Chapter Eight

I sink into my seat as it begins to heat up against my back. Despite knowing that I really was being followed after I just landed here, I feel surprisingly calm. Unlike most of my other bodyguards in the past, Adrian seems to know what he's doing and nothing has slipped past him yet. On top of the professionalism, he actually makes me feel like a person, not just merchandise to babysit. My father was right; Adrian does seem like a good guy.

Now that my stomach is full and the warmth begins to sink in, I feel the tension begin to melt away. Once I get settled into my new place, it'll be much harder for anyone to get to me. One new person in a town as small as Whitefish is probably unusual enough, so if any more show up after me, it should be easy to keep an eye on them. Besides, I have a feeling that I won't be as easy to reach as I once was.

My gaze wanders to Adrian again, who looks intently at the road. His mouth is a hard line and his brow is furrowed, seemingly deep in thought as he drives. He weaves in and out of the dwindling traffic, making quick work of distancing ourselves from the vineyard.

The strong scent of mint wakes me up, and I startle at the realization I fell asleep somewhere along the drive. Adrian still sits in the driver's seat, eyes wide at my abrupt consciousness. He retracts his arm from me, where it seems like he was about to shake me awake.

"God," He exclaims with a sigh. "You're a light sleeper. Sorry to startle you, but we made it."

Dazed, I sit back in my seat and peer out the windows, taking in the surroundings. Newly constructed townhomes line the narrow street, with generous garage spaces and an aesthetically pleasing gray and white brick. The street goes on for a while longer, but like there is a dead end up ahead. The street seems to hold about twenty-five units altogether, which I'm happy to see. They all seem to be lived in, so there won't be any sudden new neighbors to keep an eye on.

I unbuckle my seat belt and gather my bag before reaching for my handle and stepping onto the concrete driveway that the SUV is parked in. I'm surprised to see such nice homes this far into Whitefish, considering what I had pictured in my head. This doesn't look like a bunch of farmland, but I'm sure that's exactly what surrounds us.

Adrian follows me out of the vehicle and comes to stand with me. He opens the hatch and begins lifting my luggage out, setting it softly on the driveway. "I'm actually surprised you could sleep after that," He remarks, hauling a few bags over his shoulder.

"Me too, actually," I say, following him up to the door of the townhome we're parked in front of. "I must have felt safe enough to relax. I was pretty tired from the flight, I guess."

Adrian swings the door open, gesturing for me to enter first, despite the massive overflow of cargo in his arms. His gaze follows me as I enter the home, dusky eyes shining with a softness that I didn't notice before.


As I set my bag down on the marble countertop in the kitchen and soak in my surroundings, I feel his gaze penetrating my back, watching carefully for my reaction. He did mention that he owns this unit, so it would make sense for him to be curious about my impression. It's sort of adorable how interested he is in what I think.

I take my time walking around the downstairs, analyzing each room. The front door has a small space for shoes, with a closet in the short hallway for jackets before it opens up into a dining area and kitchen. There are two large windows above the basin sink, allowing a lot of natural light to pour in. I'd imagine that it would be good lighting, if it wasn't so overcast outside. The flooring seems to be a light gray colored marble, which is much better than I was expecting. The whole space is an open concept, with a large loft visible from the doorway. The ceilings are very high, allowing soft light to pour in through skylights that illuminate the living room.

My footsteps echo throughout the space as I wander around, opening every door that I find. Once I'm confident that I've seen everything on the ground level, I make my way to the stairs but pause to look back at Adrian.

His eyes seem to have never left me as he quietly observes, still holding on to every piece of my luggage at the doorway. "What do you think?" He asks hopefully.

I smile coyly at him and fluff my hair. "It seems livable. Will you bring those upstairs? I know they must be heavy," I say, gesturing to the bags. I squint at him, but it doesn't look like his arms are shaking from the weight. He must be some sort of bodybuilder beneath that babyface.

He shakes his head and smirks, seeming pleased with my reaction. "Sure. You're welcome to change the furniture and decorate it however you'd like. I wasn't sure of your taste, so I had some basic furniture brought in for now."

I pause to take a look at the white furniture in the living room that sits in front of a marble fireplace. It looks electric luckily, so I won't have to worry about getting firewood. Judging by the well-decorated area, I'd assume that he hired an expert in interior design just for me. I actually love the way everything looks with the simple black and white decor, but I'll have to add my own personal touch in a few areas. "Okay, I will," I comment before heading up the steps.

I"m hyperaware of how the flared shorts on my romper hike up as I climb, and of Adrian's proximity to my back. I can feel his gaze burning my ass, and as soon as I reach the landing I look back at him with a raised brow.

He grins at me innocently and nods his head down the hallway. "There are two bedrooms. You're welcome to choose whichever you'd like."

I make my way towards the door closest to me, but get distracted by the view out the window. The back of the townhome faces mountains very similar to the ones at the vineyard, and I can't help but smile. It's almost as if he read my mind back there.

"Where will you be staying?" I ask over my shoulder, curious about his innuendo. Two bedrooms? I push the first door to my left open, and he follows me closely as we step inside.

The bedroom is massive, though not quite as nice as the one I have at home. I'm pleasantly surprised though by the vaulted ceilings and California King-sized bed, made up in a neutral silk comforter. There's also a fireplace and large TV mounted on top of it, but the thing that makes me gasp is the glass doors that lead outside to a balcony. I hurry over to get a better look, my heels clicking against the continuous marble floors of the bedroom.

Adrian seems to gauge my reaction before setting my things down on the floor. He moves to the fireplace and presses a button to ignite it, but I'm too busy marveling at the view from the windows. It's even better than the vineyard from this perspective.

"I own this whole neighborhood," He says, answering my nearly forgotten question. "So I'll be staying right next door. I'd hate to invade your privacy everywhere you go."

I turn to look at him, not surprised to see his gaze already on me. "So you are rich," I give him a pointed look, scanning him up and down. Aside from the Rolex, I never would have guessed it from how he dresses. "You know, I'm used to having no privacy though."

Adrian tilts his head and folds his arms over his chest, drawing my eyes to his muscles flexing as he moves. The air seems to change as his eyes pierce through me, taking me off guard. "Then this should be a nice change for you," I suddenly realize that he's testing me somehow at the lowered tone of his voice, and his eyes rake me over slowly, as if in confirmation.

I lick my lips, finding it very hard to hold his gaze all of the sudden. "I guess so," I say, reaching to remove my sweater and jacket, revealing the plunging neckline of my romper. I toss the outer garments onto the bed. "Why are there two bedrooms then?" I decide to play along, matching his sudden change in energy. He at least attempted to conceal his flirtatiousness in the car, but now that we're in his territory, he's become more confident.

Adrian's throat bobs as his gaze dips from my face, unabashedly appreciatng the view. "They all have two. Besides, I thought that you would like this view better. Since I live right next-door, you can always call me if you're feeling lonely."

I suck in a breath at his comment and fold my arms, allowing them to settle just beneath my chest and straighten my shoulders. So, I did have the right idea about him from the start. I'm glad it wasn't just one sided. "Well," I begin, kicking off my heels. Without them, I have to crane my neck back to hold his gaze. "I'm sure to take you up on that offer eventually. It's a big place for just one person."