoyed you?!” I exclaimed,
“Who was the one who was constantly nagging me to stay at their place
overnight, even after the countless times I clearly said no?!”
 
“That’s why you annoyed me. If you didn’t say no in the first place,
I wouldn’t have ‘nagged’ you to come over.” He shrugged.
 
“What-” I shook my head and closed my eyes as I tried to calm
down. “Now you’re making it out like it’s my fault that you didn’t talk to
me.”
 
“It is your fault,” he simply stated.
  
I started to smile, thinking he admitted I was right, before his words
fully registered in my brain. “You’re impossible!” I declared, huffing in
defeat.
 
He chuckled and placed a peck on my forehead before I had time to
pull away, and I glared at his smirk. “You know, a synonym for impossible
is incredible. So you’re saying I’m incredible. Thank you, but I already
know that.” He boasted, pulling me into his torso by wrapping his arms
around my waist with an iron grip.
 
I rolled my eyes at his arrogance. “Whatever you say, Adrian,” I
said, mocking. “You’re the boss.”
 
The charity fundraiser suddenly appeared in my mind, making a
small frown replace my mocking expression. “Adrian… I don’t want to go
home with a stranger tomorrow…” I trailed off, biting my bottom lip at the
thought of David Walter’s sickly smug smile violating me with his eyes as
he put money on me.
 
Adrian’s amused expression suddenly darkened, and his iron grip –
if possible, became tighter around my waist. “I’ll take care of it,” he
reassured me, mirroring my frown.
 
I studied his expression briefly before my mind decided it was safe
to trust him, and my stiff body relaxed slightly in his hold, making his
frown also disappear and his all too famous smirk return to his lips.
 
“Who knows, maybe you’ll get to go home with me.”
 
My relaxed expression instantly transformed into a glare as my
head snapped up to meet his amused gaze.
 
“I’m kidding,” he said. “I can’t participate – I’m the one hosting the
event.”
 
 Surprisingly, a rush of disappoint flowed through my body as the
words left his mouth, and I slumped slightly in his hold. His eyebrows shot
up in surprise and I began to blush furiously.
 
“Unless… you want it to happen?”
 
“No!” I exclaimed too quickly, my cheeks heating up even further.
“No… I just…” I trailed off, frowning as I quickly racked my brain for a
valid excuse. The reality of the situation was I didn’t even know myself. “I
just prefer to go with you than with anyone else,” I finally said, both to him
and myself.
 
“I’ll take care of it, Emily,” he reassured me, looking down at me
with an expression I hadn’t seen come across his handsome features before,
“I promise.”
 
I nodded before smiling slightly at him. “I know you will. Thank
you.” I wrapped my own arms around his waist as I pulled him into a hug.
Adrian instantly pressed himself against me and rubbed my back
comfortingly, making the small smile stay glued onto my lips from the
comforting gesture.
 
“Mr. Kingston, I – oh! I’m very sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt
anything!” Suzie squeaked, and I instantly flushed as I tried to pull away
from Adrian – who kept me in his iron grip hug.
 
“You’re not interrupting, Mrs. Brown. What can I do for you?”
Adrian asked, smirking down at me as he said the words. I looked over to
Suzie in mortification and found her giving us an amused glance before
clearing her throat.
 
“I received a call from your parents, confirming their appearance at
the fundraiser. Where would like them to be seated?” she asked, smiling
slightly as the blush continued to blaze my cheeks.
 
 “Put them on my table. I also need you to add an extra chair in
between Allen and me. Anything else?” he asked, finally tearing his gaze
away from my mortified expression to look over at Suzie, who was
scribbling down the new information in a small notepad she was holding.
 
“No that was all, Mr. Kingston.” She gave me one last amused
glance before scurrying down the hall. As soon as she was out of earshot,
my head snapped back towards Adrian’s smirking expression and I glared.
 
“Let go. Do you know what she was probably thinking when she
saw us?!” I exclaimed, placing my hands on his muscled arms in an attempt
to pull them away from my waist.
 
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” He chuckled at my failed
attempt to move his arms, and I huffed and slumped in his hold in defeat,
already tired from trying to pry his arms away.
 
“It is a bad thing!” I exclaimed, groaning as his smirk grew at my
miserable state.
 
“Come on,” he said suddenly, ignoring my attempts to reason with
him. “Let’s go get some lunch.”
 
I frowned, giving him a confused look. “You have a meeting in here
in, like, 15 minutes,” I pointed out.
 
His grip around my waist began to loosen and disappointment took
me by surprise once again as it flooded through my veins. I didn’t show it
this time though, and it didn’t last long because he had left one arm around
my waist and pulled me into his side as he shrugged and began walking out
of the conference room.
 
“I was merely going to be here to decide the final outcome of the
meeting. They can tell me the proposals they came up with later and I’ll tell
them which one I want. I’m the boss, remember?” He smirked, slightly
squeezing my size with his arm and I instantly began blushing again.
  
“It’s not my lunch break yet,” I argued, before I kept my eyes glued
to the floor as we passed the marketing department – which I recently found
out is where all of Adrian’s ‘special’ workers were located. The idea of the
girls being in his office began to anger me, before my eyes went wide with
realisation and I kept my face blank. What the hell?
 
“Again, Shortcake. I’m the boss.” He reminded me, pressing the
elevator button before looking down at me and smirking once again.
 
“Right, right. Sorry, Boss.” I teased him as the elevator door
‘dinged’ open, signaling for us to enter the spacious square area. He
chuckled before pressing the ground floor button and the elevators began to
slide shut. Just before they closed completely, I saw Anna and a few other
women glaring daggers at me – as well as Adrian’s hand that was wrapped
around my waist – and I frowned slightly before the doors completely
sealed off any eye contact I could have with them.
 
“Try not to look as sexy as you did at the business dinner tomorrow
night, okay? I don’t want anyone bidding on you.” Adrian said, glaring
slightly at the silver doors in front of us.
 
I turned to face him and frowned. “Why are you so insistent on me
doing my hair professionally and wearing expensive dresses then?” I asked.
 
“That’s just because I like to spoil you.” He shrugged, as we
reached the ground floor. “That, and the fact that you get all dolled up
because I told you to; not any other man.” He smiled rakishly and I rolled
my eyes at the last part, blushing as we made our way over to a sleek, black
Audi modelled sports car. Adrian pulled out a set of keys from his pant
pocket.
 
My eyes widened at the beauty before my eyes before I looked over
at Adrian with a desperate expression. “Please tell me that’s the car we’re
taking, and please tell me you’re going to let me drive it.”
 
 “You’re privileged I’m even letting you inside it. My best friend
hasn’t even stepped foot in her. She’s my baby.” He patted the sleek black
metal lovingly, before wiping the spot he touched with his suit sleeve, and I
couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m being serious. No one, apart from myself, has
been in this car. It’s that special to me. Consider yourself very special.” He
smirked, before getting in the car and opening the door from the inside –
which opened upwards instead of outwards – making me fall in love with it
even more.
 
“I think I’m in love,” I sighed as I slipped into the smooth, red
leather seat and let the smell of the car engulf my senses. It smelled strongly
of Adrian’s musky scent, and new leather.
 
“I knew it’d only be a matter of time before I got you to fall for
me,” Adrian teased, making me shake my head at him in amused dismay.
 
“I was talking to the car,” I grinned, winking, and he raised an
eyebrow before his own grin abruptly broke out, taking me by surprise. His
pearly white teeth shone in a straight line, surrounded by his dark red lips.
Deep dimples completed his million-dollar smile.
 
I realised then that I was staring, and turned away, going red in the
cheeks again.
 
“Let’s go eat,” I mumbled, pressing the button down firmly for the
door to seal off the outside world from the beauty of the car. I barely heard
Adrian’s sigh as the car roared to life, and he sped down the road in an
instant, leaving my embarrassed thoughts behind at the office as I squealed
in excitement.
 
I loved my job.
 
 
  
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 whore.” 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.
 
 
  
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.
 
 
 
  
Chapter 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 fondle
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.
 
“Fuck 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.
 
  
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 FUCK 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 fuck 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 fuck,” 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 FUCK?!” 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 fuck 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.
 
Chapter Fifteen
 
 
 
“I am not letting you work in Walmart when you have a résumé
made of gold!” Amy scowled, shutting my laptop with vicious force before
I was able to submit my online job application on the website of one of the
most well-known stores in America.
 
“But Ames, it’s been an entire month since I became jobless, and
this is the only thing I can find!” I whined, pouting as I looked at her
infuriated expression.
 
“That’s because you’re an idiot who quit working for a billion-
dollar company that was paying you freaking perfectly!” she exclaimed,
calling me an idiot for the 28th time this month ever since I informed her of
my new jobless status. “You should’ve just left the room instead of
quitting!”
 
“And let him have the satisfaction of pushing me around?” I
pointed out, feeling my eyebrows knit together as the memory of Adrian’s
lips against mine in California, along with all the crappy fallout that
happened after, appeared in my mind. “No way! I stood up for myself – it
was the right thing to do. Plus, I should’ve quit as soon as we kissed.”
 
“Ugh, Emily! He was freaking jealous of the fact that the dude in
the meeting was hitting on you! That’s why he was so angry! You’re an
idiot for quitting!” Amy scowled, glaring at my sloppy form from across the
sofa.
 
I matched her expression before replying. “I get it! I’m an idiot for
quitting! You’ve made that pretty clear! But it’s done and there’s nothing I
can do about it. Adrian probably has a new assistant by now – who he’s
probably banging as we speak – and he’s definitely forgotten about me.
What’s done is done.” I sighed in defeat. “Now, will you stop being a pain
in my ass for like two seconds and help your best friend find a job that’ll
help her continue to get through the expenses of rent and bills for the rest of
her lonely life?”
 
Amy’s expression softened a little before she sank into the sofa
miserably. “Fine.” She groaned. “I hope you thank God every day for
having a friend like me,” she said, giving me a warning look.
 
“Every day.” I grinned slyly, sarcasm dripping from my tone.
 
She gave me a glare. “And I need to remind you – just once more!
You’re an idiot for quitting.”
 
“Duly noted. Can we find me a job now?” I pouted, passing the
laptop over to her cautiously, afraid she might attack it once again.
 
“Yes. Let me work my magic on the World Wide Web.” She opened
the silver electronic device that was occupying the space on her lap.
“Anyway, how’s Allen?” she asked curiously. “Still hasn’t spoken to you
since that mysterious and very vague text message he sent you two weeks
ago?”
 
I sighed as Allen’s smiling face and short text flashed through my
mind. Allen had texted me two weeks ago telling me he was sorry for what
had happened with Adrian, and that it was his fault that I quit – which it
wasn’t. He also said that he couldn’t see or talk to me anymore, even
though he really wanted to, because of certain promises he made with a
certain asshole that I stopped working for a month ago.
 
“Still the same,” I finally replied, pulling myself out of my
thoughts.
 
 “I think Adrian is super jealous that you two get along so well, so
he made Allen stop talking to you since he couldn’t make you do it. Allen
must really value his friendship with Adrian for listening to him!” Amy
raised her eyebrows at me, and asked, as if in challenge, “Would you do
that for me?”
 
I glared before scoffing. “Of course not. I hate you.” I smirked as
her expression transformed to a look of shock, making me laugh. “I’m
kidding. And stop having the whole ‘Adrian is jealous because he likes you’
idea in your mind. It’s unhealthy.” I tried to stifle my laughter and give her
a mocking grimace.
 
“FANTASIZING ABOUT A BOSS YOU KISSED THEN QUIT
WORKING FOR IS UNHEALTHY!” Amy shouted back, throwing a
pillow at my face. It hit me with an unexpected force, and I groaned as the
pressure of the soft material hit my nose harder than anticipated.
 
I rubbed at it in pain before glaring at her, blushing slightly. “I do
not fantasize about him!” I hissed, growing even more embarrassed once I
saw her knowing look.
 
“And I don’t fantasize about Ian Somerhalder,” Amy said in a sing-
song tone, smiling smugly. “All is right in the world once again!”
 
“Shut up.” I scowled.
 
She giggled before her fingers stopped moving the mouse. “I think
I’ve found a job that you’ll be able to do very well and has good pay. Not as
good as Adrian’s pay was – and you’re an idiot for quitting – but it’s good
enough.” Amy handed the laptop over to me. “Want to go for it?”
 
I scanned the website for the small business briefly before groaning.
“It’s a shipping business for underwear. Why – Oh, the pay does sound
good. Okay, yeah, why not.” I pressed my lips together determinedly, the
clicked ‘submit’ on the site, officially sending in my résumé.
 
 ***
 
“I can’t do this anymore!” I exclaimed, tossing my tacky work hat
carelessly on Amy’s tabletop before kicking off my flats angrily. “How can
one person ‘accidently’ grope the same ass more than 6 times in two
weeks?! I don’t care how much money they give me – I’m sick of Mr.
Cooper’s wrinkly hands touching me every time we’re in the same room!” I
shuddered, before throwing a panicked look in Amy’s direction.
 
She was giggling at me, and my look turned into a glare. “What the
hell is so funny?!” I demanded with wide eyes, putting my hands on my
hips.
 
“You’ve got some blue powder on you. Is that – no, it can’t be.
Viagra? Did you and Mr. Cooper do something naughty today?” Amy
responded, waggling her eyebrows before bursting into a fit of laughter at
her own joke.
 
I scowled before taking off my work shirt and throwing it at her.
“That wasn’t even funny,” I snapped, releasing my hair from its tight
ponytail and walking over to her room to put on a comfortable shirt.
 
“It actually was. You’re just not in the mood to laugh. But anyway,
what did I tell you? You’re an idiot for quitting Kingston Corp. In all
seriousness now,” fittingly, all laughter began to fade from her expression.
”I think you should quit this job. You hate it, you work really long hours,
you have a perv of a boss that is older than my grandfather and you’re
doing things that are way beneath your skills! I wouldn’t have let you
choose this job if I knew it was going to make you this miserable.”
 
I sighed and shook my head. “I can’t do that. I need the money. I
don’t care how bad it is. Sorry for blowing up at you about it all the time.”
 
Amy hit my arm lightly. “What the hell am I here for? We vent to
each other all the time. It’s a part of the best friend job description.” She
winked. “Come on, let’s make some dinner and watch a movie before you
go home,” Amy suggested as I pulled my shirt on.
 
“Good idea. Will you get started? I just need to call my parents.”
 
Amy nodded and left me alone in the room just as I pressed the call
button on my mom’s phone number – bracing myself for a scolding.
 
She picked up on the fourth ring. “I’m sorry, who is this? My
daughter Emily? No, sorry, you must have the wrong number. I don’t have a
daughter named Emily. Wait, maybe I do? I wouldn’t know because SHE
HASN’T CALLED ME IN FOUR DAYS!” My mom screeched through the
receiver of the phone, making me laugh in response.
 
“Hello to you too, mom.”
 
“Hello to me too?” she exclaimed. “That’s all you have to say? Is
there a man in your life, Emily? Is that what keeps you from calling me? Do
you know how worried I’ve been not hearing from you for four days? I
thought you were kidnapped or- or- or dead!”
 
I rolled my eyes. “Mom, I’ve texted you every day.”
 
“How am I supposed to know that’s you and not some sick
kidnapper who’s acting as you so that I don’t get suspicious and call the
police?!” she responded skeptically.
 
I sighed and shook my head at her paranoia. “Would the kidnapper
have known that Blake was coming down in two weeks and said yes I’m
coming as well? Wait – don’t answer that. I’m fine. How are you and dad?”
I asked, desperately trying to change the subject.
 
“We’re fine. How is your new job?” mom asked. She didn’t wait for
a response, however, going right into things I didn’t really want to talk
about. “Honey,” she said, “I still can’t believe you quit working for
Kingston Corp. You know we got a call from Mr. Kingston himself the
other day? Not Adrian Kingston – his father. He asked me if you lived here
and when I said no, he told me to try and convince you to go back and work
for Kingston Corp again. He told me you were one of the best people on the
team, and really helped Adrian Kingston stay out of trouble and run the
company well! So what happened? Why would you quit such an amazing
job?”
 
I could practically feel the curiosity leaking out of the pores of her
skin through the small device that was pressed up against my ear.
 
I sighed and bit my lip in thought, trying to think of a way to
arrange my words carefully, before responding. “I just didn’t feel like that
job was the right one for me,” I finally replied, awaiting her next scolding
response.
 
“You’re an idiot,” mum commented after a short silence, making
me almost drop my phone in shock.
 
‘What?!” I replied with wide eyes.
 
“You’re an idiot for quitting,” she simply repeated, and I groaned at
her words. “You sound exactly like Amy right now!” I mumbled.
 
“That’s because Amy is right, and clearly has much more sense in
her brain than you do! That job had fantastic pay, and was comfortable! You
would’ve eventually gotten used to it if you stayed in it for more than a
month and a half!” she took a deep breath and calmed down a little. “It’s
only been two months. I’m sure Adrian Kingston will take you back, he
seems like a lovely young man.”
 
I groaned. “Mom. I have a job, and I am not going back there.
Look, I’ve had this conversation a million times before and I know the drill,
but honestly? I’m not going to crawl back and look pathetic. I need to go
help Amy with dinner, I’ll call you tomorrow and we’ll talk longer since it’s
my day off, okay? I love you.”
 
 “But Emily, you can’t just avoid this conversation because-”
 
“BYE MOM!” I said loudly, ending the call. I smiled down at the
blank screen of my phone before making my way over to the kitchen to
help Amy.
 
“She called you an idiot, didn’t she?” Amy asked with an amused
expression once I began peeling the potatoes.
 
“Shut up,” I mumbled moodily, hating the fact that she was right.
 
She laughed at my misery before she began to grill the chicken
breast pieces. “She’s right, you know. Anyway, first thing Monday morning,
you’re going to charge into that lovely underwear shipping office and leave
that awful boss of yours – along with that awful job – behind. We’ll start
searching for a new job as soon as you quit.”
 
I sighed and bit my lip at the thought of trying to be confident, but
nodded in agreement. “Okay. Thank you so much, Ames. I honestly don’t
know what I’d do without you,” I told her with full sincerity.
 
Amy just smiled in my direction before giving me a light pinch on
the cheeks. “That’s what I’m here for! Anyway, what movie tonight? I was
thinking between The Lion King or Now You See Me…” She trailed off in
thought. My mind instantly flashed back to the night I stayed at Adrian’s
apartment and we watched the movie together, and I began to tease him
about Dave Franco being way more attractive than he was. Adrian’s look of
disbelief was still imprinted in my mind clearly, and I found myself
unconsciously smiling.
 
I shook myself out of the flashback with wide eyes as the smile on
my face disappeared immediately. Why was I even thinking about that?
Adrian was not a part of my life anymore. It’s been well over a month, if he
wanted to be, he would’ve contacted me by now.
 
I pushed him out of my mind completely before shaking my head.
  
“Definitely The Lion King,” I finally responded after clearing my
throat, giving her a quick smile and going back to peel the last of the
potatoes.
 
“Yes!” Amy squealed excitedly, breaking into a little dance in her
cramped kitchen. “I was chanting in my mind in hopes that you would pick
it. I miss Simba!”
 
***
 
“I’m really sorry sir, but this is really short notice! Calling me at
12AM is hardly professional, for one, and I’ve already made plans with my
family tomorrow. I don’t think coming in to work alone with you is the best
idea. I apologise, but I really can’t make it.” I lied smoothly as I unlocked
the door to my apartment while struggling to hold my handbag and work
clothes in my other hand.
 
“Are you sure? I could really use your pair of hands to my
advantage,” Mr. Cooper responded, and I shuddered as the double meaning
behind his creepy words sank into my skin in an unpleasant manner.
 
I cringed as I stepped into my apartment clumsily. “Absolutely sure.
Sorry, Mr. Cooper. Have a nice night.” I tried to sound polite while
desperately working to end the conversation. In reality, his heavy breathing
coming though the phone was creeping me out more than usual, and I
closed my door extra quietly, afraid that he was going to hear the fact that I
was just returning home from Amy’s house.
 
“I guess that’s fine then. I will see you on Monday, yes?” he asked,
voice strained. His heavy breathing began to ease.
 
I locked my door cautiously, looking at the brass lock with wide
eyes before swallowing down my nerves. “Yes, Sir. Goodnight,” I tried
again, sounding less enthusiastic than before.
 
 “Is everything okay, Emily? Are you sure you don’t want to stay
talking on the phone with me?” Mr. Cooper asked, making my eyes widen
even more than before.
 
“Everything is fine. I’m sorry; I have to get some sleep. I have an
early start to the family event that is on tomorrow. Goodbye.” I tried to
emphasize again, discarding my work clothes on an abandoned chair in the
corner of my living room while flicking on the lamp on the table.
 
“Very well. Until Monday. Goodnight, Emily.”
 
I hung up before he had the chance to add anything else, and threw
my phone onto my sofa in panic, afraid that he’d pop out of the flat, glass
screen any second.
 
I’m definitely quitting on Monday morning, I thought to myself as I
took off my shoes beside the door. I would rather be homeless than work for
someone that old and creepy, and Amy was right; they were making me do
things that I learned in high school. I was better off somewhere where my
qualifications actually mattered.
 
I cautiously picked up my phone after double checking that
everything was locked and decided to type a quick text to Amy:
 
I’m home, and definitely quitting on Monday.
Creepy Cooper called me and asked me to come in and work with him tomorrow. Alone. Crazy man.
Anyway, thanks for the dinner, it’s at my place next time. Goodnight asshole :D
 
I sent the text message and picked up the book I was currently
reading from the coffee table, before making my way to my room. I threw it
on the bed and grabbed a random pair of clean underwear and a baggy shirt
from my drawers. I was dying to take a long, relaxing shower before bed, to
wash off all the fingerprints of my boss.
 
Once my skin felt raw from scrubbing, I stepped out of the shower
and quickly slipped on my clothes before brushing my hair and making my
way back to my bedroom. I jumped onto my bed and sighed in contentment
once I engulfed myself in the familiar sheets. I wriggled in the soft material
to get comfortable.
 
I checked my phone to see that I had received a text message from
Amy telling me that Mr. Cooper was creepy and that I was an idiot. I rolled
my eyes at her text and put my phone on the table beside my bed before
reaching over and opening the book to the chapter I was up to.
 
I had only read three words before a loud banging noise erupted
throughout my small apartment, making me freeze in fear. I quickly placed
my pink bookmark back in between the pages of the thick book and set it
aside cautiously, irrationally fearful that putting it down would set off
something else in the house. I looked around my bedroom with wide eyes.
 
The banging noise began again and I jumped out of my bed and
grabbed the only weapon I could find - a random shoe with a sharp heel that
I had thrown on the floor of my room carelessly. Shoe in hand, I slowly
crept out of my room.
 
The banging noise became louder as I entered the living room, and I
realised the source of the noise was coming from the other side of my
apartment entrance. I let out a short sigh of relief once I realised that I had
locked the door.
 
“W-Who’s there?” I called out loudly, trying to mask the waver in
my voice to hide my fear.
 
“Emmmmillllllly, hiiiiii…”
 
A deep, British accent slurred, making me freeze in my tracks once
again as the voice sent an all too familiar shiver down my spine. My voice
hitched in my throat as I looked over at my white, wooden door in shock,
not believing my hearing skills at 1AM after a long day at work.
 
 “Emilllllllly, can you pppppppppplease let me innnn? I
alllllwayyyyys l-let youuuuu in…” The loud banging started up once again.
 
“HEY! WOULD YOU SHUT IT? SOME PEOPLE ARE TRYING
TO GET SOME SLEEP HERE!” I heard someone else shout. Their voice
sounded distant and muffled from inside my apartment, but it was enough
to shake me back into reality.
 
I threw the heel onto the floor hastily before I ran over and
unlocked my front door, just as Adrian’s face turned into his all too familiar
scowl.
 
“YOUUUU SHUT IT!” he snapped back, before turning around
slowly once he realised I had opened the door.
 
“What the hell are you doing here, Adrian?” I hissed, trying to
cover up my surprise with anger. “It’s 1AM, and you’re drunk! Go home!”
 
He was slumped against the wall that connected to my apartment
door, and my breath hitched in my throat once his eyes met mine. My
conscience must have forgotten the kind of effect Adrian Kingston had on
me in real life, because I froze in my doorway as I looked down at his tall
seated figure, dark plump lips and strong hazel eyes that were slightly
droopy. The smell of alcohol filled my nostrils sharply, the vile stench
making me cough a little.
 
Adrian’s eyes never left my half naked, tired figure, and I sighed
and bit my lip while shaking my head at what I was about to do. I moved
forward and lifted his right arm to put it over my shoulders for support.
 
“Don’t make me do all the work,” I muttered at him as I pulled at
his right arm in an attempt to get him off the floor. “You’re tall and made of
muscle. Get up.”
 
“Do you know how much I’vvvvvve missed you, Emilyy?” Adrian
grumbled as he exerted some effort to pull himself off the floor. “I’ll tell
you. A lot.”
 
I tried to hide my blush from his drunken words as I put more of his
body weight against me. “Let’s get you inside,” I murmured, dragging his
tall, built frame into my tiny apartment with as much energy as I could
muster.
 
“Didn’t you miss me?” he asked, pouting as he looked into my eyes
again. I opened my mouth to respond but Adrian wasn’t done talking. “I
hope you did. I thought about you a lot. Especially about our kiss in the
beautiful sunnnnnnnshine state. I even called a girl in bed Emily because I
was thinking of you. Whoops.” He chuckled to himself and abruptly
stopped and frowned. “I don’t know why. You’re always just there. In my
head, I mean. Not in real life. I tried to get you out of there, but you
wouldn’t leave. You’re so annoying.”
 
He groaned, making me laugh slightly as I placed him onto my
sofa.
 
“I’ll be right back,” I told him, going into the kitchen and pouring a
cup of water for him. I didn’t have any medication that would cure a
hangover; even though I had been meaning to invest in some thanks to
Amy’s wild nights where she’d crash at my place because she was too lazy
to go back home.
 
I re-entered the living room and handed him the clear glass silently,
and watched his throat bob up and down as he gulped down the clear liquid
in under 5 seconds.
 
“Good stuff,” he said with an approving nod. He regarded me with
a curious look. “What is it?”
 
“Water,” I stated with an amused smile.
 
“Oh. It tastes better than usual.” He studied the glass cup intensely.
“Probably because it’s from you.” After a while, he asked again, “Did you
miss me, Emily?” He looked at me hopefully, more vulnerable than I’ve
ever seen him.
 
I bit my lip, unsure of how to respond. Did I miss him? He was
constantly on my mind, and I found myself comparing everything I did to a
moment I shared with him while I worked with him. Still, he was a jerk that
didn’t deserve to be missed at all, and I didn’t want to give him the
satisfaction of letting him know that I had missed him. Then again he was
drunk, and was slurring out nonsense. He probably wouldn’t even
remember this night tomorrow morning.
 
“I missed you, Adrian,” I finally replied, looking him straight in the
eye.
 
He let out a loud sigh of relief, and I watched as his shoulder visibly
relaxed underneath the material of his light blue shirt. “That’s good. I think
I like you,” he stated, before looking around my apartment. “Your house is
cute. Small, but niceeee.” He began to nod slowly and met my eyes again,
but I was still staring at him in shock.
 
“What did you say?” I asked.
 
“Um,” he frowned hard, thinking. “Oh, I said your house is small
but-”
 
“No, no,” I cut him off, “before that.”
 
“Oh. I said I like you. A lot.” He repeated it casually, even
punctuating it with a yawn. “Where is the bed?” he asked, looking around
my living room again.
 
“I- Um- Uh, how about I drive you home?” I stuttered, still trying to
process his words.
 
“No. I want to sleep with you tonight. That’s why I caaaame
hereee.”
  
I bit my lip as something new processed in my brain. “Hold on.
How did you know which apartment was mine? You’ve only been outside
my building once…” I trailed off, still frowning in thought.
 
“I’ve come here before to try and get you to come back and work
for me, but you weren’t home. I want to sleep with you in your bed now.”
Adrian began unzipping his pants.
 
I let out a gasp – both from the fact that he was taking his pants off
in front of me, and for the fact that he had come here to offer me another
chance at the job which I ruined because I wasn’t home – before I shot up
from my seat across from him and locking my apartment door.
 
Once I turned back around, Adrian had already taken off his dark
jeans and was halfway done with unbuttoning his shirt. He looked down at
his fumbling fingers with a frown etched onto his handsome features; the
struggle to unbutton them while he was drunk was clearly evident in his
expression.
 
I walked over to him and gently pulled his hands away from the
shirt, before continuing to unbutton it for him myself and slowly pushing
the shirt off his broad shoulders.
 
“Come on,” I said, gently leading him down the short hallway and
into my bedroom, “let’s get you to bed.”
 
We both got beneath the covers and he instantly wrapped his
familiar, muscly arms around my waist. As I turned off the lamp on the
table next to me, I heard him murmur.
 
“I like this. And you.”
 
Then I felt his breathing become even as he fell fast asleep.
 
 I wasn’t sure why he was here or why I let him in not just through
my door but into my bed. But there was one thing I knew for certain – this
was not going to end well in the morning.
 
  
Chapter Sixteen
 
 
 
There are only three things that would force my body into doing
any type of physical activity: (1) if I were doing it for charity, (2) if I was
trying to prove myself to someone, or – and this was the reason that had my
feet pounding onto the moldy pavements of New York City at 6AM – (3) if
I was trying to avoid something that is fogging up each functioning brain
cell within my mind and I’m trying to get away from it.
 
Or him, in this case.
 
I was kind of hoping going for an intense run at the break of dawn
would somehow clear up the fogginess in my mind while also managing to
make the whole Adrian-is-in-my-apartment-snoring scenario just a figment
of my imagination.
 
Unfortunately, once I returned home from my run and walked into
my bedroom to snatch a few items of clothing for my shower, Adrian was
still sprawled out on my bed, looking peaceful as his torso slowly rose up
and down from his steady breathing. My gaze lingered on his shirtless torso
for a little while longer before I left my room and made my way to the
shower.
 
I peeled off my sticky attire before jumping into the warm shower
and began to wash the sticky sweat off my skin. How was I supposed to act
when Adrian woke up? Did he even remember what he told me last night?
While I was able to recite the entire scene word for word, Adrian was
intoxicated. I highly doubted he would remember his ‘please come back
and work for me because I really miss you’ speech, so I decided to stay
silent about it until he brought it up.
 
 I took longer than usual in the shower, savouring the way my
muscles relaxed under the hot water, and was just about to turn it off when
the bathroom door opened. My eyes grew wide with shock as Adrian
casually strode into the bathroom and made his way over to the toilet in the
corner. I opened my mouth to scream but chocked on my shock before I
snatched the towel off the rack beside the shower.
 
The movement caught Adrian’s eye just before he pulled down his
pants and I covered myself with the towel before my face went red with
embarrassment. I turned off the water and turned to glare at him.
 
“What the hell are you doing?!” I exclaimed, wrapping the towel
tighter around my naked body.
 
Adrian snapped out of his shocked stare and groaned. “Don’t talk so
loud,” he mumbled, before he began walking over to where my rigid figure
stood. He stopped directly in front of me and smirked down at my flushed
state. “Good morning,” he murmured as his eyes scanned my body
hungrily.
 
I tried to cover my tomato face with my fiercest glare. “Get out of
the bathroom.” I scowled, giving him a look of disbelief.
 
“No,” he replied, before going back to the toilet in the corner. He
began to pull his pants down and I squeaked and turned away in shock.
“Adrian! I’m in here, you know! Naked, might I add! That’s not something
I want to see!” I screeched while avoiding looking at him and snatching the
clothes I brought in with me, off the small shelf.
 
He chuckled. “I needed to use the toilet. Can’t you imagine this
when we get married one day? You coming out of the shower – I would’ve
joined you of course, which, by the way, I’m offended you didn’t invite me
to join you in the first place.”
 
I groaned and opened the door. “Shut up and get cleaned up. I’m
going to get dressed and make breakfast.” I tried to get rid of the blush that
seemed permanently stuck to my face whenever he was around.
 
“Yes housewife, thank you housewife,” Adrian called out. I could
practically feel his smirk before I slammed the door shut and made my way
back to my room.
 
By the time I had finished getting dressed and was putting the plates
of breakfast down on the small island in my kitchen, Adrian had finished
from the bathroom and walked into the kitchen in nothing but his boxers,
making the spatula I was gripping fall out of my hand and land onto the
floor with a loud clatter.
 
My eyes widened in shock and I quickly bent down to retrieve the
utensil just as Adrian began smirking as he caught me looking at his bare
torso.
 
“Smells good,” he commented once I threw the spatula into the
sink. I nodded meekly and sat across from him just as he dug into his meal
hungrily.
 
Adrian hadn’t brought up last night yet, and I was beginning to
wonder if they were just drunken thoughts. Why would he come here, to my
house? It had been over a month since we last spoke to each other, and it
wasn’t on good terms either.
 
I looked down at my scrambled eggs with a small frown. I was
hoping the job offer part of his drunken speech was true – I didn’t want to
go back to that moldy underwear factory and have to put up with creepy
Cooper again. This reminded me that I was going into work tomorrow and
quit my job at that factory, and I cringed as I thought of being in the small
office alone with the sleazy old man who was my boss.
 
“Emily?” Adrian’s voice sounded, pulling me out of my thoughts.
 
I looked up to meet his amused expression, frowning slightly.
“Sorry, what?” I asked.
  
“You tell me. You’re looking at your food as if it just twerked like
Miley Cyrus did at the VMA’s.” Adrian chuckled at his own joke, looking
proud of himself, and I fought the smile that was threatening to escape my
lips.
 
“I was just thinking,” I replied, taking a bite of the loaf of bread on
my plate.
 
“About my offer last night? You don’t have a choice in the matter.
You’re coming back to work for me.”
 
I almost choked on the piece of bread that I was trying to swallow
as he said those words, and I looked back up at his smirk with wide eyes.
So he did remember.
 
“I… I’m pretty sure it’s my choice, not yours.” I glared at him in
response. In reality, I wanted the job back more than I could describe – but
he didn’t need to know that.
 
Adrian’s arrogant smirk practically melted away as the words left
my lips, and his expression turned to one of desperation. “Shortcake,
please.” I bit my lip and tried not to blush at the nickname he had assigned
to me. I hadn’t heard it in a while.
 
“Ever since you left… Well, I haven’t exactly been paying much
attention to the business. My mind has been on you the entire time; I need
you to come back in Emily. Please.” Adrian had gotten up during his talk to
stand beside me.
 
I looked up at his eyes and inhaled sharply. The amount of
vulnerability in Adrian’s expression caught me completely off guard, and
my steady breathing hitched in my throat as I looked straight into his hazel
eyes. Something hit me just then, and I realised just how much Adrian had
an effect on me. I dragged my gaze away from his and looked down at my
plate of food before letting out a sigh.
  
“Okay.”
 
“No, please, Emily. I need you – wait, what?” Adrian asked, cutting
his begging short.
 
I laughed softly. “I said okay. I’ll come back, but there are going to
be some rules,” I replied sternly, giving him a hard look.
 
“Anything. Okay, not anything. If I don’t like it, I’m not going to
listen to the rule.” Adrian smirked, shrugging once I gave him a look of
disbelief. “I’m still the boss,” he pointed out, making me blush again.
 
“Whatever,” I grumbled, trying to stop my blush from deepening.
“Number one, no more mood swings. If you have a problem – business or
personal related – you tell me straight away. I’m not going to tolerate your
PMS Sessions where you’d give me the cold shoulder.”
 
“No mood swings. Got it.” Adrian nodded, grinning widely. I felt
my own lips tug into a smile, catching his enthusiasm as my eyes took in
every feature of his grinning face.
 
“Number two,” I continued, clearing my throat as I felt another
blush crawl its way up my neck, “No more women while I’m working. Do
it in your own time.” My voice became snippy at that point, and I tried to
mask the sick feeling at the pit of my stomach at the thought of Adrian with
another woman, before mentally scolding myself for thinking about that in
the first place.
 
“No women. Got it.” He nodded, smirking at my flushed face.
 
“Shut up.” I scowled, making him chuckle. “Last rule,” I continued,
glaring, “Business only. We’re not having a repeat of the last time I worked
for you.”
 
 “Nope. I don’t like the last rule, so I’m not listening to it. Now it’s
my turn.” His grin widened. “Rule one: you’re sharing my office.”
 
I rolled my eyes. “Fine. Since you’re listening to my first two rules,
it won’t be so bad,” I teased.
 
He chuckled and his smirk turned into a stern glare. “Rule two; you
have lunch with me, nobody else.” Like my second rule earlier, Adrian’s
voice turned snappy while he said the rule to me, and I frowned.
 
“Is this so I don’t interact with Allen?” I asked, “ How is he, by the
way? He broke all contact with me after I quit, and I don’t think he did it by
choice.” I looked at Adrian pointedly and waited for an explanation.
 
“Yeah, it wasn’t by choice,” he conceded, but with a glare. “I made
him.”
 
I frowned in response. “Why?! We got along really well!” I
exclaimed, giving him a look of disbelief.
 
“Because you’re mine,” he snapped in reply as his glare hardened.
“You’re mine and he was taking you away from me. I’ll let him talk to you
when I think he can talk to you.”
 
“That’s not even fair! You can’t control your best friend!” I cried,
still in shock.
 
“I can and I did,” he replied swiftly, making me huff in response.
 
“You’re impossible,” I grumbled. “Are there any other rules?” I
asked, giving him a sarcastic smile.
 
“For now, no. You start tomorrow. Welcome back to Kingston
Corp.,” Adrian smirked and placed a quick peck on my cheek, “Shortcake.”
 
 My skin instantly tinged pink from the contact, and I looked away
from his satisfied expression to hide the effect he had on me.
 
“I- I can’t start tomorrow. I need to go tell my old Boss that I quit
first. He’s not going to let me leave easily, so it’ll take a while…” I cringed
as a mental image of creepy Cooper smiling at me popped into my mind
again, and I bit my lip to try and figure out a way that will make him let me
quit without delaying the process any further.
 
“He?” Adrian asked, raising an eyebrow before narrowing his eyes.
“I’ll come with you then,” he announced, and I watched his shoulders
visibly tense.
 
“Relax, Adrian.” I laughed.
 
“Who is he?” Adrian pressed, “Has he touched you or hurt you in
any way?”
 
“Oh, he’s really handsome. One of the nicest men I’ve seen in my
life so far. You should see him, he’s quite the catch. He has a memorable
smile, too.” I tried not to laugh as Adrian’s expression darkened at my
description of creepy Cooper, and I left my seat to clean the plates that we
had wiped clean of food.
 
“I’m going to get my clothes for tomorrow and come back to your
apartment,” Adrian declared, booking no argument. “Do not leave. I’m
sleeping over again tonight.”
 
I gave him a confused look. “Why? You don’t-”
 
“Unless you want to come back to my place? My bed and television
are bigger, after all.” He smirked, and I flicked some water onto his face,
making him chuckle.
 
“I’m fine, thank you. You can go home – and stay there. I’ll see you
at work tomorrow.” I smiled, remembering the fact that I had my job back.
  
“No. I’m coming back. Or I could always make you ‘lose your
keys’ again so you can stay at mine.” Adrian smirked.
 
I wiped my hands on the tea towel I had hanging near the sink
before turning to face him with a frown. “What do you mean ‘you’ll make
me lose my keys’?” I asked, narrowing my eyes suspiciously.
 
Adrian’s arrogant expression fell once again that morning, turning
to a guilty one before he covered it up with a false look of confusion.
“What? I didn’t say that,” he mumbled, running a hand through his messy
hair.
 
I tried to avert my eyes from his locks, before snapping out of it and
glaring at him. “Adrian! That night when I lost my keys, you purposely hid
them from me?!” I exclaimed, giving him a look of disbelief.
 
“Pft, of course not! Oh, would you look at the time! I need to go get
my clothes and come back so we can watch movies and eat lunch together
before-”
 
“Adrian!” I snapped, cutting him off.
 
He let out a defeated sigh before giving me a guilty smile. “Okay,
yes. On the night of the business dinner, I took your keys out of your bag
and put them in a pocket on my door so that you could come home with me.
But it’s not my fault! You looked hot; I had to see more of you!”
 
His poor but flattering defense made me blush while I glared at
him. I shook my head and hit his bare shoulder, my blush deepening as my
hand came in contact with his bare skin.
 
“You’re an idiot.” I tried to scowl, but it came out as more of a
smile as he broke out into a goofy, lopsided grin.
 
 “Only for you, Shortcake.” He smirked, sneaking another kiss on
my cheek before leaving the kitchen. I bit my lip and sighed to myself as I
felt his kiss linger on my cheek for longer than necessary, before following
him out.
 
***
 
“Thank you for hiring me, Mr. Cooper,” I said for what must have
been the nth time. “It was a pleasure working for you. It’s just… this job is
more suited to my qualifications and I believe I can achieve more if I’m
working there.” I finished with a smile that turned out more like a grimace.
 
“Oh, but Emily,” Mr. Cooper gave me a sad look, “It was so nice
having you around. You really brightened up my day. Please stay…” his
voice trailed off, and he seemed so sincere that I began to feel guilty. Maybe
I could work two jobs…
 
“She’s coming with me,” Adrian snapped, coming up to stand
beside me and pulling me into him protectively. “Now, unless you want me
to put in a restraining order, I suggest you sign the papers so we can be on
our merry way, old man.”
 
Mr. Cooper glanced at Adrian, then at me, and back again at
Adrian’s intimidating figure. His wary gaze lingered there for a second
longer before he sighed and pulled the forms closer towards him. I snuck a
look up at Adrian, who was already looking down at me with a stern
expression, and I bit my lip to stop a laugh from escaping from in between
my lips.
 
Last night, Adrian had insisted that he come with me this morning
to quit my job in case ‘Handsome Mr. Cooper gave me any trouble.’ When
Adrian’s eyes landed on Mr. Cooper, his expression was beyond priceless,
and he gave me a weird look before asking me if he was the type of man I
was into. I nodded and told Adrian that Mr. Cooper was the reason I was
never interested in Adrian.
 
 He almost believed me; but I burst out in laughter shortly after my
response, making him roll his eyes.
 
“Done,” Mr. Cooper said as he handed me the papers to let me
leave work. “I really hope to see you in the near future, Emily.”
 
“Uh… sure,” I smiled tightly. “Maybe one day.”
 
Beside me, Adrian stiffened and glared at Mr. Cooper, then led me
out of the small, cramped office.
 
Once we were in the car and driving back to Kingston Corp.,
Adrian turned and gave me the same stern look he gave me in the office.
“You were about to agree to work for him!” Adrian exclaimed.
 
I opened my mouth to deny his accusation and shut it once I
realised he was right. “I felt really bad,” I said softly, thinking of the frail
old man again. He may have been creepy, but he was still old and fragile.
He needed all the help he could get.
 
Adrian’s angry expression instantly transformed into one that made
my breath hitch in my throat. This was the same one he had given me on the
beach in California, where his eyes were soft and his expression unreadable
as he looked at me.
 
“Okay,” he mumbled, blinking out of his daze and looking away.
 
I frowned, but didn’t question his sudden understanding, and looked
out the window just as we pulled up into Kingston Corp. I tried – and failed
– to keep the excited grin off my face as Adrian and I stepped into the
elevator that would take us up to my old workplace, and I let out a
contented sigh once the elevator dinged open. Adrian looked down at me
with an amused smirk, and chuckled once I beamed back at him.
 
“Go and surprise Suzie,” he told me, taking the box I was holding
and nodding in the direction of Suzie’s office. “I’ll take care of your things.
She didn’t think I could get you to come back.”
 
He gave me a wry, smug smile, clearly proud of himself. I was in
too good a mood to snipe at his arrogance, so I just grinned before making
my way over to Suzie’s office. I knocked softly, and opened it once I heard
her familiar ‘Come in.’
 
“Suzie,” I opened with a very official tone, as if it was just another
day at the office, “I was just wondering if you’ve received the paperwork
Mr. Kingston placed on your desk from me in regards to how much I’ve
missed you?”
 
Suzie’s head snapped up from the papers in front of her with
lightning speed. “Oh, Emily!” she squealed, getting out of her seat.
 
I broke out into a wide grin and walked over to meet her halfway.
She pulled me into a bone-crushing hug, making me return the gesture.
“You’re back! I didn’t think you’d come back after the way he treated you!
But you’re back! I’m so happy!” She tightened her grip around my waist
with every heartfelt line and mumbled into my shoulder, “I’ve missed you
so much, dear!”
 
I grinned and pulled away. “I’m back! And I’ve missed you more!
How is Richard?” I asked.
 
Suzie was still grinning as she took her seat again. “He’s well, dear.
He’ll be delighted to hear that you’re back!”
 
I was just beginning to laugh when her phone started ringing, and
she answered it instantly, “Kingston Corp.” She nodded at whoever was on
the other end of the line, looked up at me knowingly, and broke out into
another grin.
 
“Of course, Sir,” she said before hanging up the phone and turning
her attention fully on me. “Emily, Mr. Kingston said sorry to cut our
reunion short, but he needs you in the office.” She beamed brightly, and I
nodded and waved before exiting her office.
 
As I walked down the long hallway, I recognised the familiar faces
of the others that I used to work with. They all waved and grinned as I
walked by, and I returned the gestures before I made it to Adrian’s office.
 
“You needed me?” I asked, shutting the door behind me.
 
“More than ever, Shortcake.” He smirked, and I squealed in shock
once I realised he was right next to me. He chuckled before pulling me into
his solid torso. “I’ve missed this,” he murmured into my hair, making me
blush.
 
I opened my mouth to respond but was cut off by a sharp knock at
the door. Adrian didn’t bother letting go of me – even though I tried to
wriggle out of his solid grip.
 
“Enter,” he said as I squirmed.
 
The door opened and revealed another familiar face, Daniel, whom
I’ve worked with before. He came in with a stack of folders and a USB
drive in his hands. “Mr. Kingston, these just arrived from the Harrison
Company, sir. They said it was urgent and – Emily? Is that you? Hey!
You’re back!”
 
I grinned back at my colleague. “Hey Daniel! How have you been?”
 
“Yeah, yeah, great!” he replied excitedly, the smile on his face
growing wider. “What about you? You’re back!”
 
I laughed and nodded, still aware that I was in Adrian’s arms – arms
that had become noticeably tighter once Daniel and I began interacting.
“Yes, I’m back, and great, thank you for asking.”
 
 “That’s great! Hey, we should catch up tonight over drinks or
something,” Daniel suggested.
 
I opened my mouth to reply but was cut off by Adrian pushing me
behind his tall, broad figure. “Just give me the fucking files and leave,” he
snarled at Daniel, who suddenly tensed in shock.
 
Daniel hurriedly passed the files and the USB stick over to Adrian
in fright, before casting a brief look over in my direction and calmly
walking out of the office.
 
“What was that?!” I exclaimed as Adrian slammed the large stack
of files on the small coffee table that was close to our current position in the
office.
 
“I’ve made another rule,” Adrian spoke out of nowhere, ignoring
my question. He dragged his glare away from the space Daniel had
occupied and focused his steely gaze on me.
 
“Um… Okay, what is it?” I asked, biting my lip curiously and
temporarily forgetting his irrational behaviour towards Daniel.
 
Adrian smirked, before snaking his arm around my waist again. I
tried not to shiver from the familiar and warm contact, before looking up at
his satisfied expression for his answer.
 
“Rule three: you’re moving in with me. Tonight.”
 
  
Chapter Seventeen
 
 
 
I stared back at Adrian’s expression, blinking blankly for a few
moments, before bursting into a fit of laughter. I had momentarily believed
him, before it registered in my mind that he was just joking. I began to
laugh at his ridiculous suggestion – then abruptly cut myself short once his
serious expression didn’t change.
 
“You’re not serious,” I stated.
 
“As the plague,” he remarked, smirking slightly.
 
My expression turned skeptical. “No way! Not happening!” I
exclaimed, giving him a look of disbelief.
 
His smirk instantly fell and was replaced with a frown. “Why not?”
 
“Because- Because- Just because! No! You’re my boss, its wrong.”
I wasn’t going to lie, the thought of living with Adrian – waking up with
him on a daily basis, watching movies together, having dinner together –
had my stomach doing summersaults and my heart feeling like a feather;
but I wasn’t going to tell him that. He was my boss.
 
“I don’t care. You’re moving in and-”
 
I cut him off. “Adrian. I can’t move in with you. I like my
apartment! I worked my ass off to get it – it’s small, comfortable, and
perfect to me! Plus, I have friends that like to see me every day and family
who visit on occasion! And what about all the reporters that follow your
every move? Moving in with you will send a wrong image out to everyone
and-”
  
“And I don’t know how many times I have to say this to you, I
don’t fucking care about how I look to the public. I care about you. So
move in with me.” His tone was still commanding, and I had a feeling he
wasn’t going to change his mind on the matter any time soon.
 
