Chapter Sixteen

Adrian rolls his eyes bad to look at the ceiling, taking a deep breath to compose himself. "What made you come to that conclusion?"

I lean forward, peering at him until he looks at me. I need him to see my serious expression so he doesn't think I'm joking. "Let me repeat myself. I'm serious about this, Adrian," I watch as he rolls his head to the side to make eye contact with me, eyes swirling with emotion I can't name.

I try to ignore the flutter in my chest. "All I'm saying is that if we pretend to be together, it won't raise any questions. Right? It explains why I transferred here, why we're always together, and it won't raise any suspicions. It would make your job easier, and my life more interesting."

In all honesty, I just don’t want to deal with guys hitting on me all the time. With a guy like Adrian constantly in my shadow, I’ll feel more content knowing that no one will follow me into the restroom or trail me home again.

Adrian’s conflict is obvious as he considers my words carefully. After a few moments, he scrubs a hand over his face before speaking. "Look, I'm not saying that it's a bad idea. All I'm saying is that you and I both know what would happen if your father found out. Besides, I already signed a contract with Mr. Loveday to be your 'Bodyguard', not your 'pretend boyfriend'."

I made an annoyed expression and tap a nail against my empty glass. "I know that. We'll just make another contract between the two of us, stating that everything is my idea. I think my father would agree that the arrangement would be ideal, considering that he's a businessman, after all." I hope my argument sounds convincing, considering that I'm not sure if it's one-hundred percent accurate.

*Just agree with me already. It's embarrassing enough that I suggested this, so waiting on you to respond is killing me.* I send him a telepathic message, gaze unwavering. I was mostly joking about asking him if he can read minds, but it doesn't hurt to try.

Adrian searches my face for a long moment, dragging his response time as long as humanly possible. From the outside, it looks like his brain is going a hundred miles an hour. "You really want to be my girlfriend that bad?" His words are teasing, but his usual playfulness is replaced by something more serious.

"Pretend girlfriend, " I correct him, reaching to pluck the glass of wine from his hand and replacing it with my empty up. "If you fall in love for real though, that's on you,"

Adrian watches me take a long drink from his glass, eyes glistening. He shakes his head and tosses his hand in the air, careful of my empty tumbler he now possesses. He sighs, voice deep like a growl as he speaks.

"I could say the same for you. You're so hard to argue with, Lydia," He leans forward on his cushion until his nose is nearly touching mine, his black eyes staring into mine as if he really can read my mind. "You'd better get used to kissing me, then."

His usual demeanor has changed as if he suddenly decided to give in to the primal urges that he’s been feeling all along. He no longer seems carefully calculated, allowing his hunger to surface. Would he have played the friendly, innocent guy if I never initiated this?

My breaths are shallow as I stare at him, my lips parting as my mouth goes suddenly dry. I guess that's what I wanted, right? Why am I suddenly so nervous? My chest blossoms with heat that I try to convince myself is just the wine, making my head dizzy. My fingers grasp my wineglass tightly, worried that he'll see my shaking. God, I hope he can't hear my heart racing.

He reaches his free hand to my chin, stroking my bottom lip with his thumb. He seems different than usual, more intense in the way he looks at me. His eyes are dark, flickering to the place his finger dances, leaving a trail of sparks in its wake. He doesn't look so young anymore, but more like the man he really is. "I'll sign any contract you make," He whispers, voice husky in my ears. "Just don't regret your decision."

I feel helpless as I stare at him but in a good way. I swallow dryly, and he moves his hand from my face to my neck, eyes never leaving my face, catching every microexpression I make. The light from the fireplace casts a shadow onto his face, highlighting his features in the best way possible as his fingers find the pulse on my throat, tapping gently against the racing rhythm. The pressure against my throat is gentle, just enough to prove the same thing as the lascivious glint in his eye; He's the dominant one in our new fake relationship, and I have a feeling that he won't let me forget it.

He leans in even closer, bringing his lips to my ear. “You’re suddenly so defenseless, Ms.Loveday,” he growls lowly, giving my earlobe a gentle kiss that doesn’t match his tone. “Just like a pretty little bunny rabbit.”

Just as I open my mouth to protest my likeness to a rabbit, a timer goes off in the kitchen that makes me jump, nearly knocking heads with Adrain.

He finally pulls away, retracting his hand from my neck and plucking the wine from my hand with ease. While maintaining eye contact, he presses his lips to my lipstick stain and gulps it down. “Dinner is ready,” He states, wiping a dribble of alcohol from his chin as he swallows. The light of the fireplace dances in his dark eyes, and he smiles deviously. “Would you like to change before we eat?”

He turns to head back to the kitchen, leaving me with my mouth ajar. My mind is reeling from his touch, unable to grasp his sudden change in character. In my head, I was going to be the one messing with him all the time. I never expected him to be a Dom.

After a moment of catching my breath again, I realize that I should take Adrian’s suggestion and change my underwear. His back is to me as he fishes the lamb from the depths of the oven, but I catch him smiling at me over his shoulder as I head up the steps to my bedroom. As soon as the door closes behind me, I let the embarrassment overflow, running over to my bed and planting my face into a pillow, letting out a scream.

Did he read me so easily that he knew that he made me so wet? The interaction lasted barely two minutes, yet it left me reeling. The real question is how he made me melt into a puddle like that. I’ve had sex with several guys in my lifetime, and none of them were able to accomplish what he just had within two minutes. That wasn’t even foreplay, he was just flirting. This bodyguard could definitely make me cum.

I sit up in bed, discarding the pillow as I begin unbuttoning my jeans. I’m lucky that I hadn’t soaked through them, once I realize just how damp my underwear is. I resist the urge to scream into my pillow again as I peel them off and dig a new pair from my dresser. I change out of my sweater and into a matching velvet tracksuit, making sure to leave the jacket unzipped just enough to make my boobs look good. I glance at myself in the mirror, checking to make sure the flush in my face has died down.

I make a mental note to put in the contract that Adrian is prohibited from doing that on school grounds. He’ll be lucky if I let him kiss me in public, after that little display. When I begin to head back down the stairs, I realize that I don’t hear or see Adrian in the kitchen. On the ground floor, I turn the corner into the room fully, unable to see him anywhere.

I furrow my brow as I round the island of the kitchen, spotting a sticky note on the counter beside a plate that has been assembled with meat and vegetables. I scan it over, realizing that the messy writing belongs to Adrian.

I got a phone call that I had to take care of. Eat your dinner and get some rest. I’ll be back in the morning.

I sigh and crumple the note up in my hand, tossing it into the garbage can beneath the sink. What a lame excuse. I know that he probably just got embarrassed, and I wonder if it was really a ‘phone call’ that he had to take care of after that scene in the living room.

I pick up my plate of food and head back to the living room, realizing that it isn’t so bad to be alone now. After that weird, long day I’ve had, cuddling up by the fire with some Gilmore Girls sounds like a nice way to end the night.