Chapter Twelve

I follow Adrian's directions to town, resisting the urge to fidget with the settings of the dash while I'm driving since it started raining as soon as we exited the community gates. Adrian continuously glances at the speedometer as I drive, which begins to vex me. I'm not driving as fast as I usually would, which he seems to be silently judging. The roads here are winding and arrow as we head down the mountain that the community is perched on, and I don't want to risk swerving into the rockface beside us if another car comes along one of the turns.

Without risking a glance away from the road, I adjust my and against the steering wheel and clear my throat. "Is there a problem with my driving?" I ask, unable to hide my annoyance any longer.

"No, you drive safely," He says, driving his gaze into the side of my head. "I just hope that we don't have to lose a tail while you're behind the wheel."

I can tell that he's joking, but I can't help but bristle a bit at the insinuation. "I can drive quite adeptly, I'll have you know, I scoff. "I haven't always had a bodyguard with me my whole life, you know. I can tell when someone is following me."

Adrian is quiet for a moment as the terrain evens out when we reach the base of the mountain. "Turn right at this stop sign. What kind of store are we going to?"

I follow his instructions, pausing to let a box-style truck go by before pulling onto the highway. "Somewhere that sells organic food."

Adrian sucks a breath through his teeth. "We'll have to drive to the next town for something like that. You're okay with getting on the parkway?"

"Of course. I'm not driving on a permit, you know." I roll my eyes. I kind of assumed that a good grocery store would be hard to find in this town. As if to prove my point, we drive through a flashing yellow light at an intersection before passing through what I assume is the heart of this place.

I glance towards either side of the street at the stores that line the sidewalks, unsurprised to see a general store, coffee shop, and a few boutiques. They all look like the type of businesses that come and go with the seasons, due to the lack of business. It's kind of sad, really. What's even more pitiful is that I've only driven past two other cars and one pedestrian walking along the sidewalk.

As we pass by a gas station near the end of the main street, a man getting out of his truck at one of the pumps pauses to watch us go by. Adrian raises a hand in a familiar wave and the man outside the window nods in return before continuing to the gas pump.

I stop at what seems to be the last red light before exiting the town. "Do you know that guy?" I ask, for lack of better conversation. I glance in the rearview mirror but don't see him anymore. He must have gone inside to pay for his gas.

I could have sworn that the windows on the G63 were tinted, so no one can see inside even if they pressed their face up to it. Maybe Adrian took it for a test drive before picking me up from the airport.

Adrian leans back in his seat, long legs stretched out as much as they can. Even though he moved the seat all the way back, his knees are still uncomfortably close to the dashboard, but he doesn't seem bothered. "He's a friend of my father's, you could say. I'm sorry for insinuating that you can't handle yourself, by the way. I didn't mean it like that." I can hear the genuine apology in his voice and feel him looking at me intently.

I thought he said that he was new to the area. Maybe his family lives here and Adrian lives elsewhere? I glance his way just before the light turns green and I continue driving again. Luckily for him, I don't feel like prying right now. I didn't notice that he changed his outfit before, and the navy blue jacket that he wears matches the color of my jeans. I shiver, suddenly wishing I brought a coat to wear over my sweater.

Adrian notices and reaches to the display, touching the screen until he gets to the 'seats' option. He scrolls through the settings until he finds the seat warmer option, and turns mine on high. "...Your makeup looks pretty," He offers, almost as if he's extending an olive branch. He must be aware that he's already pissed me off a few times today, and doesn't want to be on my bad side.

My eyes involuntarily swipe away from the road for a moment to look at him. I doubt that he would stay there for long, anyway with a face like that. "Thanks, and it's okay. It's just been a weird day," I say with a half-hearted laugh. "I could use a long drive, anyway, so this is nice."

"Yeah, I can agree with that," Adrian chuckles, revealing the depth of his voice. "I hope we didn't start our first day together off with a bad impression of each other."

I can tell that he means it. He seems like a pretty genuine person when he isn't keeping secrets. "Nah, I think we'll be fine either way. We have a few years to get to know each other better, anyway," I can't explain why the sentence brings butterflies to my stomach again. God, if he knew what I did earlier, he'd think I'm a freak. I'm sure he'd ask my dad for a transfer right away if he found out.

I risk a glance in his direction again, feeling my cheeks heat at the thought. How can I blame myself, though? It's not my fault that he looks as fine as he does... and he's so nice. Besides, he already said that he doesn't have a girlfriend, so I have nothing to feel guilty for.

As if sensing the direction of my thoughts, Adrian turns to look at me with his stupid smirk, raising an eyebrow. Cocky bastard. "Do you want me to hook your phone up to the Benz? It has Apple Car Play," He suggests.

I nod gratefully and gesture to my purse that rests on the floorboard by his feet. The silence does feel a little loud. "It's in my bag. There isn't really anything in there, so don't be shy about digging around for it."

Adrian hesitates, casting an awkward glance in my direction. He looks from the road and back to me again as if contemplating asking me to do it. Seeing the rain pick up against the windshield, he caves in and finally peers into the purse, as if it were going to bite him. He holds it up between us to try unlocking it with my face ID. It doesn't work with the angle he holds it at.

"Just unlock it," I say, glancing at him. "The code is 062701."

Adrian swipes up on the screen and enters it in, unlocking my phone successfully. "That's your birthday, isn't it? God, I forgot how young you are." He says, reaching to the display to connect my phone via Bluetooth.

"Yeah, it is. I don't need you thinking that I'm hiding anything from you on there, anyway, so I don't care if you know it. And I'm 21. You're not much older."

Adrian leans onto the armrest as he continues setting the connection up between the devices, not pulling away as our arms press together. "I wouldn't have asked you for it," He says, voice lowering. "You have a right to your privacy, you know."

I shrug it off light-heartedly. "You've already seen me naked, so I figured we may as well take the next step," I tease him.

He chuckles, leaning his head back to stare at the ceiling of the G-Wagon as he recalls the event. "I said I was sorry about that." He doesn't sound very sorry, but it makes me grin. *God, his smile... *

I can't help my playful grin, leaning into his touch even more against my better judgment. "*Sure* you are. Let's just not tell my dad. I'd hate to lose you so soon, you're the most interesting bodyguard I've ever had," I confess, deliberately keeping my eyes forward to avoid looking at him. "Should I get on here?" I ask, nodding towards the onramp ahead.

I feel him gazing at me, seeming to weigh my words carefully. "Yeah, get on here."

I comply, guiding the Merceedees onto the interstate. *The Neighborhood* begins to play on the speakers as Adrian opens my music app. "This is a good song."

Adrian seems to be deciding how to proceed with his answer before he speaks again, listening to the lyrics of the song taht's playing. "Agreed. I hope we can continue to get along so well."