I sighed, before meeting his eyes. “Adrian…” I trailed off, not
knowing what else to say to change his mind, before my phone began to
ring, filling in the silence that settled in the office. “Hello?” I answered, not
bothering to check the caller ID.
 
“Smelly Emily,” a deep voice answered, making a large grin
instantly stretch across my face.
 
“Flaky Blakey!” I squealed in excitement at the recognition of my
older sibling’s voice. “Have you come out of hibernation? Or come back
from space? Because no other excuse will be accepted for not calling me for
this long!” I grinned broadly. My eyes briefly flickered over to Adrian’s tall
form, which was now leaning against his desk with his hands in his pockets
and staring at me with an amused smirk.
 
“It was your turn, not mine!” he replied.
 
My grin instantly transformed to a shocked expression, and my eyes
narrowed at the small coffee table that was in my line of vision. “It was
not!” I argued, “Don’t you remember? I called you and you were at
Michael’s house, and then you snuck out to the bathroom to talk to me and
then you promised you’d take the double shift because you had to end my
phone call short!”
 
Blake was silent for a moment, before I heard his tongue click in
recognition. “That’s right, and my favourite pair of boxers ripped that day.
That sad, sad day.”
 
I rolled my eyes and grinned at the same coffee table I was looking
at earlier. “You’re such a dork.”
  
“That’s because I had to live with you for 17 years. You were bound
to rub off on my amazing personality just to sabotage my-”
 
“Shut up, Blake!” I laughed, making Adrian’s smirk grow even
wider as he watched. He began walking over to where I was, and pulled me
into his torso from behind.
 
“Anyway, guess who’s coming over this Sunday, Smelly Emily?”
Blake asked, oblivious to my physical position.
 
“W- Who?” I stuttered, suddenly feeling every hair on my body
stand up from Adrian’s touch.
 
“Me, dufus!” Blake exclaimed. “And mom and dad; so you better
make something nice for dinner!”
 
My mind momentarily stopped focusing on the feeling of Adrian’s
arms around my waist and I focused my attention to the phone call with a
small frown. “That’s… a surprise… Why?” I asked out of disbelief. “I
mean, not that I don’t want you guys to, because I do! I miss you heaps!
Well, you and our parents. No, wait, that didn’t sound very nice. What I
meant was-”
 
Blake cut me off with a laugh, and I felt Adrian’s chest vibrate from
a low chuckle behind me. “Smelly, chill! I know what you mean. Mom has
been complaining to me that she hasn’t seen you for too long. So, I decided
we’d pay you a visit. Sunday, we’ll be there at 4PM. See you then, Smelly
Emily!”
 
I smiled and ended the phone call, before it registered in my mind
that Blake couldn’t see me, and I gasped and turned around to Adrian. “I
just accidentally hung up in his face!” I exclaimed with wide eyes, feeling
panicky.
 
 Adrian smirked down at our close proximity, and I instantly began
blushing. “I’m coming over this Sunday,” he informed bluntly as his
expression became serious.
 
Accidentally hanging up on Blake suddenly didn’t seem like such a
big deal, and I focused all my attention to my boss with a stern look. “No,
you’re not. I have plans that I know you’re trying to interfere with. And just
to be clear, Blake is my brother; no one you should be getting all possessive
about the way you usually do,” I warned.
 
“I know that. I’ve read your profile. That still doesn’t change the
fact that I’m coming over on Sunday.”
 
“No you’re not, Adrian!” I hissed, frowning up at him. “This is my
family. If you show up, they’ll think there’s something going on between
us!”
 
He studied my expression momentarily before shrugging. “Fine, but
you’re moving in with me.”
 
I groaned. “Adrian! I am not moving in with you. Don’t make me
list my reasons again.” I sighed, suddenly feeling tired of re-stating my
argument.
 
“Don’t make me tell you my care factor about people’s opinion’s
again,” he glared in response.
 
“Adrian-”
 
“I’ll give you time to think about it,” he cut me off, grudgingly.
“Come on, we have a meeting.”
 
I bit my lip to stop myself from telling him that I didn’t need to
think about it, and walked over to my desk, collecting all the necessary
paperwork needed for the meeting.
 
 We began to walk out of the office when I felt Adrian bend down so
his lips were in line with my ear. “I forgot to tell you how good your ass
looks in that pantsuit today. You should wear them more often.” He pulled
away and I looked up at him with an expression of disbelief, blushing
furiously from his arrogant smirk.
 
“Shut up,” I mumbled, pushing him away from my body.
 
***
 
Sunday came sooner than I liked, and I found myself checking if
everything was properly positioned double, even triple times, before my
heart was able to relax slightly. Amy was going to arrive any minute now to
calm me down and have dinner with us, and I found myself mentally
thanking my best friend once again.
 
Knowing my parents – my entire apartment would be evaluated to
make sure everything was cleaned and positioned to perfection. If there was
anything out of place, I’d be forced to move back in with them because I’m
‘incapable’ of living on my own.
 
“I’M HERE BITCH! Oh shit, are your parents here yet? I SAID
WITCH, NOT BITCH – JUST TO CLARIFY!” Amy’s voice echoed
through my quiet apartment, making me jump in my position just as she
slammed the door shut. I turned to her and rolled my eyes as she held up a
bottle of wine and fresh bread rolls. “Have no fear, superwoman is here!”
Amy sung out once she scanned the apartment for my family.
 
I shook my head and grinned at her behaviour before pulling her
into a hug. “I owe you big time,” I declared while taking the things out of
her hands.
 
“It’s fine. I’m going to get to tease Blake the entire night anyway;
you being related to him is pretty much paying me back.” She winked.
 
 I laughed while taking out the bread rolls. “That wouldn’t have
anything to do with your crush on him, will it?” I winked back.
 
Amy’s eyes went wide and she instantly began to turn tomato red –
a trait I loved to see on her. “I do not have a crush on Blake.”
 
“Yet you react like that every time I bring it up.” I smirked while
setting down the plates around the island in my kitchen. Luckily, most of
the food was already prepared. I just had to toss the salad together and I was
done. Unfortunately, my parents had decided to be late the one day that I
was 100% organised.
 
“It’s not like them to be late,” Amy murmured to herself, mirroring
my thoughts. She looked up and met my eyes and I nodded in agreement
with a small frown etched on my forehead.
 
“Maybe I should call th-” My voice was cut off by a firm knock
sounding from the living room, and Amy’s eyes instantly widened.
 
“It’s like they could sense we were talking about them!” she hissed
frantically, making me laugh and throw a carrot in her direction.
 
She dodged it neatly and glared at me as we went over to the front
door together. As soon as I opened the front door, I was engulfed in a hug.
 
“Emily! Are you sure you’re okay to live on your own? It took you
quite a while to get to the door… Maybe it’s best if we sell this apartment
and you can come back and-”
 
“It’s great to see you too, mom,” I grumbled loud enough to cut her
suggestion off.
 
She pulled away from me with a small smile on her face, and I
instantly regretted the harshness of my tone. “I’ve missed you so much,
honey. Talking on the phone and that time with the face app isn’t really the
same as real life, you know?” She pouted, and I looked into her brown eyes
with the same longing feeling.
 
“I know mom,” I replied, placing a soft kiss on her cheek. “I’ve
missed you too.”
 
“Stop hogging our daughter, Michelle,” a deep voice grumbled, and
I instantly grinned as my dad held me up and spun me around in our
traditional hug. “How are you, Kiddo?” My dad chuckled once I pulled him
in for another hug.
 
“I’m great, how are you?” I asked with a huge grin.
 
“Great now that I’m looking at my little princess again. I don’t like
this long distance thing you’ve got going on with us. I’m always having to
fake lose against your mom in Mario Kart.” He gave me look of
disappointment, and I began to giggle at his immaturity.
 
“Hey! I win those games fair and square. Your ego does not need
another boost, old man!” My mom whacked my father’s arm, who chuckled
at her weak hit. A sense of déjà vu washed through me as I remembered the
night I had fought with Adrian over the same thing – except our fight was
based on UNO cards. Adrian had been nagging me all week about moving
in with him – to the point where he even wrote a list of why it was one of
his best ideas ever. The list had things like; I get to see Adrian shirtless, and
if I’m ‘lucky’, naked all the time; the kitchen was huge and I had an
unlimited supply of food due to the fact that his apartment was a hotel suite.
 
The list had a total of 64 reasons on it, and most of them involved
either a naked Adrian or me being naked. That didn’t mean it wasn’t funny
though.
 
“SOMETHING SMELLS REALLY BAD IN HERE. OH, IT
MUST BE SMELLY EMILY.” Blake shouted from behind our parents,
pulling me out of my thoughts.
 
 I laughed and attempted to glare at him with a grin, before he
cracked a smile and pulled me into his buff torso. “I’ve missed you, little
sis.” He laughed while ruffling my hair.
 
“I missed you too, Blakey Wakey.” I grinned while pinching his
cheeks. He slapped my hands away, making us both laugh. “Why were you
guys so late? You’re usually never late,” I pointed out with a small frown.
 
“Traffic,” Blake mumbled, looking a little worn out at the thought.
 
“Yet another reason why the long distance thing you have going on
with us should end right – oh, hello Amy! I didn’t see you there.” My father
brought up abruptly. We all turned to look at Amy, who was smiling in
amusement at the exchange happening in front of her.
 
“Hello Liam, Michelle.” She nodded and waved at both my parents
before turning over to Blake. I watched as her cheeks tinged a slight pink
colour, but she covered it up by narrowing her eyes at Blake’s hair. “Is
that… no… it couldn’t be, is Flakey Blakey back? I’m starting to see more
white stuff appearing in that lovely jet black hair of yours, friend.” Amy
smirked, making Blake glare back in response.
 
“It’s nice to see you too, Amy. Is that… Wait a minute; did you
forget to take the wax off your upper lip again?” He asked with a smirk
right back. Amy was absolutely mortified once Blake had walked in on her
waxing her upper lip at my house in senior year. He hasn’t let it go since.
 
“Shut up.” She scowled, growing red in the face.
 
We all laughed at her lame retort before I turned to all four guests.
“Let’s eat then, shall we?” I grinned, just as my stomach grumbled slightly.
They all nodded their heads in agreement and we began to walk into the
kitchen before another knock at my door sounded. I frowned and bit my lip
curiously. I wasn’t expecting any more company.
 
 “Amy, did you tell Molly and the other girls to come over?” I
asked.
 
Amy shook her head, looking just as curious as I was. “I’m coming
with you! I want to know who it is. It’s bound to be someone interesting
because you have no friends!” Amy squealed in excitement, and I slapped
her arm at her comment. “Ouch!”
 
“’Serves you right for calling my sister unpopular. You should be
thankful she’s hanging out with someone like you wax face.” Blake teased
Amy, looking down his nose at her short figure.
 
“Shut up, Flake,” she snapped back, glaring.
 
“Is it really necessary for all of you to follow me to answer my front
door?” I asked with an exasperated sigh, looking at my family and best
friend pointedly.
 
“Yes,” they all answered.
 
I rolled my eyes as I pulled the door open – and almost slammed it
shut. Adrian’s foot stopped me.
 
“Hello, Shortcake.” He smirked once his eyes met mine before
stepping into my apartment. “I hope I’m not too late?” His expression
changed to once of innocence as he wrapped his arm around my waist and
pulled me into his side while pressing his lips to my cheek.
 
“I- What are you doing here?” I asked slowly, keeping a phony
smile plastered on my face while wanting to glare up at Adrian’s smirking
one. I looked over to Amy who had suddenly paled and was staring up at
Adrian with her jaw hung open. She’s no help, I thought to myself bitterly.
 
“I couldn’t miss your family, Shortcake,” Adrian said it as if the
answer were obvious, and I just blinked up at him blankly.
 
 “Who… Who is this?” my mom asked cautiously, giving Adrian a
nervous smile. I knew that smile all too well. I groaned internally; my mom
was checking out my boss.
 
“Adrian Kingston, Ma’am. Emily’s boss and boyfriend. It’s very
nice to finally meet you. I’ve heard a lot of great things about all of you.”
 
I choked on my own saliva – and so did Amy - as soon as the words
left Adrian’s mouth. Boyfriend?!
 
“Boyfriend?” Blake asked, narrowing his eyes at Adrian
suspiciously, mirroring my thoughts.
 
Adrian gave a swift nod before answering. “You must be Blake.
The fun, older brother. Emily talks a lot about you and how you’re always
calling her smelly.” Adrian chuckled before I felt his arm tighten around my
waist. He stepped forward, completely ignoring Blake’s possessive glare,
and turned over to my father. “Mr. Johnson. It’s an honour to finally meet
you. I’ve heard what you have done for our country, and you’ve also
brought the most beautiful woman to this planet – I can’t even begin with
how much respect I have for you, Sir. I’ve also heard you’re quite a Mario
Kart fan. I hope to verse you one day.” My head spun at his statement so
fast that I thought I had whiplash.
 
How the hell does he know all of these things about my family?!
 
“Mom, Dad, Blake… Why don’t you all get yourselves seated at
the dinner table?” I suggested through grit teeth. My phony smile was
wobbling dangerously. “I need to have a few words with Adrian.”
 
“Of course, sweetie!” my mom gushed. “You take all the time you
need with Adrian Kingston!” She looked up at him with a flustered
expression. I gave her a look of disbelief and turned to my father for help.
He began dragging her and a pissed-off looking Blake into the kitchen,
leaving a still-in-shock Amy and an all-too-arrogant Adrian behind in the
living room.
  
“Are you crazy?!” I whisper-shouted once I knew they were out of
earshot.
 
“I believe I’ve already responded to that question before,” Adrian
said good-naturedly, “but I’ll tell you my answer again just to refresh your
memory. When it comes to you, yes, completely and utterly bonkers.”
 
My eyes widened with disbelief as I looked up at his amused
expression. “Did you not get a single thing I said in the office on Monday?!
Now what will I tell them once they find out you lied? And how the hell did
you find out about all that stuff about my dad?!” I demanded.
 
“I looked him up.” He shrugged, before continuing. “Plus, I had to
meet the parents soon enough, didn’t I? I mean, you’ve already met mine.
It’s only fair-”
 
“It’s only fair that you leave and let me clean up after your mess
with my family!” I hissed, glaring up at him.
 
“Mess? I don’t think I’ve made a mess. Your mother and father
seem very fond of me already. Blake still needs a little more time, but he’ll
get there as well, eventually. The only person I wasn’t aware of is the
creepy girl that’s been staring at me with her mouth open in shock the entire
time we’ve been speaking. Who is she?” He asked, casting an uneasy look
in Amy’s direction.
 
I looked over at her and realised she was still in the same slack-
jawed dropped, making me giggle.
 
“Amy, snap out of it! You’re finally going to meet the guy you fan-
girl over. Adrian, this is my best friend Amy. Amy, you already know who
Adrian is.” Amy instantly snapped out of her shocked state and looked up at
Adrian with stars in her eyes, making me laugh. “You’re a loser, Ames,” I
teased, making her turn to me with wide eyes.
 
 “Is that real or am I dreaming? Because there is no way he could get
hotter than he is in photos. No, no way…” She trailed off, staring at him
again. I laughed before clicking my fingers in her field of vision, making
her snap out of her hazy state once again. Her eyes widened at the
realisation of her actions and she cleared her throat. “S- Sorry. Hello, Amy
am I. I mean, I Amy. Uh- Hi,” she finished lamely, going tomato red again.
 
Adrian chuckled at her caveman talk and I tried to stifle my own
laughter, afraid of the death glare I’d receive if I let out my amusement.
“Ames, I need you to go and distract my family while I try and get rid of-” I
didn’t even get to finish my sentence because Adrian was already strolling
into the kitchen, where the food was set.
 
“Sorry for making you all wait.” Adrian smiled – actually smiled
this time, no smirk – before taking a seat near my father. Amy instantly
took the seat in between my mother and Blake, and I glared at her once I
realised she was trying to make me sit next to Adrian.
 
“That’s fine, honey. We put you all a plate of food anyway. So let’s
dig in!” My mom exclaimed in excitement, still keeping an eye on Adrian. I
threw a glare in her direction, and her gaze instantly met the food on her
plate once she saw my expression.
 
“So, Adrian, how is the infamous Kingston Company going?” my
father asked once everyone began to eat. I shoved a large piece of steak into
my mouth, trying to eat away the fact that I was pissed off that Adrian had a
friendly charisma that won over my usually over-protective dad way too
quickly for my comfort.
 
Adrian swallowed his salad before nodding briefly. “I’m not going
to lie. The short period that I didn’t have Emily working for me was quite a
large failure. I wasn’t able to concentrate without her by my side. But now
that she’s back, I can happily say things are booming again, Sir.” Adrian
smiled slightly, before placing his hand on top of my thigh.
 
 I looked up to meet his amused expression and glared slightly,
letting him know that I was still angry with him.
 
“Call me Liam, son.” My dad patted Adrian’s back briefly and gave
him a smile. My eyes widened and I looked across the table to meet Blake’s
eyes. He got the pat on the back! I mouthed in shock.
 
Blake stared at Adrian for a few moments, before his gaze fell back
on mine and he nodded. If my father ever patted a boy’s back, it meant he
approved of him. Adrian managed to get it in less than half an hour. That
had to be a world record. Blake’s best friend, Michael, had to wait four
months until he received his.
 
The rest of the dinner was eaten with comfortable small talk, and I
was thankful that everyone was acting normal about the fact that I hadn’t
told them I supposedly had a boyfriend. Once we finished eating, I placed
all the plates into the dishwasher that was built into the kitchen before re-
entering the living room where everyone else was seated except for my
mom –who was no doubt, inspecting the apartment.
 
“I can take you down in Mario Kart any day man,” Blake laughed,
throwing a pillow at Adrian.
 
“Is that a challenge?” he asked, raising an eyebrow at my older
brother.
 
“Oh, bring it on bro.” Blake smirked, and I watched as he flexed his
muscles in front of Adrian to look more intimidating. Amy rolled her eyes
and muttered something under her breath which earned a glare from Blake,
making me laugh.
 
“Shortcake, come and sit by me,” Adrian said, shuffling over so he
could make more room in between him and my father.
 
“Uh… I think I should just sit on the chair. It looks pretty tight over
there already-”
  
“Oh nonsense, Kiddo. There’s plenty of room for you. Don’t feel
embarrassed to sit beside your boyfriend in front of your family.” My dad
smiled, and I almost choked again at the word ‘boyfriend.’ The word was
beginning to hit too close to home, and I was trying to push back the
alleged feelings I had for Adrian.
 
Adrian waggled his eyebrows at my dad’s words before patting the
sofa beside him, making me sigh in defeat and take my seat in between the
two tall men. Adrian instantly wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled
me into his body.
 
“At this rate,” he said, for my ears alone, “I could have sex with
you on the table and they’d still approve of me. You’re welcome.”
 
I tried to push him away in disgust but it ended up looking playful
in front of Blake and my father, making my cheeks flame up. Adrian
chuckled and stole another kiss on my cheek before turning over to the
movie on the screen.
 
“Emily, honey. Your tap in the bathroom leaks!” my mom said as
soon as she re-entered the living room. “See, I knew you weren’t fit enough
to handle this whole apartment on your own just yet. We should sell it right
away and you can come back home and live with us.”
 
Adrian stiffened at the mention of me moving away from here, and
I watched as he clenched his jaw in anger. “She’s not moving away from
me,” he stated, frowning slightly.
 
My mom looked over at Adrian sympathetically. “I’m sorry,
Adrian. It’s just, well, if she can’t take care of a leaking tap then who
knows-”
 
“Mom!” I exclaimed, turning around to face her fully while still
managing to stay in Adrian’s hold. “The tap isn’t even leaking that much.
Plus, I’ve already called someone to look at it and he’s going to be coming
in within the next week. I know how to control an apartment.” I frowned in
anger while giving her a warning look.
 
“Honey… We’re just concerned for your safety,” my dad said from
beside me, making my eyes trail over to his concerned expression. “What if
– and God forbid this ever happen to you – but a break in occurs? You live
alone. There is no one to protect you and you may not be strong enough to
take care of yourself in that situation, Kiddo.”
 
“That won’t be a problem,” Adrian spoke up, making my neck
almost snap from turning so quickly for the second time tonight. “Because
she’s moving in with me. Tonight.”
 
He did not just drop that bombshell on my all-too-satisfied-looking
family.
 
 
  
Chapter Eighteen
 
 
 
I was plotting subtle ways to kill Adrian in his sleep without
looking like I did it. It would be easier now, you know, since I lived with
him. But I’d be the primary suspect, so I wasn’t going to act on anything
just yet.
 
“Is that the last of them?” Adrian asked once he finished bringing
up all my belongings from my old, trusty apartment. I ignored his question
and continued folding my clothes and packing them on the shelf of Adrian’s
walk-in wardrobe; another thing he insisted I use.
 
Adrian chuckled at my lack of response towards him, before I felt
his familiar solid pair of arms wrap around my waist from behind while
resting his chin on my shoulder. “Shortcake. We live together. The least you
could do is show a little enthusiasm. And take your clothes off – just so
you’re comfortable, of course, I will receive no benefit out of it
whatsoever.” I felt his lips lift into a smirk.
 
I continued to ignore him.
 
“Come on,” he whined, “I already received the threatening
warnings from your family and weird best friend. Cut me some slack; I just
saved you from moving back in with your family!” he pointed out.
 
I stepped out of his hold and glared at him. “You only did that so I
don’t move away from you,” I snapped, keeping my glare firm to emphasize
my point.
 
 He smirked and shrugged. “Yeah, you’re right. Oh well, there’s
nothing you can do about it now. I’ve promised your father that I’d take
good care of you. That means I need to meet all your needs. So do you need
anything from me? Food? Water? Sex?”
 
My eyes widened in shock at the last suggestion before I launched
the sundress I was about to hang up in the closet straight at Adrian’s face.
He caught it with ease while chuckling at my reaction, and I began
blushing.
 
“Get out of my room,” I scowled.
 
“Our room,” he corrected with a lopsided grin, catching me off
guard. I blinked back at him momentarily before turning away with a
frown. “What is it?” Adrian asked, noticing the small notion.
 
“Nothing,” I mumbled, turning back to my clothes.
 
“Let’s go watch a movie. You can pack your clothes later,” Adrian
said, before I felt my body being lifted off of the ground and thrown over
Adrian’s shoulder.
 
“Adrian!” I squealed, making him chuckle. “You need to stop doing
that,” I huffed once he set me down onto the sofa in the living room. “I
know how to walk.”
 
“I know you do. I watch you walk from behind every day.” He
smirked, making me roll my eyes and blush. “What movie would you like
to watch today, roomie? I’m ordering Chinese.”
 
I glared up at him and crossed my arms over my chest, ignoring him
once again. Adrian needed to know that I was angry at him for forcing me
out of my own home and into his – and in front of my family, as well.
Moving in with him was not a step I wanted to take with him, especially
considering the fact that we weren’t even a couple and I had unidentified
feelings towards him. Living with him was not helping my current
conflicted emotions, at the moment.
 
“Come on Shortcake, you can’t me mad at me forever.” Adrian
pouted, suddenly appearing face to face with me.
 
I looked straight into his hazel irises and glared. “Yes I can,” I
snapped, turning away from him angrily.
 
I heard a small sigh escape Adrian’s mouth before I felt myself –
once again – being lifted out of my position against my will. Adrian sat in
my previous position and placed me on his lap, trapping me there by
circling his arms around my waist firmly.
 
“Look at me,” he said earnestly, “I don’t regret making you move in
with me. I only regret not telling you before I told your family. To prove
myself to you, I’ll do whatever you want for the rest of the day.” Adrian
smirked then, and I instantly got the double meaning behind his words.
 
“Let go of me,” I demanded, still glaring down at him.
 
“Fine,” he grumbled after a moment of hesitation, retracting his
arms from around my waist.
 
I tried to hide my smug smile as I got off his lap, blushing in the
process before going back to our bedroom to continue packing my clothes.
 
Adrian stayed on my heel the entire time. “Do you want to watch
the movie in here, then? That’s okay, I’ll go pick something out the-”
 
“No, Adrian. What I want is for you to leave me alone for the rest
of the evening. Don’t talk to me, or be in the same room as me. Let my
anger simmer down a little before we talk again. You need to understand
that you do not control me and that you can’t throw a little anger tantrum
and sleep with 500 women every time something doesn’t go your way. So
for the time being, I want you to go away. Go do some work, read a book,
take a shower – I don’t care. Just don’t talk or be in my presence.” I gave
him a stern look while waiting for him to argue about my request.
 
Adrian just stared back at me, not saying anything for a while,
before nodding. “Okay.”
 
“Okay?” I repeated in confusion. He wasn’t going to fight me on
this?
 
“Stop trying to flirt with me like Augustus Waters, Shortcake. I said
okay.” He smirked, making me blush and roll my eyes at the comment.
“But just before I go – I haven’t slept with a woman ever since the week
you quit, Emily, because I don’t want anyone else anymore. I’ll leave you
alone now.” Adrian closed the bedroom door behind him softly, and I stared
at the white object for a long moment, processing his words.
 
***
 
It was almost 1AM by the time I was done folding, hanging and
packing my entire wardrobe the walk-in Adrian and I now shared. I had not
seen nor heard from him since we talked last. I decided to throw on my
favourite NYU shirt from college and a pair of yoga pants before heading to
the living room.
 
I found Adrian shirtless, slumped in a chair with a laptop resting on
the dining table in front of him and illuminating his features in the dim
lighting. My mind went back to his previous words, and my heart fluttered
involuntarily. He hadn’t slept with anyone else ever since I quit? My mind
refused to believe it. This was Adrian Kingston – surely, I was
misinterpreting his words. He didn’t want me; ‘anyone else’ could have
been Adrianna or Anna.
 
I ignored my conscience momentarily and made my way towards
him. He looked away from his laptop screen and his tired eyes met mine
just as I stopped in front of him and shut the laptop softly.
 
 “Come on,” I murmured as I squeezed his tense shoulders in a
massaging manner. “Let’s get to bed.”
 
A loud yawn escaped from Adrian’s mouth as he got out of his
seated position and stretched his limbs; making me blush and avert my gaze
from his shirtless body.
 
“Did you finish packing your things?” he asked once we began
walking back to the bedroom.
 
I nodded mutely, not bothering to formulate a verbal response. I
was still angry with him, but I was also feeling a little sympathetic and
guilty for kicking him out of his own room.
 
“That’s good,” Adrian said, stifling another yawn. “You won’t have
to do any of it when we come back from work tomorrow then.”
 
“I’m sorry for kicking you out,” I mumbled as more guilt rushed
through my veins.
 
“You had a right to, you were angry.” Adrian shrugged, before
abruptly pulling his pants off. I gasped and covered my eyes in shock while
blushing deeply, making him chuckle at my reaction. “You’re still reacting
like that after you’ve been in bed with me how many times now?” Adrian
smirked just as he pulled my hands away from my field of vision,
deepening my blush even further.
 
“Shut up,” I grumbled, not liking the fact that he knew how to make
me squirm. He chuckled again before giving a pointed look. “What?” I
asked curiously, frowning.
 
“It’s your turn.” He smirked, looking down at my yoga pants.
 
I pushed him away with a scowl. “Just get in bed. We have work
tomorrow,” I pointed out, trying to cover up my blush.
 
 “You only want me to get into the bed so you can take them off
without me looking,” Adrian said knowingly, and I rolled my eyes in
response.
 
“I’m glad you know me so well. Now, since you’re the one who
brought it up, you can turn around now.” I smiled sarcastically and waited
for him to do as he was told.
 
He shook his head. “If I remember correctly,” he began, still
smirking, “I said that I’d do whatever you wanted for the rest of the day. It’s
now 1:18AM, meaning that I no longer have to listen to you anymore.” His
smirk transformed into a proud grin once I gave him a look of disbelief, and
I threw the nearest object at him – which turned out to be one of his shirts.
 
“Turn around.” I scowled, blushing again.
 
“Okay, okay.” He laughed, putting his hands up in defense before
slowly turning so that his back was facing me. I gave his figure a weary
look before quickly shrugging off the pants and the bra underneath my shirt.
I climbed into my side of the bed and covered up quickly.
 
Adrian turned back around as soon as he felt the bed dip, and his
arms were around my waist faster than I was able to blink.
 
“I’ve missed this,” he said, sneaking a small peck on my cheek.
“For the record, my bed is way more comfortable than yours.”
 
The mention of my previous bed instantly spiked up the anger
within me, and I glared at him. “For the record, I liked my bed – you know;
the one you forced me to move away from?”
 
Adrian let out an exasperated sigh before glaring back at me. “Get
over it. I saved you from moving back with your parents. It’s not like that
little shitty apartment meant anything to you anymore than-”
 
 “It didn’t mean anything to me?!” I snapped, enraged now. “I had to
work three jobs throughout my entire senior year and college life just to
save up for that ‘shitty little apartment’ that you were so adamant on
‘saving’ me from. Then, whatever money I had left over from all my hard
work was put into my ‘uncomfortable’ bed and tiny sofa. So excuse me if
those things are worthless to you because you had everything handed over
to you wrapped in a pretty bow; but they were my hard work. They meant a
lot to me; and you took me away from that.”
 
I was shaking, feeling my anger take over again. Suddenly, I didn’t
feel guilty anymore. I turned away from his shirtless figure in disgust,
shifting all the way to the other end of the bed as a tense silence filled the
room.
 
I felt Adrian shift slightly before a small light illuminated the dark
room – I didn’t have to look over to know that it was his phone.
 
I closed my eyes in an attempt to sleep away my anger and get
some rest before work tomorrow, but my phone vibrated on the small
nightstand beside me. I picked it up to find a text from Adrian:
 
Hi :)
 
I ignored the text and locked my phone before placing it back onto
the nightstand loudly to convey my anger.
 
My phone buzzed again:
 
I have a strong feeling that you’re ignoring my text.
 
I ignored it again just as another buzz erupted through the quiet
room before I even had a chance to lock my phone again:
 
I’m sorry. I didn’t know it was that important to you.
I’d offer the apartment back, but… I don’t want you to move out, so that’s not an option. What can I
do to prove how sorry I am? Not talking to you today was hard enough. I can tell you another thing
that’s pretty hard right now as well…
  
I let out a surprised choke at the end of the message, making Adrian
explode in laughter beside me. I put my phone back down onto the table
before turning around to glare at him.
 
“Say it to my face,” I demanded once his laughter died down.
 
“Say what to your face? That I have a hard-on for you? Well, you’re
really sexy when you’re angry so I couldn’t really control-”
 
“Not that!” I exclaimed furiously. “Your apology. Apologise to my
face, not through text. Then you’ll be forgiven for good.”
 
Adrian looked uncomfortable, and I smiled smugly at the fact that
our roles were reversed.
 
“I’ve apologised to you already,” he mumbled.
 
My eyebrows shot up. “Oh really? And when was this?” I asked,
feigning curiosity.
 
“You know… before… When you were on my lap in the living
room and I told you I’d do whatever you want-”
 
“You didn’t apologise. You only explained that you don’t regret
making me move in and offered me something I took advantage of. I want a
full-fledged apology – no texts, no re-worded sentences – a proper
apology.” I crossed my arms in an attempt to look serious, but ended up
looking awkward due to my position lying down.
 
I watched as Adrian opened and shut his mouth multiple times
before giving up and turning back to the other side of the bed so that my
back was facing him. I wasn’t going to crack at his inability to apologise
until he found the courage to own up to his actions.
 
 I don’t know how many minutes passed as I began to find myself
slowly drifting off to sleep. Just before the blackness fully consumed me, I
felt Adrian’s familiar arms wrap around my waist and pull me into him
again.
 
“I’m not good with these kinds of things… and this is the third time
I’ve ever done it in my lifetime… so, I’m sorry for… I’m sorry for…”
Adrian trailed off, and I watched as a deep frown of thought consumed his
features in the dimly lit room. “I’m sorry for taking you away from
something you worked so hard for, and I hope that you will find a place in
your heart to forgive me.”
 
I stared back at him in shock for a moment before blinking rapidly
and nodding in response while processing his words. He sounded genuinely
sorry, and I accepted them quietly. “Okay,” I mumbled, smiling a little.
 
“There you go with the flirting again. This is getting out of hand,
Shortcake, if you want me, all you have to do is ask.” Adrian smirked,
making me roll my eyes in response once again while trying to hold back a
smile. And just like that, Adrian was back.
 
“Let’s go to sleep for real this time,” I suggested while yawning.
 
“Okay,” he agreed, “after I get my kiss.”
 
“You’re an idiot,” I grumbled before placing a soft kiss on his
cheek.
 
“No, no. Not there. I want it on my lips.”
 
I gave him a flat look in order to cover up my flaming cheeks.
“Goodnight, Adrian.”
 
He chuckled before pulling me into the crook of his neck. “’Night,
Shortcake.”
 
 ***
 
“How are we even best friends?!” Amy cried in disbelief, her voice
loud over the phone, “I can’t believe you still haven’t slept with him!”
 
“Amy, shut up! ‘She’ and I are sometimes in the same room and I
can’t talk about that around ‘her.’” I tried to cover up subtly, briefly
glancing over to Adrian to see if he heard Amy’s loud voice from his desk.
 
Amy laughed before responding. “All the more reason to jump him
while you can, Em! Honestly Hun, you’re growing old, and sometimes, the
muscles in between your legs need to-”
 
“THANK YOU FOR YOUR CALL, I WILL SPEAK WITH YOU
LATER. GOOD BYE!” I ended the call abruptly while blushing deeply
from her words. My eyes widened as I looked at the phone in horror before
I looked up to meet Adrian’s amused gaze.
 
“Are you okay there, Shortcake?” he asked with a smile, obviously
enjoying my flushed state.
 
“Yep, yep. I’m good. Just… you know… business-ing it out and
all…” I let out a nervous laugh before growing redder at the realisation of
how stupid my words sounded.
 
Adrian chuckled and got out of his seat, making his way towards
my desk. “What did she say? Clearly, it involved me, because you’re
refusing to make eye contact with me right now.”
 
“You? Why would we talk about you? Amy was just telling me
about her encounter with an ex-boyfr-”
 
“No, she wasn’t. You tried to cover up the fact that she was talking
about me by saying ‘she’ instead of ‘he’ and looked at me once you
finished the sentence and thought I wasn’t looking. I was.” He smirked
before lifting me out of my seat and pressing me into his torso.
  
“I- What? N- No I wasn’t.” I stuttered as I felt my blush increase in
colour.
 
“You’re a really bad liar, Shortcake.” He smirked down at me, and I
watched as his eyes briefly flickered to my lips.
 
I didn’t respond as my own eyes moved down to his lips
unconsciously, and I licked my own lips which were suddenly feeling dry.
 
Adrian let out a throaty growl before I felt his arm push close the
space in between us even more than before as he looked down at my lips
again.
 
A knock sounded at the door, breaking the haze Adrian and I were
in, and I pushed him away gently, blushing again.
 
Adrian took a step back and cleared his throat before speaking up.
“Come in,” he called out in a raspy voice. My eyes widened in shock when
I looked down to his crotch area and found a bulge sticking out of his navy
coloured pants.
 
I rushed and stood in front of him to cover the obvious body part
that was sticking out just as Suzie entered the office. My hand accidentally
brushed against his area and Adrian let out another groan, making my eyes
widen even further.
 
“I’m not going to be able to do this much longer, Shortcake,”
Adrian murmured into my ear before directing his attention back to Suzie.
“What is it?”
 
“Good morning, Mr. Kingston, Emily.” She nodded and smiled in
our direction and I smiled and waved in response. Adrian ignored her
greeting completely. “Your father suggested that we host a charity gala
dinner in order to raise money for our cancer foundation this Saturday. I
have already begun the preparations and just need your approval…” She
trailed off as she looked at Adrian, then myself, then back at Adrian again.
“I’m so sorry if I’ve interrupted anything…”
 
“No, no!” I reassured her quickly, scrambling for a lie. “You
haven’t interrupted anything, Suzie! Adrian and I were just discussing the
final marketing plan developed for the hotels in the Australian region.”
 
Adrian cleared his throat. “Just place the papers on the table in front
of you and I will send them back to your office later. Emily, you’re going to
be my +1 for the Gala. Mrs. Brown, please make sure everybody knows
that, and seat her in between Allen and myself. Is there anything else?”
 
Suzie looked back and forth between Adrian and me again with
uncertainty on her features before clearing her throat. “Did you want the
dinner to be themed in any way?”
 
“No. Just make sure everyone is dressed to a high standard. If that
is all, you can leave now.”
 
“Adrian!” I exclaimed, turning around to him with a frown. “Stop
being so rude,” I mumbled, looking up at him with a stern look. He ignored
my glare completely, and focused his gaze on my lips again, making me
blush.
 
“Okay, thank you sir,” Suzie called out softly, before we heard the
door shut once again.
 
My blush deepened as I looked away from his intense gaze. “Why
am I your +1 this time? Do I even have a choice in the matter?” I asked in
an attempt to change the tension in the air.
 
“No, and because I want you to be,” Adrian snapped. “Anyway, you
can’t complain. I’m putting Allen next to you. Having said that, I don’t
want anything unnecessary happening between you two.”
 
I rolled my eyes at his sudden mood swing. “Okay Mr. Bi-Polar.”
  
“I mean it. And get your weird friend to pick out your dress this
time. Rita will do your hair again and I don’t want you wearing a lot of
makeup. You already attract too much attention as it is.”
 
“Yes, Boss,” I said sarcastically, mock-saluting him. “Is there
anything else, Boss?”
 
“Don’t call me boss, Shortcake,” Adrian warned in a low voice,
even as a mischievous light glinted in his eye, “or I will not hesitate to kiss
you this time.”
 
I looked up at him with wide eyes and my cheeks began to flame up
again at his comment. I cleared my throat to compose myself. “S-Sorry,” I
stuttered.
 
Another event. I did not have a good feeling about this one.
 
 
  
Chapter Nineteen
 
 
 
Dress shopping was probably the worst thing that was ever assigned
to the job description of being a girl. Especially when it’s with your
psychotic best friend who refuses to let you see the dress that you’re going
to be wearing.
 
“Ames, I didn’t come all the way down here just to watch you glare
at your laptop,” I said, growing more and more nervous by the second. “Let
me see!”
 
“I’ve already bought it so it can come on time, so you can’t say
anything! I actually love it, wow!” Amy grinned to herself, making me
laugh.
 
“May I see it, your royal highness?” I asked sarcastically.
 
Amy rolled her eyes before passing the laptop over to me. “You’re
such a dork. I can’t believe Adrian didn’t let me come over, that’s so unfair!
I mean, I know you don’t have a lot of friends, but does he have to reject
my amazingness?” Amy exclaimed in disbelief.
 
“Shut up! And he’s very strict of the whole ‘no human being apart
from you and Maria are allowed in my apartment’ thing. Hey, he did offer
us a vacant room in the hotel; you just rejected it! Plus, I’m pretty sure that
if you were in the same room as him, all you’d be doing is ogling at him
like the creep you are.” I grinned, before using the laptop as a defense
mechanism against her violent act.
 
“It’s not my fault he’s hot.” She scowled. I laughed and shook my
head before focusing my attention on the screen in front of me – and almost
choked on my own saliva.
 
Amy noticed the barely audible sound and gave me a look of
disbelief. “What the hell?! Don’t you dare complain to me, you stupid cow,
it’s not tight or revealing and it’s long as fuck! Listen up, you little---”
 
“It’s perfect,” I murmured, cutting off her insult. It was. For the first
time, I actually liked a dress.
 
“What?” Amy asked, giving me a look of confusion. “Wait, wait.
Are you sure you’re looking at the right thing? You’re looking at a dress,
right? And you know it’s a dress?” she asked cautiously.
 
I looked away from the blood red garment with a wide grin on my
face. “Yes, I know it’s a dress. It’s amazing. I absolutely love it…” I trailed
off, looking back at the laptop screen.
 
Amy suddenly squealed beside me, making me snap out of the haze
I was in. “You’re becoming a girl! Finally! I thought you were going to go
through menopause before this moment would come!” Amy squealed again,
before I felt myself being pulled into a suffocating hug.
 
I laughed into her shoulder and hugged her back. “Thank you so
much, Ames.”
 
“Do you know how you can thank me? Convince Adrian to let me
into the apartment. It’s yours now too, you know,” she pointed out, before a
wry smile made its way to her face. “I know exactly how you can convince
him as well! It only needs a bed. That’s it. No clothing, no utensils – oh,
unless you’re into that kind of stuff. Kinky-”
 
“AMY, SHUT UP!” I groaned loudly, flushing in mortification.
 
Amy erupted into a fit of giggles just as I threw a pillow in her
direction, making the volume of her laughter increase dramatically.
 
 “I’m leaving,” I glared at her, instantly making her sober up from
her laughter. “I’ve already had enough of you and your insults to Chase
Crawford and your sex comments that involve Adrian and me.”
 
“Are you sure you don’t want to use the sex comments in bed? It’s
called dirty talk, maybe he’s into that kind of-”
 
I ran out her apartment and slammed the door before she could
finish her sentence. Even from behind it, I could hear the muffled sound of
her musical laughter. It echoed in my head even as I walked away and
headed back home.
 
***
 
“Adrian, where will Rita do my hair today if you don’t let anyone in
our apartment?” I asked curiously as I pressed print on one of the files on
my laptop.
 
“Our apartment. I love the way you say that.” Adrian smirked,
making me blush before he answered, “She’ll do it in a vacant room or here
in the office.”
 
“A room. I want to get ready in your apartment,” I emphasized,
trying to cover my blush.
 
Adrian shrugged. “Whatever you want, Shortcake. I’ll cater to your
needs; and your weird friend emailed me and told me that we should have
sex. I just thought I’d let you know.”
 
“WHAT?!” I exclaimed, my eyes growing wide as his words
registered in my mind fully.
 
Adrian began chuckling at my discomfort, and I glared at his lame
attempt at joking before turning around and snatching the recently printed
files out of the printing plate.
 
 A loud banging noise suddenly erupted through the quiet office, and
my head snapped over to Adrian’s direction with wide eyes. “What is
wrong with you?!”  I exclaimed in shock.
 
“It’s not working!” Adrian snapped, glaring at me while pointing at
the computer screen on his desk.
 
“Okay, okay! No need to get your panties all bunched up in a twist!
Here, let me have a look at it.” I got out of my seat and walked over to
where he was standing by his desk. I pressed the power button on the screen
before letting out an impatient sigh and turning my head around to meet
Adrian’s eyes. “Will you give me some space?” I laughed, pushing him
gently into his desk chair.
 
Adrian smirked. “That was hot. I like it rough.”
 
“Adrian!” I exclaimed as I felt my face flush in embarrassment at
the thought. He chuckled at my response and I threw a pen at him before
turning back to the electrical device. I began to inspect the chords
thoroughly, before frowning. “Hmm.”
 
“Hmm indeed. I like this view a lot,” Adrian interjected, making me
turn around and glare at him with another red face. He smirked in my
direction before indicating for me to continue. I turned back to the computer
with an amused grin, before frowning again at the lifeless piece of
technology.
 
Deciding that the monitor and keyboard were fine, I bent down to
inspect the hard drive of the device. The chords were all in their correct
places, and I bent even further in order to follow the electricity line. “Is it
even turned on?” I murmured to myself, trying to find the electric switch.
 
“Probably not, but I am,” Adrian mumbled, making me squeal in
shock and bump my head underneath the desk from his words.
 
 My face began to heat up in embarrassment once again before I
found the electric switch and flipped it on before crawling out of my
position under the desk. I turned to Adrian with a smug smile but instantly
began to blush once I noticed his lustful gaze.
 
“Shut up,” I mumbled, walking away from him.
 
Adrian made this impossible however, because I suddenly felt
myself being pulled against my will and stumbling onto his lap. “Adrian!” I
hissed, casting an anxious look over to the door. “Someone might walk in
and get the wrong idea!”
 
Adrian shrugged before placing a kiss on my cheeks. “Let them. It
won’t be ‘the wrong idea’ for long anyway.” He smirked, noticing my
increased flushed state from the kiss.
 
“What do you mean by that?” I asked curiously, biting my lip.
 
Adrian’s eyes travelled down to the small gesture, and he stared at
my mouth absentmindedly before looking back up to meet my eyes. “You’ll
find out tonight.” He smirked, before I felt him squeeze my backside. “Now
get back to work. On me.”
 
I let out a small gasp in response and Adrian waggled his eyebrows.
“You just did the gasp thing again!” Adrian grinned proudly, making me hit
his chest lightly.
 
“Shut up,” I snapped, trying to get off his lap.
 
“And where exactly do you think you’re going?” Adrian asked,
securing his grip around my waist by tightening his arms. “I told you;
you’re working on me.”
 
“How am I going to work on you, Adrian?” I asked with an
exasperated sigh, smiling slightly in amusement.
 
 “Well, you can work on me and do the work for the company or
you can work on me,” Adrian said, raising an eyebrow suggestively before
giving a pointed look in his crotch area.
 
I frowned, trying to get his reference before gasping in shock.
“Adrian!” I exclaimed, hitting his chest again.
 
He chuckled before placing another unexpected peck on my cheek.
 
“I love the way you scream my name, Shortcake.” He winked,
completely oblivious to my mortification.
 
***
 
“The nerve he has to make us do your hair in an insignificant room
in the hotel,” Rita huffed as she sprayed at my hair to fix it into position. “
After all I’ve done for that man!”
 
I laughed at her anger towards Adrian, just as Amy came to mind.
“You’re not the only one unhappy about that, I can assure you.”
 
“Yes, well. He’s an idiot. And an asshole. And doesn’t deserve you
because you’re perfect, and so is the job I’m doing on your hair so far!”
Rita grinned, winking at me in the reflection of the mirror.
 
I laughed awkwardly before looking down at my lap. “He’s actually
not as bad as everyone thinks he is. He’s actually very nice if you sit down
and have a conversation with him that doesn’t regard business. He’s caring
too; and protective…” I trailed off absentmindedly, before realising that I
was standing up for Adrian.
 
I looked back up at the mirror with wide eyes to see Rita smiling at
my reflection knowingly, making me flush in embarrassment. “I think
someone has developed a very deep liking towards their boss. You’re a very
naughty girl, Emily.” Rita giggled with a wink before she began working on
the volume needed for my hair.
  
“What? N-No I haven’t.” I began blushing even more once her
smile grew, and decided to text Adrian:
 
What time are we leaving?
 
Rita was almost done with my hair, and I still needed to do my
makeup and put my dress on before we could leave. The dress had arrived a
few days ago, and I had a mental break down when I noticed the large slit
that ran down the almost the entire length of the dress. Amy, of course, told
me that this was a good thing because I had the legs to show off in it.
 
My phone buzzed in my hands, pulling me out of my thoughts.
 
In an hour. What are you up to?
I think I should help you with putting your dress on.
You know, just so it doesn’t rip or anything. ;)
 
I rolled my eyes and grinned at the screen before typing my reply:
 
Almost finished my hair and still need to do my makeup. I think I will need help with that dress
though…
 
Adrian’s reply came through so fast that I had to stifle a giggle:
 
Are you serious? I don’t care how your hair looks.
Get up here right now.
 
“Great, sexting in my presence. I’m glad to know how much you
enjoy my company.” Rita pouted, making me look up with wide eyes as my
face flushed.
 
“What? I’m not sexting him!” I squeaked in embarrassment. “I was
just asking when we were leaving and then he asked me what we were up to
and then-”
 
Rita cut me off with a laugh. “I was joking, Emily! Although, from
the way you reacted…” She trailed off, smirking at my reflection.
  
I looked back in panic before I realised that she had finished my
hair. “Oh my god… It looks amazing.” I breathed, leaning forward in order
to inspect it more thoroughly. 
 
Rita smiled smugly. “I know. The fact that it’s on your head though,
makes the style all the better.” She smiled as she began to pack her
products.
 
I laughed and flushed slightly before pulling her into a hug.
 
“Thank you so much.”
 
“How many times do I need to tell you? You don’t need to thank
me, it’s my job!” Rita laughed as she slung the bag of products onto her
shoulder. “Anyway, I’m going to run off and let you get ready. You tell
Adrian I am absolutely disappointed in him for not letting me come to your
apartment, and try not to have too much fun with him when you get up
there, okay? I don’t want you to ruin your hair.” She winked, and instantly
began laughing once my eyes turned wide with shock. “I’m kidding. Love
you!” she called out, before walking down the hall to the lobby of the hotel.
 
I admired her work once more before I stepped into the elevators
and made me way up to the penthouse apartment, completely forgetting
about where I left the text messages with Adrian. I gave him a look of
confusion once I found him waiting for me at the door. “What is it?” I asked
with concern.
 
Adrian smirked. “You can’t begin a game and not finish it,
Shortcake, it’s the unspoken rule. You said you need help with the dress,
and I’m here to offer my services.”
 
I rolled my eyes and pushed passed him. “It was a joke. But, maybe
if you’re a good boy today, I’ll let you help me out of the dress when we get
back.” I winked, grinning.
 
 “Don’t test my patience with that kind of stuff, Emily,” Adrian
growled, looking over at me with the same lustful expression as the one he
had in the office. “I can’t take it any longer.”
 
I put on an innocent face. “Who said I was bluffing?” I asked,
cocking my head to the side a little to make the act more believable. Adrian
groaned before taking a step towards me, and I placed my hand on his broad
chest and pushed him back.
 
“I just did my hair and you’ll ruin it. I’m going to do my makeup
now. I’ll see you when I’m done; get dressed!” I ordered, before
disappearing into the ensuite of the bedroom.
 
My makeup was done in 20 minutes, and it had taken another 10
minutes to put the dress on carefully without wrecking my hair in any way
possible. Adrian was nowhere to be found in the bedroom, so I assumed he
was already dressed and waiting for me in the living room. I slipped on my
nude heels as I walked out of the bedroom clumsily, and almost fell on my
face in shock once I found Adrian sprawled across the sofa, asleep, wearing
his pants and shoes, as well as a fully unbuttoned shirt and a tie hanging
loosely around his neck.
 
“Adrian, get up!” I exclaimed, slapping his exposed cheek a few
times. He groaned and shifted his position before falling silent again.
 
I sighed before bending down to be at eyelevel with him. “Adrian,
you need to get up. We need to leave in 15 minutes!” I tried again, shaking
his body.
 
“I don’t want to go,” I heard his muffled voice mumble, before his
breathing steadied again.
 
I let out a frustrated sigh before another method came to mind.
“Adrian… I’m naked and need your help with the dress…” I trailed off in a
low whisper, trying to sound seductive. In reality, I probably sounded like I
had smoker’s cough and was trying to muffle it.
  
Thankfully, Adrian didn’t think so, because he was sitting upright
milliseconds after the words left my mouth. His eyes landed on my form
and any grogginess or lust instantly disappeared from his expression and he
stared back at me with an unreadable expression.
 
I flushed in embarrassment under the intense gaze, and began to
button up his shirt. “We have to leave soon,” I murmured, trying to distract
him from looking at me in the way that he was.
 
“Emily…” He trailed off, making me look up at him. His
expression was still glazed as he studied my facial features and hair before
his eyes landed on my dress again. My flushed face deepened in colour as I
continued buttoning up his shirt, and began working on his tie.
 
Once I was done, I stood up from my crouched position and looked
down at my shoes.
 
“Come on,” I urged him, still feeling self-conscious under his
intense gaze. “Grab your suit jacket and let’s go.”
 
He snapped out of his haze-like stare once I looked up to meet his
eyes again, and he blinked blankly. “You look… nice,” he muttered, looking
away from me suddenly.
 
I frowned at his unusual behaviour before clearing my throat.
“Thank you.”
 
“Let’s go,” he ordered, slipping on his suit jacket before grabbing
my hand and pulling me out the door.
 
“You’re suddenly eager to get there. You were sleeping less than 5
minutes ago,” I pointed out in amusement.
 
“That’s because I can’t wait any longer,” Adrian stated as we
stepped into the elevator.
  
“For what?” I asked, biting my lip curiously again.
 
“You’ll see when we get there,” he replied flatly.
 
I frowned, both from curiosity and his sudden mood change just as
we stepped out of the hotel into the black car that was waiting for us. Once
we got in, Adrian turned to me. “There are going to be quite a few people
from the press there. We need them to promote the charity so we’re going to
have to answer most of their questions. Just let me do all the talking, you
don’t need to worry about a thing, okay?”
 
My eyes turned wide with shock at the mention of the press, but I
swallowed and nodded in response. “Is that the thing you can’t wait any
longer for?” I asked, hoping to get a response.
 
“No, but that will be during that time.” He didn’t elaborate after
that, and I found myself burning with curiosity for the rest of the trip.
 
***
 
Once we arrived at the reception, my heart began to beat rapidly
against my chest. The beating was so intense that I could hear it in my
eardrums, and I looked over at Adrian with desperation. “Just go in alone.
Can’t you do that? What if they ask me questions because I’m next to you?
Adrian, please-”
 
“Shortcake, breathe,” Adrian said, cutting off my panicked
rambling. “I’ll take care of it, okay? Just trust me.” He hooked his thumb
around my chin and lifted my face up to meet his gaze.
 
I stared back into his hazel irises for a few moments before nodding
slowly, letting myself trust him.
 
“Let’s go,” he said after a moment of silence, grabbing my hand.
 
 “Thank you for driving us!” I called out to the driver before getting
yanked out of the car by Adrian.
 
Flashes of bright light instantly blinded my field of vision, and I felt
Adrian chuckle and pull me closer. “Always the nice one,” he murmured
into my ear, making me momentarily forget about the blinding lights and
blush.
 
“Mr. Kingston! Mr. Kingston! Over here! How much are you
planning to raise for the charity in tonight’s gala?” someone asked, making
everyone turn quiet as the flashes continued to erupt from random corners
of the crowd.
 
“As much as I can,” Adrian replied with a ghost of a smirk on his
lips.
 
“Mr. Kingston! How many people are attending the event?” another
person asked, and I looked over to find a woman with bright orange hair
holding out a recording devise.
 
“There are over 350 people here today, including myself,” he
answered as he dragged me along the long walkway that was set up.
 
“What do you plan to do with the money raised tonight, sir?”
another woman asked, smiling at the both of us.
 
“Cassandra, lovely to see you again. All the money that will be
raised tonight will go towards any families in need of the money as well as
funding towards the research that will be conducted in regards to cancer,”
Adrian explained, before checking his watch. “I’m sorry, that’s all I have
time for. We will take more questions at the end if you are willing to wait.
Thank you for joining us.” He gave them all a brief wave.
 
The cameras instantly began to go off again with bright flashes, and
I decided to speak my thoughts aloud. “Why do they continue to take
photos of the same people? I don’t get it,” I mumbled to him with a frown
on my face.
 
Adrian chuckled and pulled me closer. “They can’t get enough of
how sexy you look. Now put me next to you? It’s a picture worth a billion
dollars.” He smirked down at me, making my cheeks turn the same colour
of my dress.
 
“Ms. Emily Johnson, are you more than just an assistant to Mr.
Kingston?” A man asked, making my eyes widen in shock once I realised
the question was directed at me and turning the entire place quiet again.
 
I didn’t even get the chance to look up at Adrian for help, because
he already began answering the question on my behalf. “I’m glad you asked
that question, Joseph.”
 
I frowned in confusion from his response and looked up at him,
waiting for an elaboration.
 
Adrian looked down at me and smirked. “Remember the thing I
couldn’t wait any longer for?” he asked. I nodded slowly, still unsure of
what he was getting at, before he continued talking. “This is it,” he
declared, before I felt him pull me into his torso as his lips crashed onto
mine eagerly; making me forget about the flashing lights and murmurs that
instantly burst into life as soon as the contact was made.
 
I began kissing him back just as eagerly, completely forgetting the
fact that there were over 50 paparazzi here taking photos and recording the
event. I realised after a moment that I was kissing Adrian – my boss – and
pulled away in shock while trying to catch my breath. Adrian kept an iron
grip around my waist, preventing me from moving away from being
pressed against his body, before he turned back to Joseph.
 
“Emily is, in fact, more than my assistant. She is my girlfriend.
Have a nice night.”
 
  
Chapter Twenty
 
She doesn’t say ‘I love you’ like a normal person.
Instead, she’ll laugh, shake her head, give you a little smile, and say, ‘You’re an idiot. If she tells you
you’re an idiot, you’re a lucky man.
 
~^o^~How I Met Your Mother~^o^~
 
 
Girlfriend.
 
It took a while for the word to register in my mind. In fact, I’m
pretty sure I looked like a deer caught in headlights for the entire first hour
of the event while sitting next to an extremely satisfied looking Adrian and
a slightly worried looking Allen. When the shock did wore off, however,
anger overcame my entire being; and boy was I pissed.
 
I ended up glaring at the silverware in front of me every time
Adrian decided to even shift in his seat, and gnashed my teeth together once
he spoke up and replied to someone who spoke to him. I’d feel his eyes on
me every once and a while, smirking – which pissed me off even more.
 
“Allen!” I finally spoke up, squealing in delight as I turned in my
seat to face Allen fully and ignore Adrian’s now-shocked expression.
 
“Well, well, well, if it isn’t my girlfriend,” Allen winked, pulling
me into a tight hug. “I’ll bet that corner booth is missing your bright smile
and my hilarious humour,” he joked, pulling away slightly.
 
I beamed before slapping his shoulder playfully. “Please. The only
humorous thing about you is your face,” I teased, grinning.
 
“Get your hands off her,” Adrian growled suddenly, glaring at
Allen. “She’s mine now.”
  
Allen looked up at Adrian with a sceptic look before shaking his
head and giving me a brief smile. “I guess we should wait for the event to
start,” he murmured, before pulling away from our embrace completely.
 
“Hey Allen, do you know what I’ve noticed about you?” I spoke up
again, ignoring Adrian’s anger.
 
I watched as Allen cast a look of surprise in my direction, then
wariness in Adrian’s over my shoulder, before he settled a smug smile at
me. “What have you noticed, Emily?” Allen asked, catching on with the
fact that I was trying to ignore Adrian all together.
 
“You look a lot like Dave Franco. Practically twins. Has anyone
ever told you that?” I asked curiously, smirking slightly once Adrian
cleared his throat from behind me.
 
Allen nodded. “I get that a lot, actually. Is that a good thing, or a
bad thing?”
 
“Oh, a good thing for sure,” I reassured him. “He’s really hot.”
 
Allen laughed before waggling his eyebrows in my direction. “So
you think I’m hot as well, then?” He grinned.
 
I rolled my eyes to attempt to cover my blush before pushing him
away slightly. “Stupid head,” I grumbled, trying to fight my own grin from
escaping.
 
Adrian cleared his throat again before I felt a familiar arm wrap
itself around my waist. “Shortcake, what is your favourite colour?”
 
I raised an eyebrow at Allen while ignoring Adrian’s random
question and Allen spoke up. “Shouldn’t you know that? You know, since
she’s your girlfriend, and all?”
 
 “Shut up,” Adrian growled, making me turn to him with a look of
disbelief. He was glaring at Allen just as his grip around my waist
tightened. I squirmed to wriggle out of it angrily, catching him off guard.
 
“Are you hungry, Shortcake? Let’s skip this dinner and go get some
takeout,” Adrian suggested with a grimace once he noticed my glare.
 
I let out an angry huff and was about to reply when I was cut off by
an all too familiar chuckle. “If this is how I’m going to see my son every
time we meet Emily, I must force you into marrying him. You’ve made him
your bitch!”
 
I turned around to find Mason Kingston grinning down at his son
and me. “Well?” he demanded with a fake frown, “Where’s my hug?”
 
I laughed, temporarily forgetting my anger towards Adrian as I got
out of my seat and was forcefully pulled into a suffocating hug by Mason,
who lifted me off the floor and spun me around.
 
I let out a squeak of surprise before Mason chuckled and set me
back onto the solid floor, laughing. “As light as a feather. Even with those
big boobs attached. It’s nice to see you again.” Mason smirked, making my
eyes grow wide in mortification as a blush spread through my cheeks.
 
“It’s… uh… nice to see you again too, sir,” I mumbled, still
embarrassed from his previous remark.
 
“Come on, Emily. You should know to call me Mason by now. How
is my son? Is he still being a little slut? It looked like he was your bitch just
then, so I’m hoping you’ve changed the idiot’s ways with women.”
 
Adrian groaned from beside me, darkening my mood once again.
“I’m right here, dad.”
 
Mason smirked down at me for a few more moments before slowly
pulling his gaze away and looking at Adrian. His expression turned to one
of surprise, like he hadn’t noticed his son standing there before. “Well, if it
isn’t Emily’s bitch in the flesh!” Mason cheered, making a few people who
were sitting within earshot turn to look at the reunion.
 
Adrian glared at his father before shaking his head and pulling him
into a hug. “Hello to you too, dad,” Adrian grumbled once he pulled away.
 
Mason waggled his eyebrows. “Did you get some from the lovely
lady yet?”
 
Adrian sighed and shook his head. “It’s killing me, but it’s her
decision in the end,” he replied, making me frown. Both men chose to turn
their heads over in my direction just then, and I flushed from the unwanted
attention.
 
Mason grinned at my reaction before lazily placing one arm over
my shoulders and shaking me lightly. “Keep him on his toes. I want to see
how long he lasts. He’s never done this before, you know. He usually
would’ve given up on a challenge a long time ago. My son must really like
you if he’s stayed this long.”
 
I frowned and opened my mouth to respond when an ice cold voice
beat me too it with a dissatisfied grunt. “I’m sure he does.” All three heads
turned to the direction where Katherine Kingston was standing, glaring icily
in my direction.
 
I looked over to Adrian out of habit, and found him glaring at his
mother with the same coldness she was currently aiming at me. “Funny you
should mention that, father,” Adrian began slowly, tearing his gaze away
from his mother. He pulled me out of his father’s grip and into his own,
making me flush as mental images of the kiss we shared earlier came to my
mind. “I’ve forgotten to tell you. Emily and I are now a couple, we’ve just
made it public. Oh, and, she’s moved in with me.” He looked at Katherine
as he said the last part, and her gaze – if possible – grew colder.
 
 Mason, oblivious to the tension between his wife and son, lit up like
a Christmas tree. “That’s wonderful news! I’m so happy for the two of you!
Now you play sex games in the security of your own four walls without any
of our workers walking in on you two.” He winked, before bursting into a
fit of laughter at his own joke.
 
Adrian gave his father a flat look before shaking his head and
looking back at his mother, who was still staring at me with a cold glare.
“Aren’t you happy for me, mother?” Adrian asked, sarcasm lacing his
question.
 
“Of course I am, honey,” Katherine replied, smiling tightly at the
both of us. “You couldn’t be with a more suitable woman.”
 
“Katherine,” Mason said, making me turn to him in shock. This was
the first time I’ve heard Mason Kingston be serious, and boy did he sound
scary. “I don’t know what you have against Emily, but you’re taking it too
far now. Adrian has chosen her - accept it.” He gave her a strict look.
 
Katherine’s gaze sliced through me as she went to look at her
husband, before tightly nodding her head. “Of course,” she replied in a crisp
tone, before taking her seat on our table. Adrian’s stiff posture relaxed
slightly against my own, just as we returned to our own seats.
 
I turned around to start another conversation with Allen before I felt
a warm breath on my ear.
 
“I’m starting to regret seating you next to Allen, Shortcake,” Adrian
murmured.
 
I pushed him away before turning back to Allen. “How’s Lisa?” I
asked, remembering the bubbly teenager who made surprisingly good
coffee.
 
Allen rolled his eyes before his expression turned desperate. “Help
me, Emily. She doesn’t shut up about that boy band. I don’t know what to
do!” Allen gripped both my arms tightly and shook me, making me laugh.
 
“One Direction? Allen, she’s a teenager, what do you expect? Plus,
they’re pretty cute. Especially the one with the curly hair… what’s his name
again?” I asked, biting my lip curiously.
 
Allen gave me a flat look. “Harry Edward Styles. Born on the 1st of
February, 1994,” he recited in a deadpan voice, making the volume of my
laughter increase dramatically. Allen glared at me in an attempt to shut me
up, but ended up laughing with me once I didn’t stop.
 
A loud bang erupted from beside me, abruptly cutting our laughter
short.
 
“We’re leaving,” Adrian scowled, glaring down at me as he got up
from his seated position.
 
“What? Why? This is your event!” Allen pointed out with a
confused frown.
 
“No, this is an event to raise money for the cancer foundation in the
company’s name. It was his idea anyway,” Adrian snapped, briefly inclining
his head in Mason Kingston’s direction, “So he can say the speech. We’re
leaving,” he repeated, looking down at me.
 
“No, we’re not,” I responded, glaring in response.
 
“Emily,” Adrian growled.
 
“No, Adrian,” I retorted. “You dragged me here; so we’re staying
until the event is over. End of discussion.” I kept my gaze firm.
 
Adrian stared back at me for a few moments, before his jaw
clenched in defeat. “Fine, but get up. I want to talk to you in private.” I
raised an eyebrow at his blunt tone and he sighed in frustration. “Please,”
he added in a half-mocking tone, making me roll my eyes at his immature
display.
 
He led us to a secluded corner in the wide reception room, and I
crossed my arms once we stopped moving. “What.”
 
“Why aren’t you talking to me, Shortcake?” Adrian whined,
pouting.
 
I tried to mask my surprise with a look of disbelief. “Are you
kidding me right now?”
 
Adrian shook his head with a smirk, before he changed his
expression back to the pout. “You’ve been talking to Allen all evening, and
ignoring me!”
 
“I’m going to point out a few things to you as to why that is the
case. For one, you made Allen cut all contact with me ever since that day
you found us having lunch in the diner together-”
 
“That’s because you liked him more than a friend,” Adrian
interrupted with a stern look.
 
I opened my mouth to respond then closed it once the words
registered in my mind. “No I didn’t! I liked him as a friend, and that was
all! Anyway, let me continue, number two; you’re way too controlling and
demanding all the time-”
 
“Amy told me you like dominant guys, so I’m perfect for you,”
Adrian smirked, cutting me off again. “That means sexually as well, if you
want me to be.” He winked, making me choke in mortification.
 
“Just- Stop!” I squeaked, flushing the colour of my dress. I had told
Amy that before; and now my best friend’s murder was going to be on my
hands.
 
 Adrian chuckled at my reaction to his comment, making me glare in
return. “Number three,” I continued, ignoring his sexual indications, “You
just announced to the entire population of paparazzi out there, that you and
I are dating, when we’re not! You’ve said it to my parents, and now to yours
as well; but did you ever stop and think to ask me?!” I asked, huffing
slightly from anger.
 
“I love when you’re angry,” Adrian said, taking a step closer
towards me.
 
“Answer my question.” My voice was supposed to come out firm,
but I ended up sounding like I was answering my parents after being
scolded for doing something wrong.
 
Adrian sighed before taking another step towards me and wrapping
his arms around my waist. “Shortcake,” he began, looking straight into my
eyes with a serious expression. “It would give me great honour…” He
trailed off.
 
“Yes?” I murmured, waiting for him to continue.
 
“If you would…” he continued.
 
“Mhm?” I urged, looking into his hazel irises.
 
“Shut up and be my girlfriend.” He smirked, snapping me out of my
daze. “Please?” He pouted, before grinning cheekily.
 
“Asshole.” I scowled, glaring up at his grinning countenance.
 
“Hey, I asked you!” Adrian said defensively. “Isn’t that what you
wanted?”
 
“You told me to shut up and be your girlfriend!” I exclaimed in
disbelief. “In what way is that asking me?”
 
 “I said please!” he replied, as if the answer was obvious.
 
I gave him another look of disbelief, and he broke out into an
amused smirk; breaking my expression.
 
“You’re an idiot,” I mumbled, grinning slightly as I shook my head.
 
“Can you kiss this idiot?” Adrian asked with a hopeful expression.
 
“No,” I responded flatly, trying to fight he blush that was slowly
making its way to my cheeks.
 
“Fine.” He sighed, pulling me in closer. “I guess I’ll have to do all
the idiot kissing tonight,” Adrian announced, before I felt his lips on mine
for the second time that evening.
 
My fingers automatically tangled themselves in his hair before I
realised I was kissing Adrian, and pulled away instantly. “D- Don’t do
that,” I stuttered weakly, blushing.
 
Adrian smirked before stealing another peck on my lips. “Why not,
girlfriend?” He grinned.
 
I shook my head at his beaming expression before his previous
words registered in my mind. “You just insulted me!” I exclaimed,
frowning.
 
“By calling you girlfriend?” Adrian asked, raising an eyebrow.
 
“That’s an insult as well now that I think about it…” I trailed off,
before grinning at his skeptical look. “But no, you called me an idiot before
kissing me!”
 
“You wouldn’t kiss me! So I had to think of a smooth comeback.”
Adrian shrugged.
 
 “By calling me an idiot?” I responded slyly. I crossed my arms over
my chest. “Real smooth, idiot.”
 
“I’m your idiot now,” Adrian grinned, stealing another quick kiss
on the lips.
 
“Adrian!” I protested.
 
“You may as well get used to it, Shortcake. Now that you’re
officially mine, I’m going to be kissing you a lot,” Adrian pointed out with
a smirk, placing another kiss on my nose.
 
“Yay for me,” I cheered sarcastically, trying to fight another grin.
 
“We should just ditch this stupid thing and go home. We’ll watch a
movie and order some pizza or something,” Adrian suggested with a
determined expression.
 
“No, Adrian! We’re here for a good cause. Go and sit back down.
I’m going to use the restrooms.”
 
Adrian groaned. “Come on! It’s so boring.”
 
“It’s your event!” I laughed. “Go make it fun.”
 
Adrian pulled me into his torso again, catching me off guard and
making me squeak in surprise. “I can think of a couple of ways to make it
fun. It involves me taking off that beautiful, beautiful dress of yours.” He
smirked, before his gaze trailed down to the blood red garment.
 
My face began to turn the same colour as the dress before I pushed
him away. “Go away you idiot,” I mumbled.
 
He chuckled before placing a lingering kiss on my forehead. “Okay,
okay. Don’t be too long, and when you get back, I want you to talk to me.
Not Allen,” he demanded sternly, with a glare.
  
I shook my head. “Okay! Let a woman use the restroom in peace!”
 
He grinned before turning to walk back to our tables, just as I
slipped out of the reception room in search for the restrooms.
 
I walked out of the large space absent minded while fixing the front
of my dress before I ran into something warm. I instantly dropped the heavy
material and looked up at the person. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t see you – Oh,
M- Mr. Walter. I didn’t know you’d be here tonight,” I stuttered as fear
began to overcome me.
 
David Walter smiled slowly, revealing each bleached tooth in the
process. “Emily Johnson. It’s been a while.”
 
I nodded slowly, forcing out a smile. “Yes… It has. I’m so sorry,
I’m afraid I’m going to have to cut this short. Adrian is waiting-”
 
“Ah yes, Adrian. Your new ‘boyfriend’. How is that going, by the
way? He hasn’t cheated on you yet?” David asked, lifting a bushy eyebrow
in question.
 
I glared slightly. “No, he has not. If you’ll excuse me-”
 
“Come on Emily,” David spoke up, grabbing a hold of my upper
arm firmly. “Surely you don’t trust a man like Adrian Kingston enough to
be in a relationship with him. Tell me, is he paying you extra money? Are
you sleeping with him?” he asked, pulling me closer towards him.
 
My frowned deepened as I tried to wrestle my arm out of his strong
grip. “Let go of me.”
 
“Is he threatening you with something?” David continued, ignoring
my request.
 
 “Mr. Walter, I don’t know what you’ve heard, but Adrian and I are a
happy couple together; there is no blackmailing or extra background money
in this relationship. Please let go of my arm,” I said through clenched teeth,
glaring at his smug smirk.
“I’m glad to hear that. We should catch up, Emily. Just you and me.
How about we go and get some dinner together?” David asked, pulling me
into him even more than before.
 
“David, let go of me,” I ordered again, trying to wriggle out of his
grasp.
 
“Come on, Emily, why are you so against being with me? I don’t
bite… too hard.” David chuckled, almost making me gag in response.
 
I tried to wrench myself out of his grip again when I heard Adrian’s
voice. “Shortcake? I don’t even think a number 2 takes that long. Are you -
Get your fucking hands off my girlfriend, you prick!” Adrian’s voice
boomed through the quiet lobby area of the reception, making the few
straddlers that were scattered throughout the area look over to us in shock.
 
“Ah, Mr. Kingston,” David leered at him, slowly unclasping his
hand from my arm. “How nice of you to join us. I was just congratulating
Emily on your newly publicized relationship. I’m so happy for you, really.
The notorious playboy has finally decided to settle down. And with his
assistant, no less!”
 
Adrian pulled me into his torso protectively as soon as David
Walter’s grip was off my arm completely, and I watched as Adrian’s
towering figure looked down at David. “Why are you here,” he growled
menacingly.
 
“I told you, I just wanted to offer my congratulations to the
beautiful lady.” David smiled, before his gaze travelled back to my face. “I
was just in the middle of asking her to dinner when you came out, so I
didn’t really get to hear her answer. What do you say, Emily?”
 
 “There’s no way in hell she’s going with you. You weren’t invited
to this dinner for a reason, Walter. So get the fuck out.” Adrian made the
harsh demand with an intimidating step forward. “And if I ever see you
come near her again, you’re going to wish you listened to my warning the
first time I told you she’s not interested in talking to you.”
 
“My, my. If looks could kill… You two are a match made in
heaven. We have the beauty, which kills men with her physical beauty, and
the beast; who snaps his fingers and suddenly everyone around him is at his
beck and call. Don’t worry, Emily, we’ll be seeing more of each other in the
near future. You know, when your lion over here doesn’t have his claws out
and isn’t around you. Until then.” He smiled, before turning away slowly
and whistling a casual tune.
 
Adrian watched him go with a fierce glare the entire time, before
his gaze travelled down to me. “Are you okay?” he asked, inspecting every
inch of my face for any sign of injury.
 
“I’m fine, don’t worry,” I assured him. “Just a little shaken up. That
guy is weird.” I moved the arm David was gripping onto earlier and winced.
 
Adrian noticed the small gesture, and instantly began inspecting my
arm. “Son of a bitch,” he swore, clenching his jaw as he observed the red
finger marks that were beginning to turn purple on my arm. “That son of a
bitch,” he said again, glaring at the main doors of the lobby, where David
Walter had exited moments ago.
 
“It’s nothing, Adrian,” I assured him with a small smile. “Let’s just
go back inside and enjoy the rest of the night. We can deal with this later.”
 
“No,” Adrian growled, taking a step in the direction David took.
“I’m going after that fucking prick now.”
 
“No! Adrian!” I tried, before my mind thought of a distraction I
knew would work. “Hold on,” I called out to him. Adrian turned back with
an impatient glare as I caught up to his tall figure. I let out a nervous breath
before placing the palm of my hand on the back of his neck and pulling him
down for a kiss.
 
My lips met his eagerly, and I kissed him long enough to make him
forget about what he was going after. Only when I felt him relax did I pull
away, slightly out of breath.
 
“Wow,” Adrian breathed, looking down at me with wide eyes.
 
I began blushing furiously under his gaze, before taking his hand in
mine. “Let’s go back to the dinner,” I tried again in a soft voice.
 
“Kiss me like that again and I’ll sleep in a dumpster if you wanted
me to,” Adrian mumbled, running his fingers through his hair. I laughed at
his comment before letting out a small sigh of relief at the fact that he
wasn’t going to go after David Walter.
 
“Don’t think I haven’t forgotten about that son of a bitch,” Adrian
said, just as we re-entered the reception area.
 
I sighed and squeezed his arm. “I know, thank you,” I murmured,
placing another kiss on his cheek before we arrived at our table.
 
At least he wasn’t going to go after David Walter tonight.
 
 
  
Chapter Twenty One
 
 
 
“If I do recall correctly, Shortcake, you said I’d be allowed to help
you out of your dress once we got home. Well, we’re home, and your dress
is still on your body…”
 
Adrian gave a pointed look at the bright red garment that was
currently making it hard to walk without high heels on.
 
“I said if you were a good boy,” I reminded him. “And you weren’t,
so sorry sweetheart.” I smiled sarcastically, before sending a wink in his
direction.
 
Adrian gave me a look of disbelief. “What did I do wrong?! I let
you sit next to Allen, and I listened to you throughout the entire night! This
is rubbish.” He glared at me.
 
I grinned widely before lifting up my dress. “I’m going to take a
shower then go to bed,” I announced, leaving him alone in the living room.
 
“Yeah, well, you’re not going to have the honours of taking a
shower with me this time! I hope you know that!” he called out after me,
making me laugh in response.
 
Once I felt squeaky clean to my satisfaction, I slipped on my
underwear and wrapped myself with the towel before exiting the bathroom.
I stopped in front of the bedroom door and peeked through the small gap
that lit up the dim hallway from the door being open. I heard the shower
running in the en suite and decided it was safe to walk into the room
without Adrian seeing me half naked.
 
 “Adrian, I’m going to wear one of your shirts tonight. Is that okay?”
I called out, biting my lip as I waited for his response.
 
“Yes, Shortcake,” he replied, and I could mentally picture his
infamous smirk. “You don’t have to ask. Wear The Rolling Stones shirt, you
look sexy in that.”
 
“Shut up,” I mumbled, more to myself as I took out Adrian’s shirt
and slipped it on. I walked out of the wardrobe and squealed in shock
before the palm of my hand flew up to cover my eyes. “ADRIAN!” I
shrieked, dropping the towel in surprise. Adrian was standing in the middle
of bedroom. Naked.
 
“What?” he asked innocently, as I moved one finger to see if he
covered had himself. I squeaked and covered my eyes once again, realizing
he was still stark naked and smirking in my direction.
 
“Put- Put that away!” I stuttered while flushing in embarrassment.
 
Adrian chuckled before I heard shuffling around the room. “Oh
come on, Shortcake, you may as well get used to it. You know, since it’s
going to be the primary thing needed for us to make babies in the future.”
 
“Oh my God. Adrian Kingston if you don’t get dressed right this
second, I will tell the entire human race that you own boxers with ‘The
Wiggles’ logo on them!” I squeaked, walking backwards in the process.
 
Adrian let out a fake gasp. “You wouldn’t!” he exclaimed in a girly
voice. I removed one finger from in front of my eyes to find him smirking
in my direction, and my hand fell to my hip as I glared in response while
trying to keep to keep my gaze from travelling to his lower region.
 
“Fine, fine,” he said as he slipped on a pair of black boxers. “But
this means you have to give me an extra-long good night kiss in bed.”
 
 I rolled my eyes once he grinned in my direction while trying to
fight a smile of my own. “You’re a big idiot, did you know that?” I asked
while throwing the towel I had around me into the dirty laundry basket.
 
“Careful Shortcake, this idiot knows your weaknesses. Actually,
this idiot is one of your weaknesses,” he announced, smirking arrogantly.
 
“Actually, this idiot is not one of my weaknesses,” I corrected him,
feeling smug as his cocky expression turned into one of anger and disbelief.
“Dave Franco is. Oh! And chocolate.”
 
“I’m way better looking than some 20-year-old actor with no life,”
Adrian scoffed, glaring in my direction as I slipped into the bed.
 
“Hmm. Not really. Have you seen that man’s lips? And don’t even
get me started on his jawline and smile.”
 
“One day, I’m going to track this guy down and make sure he never
acts again,” Adrian growled under his breath as he jumped into the other
side of the bed.
 
I laughed softly before I felt him drag me closer to him. I could still
smell the strong apple scented body wash he kept in the en suite and looked
up at him once we were both comfortable.
 
“You know I’m only kidding, right?”
 
“I know, I just don’t take you and other men well,” Adrian
grumbled, still glaring down at me from the thought.
 
“Really? I hadn’t noticed!” I said sarcastically, giving him an
amused look.
 
“Stop enjoying this. Anyway, I think it’s my turn to get inner
satisfaction. I put on pants, now I get my good night kiss.” Adrian pulled
me up into a position that let me access his lips easier.
  
“No.” I blushed, glaring.
 
His eyebrows shot up. “Really? That’s fine. I like sleeping naked-”
He began to pull his boxers down and I let out a shocked shriek before
crashing my lips onto his. Adrian laughed against my lips before pulling me
into his shirtless torso and wrapping his arms around my waist while
deepening the kiss.
 
Unconsciously, I climbed onto his lap while wrapping my arms
around his neck and deepening the kiss even more. Adrian groaned before I
felt him shift so that our entire bodies were pressed up against each other,
and I chose to pull away then before we both got carried away.
 
“You need to stop being so amazing, Shortcake,” Adrian declared
with a smirk, giving a pointed look down at the bulge in his boxers. “It’s
really not healthy for my mini-me.”
 
I raised an eyebrow before meeting his eyes again. “Mini it is.” I
smirked, making him give me another look of disbelief.
 
“Need I remind you of how big it is, Shortcake?” Adrian asked,
raising an eyebrow in challenge as his hands flew down to the waistband of
his boxers.
 
“No! No, I don’t need reminding. It’s pretty much engraved into my
memory now.” I cringed.
 
“I’m sure you do.” He smirked, before pulling me into his torso
once again.
 
I let out a yawn. “Thank God we have a day off tomorrow,” I
mumbled tiredly, getting comfortable in my position pressed up against
him.
 
 “I know. That means I get to kiss you all day. And maybe even
more than kiss.”
 
I rolled my eyes and lightly punched his chest. “Stop being a perv.”
I scowled playfully.
 
He chuckled before placing a kiss on my forehead. “In all
seriousness now, we’re going to have our first date tomorrow. Just so we
can get to know each other better and I can finally find out your favourite
colour.” Adrian winked, making me laugh.
 
“Okay, whatever you want,” I yawned. “Goodnight, Adrian.”
 
“’Night, Shortcake. No need to dream about me, because I’m right
here in the flesh. Just remember that.”
 
“Shut up you idiot,” I mumbled, before everything went black.
 
***
 
“Really Adrian, a carnival?” I asked skeptically as we pulled into a
parking space.
 
“What, don’t you like them?” Adrian asked, casting me a weird
look.
 
“No it’s not that, it’s just… well, I didn’t think you’d be into this
kind of stuff,” I finally said, frowning slightly.
 
“I’m not always fancy dinners and million-dollar events, Shortcake,
especially not with people I’m comfortable with.” Adrian frowned, before
wrapping an arm around my waist.
 
My heart fluttered at his last words. “Oh” was all I managed to
reply.
 
 “So what do you want to do first? I was thinking- Hey! Don’t look
at her,” Adrian snapped suddenly, and I looked up to find him glaring at a
man, probably within our age range, who was staring up at Adrian in shock.
 
“S-Sorry, man,” the flustered stranger muttered, before walking
away in a slightly quicker speed than normal.
 
I sighed. “Adrian, if you’re going to be like this all night then we
may as well go home.”
 
“He was looking at you!” Adrian exclaimed angrily, like it was a
good thing that he snapped at a random stranger.
 
“Yes, I understand. But he only looked, and you don’t even know if
it was on purpose. Now, if he – or any other man for that matter – tried to
flirt with me, then I give you full permission to be your usual possessive
self. For now, let’s just enjoy our time here as much as we can.” I finished
calmly, giving him a stern look.
 
Adrian studied my expression for a few moments, before sighing.
“Fine,” he grumbled, dragging me over to a ride that spun a lot. “Two
tickets,” he demanded as he placed a $20 bill onto the table.
 
“Please,” I added, glaring at Adrian.
 
“What- Oh come on! It’s their job! I don’t need to be nice to them,”
he exclaimed with a glare.
 
“Yes, you do!” I responded, glaring in return.
 
“Whatever,” Adrian grumbled, before snatching the two tickets
from the salesman.
 
“Thank you!” I called out pathetically before Adrian could drag me
away. “You need to work on your social skills,” I huffed angrily once we
stood in the line.
  
“I don’t care for other people so I don’t need to learn how to make
them happy. The only person I have to do that with is you. And my dad.
Occasionally. And maybe Maria when I wanted her to make me her famous
apple pie.” Adrian shrugged.
 
I gave him a look of disbelief at the fact that he said something
sweet before shaking out of it. “I’m saying it for your own good!”
 
Before I had a chance to move away, Adrian pressed his lips against
mine. “You know when I kiss you? That’s for my own good. I don’t need
anything else.” He stole another kiss before I could recover.
 
I pulled away while blushing. “You’re moody when we’re in
public,” I observed, biting my lip curiously as I watched him glare at a
random woman who walked past.
 
“I don’t like people,” he responded with a shrug, before looking
down at me. “Well, not all people.” He smirked, before stealing yet another
quick kiss from my lips.
 
I flushed from the public displays of affection Adrian was currently
making before I noticed we were at the front of the line. Adrian handed the
man the two tickets he bought and the man led us into the ride.
 
“Now, all you have to do is stay standing with your back on the
wall,” the man said, giving both Adrian and me a smile. “Try your best to
stay on the wall throughout the entire ride and you should be fine.”
 
“Okay, thank you.” I smiled back and gave him a small nod, before
taking my place next to Adrian on the ride.
 
The man locked Adrian’s chain in place before moving over to do
mine. “Is he your boyfriend?” he asked me, looking over at Adrian. My
gaze briefly flickered over to Adrian’s now stiff-posture just as he began to
glare at the man.
  
“Yes, he is,” I replied, giving him a tight smile.
 
“He’s a lucky guy,” the man responded, causing me to flush in
response.
 
“You’ll be a lucky man if you get away from her in 5 seconds,”
Adrian growled, glaring at the man fiercely. The worker locked my chain in
place before he nervously scurried off to help another random family that
was getting onto the ride.
 
“Adrian!” I scolded. “He was being nice.”
 
“He was flirting with you!” Adrian exclaimed, giving me a look of
disbelief.
 
“No, he wasn’t!”
 
“Yes he was,” Adrian snapped. “Anyway, we’re going home after
this ride,” he grumbled, before sending another cold glare in the worker’s
direction.
 
I rolled my eyes in response and waited for the ride to begin, not
bothering to argue.
 
***
 
“You’re angry,” Adrian observed once we re-entered our apartment.
 
“I’m not angry,” I replied evenly while placing my handbag onto
the sofa.
 
“Yes, you are. You’re doing that thing with your fingers where you
unconsciously tap them on the side of your thighs three times. You only do
that when you’re angry or when you’re waiting for something to print,”
Adrian explained, giving me a pointed look.
  
“How… How did you even notice that?” I asked, my anger
temporarily being pushed aside and replaced with shock.
 
“I like to watch you when you’re in your own little bubble,
Shortcake,” he answered. “Just like I know that you frown and bite your lip
when you’re curious or trying to find something out, or that you blush every
time I kiss you and pull away. This was another thing I figured out.”
 
“Well, I’m happy for you,” I mumbled, going back to tapping my
fingers on the sides of my thighs.
 
“Come on, what did I do this time?” Adrian asked in a whiney tone.
 
“Are you seriously asking that right now? Adrian, you made us
come home from a carnival because a man told me that you’re a lucky guy.
How, in any way, was he flirting with me in order for you to react like
that?” I asked angrily.
 
“Shortcake, I’m a man-”
 
“Yes Adrian, I’ve noticed that,” I interrupted dryly.
 
He glared before continuing. “I know men well enough to know
that even though they may look like they’re not flirting with you, they’re
still looking you up and down and probably thinking about you naked
because, let’s face it, you’re hot. I mean, I sure as hell did that when I first
met you.”
 
I gave him a skeptical look. “You’re not normal,” I grumbled,
making my way to our bedroom while peeling off my cardigan.
 
“Okay, I won’t ever do it again, happy? Come on, Shortcake.
Tonight was meant to be about you and me, and the only thing I’ve found
out about you is that you’re good with people, you don’t like your steak
well done, you used to have a kitten named Hitler because it looked like he
had a small moustache, you wanted to be a farmer when you were younger
and that your favourite shirt is my Rolling Stones shirt. I didn’t even get
enough time to guess your favourite colour!”
 
“Maybe that’s because you were too busy telling off the waiter and
random men for looking at me!” I frowned.
 
Adrian sighed before nodding. “I admit that I am a little protective
when it comes to you-”
 
“A little?!” I laughed, giving him a look of disbelief.
 
“But,” he continued, glaring at me for interrupting once again, “I do
it because I like you and don’t want to lose you to anyone else. You’ve seen
my moody and controlling sides, and what if you don’t want to put up with
them one day and leave me for the waiter or that random man on the street?
God, I sound like a fucking moron right now. Ignore me, I don’t know why
I’ve suddenly become a slice of cheese.” Adrian grumbled, avoiding my
gaze.
 
I couldn’t fight the smile that began to force its way onto my lips as
I noticed a slight pink tint take over Adrian’s usually tanned cheeks before I
walked over to his tall frame. “I won’t walk away from you for anyone
unless you give me a reason to, Adrian. You just have to trust me,” I
mumbled, making him meet my gaze.
 
He stared straight into my eyes for a few moments before I felt him
relax in my arms as he nodded in understanding. “I do. Now… how about I
do you?” He smirked.
 
I rolled my eyes and pushed him away from me just as he began to
chuckle, and I shook my head in response. “I knew that wouldn’t last long.”
 
Adrian was suddenly in front of me again, and I felt him press his
lips against mine desperately as he lifted me up and wrapped his arms
around my waist. Once he pulled away, I gave him a questioning look and
he shrugged.
 
“You’re a great kisser, Shortcake, did you know that?”
 
“You’re just saying that in hopes of getting more,” I responded
flatly.
 
“Of course I am,” he agreed, smirking. “Anyway, our date isn’t
over. What do you want to do?” he asked, looking over at me for a
response.
 
I bit my lip and frowned in thought before grinning. “I have an
idea.”
 
“I could physically see the bulb light up in that pretty little brain of
yours, Shortcake. Please, enlighten me.” Adrian smirked, causing me to
smack his arm in response.
 
“We can play a game like Never Have I Ever, except instead of
saying ‘Never have I ever…’, we’ll ask each other ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions
and we’ll use lollies as a substitute for alcohol if the answer is a yes, sound
good?” I asked with a hopeful expression.
 
Adrian stared back at me for a few moments, looking blank, before
he shook his head. “I can’t say no to you when you make that face. Fine,
let’s do it. I prefer the alcohol though; just letting you know.”
 
“I don’t trust my drunken self around you. So sugar rush it is!” I
grinned, before jumping out of his arms and running to the kitchen. A
packet of party lollies stood alone in one of the cupboards, and I grabbed it
in a rush before hurriedly getting back to our bedroom.
 
I found Adrian seated on the bed with his shirt off, smirking in my
direction. “I have never seen a 24-year-old so excited to eat lollies in my
entire lifetime.”
  
“Are you kidding me?” I exclaimed as I jumped into bed and sat
across from him. “Lollies are the best invention on Earth since they made
sewage systems!”
 
Adrian smirked in amusement as he watched me chew on a lolly.
“That’s… well that’s a rather unique thing to find ‘the best’ invention.”
 
“Stop being so British.” I frowned, before throwing a lolly in his
direction.
 
Adrian chuckled and snatched the bag of lollies out of my hands,
making me gasp. “I think high on sugar Emily is going to be much more
entertaining than drunken Emily. I’ll start with the questions. Have you ever
thought about me naked, Shortcake?” He smirked, before passing the bag of
lollies over to me.
 
A sudden wave of courage overcame my usually shy demeanour
and I reached into the bag of lollies and placed a piece into my mouth,
blushing slightly.
 
Adrian’s eyebrows shot up in shock, before he broke out into a full-
fledged smirk. “This is going to be fun,” he announced, rubbing his hands
together before taking the bag of lollies out of my hands again. “Your turn,
Shortcake.”
 
 
 
Chapter Twenty-two
 
 
 
“Have you ever thought about me naked?” I questioned, raising an
eyebrow as a grin took its form on my lips.
 
Adrian chuckled before taking a lolly from the bag and placing it
into his mouth. “More times than I can count, Shortcake.”
 
I gasped, throwing a pillow at him. “Perv!” I scowled.
 
He chuckled. “My turn again. What’s your favourite colour?”
 
I laughed. “That’s not allowed!”
 
He pouted before his shoulders sagged in defeat. “Fine, is your
favourite colour black?”
 
I shook my head, grinning at his look transformed to one of
disbelief. “What? How isn’t it black? Your entire side of the wardrobe is
mostly black!” he exclaimed.
 
“I like wearing black. It’s not my favourite colour though. My turn!
Have you ever had a pet before?” I asked curiously.
 
He took another lolly and ate it. “Really? Was it a dog?” I asked.
 
He shook his head. “Cat. I called him snuffles.” He smirked.
 
I laughed before taking the bag of lollies from him.
 
 “My turn,” he said. “How often do you think about me naked,
Shortcake?” His signature smirk reappeared on his lips.
 
I blushed. “That’s not an acceptable question!”
 
“You blushed! It’s a lot, isn’t it?” He waggled his eyebrows, before
moving closer to me. “How often? Come on, just tell me.” He persisted,
smirking.
 
“Shut up and ask a question, idiot,” I mumbled, avoiding his gaze
as my cheeks deepened in colour.
 
I looked back up to find him still smirking at me, his face closer
than before. We stayed like that for a few moments, before he leaned back
to his original position with his hands up in defense. “Fine, I won’t ask
again. New question. Do you have dirty dreams about me, Shortcake? I
know I do about you. All the time. When I’m asleep and awake.”
 
I glared at him before throwing another lolly at his face, and he
chuckled while avoiding the hit. “I’m not answering that. Why are your
questions so dirty? Ask questions like did you have a childhood best friend
or do you like sports!” I complained, pouting.
 
“And miss out on making you squirm? No way. Come on, answer
the question truthfully.” He waited for my answer.
 
I glared at him again in an attempt to cover up the crimson
colouring of my cheeks as my hand dug into the bag of lollies and I slowly
put one into my mouth.
 
Adrian’s jaw dropped to the floor for a few moments before the
widest grin I had ever seen on him appeared on his face. “Looks like my
innocent little Shortcake isn’t so innocent, after all,” he said, reaching for
my waist and pulling me over towards him.
 
 I let out a squeak of surprise as I clumsily landed on top of his
shirtless body, my face growing more heated by the second. “I don’t want to
play this game anymore,” I mumbled childishly, still avoiding his gaze.
 
“Okay, we’ll play 20 questions,” he said quickly. He hooked his
thumb around my chin and made our gazes meet. “Here’s my first question
to you. What exactly happens in these dreams of yours?”
 
“You die by my hands,” I replied with a glare while placing my
palms flat on his chest to try and push myself off his body and out of this
situation.
 
Adrian chuckled at my response and failed attempt to escape from
his grip, before I felt his lips on mine. “I love it when you talk dirty to me.”
He smirked once he pulled away from the kiss, making a smile escape.
 
“Shut up idiot,” I mumbled, even as I placed another peck on his
lips.
 
“Come on, let’s go to bed. Do you need help with stripping?”
Adrian asked with a false look of innocence.
 
I rolled my eyes and pushed myself off him before taking my jeans
off in front of him; making his eyes widen. “No thank you, I’m good.” I
smirked, before getting into the bed.
 
“I like this side of you a lot, Shortcake,” Adrian announced as he
pulled me over to his body and wrapped his arms around my waist.
 
“So do I,” I murmured, pulling him in for another kiss.
 
***
 
“So I thought about it, and I think navy would be the best option for
the bridesmaids dresses. Only because it won’t clash too much with Molly’s
hair and navy looks really good on me.”
  
I gave Amy a look of confusion, waiting for her to elaborate.
 
“For your wedding?” she replied with a ‘duh’ tone, rolling her eyes.
 
“And… who am I marrying and when?” I asked, raising an
eyebrow.
 
“Mr. Sexy pants, of course!” She gave me a look of exasperation
before she shook her head. “Honestly, Em, you need to keep up with your
life.”
 
“Amy,” I told her with an amused expression, “we’re not getting
married.”
 
“Of course we’re not! I was talking about you and Adrian!” she
exclaimed, before taking another sip of her drink.
 
“I think you’ve had too much alcohol,” I said wryly. “We should get
home.”
 
I looked around the club for Adrian and Allen. Adrian refused to let
this night happen if he didn’t tag along, and as my eyes met his, I knew he
was watching us carefully to see if any guys came near us.
 
Amy huffed, before gulping the rest of her drink down in one go.
“Fine, party pooper. Only because Adrian’s hot friend is here tonight.”
 
I smirked. “The hot friend you haven’t looked at more than once
because you’re too busy fawning over my brother?” I asked with raised
eyebrows.
 
“Shut up!” Amy whined, pushing me off the bar stool lightly. I
laughed and helped her stand straight, before looking over at Adrian and
nodding towards the exit.
 
 Adrian got the message instantly, and he and Allen were by our
sides in a flash. “Ready to go?”
 
“Yep,” I laughed as my eyes landed on Amy, who was intently
concentrating on her fingernails. “This one has had a little too much to
drink tonight.”
 
“Emily?” a new voice slurred, making all four heads turn around.
 
My eyes widened in shock as I recognized my ex-boyfriend from
college. I gave him a tight smile. “Hey, Trevor! How have you been?” I
asked politely.
 
“Me? Oh, great. Just great,” he slurred as he took a step closer.
“You look so hot! I think we should get back together, Emily. I miss you a
lot.”
 
I opened my mouth to reply when I felt an arm snake itself around
my waist, and I was pulled into Adrian’s torso. “Get away from her,
asshole.” He glared down at Trevor. “She’s with me now.”
 
“Who the hell is this jerk? She’s my girlfriend-”
 
“She’s your ex-girlfriend, moron,” Adrian growled as he took a step
forward and shielded me from Trevor with his body. “Get away from her
before I make you.”
 
I maneuvered around Adrian and stepped between them in a rush.
“Hey, cut it out. Let’s just go home, Adrian.” To my ex-boyfriend, I said,
“Trevor, it was really nice to see you but I’ve moved on. I’m sorry.” I tried
to look sympathetic, but the reality of the situation was I couldn’t care less.
Trevor had slept with me then we broke up two weeks later because I didn’t
want to do it again.
 
“What? Come on Emily, I loved you!” Trevor exclaimed, his voice
growing louder.
  
“Yes, loved. Now fuck off, you little shit!” Amy snapped, making
me stifle a laugh.
 
“No, I refuse to let you leave until I get you back,” he slurred,
stumbling closer towards me. I took a step back in annoyance, making
Trevor look up at Adrian in anger. “She’s doing this because of you! I
challenge you to a fight! Whoever wins gets the girl.” Trevor’s gaze
narrowed as he puffed his chest out at Adrian, and I rolled my eyes.
 
“You’re kidding me,” Adrian said with a blank face. He looked
down at Trevor with annoyance.
 
“No, I am not! I love her! I deserve a chance,” Trevor insisted,
raising a fist.
 
“He’s so drunk,” Amy mumbled under her breath.
 
“I mean, really mate. Are you going to do this right now? Declare
your love for her and then fight me to the death? It’s all very Shakespeare if
you ask me. There’s no need for the melodramatics; we’ll just let the
woman decide for herself. Emily?”
 
Both men turned to me, and I looked at them both incredulously.
Adrian smirked once he noticed my expression, making me glare in his
direction.
 
“This is s-” I began.
 
“Ha! She has chosen me!” Trevor shouted, catching the attention of
a few more onlookers who were observing the confrontation.
 
“No I didn’t!” I exclaimed, giving Trevor another annoyed glare.
 
Trevor’s jaw hung open, before he glared back. “I don’t care. I saw
you first, so you’re coming with me.” He reached out and grabbed my
upper arm before pulling me over towards him.
 
This, apparently, did not sit well with Adrian. Before I knew it,
Adrian’s fist was flying in the direction of Trevor’s face, and a sickening
crack sounded at the skin-to-skin contact. I squeaked before returning back
to my original position behind Adrian just as Trevor let out a muffled groan
and covered his nose with his hand.
 
“What the hell is wrong with you man?” he shouted. “That hurt!”
 
“Really? I was going for a gentle caress on the cheek!” Adrian
exclaimed sarcastically, before raising his fist for another punch.
 
“Adrian!” I exclaimed, making him turn towards me. “Don’t. Let’s
just leave,” I ordered sternly, keeping my gaze firm.
 
Adrian sighed before looking down at his suit jacket and groaning
in disgust. “I’ve got his blood all over the jacket. This was a new one too,”
he mumbled while shrugging it off. He tossed the jacket aside carelessly
before rolling the sleeves of his button up shirt to his shoulders. I felt my
eyes bulge out of their sockets at the sight and noticed Amy smirking from
the corner of my eye. She knew men in button up shirts with rolled up
sleeves was my weakness, and here Adrian was, doing it casually.
 
“Honestly Shortcake,” Adrian began, completely oblivious to my
gawking state as he began rolling up his other sleeve, “I think I’m going to
need to invest in a mask to cover up that pretty little face of yours. You’re
attracting men from every single angle of this room.”
 
“Sorry,” I mumbled, looking down at my shoes.
 
He chuckled before pulling me in for a kiss. “Come on, let’s go,” he
announced, leading me towards the exit of the club.
 
“I just think Blake should be here at times like this to really comfort
me,” Amy pouted in a drunken state.
  
I smirked as Allen gave me a questioning look. “He’s my older
brother that she’s been crushing on since she met him,” I explained with a
laugh once I noticed Amy glaring.
 
“I don’t lllllike him,” she slurred, before leaning on Allen for
support.
 
“Of course you don’t sweetie,” I reassured her.
 
“I just think navy is the best option,” she mumbled again before
nodding.
 
This time, both Allen and Adrian gave me questioning looks, and I
sighed. “She thinks Adrian and I are getting married and wants the
bridesmaids dresses to be navy,” I explained.
 
Allen began laughing at my explanation just as Adrian pulled me
closer. “Amy thinks really well sometimes.”
 
“What?” I asked, giving him a look of confusion.
 
“She thinks we’re getting married,” Adrian smirked. “We are.”
 
I shook my head and hit his chest lightly. “Adrian, we’ve only been
dating for a month.”
 
“Yeah, and I still haven’t gotten any! Marriage is the best option.
But no kids,” Adrian added, before a traumatized cringe took over his
arrogant expression.
 
“No kids? Why not?” I frowned.
 
Adrian gave me a look of disbelief just as we reached the car. “Are
you kidding me? Have you seen one of those things in real life? They’re
scary. They scream and bite and create nuclear bombs out of their
excrement.” He shuddered from his own words, before opening the door for
me to get into the car.
 
“They’re not all bad, Adrian.”
 
“Okay fine. We can have kids. Just not right away,” Adrian
announced, before telling the driver to take us home. Amy and Allen were
in a separate car, and Allen agreed on taking her home on his own.
 
“I want a lot of children,” I stated, looking down at my lap.
 
“You do?” I looked back up to find Adrian looking down at me with
surprise.
 
I nodded, clearing my throat. “I’ve always wanted a big family…” I
trailed off. “Just forget about it,” I mumbled, feeling awkward.
 
“I mean, I guess we could-” Adrian was interrupted by the shrill
ringing of my phone, and I answered it instantly. “Hello?”
 
“Smelly Emily!” Blake greeted cheerfully.
 
“Hey Blake,” I replied.
 
“What’s wrong? You don’t sound happy. What happened? Did that
douchebag do something to hurt you? I swear-”
 
“No Blake, everything is fine!” I cut him off.
 
“Hmm. You don’t sound fine.”
 
“I am. What’s up?” I asked curiously.
 
“Well, mom and dad told me to call you and invite you over to our
family barbeque tomorrow. I know you work on Saturdays, will you be able
to make it? We’ll start it at dinner time for you if you like. Oh, and mom
said bring Adrian along. Aunt Veronica is going to be there and so is
Sienna. Sienna’s pregnant again! Did you know that?” Blake asked all at
once, making me laugh.
 
“Slow down, Flakey! I’ll ask Adrian if we can leave a little early
and text you the answer. But is Sienna really pregnant again? That’s her 4th
child in 3 years!” I exclaimed in happiness. Sienna got married to her
college boyfriend and fell pregnant with twins instantly, catching both her
husband and herself off guard. Since then, they’ve been the golden parents
within the family.
 
“I know! I hope it’s a girl, she loves boys but I’m pretty sure it’s her
husband’s turn to get the satisfaction after three boys,” Blake pointed out.
 
I laughed along with him just as a thought came into my mind.
Sienna’s children would be at the barbeque dinner tomorrow. This would be
my chance to show Adrian that not all children were bad. Sienna’s boys
were pretty tame kids. They were cheeky, but behaved well when they were
told.
 
“Okay,” I told Blake. “I’m going to have a chat with Adrian and I’ll
get back to you with our answer. Say hi to mom and dad for me.”
 
“Okay, I’ll see you soon – hopefully. Bye.”
 
I ended the call after that, and turned to Adrian with the hopeful
expression I knew he always cracked under. “My parents are having a
family dinner with my aunt and cousin tomorrow and want us to come over.
Is there any way we can leave work early to get there on time tomorrow?
That’s if you want to go. I mean, I understand if you don’t because it’s
your-”
 
“Shortcake,” Adrian said, cutting off my rambling. I looked over to
him again and found him looking at me with the ghost of a smile on his lips.
I bit my lip and gave him an apologetic look once I realised I was rambling,
and he ushered me over to him before pulling me in for a kiss. “Of course
we can go,” he said. “It’ll be great to see them again.”
 
I nodded absentmindedly, too distracted by the way Adrian had his
shirt on, before pulling him in for another kiss. It lasted longer and was
rougher, more heated, and it was Adrian who pulled away this time.
 
“Wow. What was that for?” he asked with a smirk.
 
I blushed once I realised my actions and sat back in my seat. “I- you
had something on your lips,” I lied lamely, turning an even deeper shade of
red.
 
Adrian chuckled before raising an eyebrow. “Well, I’m glad you
managed to get it off my lips and let me get to second base.”
 
“I’m texting Blake,” I muttered in response, too embarrassed to
reply to his observation.
 
“You’re sharing the wonderful news of getting to second base? I’m
sure he doesn’t want to hear about that, Shortcake.” Adrian smirked.
 
I glared in his direction before getting back to my phone. “I’m
telling him we’re coming!”
 
“I don’t think he wants to know that detail either,” Adrian laughed.
 
“Why not? He’s the one who called me and asked if you and I were
– oh my God, Adrian! Not that- oh my God. You’re impossible.” I blabbed,
turning red again once I realised Adrian’s joke.
 
He chuckled and pulled me into him again before placing a kiss on
my forehead. “You are, hands down, the best girl I have ever met,” he
muttered with a smile on his face.
 
 I temporarily forgot about the text for a moment and looked up to
meet his hazel eyes, matching his expression.
 
***
 
“Emily!”
 
“Sienna!”
 
“Blake!” Both Sienna and I turned our heads towards my brother,
who was waving his arms around like a girl.
 
“What? I was feeling left out.” He shrugged, making us both laugh.
 
“I’ve missed you so much!” Sienna squealed, averting her attention
back to me.
 
“Me too! Congratulations on the new baby, by the way! I’m so
happy for you!” I grinned, pulling her in for another hug.
 
Once she pulled away, she sighed. “We’re over the moon. I hope it’s
a boy again.” She frowned slightly with a look of determination in her
expression, making me laugh.
 
“Sienna, you’ve had twin boys, as well as an individual one! Aren’t
they enough for you?” I asked in between laughs. As if the 3 boys knew
they were being talked about, all three came running towards us, the
youngest of the three falling behind slightly due to the newly discovered
speed his older brothers were going at.
 
“Michael, George and Adam!” I squealed, engulfing the three into a
hug. All three boys laughed and hugged back before shouting random
words and sounds, making their mother come up beside me.
 
“Boys, enough!” she ordered sharply, shutting all three boys up.
“Go to daddy.”
  
The children froze in their position before climbing off of me and
running back in the opposite direction. Sienna shook her head with a smile
before turning back to me. "So where is this boyfriend of – holy shit.”
Sienna’s jaw practically dropped to the gravel-filled pathway in my parent’s
backyard as she froze, her cup or orange juice held absently in her hands.
 
“Uh…Sienna? Are you okay?” I asked worriedly, getting ready to
turn around to look at the object that struck her speechless.
 
Before the gesture could be made, however, I felt Adrian’s familiar
arm wrap itself around my waist just as his scent filled my nostrils.
“Shortcake, it was cruel to leave me back there with your father
interrogating me. Honestly, do you know how hard it was to try and
convince him that the love bite on my neck was just a mosquito bite and
that we hadn’t gone beyond kissing yet?”
 
I began to laugh as my gaze landed on Adrian’s pained expression,
making him morph it to a smirk. “Sorry, Adri-poo, but there are some
things in life that you have to learn to get out of yourself.” I winked, before
remembering my still-frozen cousin. “Oh, by the way. Adrian, this is my
cousin Sienna. Sienna, this is Adrian Kingston, my boyfriend.” I smiled
before turning to face her, and realised she was still looking at Adrian with
the same expression Amy did the first time she had seen him in person.
 
“Hot,” Sienna managed to squeak out before blinking rapidly in his
direction. I burst into a fit of laughter once her eyes widened in
mortification and realised what she had said. I nudged Adrian to do
something.
 
“Ah, Sienna. A beautiful name for a beautiful woman. You’re
definitely Emily’s cousin then.” He reached out and kissed her knuckles,
still smirking, before dropping her hand gently.
 
Sienna choked on something in her throat as she tried to voice a
reply, making my laughter come out even louder at my cousin’s shock.
  
“A- Adrian Kingston.” She nodded, before stiffly walking back in
her husband’s direction.
 
My laughter began to die down as I stifled giggles from escaping
my lips, and looked over at a confused-looking Adrian. “Well… that went
brilliantly. What… What exactly just happened?” he asked with a confused
frown.
 
“You happened,” I replied. “Stop being so handsome and charming,
you’re making women speechless.”
 
“I didn’t make you speechless when we first met,” he pointed out
with a smirk.
 
“No, instead, you thought it would better to seduce me into wanting
you,” I commented wryly.
 
“I had to see if you were serious about the job,” Adrian pointed out.
 
“I was the only girl there with a resume! Obviously, I was serious
about the job.” I glared, whacking his bicep.
 
“And I’m glad that you were,” Adrian replied, smiling down at me.
He began to sniff the air, frowning slightly. “Do you smell cheese?” He
smirked.
 
I frowned, before sniffing the air myself. “No. I don’t think they’ve
made anything with cheese today.”
 
Adrian chuckled before shaking his head. “I was talking about my
comment, not literally,” he explained as the smirk reappeared on his lips.
 
“Oh… Shut up,” I mumbled, blushing.
 
 “Emily, Sienna and Blake! I need help taking out the food!” My
mom called out from the house, making the three of us turn around to the
door.
 
“Just go sit at the table or something until we’re done,” I told
Adrian, before following my family into the house.
 
“Emily, what is that mark on Adrian’s neck, dear?” my mom asked
with a concerned expression once we were all in the kitchen.
 
Damn you Adrian, now it’s my turn.
 
“Oh… He, uh, he got in a fight for me at a club last night,” I
improvised quickly. “This guy was giving me trouble and the guy got him
in the neck. He’s fine now though.” I grabbed the bowl of salad on the
table.
 
“Oh, that’s awful!” My mom gushed, looking out the window in
Adrian’s direction sympathetically.
 
“Yeah…. I’m going to put these outside now,” I announced
awkwardly, avoiding Sienna and Blake’s knowing looks.
 
Sienna came out after me, holding a tray of meat. “Harry!” she
called out to her husband as she handed the tray of meat over to my dad.
“Will you go to the car and grab Adam’s high chair? I don’t want him
running around and making a mess when we’re eating.”
 
“Of course. Adrian, I’m sorry, would you mind the kids for now?”
Harry asked Adrian, who looked up from his phone with annoyance. “I
won’t be long,” he reassured him.
 
By the time the words sank in to Adrian’s mind, Harry was gone,
and he looked at me with a panicked look before looking over at the
children like they were aliens. “Emily! Maybe you should stay out here
with them and I’ll bring out the food,” Adrian tried, giving me a look of
pure desperation.
 
I tried to fight a grin from escaping onto my lips as I shook my
head. “Sorry honey, I really need to do this myself. I’m sure you’ll be fine!
Just talk to them like you’d talk to one of us!” I called out, before
disappearing into the house and laughing to myself.
 
“You, my dear sister, are cruel,” Blake smirked once I entered the
kitchen.
 
I shrugged innocently. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,
Blake.” I cocked my head to the side, pretending to be curious, before
grabbing the sauces and taking them out to put onto the table.
 
“Shortcake, please!” Adrian whispered desperately once I neared
him on the dinner table. “They’re looking at me.”
 
I laughed. “Adrian! They’re not going to bite. Just talk to them!” I
pushed him towards the three other males that were looking at Adrian
curiously, before going back into the kitchen. “Is Aunt Veronica running
late or something?”
 
“Oh, we forgot to tell you! Aunt Veronica won’t able to make it
tonight. She has an art show on and apparently there are going to be some
very important people there tonight.” My mom explained once I picked up
the bowl of mashed potatoes.
 
“Oh! That’s a shame, I haven’t seen her in a while.” I pouted,
before hearing my name being called from outside by a frantic sounding
Adrian. All four of us ran out to the narrow gap of the doorway just as
Adrian came with a crying Adam in his hands. He was holding him from
underneath his arms, and held him as far away as possible from his torso
while Adam’s legs dangled helplessly.
 
 “It’s crying.” He cringed once he realised we were all waiting for an
explanation.
 
We all stayed silent for a moment, the only thing making noise was
Adam’s wailing, before Adrian pushed him towards us. Instantly, Sienna,
Blake and my mom burst into a fit of howling laughter, and I joined them
shortly, making Adrian give us a glare of frustration before he looked at
Adam with caution again. “Take it and make it stop! Maybe it’s hurt, or
hungry or something.” He tried again in a strained voice, making us laugh
even harder.
 
I sobered up after a few moments, feeling sorry for Adrian, as the
rest of my family continued to laugh at him. I stepped towards him and
pushed Adam into his arms gently. Adrian stiffened as the child came closer
towards him, and he looked over at me with the same panicked expression
as before.
 
“Shortcake, what are you doing?”
 
“Adrian, relax. Just hold him like this,” I began to explain, altering
Adrian’s grip on Adam to the proper way of holding a toddler. “See? Look,
he’s already stopped crying. Now, rub his back gently and smile at him,” I
coached. Adrian hesitated before slowly placing the palm of his hand on
Adam’s back, and gently began to stroke it in a comforting motion.
 
“Smile,” I reminded him with a grin of my own as I watched the
interaction occur between the two boys. Adrian glared down at me, before
looking into Adam’s and grinning widely; showing every pearly white tooth
in his mouth.
 
I laughed as Adam began to sob again, making Adrian stiffen in his
position. “Too much teeth! Smile like you smile when you look at me.”
 
“I can’t,” Adrian snapped, looking over at me again.
 
“Why not?” I replied, raising an eyebrow.
  
“Because I like you. I don’t like him,” he grumbled, cringing at
Adam.
 
I blushed at the comment before speaking up again. “Adrian, just
smile! Don’t show your teeth, just look into his eyes and smile. Pretend he’s
me.”
 
“That would be a very wrong thing to do considering the thing’s I’d
be doing to you right now if we were in this position,” Adrian grumbled.
 
“Adrian, smile!” I snapped.
 
Adrian dropped his frown and smiled falsely at Adam, and the
toddler instantly stopped sobbing as he noticed Adrian’s expression. Adrian
noticed this too, and wonder overtook his expression momentarily before
another grin – a real one this time – replaced the awed look. “He likes me!”
Adrian exclaimed happily, looking over at me with a wide grin. I looked at
the sight of Adrian with a child in his arms with pure admiration, soaking
up every single detail of the image in front of me and smiling at the pair.
 
Adam began laughing in Adrian’s arms, before he shoved a small
finger into one of Adrian’s nostrils with a grin. “Hey! Wrong hole, kid. That
goes in a woman’s vagi-”
 
“Stop!” I squeaked in horror, before snatching Adam out of his
arms. “Don’t say that to children!”
 
“Why? It’s good to teach them from now,” Adrian nodded,
smirking.
 
“And suddenly you’re the expert?” I asked with a raised eyebrow,
smiling.
 
“Hey, aren’t you the one who told me to talk to them like they’re
one of you? That’s what I did!” he exclaimed incredulously.
  
“You talk to each other like that?” Blake spoke up in amusement.
“No wonder he has a love bite on his neck. I wonder what else you two say
to each other when you’re alone.”
 
“A LOVE BITE?!” My mom and dad exclaimed at the same time,
glaring at both Adrian and me.
 
“I thought he got into a fight for you?” my mom brought up, raising
an eyebrow at me.
 
“I thought it was a mosquito bite,” my dad added, glaring at Adrian.
 
“Blake,” I growled, glaring at my older brother, who was now
grinning cheekily.
 
“Whoops?” He shrugged, before using a chair to shield himself
from me.
 
“I think we should all sit at the dinner table, the food looks almost
ready!” Sienna brought up, trying to change the subject.
 
I gave her a grateful look before I felt my phone buzz in my pocket.
“You guys go ahead, I need to get this,” I announced, pointing at my
vibrating phone.
 
“Don’t be long,” my mom warned. I nodded and answered the
phone while walking away from the group, making my way around the
house.
 
“Hello?”
 
“Emily Johnson,” a low voice greeted, making the blood in my
veins freeze in its path.
 
 “Mr. David Walter. I- I didn’t know you had my number,” I
stuttered, swallowing nervously.
 
“I didn’t. I got it off a… friend. That aside, how are you, Emily?
That short encounter we had at the charity gala a month ago didn’t go the
way I wanted it to. I was hoping we could talk.”
 
I frowned at his words before speaking up. “I’m really sorry, sir.
I’m actually with my family at the moment. Maybe another time-”
 
“No, I’m sure now is a great time, Emily,” David insisted coldly. “I
want to have lunch with you. Alone. You don’t tell anyone, not even your
precious little boss.”
 
I shivered unconsciously, before clearing my throat. “With all due
respect sir, I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
 
“Your friend Amy is a lovely girl. She’s a teacher, correct? She
takes the same route to work every day. It’d be shame if someone noticed
that and did something to her.”
 
I froze at the mention of my best friend’s name, growing angry.
“Are you blackmailing me?” I snapped.
 
“Why Emily, I would never do that to you. Am I blackmailing
Amy? Well that’s new territory we haven’t crossed yet. So I guess that’s a
yes to the private lunch? I’ll text you the details. Goodbye, Emily. It’s been
lovely, hearing your voice.”
 
The line went dead after that, just as I heard my name being called
out by Adrian. “Shortcake? Are you okay? You’ve been on the phone for a
while.” Adrian rounded the corner just as I slipped my phone back into my
pocket, feeling it vibrate again just as a text message came through.
 
“Sorry, it was Amy. She’s having a meltdown about a dress she
can’t find.” I tried to force out a laugh, but settled with a smile instead.
  
Adrian studied me closely, and his eyes narrowed in suspicion. “I
don’t believe you,” he growled with a fierce glare.
 
“Hey, Lovebirds! Are you two going to eat with us tonight or not?!”
Blake called from the dinner table.
 
“We’ll talk about it later,” I murmured, before stepping back into
the view of my family. “Sorry,” I announced, smiling.
 
Blake began to make sloppy kissing noises and motions, but
stopped once Sienna threw a napkin at his face. I briefly looked back at
Adrian, who was already glaring at me, before my gaze made its way down
to my feet. This was going to be one hell of a secret to cover up.
 
 
Chapter Twenty-three
 
 
 
I managed to keep the truth from Adrian. I ended up telling him it
was an old friend that I didn’t expect to call, which is why I was so
shocked, and that I was meeting up with them on Monday during my lunch
break. After countlessly reassuring him that it was a girl, Adrian finally let
the subject drop.
 
And now, here I was, waiting for a man I couldn’t stand to be near. I
nervously checked my phone again, waiting for Amy to reply to the text
message I randomly sent her. I had to know she was okay, and didn’t trust
David Walter and his snake-like personality when it came to Amy’s safety.
 
I looked away from my phone just as David Walter appeared across
from my seated position. “Emily.” He nodded, as a smile curled its way
onto his lips.
 
“Mr. Walter. I hope we can make this short. My break ends soon
and I need to get back to work. Take a seat.” I tried to stay calm, amd
motioned toward the chair that he was standing behind.
 
His smile grew slowly, as he pulled out his chair. “Emily. I’m sure
you know that I’m the one pulling the strings in this situation by now. This
lunch ends when I want it to end.” His voice was firm as he called over a
waitress in the restaurant.
 
“What can I get you guys?” she asked cheerfully, oblivious to the
tension in between us.
 
“I’ll just have a glass of water and a caramel doughnut, please.” I
smiled tightly. This was going to be my only lunch break for the day, and I
couldn’t even stomach anything because of the man sitting across from me.
 
“I’ll have the chicken wrap,” David muttered, staring at me. The
waitress nodded with a smile before turning to leave, and I briefly glanced
at my phone again before focusing my attention on David.
 
“So, why am I here?” I asked while tracing a pattern on the wooden
table.
 
“Well, since you’re so adamant on getting to the point, I’ll tell you.
I want you to date me, Emily,” David announced.
 
I choked on my own salvia just as the words left his mouth, before
giving him a look of disbelief. “Are you kidding me?!”
 
“I don’t ‘kid’, Emily. You’re a very beautiful woman; both
physically and emotionally. I would like to have you as my own. I’m sure I
can treat you way better than that man whore of yours-”
 
“Okay, stop right there. Insulting Adrian isn’t going to help you in
this already inexplicable request that you have going on right now. I
actually like Adrian. A lot. He may not be the perfect guy that has only had
two girlfriends in his life and likes to buy me flowers and chocolates. But
you know what? I actually like him for the fact that he goes out of his way
to make me squirm, or the fact that he gets jealous of a guy that walks past
us in the street and briefly looks my way. He may not be like you, Mr.
Walter – a deceiving snake that has to blackmail the women he wants just to
have a simple lunch with them – but he’s a good guy. One that I will never
stop seeing just because you tell me to.” My anger was visibly showing by
now. I could feel my face heating up and I was breathing heavily.
 
David’s expression was a look of pure shock, before he leaned back
into his chair and let out a heavy breath. “Well. I didn’t think you were that
passionate about your relationship with your boss.”
 
 I glared, not knowing where he was going with this conversation
just as the waitress returned with our orders. “Here you go! Enjoy your
meals!” She grinned, before walking away.
 
“I don’t think you understand what I am capable of, Emily. Amy is
not the only person I can ruin. How are your parents doing? That little
house they’re currently paying off is cute. It’d be a shame if an extra
amount of money was put on top of their mortgage for them to pay off. And
what about Blake? Such a good looking fellow. I don’t think-”
 
“I get it. You’re good at making threats. What do you want to
achieve out of this?”  I snapped with a glare.
 
“I want you to leave Adrian – just for one night! To go on a date
with me.”
 
“No.” I shook my head instantly, not even bothering to think twice
about the request. “You may be a powerful man, Mr. Walter. But I am
certain that Adrian is much more powerful than you. One word to him
and-”
 
“And how do you think he’s going to react to the fact that you –
most probably, seeing as he actually let you come alone today – lied to him
about meeting with me?” David asked, raising an eyebrow smugly.
 
My next response died in my throat before I could use it, and I
frowned and bit my lip at the thought. “I’m sure once I explain to him why I
did it, he’ll understand. I was thinking about Amy’s safety. That’s the only
reason why I’m here,” I emphasized, glaring at him.
 
“Yes, yes. Of course he will,” David replied, smiling.
 
I frowned in confusion at his calm demeanour, just as my phone
began vibrating on the table. Adrian’s name blinked back at me in bold
letters, and I answered it instantly.
 
 “Shortcake. How are things going with your friend?”
 
“Not so good. She turned out to be a conniving bitch with nothing
better to do with her life other than taunt me.” I looked at David as I spoke
those words, before getting out of my seat. “I’m heading back now. Do you
need me to do anything for you before I go back to the office?” I asked,
before placing a $10 bill on the table.
 
“So, remind me how this friend of yours looks again?” Adrian
spoke up. I frowned at the same time I noticed the fact that the tone of his
voice wasn’t his usual, playful one. It was cold, guarded.
 
I swallowed as my eyes went wide. “She has-”
 
“David Walter is a she, now? Wow. This is some very interesting
news. Even more interesting than the fact that my girlfriend lied to me to
meet up with him,” Adrian growled.
 
“I-”
 
“What could you possibly say to cover this up, Emily? Get back to
the office now. We’ll talk about this then.” Adrian snapped, before the
phone call ended.
 
I looked at the phone helplessly before looking over at David
Walter.
 
“Trouble in paradise? I wonder who would be cruel enough to tell
him your location.” David shook his head, before a smug smile appeared on
his lips. “Have a great day, Emily. Think about my offer. I’ll be seeing you
soon.”
 
He took a sip from my glass of water before walking away, the
smug expression never leaving his face.
 
***
  
“WHAT, WERE YOU THINKING?” Adrian roared once I entered
the office.
 
My attempt to be silent failed miserably thanks to Adrian’s temper,
and I frowned before shutting the door completely. “Will you calm down
for 5 minutes and let me explain?” I demanded.
 
“I knew you were lying to me the second I saw your face at your
parents’ house. Then you went ahead and made up that story about an ‘old
friend’. Come on Shortcake, you told me yourself that the only friends
you’ve ever made were the ones you’re still friends with now!” Adrian
pointed out with a glare.
 
“Adrian-”
 
“So, naturally, I thought I’d agree to your little request just so I
didn’t look like I was trying to control your life. Then, I get a phone call
telling me you’re with David Walter, of all people!” he snapped.
 
“Adrian,” I tried again, getting angry at the fact that he wasn’t
stopping to listen to me.
 
“Why him, Emily? The man is sick in the head? What could have
possessed you to even agree to go near him, let alone have lunch? What
else did you do with him? Did he touch you? Did you touch him? I-”
 
“ADRIAN! SHUT UP FOR 5 SECONDS!” I finally snapped,
glaring up at him.
 
Adrian’s mouth stayed open for a few seconds just as he registered
my words, before he snapped it shut and glared in my direction. “Go ahead
then. Explain,” he muttered, sitting in his desk chair with his jaw clenched.
 
“The day at my parent’s house. David called me-”
 
 “How the fuck did he get your number? Did you give it to him?”
Adrian asked in a demanding tone.
 
“Will you be quiet and let me finish the story?!” I exclaimed. His
jaw clenched again before ne nodded for me to continue. I sighed before
starting again. “When he called, he asked me to have lunch with him. I
refused, obviously, and that’s when he blackmailed me by threatening Amy.
Adrian, she’s my best friend. You know how much she means to me. So I
agreed, just for her safety. He told me not to tell you or he’d find out and do
whatever he had planned to her anyway. That’s why I didn’t tell you; I
wanted to, but I couldn’t.” I looked down at my feet after that, too ashamed
to look at Adrian after I realised how stupid I sounded.
 
I heard Adrian shift in his position and looked up from my feet just
as he stood in front of me, catching me off guard. I yelped before my feet
tangled themselves and I fell onto the plush carpet of the office. Adrian
instantly began chuckling at my act of clumsiness before he scooped me
into his arms and held me bridal style.
 
“Wow, you’ve really fallen for me, haven’t you?” he smirked,
looking straight into my eyes.
 
“Shut up,” I mumbled, flushing.
 
His smirk grew before he placed a quick kiss on my lips. “I’m not
taking back anything I said. But I understand why you did what you did.
You’re forgiven.” Adrian nodded.
 
“Oh gee, thanks Adrian. That’s what I was waiting to hear,” I
scowled.
 
“This doesn’t mean that fucking old prick is going to get away with
this,” Adrian growled in a low voice, ignoring my comment.
 
“What do you mean by that? Don’t hurt him Adrian,” I warned,
giving him a stern look.
  
He looked down at my face again before smiling. “Of course not,
Shortcake. Not physically, at least.” Av evil glint shined in his eyes, and I
narrowed my eyes suspiciously. “Did he ask you to go on another lunch
date?” he asked.
 
I nodded. “A date, not exactly a lunch date though.”
 
“Excellent. Text him and say you accept the offer. Act the way you
acted today, we don’t want him getting suspicious,” Adrian told me, shifting
into a position where I was straddling him.
 
I wrapped my arms around his neck for support before frowning
curiously. “What are you planning?” I asked, biting my lip.
 
“Don’t worry your beautiful head about it, Shortcake. Leave David
Walter to me.” He smirked and pulled me in for a kiss.
 
***
 
“I hope you all enjoy your time here at Kingston Corporation. If
you need anything in your new assigned area, just ask the head of the
department and they should help you out. Have a lovely day.” I smiled at
the small group of new employees before I began gathering their files and
résumé’s off the desk in front of me.
 
The small group began to leave the room just after someone cleared
their throat. I looked up to find Anna looking down at me. Her face didn’t
wear the usual scowl I always saw on her lately due to the relationship
between Adrian and me, and I instantly narrowed my eyes in suspicion.
 
“Hi,” she murmured in a low tone, avoiding my suspicious gaze.
 
“Um, hello.” The greeting came out as more of a question, and I bit
my lip as I waited for her to reply.
 
 “Look, I just really want to apologise for how I’ve acted towards
you for the past few months. I was just jealous that Adrian was paying so
much attention to you. I can see how much he likes you now, so… I’ve kind
of gotten over it. I’m really sorry. I’m not saying we have to become best
friends or bum chums or whatever. I just don’t want any bad blood between
us…” She trailed off, picking at her maroon coloured manicure before
looking me in the eye.
 
I frowned, surprised by the sudden apology but willing to accept it.
I nodded at her. “Of course. It’s fine.” I smiled, deciding to forgive her.
 
“What?” Her eyes widened in shock, before she spoke up again.
“Are you being sarcastic? Because I heard you’re a bit of a queen when it
comes to that.” Her eyes narrowed at me, warily.
 
I laughed before shaking my head. “No, I’m being genuine. There is
no point in having bad blood between us, like you said.”
 
“Oh my God! Thank you so much! You’re really the nicest girl I
know, Emily. Adrian is really lucky to have you,” Anna gushed, pulling me
in for a hug.
 
I laughed again and hugged her back. “Thank you, Anna.”
 
“No problem! Okay, so I know I just said we don’t have to be bum
chums or anything but I was thinking we should grab coffee or lunch or
something on our breaks tomorrow! We have it at the same time, I see you
walk out of here every day and come back the same time as I do! That
sounds really creepy… I mean, I don’t do it on purpose. It’s just something
I’ve noticed, you know?” Anna grimaced once she finished rambling and
looked over at me.
 
I stifled another laugh and nodded. “I understand you completely.
Lunch sounds great. I’ll meet you outside the building tomorrow and we
can have a chat.”
 
 “Oh, that’s really great! Thank you so much!” Anna squealed,
pulling me in for another quick hug and dashing out of the small conference
room.
 
I walked back to the office with a slight frown on my face. Adrian
noticed it instantly, and was by my side before I was able to blink. “What
happened? Are you okay?” he asked.
 
I looked up and smiled at him. “Yeah, I’m fine. Anna… Anna just
apologised to me.”
 
Adrian stared back at me blankly, before he slightly raised an
eyebrow. “… Who is Anna?”
 
“I… Anna? Don’t you remember? The woman from marketing
department that you… well, you know,” I finished, avoiding his gaze.
 
“Honestly Shortcake, I don’t remember anyone since you came
along.”
He smirked.
 
I began blushing at the comment before playfully pushing him
away. “You’re an idiot,” I mumbled with a smile.
 
“A very lovable idiot,” Adrian said while waggling his eyebrows.
 
“A very egotistical idiot,” I corrected, smirking smugly.
 
“Did you say testicle?” Adrian faked gasped. “Shortcake, that’s
positively scandalous!” He gushed, widening his eyes as they landed on me.
 
“What- Adrian, where did you even come up with that?!” I laughed,
before placing the new employee files on his desk.
 
He shrugged with a grin, before speaking up again. “My father has
invited us over for dinner this weekend. Are you up for it? He was jealous
that I went to my future in-laws’ house and you haven’t seen yours yet.” He
shook his head at his father’s behaviour, before looking over at me for an
answer.
 
I took a seat at my desk before raising an eyebrow. “‘Future in-
laws’?” I asked.
 
Adrian nodded eagerly. “I may as well get used to calling them that
since we’ll be getting married soon.” He shrugged.
 
“How are you so sure that I’m going to say yes?” I asked in
amusement.
 
“Well, you can’t say no,” Adrian glared, clenching his jaw.
 
I was taken aback by his sudden anger towards the subject. “Um…
Why?” I asked slowly, afraid of how he’d react.
 
“That’s not important,” he muttered, avoiding my gaze. “Are you
going to accept my father’s offer or not?” he asked, steering back the
subject. “I need to let him know.”
 
“Yes, of course I’ll go. Now tell me why I can’t say no,” I
demanded, bringing up the previous topic.
 
“Just forget about it, Emily. It’s not important.” Adrian sighed,
avoiding my stern gaze.
 
“Clearly it is, since you got angry over it and won’t tell me what the
reason is! Come on, did someone blackmail you into marrying me? Is that
why you’re with me?” I pressed, frowning slightly.
 
“What? No! I don’t have to tell you anything. You didn’t tell me
about David Walter. I think it’s even now,” he reminded me.
 
 “You know why I didn’t tell you about David Walter! It concerned
my best friend’s safety! Does this concern my safety? Are you being forced
into marrying me because someone is threatening my life?” I asked with
wide eyes.
 
“No! Who said I’m being forced into marrying you in the first
place? I’m Adrian Kingston; I do whatever the fuck I want,” he snapped.
 
“What is it then?” I asked again. I knew I was becoming annoying.
Hell, I was annoying myself. But curiosity was like a bug I couldn’t get rid
of.
 
“Forget about it, Emily,” Adrian repeated through gnashed teeth
with a clenched jaw.
 
I glared. “If you were in my position, you would’ve made me tell
you.”
 
“Well, I’m in my own position so I don’t have to tell you anything,”
he replied with a glare.
 
I could tell he was about to burst. His eyes were narrowed to slits
and his jaw was clenched to the point where there was a circular bone
popping out of his jawline. “Fine. If it’s that important to you, I’ll just leave
it. I’m sleeping at Amy’s house tonight,” I announced, looking away from
him and turning to the computer screen.
 
“No, you’re not,” Adrian snarled, making me focus on him again.
 
I glared. “Yes I am. You can keep whatever the hell you’re hiding
away from me, but you can’t keep me from sleeping at my best friend’s
house.”
 
“Jesus, just drop it, will you? It’s nothing!” he exclaimed angrily,
throwing his arms up in defeat.
 
 “I have dropped it!” I snapped.
 
“No you haven’t! You’re angry, so you want to sleep at Amy’s to
avoid me!”
 
“That wouldn’t be happening if you would just be open with me
like I was with you with the David Walter situation,” I retorted angrily.
 
“You were only open about that because I caught you having lunch
with him!”
 
“Oh, so you want me to hire someone to stalk you so I can find out
what it is so you can be open about it, is that it?” I asked with eyebrows
raised.
 
“No! It’s nothing like that.” He growled in a low voice, inching
closer towards me in anger.
 
“Well, I guess you don’t mind if I sleep at Amy’s tonight then.”
 
“Dammit, Emily, just drop the subject and forget about it,” Adrian
commanded in a cold tone.
 
“Fine. I guess next time, I should just keep everything to myself as
well,” I muttered, looking back at the computer screen. ”Because clearly the
trust thing is only happening one way.”
 
“Shortcake, you know I trust you. I trust you more than I trust
Allen; and I’ve known the guy since High School. Just please drop this, I
don’t think you’re ready to hear it just yet. You’ll freak out and I’ll lose
you,” Adrian mumbled, no longer looking angered by my persistent
behaviour.
 
I sighed. “I’m not weak, Adrian. I can handle it. Especially if it’s
something concerning me. Do you know how unfair that is? I have a right
to know!”
  
“Not with this you don’t,” he replied, his voice becoming cold
again.
 
I let out a frustrated growl. “I can handle it, A-”
 
“Fine! I’m in love with you, Emily!” Adrian yelled. “Are you
happy now?!”
 
I could only stare back at him after that. Everything went silent;
even the usual murmurs we would be able to hear from the offices outside
fell quiet. I’m pretty sure Adrian yelled loud enough for the entire top floor
to hear him. He was breathing slightly heavier than usual as he looked
straight into my eyes before he looked away.
 
“I knew this was going to happen,” he mumbled, before shaking his
head in disappointment and disappearing into the mysterious glass door
across from my position.
 
Chapter Twenty Four
 
 
 
A few questions ran through my mind just as the glass door clicked
shut.
 
Did Adrian Kingston, arrogant playboy sex symbol of New York,
just profess his love to me?
 
What was behind that goddamn glass door?
 
Why was I still sitting at my desk, when I should be in there, telling
him how I feel about him?
 
But most importantly, why didn’t I eat that doughnut?
 
Snapping out of my mental state, I made my way over to the
mysterious glass door and let out a nervous sigh before knocking softly.
“Adrian?”
 
“What?” came his dull reply. I heard shuffling within the room, and
I took his reply as an indication to open the door.
 
My shoulders sagged in disappointment once my eyes landed on the
décor within the small room. There was a queen sized bed fitted with plain
back sheets, a small flat screen television across from that, a cupboard that
was small enough to fit in the corner of the room, and a small replica of a
kitchen sink in the farthest corner from my position.
 
Adrian was standing in that corner, holding a square shaped cup
with a light brown liquid inside it. “Scotch?” I asked softly, afraid of his
reaction.
  
“Brandy,” he replied, before taking a huge gulp of the alcoholic
substance.
 
I nodded meekly before stepping further into the small room. The
tension hung thick in the air, and I decided to sit on the edge of the bed
while Adrian poured himself another glass.
 
I looked around the room again, searching for anything to focus on
in order to take my mind off the man standing in front of me. It occurred to
me then that Adrian still didn’t know my favourite colour, and the urge to
inform him overpowered the awkward state I was currently in.
 
“Pink,” I mumbled, looking down at my lap.
 
Adrian’s reply never came after that, and I looked up to find him
looking at me in confusion. “My favourite colour,” I added, blushing
slightly. “It’s pink.” I sounded like an idiot. A random idiot.
 
“That was going to be my next guess,” Adrian replied. The corners
of his mouth twitched slightly in my direction, before his expression turned
hard again.
 
I sighed before speaking up, “Adrian-”
 
“No, Emily. If you’re going to lie to my face. I’d prefer that you
didn’t say anything at all. In fact, I’ll do you one better. Let’s forget this
entire thing happened. We can go back to being-”
 
“I’m in love with you, Adrian,” I said, cutting his suggestion short.
 
His expression morphed into one of pure surprise as his gaze fell on
me again. He glared. “You’re lying. You wouldn’t love someone like me.”
He shook his head, before gulping his entire glass of brandy. His knuckles
began to turn pale, giving me an indication of just how tight he was
gripping onto the glass.
  
“What gave you that idea?!” I exclaimed angrily.
 
“Come on, Emily.” He laughed bitterly, before placing his cup
down onto the table in front of him. “I’ve seen the way you associate with
other men. You’re freer, you smile all the time. You don’t need to worry
that they’ll suddenly have a mood swing or that they’ve had a bad past with
women. You know I will, so naturally, you’re going to want to walk away
from me. I told you not to lie-”
 
“I’m not lying!” I snapped, jumping out of my seated position on
the bed and making my way towards him. “I’m not lying. I can’t lie about
something like this. You- You waltzed into my life without a care in the
world! I don’t know how you did it, but somehow, you’ve made me fall for
you harder than I can describe. You’ve made come to accept, and even like
the fact that you’re jealous, possessive, moody and arrogant. You also love
to make me squirm in any way possible, you’re a pervert, you’re stubborn
as hell, but you know what? I love that about you; because underneath all of
that, Adrian, you’re also kind, caring, funny, and – although you’ve had a
rocky past which made it hard for me to do this – you’ve even made me
trust you. So, if you still don’t believe me, let me know, because this trust
thing? It’s becoming clearer that it’s only a one-way thing happening here.”
I was huffing from anger by the end of my speech, and I glared up at
Adrian, waiting for his response.
 
He just kissed me.
 
Not a single word was uttered out of his mouth. Just a small, simple
kiss that had enough heat infused into it to take my breath away. My hands
instantly found their way into his hair, and I began kissing him back in an
eager way that had him lifting me up to rest on his waist while I wrapped
my legs around his hips.
 
Adrian gripped my thighs firmly as I felt my fingers slip out of his
hair and begin to fumble with the buttons of his shirt, all while keeping the
kiss in motion.
  
Adrian began walking, and my back made contact with the cool
texture of the wall.
 
“We can’t,” I murmured in between kisses as Adrian began to slip
off my work blazer.
 
“Yes we can,” he grumbled as he trailed kisses down my neck.
 
I sighed and tilted my head for easier access just as Adrian began to
unbutton my own shirt.
 
“Adrian, we have a meeting in 20 minutes,” I tried again, trying to
gain some control over my hormones.
 
Adrian let out a frustrated sigh and held me up against the wall as
he pulled out his phone from his pocket. I waited there awkwardly, clad in
my navy coloured lace bra and business skirt just as Adrian put the phone to
his ear. “Suzie, push back everything we have scheduled for the next hour,”
he ordered, before his gaze looked over my upper torso. “Make that the next
two hours.”
 
He hung up before Suzie could utter a reply. He threw the phone
onto the small table beside us and brought his lips back to my neck.
“Adrian.” I sighed, gripping the back of his neck tightly. “The office door-”
 
“Emily. Mention one more thing about work, and I’ll take you right
here. On this wall.” He growled, detaching his lips from my neck to look
me straight in the eye.
 
My eyes widened before I nodded. “S-Sorry,” I stuttered.
 
His dark expression morphed into his usual arrogant smirk, before I
felt the zipper of my skirt being tugged at. Within a flash, my skirt was on
the floor, and Adrian led me to the bed.
 
 ***
 
“YOU FINALLY HAD SEX?!” Amy yelled in the small café, a
huge grin plastering itself onto her features.
 
The murmur of the café instantly died down as everyone turned to
look at our table, and my eyes widened in mortification before I covered my
face with the small napkin that was set in front of me.
 
“Whoops,” Amy whispered, before taking her seat with a weak
smile. The few customers at the café stared for a few moments longer
before restarting their conversations.
 
“Amy!” I exclaimed with a groan.
 
“I’m sorry, but do you know how long I’ve been waiting for this
moment to happen?!” she asked, before aggressively opening a sugar sachet
and pouring it into her coffee mug.
 
“Yes, as a matter of fact, I do,” I responded flatly, before taking a
sip of my own drink.
 
“Well, I’m just glad you’ve finally gotten some. I must admit,
Adrian is a pretty good looking man.” Rita winked from beside me, before
picking up her own mug.
 
“She didn’t only get some. She got some twice!” Amy squealed
with a grin.
 
I glared in an attempt to cover up my flushed cheeks, before
throwing a sugar sachet in her direction.
 
“And then again at night,” Amy added, getting ready to duck as I
picked up another sachet.
 
“Can we change the subject please?” I whined.
  
“So what are you going to do about David Walter?” Rita asked with
a worried frown.
 
The mention of David Walter instantly darkened my mood, and I
glared at the dark brown surface of the table before answering. “Adrian has
something planned, but he won’t tell me what it is. All I know for now, is
that I have to go to dinner with him next week and act like I usually would,
and then it’s going to be settled from there.” I frowned at the sound of
Adrian’s plan; it didn’t sound promising, and I didn’t think we were going
to get far with it.
 
Rita nodded in understanding, before taking another sip from her
mug. “I hope it all works out. That man is a creep,” she announced with a
shudder.
 
“Tell me about it. Now, back to the sex! How good was he? Who
broke first? How did it go down?!” Amy asked frantically, raising her voice
again and attracting the attention of the people sitting closest to us.
 
“Amy, put your voice down!” I repeated desperately while looking
around.
 
It dawned on me just then that I had forgotten to mention the fact
that Adrian had confessed his love for me, and that I returned the same
gesture. I smiled weakly in her direction, and her bright blue eyes instantly
narrowed in suspense.
 
“You left out something, didn’t you?!” she said in a low voice,
glaring daggers.
 
“It’s not-”
 
“Don’t even think about telling me it’s not important. Need I remind
you of the speech I first recited to you multiple times when you first took
this job?” Amy pressed, giving me a menacing look.
  
“No! No, I’m fine. It’s pretty much drilled into my memory.” I
cringed, recalling the ‘breathing is important’ speech from 6 months ago.
 
“Well?!” Amy urged.
 
“Oh, right.” I laughed awkwardly. “Well. He and I got into a fight
and then he told me that he was in love with me and I was in shock so-”
 
“WHAT THE FUCK?!” Amy screeched, casting a silent blanket
over the café once again.
 
My eyes widened at the attention, before I got up from my seat.
“Maybe we should talk about this somewhere else…” I trailed off
uncomfortably, looking around.
 
Rita’s rigid form was the only thing revealing her complete shock
over the news, and she stayed quiet throughout the suggestion.
 
“No, no! I’m sorry!” Amy said quickly. “I won’t say another word
until you finish explaining. In detail,” she added with a warning look.
 
I sighed before sitting back down. “He told me he was in love with
me, and then said he knew this was going to happen and disappeared
through that glass door I always used to talk about. Do you remember that?
I mean, I thought it was going to be like a secret laboratory or something
that would show me Adrian’s true alter ego. It turned out to be a small room
with a bed, kitchen, bathroom, and a small closet.” I grumbled in
disappointment.
 
“Continue!” Amy stressed.
 
“Right, so I went after him and told him that I was in love with him
as well and that he didn’t trust me even though I trust him. He kissed me
after that, and then we… well, you know.” I mumbled, flushing in
embarrassment.
  
“Yes, I do know.” Amy grinned, waggling her eyebrows.
 
I rolled my eyes and shook my head at her perverted mind before
continuing. “We had it twice there. Then, after work, we had dinner and it
just happened again. I don’t even remember how.” I frowned as I recalled
the memory of last night just as my phone buzzed against the polished
wooden table.
 
Adrian’s name popped up on the screen, and I answered it
instantaneously. “Adrian? Is everything okay?”
 
“Shortcake, we have a problem on our hands,” he announced in a
stone cold tone.
 
My eyes widened. “What is it? What’s happened?” I asked
frantically, already beginning to grab my handbag from the side of my
chair.
 
Adrian spoke up just as I slung the bag onto my shoulders. “Here I
am, sitting at my desk, signing a new contract for the next hotel being built
close to here; then I remember how sexy you are. Now I have a boner
staring up at me, waiting for your lovely-”
 
“Adrian. You seriously cannot be calling me because of that,” I
responded flatly, cutting him off.
 
“This is a serious matter! Plus, you weren’t exactly complaining
last night when it was inside-”
 
I cut him off again. “Don’t! Don’t even finish that sentence. I’ll be
back at the office soon,” I mumbled, blushing furiously as my eyes met
Amy’s and Rita’s.
 
Adrian cheered through the speaker of my phone, before he spoke
up. “You’re the best girlfriend ever.”
  
“Don’t think that I’m coming for you!” I snapped as the blush in
my cheeks increased.
 
“You were coming for me last night,” Adrian responded smugly.
 
I groaned in mortification before shaking my head. “You’re
impossible.”
 
“You love me,” he replied in a singsong voice.
 
I smiled at this. “I’m starting to re-think my feelings towards you,”
I joked.
 
“You can’t because I love you,” Adrian responded. The small smile
on my face grew as the words reached my ears. It still felt weird to hear
them coming from Adrian, but the sound of it made my stomach perform
summersaults.
 
“Hurry up and get here,” he spoke up suddenly, and the line went
dead.
 
I looked down at the blank screen of my phone in disbelief, before
looking up at Amy and Rita. “I have to get back,” I announced.
 
Amy grinned slowly as she waggled her eyebrows. “That’s fine.
Use protection!” she reminded me, grinning even wider than before.
 
I rolled my eyes and hugged them both, before exiting the café.
 
***
 
“Adrian! We were meant to be on the road 15 minutes ago!” I
exclaimed, trying to pull him off the sofa. “ We’re going to be late!”
 
 “It’d my dad. He won’t care if we’re a little late,” Adrian mumbled,
trying to fall asleep again.
 
“A little?! At this rate, we’re going to arrive there at midnight!” I
stressed, before pulling at his arm again.
 
A sudden pull of my own arm made me squeal as I stumbled and
landed on top of Adrian’s sleeping figure, and Adrian looked up and
grinned. “Let’s ditch the dinner and do something here,” he suggested,
grinning wickedly.
 
I raised an eyebrow as a smile made its way onto my lips. “What
did you have in mind?” I asked.
 
“Well, I did say to do something. That something will be you.”
Adrian pulled me closer towards him and placed a kiss on my nose, before
waggling his eyebrows at the suggestion.
 
“That sounds very nice, honey, but your parents are waiting,” I
reminded him. But knowing something else would be much more effective,
I added, “So if you don’t get up right this second, you’re not getting any for
a week.” I narrowed my eyes slightly to make the threat more believable.
 
The threat worked, because Adrian had lifted me off of him and was
at the door faster than I could blink. “Let’s go!” he snapped, frowning at my
frozen state at the sofa.
 
“Okay, okay! No need to get your panties in a bunch.” I mumbled,
rushing over to his side.
 
“The only panties that are going to be in a bunch by the end of
tonight will be yours, Shortcake.” Adrian smirked as he slammed the door
shut.
 
I rolled my eyes before stepping into the elevator, blushing slightly
at the thought.
  
“EMILY!” Mason’s cheerful voice echoed through the modern-day
mansion. I turned around to follow the direction of the voice in confusion
just as I was engulfed in a bone-crushing hug by the man. He pulled away
after a while and smirked down at my deep purple dress. “Still can’t hide
those killer curves, even with a dress made for church.” Mason winked.
 
“Hello Mason.” I smiled in amusement.
 
“Why are you always greeting her first, Dad?” Adrian grumbled
from beside me.
 
Mason’s amused gaze lingered on mine for a few seconds longer,
before he turned to his son. “Oh, it’s Emily’s bitch,” he stated in a bored
tone, no longer looking amused.
 
Adrian glared down at his father. “It’s not like that in bed, trust me.”
He brought up coolly, casting a sideways smirk in my direction just as my
jaw dropped to the floor.
 
Mason’s eyes widened as he looked at both of us, before a wide grin
broke out. “About fucking time, mate! I’ve been waiting for this moment
for quite a while, you know,” Mason declared, pulling us both into a group
hug.
 
“You didn’t answer my question.” Adrian frowned in realisation
once Mason pulled away.
 
He began walking into the dining room, and replied to Adrian as we
followed him. “What question?”
 
“Why you always greet your daughter-in-law before you greet your
son,” Adrian reminded him. I tried not to react to the fact that Adrian
referred to me as Mason’s daughter-in-law, and decided to look down at my
flats to avoid any eye contact.
 
 “Come on son, don’t you know the old saying? Ladies first,” Mason
answered lazily, before pouring a glass of water.
 
My eyes widened in shock as my head snapped up at the saying,
and I found Adrian smirking down at me knowingly. “Yeah, I’m pretty
familiar with it,” he responded, still keeping his gaze on me.
 
I glared up at him in an attempt to cover up the fact that I
remembered his rule in the bedroom, and decided to look around the room
to avoid any more of his perceptive gazes.
 
“Adrian dear, it’s so lovely to see you,” a cool voice spoke up,
making me look away from the enormous painting I was examining.
 
Katherine Kingston smiled at her son with open arms, waiting for
him to step into them for a hug. I looked over at Adrian to find him looking
at her open arms with narrowed eyes.
Sighing, I cleared my throat to get Adrian’s attention. His head
snapped towards me, and I tilted my head in his mother’s direction as
encouragement to hug her. I didn’t want any more bad blood in between the
pair, and hoped he would accept the gesture. He glared at me for a while,
before looking back at his mother.
 
“Adrian,” I warned in a low voice.
 
Adrian clenched his jaw before stiffly walking into his mother’s
arms. The entire exchange looked awkward and out of place as he rigidly
encircled his arms around her waist and she did the same.
 
“Hello mum,” he managed to respond tautly once he pulled away.
 
Katherine looked momentarily surprised, before her gaze trailed
over to where I was uncomfortably standing. She briefly nodded in
acknowledgement. “Emily.”
 
“Hello Mrs. Kingston,” I replied softly, smiling.
  
Her gaze lingered on my attire for a few moments before she looked
back at Adrian. “Are you hungry? Mary said dinner should be ready in
about 5 minutes,” she said in an even tone.
 
Adrian looked over to me. “Are you hungry?” he asked, ignoring
his mother’s question.
 
I sighed before walking over to him. “Can we talk?” I murmured,
looking up at his glare.
 
“We’ll be back.” Adrian informed his parents, before dragging me
out of the room. “What’s wrong, Shortcake?” he asked with a worried
expression.
 
“Adrian,” I told him softly, afraid that his parents may hear. “I want
you to talk to your mom normally. Just forget about how she treated me. I
don’t want any issues in between you two anymore.”
 
Adrian gave me a look of disbelief. “Are you kidding me? Emily,
she barely acknowledged your existence in there! How the fuck do you
expect me to stand in there and watch her treat the girl I’m in love with like
the shit she finds on the sole of her shoes?!” he raged, glaring down at me
angrily.
 
“She didn’t.” I shook my head. “It may have looked that way to you
because you’ve known her all your life. But she was actually nice in there.
She usually doesn’t even look my way unless she has a glare on her face,” I
explained, trying to reason with him.
 
“It’s not good enough,” he snapped.
 
“Adrian, please. Just for tonight. Be nice,” I requested, looking into
his eyes while squeezing his hand reassuringly. “Please?” I added after his
glare didn’t flinch.
 
 He sighed after a while. “Fine. But if she does or says one thing
that’s out of line, we’re leaving.” He stated firmly, glaring down at me.
 
I smiled slightly before placing a lingering kiss on his lips. “Thank
you,” I murmured, before dragging him back into the room.
 
“Adrian! I’m getting old. Will you go and fetch me my newspaper
from the living room?” Mason whined once we entered the room again.
 
“Okay,” Adrian said warily, before grabbing a hold of my hand
again to pull me out with him.
 
Adrian’s mother cleared her throat just as Adrian began to drag me
along. “Emily. If it is okay with you, I would like to have a word,” she
spoke up, making my eyes widen in shock.
 
Adrian’s jaw clenched as his grip tightened around my hand. “No.”
 
“Adrian, its fine,” I mumbled softly, trying to sound reassuring.
 
I began to pull out of his grip and make my way over to where
Katherine was standing. “Let me show you around the house while we wait
for dinner,” she suggested stiffly.
 
“Darling, if you’re going to compare bra sizes, I’m sorry to say; but
I think Emily will overpower you in that department.” Mason looked at his
wife sympathetically. “Plus, I’d very much like to be there when you are
comparing them! So wait until after dinner so I can join you.”
 
“Mason,” Katherine said flatly, humorlessly. “We’re not comparing
bra sizes.” She linked her arm with mine, surprising both Adrian and I. We
exited the room and began making our way up a grand flight of stairs. It
was quiet; Katherine still hadn’t spoken up, making the silence between us
slightly awkward.
 
“You have a lovely home,” I spoke up after a while.
  
“Thank you,” Katherine replied frostily. “Mason and I designed
most of it ourselves.”
 
I nodded in response just as silence fell upon us once again.
 
Katherine led me into a small room near the stairs and shut the door
behind us. “Sit down, Emily,” she said, motioning toward one of the
vintage-styled chairs in the room.
 
I took the seat closest to the door, and began straightening my dress
out in order to avoid any awkward eye contact with the woman sitting
across from me.
 
“I’m sure you know how much my son means to me by now,” she
began, making me look up from the deep purple material to meet her eyes.
“I only want what is best for him. A successful career, a wealthy
background, a comfortable space to live in, a suitable wife. You were not a
part of that plan,” she declared bluntly.
 
I frowned slightly and opened my mouth to respond before she
raised a hand in a gesture to stop me from talking. “That is why I have acted
the way I have towards you. I thought you were another one of my son’s
‘catch of the day’ girls. I’ve kept up with how many women he’s been with
and trust me, I’m not proud of his behaviour. But, I’ve noticed a change in
him ever since you came along – a good change. He focuses on the business
with a more mature mindset, for one, and isn’t always out partying with
multiple women all the time anymore. I know I have you to thank for that.”
She nodded in my direction as an act of acknowledgment, and I instantly
began blushing.
 
“I had a girl from London in mind for him to marry, but that clearly
won’t happen now. I see the way he looks at you. My son is in love, and
you are the object his world revolves around now. I’ve brought you up here
to apologise for acting the way I have towards you for the past four months.
I hoped that, once Adrian saw my disapproval of you, he’d let you go. He
clearly likes you too much to do that.” She smiled at me, and I had to try
and control my face from turning into one of shock.
 
“What you also did tonight – making him hug me – also showed me
how kind hearted you are,” she continued. “You were the mature one out of
us both, even though it should have been me. I want to thank you for that.
But Emily, I am warning you from now. My actions will not be kind ones if
you break my son’s heart. You’re clearly not using him for money because
you have a job. But if I find out that you do have an ulterior motive for
being with my son, I will not hesitate to ruin your life.” She ended her
warning in a stone cold tone.
 
“Mrs. Kingston-”
 
“Katherine,” she corrected, smiling slightly.
 
I smiled in return before starting again. “Katherine. I am in love
with Adrian just as much as he is with me. I have no ulterior motives with
your son; I can assure you that from now. I do want to thank you for this
talk. It may not seem like it, but your approval really meant a lot to me,” I
mumbled, blushing slightly.
 
“I’ve always wanted a daughter-in-law,” Katherine said. She was
grinning broadly at me now, and got out of her seat once my eyes met hers.
“Come.” She smiled, opening her arms for a hug.
 
I stepped into them happily, just as the door burst open.
 
“Mother, I swear to- Wait, what? What the hell is happening here?!”
Adrian demanded, looking at the hug in utter confusion.
 
Katherine and I began to laugh at Adrian’s confused state, before
we pulled away from each other. “I think dinner is ready by now, how about
we go and eat?” Katherine suggested, looking down at me.
 
“Sound’s good! Adrian?” I called out, looking over at him.
  
He was still watching the interaction between his mother and me
with a guarded expression. “Who are you and what did you do to my
disapproving mother?” he asked Katherine suspiciously, before wrapping an
arm around my waist.
 
I laughed and placed a kiss on his cheek. “Your disapproving
mother is actually quite approving when she needs to be,” I informed him
with a grin as we made our way back down the flight of stairs.
 
Adrian continued to wear a confused expression. “I better get some
sex tonight,” he grumbled, rubbing his temple and making me laugh again.
  
Chapter Twenty-five
 
 
 
“ADRIAN!” I tripped over my own footing and clumsily grabbed
onto the doorknob to keep myself upright before opening the door in one
swift motion.
 
“What? What happened? Is that pigeon back again?! I knew it’d be
back.” Adrian shuddered as he reached our bedroom, and I momentarily
forgot what I was going to tell him and gave him a look. “You know what,
Shortcake? You weren’t there to see it happen. I feel it watching me all the
time.” His eyes widened as his voice dropped to a low whisper, and I
wacked him across the head.
 
“You’re an idiot! Telling off a pigeon and throwing a pebble at it –
and missing, need I remind you – is not going to make a bird stalk you all
the way back home and observe your every move, ready to strike.” I gave
him a pointed look and he glared in response.
 
“You weren’t there,” he repeated stubbornly. “Anyway, why did
you call me? I mean, you’ve already made it pretty clear that you don’t
want me to get you pregnant, so I see no other reason for us to interact.
Unless… are you finally letting me put a mini-me inside you?!” Adrian
asked excitedly. I watched as his entire face lit up with a grinned, and I
fought the urge to grin back at his hopeful expression.
 
Ever since we watched The Back-Up Plan together, Adrian has
been begging for a child – which was ironic, considering the fact that he
could barely stand the thought of holding one two months ago.
 
“Adrian. I’m not getting pregnant. We’re not even married!” I
exclaimed.
  
“Fine. Marry me.” He shrugged.
 
“What?!” I shrieked with wide eyes.
 
“Ma-rry m-e,” he said slowly, smirking once he noticed my flat
expression.
 
“You’re crazy,” I mumbled, shaking my head.
 
“Is that a yes? I have my grandmother’s ring is ready for us to-”
 
“What?!” I repeated in shock.
 
“What?” Adrian replied, giving me an innocent look.
 
“I can’t tell if you’re being serious or not,” I grumbled, glaring up at
him.
 
“Of course I am,” he responded while wrapping an arm around my
waist. “I can’t tell whether you’re rejecting the proposal of the man who
loves you or not.”
 
“I am,” I answered.
 
“Why?” Adrian growled, frowning down at me. “We’ve been dating
for over 6 months; we live with each other and are both in love with each
other. What is there that’s stopping you?”
 
I sighed. “Can we not do this right now?” I asked tiredly.
 
Adrian kept his glare firm for a few moments before his expression
softened. “Fine. I’ll do you in exchange.” He smirked.
 
I scowled before slapping his chest. “Shut up,” I mumbled, blushing
slightly.
  
Adrian chuckled at my reaction before placing a soft kiss on my
forehead. “So why did you call me over to you again?” he asked in
amusement.
 
My original thought came back to my mind. “Oh yeah! David
texted me the next location of those stupid ‘secret’ dinners he blackmails
me with. It’s tomorrow night at the Chinese restaurant you hate.” I pouted
before unlocking my iPhone and showing him the next message. David’s
contact name was under ‘devil’ and Adrian laughed every time he saw it.
Except for tonight.
 
“That’s it. I’m not taking his fucking shit anymore. We’re doing my
plan tomorrow night,” Adrian growled, snatching the phone out of my
fingers and gripping onto it angrily as he looked over the blue bubble again.
 
I blinked in surprise before frowning slightly. “The plan you still
haven’t told me about? I need to know it, Adrian! Or else, how am I
supposed to know how to act?” I asked frantically, placing my free hand
over the one he was gripping my phone in, in an attempt to calm him down.
 
Adrian shook his head before clenching his jaw. “No, you can’t
know about it. You have to act normal the entire time. Don’t even think
about it. He’ll get suspicious and know something is up.”
 
I frowned in thought before nodding in agreement. “You’re right.
I’ll just act how I usually do. Say nothing but what I order and glare at him
all night until it’s time to leave.”
 
Adrian chuckled before placing a lingering kiss on my lips. “I am
so in love with you it hurts. Right here.” He pointed to his chest and pecked
my cheek before smirking. “And here most of the time when you leave me
hanging.” He pointed to his crotch area, and my eyes widened in shock as
my face heated up.
 
“Adrian!” I exclaimed.
  
“What? It’s true! Anyway are you ready for that stupid meeting
tomorrow?” Adrian asked as we began to make our way to the living room.
 
“Yes I am, and so would you be if you read everything I gave you!
The company needs this, Adrian,” I reminded him. “Be nice.” He rolled his
eyes at me but nodded. I considered that as a win and moved on to another
concern. “What do you want for dinner?”
 
“I wouldn’t mind having you,” Adrian smirked before plopping
himself onto the sofa.
 
“Ew. Cannibal.” I scrunched my face in disgust before breaking out
into a grin at his shocked expression. “I told you to stop making that joke
every time I ask you what you want to eat or I’ll think of something even
more disgusting,” I reminded him, giving him a pointed look.
 
“That won’t stop me.” Adrian smirked again, quickly recovering.
 
I glared in his direction before opening up a cupboard. “I’m going
to make pasta since you won’t answer me.”
 
“Are you fucking shitting me?” Adrian exclaimed angrily.
 
I frowned in confusion and began turning around to face him. “Yes?
Don’t you like-”
 
“Would I Lie To You? began 15 minutes early today!” Adrian threw
a pillow at the television before turning around to look at me angrily while
pointing at the television schedule on the screen. “We’ve practically missed
the entire fucking show!”
 
I mockingly gasped and placed a hand on my chest. “The nerve
they have!”
 
 “Don’t comment, you immortal Hybrid-loving loser,” Adrian glared
in reply at my sarcasm.
 
“Technically, you’re the loser for remembering what Klaus is even
though you claim not to watch the show when you’re sitting beside me,” I
pointed out in amusement.
 
Adrian stared back at me for a moment, and I watched as the
realisation settled in his expression physically. “Shut up and make the food.
I’m hungry,” he demanded, ignoring my comment.
 
I laughed to myself before placing a pot on the stove to begin
making the sauce for the pasta when I noticed the suite went way too quiet.
I turned around out to look at Adrian out of curiosity and found the sofa that
he was occupying a few minutes ago empty. I turned around with a bored
look before I began mixing the sauce again. He was going to do it again.
 
Moments before Adrian was able to shout in an attempt to frighten
me, I turned around and raised an eyebrow. “Really? You’re trying to scare
me again? You do this every time I’m cooking dinner. I know your routine
by now, Adrian,” I stated smugly.
 
He gave me a look of disbelief. “I was quiet this time!”
 
“I know you were, sweetie. Next time, okay?” I responded while
fighting the urge to smile at his flat expression.
 
“Stop cooking, we’re going out,” he stated suddenly, before turning
around and walking out of the kitchen. “You have 10 minutes to be ready.”
 
I stared at the kitchen entrance blankly for a few moments before
turning the stove off in a rush. “Wait, what?! What do you mean we’re
going out?” I called out, hurrying after him.
 
Adrian smirked over his shoulder before entering our bedroom.
“Well, Shortcake. When one says ‘we’re going out,’ it usually means that
two or more people participate in moving from one place to another-”
 
“Adrian,” I growled, glaring at his back. “Where are we going?
Aren’t you hungry?” I asked.
 
He pulled off his shirt and tossed it on the floor before answering.
“We’re going on a date.”
 
I gave him a confused look. “Why?”
 
“Come on Shortcake, can’t I take my girlfriend out on a date?” He
smirked before pulling his sweatpants down.
 
I squeaked in shock and covered my eyes with my hands before
replying. “Yes but… where are we going?”
 
“You’ll see. Just get dressed. And hurry up. You have 8 minutes,”
he informed me, before exiting the bedroom.
 
***
 
“Seriously, a fair? Again?”
 
"Attempt two?" Adrian tried, grinning cheekily.
 
I rolled my eyes and shoved him slightly. "You could've told me
that before I wore heels and a dress," I whined, pouting.
 
"Sorry Shortcake, I didn't want to ruin the surprise. Plus, you only
had 2 minutes to spare. I promise to behave this time. Come on, I want to
go on the Ferris wheel with you." He dragged me along in the direction of
the ride.
 
"Wait, Adrian! I- I don't think that's a good idea," I stuttered,
looking over at the colourful wheel nervously.
 
 Adrian frowned. "Why not?"
 
I cleared my throat and looked down at my heels. "Because, I...
Uh... Because I'm wearing heels and a dress! I think it'll be inappropriate," I
lied. The reality of the situation was that I was not a big fan of heights.
Especially in something that moved.
 
"Who cares? We're in a separate carriage and there are seats inside
it. No one will see anything. Excluding me." He smirked, wrapping an arm
around my waist.
 
We got to the line faster than I liked, and Adrian shoved past the
people waiting patiently with me stumbling in tow, before he flashed a card
at the man in charge of the ride.
 
The man nodded in recognition before he pressed a button for the
next empty carriage to appear in front of us. "Here you go, Mr. Kingston."
The man smiled, before opening the door for the both of us.
 
"Adrian, please," I mumbled, giving him a desperate look.
 
"Come on Shortcake, it'll be fun!" Adrian exclaimed, pulling me
into the carriage with him.
 
I sat across from him and gripped onto the seat tightly as the
carriage moved up a spot. "I hate you." I scowled, glaring in his direction.
 
"No you don't," Adrian replied, smirking smugly.
 
The Ferris wheel moved up another two spots higher, and I
squeezed my eyes shut.
 
"Emily? Are you o- oh. I get it now. You're afraid of heights!"
Adrian burst out in a fit of deep laughs, slightly shaking the carriage we
were sitting in while it moved up another level.
 
 We were almost at the top now, and I gave Adrian another desperate
look. "Please stop," I whimpered.
 
Adrian's laughs slowly died down as another smirk formed on his
plump lips. "Stop what, Shortcake?" he asked with an innocent look, before
pretending to adjust his position and purposely shaking the carriage in the
process.
 
"Adrian!" I snapped, just as the entire ride began to move.
 
"OH! Did you mean this?" he asked, before shaking the carriage
roughly while laughing.
 
"ADRIAN, STOP!" I shouted in fright, clutching onto the bars of
the carriage with my eyes squeezed shut.
 
I began muttering the words to 'Twinkle, twinkle, little star' before I
felt the carriage stop moving.
 
My eyes popped open and landed on Adrian's amused smirk.
"What," he began slowly, "Were you just singing?"
 
"Shut up," I snapped, glaring at him.
 
"Now, now Shortcake. That is no way to treat your soon-to-be
husband. I might 'accidentally' have a seizure in here while we're up high."
 
“Please don’t,” I begged desperately. The ride began to move
continuously and I closed my eyes and clutched onto the cool metal bars
again.
 
“Just open your eyes and enjoy the view, Emily,” Adrian told me
gently. “There’s nothing to be scared of. I’m here with you if anything
happens.” I opened one eye and looked over to find him giving me a
reassuring smile.
 
 Slowly, I began opening my other eye and turned my head over to
look out of the small carriage.
 
And I saw New York.
 
Every single light twinkled brightly, creating an illuminating blur
and bringing the city to life. “Wow,” I breathed, pressing my face up against
the cool bars.
 
“Beautiful, isn’t it? Just like someone on this carriage,” Adrian
murmured. I looked away from the view and turned to him with a smile on
my face. “I was talking about myself Shortcake, not you. Don’t get too
excited there,” he pointed out with a smirk once he saw my expression.
 
My smile instantly dropped as I glared at him. “Asshole,” I
grumbled under my breath.
 
“I’m sorry, what was that?” Adrian asked with a raised eyebrow,
smirking.
 
“I said asshole,” I responded boldly, smirking back.
 
“Oh really?” He began, before he began to shake the carriage again.
I squealed in fright and instantly began gripping onto the white bars like my
life depended on it before he spoke again. “What were you saying again?”
he asked, shaking the carriage even more.
 
“I’m sorry!” I shrieked, giving him a desperate look.
 
“Hmm. I don’t think sorry is going to cut it this time, Shortcake.
Express your feelings to me.” He winked.
 
“What? No way!” I exclaimed, my eyes widening at his suggestion.
 
“I didn’t mean sex! But if that’s what you want-”
 
 “No!”
 
Adrian’s hands shot up in defense. “Okay, Shortcake. No need to
get aggressive. But tell me you love me.”
 
“You already know I do.” I scowled, glaring at him.
 
His eyebrows shot up at my response before a smug smile made its
way to his lips, and he began to shake the carriage again.
 
“Okay, okay Fine!” I exclaimed, shutting my eyes tightly. “I love
you!”
 
“You didn’t say it loud enough. Scream it out for the world to hear,”
Adrian ordered cheerfully.
 
“Why are you being even more annoying than usual right now?” I
snapped.
 
The carriage began to shake again and I squealed in fright. “OKAY!
I LOVE YOU!” I shouted in panic. The carriage stopped shaking then, and
my eyes snapped open to find that the entire ride had stopped moving.
 
Adrian was grinning from ear to ear as I realised that the entire
population of the waiting line, along with the operating crew of the ride,
had heard me scream out my love for him.
 
“Aw Shortcake. You’re too nice,” Adrian replied once he noticed
my face begin to resemble the colour of a tomato.
 
“I hate you so much,” I grumbled in mortification once we got off
the small carriage. Couples of all ages were staring at us both with small
smiles on their faces, making my face go even redder than it was.
 
“I’ve got witnesses that can state otherwise.” Adrian smirked.
 
 “Go away.” I scowled, trying to walk away from him as fast as I
could manage in heels.
 
Adrian chuckled before I heard his footsteps catch up to mine
quickly. “If it makes you feel any better, I love you as well?”
 
“I want food,” I grumbled, ignoring his statement.
 
Adrian chuckled in response before wrapping an arm around my
waist and placing a kiss on my lips. “Okay, we’ll have dinner. Go home.
Have sex. Sound good?” He grinned.
 
“You’re not getting any tonight,” I growled, glaring up at him.
 
“Oh, come on! I was just joking!”
 
I smiled. “Too bad.”
 
He began grumbling under his breath as we made our way back to
the car park and I smiled smugly in response.
 
***
 
“Excuse me, Sir, I think you’ve missed the restaurant we were
supposed to go to,” I told the driver with a frown.
 
“No Miss, Mr. Walter said there has been a change of location. I am
taking you to that location.” The driver fell silent after that, and I looked
down at my lap in panic.
 
I grabbed my phone in a rush and quickly found Adrian’s contact
name. There has been a change of plans. He’s taking me to a different
restaurant! I’ll let you know which one it is as soon as I can.
 
I hit the send button almost instantly and looked out the window in
an attempt to familiarize myself with my surroundings. The street was
foreign to my eyes; I had never been in an area that looked like this before.
The car stopped shortly after that, and I looked out to see a small Italian
restaurant.
 
David Walter was already seated on one of the window seats when I
walked in, and the same sickening smile crawled its way onto his face once
I arrived at the table.
 
“Emily Johnson. So lovely to see you again.”
 
“I don’t eat Italian,” I replied bluntly, keeping my face blank.
 
“Yes well, under the circumstances you’re going to have to eat
Italian.” His face hardened momentarily before he gestured to the chair
across from him. “Have a seat, Emily.” He smiled, before waving a waiter
to come over with the menus.
 
“Circumstances?” I asked, frowning slightly in curiosity.
 
His face hardened again. “Yes. A little birdy told me you told
Adrian about our little date tonight. Bad move. I had to make do with what I
knew would be an isolated location.”
 
“Your ‘little birdy’ is wrong. I haven’t told him about any of these
dinners,” I emphasized, not liking the fact that he referred to tonight as a
date.
 
David smiled coldly just as the waiter reached our table and placed
the menus in front of us. “What can I get you two to start off with?”
 
“I’ll have a scotch on the rocks,” David replied while he scanned
the menu.
 
“Water please.” I smiled, before picking up my own menu
 
 “You’re really beautiful,” the waiter spoke up. I cringed at the
thought of the waiter complimenting David Walter’s appearance before
looking up and realising that he was speaking to me.
 
“Oh, thank you,” I replied, giving him another tight smile.
 
“So who is he? Your brother? You guys don’t look the same,” The
waiter responded.
 
I looked over to David Walter blankly. “No, thank God. He is just a
pestering man I have to deal with until he grows up and stops taking a
woman who is already spoken for out to dinners.” I looked at David as I
said the words, hoping he’d take the hint.
 
A whistle sounded from the waiter, breaking our eye contact. “You
don’t sound very happy about being with him. Would you like to come
home with me?” he suggested. “I get off in 5 minutes.”
 
“Yes, I’m sure you can’t last any longer. I want a new waiter,”
David stated, giving the man a look.
 
“Since we’re all putting what we want out there,” I said, “I want to
go home. Oh! And I want these stupid, boring dinners to stop and I want
you to stop blackmailing me.”
 
David laughed and turned to me again. “That’s not going to happen
any time soon, sweet cheeks.”
 
I opened my mouth to respond before my phone began to buzz on
the table. Adrian’s pouting face appeared on the screen and I answered it
immediately. “Hello?”
 
“Play along, Shortcake,” he said a breath before he roared,
“WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?!” My eyes briefly flickered over to
David, whose eyebrows shot up in surprise.
 
 “I- I’m at Amy’s hous-”
 
“NO YOU’RE NOT. I’M WITH AMY RIGHT NOW. WHERE
THE FUCK ARE YOU?” he asked again. His voice became louder with
every word, and I looked over to David Walter as a thought came to mind.
 
What do I say? I mouthed to him, trying to look panicked.
 
Tell him you’re on your way home, he responded, before making a
‘cancel’ gesture to the waiter.
 
“I’m on my way home,” I responded, trying to sound nervous.
 
“OH YEAH? OKAY, I’M COMING HOME NOW THEN. WE’LL
SEE IF YOU’RE LYING OR NOT,” he barked through the phone, before
the line went dead.
 
“Hmm. Maybe my little birdy was in fact wrong after all. We’ll
have to do this another time, then. We wouldn’t want the big bad wolf
catching us on our little dates now, would we?” David Walter spoke up,
getting out of his chair.
 
I didn’t respond, and just walked out of the restaurant and got back
into the same car that brought me here.
 
“Take me back home,” I mumbled, before sending a quick text to
Adrian:
 
Thank you for that. On my way home now.
 
***
 
“Who else did you tell other than me?” Adrian asked angrily,
pacing around our bedroom.
 
 “No one! Just Amy and Rita! But they wouldn’t tell him!” I
exclaimed in their defense. It was true; once Amy and Rita found out about
the fact that Adrian had a plan against David, they jumped at the chance of
being a part of it to take him down.
 
“The only people that I told were my security and Allen, and none
of them would have told either,” he growled in response.
 
I thought back to earlier today during the meeting, and gasped after
a few moments of putting things together in my mind. “I think it was
Anna,” I mumbled softly, looking down at my bare thighs sadly.
 
“Who the fuck is Anna? Did you tell her as well?!” Adrian snapped,
glaring at me.
 
I got out of my seated position on the bed and walked over to him
to stop him from pacing. “Get in bed, and then I’ll tell you my theory.”
 
With a frustrated sigh, Adrian climbed into bed, before pulling me
in so that I landed on top of him with a squeak. “Speak,” he snapped, before
placing a kiss on my lips.
 
“In this position?” I asked, blushing slightly at the fact that I was on
top of him with no pants on.
 
“Yes.” He smirked.
 
I glared at his lips for a few moments before sighing in defeat.
“Okay, remember Anna? The girl from marketing that I told you about. She
apologised to me for being a bitch? Well, she apologised around the same
time David Walter began blackmailing me, and tonight, he kept using ‘little
bird’ like he had a spy of some sort.”
 
“And you think its Anna,” Adrian finished as his eyes narrowed
slightly.
 
 “Yes. Don’t you remember today during the big meeting, how we
were speaking about the restaurant? Anna walked in to tell us something at
that moment! I remember the door wasn’t completely closed, so what if she
was eavesdropping on our conversation and then went and told David about
you knowing about the dinner?” I asked, biting my lip in thought.
 
“Fuck.” Adrian groaned. “She better pray to whatever she believes
in that I show her some sympathy on Monday when I fire her sorry ass,” he
growled.
 
“No, you can’t!” I exclaimed while accidentally elbowing his chest.
“Sorry.” I smiled sheepishly, before kissing the place I elbowed him.
 
Adrian smirked before pecking my nose. “I am actually so whipped
over you, it’s indescribable. Why can’t I fire her?”
 
I blushed at his words before continuing. “Well, for one. This is just
a theory, it may not be true! And secondly, what if it is true? If you fire her,
David would get suspicious and eventually figure out the fact that I’ve
basically told you everything involving him and our encounters. God knows
what he’ll do, Adrian. I can’t risk that.”
 
Adrian looked away in thought, before his jaw clenched. “You’re
right. Fine, we won’t do anything for now until the next time he wants to
interact with you. Come on, let’s get some sleep. We have a busy day
tomorrow.”
 
“We do?” I asked, frowning curiously. “What’s happening
tomorrow?”
 
Adrian smirked as he waggled his eyebrows suggestively, and I
laughed before slapping his bare chest. “Perv.”
 
“I’m a man. It’s only in my nature to react to something so beautiful
the way I do,” Adrian replied as his smirk grew wider.
 
 “What do you mean by-” He began to shift from underneath me,
and I instantly groaned and rolled off him. “Idiot.” I scowled, blushing.
 
Adrian chuckled and pulled me into him again just as he reached
over and turned off the lamp beside him.
 
“Goodnight,” he mumbled, clumsily placing a kiss on my eyelid.
 
I laughed in response before cuddling into him with a light smile on
my face.
 
Chapter Twenty-six
 
 
 
“Another freaking event?” Amy exclaimed while opening up her
laptop. ”Seriously, does this guy have nothing else to do?!”
 
“Aims! It’s not like he does it for himself. He actually hates that
stuff; he just needs to do it to keep the name of the business strong. Plus, I
haven’t gotten to the good part yet.”  I grinned.
 
“What is it? Hot male strippers are going to be there and I’m going
to miss out yet again?” She pouted.
 
“You- What? Why would there be male strippers at a formal
dinner?” I laughed. “No, that’s not it. You’re invited this time! But,” I
warned, “you’re not allowed to speak to anyone you don’t know because
you’re not even supposed to be there if you’re not a part of a corporation.”
 
Amy laughed humorlessly. “You don’t need to make me feel better
about being a rejected loser while my best friend is a socialite.” She
groaned, before her fingers flew across the keyboard.
 
“I’m being serious! Adrian even gave you $2,000 for you to buy a
dress.” I reached over to take my wallet out of my handbag, and took out
the thick stack of money and handed it over to her.
 
Once Amy’s eyes landed on the stack of green notes, her blue eyes
popped out of their sockets. “Fuck off.” She breathed, before looking up at
me in disbelief. “Are you fucking with me, Emily?” She scowled.
 
“No you idiot! Would I really casually carry $2,000 in my bag?” I
asked her with a pointed look.
  
“I’m in love with your boyfriend.” She sighed as a grin made its
way to her lips.
 
“I’m the one who spent all night begging him to let you come,” I
grumbled under my breath, glaring at her.
 
Amy’s grin – is possible – grew wider as she waggled her
eyebrows. “All night, eh? No wonder he was so generous with the amount
of money.”
 
She snickered once I threw a pillow in her direction. “Not like
that!” I exclaimed.
 
“Yes like that. You have that after-sex face on today. Don’t think
you can hide it from me.” Amy smirked, before taking a bite of the
chocolate bar beside her.
 
“No I don’t,” I responded, blushing slightly.
 
“Shut up. How fancy is this thing?” she asked, looking away from
her laptop screen. “Is it like last time?”
 
I nodded and shuffled closer towards her to get a look at the dresses
she was going through. “I’m surprised you’re still focusing on my dress
when I just gave you $2,000 and told you that you’re invited to one of these
things,” I pointed out in amusement.
 
She scoffed. “Please, I’ve had my outfit planned for this day ever
since you met Mr. Sexypants; he’s just provided me with the funds to make
this outfit actually happen.” She falsely grinned at me before averting her
attention back to the laptop screen. “Now… I was thinking something along
the lines of gold…” She trailed off to herself.
 
My phone rang then, and I answered it immediately. “Save me,” I
begged Adrian, who chuckled through the speaker.
  
“You sure seem to do a lot of begging lately, Shortcake.”
 
I was already envisioning his usual arrogant smirk as he spoke
those words, and glared at Amy’s small television across from me. “Shut
up. What do you want?” I asked, trying to avoid the subject.
 
“Were you serious about me saving you?” he asked in a concerned
tone. “Do you want me to come and pick you up?”
 
“DON’T LISTEN TO HER, ADRIAN!” Amy suddenly screamed
out. “SHE JUST DOESN’T WANT TO ACT LIKE A GIRL FOR A FEW
HOURS!”
 
I turned around in horror. “You can hear him?”
 
“Duh, and he proved me right! You did have begging sex last
night!” She burst into a fit of laughter, tossing her laptop carelessly to the
side in the process.
 
Adrian chuckled in my ear, and I groaned in mortification. “You
shouldn’t be embarrassed about our lovemaking, Shortcake-”
 
“Okay I’m going to stop you right there and hope to God that there
is an actual point to this phone call or else I’m hanging up,” I warned,
throwing a glare at Amy, who was still laughing.
 
“Yes, there is a point to this phone call.” His voice suddenly turned
serious, and I frowned at the brown pillow in my lap.
 
“What is it?”
 
“Good news or bad news first?” he asked.
 
My frown deepened and I bit my lip. “Bad news.”
 
 “Okay.” He let out a breath before speaking up again. “Well… the
bad news is that I have a boner thinking about you.”
 
My frown instantly flattened. “Adrian”-
 
“But the good news is,” he interrupted, “You’re in love with me,
and you’re willing to come and get rid of it!”
 
“Idiot.” I hung up in his face.
 
“I’d never thought I’d see the day where I’d be jealous of your
relationship, of all people,” Amy scoffed, before pouting at me.
 
I raised an eyebrow as a sly smile made its way to my lips. “Why
Amy, how ever could you be jealous of Adrian and me when you’ve got the
perfect relationship with my brother? Oh wait, that’s all in your mind.”
 
“GET OUT MY HOUSE.”
 
I burst into a fit of laughter and dodged the pillow she launched in
my direction, before taking back my original seat on the sofa.
 
“I’m serious.” Amy glared. “Leave. You distract me too much and
you need this dress by the weekend. Plus, I hate you right now.”
 
“Aw, Aims.” I pretended to be affected by her words and pouted in
her direction. “Do you-” I got cut off by my phone shrilling to life again.
 
I gave Amy a flat look before answering in the same fashion.
“Adrian.”
 
“Shortcake, I need you to get to the office immediately. We need to
sort out a large financial error that just occurred in one of the hotels in
London.” There was no humour in his tone, and my expression sobered up
immediately.
 
 “I’ll be there in 20 minutes,” I murmured in reply while packing my
handbag.
 
Adrian hung up after that, and Amy looked up at me. “Have my
prayers been answered?”
 
I glared and pulled my tongue out at her grinning expression.
“There’s an emergency at the office, I have to go. Thank you so much for
doing this.”
 
“’An emergency,’” Amy smirked. “Right.”
 
I rolled my eyes and shook my head as I slung my handbag over my
shoulder. “I’m being serious. Some financial thing that just happened in a
hotel in London. I’ll text you later!” I called out to her before closing the
door shut behind me.
 
***
 
“Damn. I’m pretty sure I’m ready to give you the D now, Emily.” A
familiar voice said from behind me.
 
A large grin spread across my face before I turned around and
pulled Allen into a hug, laughing into his shoulder. “You’re a stupid head. If
Adrian hears you say that-”
 
“Say what?” Adrian asked, appearing beside us.
 
“That I’m going to give her the D,” Allen replied with an arrogant
grin, pulling away from our hug.
 
Adrian’s jaw clenched at the same time his fists did, and I instantly
rushed to his side. “He’s kidding.” I laughed, sending a playful glare in
Allen’s direction.
 
 He grinned childishly before speaking up again. “In all honestly
now Em, you look absolutely incredible. I had to physically wipe drool off
my face before talking to you. Look!” Allen’s arm suddenly shot out as he
pointed to a dark grey spot on his light grey suit sleeve with wide eyes.
 
“Ew, Allen!” I laughed, shoving his hand away. “Thank you. You
don’t look too bad yourself.” I winked.
 
“But I look better, of course,” Adrian spoke up, glaring down at me.
 
I tapped my chin and pretended to think about it. “Hmm. I’m not so
sure…”
 
Adrian’s glare intensified and I broke out into a smile, instantly
making his expression soften. “You’re going to pay for that tonight.”
 
I raised an eyebrow before bringing my lips to his ear. “I can’t
wait.”
 
Allen groaned in front of us, cutting off the small exchange between
Adrian and me. “I’d never thought I’d see the day where I’d want to kill my
best friend just to have his girl.”
 
“That’ll never happen, mate.” Adrian smirked, but tightened his
arm around my waist. “I’m stronger than you are; we both know that for a
fact.”
 
“Ugh, I think I’m already too drunk to function.” Amy’s voice
sounded from behind us. “Seriously? I didn’t think these events would be so
boring. They looked so much cooler in the magazines and stuff.” She
scoffed, before taking another gulp of her red wine.
 
“Amy, take it easy on the liquor, okay?” I warned with an amused
expression. “Remember this event is for the business; and there’s someone
coming tonight that you’d want to be sober around.”
 
 “There is literally no one in this world that I would want to be sober
for at this stupid thing,” she grumbled, before walking off.
 
“You invited your brother? Dammit, I was hoping to get some from
her tonight.” Allen cursed to himself, making my gaze drag away from my
best friend to give the man a look of disbelief.
 
“Did you pay Rita once she finished your hair?” Adrian asked,
ignoring Allen’s comment.
 
“Yes, she was so nervous about tonight for me. I have no idea why.”
A small frown appeared on my face as I bit my lip at Rita’s nervous
behaviour earlier this evening.
 
Adrian grunted. “Who cares. As long as you-”
 
“Smelly Emily. You look amazing tonight, little sis.” I turned
around to find a smiling Blake walking over to us, looking dapper in a navy
coloured suit.
 
“Blake!” I grinned, wriggling out of Adrian’s grip and pulling my
brother into a bone crushing hug. “Thank you so much for coming.”
 
“Anything for you, little sis.” Blake smirked.
 
I glared up at him. “I prefer Smelly Emily.”
 
Blake just shrugged in response, still smirking, to my annoyance.
 
“Oh!” I suddenly remembered, turning to Allen. “Blake, this is
Allen, Adrian’s best friend. Allen, this is my brother Blake.”
 
“Hey man, it’s nice to meet you.” Allen smiled, holding a hand out
for Blake to shake.
 
 Blake’s eyes narrowed in Allen’s direction before he cautiously
took his hand and shook it slowly. “Let’s talk, Allen.”
 
“Wait, Blake-” I didn’t bother finishing my sentence because Blake
was already dragging Allen away from Adrian and me. “He’s going to give
him a lecture,” I sighed, cringing at their retreating figures.
 
Adrian smirked before snaking his arm around my waist again.
“Good. At least now we can have some time alone.”
 
He bent down and placed a lingering kiss on my lips, and I kissed
back immediately before pulling away. “As much as I’d love for this to
continue, you actually have investors to talk to. That’s the reason this thing
was hosted in the first place, remember?” I grinned, before wiping my
thumb across his lips to get rid of the red lipstick that was transferred.
 
Adrian groaned and placed his forehead at the crook of my neck. “I
hate everyone.”
 
“You sound like a whiny teenager.” I laughed, pushing his head off
gently. “Come on, go charm them to a stupor.” I smiled while fixing his tie.
 
“I love you,” he mumbled, before pecking my cheek and walking
away. I watched as he stopped at a small group of men and women not far
from where we were standing, and he plastered on a smile as he began
shaking their hands and nodding.
 
“You guys are the cutest,” I heard a female voice sigh.
 
I turned around in confusion and found Anna standing behind me
with a smile on her face and a glass of white wine gripped tightly by both
hands.
 
“Thank you.” I smiled. “You look really nice!” I complimented,
observing her black cocktail dress and royal blue high heels.
 
 “Are you kidding me? Nothing compares to how you look tonight,”
she gushed, freeing one hand from the glass and motioning at my dress.
“You’re literally distracting everyone with your beauty and your laugh.
Seriously, I’ve seen so many people around you look at you while someone
is talking to them, or they’re talking to someone. You look amazing!”
 
I blushed and nervously looked around the room briefly; noticing
the small looks she pointed out, before smiling slightly. “Thank you.” An
all too familiar light blue dress caught my attention, and I sighed before
looking back at Anna. “I’m really sorry, I’ve just spotted something I need
to take care of… I’ll find you later and we’ll talk more?”
 
“It’s fine! I understand, you have to run around a lot since it’s your
boss and your boyfriend’s event. I’ll see you around.” She smiled.
 
I nodded briefly and instantly made my way over to where Amy
was now blinking into a worried looking man’s face.
 
“I’m so sorry, she tends to observe people a bit too closely to know
what to write about when we ask about how the night went.” I smiled
sheepishly at the man before grabbing a hold of Amy’s left arm. “Thank
you for coming tonight. Enjoy the rest of your evening.”
 
I dragged Amy off to the ladies’ room.
 
“Amy! What did I warn you about when I told you about this
event?! This is serious! Pull yourself together!” I stressed, fixing her
flattening curls.
 
“Why couldn’t Rita do my hair?” she grumbled with a pout. “Yours
looks so pretty. So does your dress. So do you.”
 
“Amy,” I growled, beginning to lose my patience.
 
“What?” She whined.
 
 “Sober up and pull yourself together,” I snapped. “I’m going to get
you a glass of water, and then I’m giving you to Blake.”
 
She instantly straightened up. “Blake’s here? Oh my God… I mean,
no! I don’t want to go to Blake.” She attempted to glare, but failed from her
eyes still being wide with surprise and admiration.
 
I smirked before dragging her out. “I’m sure you don’t. Come on,
let’s get you some water.” I led her to the bar. Amy began to sip on the glass
of water put in front of her just as Blake and Allen appeared.
 
“Amy?” Blake called out, mirroring Amy’s previous expression
once Blake was mentioned.
 
“Well, if it isn’t Flakey Blakey,” she drawled out, before taking
another sip of water.
 
“Are you drunk?” he asked with a slightly amused expression.
 
Amy turned to both men and squinted one eye as she pressed her
thumb and forefinger close together. “This much.” She grinned, before her
eyes went wide. “Hey, you look really hot!” she blurted.
 
Blake, Allen and I burst into a fit of laughter then, causing Amy’s
face to turn red with embarrassment. “I- I was talking about Allen.” She
tried to cover up with a glare.
 
“I’m sure you were, sweetie,” I spoke up, still laughing.
 
Blake shook his head at my best friend before looking up at me.
“I’ll take care of her from here.”
 
I tried to fight the smile that was threatening to jump onto my lips
and nodded briefly. “Are you sure? That’d be great, thank you so much.”
 
 Allen and I left the pair alone and we began to look for Adrian
again. “It’s pretty obvious that your brother likes her as well. Why haven’t
they tried it out yet?” Allen asked, looking around the crowded reception.
 
“It may be obvious to a third person; but those two are completely
oblivious about their feelings for each other.” I laughed at that,
remembering the day of our graduation when Amy had accidentally pulled
Blake into a hug, and they both acted awkward after that.
 
“I’m guessing you invited them both here tonight to play the role of
cupid?” Allen asked, casting a sideways smirk in my direction.
 
I shrugged and grinned. “I have to entertain myself at these things
somehow.”
 
Allen pretended to act offended. “What, I’m not entertaining
enough for you? I’m wounded.”
 
I laughed and rolled my eyes before I began scanning the room
again. “Shut up you big bab-” My sentence swallowed itself up in my throat
as my eyes landed on the one thing I didn’t want to see tonight.
 
“Big what? D- Emily? Are you okay?” Allen noticed my frozen
stare, and followed my line of gaze until he spotted what I was looking at.
“Son of a bitch, you were right,” Allen mumbled under his breath, before
grabbing onto my arm. “Come on, we have to find Adrian and tell him.”
 
I don’t remember how but suddenly, we were near the stage at the
front of the room and Adrian had me in a protective hug. “I’m not going to
let anything happen, Shortcake,” Adrian murmured into my hair, rubbing
my back softly. “You don’t need to worry.”
 
“I was right,” I mumbled into his chest.
 
“I specifically told the fucking security of this place not to let him
in,” Adrian growled.
  
“I’ll take care of it,” Allen spoke up, before I heard him walk off.
 
“Emily. What did you see?” Adrian asked, pulling away from the
hug but still keeping me in his arms.
 
“David Walter and… Anna. They were in the corner of the room
talking. David passed Anna an envelope, and that’s when Allen brought me
to you.”
 
“Son of a bitch,” Adrian muttered.
 
“She was so nice to me… We were going to talk later on with a
glass of wine in our hands.”
 
“I’m going to fire her right now,” Adrian growled, ignoring my
rambling.
 
“No! Adrian, not here,” I pleaded, grabbing a hold of his arm.
 
Adrian gave me an angered look of disbelief. “Are you kidding me?
Why the fuck not?! That stupid little bitch-”
 
“No! You’re at a formal event. People are here to listen to your
speech about future plans with the company and shake your hand and give
you cheques. You can’t show a mean side of yourself right now; firing
someone is not the way to go.”
 
Adrian just glared down at me. “Does it look like,” he began
slowly, “I give a fuck about the company right now?”
 
I sighed. “Adrian, please. Don’t be irrational about this. You can’t
fire-”
 
“Emily. Who I do or do not fire is none of your concern nor is it in
your control. She fucked with you, so I ruin her.” Adrian’s tone was final,
and he walked away before I could say anything else to change his mind.
 
Anna was the one. The mole. David Walter’s ‘little bird.’ No
wonder why her apology was so sudden.
 
I began to walk back to the table I was assigned to while smiling
briefly at whoever I passed. Adrian was angry with me, and he was going to
need a few hours to cool off before I would be able to talk to him again. My
thoughts wandered back to Anna’s behaviour earlier this evening, and my
frown deepened as I bit my lip. She was being nice; cautious with what she
was going to say to me but nonetheless, nice.
 
“I’m in love with your chest,” a deep, familiar voice uttered.
 
“Mason!” Another, more feminine voice scolded, pulling me away
from my thoughts completely.
 
I looked up from my shimmering dress to find Katherine glaring at
a smug looking Mason, and a small smile instantly appeared on my lips.
“Hello! I didn’t know you two were coming tonight.”
 
“Well, my bitch of a son forced us to; even though I’m getting too
old for this shit.” Mason grunted, before another smile appeared on his lips.
“Come on Emily, give this poor old man a hug.” His smile began to grow as
he waggled his eyebrows in my direction.
 
I frowned slightly in confusion before cautiously making my way
over towards Mason’s seat.
 
“Poor girl. Don’t hug him Emily,” Katherine warned in a deadpan
voice, giving her husband another flat look. “He only wants you to hug him
so he can make a comment about your chest.”
 
I instantly stopped walking and blushed furiously at the revelation.
“Damn you,” Mason mumbled to his wife.
 
 I laughed as Katherine rolled her eyes at her husband before she
stood up with a small smile playing on her lips. “It is nice to see you again,
Emily. You look drop dead gorgeous tonight. That dress does more wonders
to your body than the usual ones do,” she stated calmly, before pulling me
into a hug.
 
I blushed at her observation and hugged her back. “Thank you. You
look incredible! Red is definitely your colour.” I smiled.
 
“Where is my son?” Katherine asked. “I’m quite surprised he
doesn’t have you attached to his hip – or lips – at the moment.” Her eyes
twinkled in amusement, and I blushed even more under her gaze.
 
The mention of Adrian put me in a sad mood again, and I sighed
before answering. “He’s firing someone.”
 
“Oh?” Katherine replied, her eyebrows raised in surprise.
 
“It’s a long story,” I mumbled, taking my seat across from them.
 
“Don’t worry, Emily,” Mason spoke up. “Adrian is quite the idiot
when it comes to your wellbeing. He’ll fire himself if it meant making you
happy. Just give him a little time to cool off and then I’m sure everything
will be back to normal.” He whistled. “And by the way, damn straight that
dress does wonders!” Katherine wacked him across the head.
 
I laughed as Mason glared at his wife, who was wearing a smug
smirk, before my phone started buzzing at my ankle. Frowning, I bent down
to retrieve it, and found a text message from and unfamiliar number:
 
This is Jared Gilbert. I was running late tonight and security won’t let me in, even though I’m on the
list. Will you please come and retrieve me? I’m at the side entrance.
 
Jared Gilbert? My mind mentally scanned the guest list for
tonight’s event and I frowned once my memory came up blank. “Excuse me
for a moment, I need to take care of something outside.” I smiled.
  
“Take your time, sweetie, we can entertain ourselves. Make sure
you sway your hips for me when you leave though. I need something to
look at while my wife is still giving me the silent treatment.” Mason
winked, earning another wack on the head.
 
I laughed at the couple in front of me before leaving the table and
making my way through the small clusters of people, towards the exit of the
reception.
 
“Hey, where are you off to?” Allen spoke up, suddenly appearing
beside me. “Blake told me to tell you that he’s taken Amy home.”
 
I grinned. “My plan has worked! I’ve got to take care of something
with a guest outside. Have you… Um… Have you spoken to Adrian?” I
asked, trying to keep my expression neutral.
 
Allen’s eyebrows shot up in surprise before the realisation settled
into his expression. “You guys had a fight, didn’t you?”
 
I sighed. “I didn’t want him to fire Anna in front of any of these
people, and he went and did it anyway.”
 
Allen nodded in understanding. “I did hear a few people mentioning
what an asshole he is for publically humiliating a woman like that… But
others kind of shunned her. There goes her reputation,” Allen mumbled,
more to himself than to me.
 
“This is my fault.” I sighed, looking down at my heels. Adrian was
angry with me, and now Anna was never going to be able to get a decent
job again.
 
“Hey, don’t blame yourself,” Allen stated firmly. “None of this is
your fault.”
 
 I looked up at him with a small smile before pulling him in for a
quick hug. “You’re a great guy.”
 
“I know,” he replied with an arrogant grin.
 
I laughed and rolled my eyes before gasping. “Oh my god! I
completely forgot about Jared! I have to go let him in, I’ll be right back.”
 
“Jared? Who is Jared? I’m going to wait for you here,” Allen said,
leaning against the door frame.
 
“Jared Gilbert. I’ll be back soon.” I rushed out of the reception
room and hurriedly made my way over to the side entrance of the venue.
 
The side entrance was almost completely unlit, with only a few
yellow spot lights flickering in certain areas, making it difficult to make out
any people.
 
“Jared Gilbert?” I called out after a few more glances.
 
“Not quite, but you’re pretty close.”
 
I froze in my position as the all too familiar voice of David Walter
reached my ears, just as he stepped within range of one of the dim spot
lights. “You know, it’s pretty embarrassing to have security escort you out
of an event that has a lot of your clients. You can’t even begin to imagine
the shame I felt.” He stuck out his bottom lip in a mock pout, before it
turned into a sneer.
 
I began to back away from him and swiftly turned around to run
away, but ran into a solid chest. The man I ran into instantly held me in
place just before a rough material was pressed up against my mouth and
nose.
 
“We’re going to have fun, you and me.” David chuckled in a low
voice.
  
The cloth was pressed against my nose with even more force; and
then, everything was black.
 
Chapter Twenty-seven
 
 
 
I woke up expecting the stench of wet mould to fill my nostrils;
instead, I found myself in a queen sized bed in a dimly lit bedroom. I
instantly bolted upright from my sleeping position and jumped out of the
bed immediately, scanning the small area around me.
 
Trust David Walter to kidnap me and hold me hostage in a fancy
room.
 
The gold dress was still weighing down my shoulder and hugging
my figure tightly, and I was thankful the shimmering piece was not
removed during the process of tucking me into the creepy bed.
Unfortunately, my belongings – which included my phone and a very
valuable tube of lip gloss – were taken away from me.
 
Deciding that nothing more was going to happen in the small
bedroom, I went for the door, which, surprisingly, was unlocked. Stepping
out into a brighter room caught my eyes off guard, and I had to squint in
order for them to readjust to the lighting, and they narrowed even further
once I heard an all too familiar chuckle reach my ears.
 
I turned to the side to find David Walter sitting on a plain white
chair, smiling in my direction. “Sleeping beauty awakens.”
 
“What the hell is your problem?” I exclaimed angrily, clenching my
teeth. “Are you that desperate for human companionship that you had to
kidnap someone to get it?!”
 
“Now, now Emily. There’s absolutely no reason to be angry-”
 
 “No reason to be angry?!” I repeated with an incredulous look.
“You’ve kidnapped me!”
 
“Well, you wouldn’t come willingly, would you?” he asked, raising
an eyebrow.
 
“Obviously not, you’re a creep!” I exclaimed, before blushing
slightly. “Sorry, I’m not trying to be mean. But you are,” I re-stated once his
expression turned to one of amusement.
 
“And this is why I’ve had to kidnap you,” he stated, as if I had just
presented the reason.
 
I gave him a flat look. “You didn’t actually clarify the reason.”
 
“Look at you, Emily. Your appearance, as well as your personality
is much well suited to me than it would be to Adrian Kingston. If you had
just come with me the day we met-”
 
I let out an angry growl. “Stop right there. I don’t know how many
times I have to actually say it to you; but I’ll repeat it once more just so it
can sink into that thick skull of yours. This – whatever sick thing you have
planned out in your mind – isn’t happening. I’m with Adrian, and I love
him. No one is going to stop that apart from the man himself. Let me go.”
 
David blinked once before he began to chuckle again, and raised his
eyebrow once he was done. “The man himself? You mean the one you
fought with before I took you? He looked pretty angry with you… I wonder
if he’s searching for you as we speak, if he even noticed you were gone at
all last night.”
 
“Last night?” I repeated, whipping my head around in search for a
window. The room was sealed with regal gold curtains; concealing any
signs of the outdoors.
 
 “Oh, how rude of me. Good morning, sunshine. You were out like a
nightlight. It was almost peaceful watching you sleep – if I hadn’t known
you were drugged.” He chuckled to himself again, and I had to resist the
urge to roll my eyes.
 
“You’re crazy and I want to go home. Now.”
 
“Ah, Emily. So naïve. You’re not leaving until I get what I want
from you.” David’s voice turned serious, and my fear spiked up.
 
“I’m not breaking up with Adrian, or doing anything that’s
unfaithful to him,” I announced, trying to sound firm to conceal my fear.
 
“Not by choice,” David added with a wink and a sly smile.
 
“W- What do you mean by that?” I demanded, shaking slightly.
 
“ROBERT!” David called out suddenly, ignoring my question. I
scanned the room again in an attempt to search for something that could be
of use to me – like my phone – but was cut short once the same large man
that I recognised from last night entered the room, holding a familiar
looking cloth.
 
David motioned for him to stop moving and turned back to me with
a small smile on his lips. “You seem tired, Emily. Let me help you out with
that.”
 
“There is no way in hell I’m going to be drugged again!” I snapped,
taking a step back with a glare. I instantly ran behind a chair as a barricade
in case Robert decided to come any closer.
 
David sighed, before looking back to the tall, buff man. “Give us a
minute, will you Rob? I need to talk some sense into her before she takes
another nap.”
 
“No, you don’t.” I scowled immediately. “I want to go home.”
  
“To what? A very angry boyfriend? Ah! I must’ve forgotten to tell
you. I’ve messaged your pretty little boyfriend and let him know that you
were with me. Well, actually, you messaged him from your phone telling
him you came with me for a chat and won’t be back for a while. You know
Emily, using your anniversary date as your passcode is very predictable;
anybody could get into your phone. You wouldn’t want that.” His pout was
mocking as he shook his head in my direction.
 
“You’re an asshole.” I growled, growing angrier by the second. I
could barely tolerate his irritating presence as it was, and now David Walter
tells me he went through my phone? He tested my limits.
 
“Anyway, I wonder if your beloved boyfriend is even looking for
you right now? He’s probably picking up his latest treat since you’ve
abandoned him for a while with his worst enemy and you two were fighting
beforehand.” David’s smug smile pulled apart the last string that was
holding my patience together, and I grabbed the nearest thing to me – which
happened to be a lamp – and launched it in his direction.
 
Robert immediately blocked David from receiving the hit, and
turned to glare at me once the lamp rebounded off his back and landed on
the floor in a clatter.
 
Panic began to rise in my throat once I realised I was completely
defenseless now; so I did what natural human being instinct told me to do: I
ran.
 
I ran in the opposite direction that Robert thought I was going to go
in; giving me a 3-second advantage. Unfortunately; it was only that. A 3-
second advantage. Within those 3 seconds, I was on the ground with a ton
of human being pinning me down firmly so I wasn’t able to move.
 
“My, my. You are a handful, Emily Johnson.” David chuckled. I
shifted my head and found his sleek black shoes in front of my face. He
tucked one foot underneath my chin and pushed my head up so that I was
looking up at him. I made sure my expression was nothing but the fiercest
glare I could muster up, although he didn’t seem fazed by it.
 
“I think you should listen closely when I say this; there is no way of
escaping this hotel room without me getting what I want. The windows are
barred, and the only door to exit this place is code initiated. Even if you did
manage to guess the code – which you wouldn’t, because I, unlike some
people, don’t use an anniversary date-”
 
“Because you have no anniversary to use,” I spat out, still glaring.
 
He kicked my chin purposefully and glared down at me. “Don’t
interrupt me when I’m speaking to you. My point is, Emily, I have guards
just like Robert here stationed at every entrance or exit of this hotel who
know who you are. They are very loyal to me, so I suggest you give me
what I want, and no one gets hurt.”
 
“What the hell do you even want from me?!” I exclaimed angrily.
My eyes widened in shock just as the one possibility registered in my mind,
and my glare transformed to a look of pure desperation. “Please, anything
but that. I- I’ll give you money-”
 
David scoffed. “Money? I have enough money to buy myself an
island and start a new empire. I don’t need any more money. I just want
you. One night.”
 
I shook my head on his shoe. “No. No I won’t.”
 
David shrugged with the same amused smile on his face. “Well
that’s a shame. Robert?”
 
I didn’t even get the chance to take a step before a thick arm
wrapped itself around my waist while a soft, foul smelling cloth was
pressed up against my nose. Everything began fading into blackness once
again.
 
 ***
 
I woke up in the same bed.
 
Except this time, there was too much light and there was a steaming
bowl of chicken soup, along with a tall glass of water, accompanying me in
the stuffy room.
 
It was then that I also noticed the shimmering gold dress I had been
wearing sprawled across a small chair near the door of the room, and my
breath hitched in my throat as a million thoughts rushed through my mind.
 
Did something happen while I was out of it? I looked down at my
current attire in a panicked state, only to find myself wearing a thin cotton
shirt and a pair of navy sweatpants that were both my exact size.
 
My stomach began to grumble just as the aroma of the chicken soup
filled my nostrils, and I looked back at the while bowl with caution. There
was no way David Walter would give me normal food or drink without
spiking it with something.
 
Ignoring the urge to devour the food, I went back to trying to figure
out how I got into these clothes.
 
I jumped out of the bed as soon as I heard a door slam shut from
outside the room, and instantly threw my own door wide open.
 
David Walter strolled in with a lazy smug expression as he placed
his phone onto the counter beside him and sipped on the blue cup in his
hand. Once he noticed me standing at my own doorway, the lazy grin
widened slowly. “Good morning, sunshine.”
 
“What the hell did you do to me?” I snapped, ignoring his greeting.
 
David raised his eyebrows. “Nothing yet, unfortunately. Does this
mean-”
  
“Shut up. How did I get into these clothes if you did nothing to
me?” I asked angrily in an attempt to hide my panic.
 
His eyes slid over my attire before he began laughing. I attempted
to keep my expression angered as his laughter died down and his eyes
settled on me once again. “As much as I would have loved to undress you, I
didn’t want you to hate me more than you already do. So I got someone
you’d be semi-comfortable with to do it for me, even though you probably
hate her now.” He chuckled as a single name overpowered the thoughts in
my head. Anna.
 
“I don’t know how many times I have to say it, no matter how
much you cater to my needs or try and make me feel comfortable, I’m not-”
 
“Emily,” David cut me off, setting his drink down and beginning to
walk towards me. “It’s one night. Whether or not you want to do it willingly
or I have to force you into it is up to you.” He stood right in front of me and
I began to take a step back before he grabbed my upper arm, stopping me
from moving any farther away from him.
 
“Let me go.”
 
“What is it exactly that’s stopping you from letting us happen,
Emily?” David murmured, bringing his free hand to cup my cheek.
 
A look of disgust automatically made its way to my face as I tried
to pull away from his hold. “Everything! You’re disgusting and desperate
for something that’s never going to happen with me. Let me go, and we can
pretend this entire thing didn’t happen.” I tried, keeping my voice even.
 
He chuckled again at my words and placed a kiss on my cheek
before I was able to stop it from happening. My glare increased as he
smiled in response.
 
“That won’t be happening. Have you eaten?” he asked.
  
My mind instantly went back to the bowl of soup that was still
sitting on the small table in the room I was being held in. it was probably
cold by now, but I didn’t care. “No.”
 
“I haven’t poisoned it, Emily.” David chuckled.
 
My eyes narrowed even further. “The fact that you had to clarify
that for me says something.”
 
“I’m being honest with you. I could tell that you didn’t trust me so I
brought it up for you. Would you like me to call up the chef so he can cook
you a meal in front of you?”
 
“I’m not hungry.”
 
“Emily. You need to eat,” David murmured.
 
“No, I don’t.”
 
“Fine. Starve for all I care. It’s not going to change anything. I’m
still going to have you.” He let go of my arm and stepped back before
picking up his drink and sipping on the straw.
 
“I’ll send some more clothes to your room if you want to change or
shower.”
 
“I want to go home,” I growled through gnashed teeth.
 
“And you will. When I get what I want.” He turned to the door after
that, and I watched as he pressed in a code I wasn’t able to make out before
the door clicked open, and slammed shut behind him.
 
My body un-tensed as soon as I realised I was alone in the room,
before my eyes landed on a thin, black piece of technology that was left on
the counter.
  
My eyes immediately widened as the phone lit up. A call was
coming through and I picked up the cool metal object immediately.
 
No caller ID blinked back at me in bold letters, and I answered it
immediately in hopes that it would be Adrian. “Hello?” I breathed, tears
springing to my eyes.
 
The other caller gasped then stayed silent on the other line, before
my ears were greeted with beeping; telling me they had hung up.
 
I instantly put the phone back onto the counter just as voices from
outside the door reached my ears, and I quickly made my way back to my
room just as the door to the hotel room clicked open again.
 
David Walter walked back in, looking suspicious as he grabbed a
hold of his phone and tucking it securely into his jacket pocket before
leaving the room once again.
 
I sighed before shutting my own door softly and leaning all my
weight onto it. Who was I kidding, why would it have been Adrian? There
was no way he’d associate with him thanks to the message David had sent
from my phone earlier. I began to replay the last conversation I had with
him, and sighed again once I realised it was more of a fight than a
conversation.
 
I looked around my small room once more and found a small blue
book gathering dust on the vanity in the corner of the room. I walked
towards it and picked up the firm cover, wiping it gently. The Lovely Bones
was printed on the cover, and I took the book back to my bed and began
reading it with Adrian on my mind.
 
***
 
I had drifted off to sleep, and woke up with the book open on the
page I was reading last sprawled across my chest.
  
I made a mental note of the page number I was on before closing
the book and placing in on the table beside me. I noticed the chicken soup
had been taken out of my room and replaced with a pile of freshly ironed
clothes.
 
It occurred to me then that my hair was still filled with chemical
products sprayed into now-flattened curls from the event two nights ago. I
grabbed the first pair of clothing within the pile and entered the adjoined
bathroom to have a quick shower.
 
I was towel drying my hair and exiting the bathroom when a knock
sounded at my door. I didn’t reply, not wanting anyone to enter the only
room I felt secure in, and froze in my position.
 
“Emily?” David’s voice sounded from the other side of the wooden
door.
 
I threw the towel on the chair that was currently guarding my gold
dress, and opened the door slightly. David stood there with his usual smug
smile and was wearing a plain red shirt. “I see you’ve made the most of the
new clothes I’ve given you. I hope you’re comfortable?”
 
“What do you want?” I asked, not bothering to comply with his
small talk.
 
“I was thinking we could have dinner together. I’ve brought up a
chef to cater for us and so you don’t think I’ve poisoned your food.” He
laughed at himself, and I blinked back in reply.
 
“No thank you,” I replied shortly, getting ready to shut the door.
 
David put an arm out before I could close the door fully; grabbing a
hold of my arm in the process. “We’re going to have dinner together,” he
stated again, giving me a warning look.
 
 I didn’t say anything as he dragged me over to a dining table set up
near the kitchen, where a man with blue eyes in a chef’s uniform was
standing. He looked me over briefly, then smiled as he spoke. “Good
evening. I am Victor Clerval, I will be your chef for tonight.”
 
David positioned me in front of a chair before smiling stiffly.
“Take a seat, Emily.”
 
I did as I was told, but did not bother to acknowledge any of the
men in the room.
 
“We have Ravioli on the menu today-” the chef began.
 
“I don’t like Ravioli,” I lied bluntly, looking over at David with a
glare.
 
“Yes you do, I asked my little birdy.” David smiled.
 
I glared. “You can call her by her name now instead of
disrespecting her by comparing her to an animal.”
 
David began to laugh. “Oh yes, how could I have forgotten? It’s
Anna.”
 
The chef cleared his throat beside us, making us both turn to him.
He faltered slightly before speaking up. “Uh… So Ravioli?” He began
again.
 
“I’m allergic to pasta. How about you just give me a glass of water
and we’ll call it a night?” I smiled up at him, before patting my sweats
down.
 
“Ravioli,” David growled in confirmation, giving me an annoyed
glare.
 
“Right away,” the chef announced, scurrying to the kitchen.
 
The dinner didn’t last long.
 
Partly because of the fact that I wasn’t actually eating, even though
it smelled delicious, and partly because I wouldn’t speak to David whenever
he’d try to make conversation.
 
Chef Victor looked like he was ready to jump out of small window
in the kitchen from how thick the tension was in the room.
 
I cleared my throat after taking another sip of water and got out of
my seat. “Well, I’d say this was fun but then I’d be lying. I’m going back to
my room.”
 
“Emily. You’re not going anywhere.” David shot out of seat,
spilling a little of his wine in the process.
 
“Actually, I am. Good night. Thank you for the food Victor, it was
lovely.” I smiled politely, before turning to leave once again.
 
David caught hold of my wrist tightly before I could go any further,
and I gasped in pain as a small crack sounded from the area he was
currently grasping. “Victor, leave us.”
 
Victor was out of the hotel room faster than I was able to blink, and
an eerie silence settled over the room once the door locked shut behind him.
“We, my little ray of sunshine, are not done for the night.” David smiled
once I turned my gaze back to him.
 
Something in his expression told me what he had in mind wasn’t
good; and my neutral expression faltered. “W- What else is there to do?”
 
“Well, why else am I keeping you around?” David laughed, pulling
me into him by my wrist.
 
“Let me go, please.”
  
David’s laughter increased. “Manners aren’t going to get you
anywhere in this situation, sunshine.” He let go of my wrist – which began
throbbing in pain – before both his hands gripped my upper arms in a way
where I wasn’t able to move away from him.
 
“Please,” I whispered desperately, attempting to wriggle out of his
grasp.
 
“Stop fighting me on this, Emily. I’m going to get my way whether
you like it or not.” He began leaning in, and my struggling became more
dominant as I tried moving away from his face.
 
His lips briefly brushed along the side of my own, and I kicked him
in his knee out of reflex.
 
David instantly let go and groaned in pain as he clutched onto the
place where I had kicked him, before his head snapped up to me with
another angry glare. “You little bitch.” He spat, grabbing me by the wrist
again.
 
I tried to pry his hand away with my own free one, which just
annoyed him even more. He brought up his free hand and a loud slapping
noise echoed the room as it made contact with my cheek.
 
Tears instantly sprung to my eyes as my skin began throbbing from
his hit, and I looked down at my feet to cover up the fact that the hit hurt me
as much as it did.
 
David sighed irritably before letting go of my wrist, which was also
throbbing and beginning to form light purple blotches. “I didn’t want to get
to that stage with you, sunshine. Go to your room, we’ll talk tomorrow.”
 
I blinked my tears away and looked back up at him, glaring as
harshly as I could. “No we won’t.” I didn’t wait for him to respond as I
made my way back to my room, slamming the door shut behind me.
  
I looked over at The Lovely Bones before shaking my head as stray
tears escaped my eyelids as my cheek continued to tingle in pain. I locked
the door of my room softly before slowly making my way to the bed;
covering as much as myself as I could with the sheets and falling into
another deep sleep.
 
***
 
I woke to the sound of my door being clicked shut softly.
 
My eyes snapped open and I shot out of my bed awake and alert for
any movement that would occur in the room.
 
I looked around and found nothing out of place except for a new
jacket added to the pile of clothes in the room. The book I was reading was
also moved from the table beside my bed and was now sitting next to pile of
clothing on the table across from me.
 
The sound of voices caught my attention. They mentioned my
name, and I instantly threw the sheets off my body to find out what they
were saying.
 
I began walking to the door just as the voices became audible.
 
“-Kidding me? She has a fucking bruised cheek because of you!”
Someone whispered angrily.
 
“It’s not my fault she was being so stubborn,” I faintly heard.
 
“I only agreed to play along with this because you promised you
wouldn’t hurt her!” A feminine voice hissed.
 
My eyes widened and I pressed my ear against my room door in an
attempt to extract more of the conversation.
 
 “This is none of your business. I’ve paid you the amount we agreed
to, now leave.” A lower voice responded calmly. I instantly recognised it as
David’s.
 
The feminine whisper sounded enraged, and her voice level
increased. “No! I can’t believe I played along with your stupid game in the
first place! I undressed her for you, bought her new clothes to wear, told
you everything she told me; all because I thought-”
 
“Be quiet!” David snapped. “You need to leave right now. And if
you so much as think about opening your mouth to anyone about this-”
 
“You’re not going to get away with this,” the voice whispered back
angrily. “They’re all searching for her. Adrian’s focusing on you in
particular. I can’t keep quiet any longer. I want double of what you paid me.
That’s the only way I’ll keep my mouth shut.”
 
A small gasp escaped my lips at the mention of Adrian. He was
looking for me?
 
I heard David sigh irritably before he spoke up again. “Stay out of
my business. I’ll have the money for you by tomorrow. Meet at our usual
spot. Now leave; the last thing we both need is for her to wake up to find-”
 
I decided then that this was a good time to open the door and catch
them both in the act. My door flew open, and the angry expression I
summoned onto my face instantly dropped as a resilient wave of betrayal
washed over me; making me stumble back in shock.
 
The pair of heads snapped towards me, and I watched as one head
let out another irritated sigh as the other face’s eyes widened in shock at the
realisation of being caught in the act.
 
“This is just great. You’re not getting anything. Leave,” David
snapped at the woman in annoyance.
 
 She didn’t pay attention to him as her eyes began blinking in shock.
“Emily-”
 
I shook my head rapidly, swallowing back the thick feeling in my
throat as my eyes slowly built up tears. “No.”
 
“Emily, I can explain-” she began again.
 
“Leave, Rita,” David spoke up, giving her a stern look. “She
doesn’t want to speak with you, and neither do I.”
 
I blinked back my tears as I looked at her once more. For once in
my life, I didn’t protest against his words.
 
Chapter Twenty-eight
 
 
 
The next few days flew by in a blur.
 
David didn’t even bother interacting with me. I had only had 3
glasses of water and a chocolate bar and even then, I wanted to throw it all
up.
 
Rita was the mole. David’s ‘little bird.’ The feeling of betrayal was
still seething through my veins as I recalled all the times that I had spoken
to her about David and what Adrian or I had in mind in order to eliminate
him as soon as we could.
 
Guilt was another thing playing at my mental state as the constant
silence in my room reminded me of how I had accused Anna of helping
David, and as a result, got her fired. I personally knew how hard it was to
find a job after leaving Kingston Corp., and that was because I quit – god
only knew how hard it was for Anna since she was actually fired from her
job.
 
I sighed before a loud grumble defeated the silence in my room, and
I blushed to myself as the hunger finally caught up to my body. I quickly
scanned my room in hopes that I would find another chocolate bar lying
around and groaned in annoyance when the only thing remotely close to a
bar was the wrapping from two days ago.
 
Deciding it was time to leave the comfortable four walls of the
room I was staying in, I went in search of any type of snack that would be
available in the kitchen. David didn’t even think to keep a small packet of
chips in these cupboards for me to snack on when I got hungry.
 
 I looked around in annoyance to search for the hotel room phone to
call room service, when I remembered he had taken that phone away as
well. Letting out a frustrated sigh, my eyes landed on the tall security guard
standing at the entrance of the room.
 
I frowned in thought before clearing my throat slightly. “Excuse
me.” I spoke up in an attempt to catch his attention.
 
He remained staring forward, not even flinching at the sound of my
voice.
 
My frown increased as I began making my way towards him.
“Hello, is it okay if I ask you for a favour?” I asked once I was standing
directly in front of him.
 
The guard’s eyes slid down to meet my short frame, and he raised
an eyebrow in response. “That depends what it is,” he replied.
 
I opened my mouth to respond but the loud growl of my stomach
beat me to it, making my cheeks flush in embarrassment. “I’m kind of
hungry,” I mumbled once the loud growl ended.
 
The guard chuckled and nodded in understanding before pulling out
a phone from his pocket. He dialed a few numbers before putting the
rectangular device to his ear. “Send up the chef. She’s hungry.”
 
I smiled slightly as he slid the phone back into his pocket. “Thank
you.”
 
“He’ll be up here in 5 minutes,” he replied swiftly.
 
I nodded before making my way back to the kitchen in boredom
while my previous thoughts came back to my mind. Why would Rita betray
me like that? They had mentioned something about money in their
conversation… if Rita needed money, why didn’t she just ask Adrian?
 
 A puffed out voice pulled me out of my phase. “I got here as fast as
I could.”
 
“She’s in the kitchen,” I heard the guard reply before a huffing chef
joined me in the small space.
 
“Thank you so much for coming. I’m sorry to trouble you…” I
trailed off, grimacing in guilt.
 
The chef placed the large bags he was holding onto the counter
before waving me off. “It was nothing!” he reassured me with a wink. “I get
paid to do this, and I love my job. So it’s a win-win situation. What would
you like me to cook?”
 
I bit my lip in thought. “Uh… I’d really like a cheeseburger and
some fries right now. Is that okay, chef…?”
 
“Just call me Victor.” He grinned, taking out a small bag of
potatoes. “And of course I can do that. I can make that with my eyes
closed!”
 
I smiled at his enthusiasm before taking a seat on the opposite side
of the table. “Thank you so much.”
 
“So what’s your name again?” Victor asked as he began peeling the
potatoes at lightning speed.
 
“Emily. Do you… Did you want me to help with anything?” I asked
as I watched him throw the peeled potatoes into a steel bowl.
 
“Nope. I’m good! How long have you been here?”
 
I sighed before answering. “I’m not sure. I think it’s been about a
week now.”
 
 “Wow. The girls he usually keeps here would’ve broke and did
what he wanted the night he brought them in. You’re a fighter. Admirable
trait.” Victor nodded in approval.
 
My mind temporarily blanked. “What do you mean ‘other girls’?” I
asked in disgust.
 
“Oh… Please don’t tell me you’re the jealous type.” Victor cringed,
looking away from the potato in his hands to give me a look of panic.
 
I scoffed. “Not for David. I can’t stand the man.”
 
Victor let out a loud laugh before he finished cutting his last potato.
“I knew I remembered your face! You were the one that pretended to be
allergic to ravioli and glared at him the entire dinner! I like you.” He
grinned while pointing the knife in my direction.
 
I laughed and blushed at the comment before looking down at the
white table. “Would you know if… I mean… do you have a phone I could
use?” I whispered, my eyes growing wide with desperation as I met his
smiling expression.
 
Unfortunately, Victor’s grin instantly fell at the mention of the small
technological device. “I… I’m sorry, Emily… I’m not allowed to give it to
you to use. He… He tracks my calls because I’m the assigned chef for this
room. I have to keep my mouth shut and that’s how he makes sure of it,” he
explained with a sympathetic expression.
 
I swallowed in disappointment before nodding in understanding.
“It’s okay… Thanks anyway.”
 
An uncomfortable silence settled between us as began to chop up
the vegetables for the cheeseburger, and I decided to speak up again. “So…
Are you seeing anyone at the moment?” I asked in an attempt to make
conversation.
 
 Victor grinned. “Why, are you interested?”
 
My cheeks flushed crimson as his reply registered in my mind. “No,
I have a boyfriend. I was just asking.”
 
Victor laughed at my reply. “I know, the infamous Adrian Kingston.
I was just trying to be funny. I have a wife and 3 children,” he answered,
smiling as he mentioned his family.
 
“Oh that’s great! What are their names and how old are your
children?” I asked with a grin.
 
“Katherine is my wife, and my children are Kelly, Seth, and James.
Kelly is 4, Seth is 2 and James just turned 8 months three days ago.”
 
I let out a sigh of admiration and grinned in his direction. “They
sound lovely.”
 
“Seth is Satan’s spawn; but I love them. Hey! Maybe you could
come and have dinner at my place one day! Katherine would love to meet
someone like you. Your burger is served madam,” Victor announced in a
badly attempted French accent.
 
I laughed as he set the plate filled with fries and a fresh
cheeseburger in front of me, and I dug into the fries immediately. “Is he
starving you up here or something?” Victor laughed as he observed my
eagerness to eat.
 
“She was starving herself, actually.” David’s cool voice sounded
from behind me. “Victor, your services are always appreciated. You may
leave now.”
 
I stopped chewing mid-fry as all the hunger in my body deflated
and the burger suddenly seemed less appetizing than it was a few seconds
ago.
 
 Victor nodded as soon as David finished speaking, and instantly
began to pack his things. “If you need anything else to eat, just tell them to
give me a call,” Victor told me as he placed the last bowl into his bag.
 
I nodded stiffly, feeling uncomfortable under David’s cool gaze.
“Thanks again,” I murmured quietly.
 
Victor only managed to give a brief smile before he quickly made
his way out of the kitchen, leaving me alone with the man I loathed with
every fibre of my being.
 
“So you’ve finally come out of hibernation,” David commented
with an amused smile.
 
I didn’t bother to respond as I meekly put another fry into my
mouth.
 
“So? Have you finally gotten over your little sulking stage?” David
prompted mockingly.
 
I let out an annoyed groan. “Can you please just… I don’t know…
not talk for 5 minutes?”
 
David chuckled as I took a large bite from the burger. “As you wish,
princess. I’ll let you eat in peace, and you can return the favour once you’re
done.”
 
“Whatever,” I mumbled childishly, shoving another two pieces of
fries into my mouth and chomping on them miserably. David had killed my
mood to the point where even the fries that tasted like crunchy pieces of
heaven 5 minutes ago, tasted soggy and stale now.
 
I decided to take my time eating in an attempt to avoid him for as
long as possible; to the point where the bread for my burger began to turn
hard from how cold my food was getting.
 
 “I doubt it takes you that long to finish a simple burger and fries,”
David uttered in annoyance once he re-entered the small kitchen. ”I’ve seen
you eat with Allen; you practically inhaled the serving in front of you in
less than 5 minutes.”
 
“It does when I’m trying to avoid people.” I glared in response.
 
David chuckled at my comment before taking the plate from in
front of me. “Get up,” he ordered in a serious tone.
 
“David, it’s been a week. I don’t know how much more obvious I
can make it. Just let me go home. Please,” I begged, getting off my seat
only to take a few steps away from him.
 
“Emily. You can make this easier for all of us and just have sex with
me. I’m not asking for much-”
 
“Not asking for much?!” I interrupted hysterically. “You’re asking
me to cheat on the man I am currently with and currently in love with, just
so the man I loathe with every nerve in my body can have a good fuck!”
My hands instantly flew to my mouth once I realised the words I used, and I
looked back at him with wide eyes. “Sorry.”
 
David chuckled at my apology and indicated to where I was
standing. “Do you see why I want you so bad, Emily?”
 
“Don’t start with this stupid ‘you’re so innocent yet so sexy’ speech
again or I will literally throw this stool at you.” I growled in annoyance.
 
David let out an irritated sigh before running his hands through his
thinning hair. “I’ve been so patient with you for the past week. I’ve let you
sulk over a stupid friendship, not eat, I’ve let you stay in your room and I
haven’t forced you into doing anything with me because I want you to be
willing-”
 
“Which will never happen,” I reminded him.
  
“My patience has now run out with you, Emily. Come here,” David
snapped, glaring at me angrily.
 
My tough expression instantly fell at the tone of his voice and his
angry expression, and I stood frozen in the position I was currently in.
“David, please don’t do this.”
 
“Come on, Sunshine. It really isn’t fair that Adrian gets to have the
better company and the best girl on his arm. I need to do this – to make it
even.”
 
“Then take his company!” I pleaded desperately, taking another step
backwards as he took a step towards me.
 
“No. That won’t suffice,” David muttered angrily. ”You see, you are
of much more value to him than his company. I ruin you? He’ll practically
have nothing; and I’ll feel even with him for once.”
 
“This is what this is about? Being even with him? You’re in the
business world, David; there will always be people who are better or worse
than you are,” I tried calmly, hoping that my advice would distract him
from his current intentions. “That’s just how it works! You want to change
that? The only way that’s possible is if you try harder to get your business
to be successful and more widely spoken about. This is not the way to do
it.”
 
David laughed, and my shoulders sagged in defeat once I knew my
plan wasn’t going to work. “I don’t care about my company. I care about
being the best. Having you, apparently, will make that happen. Once we
happen, I’ll be known all over the papers and Adrian will be known as the
man who had his heart broken.”
 
I clenched my teeth at the thought of David having satisfaction over
Adrian’s misery. “WE are only going to happen over my dead body.” I
clenched my fists in frustration before making my move and exiting the
kitchen in a sprint.
 
“ROBERT!” David called out angrily once he realised I had
escaped the small area.
 
I let out a small whimper as the name registered in my mind and
only managed to take two more steps before a bulky pair of arms trapped
me in the position I was in.
 
“You shouldn’t try running from him anymore,” Robert murmured
into my ear quickly, before David walked into the living room. “Just do as
he says and you’d be able to leave.”
 
“You can’t run from me, Emily.” David smiled coldly once he set
eyes on my captured figure.
 
“Please let me go,” I begged, weighing out my options in my head.
I had no other method of escape, especially with Fabio keeping me in place.
 
“Give me what I want and I can arrange for that to happen,” David
replied with a casual shrug.
 
“No, anything else. Anything,” I pleaded, feeling my eyes grow
glassy from the tears forming in them.
 
David began to walk towards me, and smiled icily once he was
inches away. “You can leave now, Robert. Let her go,” he ordered, keeping
his gaze on mine the entire time.
 
I felt Robert’s arms slowly loosen their grip around my body before
his entire torso detached itself from my back and he walked back to his
position near the door.
 
David instantly grabbed a hold of my wrist and pulled me into his
own crisp suit; the icy smile never faltering on his face. “I’m so glad you’re
finally warming up to me, Sunshine.”
 
“Go to hell,” I spat, trying to worm myself out of his grip.
 
“Not without having my way with you first.” His other arm began
to encircle itself around my waist as he trapped both my arms in a death
grip with one hand.
 
“I’ll try not being too rough.” He chuckled, before I felt his stiff lips
come into contact with my neck.
 
I instantly began to wrench my way out of his grip again, making
him pull away with a frustrated growl. “If you try to fucking move one
more time, I’ll use more than my hands to keep you in place.” He snarled,
before I felt a stinging pain pulse through my right cheek.
 
I let out a pained scream before my lips became muffled by a pair
of stiff ones. Tears instantly sprang to my eyes and David’s lips forcefully
moved against mine in an attempt to get a response back, but I pressed my
lips tightly together to keep them from touching his and to help with
keeping the tears as concealed as possible.
 
David pulled away, looking even angrier than before, before his
phone began to vibrate in his suit jacket pocket. Unexpectedly, he shoved
me against the wall; making my head bang against the tough brick roughly
as he pinned me down and answered the call. “What do you want?” he
snarled harshly into the phone.
 
Muffled voices spoke at a rapid pace before David’s pissed-off
expression transformed to one of worry. “I’ll be there in 5 minutes. Stall
them.” He pressed the ‘end call’ button and shoved the phone pack into his
pocket in frustration, before meeting my eyes again. “Looks like it’s your
lucky day, Sunshine. I have to go and take care of a little problem
downstairs. I’ll be back soon.”
 
 He forced another kiss onto my lips before roughly pushing me
back against the wall and leaving the hotel room completely.
 
I stared at the door in shock for a few moments before the tears I
had been trying to keep in for the past week instantly burst out of my eyes;
forming a puddle on my cheeks as the sobs took over my body entirely.
 
I slid down to the floor and pulled my knees into my body as I tried
to control the overwhelming feelings of sadness and defeat that were
controlling the tears coming out of my eye sockets. What would Adrian
think or do once he finds out?
 
A loud commotion suddenly sounded from the other side of the
door; making me scramble to my feet instantly in fear as all my thoughts
were put on hold in the back of my mind already.
 
Was he already back? My mind instantly set into panic mode as I
backed away from the door as far as I could as the silver knob twisted.
 
He walked in with an angered expression that instantly dropped
once his gaze settled on me again. My heart stopped beating and I blinked
back in shock.
 
“The name’s Bond. James Bond.”
 
“Adrian,” I breathed in disbelief, looking him over once more to
make sure his presence was real.
 
“Come on, Shortcake, you could’ve gone along with it! You know,
since I actually did some investigating and all.” He sent an arrogant grin in
my direction before stepping out of the doorway.
 
“Actually,” a new but familiar voice added, “I did all the
investigating while you were an annoying, whiny little brat that was sulking
about not having Emily around the entire time,” Allen brought up flatly.
 
 “Shut up mate,” Adrian replied, flipping Allen off before bringing
his attention back to me. He lifted up his arms and raised an eyebrow.
“Well? Don’t I at least get a hug? Honestly Shortcake, I’m feeling like this
whole missing each other thing is really one sided at the moment; and we
all know how false that statement is.”
 
“This is the part where Emily rolls her eyes and says ‘still the same
egotistical asshole, even after just finding his hot girlfriend after a week’,
and then we all agree, and then you two kiss and we get out of this creepy
hotel room. Seriously it looks like it was taken out of the Victorian Era and
placed into the 21st century. Does this guy have any decent taste in
furnisher?” Another familiar voice asked in revulsion.
 
My eyes left Adrian’s smiling face as they found their way to
Amy’s disgusted expression as she poked at the flower patterned sofa she
was standing beside. She looked up at me and her expression instantly fell
into a lazy grin. “Hurry up and hug your boyfriend before he starts whining
again.”
 
Allen groaned. “Don’t get him started on that. He’ll start describing
how he hugs her again and what parts he squeezes just to make her gasp and
get turned on which initially leads to them having sex.”
 
“He did what?!” I exclaimed with wide eyes, looking over to
Adrian with a mortified expression.
 
“I missed you?” he tried with a sheepish grin.
 
I felt the corners of my mouth pull up into a grin before running
into his arms, wrapping my legs around his hips and pulling him in for a
long, lingering kiss on the lips.
 
Allen and Amy instantly began groaning at our kiss, and we pulled
away laughing.
 
 “How did you find me?” I asked curiously as Adrian’s grip
tightened itself around my waist once we pulled away.
 
“That fucking idiot left his location accuracy on when he sent a
super creepy photo of you sleeping before we found you. We tracked it
straight away and walked in just as David left.” Adrian scoffed arrogantly
as we both tried to get our breathing under control again.
 
“Thank you.” I breathed, tightening my own grip around his torso
as I buried my face into the crook of his neck
 
His familiar scent engulfed my senses, and for the first time in a
while, I finally felt safe.
 
 
Chapter Twenty-nine
 
 
 
“Tell me about your current mood.”
 
“Annoyed,” I replied through gritted teeth, sending a glare in
Adrian’s direction. “Because my idiot of a boyfriend thinks I need therapy
when I’ve told him countless times that I’m fine and do not need it.”
 
He ignored my response. “Answer Dr. Palmer’s question.”
 
“I did!” I exclaimed in exasperation.
 
“No, you responded sarcastically and aimed the answer at me. Is
that a sign that she’s been mentally traumatised?” Adrian asked with a
worried grimace as he turned his attention back to the therapist in front of
us.
 
Dr. Palmer just smiled coolly after looking in between the both of
us. “No, Mr. Kingston. Everything looks fine with Emily, and your support
is playing a big role in that.”
 
Adrian smirked. “I think it’s more the sex that I’m giving her that’s
playing a role.”
 
“Adrian!” I exclaimed, feeling my cheeks burn up in mortification.
“Can we please leave? I need to start dinner for my parents,” I brought up
anxiously, trying to steer the conversation away from the road it was
heading in.
 
“Oh, I forgot about that. Can’t you tell them to come another day? I
wanted to eat MacDonald’s.” Adrian pouted, getting off the brown leather
sofa sulkily.
 
“Sure. As long as you call up my mom and tell her the reason
behind cancelling the first dinner she’s had with her daughter since she was
kidnapped,” I replied smugly, also getting off the sofa.
 
Adrian cringed at my condition. “Dinner with the in-laws sounds
great!” he cheered sarcastically.
 
“I assume this is the first and last session you’re having with me?”
Dr. Palmer spoke up, amusement lacing her tone.
 
I smiled guiltily. “Yes, it is. I really am fine; he’s just overacting and
brought me here by force.” I sent another glare in Adrian’s direction, who
was smirking at my reaction.
 
“It’s better to be safe than sorry, Shortcake.” Adrian wrapped an
arm around my waist.
 
“Thank you for your time. I’m so sorry for wasting it,” I told Dr.
Palmer, who was still smiling at both Adrian and me.
 
“Oh sweetie, it’s fine. You didn’t waste it at all; in fact, this was
actually one of my funniest sessions with a client.”
 
“Because of me, obviously. Emily wouldn’t know humour if it hit
her in the face with a French glove,” Adrian scoffed arrogantly.
 
“Shut up.” I scowled, glaring up at him again.
 
He smirked in response and placed a quick peck on my lips before I
was able to pull away. He grinned at himself in satisfaction when I scowled
at him.
 
“Asshole.”
 
 “I didn’t think you’d want to try it, Shortcake. The heart wants what
it wants though-”
 
“Stop!” I shrieked, flushing in mortification once again at his
suggestion and at the fact that he was speaking so openly about it in front of
Dr. Palmer.
 
“Why? Don’t worry about it Shortcake,” Adrian said, as if he was
able to read my mind. “There’s that whole doctor-patient confidentiality
thing that I had to sign for us, Dr. Palmer won’t say anything to anyone.”
 
I groaned and shook my head at his argument. “Let’s leave now,
please.”
 
He chuckled. “Okay, okay; no need to get your panties in a twist. I
like to do that for you.” He smirked.
 
“LEAVE, ADRIAN.” I yelled, not wanting Dr. Palmer to hear any
more of the conversation.
 
“It was nice to meet you, Emily!” Dr. Palmer called out in
amusement.
 
“You too!” I replied, still humiliated over the conversation she had
just witnessed.
 
“She’s nice,” Adrian commented, an amused smirk appearing on his
lips.
 
“You’re dead,” I warned through gnashed teeth, punching his chest.
 
“Ouch. You’ve taken the life out of me with that punch. I cannot go
on any longer. Help me. Save me,” Adrian responded in a dead pan voice
matched with a flat look.
 
I scowled in response before furiously pressing the elevator button.
  
“I think I should take you back in there so we can sort out your
anger management issues,” Adrian observed.
 
“I think you should shut up before I knee you where the sun don’t
shine.” I smiled sweetly, before looking straight ahead.
 
“Oh, I see. It’s almost that time of the month, isn’t it?” Adrian
asked, bending down so that his face was levelled with my own.
 
I glared at his amused expression. “Don’t push me,” I warned.
 
“Don’t. Push. Me. Cos’. I’m. Close. To. The edge,” Adrian recited,
stretching his arms out in a DJ move.
 
A smile forced its way onto my lips and I shook my head at his
goofiness. “Idiot.”
 
He grinned happily and pulled me in for another kiss on the lips just
as the elevator doors sprung open. Once he pulled away, he looked into the
small silver box before looking back at me with a smirk. “What do you say
to some elevator se-”
 
“No,” I responded flatly, not bothering to wait for him to finish the
sentence.
 
“You’re boring.” He pouted.
 
“You’re annoying,” I replied in a monotone.
 
“You love me.” He smirked arrogantly. Once I didn’t reply to that,
his smirk fell instantly. “You love me, right?” he asked with a worried
expression.
 
I kept my face blank as I turned to answer him. “I don’t know
Adrian, lately… well, I’m just not feeling it…” I trailed off, giving him a
sympathetic look and attempting not to laugh at his look of disbelief.
 
“What the hell do you mean by that?” he exclaimed angrily, turning
to face me fully. “You have to love me; I love you!”
 
“Yes, I know you do, it’s just that-”
 
“It’s just nothing. We’re getting married,” Adrian cut me off.
 
“I-”
 
“No, I mean it. There is nothing stopping us from getting married. I
don’t ever want to lose you and I’m ready to settle down with you by my
side.” Adrian growled.
 
I blinked back at him in shock momentarily before placing a hand
on his cheek. “I don’t ever want to lose you either, but this is something you
have to think long and hard about. We can talk about this another time. I
was kidding before, I do love you.” I mumbled, giving him a small smile.
 
I watched as he frowned slightly before grunting and looking away.
“Whatever,” he snapped.
 
I sighed. “Adrian.”
 
“No, Emily. I don’t know how much more open I can be with you;
and you just turn it down like it was an everyday conversation.”
 
“No, I don’t!” I insisted. “I know how hard it is for you to talk
about this kind of stuff, I do. And I’m not saying no, either! It’s just that…
well now, in an elevator… isn’t exactly the right time.”
 
Adrian stayed silent for a few moments before sighing. “You’re
right. Come on, let’s go start up on that dinner. We can talk about this
another time.”
 
  
***
 
“Are you sure this is the right apartment?” I asked nervously,
glancing at Amy who was tapping her thumbs to the beat of the music
playing too loudly in the car.
 
She let out an exasperated sigh before nodding. “Yes! Now go up
there and apologise to the girl and give her, her job back! You owe that
much to her after indirectly firing her and accusing her of working for that
stupid pig who is now rotting in prison, and hopefully soon enough, in
hell.”
 
I laughed nervously before nodding and getting out of the car and
making my way up to the apartment buzzers.
 
Anna was number 68; the penthouse apartment of this building in
particular. I pressed the button and waited patiently before a bleak shuffling
noise sounded from the rounded speaker. “I’m not interested in whatever
product you’re trying to sell-”
 
“This isn’t a salesman,” I replied nervously. “This is Emily… May I
come in?”
 
“Emily Johnson?” she asked in surprise, before I heard the buzzer
go off and the door click open.
 
I tried to contain my own surprise as I made my way up to her
apartment; trying to figure out why she’d let the woman who potentially
ruined her career into her home so easily.
 
Anna was already waiting at the door of her apartment once I
stepped off the elevator, and I smiled weakly as I took in her appearance.
She was in comfortable looking sweat pants and a shirt that looked two
sizes smaller on her with a Dora the Explorer theme splashed all over her
chest area.
  
“It’s my little cousins’. I couldn’t find my favourite home shirt, so I
used hers…” She trailed off, flushing slightly as she looked up at me with a
sheepish grin.
 
“Well, it looks very nice. I think it’s not far off from becoming the
next big thing in fashion!” I laughed, joining her amusement on the topic.
 
“Not to sound blunt or rude or anything, but… why are you here? I
don’t get visitors often; especially people as important as you.” Anna
explained quickly, trying to back up her side of the story before I had the
chance to get offended.
 
I waved her off. “You don’t sound rude. Quite frankly, I’m
surprised you even let me up here.” I smiled awkwardly. “I, uh… I wanted
to talk to you about… some things.”
 
Surprise once again flashed through Anna’s eyes, before she
immediately stepped aside. “Oh, yeah! Of course, come in!”
 
“Thank you,” I mumbled quietly as I stepped past her into her
apartment.
 
Apparently, working at Kingston Corporation compensated well. So
well, in fact, that Anna’s apartment was almost as nice as the penthouse
Adrian and I were currently living in. White walls and floors extended
throughout the open space, and a black and lavender coloured scheme was
splashed all over the apartment in places which highlighted the expense of
the place even more.
 
“Wow, your place is amazing,” I stated truthfully, still taking in the
bright home.
 
“Thanks. Do you want me to make you a coffee or anything?”
 
 “No thank you, I’m okay. I can’t stay long,” I explained with a
small smile.
 
“Oh, okay. So… What did you want to talk about?”
 
I took a seat on the edge of one of the black sofas in the living room
and Anna sat across from me, placing a lavender pillow in her lap in the
process.
 
“I… I’m so sorry.” I blurted, blushing once I realised I sounded like
a 5-year-old who got caught stealing candy.
 
“Sorry?” Anna repeated with a confused expression.
 
“It’s my fault. I assumed you were working with David Walter and
you only apologised to me to get information from me and give it to him
because of some kind of revenge thing you had against me and I told
Adrian who freaked out and fired you. I mean, I tried to tell him not to
because I wasn’t sure and then I found out that it was Rita all along and you
had absolutely nothing to do with it and I’m so sorry because now you have
no job and it’s all my-”
 
Anna cut off my rambling apology. “Whoa, whoa, Emily! It’s okay,
you don’t need to apologise! Adrian told me everything; and the letter
David Walter was trying to give me on the night of the dinner was bribery
money. He wanted me to get you to go outside but I didn’t accept it. I don’t
think you saw that part. I’m also the one who found out where David was
keeping you. I followed him one day because I was really angry with him
once I found out that he had taken a friend of mine and did the same thing
that he did to you. I told Adrian my theory once I realised where you might
be and they did further investigating.”
 
“Oh my god,” I breathed, looking at her with wide eyes. “Oh my
god I am so, so sorry. I didn’t know… I’m so sorry-”
 
 Anna cut me off again with a short laugh. “Emily! It’s okay; stop
apologising. I don’t blame you for making those assumptions about me. I
was kind of the biggest bitch to you. But everyone hated you at that time, I
didn’t want to be the only one defending you or else I’d be hated by every
one of those girls as well. Trust me, you’d do the same thing if you had to
see them the next Monday in the marketing department.” She shuddered at
the thought, before giving me another smile.
 
I laughed nervously, trying to lighten up the mood. “You could’ve
always escaped up to my office. My door offers standard security against
jealous co-workers,” I joked.
 
Anna laughed. “That was probably the lamest thing I’ve ever heard
you say.”
 
I laughed in response before throwing a lavender pillow in her
direction. “Shut up,” I mumbled with a slight blush. “Anyway, the other
reason behind my visit… Adrian Kingston would like to formally offer you
your job back – if you want it, that is,” I added quickly.
 
Anna’s smile slowly slid off her thin lips before she blinked back at
me in shock. “Are…. Are you serious?”
 
I gave her a puzzled look. “Yes?”
 
“No, like I know you’re serious I was just asking because… For
real? Yes! Of course I want it back! Oh my god, thank you so much! You
don’t know how hard it is to find a job after being fired from there.” Anna
sulked, before beaming in my direction.
 
I grinned in return before nodding at her. “Trust me; I know how
difficult it is.” I shuddered at the thought of my previous boss, Creepy
Cooper, before looking at her again. “I’ll tell Adrian. You can start next
week!”
 
 Anna sighed happily before jumping out of her seat and pulling me
into an unexpected hug. “Thank you so much, oh my god!” she squealed
again, before releasing me from her excited grasp.
 
I smiled in response before I heard a loud shrilling noise come from
the wall behind me.
 
Anna looked at the phone in confusion, before glancing at me.
“Another visitor?”
 
I shrugged in response just as she answered the phone. “Hello?”
 
I could hear Amy’s yelling from my seated position. “CAN YOU
TELL EMILY TO HURRY HER SORRY ASS UP AND GET HER ASS
DOWN HERE BECAUSE MY OWN ASS IS HUNGRY?”
 
Anna’s eyes widened as she detached the phone from her ear.
“Uh… I think it’s for you.”
 
I grimaced at the phone before shouting out, “I’M COMING
AMES, GET INTO THE CAR!”
 
Anna put the phone back into its slot before smiling in amusement.
“I think you should leave.”
 
I laughed and nodded. “I think I should. See you next week then?
I’m really sorry once again for accusing you…”
 
She waved me off with a look of disbelief. “Emily! Forget about it!
I have my job back, and we’re on good terms. Everything is good again!”
 
A faint beeping noise sounded from outside, and both our eyes
widened as I began to rush out the door. “I’ll see you next week then!” I
called out before anxiously pressing the elevator button.
 
 Anna laughed at my panicked state before giving me a small wave
and shutting the apartment door quietly, just as the elevator doors sprung
open.
 
Amy was going to kill me.
 
***
 
“So how about I give you that D I’ve been meaning to give you for
a while now?” Allen smirked, before getting whacked across the head by
Adrian.
 
“You better shut the fuck up mate.” Adrian glared, wrapping an arm
around my waist and pulling me into his shirtless torso.
 
“Adrian.” I groaned, trying to pry his hands off me.
 
“What did I tell you this morning?” he snapped, looking down at
me.
 
Amy spoke up. “Hey! Listen here, my friend can wear a bikini if
she wants to-”
 
“Actually, it was you that forced me into wearing this. I wanted to
wear my one-piece with mini board shorts on top,” I pointed out.
 
“Shut up, I’m trying to prove a point for your independence,” Amy
bit back in response.
 
“What have I missed?” Blake asked, appearing from behind Amy
suddenly; who yelped and jerked in her seated position in fright. She turned
around to glare at him, and he smirked down in response before kicking
sand onto her stomach.
 
“I was about to give your sister the D,” Allen brought up again.
 
 I groaned. “Allen! Stop bringing that up!” I laughed.
 
“Dude, that’s my sister,” Blake complained with a disgusted frown.
 
“And my best friend!” Amy added.
 
“And my girlfriend,” Adrian growled in annoyance, tightening his
grip around my waist. “Let’s go for a walk, Shortcake.”
 
“No.” I whined. “I don’t want to walk,” I grumbled lazily.
 
“Fine,” Adrian replied, before I felt my entire body being lifted off
the ground as Adrian held me bridal style.
 
“Adrian! Put me down!” I exclaimed as I felt my entire body pulse
with heat from embarrassment.
 
“I’m having a sense of Déjà vu, Shortcake. Aren’t you?” He
smirked, taking me farther away from our small group.
 
“The only déjà vu I’m about to have is telling you that you’re not
getting any tonight.” I glared.
 
He chuckled before pulling me in and placing a kiss on my lips.
“We all know that never ends up working out in your favour.”
 
“Shut up.” I responded childishly.
 
“Careful Shortcake, I might ‘accidentally’ lose my grip on you.” To
make his point more believable, Adrian’s grip loosened around my body;
making me squeal in fright and wrap my arms around his neck in an attempt
to prevent myself from falling harshly onto the warm sand.
 
Adrian began to chuckle again before his grip re-tightened itself
around my waist and he smirked down at my petrified expression. “I’m
sorry, did I frighten you?” he asked mockingly.
  
“You’re an asshole!” I scowled, begging to loosen my arms from
around his neck.
 
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Adrian warned, just as his grip
began to loosen again.
 
I squealed and re-tightened my arms. “Put me down!”
 
Adrian thought about it for a moment before groaning. “I should
actually. You’re the size of a whale. Lay off the fries a little next time.”
 
My jaw dropped in shock from his comment, but he continued
talking. “Unless… Are you pregnant? Is that why you wore the bikini? So
your baby bump isn’t so obvious to everyone? Why didn’t you tell me?! I
would have-”
 
“Adrian!” I snapped, glaring up at him.
 
He chuckled at my response before grinning childishly. “I’m
kidding. You’re lighter than a whale. I’d say a dolphin maybe. Or two.”
 
My expression transformed to one of shock once again before he let
out a real laugh this time, loud and deep. “I love watching your reactions.”
 
“Yeah, well, keep this up and you won’t be seeing any reactions,” I
snapped angrily.
 
Adrian’s laughter died down as I watched his eyes scan my face. He
pouted once he realised I wasn’t joking. “Aw Shortcake, come on! You
know I was joking, right? You’re as light as a hippo-” I whacked him across
the head before he could continue.
 
Adrian chuckled before a group of people caught his attention.
“HEY!” he called out, making all 8 sets of heads turn to our direction.
 
 My eyes went wide in mortification before I turned back to him.
“What are you doing?” I hissed.
 
Adrian ignored me as he smirked at the group. “I just found out my
soon-to-be wife is pregnant. Aren’t I the luckiest man in the world?” He
grinned. The small group just smiled awkwardly in his direction before
nodding in agreement.
 
“NO FUCKING WAY! I’VE JUST WON FIVE MILLION
DOLLARS!” Someone cheered from behind us. Adrian spun us both
around to face the man who was holding up a small purple lottery ticket.
 
“I guess you’re not the luckiest man in the world after all,” I mused.
 
“Please, mate. I make that a week,” Adrian told the guy holding the
ticket, who gave him a frown.
 
“Adrian! Let him have his moment! He just won what you have to
work for,” I pointed out smugly.
 
“Thank you, pretty lady! Do you want to accompany me to collect
my prize?” the man asked, winking in my direction.
 
Adrian’s grip on me instantly tightened as he clenched his jaw at the
man. “You have 3 seconds to get away from her before that five million you
just won goes down the drain, and so does your existence.”
 
The man’s eyes widened in horror before he clutched onto the ticket
in his hands and scurried off in fright without so much as another word.
 
“Now,” Adrian spoke up, no longer looking angry, “Where were
we?” He smirked, before unexpectedly dropping me onto the warm sand.
 
I squeaked as I landed with a thud before groaning in pain. “A little
bit of a warning would’ve sufficed.”
 
 “Nah. No fun in that, is there?” Adrian grinned, waggling his
eyebrows before climbing on top of me.
 
“What are you doing?” I squeaked, looking around the quiet beach
in search for any onlookers who may have been witnessing Adrian’s sudden
urge to show PDA.
 
“What do you think I’m doing?” he murmured, before placing a soft
trail of kisses onto my neck.
 
“We’re in public.” I blushed, trying to pry him away from my
trapped body.
 
“I don’t care,” he muttered, shifting so that his entire body was
covering my own.
 
“Adrian.” I gasped as his lips brushed against the soft spot
underneath my ear.
 
A throaty groan sounded from him, followed by a disgusted groan,
which caused me to push him off completely.
 
“When you two get married and visit mom and dad’s place, I want
none of this happening every time we leave you two alone for more than 5
minutes.”
 
“Cock block,” Adrian grumbled, sending a toxic glare in Blake’s
direction.
 
“That’s what I’m here for!” Blake replied in a sing-song voice.
 
“Is there a reason for your rude interruption?” Adrian asked with an
impatient look.
 
“Yes,” Blake replied, his easy smile quickly replaced by a look of
unease. “Emily, Rita called Amy and practically begged her to have 5
minutes on the phone with you. Amy’s telling her off now but she told me
to come and deliver this news while she was still in queen bitch mode.”
 
I stiffened from beneath Adrian – who instantly pulled me into his
arms for comfort – once Rita’s name was mentioned. “What… What did
she say she wanted?”
 
“She wants to explain the reason behind why she…” Blake trailed
off. He knew he didn’t have to continue.
 
“Tell Amy to tell her to fuck off,” Adrian snapped, growing angry
at the mention of Rita. ”We already locked up one asshole – I won’t hesitate
to ‘accidentally’ drop her name around the prosecution of the case either.”
 
“Adrian, calm down,” I murmured, running my hands through his
hair gently. He instantly relaxed from my touch; but I could still feel him
tensing from the current topic. I sighed before turning back to Blake.
“Thanks for letting me know. Just tell Amy to tell her that I do not want to
speak to her. What she did was unforgivable.”
 
Blake nodded in understanding before walking back in the direction
he came, while Adrian let out a low growl. “What the fuck does that stupid
bitc-”
 
“Hey! Just because she did that doesn’t give you the right to call her
names behind her back,” I scolded, giving him a warning look.
 
Adrian turned to face me fully with a look of disbelief. “Are you
kidding me right now? Emily, the girl practically wrapped you up and gave
you to David Walter to be his sex slave! And you’re defending her right
now?!”
 
“I’m not defending her! What she did was wrong and inexcusable.
I’m just saying that you shouldn’t call her names behind her back…” I
trailed off as I felt my cheeks begin to heat up in embarrassment from how
stupid I sounded; even to myself.
  
Adrian, on the other hand, instantly dropped his angry glare and
replaced it with an all too familiar glazed smile before he pulled me in for a
long kiss on the lips. “I love you, whale.”
 
My smile instantly transfigured into an annoyed glare as I pushed
him off me. “Idiot.” I scowled.
 
“’I love you too, Adrian. Your wit and charm and god-sent good
looks are what get me through each day without’-”
 
I rolled my eyes and tried to fight the grin that was fighting its way
onto my lips. “Do us all a favour and shut up.” I laughed.
 
Adrian snapped his mouth shut and turned to face me fully again
with an eyebrow raised. “Oh really?”
 
I didn’t have time to react before he held me down by my waist and
dug his fingers into the side of my ribs and began to tickle me; causing me
to go into a full-fledged laughing fit.
 
“She looks and sounds like a whale now. What am I planning to
marry?” Adrian asked no one in particular with a mock horrified expression
on his face.
 
My laughing instantly died down and I glared at his smirking face
before throwing a bunch of sand at him; using the brief distraction as my
getaway.
 
“You’re asking for it now, Shortcake.” Adrian warned from behind
me. I laughed and continued running, well aware of the fact that he was
coming up close. Before I was able to get any farther away, his familiar pair
of solid arms wrapped themselves around my waist and entrapped me in an
embrace I couldn’t wriggle out of.
 
“Let me go!” I laughed, trying to smack his arms away.
  
“Say it first,” Adrian replied.
 
“No.” I grinned, casting him a sidelong glance.
 
“Well, good luck escaping my arms then.” Adrian shrugged before
resting his chin on my shoulder.
 
“Fine,” I said with fake exasperation. “I love you Dave Franco.
Whoops! That was a slip-up!” I gasped with wide eyes, before bursting into
a fit of laughter.
 
Adrian glared down at me before spinning me around and picking
me up so that I was straddling his hips. “Yep, definitely not letting you go
now.”
 
“Dammit,” I mumbled, before letting another cheesy grin escape.
 
  
Chapter Thirty
 
 
 
“I don’t believe that’s the proper way to go about it, Mr. Kingston.”
 
“Let me tell you something. The stocks right now are lower than
they have been for a while. If you believe that your ‘cutting down’ method
is going to help this company, leave and never come back,” Adrian
announced impatiently, giving the man an annoyed glare.
 
“S-Sorry sir, it won’t be brought up again.”
 
“Good. Now are there any useful suggestions?” Adrian asked with
an annoyed look around the conference table.
 
I took a sip of coffee before speaking up. “Why don’t we just
increase our marketing on the hotels we’re losing consumers in? That way
we’re increasing the attention in the struggling areas of the company and
not losing as much money by spending on areas where it isn’t needed.”
 
“Yes! Abby thought of a really good marketing campaign last week
that would help expand on your idea,” Daniel brought up from across me.
 
I ignored the glare Adrian gave the man and nodded. “Okay, can
you please get her to send up the campaign? Mr. Kingston and I will look
over it as soon as we get it and let you all know what his final decision is.”
 
They all nodded in understanding and looked over at Adrian, who
clenched his jaw. “Well? Why are you still here? Get back to work,” he
snapped, sending off the table of 20 to scurry out of the room nervously.
 
 “You know Shortcake, sometimes I think you run the company
better than I do.” Adrian smirked, wrapping his arms around my waist as I
got out of my seat and began stacking loose papers on top of each other.
 
I gave him a smug smile and pushed him away by his chest. “That’s
because I do.”
 
Adrian pouted. “I was hoping you’d say something along the lines
of ‘No baby, you know that’s not true. You’re the best businessman ever to
exist on this earth’.”
 
“And inflate your ego even more? I’d rather not.” I smiled.
 
“Someone’s in a feisty mood today,” Adrian commented. He pulled
me into his torso once more before I felt his lips near my ear. “It’s hot.”
 
“And not going to let you get any,” I replied with another smug
grin.
 
He pulled away slightly and glared down at me. “Why not.”
 
“Because I said so.”
 
Adrian’s hand slid down so that he was cupping my backside, and I
gasped before looking around the glass-walled room. “Adrian.” I hissed,
frowning up at him.
 
He placed a soft peck on my cheek before pulling away with a
slight smirk. “What?” he asked innocently.
 
“Get your hand off my ass before I break your baby maker.”
 
Adrian mock gasped. “In public? That’s so rude!” he exclaimed in a
girly voice, before his grip on my behind tightened slightly as he squeezed.
 
 “Someone is going to see!” I exclaimed, flushing in embarrassment
at the thought.
 
“What’s that thing kids are saying these days? That’s right, yolo.”
He began chuckling at his own comment and I rolled my eyes before a
smile made its way to my lips.
 
“Idiot.”
 
He puckered up his lips and began to make kissing noises while
looking down at me. “Just one kiss and I’ll leave you alone and buy you a
coffee.”
 
I shook my head before placing a quick peck on his lips. “Now
leave me.”
 
“No.” He grinned.
 
“Adrian.” I groaned, trying to wriggle out of his hold.
 
“Mr. Kingston, Martin Harrison is on the – oh, I’m so sorry!  I
didn’t mean to interrupt-”
 
“You’re not interrupting, Mrs. Brown. Emily here was just trying to
make a move on me in the workplace. I should punish her for being so
insubordinate.” He kept his eyes on me as he spoke those words.
 
My jaw dropped once the realisation of what he had said settled into
my mind and I slapped his chest. “I was not!” I squeaked, growing red in
the face as my eyes landed on Suzie and found her smiling knowingly in
our direction.
 
“Transfer the call to line 6, I’ll answer it here,” Adrian told Suzie,
dismissing her.
 
“I just had a weird sense of déjà vu,” I mumbled, frowning slightly.
  
“Maybe because we’ve been in this position, in this room, while
Suzie has walked in on us before.” Adrian smirked, before stealing another
quick kiss on my lips.
 
I scowled once he pulled away from me completely and he
chuckled before picking up the phone in the corner; his tone instantly
switching to his cold, business one. “Adrian Kingston.”
 
I quietly continued to gather up the rest of the papers that were
scattered all over the desk as Adrian continuously murmured and spoke up
in reply to Mr. Harrison on the phone. By the time I was done, I threw my
empty coffee cup in the bin that was positioned in the corner of the room
just as Adrian put the phone back into its slot and sighed while rubbing his
temple in exhaustion.
 
“Is everything okay?” I asked with a worried frown.
 
“Martin Harrison wants to up his price on everything we buy with
him by 10% or he’ll stop supplying to us.  We have the money for it but I
don’t want to agree to it and then regret it later on.” Adrian looked up at me
with a tired grimace and my frown deepened.
 
“When does he want an answer by?”
 
“Next week.”
 
“It’s okay, we still have a little time to sort something out. For now,
go have a break and eat something to take your mind off things,” I
suggested.
 
“You have to come with me for that to happen Shortcake.” He
smirked once he finished talking, and I threw the pen I was holding at him
once I realised the double meaning behind his words.
 
“Pervert.” I scowled.
  
“You don’t complain about it when we’re-”
 
“Just stop talking!” I squeaked, cutting him off with wide eyes.
“We’ll go eat lunch together. I just need to put all of this stuff upstairs. Are
you going to help me?” I asked, referring to the huge stack of files I had in
my arms.
 
He shook his head, grinning. “Nope. Your ass sways side to side
even more than usual when you carry shit up to the office. I like to watch.”
 
I gave him a flat look before I broke and glowered. “Stop being a
pervert!”
 
“Start walking sweetheart,” Adrian spoke up, ignoring my
comment.
 
I huffed in annoyance and attempted to balance the stack of files
while walking out of the conference room with as little sway to my hips;
knowing that Adrian was looking from behind me. A deep chuckle sounded
from him once we almost both made it to the elevator, and he decided to
bless me with his help by pressing the button to get the doors opening.
 
“You look like a penguin trying to waddle back to its home when
you walk like that.”
 
“I wouldn’t have to walk like that if some pervert behind me wasn’t
staring,” I shot back, sticking me head out of the tall pile and pulling my
tongue out at him.
 
He shrugged. “I’m your boyfriend, I’m allowed to be a pervert
towards you.”
 
I ignored him just as we reached our floor, and instantly began
walking towards our office to get rid of the files and grab my bag.
 
 “Keep walking,” Adrian called out from behind me, amusement
thickly enlaced in his tone.
 
I rolled my eyes and continued to ignore him just as I reached the
office door. I sighed in frustration, struggling to get a grip onto the door
handle before I felt him come up beside me. “Poor Emily, do you need
some help? Why didn’t you ask me earlier?” Adrian asked, giving me a
sympathetic look before I felt the entire stack of files being lifted out my
arms effortlessly.
 
“You – ugh!” I groaned, opening the office door with another scowl
as he chuckled at my reaction.
 
Adrian placed the stack of files onto the small coffee table in the
room just as I collected my handbag and briefly glanced at my phone. “Are
you ready to go?”
 
“I need to use the loo,” Adrian commented, shaking his head.
 
My face scrunched into a look of confusion. “The what?”
 
“The loo? The toilet. The bathroom. Whatever you American’s call
it.” Adrian dismissed in a bored tone
 
“Well don’t let me stop you,” I replied sarcastically. “I’ll meet you
downstairs.”
 
“Okay, feisty. Are you getting your period? You’re on fire today,
Shortcake.” I turned back around to face Adrian who was already smirking
in my direction. “Wait, wait, let me give a go at this. ‘Adrian! Oh my god!
Like, don’t say stuff like that!’” he squealed in a girly voice, attempting to
imitate me.
 
I flipped him off and rolled my eyes at his immaturity. “I’ll be
downstairs!” I called out before slamming the door shut behind me and
leaving Adrian alone in the office.
  
I decided to text Amy while I waited by Adrian’s car in attempt to
look occupied and not as awkward and alone as I felt. Amy replied within
30 seconds after I sent the message, and I smiled down at the phone at her
desperate attempt to have company at her job before someone cleared their
throat.
 
I looked up and froze in the position I was in as I realized that Rita
was standing in front of me, nodding slightly at the device in my hands.
“Adrian?”
 
I blinked back blankly before a frown etched itself onto my face.
“What are you doing here?” My voice was meant to come out strong;
instead, it sounded more like a reply to my parents after being scolded for
coming home too late.
 
“I… I came to apologise to you Emily,” Rita responded, a cautious
look on her face.
 
“I don’t want to hear it,” I snapped back in reply. I didn’t bother
waiting for her to respond and turned around and began to walk away.
 
“At least let me tell you the reason behind my actions,” Rita begged
from behind me.
 
I stopped walking away and breathed in deeply before turning
around and crossing my arms over my chest. “Go.”
 
The look of surprise on her face showed me how much she was not
expecting me to turn around, but she spoke up anyway. “My husband…
he… He gambles a lot. We fell into debt just two weeks before I met you
for the first time. I was desperate… I didn’t know what to do. Somehow,
David found out about our debt and offered me the money if I did what I
was told. I didn’t think he’d go to that much extremes, Emily, please believe
me. I never wanted to hurt you.”
 
 “Why didn’t you just ask Adrian if you were so desperate for
money? You know he would’ve given it to you in a heartbeat; especially if I
helped with asking him.” My tone came out bitter; not willing to be
sympathetic towards her just yet.
 
She hesitated before responding. “I… I didn’t want to ask that much
off of you… or him… please you have to understand-”
 
I shook my head, cutting her off. “I’m sorry. You have to understand
that what you did is so low in my eyes that it’s unforgiveable. You know
how much David frightened me. You saw how he kept me prisoner in a
hotel room and even hurt me and tried to push for sex-”
 
“I didn’t know he would-”
 
Angry tears began to spring up into my eyes. “Yes, you did! And
the worst part was you still didn’t think to tell us! You let us believe that
Anna was the guilty one and that you were just as angered and
uncomfortable at the mention of him just as much as I was!”
 
“Emily, I didn’t-”
 
“I think you should go,” I interrupted her, my face falling straight as
my voice turned cold. “Go before Adrian sees you here. I may be kind
enough to hear you out Rita, but he will turn you straight in without a
second of hesitation.”
 
I watched as her own eyes started to gloss over with tears, before
she swallowed and nodded briefly. Not saying anything else, she re-
adjusted her handbag on her shoulder and turned around and walked away.
 
Once she was out of sight, I let out a breath I didn’t realise I had
been holding in and wiped away my own tears, before turning around and
running straight into a solid figure with a familiar smell of cologne.
Adrian’s arms automatically wrapped themselves around my waist and
pulled me into a hug as he looked down at me with a concerned expression.
“What’s wrong? What happened?”
 
“I… Rita just came here and apologised…” I whispered, not
trusting my voice to reach its full extent just yet.
 
I felt Adrian’s chest vibrate as a low growl emanated from his
throat. “What the fuck did you just say?”
 
I opened my mouth to re-state what I said before Adrian glared
down at me angrily, cutting me off. “I know what you said. What nerve
does that backstabbing bitch have to even bother showing her face near my
property?” He scowled angrily.
 
I sighed before placing my hands on his shoulders. “Adrian. Forget
it. She’s gone now, and I didn’t accept her apology anyway.”
 
“I’m not forgetting what that bitch did to us. I shouldn’t have
listened to you and reported her to the police when David Walter’s trial was
still on-going.” He glared, clenching his jaw from anger.
 
“Adrian. Let’s go to lunch. We’re meant to be forgetting anything
related to stress. Drop it.” I ordered sternly, looking up at him with my
fiercest look.
 
I watched as his eyes scanned my expression briefly, before I felt
him physically un-tense and let out a frustrated sigh. “Fine. Let’s go.” He
grumbled, reaching into his pocket and unlocking the car.
 
***
 
“Where is my lovely soon-to-be fiancé?”
 
“We’ve just finished filming the new real estate advertisement.
They’re going to send you the final edit by this afternoon. It’s actually
really funny. Where are you?”
  
“I’m on the way to the office, make sure you’re up there by then.
Preferably naked.” A mental image of Adrian smirking instantly popped
into my mind, and I shook my head with a smile.
 
“That’s all that’s on your mind. It’s crazy. Don’t you ever get sick of
it?” I asked in an exasperated tone.
 
“I can’t when it involves you Shortcake,” he replied with a chuckle.
 
“Okay, stop imagining it right now,” I stated flatly. “You’re
driving.”
 
His chuckle transformed into a laugh. “How did you know?”
 
“I have a sixth sense,” I uttered dryly, a slight smirk coming to my
own lips.
 
“Mmmm. Yes you do.” He groaned.
 
My eyes widened as my face flushed crimson. “Adrian!”
 
“Keep going Shortcake, you’re just making the scenario in my mind
clearer every second.”
 
I groaned in mortification before speaking up. “I’m hanging up
now.”
 
“I’m going to get the police involved with Rita,” Adrian spoke up
before I was able to press the end button.
 
“Adrian, no. David was the one who was behind the entire plan and
Rita had her reasons behind helping. We may not approve of those reasons;
but we also don’t want to turn as evil as David and ruin her life.” I frowned
at the thought of Rita having to leave her husband and child to go to prison.
 
 Adrian, however, was not on the same page. In fact, he was reading
a completely different book. “I don’t give a fuck if we ruin her life. She
helped a man kidnap you Emily; and for what? A couple of thousands of
dollars which she could have asked from us. What thick part of your pretty
head isn’t getting that?!” He snapped through the phone.
 
“Adrian, we’ll talk about this when we get home, okay?” I sighed,
rubbing my temple tiredly and ignoring the insult. I was not in the mood to
argue – especially if this was the topic.
 
“Don’t use that tired voice with me. You’re the one that’s making
this shit so complicated.” He scowled, before the line went dead.
 
I let out a frustrated growl before throwing my phone onto the sofa
in the office and began walking to the matte glass door to get away from the
office for a while before soft knock sounded at the office door.
 
“What?” I snapped, indicating for the person to come in.
 
Suzie opened the door cautiously, her eyes slightly wider than usual
as she took a slow step inside. “I… I’m very sorry to interrupt…” She
trailed off, sounding afraid to speak.
 
Guilt instantly shot through my veins and my scowl instant
dropped. “I’m so sorry Suzie, I didn’t mean to snap at you like that.”
 
“It’s okay sweetie, what else am I here for?” She laughed.
 
A guilty smile played at my lips before she spoke up again. “Abby
has almost finalised the campaign you and Mr. Kingston confirmed two
weeks ago. Did you want to see the last version or do you just want her to
finish it all before she brings it up here?”
 
“Tell her to work on it as much as she can today and then bring up
whatever she has tomorrow for us to check. Thank you for letting me know,
and… I’m really sorry about before.” I brought up again, still feeling guilty.
  
Suzie waved me off. “Emily, it’s fine! We all have our moments,
you don’t need to apologise to me about it. I’ll let Abby know and leave
you alone.” She smiled, before shutting the door softly and leaving me with
my thoughts again.
 
How was I making things more complicated by the fact that I didn’t
want Rita to be arrested for helping David Walter? The way I saw it, Adrian
would have to go through even more trouble than he did with David Walter,
and the entire process with court would repeat itself. Adrian was barely able
to keep his anger in after David’s trial – and by barely I mean punching him
straight in the jaw – how was he going to contain his anger around Rita,
someone he knew and thought he could trust?
 
I let out another tired sigh and turned to go into the connected room
once again before the phone on my desk shrilled to life, filling the empty
silence in the office.
 
“Kingston Corporation,” I answered once I reached my desk.
 
“Is this a Ms. Emily Johnson?” a female spoke through the phone.
 
“This is she, who, may I ask, is calling?” I asked with a slight
frown. I usually never got personal calls unless another secretary was trying
to reach Adrian through me.
 
“There’s been a car accident,” the female voice responded. “It
involves Mr. Kingston -
 
Suddenly, everything around me disappeared from my sight. I
barely heard her utter the location of the hospital he was in, before the
phone dropped out of my hands and I was out of the office.
 
***
 
“I’m sorry Miss, only family is allowed-”
  
“I’m his girlfriend. Let me in,” I snapped, glaring at the nurse
angrily.
 
Her eyebrows widened in shock before she stepped aside. “I’m
sorry.”
 
I ignored her and rushed into the small hospital room; instantly
coming to halt once I almost collided into a doctor who was standing at the
end of the hospital bed.
 
He turned to me just as he flipped the pages back onto the
clipboard. “Emily Johnson, I presume?”
 
“How… how do you know me? How is he? Is it bad?” I asked, my
tone growing desperate.
 
The doctor turned to face me fully. “I’m Dr. Langston. Mr.
Kingston is in a stable condition. He just has a minor concussion, a few
broken ribs, a broken wrist and a broken leg and heavy bruising; but he
should be fully recovered over the next few months. He was asking for you
before the medication took over.”
 
We both looked over At Adrian’s sleeping figure, which had a
bandage wrapped around his head and wrist. His leg was also wrapped and
elevated from the bed and purple splotches covered whatever skin was
uncovered.
 
I temporarily forgot about Dr. Langston’s figure beside me and
instantly made my way to Adrian’s side as I observed his injuries at a more
detailed level. His bottom lip was slightly swollen and his shoulder also had
a bandage covering his skin.
 
Guilt replaced any blood running through my veins as tears sprung
to my eyes. I recalled the conversation over the phone earlier. It was all my
fault that he had an accident; all because I was too stubborn to temporarily
agree with him over the phone until I had the chance to discuss it and
change his mind in person. I grabbed a hold of his uninjured hand and
entwined our fingers before kissing his knuckles softly.
 
“I’m so sorry,” I whispered.
 
Somehow, I had fallen asleep with Adrian’s hand still intertwined in
my own and my head resting on the edge of the hospital bed; waking up to
the sound of a woman letting out a wail before my body was engulfed in a
hug.
 
“Emily, thank god you’re here. His doctor isn’t here and the nurses
here are useless. Is my son okay? What happened?” Her voice was thick
from tears, and I pulled back to see a bloodshot-red-eyed Katherine, with
Mason lingering in the background.
 
“I… He has a broken leg and wrist, and broken ribs. The doctor
said he should recover over the next few months…” I trailed off, biting my
lip and looking over at Adrian’s bruised sleeping figure.
 
“Has he woken up at all since then?” Katherine asked.
 
“I have. Can you guys talk any fucking louder?” Adrian groaned,
making all three heads snap back to look at him. “Turn off the lights too,
dammit. What does a guy have to do around here to keep his sight?”
 
“Adrian.” I breathed, tears springing to my eyes once again. I
rapidly blinked them back in and mentally scolded my period for creating
such crazy mood swings.
 
“Has the accident made me someone else? Obviously it’s me.
Unless… shit how much damage did it do to my face? Who cares, I’m good
looking either way.”
 
“Only my idiot of a son would say something like that after almost
dying.” Mason chuckled. I looked over him to see relief hidden within his
eyes even though he tried to make a joke out of it.
 
“Hey, I get my humour from you. Mother is too dry to be funny.”
 
“I’m so glad you’re okay!” Katherine wailed, before gushing over
to her son and pulling him into what looked like a painful hug.
 
Adrian let out another groan. “I’m fine. You can stop now.” His
voice came out muffled and a smile made its way to my lips as he stiffly
tried to pry his mother’s grip off himself with his uninjured hand.
 
“What the hell did you do to get into a car accident this severe!” she
exclaimed angrily.
 
“I was speeding because I wanted to get to Emily as quickly as
possible and kind of ran a red light…” He gave a sheepish smile to his
mother before his gaze landed on me.
 
“Why did you want to get to me so quickly? I thought you were
angry with me because of-”
 
“We got here as fast as we could! Is Adrian okay? Where is he?
Shit, is he asleep – Adrian! Man, you look like shit.” Like Mason, Allen
tried to make a joke out of the situation, although there was a serious
demeanour to his words.
 
Amy and Blake trailed in after him; Amy looking down at her feet
and Blake glaring at the back of Allen’s head. My eyebrows shot up in
surprise as I examined the situation more closely, before putting a mental
reminder to ask Amy about that later.
 
“Mate, have you seen your own reflection lately? You always look
like shit,” Adrian fired back, smirking slightly before grimacing in pain.
“Can I get some water?” he asked no one in particular.
 
 Katherine nodded eagerly before anyone else had the chance to
react to the question, and was out the door as soon as it was mentioned.
 
“I’m glad you’re okay Adrian,” Amy finally spoke up, looking up
at him. My eyes immediately looked over at Allen and Blake, who were
both watching her before meeting each other’s gazes and glaring.
 
“This is the part where you’re supposed to say you don’t know how
your best friend would last without me, and then I agree with you and bring
up the solution to that,” Adrian continued for Amy, who gave him a
confused look.
 
I mirrored her expression as he tried to reach out to take hold of his
suit jacket. “Allen mate, for once in your life stop being a useless prat and
give me my jacket.” Adrian ordered sarcastically, giving Allen an annoyed
glare.
 
Allen laughed before throwing the jacket at Adrian’s face. “Fetch,
injured doggy.”
 
Adrian scowled. “Idiot.” He shoved his hand into the inside pocket
of his jacket and began rummaging for something as he spoke up. “Emily,
come here for a second. I need your help.”
 
Frowning curiously, I made my way over towards his battered
figure, taking my previous seat beside him. “What’s wrong?”
 
“This near-death experience made me realise something-”
 
“You were nowhere near death,” Mason scoffed from the opposite
end of the room. “Stop being a pussy.”
 
Adrian glared at his father before turning back to me and
continuing. “Okay, I lied. I was going to do this whether I was in a car
accident or not. I’ve just come to the complete realisation on how I feel
about us.”
  
My eyes went wide and I instantly stiffened in my position. “Are…
Are you breaking up with me?” I whispered, not trusting my voice in front
of everyone.
 
“What the hell, son?” Mason exclaimed, taking a step closer
towards the bed. “Are you crazy?”
 
“Don’t you dare break my best friend’s heart, you prick! If that
wasn’t your death bed; I’ll make sure it is now!” Amy scowled, also taking
a step closer towards Adrian.
 
Adrian sighed, looking over at all of them. “I really didn’t want to
do it in front of all of you,” he grumbled irritably, shooting them a stone
cold glare and shutting them up completely.
 
“Adrian… If this is about Rita-”
 
“Let me speak!” he snapped, before letting out an impatient sigh.
“Fuck it. Emily, Marry me. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life with
anyone else but you. I was trying to make a romantic speech but they all
killed my mood; so that’s as romantic as it’s going to get.”
 
Adrian pulled out a small, navy coloured velvet box from beside
him and popped it open, revealing a platinum engagement ring with a
square diamond the size of my fingernail.
 
“What did I miss – oh my god.” Katherine came to an abrupt halt at
the doorway as her eyes landed on the navy box Adrian was holding, her
eyes widening as she looked over the piece of jewelry again. I turned back
to observe the expensive looking engagement ring myself.
 
“Adrian…” I trailed off, tears springing to my eyes. I bit my bottom
lip in an attempt to stop it from wobbling and nodded as a smile tugged
itself at my lips. “Yes, I’ll marry you,” I whispered, my smile turning to a
full outward grin.
  
Adrian fist-pumped with a pained expression before slipping the
huge ring onto my finger and slouching back onto the bed looking worn
out. “Finally. If I knew you’d accept this quickly, I would’ve had a car
accident sooner,” Adrian grumbled, before sending a slight smirk in my
direction.
 
I choked on my tears before slapping his arm softly. “Stop being an
idiot.”
 
“Can this idiot at least get a post proposal and car accident kiss?”
Adrian grinned with a cheeky glint in his eyes.
 
My smile didn’t leave my lips as I leaned in and placed my lips
over his, pulling away and blushing once a collective groan erupted from
the room.
 
“MY BEST FRIEND IS FINALLY ENGAGED!” Amy squealed
suddenly, running over to where I was now standing and pulling me into a
bone-crushing hug. “I’ve got the reception planned out and the flower
arrangements! Oh, and I think I know the perfect little boutique where you
can find nice bridesmaid dresses! We’ll go there another day – it doesn’t
have to be now. I think I can even call up-”
 
“Amy!” I laughed, cutting her off. “Calm down, you have like an
entire year to plan this out; I mean, never mind the fact that I didn’t actually
assign you to be my maid of honour.”
 
“You have no other friends, obviously it’s going to be me.” Amy
scoffed.
 
“Hold on a minute, Shortcake, what do you mean a year?” Adrian
exclaimed angrily. “I can’t wait that long!”
 
“Don’t make me call it off already,” I told Adrian, giving him a
warning look.
  
“I’ll just get into another car accident,” he replied with a smirk.
 
“Adrian!”
 
He grinned and waggled his eyebrows in my direction before lifting
up his uninjured wrist to usher me over. “I want another kiss. I’m hurting.”
He pouted, before it turned into another smirk.
 
I rolled my eyes and shook my head with a small smile before
walking back over to him and placing a brief kiss on his lips.
 
Allen laughed once I pulled away. “He’s not getting some for a
while. It’s okay, Em, I can fulfil his position while he’s out of order.” He
winked.
 
“That’s my fiancé you’re talking to,” Adrian growled, sending a
death glare in Allen’s direction.
 
“And my best friend!” Amy scowled.
 
“Dude, and my little sister,” Blake commented with a grimace.
 
“And now my official daughter in law with big boobs.” Mason
grinned, imitating Adrian’s earlier move and waggling his eyebrows at me.
 
“Mason!” Katherine scolded, shaking her head at him before
smiling at me.
 
I laughed at everyone’s remarks before letting out a small contented
sigh, glad to have gone for the job of Adrian’s assistant.
 
 
 
 
 
Epilogue
 
 
 
One Year Later…
 
“Emily, stand still!” Amy snapped, looking up at me with a
menacing scowl etched into her features.
 
“I’m sorry? I’m not shaking on purpose,” I mumbled, looking back
up at my frantic reflection before biting my lip. “Are you sure I should be
getting married, Ames? I mean, we’ve only been engaged for a year-”
 
“And you’ve put up with each other for two years. Of course you
should be getting married! I need to be a maid of honour, you and Adrian
love each other very much, Mason has been droning on about how he wants
to get tipsy and strip on your wedding night and your parents have been
waiting for this day since you were a child! You know that this is the right
choice; you’re just having pre-wedding nerves. Calm down.” She coached
in a calm voice, getting out of her crouched position and pulling me into a
warm, comforting hug.
 
“Yeah. Plus, you’re getting married to me; that’s the right choice on
everybody’s list.” A new, deeper voice chuckled, making both Amy and I
shriek. “You look beautiful, Shortcake. Even better than what I pictured in
my head.” Adrian smirked playfully with a glint of admiration in his eyes.
 
“Adrian! Its bad luck to see your bride before the wedding actually
starts!” I stressed, my eyes growing wide.
 
 Adrian’s smirk dropped to a scowl. “How the hell was I supposed to
know that? I’ve never been married before!” he retorted. “And who cares
anyway. You shouldn’t believe in bad luck because you’re marrying me.”
He stated it as if it was an obvious fact to know, and I rolled my eyes and
grinned at his arrogance.
 
“I don’t know how you managed to fit your ego in this room but
you need to leave, the ceremony starts in 10 minutes! You’re meant to be
out there waiting for her to walk down the aisle!” Amy stressed, leaving my
side and walking over to Adrian to push him out of the room.
 
“Yeah, yeah. I’ve watched enough Rom-Com’s with this one to
know the procedure. I’ll look at her like she’s the only woman in the room
and blah, blah, blah. That’s pretty stupid, since your whole family is
practically 94% female-”
 
“OUT!” Amy snapped, attempting to push his large frame out the
door.
 
“Wait! I want a kiss before I go!” Adrian begged.
 
Both Amy and I gave him an incredulous look. “You’re going to
kiss me in like 15 minutes!” I exclaimed.
 
“Yeah but that’s going to be me kissing my wife. I need to kiss you
now as my fiancé.” Adrian plucked Amy’s hands away from his back like
they were pieces of lint before walking over to where I was standing with a
smirk. “Pucker up,” he ordered while waggling his eyebrows.
 
Amy huffed from behind us and muttered something inaudible as I
shook my head and tried to hide my grin from him. “Remind me why I
agreed on marrying you again?” I asked.
 
“Because of this,” he stated, before wrapping the entire length of
his right arm around my waist and pulling me into a deep kiss that left me
breathless once he finally decided to pull away. “My wife better kiss like
you just did,” he mumbled once he pulled away.
 
“That’s highly likely considering the fact that we’re the same
person,” I mused.
 
“Your kiss might change once you have that ring on your finger.”
 
“I highly doubt it, Adrian.” I laughed.
 
“Have I mentioned how beautiful you look? I don’t think I can look
at you enough,” Adrian murmured looking down at my dress.
 
“Okay lovebirds, enough! Adrian, you better get your ass back to
the altar or so help me God-”
 
“Relax, woman! She’s so touchy. Is she going through
menopause?” Adrian grumbled, bringing his gaze back to meet mine.
 
“That’s it,” Amy snapped, growing red in the face from anger.
“You’ve crossed the line there! Out!”
 
Adrian chuckled and pecked my nose before narrowly avoiding
Amy’s fist and running out of the room in hysterics.
 
“I’ve changed my mind. Don’t get married to him.” Amy scowled.
 
I laughed and stepped off the small stool before turning to face
Amy fully. “You’re due for your period.”
 
“What if I am?” she asked, narrowing her eyes slightly.
 
I laughed. “Nothing! I’m just making an observation.”
 
“Well, so am I; you look so beautiful.” Amy breathed, taking in the
final product once I stood facing her front on. “My best friend is getting
married,” she whispered, tears coming to her eyes. “Ugh! Fuck you, Emily!
Now my makeup is going to smudge!” She wailed, before pulling me into a
bone crushing hug.
 
“Sorry?” I laughed, pulling away with a confused look.
 
Amy was about to reply before a soft knock sounded at the door. “If
it’s that asshole coming in again-”
 
“It’s not Adrian. He wouldn’t knock. Who is it?” I called out,
focusing on the glass door curiously.
 
A moment later it clicked open, and my mother, clad in a peach
coloured blazer and skirt, walked in while wiping her eyes. She began to
grin as her gaze fell on me, before she burst into tears again. Seeing my
own mother cry made my chest swell up with emotion, and I felt my own
eyes begin to water at the sight.
 
“No way! Don’t you dare cry on your wedding day!” Amy snapped,
forcing my gaze away from my mom and making me focus on her angry
expression. “Stop it!” Stop!” she ordered snippily, before turning to my
mom. “You’re coming with me.” She dragged my hysterical mother out the
door, slamming it shut behind her and leaving me alone in the small, silent
room.
 
I sighed and looked at my reflection once more just as the door
clicked open again. I looked through the reflection to find Katherine
entering the room, coming to a halt once her eyes landed on my all-in-white
figure.
 
“You look breathtaking,” she complimented, her eyes widening
slightly on her usually composed face.
 
I turned away from the mirror and smiled in her direction. “Thank
you… Is… Is my mom okay?”
 
 “She’s just happy for you. Are you ready?” she asked.
 
It was funny how one three-worded question could have such an
impact on your internal functions. My breathing had suddenly become
heavier and my heartbeat was now in the middle of my eardrums – beating
violently against my head and making me even more nervous than I was
previously.
 
I tried to swallow the nervous feeling away before nodding my
head. “I… yeah, I’m ready,” I managed to squeak.
 
“It’s okay Emily, there’s no need to be nervous. This is your big
day. Enjoy it.” Katherine gave me a comforting smile before sticking her
hand out for me to take. “My son hasn’t stopped yapping about how
beautiful you look to everyone in the church. Has he already seen you?”
 
I felt my cheeks warm up at the fact that Adrian was telling over
400 people something that was known to be bad luck before nodding. “He
has.”
 
“Well, I can’t say it wasn’t expected from him.” She smiled briefly,
just as my father came into view. “I’ve come to drop off the bride. The
other mother had a bit of a breakdown,” Katherine joked.
 
“I knew she would. But do you blame her? My princess looks
spectacular.” My father’s attention had shifted so that he was looking at me
now; and the same look my mom wore before she burst into tears settled
onto his aging features. “I’m so happy I’m alive to see this moment.” He
pulled me into a warm hug. “I love you, princess.”
 
“I love you too, dad.” I smiled slightly, before turning back to
Katherine and nodding.
 
“I’ll let them know,” she replied, before disappearing.
 
“Are you ready kiddo?” My father grinned, looking down at me.
  
“Dad, I’m 25. No longer a ‘kiddo,’” I grumbled.
 
“Oh. Well excuse me, Miss Maturity now?” he grumbled. “This
wedding business is getting to your head.”
 
I frowned and opened my mouth to reply just as another, louder
voice spoke up.
 
“All rise for the bride.”
 
It was then that the collective whispers that I had not noticed in the
background fell to a complete silence, just as a loud burst of the organ
echoed throughout the large room.
 
My father linked his arm in with mine; his face radiating with
emotion as he nodded down at me. I smiled and kissed his cheek before
nodding in return.
 
We began our long descent down the aisle. My gaze briefly
flickered over to the guests that were by my side and I smiled at those with
familiar faces while focusing on my footing underneath the puffy dress.
 
Suddenly, I felt the dress become half the weight it was before and
heard Amy’s puffing come from behind me as she lifted up the train of my
dress in an attempt to make it easier for me to walk. My eyes then went
back to the little boy in front of me, and I held back a laugh as Sienna’s son
Michael walked with as much caution as he could muster up while focusing
on the rings in front of him.
 
Then I looked up at Adrian. I understood what movies were now
trying to portray during wedding scenes; but they didn’t do it well enough. I
think Adrian was also eating up his earlier words as he looked at me from
his standing position at the altar; the both of us fighting back grins. It didn’t
even feel like my father was beside me, walking me down the aisle
anymore. Any additional decorations and even the loud harmonic tune of
the organ faded away as I arrived in front of my soon-to-be husband and he
smiled down at me with an all too familiar glazed look in his eye.
 
My father kissing my cheek and pulling me into another brief hug
was what pulled me out of my trance, and I quickly wrapped my own arms
around his thick torso before we both pulled away. Amy had taken my
bouquet out of my hands and was now standing with Anna, Claire and
Molly just as I took my position across from Adrian and looked over at a
grinning Blake, a smirking Allen and two more of Adrian’s friends, Daniel
and Mathew.
 
The minister began. “We are gathered here today on this happy and
joyous occasion to join this man, and this woman, in holy matrimony.”
 
“Tonight won’t be holy, I can assure you that, Shortcake.” Adrian
whispered with a smirk.
 
My eyes widened and I felt my entire face heat up in shock and
mortification before I looked over at the minster, hoping he didn’t hear
Adrian’s hushed promise.
 
Thankfully, the old man continued without hesitation. “Marriage is
a solemn institution to be held in honour by all, it is the cornerstone of the
family and of the community. It requires of those who undertake it a
complete and unreserved giving of one's self. It is not to be entered into
lightly, as marriage is a sincere and mutual commitment to love one
another. This commitment symbolizes the intimate sharing of two lives and
still enhances the individuality of each of you.”
 
“When do we get to kiss?” Adrian asked the minister, initiating a
collective gasp, followed by a few chuckles in the large room.
 
The minister – who looked like he was about to slap Adrian for
disrespecting the tradition – answered snippily. “You’ll be able to kiss your
bride soon enough.”
 
 “I want to kiss her now. Let’s skip all the ‘I do’s’ for now; we
wouldn’t be here if we didn’t want to love, comfort, honour and keep each
other in sickness and in health, remaining faithful to each other for as long
as you both shall live if we weren’t certain of our love.” Adrian told the
minister flippantly, before giving him an expectant look.
 
“You were able to recite all of that, but you weren’t able to wait for
a simple ‘I do’?”
 
“No,” Adrian snapped, losing his patience.
 
The minister shook his head and sighed, muttering something that
sounded inappropriate for church, before closing the book shut. “With these
rings, you shall wed.”
 
Adrian grabbed my hand and slid the ring onto my marriage finger,
grinning excitedly in the process, before handing over the plain gold band
to me. I sighed at his impatience and tried not to laugh at his child-in-a-
candy-shop expression before slipping his wedding band on and looking
over at the minister.
 
“I’m so sorry about him,” I apologised in a hushed tone, making the
guests in the first few rows laugh.
 
“It’s alright dear, I can see someone is eager to be married. So, by
the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may
kiss-”
 
The minister wasn’t even able to finish his sentence as I felt
Adrian’s arms encircle my waist and pull me into another deep kiss, before
lifting me up bridal style and making me let out a high-pitched squeak of
surprise.
 
“My wife kisses better than my fiancé,” he announced, making both
Amy and me laugh while the others looked at us in confusion.
 
 “Does that mean I can take you to the hotel room and have my way
with you now?” Adrian asked, smirking.
 
I gave him a flat look. “No. We still have to go to the reception!”
 
Adrian groaned in annoyance before walking me down the aisle –
still in his arms. “Can’t they go without us?”
 
“Keep this up and the only way you’ll be having tonight is the
highway back home while I enjoy the lovely hotel room alone,” I warned.
“Oh! Did you tell Vera Wang that I said thank you for the dress?”
 
“Oh no.” He began in a deadpan voice. “I must have forgotten to;
even after the 13 messages and constant reminders over breakfast.”
 
I scowled. “No need to be sarcastic.”
 
He began to make smooching noises. “I want another kiss.”
 
“Yeah, well, I want your mother to have my daughter-in-law’s
boobs; but we can’t all get what we want in life can we?” A new voice
spoke up just as we exited the church.
 
I laughed and Adrian rolled his eyes just as Mason Kingston stood
in front of us and grinned. “Congrats, bestie. Now he’s your bitch for real.”
Mason winked, before placing a kiss on my cheek and ruffling Adrian’s hair
– who didn’t even bother to get it styled in the first place.
 
“Don’t worry, Mase, I’ll make sure to keep him on his toes just for
you.” I winked, grinning.
 
“Let’s just get this day over and done with so nighttime can come
faster and I can finally do what I’ve wanted to do all day – you.” Adrian
spoke up, looking down at me with a broad grin.
 
 “Adrian… I didn’t want to tell you before because I didn’t want to
disappoint you on your wedding day, but… we can’t have sex. I… it’s that
time of the month…” I trailed off, biting my lip to refrain from laughing at
the lie I knew would shatter him.
 
“Don’t lie to me. I checked the bin this morning after you left to
make sure-”
 
“You did what?! That is so disgusting, Adrian! What the hell!”
 
Adrian burst into a fit of laughter just as we arrived at the while
limousine that was taking us to the reception hall. “I was joking Shortcake;
although, maybe I should do that the next time you try to lie to me like
that…” He trailed off.
 
“Don’t you dare or I will file for a divorce,” I warned, pointing my
finger up at his nose.
 
“How long is the drive to the reception from here?” Adrian asked
the driver suddenly, ignoring my warning completely.
 
“Uh… Depending on the traffic sir. It could take 20-30 minutes.”
 
“Good. Take the long way-”
 
“Oh no you don’t. Take the normal route and ignore him,” I ordered
with a firm tone, before pressing the button to close the driver off
completely so Adrian wouldn’t influence him any further.
 
“Hey! I’m paying for this service!” Adrian protested.
 
My eyebrows shot up. “Oh, is that the case? I guess I’ll just get out
and ride with someone else. Maybe Daniel or Allen are willing-”
 
“No! No, forget what I said,” he grumbled.
 
 “Do you hate people that much that you want to take the long way
to our wedding?” I asked with a look of disbelief.
 
“No, I was hoping I’d get some in the time it took to get there.
That’s why I wanted to make it longer.” Adrian smirked, moving closer
towards and me and pulling me onto his lap – my puffy dress taking up
most of the space in the car.
 
“Are you that impatient?!” I asked with a skeptical look.
 
“It’s not my fault you look so beautiful today. Have I told you how
beautiful you look? Absolutely gorgeous. I have never seen anyone more
beautiful than you, Emily.”
 
The fact that Adrian used my name instead of calling me Shortcake
usually meant that he was serious – and for a moment, I actually believed
him – then that familiar triumphant glint attached itself to his gaze and I
found my eyes narrowing as I slapped his chest lightly. “Don’t try to flatter
me into doing what you want in here.”
 
His victorious look instantly disappeared and was replaced with one
of disbelief. “How did you know?! Is this the bad luck thing you were
talking about? Me not getting any on my wedding night?”
 
“No. I’m just that good.” I smirked, pretending to check my nails
out before grinning cheekily at him.
 
His gaze lingered on my smile momentarily before he shook his
head and pulled me in for a short kiss. “I’m glad I fell in love with you.”
 
My grin slowly faded as I looked into his eyes. There was no glint
in them this time, and my face instantly sobered up as a genuine smile
tugged at my lips. “I’m glad I fell in love with you too.”
 
He snapped out of his glazed look after that and smirked. “So does
that mean I can get some?”
  
I scowled and got off his lap before tripping over the layers of my
dress. “Sure. If you can find a body part of mine underneath all of this
material,” I mumbled sarcastically.
 
Adrian, however, took it as a yes, and instantly began bunching up
the white material – desperately searching for any sign of a human limb;
making me laugh at his determination.
 
***
 
Two Years Later…
 
I hated being pregnant.
 
You’d think I would’ve learnt to go on birth control a year and a
half ago after having my first child and resembling a beach ball – but no,
my lovely husband wouldn’t have that.
 
“Adrian, have you called Maria and checked up on Mason?” I
spoke up randomly, cutting Adrian short of his sentence in the middle of the
interview with a new neighbouring industry.
 
Adrian frowned at the interruption. “Yes Emily, 15 minutes before
we came into this room, remember?” he asked with a warning look etched
onto his features.
 
A brief flashback of the both of us standing at the entrance of our
biggest meeting room as Adrian spoke rapidly over the phone to Maria, our
babysitter and housekeeper, while I stuffed my face with the 5th Krispy
Kreme donut that was meant for the CEO sitting two chairs down from me.
 
I nodded sheepishly and took a sip of water in an attempt to avert
the attention from myself before rubbing my stomach with a small smile on
my face. The small life that currently inhabited my uterus was due any day
now, and the amount of impatience Adrian was feeling towards this baby’s
birth was annoying and amusing at the same time.
 
I didn’t want to know the sex of the baby this time around; I wanted
it as a surprise for the both of us. Adrian, however, was beyond pissed off at
that fact because he was no longer able to buy toys and presents for the
child based on its gender like he did with Mason – and it was killing him
internally.
 
“You could always buy yellow things, you know,” I spoke up,
unaware that I accidentally interrupted the meeting yet again.
 
Adrian looked up, a frown of confusion engraved onto his forehead.
“For what?”
 
I frowned. “The baby!”
 
Adrian’s frown increased. “Okay, I’ll buy it yellow things when this
very important meeting is over.” The tone in his voice was final, and
another warning look was given from him.
 
“Sorry,” I whispered.
 
“Mr. Kingston, the price you want to sell these products for is
barely enough to boost both your hotel’s financials as well as my company.
We should increase the pricing by at least $15.00 to earn a fair share of the
products sold-”
 
“Oh right, and make our future customers broke from their first
purchase? Keep in mind that not everyone comes from a particularly
wealthy background,” Adrian pointed out in a stone cold voice, narrowing
his eyes at the CEO.
 
“You tell him.” I nodded, frowning angrily at the CEO myself.
 
 “Emily, one more chance,” Adrian growled, almost losing his
temper completely.
 
Then I felt it happen. It wasn’t painful – it felt more like a popping
sensation throughout my body, before the velvet material of the chair began
to soak up all the water that was currently running down my leg.
 
“Shit,” I muttered, before looking up at Adrian helplessly.
 
“What now?” he snapped, glaring down at me in complete rage. His
glare instantly transfigured into a look of panic once I nodded in his
direction and my hand flew to my stomach.
 
“Now?!” he asked, hazel eyes widening at the sight of me.
 
“Right now,” I confirmed in an uncomfortable voice, not liking the
feeling of moisture in between my legs.
 
“Fuck,” Adrian muttered, before looking around the room.
“Gentlemen, we’ll continue another day; I’m about to be the father of
another one of my creations.”
 
“Adrian.” I groaned through clenched teeth as my first contraction
ripped through my stomach, causing me to moan out in pain again.
 
“Oh shit. What the hell? Why is it happening so fast? How fucking
eager is this kid to see the light of the world?! IT’S NOT THAT GREAT,
STAY IN YOUR MOTHER!” Adrian yelled at my stomach.
 
“Oh my God, Adrian! Get me to a hospital and stop talking!” I
snapped, trying to lift myself off the now soaking chair.
 
“We’re just going to go…” the CEO trailed off suddenly, looking in
my direction with a horrified expression.
 
 “I told you to do that 5 minutes ago,” Adrian barked, glaring at the
men once again. Their eyes widened at his tone and scurried out of the
conference room before any other words could be shared.
 
“Please, please I don’t want to do this again,” I begged, looking
over at Adrian with a desperate look. “Why haven’t you called anyone
yet?!” I screeched, just as another contraction tore through my lower
stomach region like a ripple effect.
 
Adrian looked around the room again, hurriedly nodding to himself
in the process. “Oh shit, right, um, here! Hold this!” A thin black inked pen
was suddenly shoved into my grasp, before Adrian froze in front of me and
realised what he had just done. “…Break it. Maybe it’ll make you feel
better?”
 
I started laughing hysterically – partly because of the fact that
Adrian had given me a pen in his moment of panic and partly because I was
feeling another contraction coming along soon and was not ready to
experience the pain again.
 
“Hospital,” Adrian squeaked, his usual deep voice also being
overridden by panic.
 
“Why are you so nervous this time? When I was having Mason, you
were all like ‘yeah that’s cool. Oh wait, what? Oh you’re in labour. I’ll talk
to you at the hospital then. Shut up and stop your moaning, Emily it can’t
be that bad.’ Remember that?” My eyebrows shot up as I gave him a
condescending look as I recalled my first birthing experience.
 
Adrian cringed. “Yes, I do remember that, but that was before I…
before I experienced the miracle of life.” His cringe increased as he
shuddered – most likely due to recalling a memory of his own.
 
I clenched my teeth together and squeezed my eyes shut tight just as
another contraction violently attacked the inside of my stomach. “Yeah, I
get it. Seeing the thing you like sticking your penis into so much open up
and produce a baby within 8 hours isn’t great. But do you want to know
something worse? Making that freaking thing open up for a freaking head
to pop out of while you stand and watch! So get me to a freaking hospital
now!” I cried, clenching my round stomach in pain.
 
“Shit, okay! I’m sorry!” Adrian stressed, before picking me up
bridal style. He didn’t seem to mind the fact that my pants suit was soaked
with water, or the fact that my weight was currently equivalent to that of a
blue whale.
 
“You said sorry…” I trailed off, feeling tears brim the surface of my
eyes.
 
Adrian looked down at me with a confused frown before briefly
shaking his head in question. “Why are you crying about that?”
 
“Because you never say sorry. You didn’t even say sorry to me
when I really wanted those broccoli pieces in the refrigerator and you
chomped on them I front of me to piss me off even though you hate
broccoli and you know how much I wanted that broccoli and you still ate it
and now I really feel like broccoli because-”
 
“EMILY! Calm down! I’m sorry for that too. I’m sorry for
everything I’ve ever done to you up until this moment now please stop
crying in my arms you’re making this even harder than it is because you’re
so fucking fat. Well you aren’t, but that child inside you is. Or maybe it is
you. I don’t know.” Adrian shrugged just as we got to the white BMW that
was recently purchased by Adrian specifically for ‘pregnancy emergencies’.
 
“Just get me to the damned hospital.” I scowled, slapping his arm as
he put me in the car gently.
 
“Yes boss.” He smirked, before sneaking a quick peck on my lips.
 
***
 
 “Come on Mrs. Kingston, just a couple of more pushes!”
 
“Are you kidding me? JUST PULL THE STUPID THING OUT!” I
roared, glaring down at my doctor.
 
“Shortcake, there is no way I’d let anyone treat something I made
like that. Push it out and I’ll change its nappy for the entire month,” Adrian
offered, forcing me to turn to the side and face him.
 
He was smirking down at me, and I clenched my jaw angrily before
turning back to the doctor. “Do you see what I live with,” I stated.
 
“I… I don’t mean to ask at such an inappropriate time but… what is
a nappy?” the nurse beside me asked, making me turn to the opposite side
of Adrian in the process.
 
“It’s his dumbass British way of saying diapers,” I grumbled, before
screeching out in pain again.
 
“They’re almost out, Emily! Just one more push!”
 
“Come on Shortcake, you’ve done this with Mason, you can do this
again. Just be angry! Think of the broccoli. Or the time I broke every Blu-
Ray disk that contained the actor that shall not be named because you
claimed to love him more than me.” Adrian’s face grew dark at that.
 
“You mean… Dave Franco?” I drawled out, before bursting out
into a fit of continuous laughter as both Adrian’s fists and jaw began to
clench.
 
A high-pitched cry suddenly came from the other end of my bed,
cutting my laughter short and forcing both Adrian and me to look at the
baby that was moving around in Dr. Geller’s arms. She smiled down at it,
before looking up at the both of us. “It’s a girl.”
 
 And suddenly, any pain that I was experiencing temporarily faded
from my body as Dr. Geller wrapped my newly born baby girl in a blanket
and handed her over to me.
 
Adrian, who was still silent beside me, crouched down to our level
just as the same expression of adoration and wonder settled into his
features. He didn’t seem to mind the fact that I was all sticky from sweat,
and that our baby was still slick with the contents of my uterus.
 
He just stared at her for a few moments longer, before turning to
face me with the same amazed look. “You did it.” He smiled slightly, before
placing a light kiss on my sweaty forehead.
 
“We did it,” I whispered, before looking down at my baby girl
again.
 
“Okay, I understand how fun it was for you when we did it, but I
was talking about the birthing part,” Adrian pointed out, his trademark
smirk appearing onto his face.
 
“Adrian!” I exclaimed quietly, just as the baby stirred in my arms.
 
“You do realise you gave birth to her by laughing, right?” my
doctor pointed out, a slightly amused smile on her face.
 
My face began to burn up as I tried laughing. “Really?”
 
She nodded. “Thanks to your husband.”
 
“What’s new.” Adrian shrugged, before dusting off imaginary dust
from his shoulder.
 
I rolled my eyes, before my attention was solely focused on my
child again. “We have to name her,” I murmured softly, smiling down at her
sleeping figure.
 
 “I’m sorry Emily, but we’re going to have to take her away for now
to get her cleaned up. Plus, your placenta still needs to come out and she
can’t be in your arms while that’s happening.” Dr. Geller spoke up, bursting
the small bubble that was unconsciously made around me and my child.
 
“Oh… Of course.” I nodded in understanding, remembering my
previous pregnancy. A nurse came up beside me and smiled while
extending her arms out, waiting for me to put my child in her arms.
 
“I think we should call her Alana,” Adrian suddenly spoke up.
“Mason and Alana.”
 
“Alana,” I repeated, more to myself. “I like it.” I smiled, placing a
soft kiss on Alana’s forehead before gently passing her over to the nurse.
She smiled and nodded before walking away with her, and I looked over at
Adrian with the same smile on my lips.
 
Adrian held up a phone in my face. “I googled its meaning. It’s
beautiful and harmony.”
 
“Mr. Kingston, there are no cell phones in the labour room!” Dr.
Geller scolded, frowning at him.
 
Adrian scoffed. “As if I’m going to listen to that stupid rule.”
 
Another sharp pain shot through my stomach. “Here we go again,” I
groaned, wincing in pain as another contraction made way.
 
***
 
“Where is she?”
 
“I’m not letting her anywhere near you, mate,” Adrian scowled,
glaring down at Allen. “You’ll corrupt her before she’s even able to open
her eyes.”
 
 “Okay, well what about me?! I’m not Allen!” Amy pointed out, a
begging form starting to overcome her entire body.
 
“No, you’re too loud. You’ll wake her up.” Adrian grunted. “Can
you all go home? I want to be alone with my family.” He glared at both our
parents, my brother and our friends for a while, trying to emphasize his
point.
 
“We are your family, you little bitch,” Mason argued, glaring back
at his son.
 
“You’re my family, but you’re not my family,” Adrian replied, as if
the argument he was trying to get across was clear as day.
 
I sighed. “Adrian, they want to see their new grandchild/niece and
yes I am including you both as brother and sister,” I clarified, looking at
Allen and Amy.
 
“Well about time!” Amy spoke up, sarcasm thick in her tone.
 
“They can see her another day.” Adrian whined, turning around and
pouting at me.
 
“You said that to them yesterday!” I argued.
 
“Mama,” Little Mason spoke up, climbing up and sitting beside me
in the hospital bed.
 
“Yes my lovely?” I replied, smiling down at the mini Adrian I was
blessed with. Mason began to poke my chest area, making me wince in pain
from their tenderness.
 
“Mason, no. Mummy is still hurting there. Unfortunately.” He
grumbled.
 
 “I gave birth yesterday! How much more sex driven can you be?” I
exclaimed.
 
“Way more if you keep looking the way you do. Get ugly.”
 
“Then you’ll get a divorce.”
 
“Then I’m sure someone with your ugliness, say… Dave Franco…
Will be more than happy to wed you.” Adrian smirked smugly, proud with
his response.
 
I gave him a flat look, before looking at the remaining male figures
in the room. “Get him out of my face.”
 
“Hey!” Adrian called out, rooting himself in his exact position.
“I’m not leaving this hospital room without Alana in my arms.”
 
“Come on buddy, post-pregnant woman’s orders,” Blake spoke up,
smiling smugly at Adrian.
 
“Why are you listening to her?!”
 
“Because she just gave birth?” Allen suggested, rolling his eyes.
 
“Yeah, get out bitch. You’re being mean to Emily and her boobs.”
Mason frowned, before sending a wink over in my direction.
 
A soft sound suddenly turned the entire room silent, and small,
innocent sounding cries instantly filled the silence in the room. Everyone’s
facial expressions – including Adrian’s pissed off one – instantly softened at
the sound of Alana’s cries, and Adrian immediately walked over to her
small bed and held her in his arms while walking over towards me.
 
He sat beside Mason and myself and placed a kiss on Alana’s
forehead before looking up and smiling at me. “I hope she grows up to be
just like you.” He grinned.
  
“I hope he doesn’t grow up to be just like you. Broccoli stealer,” I
joked, returning his joyous grin.
 
Alana instantly fell back into a deep slumber in Adrian’s arms, and
he gently placed her back into her small bed beside me before moving
Mason and seating him on his lap as he bent down and placed a deep kiss
on my lips.
 
Once he pulled away, he waggled his eyebrows. “Let’s start
working on that set of twins, shall we?” He smirked.
 
My face began to heat up as my eyes trailed over to our family, who
were scattered all over the hospital room, before I shook my head. “Can you
keep that kind of stuff to yourself in public?” I whispered, heating up even
more.
 
“Keep your pants on while we’re in the room, okay? Just as a
personal favour to me for always being there for you.” Allen cringed.
 
“I second that notion,” Blake spoke up, growing pale at the thought
of it.
 
“I suggest you get out of the room then,” Adrian said in a dead pan
voice, giving them a flat expression.
 
“Mason sweetie! It’s time to go!” Katherine said in a rushed tone,
elegantly walking towards us and snatching the child out of Adrian’s lap.
 
“It’s not actually going to happen!” I squeaked, my eyes growing
wide as I noticed everyone making their way towards the door.
 
“Yeah… it is. You and I both know it. He’s usually your bitch, but
when it comes to sex? You’re his. Sorry Emily, but have fun!” Mason
grinned, before exiting the room.
 
 “Hey, you guys! It’s not – stop leaving!” I called out pathetically,
just as the door slammed shut behind Amy, who I heard laugh before
disappearing completely.
 
“We may as well prove them right…” Adrian trailed off, placing a
trail of kisses on my jawline.
 
I pushed his face away before glaring. “Get off.”
 
“Oh I will.” He smirked, before chuckling at my horrified facial
expression.
 
“You’ll never stop, will you?” I groaned, shaking my head with a
smile on my face.
 
“Nope. It’s okay, you love me, and so you’ll never get sick of it.”
Adrian nodded, confirming his own thoughts to himself.
 
“She’s so beautiful, isn’t she?” I murmured, looking over at a
sleeping Alana with the same smile on my face.
 
“Yeah she is; just like her mothe – oh wait, I’m the hotter one out of
the both of us.”
 
I rolled my eyes. “Nine out of ten times I like you. It’s times like
these where you’re just a total idiot.”
 
“Whatever Trevor. Hey! We can name our next child Trevor.”
 
“Great idea, genius,” I muttered sarcastically. “No more kids.”
 
“Oh, come on Shortcake! Look at her,” He grabbed my cheeks in
between his hand and forced my face to look towards Alana. “You don’t
want any more of her? Or What about Mason? No more of him?”
 
 “I… Ugh, I hate it when you’re right,” I mumbled, crossing my
arms over my chest.
 
Adrian smirked, before his fact transformed into a look of
realisation. “I have something for you.”
 
“Is it that dagger that kills you? New Blu-Ray disks of Dave
Franco?” I asked eagerly, trying to hide the amusement as Adrian’s glare
instantly switched onto his face.
 
“No.” He scowled, before turning around and producing a clear
container that contained green vegetables.
 
“Broccoli!” I squealed, grinning up at him. “You’re the best
husband ever.” I sighed, pulling him in for another, deeper kiss.
 
“I know I am. That shit fucking stinks by the way, and took forever
to cook.”
 
“Oh… you… you cooked it?” I asked, no longer feeling like the
vegetables.
 
He chuckled. “No. I just wanted to see your reaction to that. Maria
made them.”
 
I pushed him slightly, laughing. “Asshole.”
 
***
 
Three Years Later…
 
“I don’t think that’s a safe place to put the vase Adrian, you know
how Alana and Theo are with new things.” I pointed out before rubbing my
back in pain from the full stomach in front of me.
 
Adrian frowned. “They won’t touch it.”
  
“Yes, they will. Don’t you remember what they did to that hideous
– I mean beautiful looking elephant ornament that I was absolutely
shattered about when they broke it?” I asked, correcting myself quickly and
grinning just as Adrian’s frown transformed into a look of surprise.
 
“I thought you liked Martin!” he exclaimed, confusing me.
 
“What? Who is Martin and how did he come into the conversation?
Hey, Theo! Don’t eat daddy’s tie!” I scolded, frowning down at the little
boy who instantly dropped the green silk material and laughed.
 
“Martin is the elephant! I told you his name when we were
watching SpongeBob with the kids on the day I bought him.”
 
A mental image of my 3 children sitting on top of Adrian and I and
laughing at the animated character came into my mind, but I dismissed it
because I wasn’t able to recall the conversation. “Oh, right. Well, Martin
will be missed; and so will this if you leave it within their reach,” I pointed
out, hoping he’d break from his stubbornness.
 
Adrian’s lips pursed as a frown reappeared on his forehead before
he nodded. “You’re right. We’ll just throw it out.”
 
“What?! That cost you $2000!” I exclaimed.
 
“So? I’ve got enough money to last us and our great children. We’ll
just buy another one when they’re all grown up.” Adrian shrugged, already
beginning to walk to the back door of the house with the vase in his grasp.
 
“No! Why don’t we put it in your office? It’ll look nice with your…
um, wooden chairs?” I tried, hoping to convince him.
 
“No. Is the food done yet? They’ll be here any second and we have
to leave straight away.”
 
 “Please don’t throw out the vase,” I whispered, feeling tears well up
and blur my vision.
 
“I’m throwing it out Shortcake, nothing you say will change my mi-
Emily? Are you crying?” Adrian asked, dropping the vase completely. The
beautiful piece bounced slightly on the floor before shattering into hundreds
of tiny pieces of glass; making me squeal in shock and choke from the noise
and Adrian swear under his breath.
 
“I’ll clean it! At least now I don’t have to throw it out in one piece.”
He chuckled, before stopping abruptly once he noticed my angered glare. “I
mean… Are you okay, my most beautiful pregnant wife?”
 
“Most beautiful? Do you have other pregnant wives that aren’t as
‘beautiful’ as I am?” I question, my eyes narrowing even further.
 
“No other woman has your face or body – even after being a whale
for nine months for the past 5 years – which you’re not right now because
carrying my child is your best feature – I mean, along with your other
features and MARIA! HEY, EMILY NEEDS YOU TO COME CLEAN UP
THIS GLASS BECAUSE SHE CAN’T BEND OVER!” Adrian called out,
avoiding eye contact completely.
 
The doorbell rang as soon as his voice died down, making him look
up at me. “Oh would you look at that? They’re here and don’t you miss
Amy? I think you should be angry with her and just remember how I grow
more in love with you as the days pass by and you grow older.” Adrian
cringed, before realising what he said. “I mean not that you look any older.
You still look sexy,” he clarified, before pulling me in for a kiss.
 
“You’re scary when you’re pregnancy mood swings fall into play –
Oh that was the doorbell. I’LL GET IT!”  He called out to no one in
particular before running off.
 
I rolled my eyes just as Maria walked into the backroom with a
dustpan and broomstick. “I’m so sorry Maria, let me do it.”
  
“No Emily! You’re pregnant. Go pack your things and get ready to
leave. I’ll take care of everything here,” she assured me, giving me a
comforting pat on the shoulder.
 
“Hey bitc- whoa, Mason! Hey little guy, I didn’t see you there!”
Amy squealed, laughing in a hysterical panic as she ruffled Mason’s hair
and gave me a look of horror. “Are you ready to go?”
 
“Yes, I told Allen and Blake to take our shi- stuff to the car.” Adrian
spoke up suddenly, also correcting himself and grinning down at Mason.
 
“You guys need a filter for your mouths,” I muttered, laughing.
 
“I’m pretty sure you don’t want a filter on my mouth Shortcake; it’d
get in the way of… things.” He smirked, making his way towards me.
 
“Ha-ha.” I glared, just as he pulled me into his torso. My pregnant
stomach got in the way of Adrian getting his way completely, but his tall
frame still allowed him to bend down and place a kiss on my lips.
 
A groan suddenly sounded from behind us, and we both pulled
away slight and faced Amy who was picking up Mason and giving a
disgusted look. “Let’s go Mase, mom and dad don’t know how to keep their
pants on around each other for more than 15 minutes!” She informed him in
a sarcastic enthusiastic tone, before sending a glare over in our direction.
 
“Not true. They’re on when we’re asleep!” I argued, trying to hold
back a grin.
 
Adrian smirked and shook his head. “Actually, that’s not true either
because even when we aren’t having-”
 
“LEAVING!” Amy shouted, blocking Mason’s ears with her hands
and speed walking out of the room.
 
 “Finally,” Adrian grumbled, before turning back to me. “Now,
where were we-”
 
“Hey Adrian, there’s a – oh. Am I interrupting something?” Allen
asked, raising both eyebrows with an entertained grin.
 
“Yes, now fuck off,” Adrian snapped, growing annoyed at the
interruptions.
 
Allen nodded. “See, I’d do that but-”
 
“But I don’t care. I’m pregnant and horny and want two minutes
alone with my husband. Go away.” I scowled, losing my own patience.
 
Adrian turned back around to face me with an amused and
impressed look. “Don’t let him stop you. Be horny away.” He smirked,
bending back down slightly to kiss me.
 
“No, now I’m not in the mood. And fix your English. You’re from
London for crying out loud! ‘Be horny away’?” I asked, giving him a
disorientated look.
 
“Adrian Kingston. Cock blocked by grammar,” Allen announced,
chuckling to himself.
 
“Fuck off.” Adrian scowled, flipping him off. “Wait! I know what
will make you in the mood again!” Adrian grinned, before taking a step
back away from me.
 
“Please do tell,” I mumbled sarcastically.
 
He glared in my direction before taking off his suit jacket and
rolling up the sleeves of his button up shirt, making me choke on nothing in
particular as my eyes widened. “Are you in the mood yet?” he asked in a
low voice, the usual smirk replacing his previous grin.
 
 I bit my lip and nodded eagerly, just as he wrapped his arms around
my rounded body and held me up. “Your stomach isn’t that huge, and I can
still carry you with my rolled up sleeves, which means you’re not a whale,
see?”
 
“Shut up and kiss-”
 
“Mommy’s cheek because daddy loves her so much and doesn’t
want to scar his children!” Another sarcastic yet excited voice called out;
interrupting us again.
 
“Jesus Christ,” I muttered angrily, before forcing Adrian to turn our
bodies slightly so we were both able to face the voice without breaking our
necks in the process.
 
This time both Amy and Allen were standing there, along with
Blake and Adrian and I’s children, grinning knowingly.
 
“Oh I’m sorry, have we interrupted something?” Blake asked in an
innocent voice.
 
“Oh my, I hope not!” Amy added, widening her eyes before
breaking out into a cheeky grin.“Please do go on! Don’t let us or your
children get in the way of anything!”
 
“You kill the ones you introduced to me, and I’ll do the same for
you,” Adrian whispered in my ear, before placing a peck on my cheek.
 
“Please let me do the honours and kill them all?” I begged, pouting
at him.
 
He chuckled and placed another soft kiss on my lips before sighing
irritably and putting me back down so that I was standing on solid ground.
“Alright a-s-s-h-o-l-e-s, let’s go. They’re probably wondering where we are
by now.” He called out, before picking up Alana and placing her on his
shoulders.
  
“Actually, they probably aren’t. See my parents and your parents are
that used to the fact that you two are always inside one another, they just
know not to expect you until three hours after the initial invitation time,”
Blake informed us with a smug look.
 
I glared and pulled my tongue out at my brother just as the familiar
shrill of Adrian’s phone was brought to life by a phone call. “Yes dad,” he
answered, looking bored. “No, we’re not having se- it. We’re about to
leave.”
 
Mason’s loud and characteristic voice could be heard from my
position beside Adrian, and I watched as my husband rolled his eyes at his
father before taking Alana off his shoulders and holding her in a more
secure position. “Yes, I know her ass has grown bigger. I see her naked,
remember?”
 
Amy, Blake and Allen all began to laugh at this, and I shook my
head and smiled at my father in law’s concerns of the day. “She will still be
able to fit in the car. It’s not as big as that Kardashian woman, dad.” Adrian
gave the wall a flat look, before sighing. “Okay I’ll see you in about 20
minutes and you can discuss your daughter-in-law’s physique then, deal?”
he asked, raising an eyebrow at the same wall.
 
An agreement must’ve come from Mason, because Adrian locked
the phone shut seconds after Mason spoke, before he shoved the small piece
of technology back into his pocket. “Let’s go. Shortcake, my dad said to
make sure your ass doesn’t grow as big as that Kardashian girl and that your
body is amazing just the way it is right now; which is practically what I’ve
been saying to you this entire time.” He scoffed, before focusing on Allen.
“Oh, and he said you’re a twat and a cock block – which I also agree with.”
 
“Adrian! The kids!” I cried, reminding him of the infants
surrounding us – particularly the one in his arms.
 
 “Shi- Sheets are nice! Kids, don’t say anything dad says, okay?”
Adrian looked over at Mason and Alana, not bothering with Theo’s one
year and eight months of vocabulary.
 
Both children looked at their dad cautiously, before looking over at
me with panicked expressions. “What’s wrong?” I asked, both concerned
and confused.
 
“Mum… Dad said not to talk about what he talks… so how do we
say the okay word?” Mason whispered, before his gaze briefly flickered
over to Adrian in caution.
 
I blinked blankly before bursting into a fit of laughter. “No, no.
You’re allowed to say what he says but Mase, there are some words daddy
or even sometimes Aunt Amy and Uncle Allen and Blake say that are
naughty. Daddy is talking about the naughty words,” I explained.
 
Alana suddenly kissed Adrian on the lips, and pulled away with a
smile. “Kiss.”
 
“Yes, that was a kiss, good girl! Give daddy another kiss.” He
grinned, before puckering his lips up for her. Adrian will never admit it, but
it was obvious to everyone who knew him well enough that Alana was his
favourite child out of the three so far. She was an exact replica of me,
whereas Mason and Theo had an uncanny resemblance to their father.
 
Allen spoke up. “Okay Adam’s family, how about we actually
leave? Does that sound good to anyone or do you all prefer to stand here all
morning wasting a wonderful Sunday afternoon where I could be having se
– fun time! With my lady friends.”
 
“I agree,” Blake declared.
 
Adrian looked over at me. “Are you ready to go Shortcake? They
can leave and I’ll wait for you if you don’t feel up to the car ride just yet.”
 
 I smiled and shook my head. “It’s okay, we can go. Come on Theo!
Hold mom’s hand and Mason you can be in the middle of mom and dad!”
 
“No, I want Aunt Amy today, can I go with her? Please?” Mason
begged, looking up at us both with wide, desperate eyes.
 
I looked over at Adrian, wanting him to make the decision, and he
nodded. “Of course you can, mate. I’ll see you at granddad’s house.”
 
Mason cheered before running up to Amy, who grinned widely at
the fact that she was receiving attention from one of my children, before we
all began to make our way back to the front yard.
 
“Alana, sit with Theo for a moment, I need to tell mummy
something important, okay?” Adrian suddenly asked, placing Alana down
on the sofa and picking up Theo and repeating the movement. Alana
nodded in understanding and turned to her younger brother just as Adrian
pulled me out of the front room and into the hallway.
 
“What’s wrong?” I asked in worry.
 
“Nothing… why, do I make you nervous?” He asked in a husky
voice, pulling me closer towards him and trailing kisses down my neck. The
sentence sounded way too familiar to me, and bit my lip in confusion before
grabbing his face and pulling him away slightly.
 
“No, you don’t. Why are you-”
 
His brought his lips back towards my skin and moved down so that
he was trailing light kisses onto my collarbone. “I don’t make you nervous.
Do I turn you on?” he asked gruffly, before pulling away slightly and
smirking.
 
A small gasp of realisation escaped my lips as the clear as day
memory of the first day I had ever laid eyes on Adrian washed over me like
a bucket of water, and I felt an uncontrollable tug at the corners of my lips
as they merged into my own knowing smirk.
 
“I don’t think what you’re asking is appropriate, Mr. Kingston.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to our children,” I murmured,
before pressing my lips against his and walking away.
 
“Tease, you didn’t help me at all,” Adrian grumbled from behind
me, catching up quickly as he readjusted his pants with a scowl.
 
“Of course I did,” I scoffed. “I was your assistant,” I pointed out,
before breaking into a content grin and making Adrian do the same.
 
The End
 
 
Here is a sample from another story you may enjoy:
 
 
 
 
 

1
Wonder and Anxiety
 
“The best is yet to be.”
~Robert Browning~
 
 
 
Lena Rose Winter
 
Sighing, I laid my head down on the unshaven grass. I smiled. Stars
glimmered and gleamed at me, assisting the moon's job to light up the sky
at night. It seemed to me that there was a snowfall sparkling in outer space
and I felt privileged to witness it. Soft, soothing music blasting in my ears, I
felt better than I had in a long time.  Comfort was something I cherished
more than anything. I could feel a slight breeze blow on my neck; it cooled
the few beads of sweat that had formed earlier that night.
 
Mom and I had decided to do a Welcome to the New Home
barbecue. We’d eaten until our stomachs were begging for a break. It was
always a moment that embellished my relationship with her. She went to
sleep about an hour ago, the wine easing the process. So I’d been lying here
for what; an hour or two? In those moments, I witnessed the sun
disappearing and permitting the moon to rise in the sky; it was a never
ending cycle.
 
Except, of course, for people who lived in the North Pole.
 
I had come close enough once, though. A few years ago, when I
was twelve, Mom’s company gave her a post somewhere in Alberta,
Canada. We lived there only for about two months, but my, oh my, we had
gone there in the middle of January. I still recall fearing that my toes were
going to fall off because I couldn’t feel them.
  
Thank God that this time, we moved into a place that wasn’t too
horribly cold, hopefully. Albany, NY seemed like a pretty cool place so far.
I took a walk around yesterday and there was a gigantic park, Ridgefield,
where I was sure to spend more time throughout the year. Myrtle Avenue
was a considerably calm street and I was content about the small house we
rented for the year. Since it was senior year, Mom promised that we could
stay here long enough so I could finish my year and do all of the senior
celebrations.
 
I was never one to fear new beginnings considering this was the
seventh home I lived in. In the span of four years, I had gone to seven
different schools, met different kinds of people and lived in unique types of
houses. I was aware of what was waiting for me tomorrow.
 
Pressure. 
 
Questions would be asked and answers would have to be given. I’d
have to walk away from the spotlight and fade away from the minds of
students who loved the new girl. I would go back into the turtle shell I built
myself.
 
A particular star winked at me in the sky and it got me thinking
about Dad.
 
I often wondered why life could be so fair, yet cruel. Growing up
without a father for the past seven years was hard. I saw my mother cry
on  his  birthdays and, of course, I also carried around the memory of my
fellow 4th grade ‘friends’ practically engraving the idea that I murdered my
dad in my mind. Mom often said that I wasn't to blame, that it was his fate
to die. Still, it wasn’t something anyone can just forget. 
 
A shooting star shot through the sky, and I closed my eyes.
 
I wish that this year brings me happiness, I thought.
 
 ♥♥♥♥♥
 
I forced a big smile as I looked at myself in the mirror, my
reflection looking ecstatic. Letting go of the strain I was feeling, my lips fell
into a straight line. I gave the rest of my features a cursory look. My long,
dull chestnut brown hair flowed to my waist, and not even the sunlight
hitting it could make it appear any more special than it was. 
 
I wrapped a silver bracelet around my wrist. "Let's do this," I
murmured.
 
"LENA! YOU'RE GOING TO BE LATE!" called Mom, disturbing
the moment of peace I was having and making me jump in fright. I shook
my head, chuckling absentmindedly.
 
You'd think that after 17 years of living with her I would've gotten
used to her yelling that I was going to be late, which I never was, but I
could swear that her screaming gets louder every time.  I slipped my comfy,
soft jean jacket on and hopped down the stairs. 
 
I placed a kiss on her forehead. "Good morning," I said.
 
I mentally pinched my nose as I did so; I hated the smell of coffee.
Mom gave me a small smile, sipping on her black, steaming drink.  Her
onyx black hair was in an elegant bun and she was in her business clothes,
which meant that she was going to work.
 
 "Good morning sweetheart,” she said, checking something on her
phone. She looked up at me and gave me a small smile. “You ready?”
 
I nodded, pouring myself a cup of apple juice.
 
“Oh, I just remembered,” said my mom, lifting her eyes from the
magazine. “One of my co-workers’ daughter goes to this school. Look for
her, Stacy Hennings. Okay?" I noticed the familiar kindness and worry in
her gaze. Noticing my absence of response, she prodded: “Okay, Lena?”
  
I rolled my eyes. Mom always had a fear of me being friendless.
But what she didn't understand was that sometimes, I wanted to be alone.
I'd gladly choose re-reading Looking for Alaska on a Saturday night than
partying with a bunch of stuck-up teenagers. I was just that kind of person.
 
Saluting like a soldier, I replied. "Yes, mother." She looked at me,
raising an eyebrow.
 
"What?" I exclaimed, feeling self-conscious all of a sudden. She
walked over to me and stuffed a waffle in my mouth. 
 
I immediately removed the oversized waffle from my mouth and
glared at her, both of us extremely amused.
 
"I was just wondering what I've ever done to deserve a daughter
like you," she winked, poking my nose.
 
I folded my arms over my chest and pouted. "Is that a compliment
or an insult?" 
 
"A little bit of both," she answered, putting her now empty cup in
the sink. She pointed at it and I nodded.
 
"Hey! And I'll do them, I know."
 
After a few minutes of the daily teasing and fighting, I walked out
the door, blowing her a kiss. 
 
“Love you!" I exclaimed, taking a red apple and walking to our
front door.
 
"Take care! Watch out for cars and don't forget to smile and be
happy!" shouted Mom. I closed the door behind me and took a deep breath.
I felt a smile appear on my face, making me feel just a little bit better.
 
 Sure, it was autumn, but the weather was extraordinary. The sun
was out, perfectly shining, but there was a breeze cooling the slight heat.
The leaves of the trees surrounding my neighborhood were red, orange and
yellow, making the view breathtaking. I wished I had my camera to capture
this moment. My dream has always been to become a photographer, to save
every moment of every sunrise, sunset and every scene that takes my breath
away.
 
I began my route to my new school, Albany High School. During
the summer, I had walked by the school so many times, I knew the way by
heart. I plugged my earphones on and put them in my ears. Lego House was
playing, and that was because it had been on replay for a few days. I
hummed its tune softly as I walked to the high school in which I'd spend my
senior year.
 
It was time to pick up the pieces and build a Lego house.
 
♥♥♥♥♥
 
After about 15 minutes, I arrived at my new high school. Unlike all
those summer days when there was no one, it was now packed with
teenagers. And seriously, it was chaos. As my eyes scanned the scene
before me, all I could see were footballs being thrown around, making any
path to the main entrance impossible.
 
Jocks these days.
 
There was a girl leaning her back against a giant tree,
absentmindedly smiling as she gently rocked her head. I could see ear buds
in her ear and I figured she was listening to music she loved.
 
A group of girls were gossiping about something, concentrating on
that subject. I frowned upon seeing one of them dressed in underwear, or as
they called them, short-shorts. It was autumn for God's sake! If you needed
to get lustful gazes from guys, you should've done it during summer, instead
of risking hypothermia.
  
I headed to the main entrance, eager to get my schedule. I muttered
a few "Excuse me’s" along the way. Some students looked at me, as if
analyzing me with their eyes.
 
Why wouldn't they?
 
I was the new girl. 
 
Out of nowhere, something hard hit the back of my head. Black
spots clouded my vision and I felt my body fall to the ground as I lost
consciousness. 
 
Well gosh diddly darn, what a great start to the new school year!
 
 
 
 
If you enjoyed this sample then look for “A Unique
Kind of Love”
 
 
 
 
 
 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
 
 
 
 
So many people helped with the making of this book; in more ways than one. I would like
to start off by giving a massive thank you to my agent, Grace, for helping me throughout the entire
process and approaching me in the first place.
 
I would also like to thank my family who supported me as well as my friends Yasmine,
Raina, Hanadi, Katt, Quincy,  Seham, Amara, Rana and Rima for your constant encouragement and
persistent requests to get me to complete chapter after chapter.
 
Lastly, I would like to acknowledge and thank my teacher, Mrs. K.; her excitement,
encouragement, and techniques to raise my self-esteem about my work contributed greatly to where I
am today. Thank you to all .

 
 
 
 
From the Author
 
Check my page on Amazon and my blog for Updates and interesting info.

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(Just know that these emails are filtered by my publisher.)
 
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When you turn the page, Kindle will give you the opportunity to rate this
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about it? Because... when they enjoy they will be grateful to you and so will
I.
 
Thank You!
 
Elle Brace
elle_brace@awesomeauthors.org
 
 
 
About the Author
 

 
Elle Brace is an Australian author who started her writing career through a free online site. Her first
book "The Assistant" got a total of over 8 million reads on the day of completion!
 
She's a total bookworm and a music lover. Loves to study, especially criminology, and has hopes of
living in London one day.
 
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