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.

Emily

 “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.









 

First day

“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. 

lunch

 “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.






“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. 



“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.

chapter 5

 
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 6

 



 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.



 

Adrian house

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. 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.



No touching Adrian of any sort. Touching in his eyes would lead to something more. Something I didn’t want happening.



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.

Found the keys

 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 9

 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.

chapter10

“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.

Geting ready

 “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“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. probably wants me to have sex with them to begin with – no amount of flattery in the world would change that.

“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.”

 

say sorry

“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 13

“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.

California

 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:



only see-through lace bras and underwear

two insubstantial looking bikini pieces

a sundress

a pair of mini shorts

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.

Didn't mean to

 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.

change

 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.

found out

 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 18

 “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 19

 
 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.”

Family

 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.

moving in

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.

 “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.

“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.  

chapter 22

“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.

 

The event

 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.”

Imprint

Publication Date: 01-10-2016

All Rights Reserved

Dedication:
Some mornings, women swing in and out of his office, one after the other. And as if he couldn’t get enough girls, he even tosses his flirtation and sexual innuendo Emily’s way. Good thing Emily knows how to keep her priorities straight. A flirty, devastatingly handsome boss? His jealous girlfriends? Her demanding workload? Emily has enough on her plate! She really doesn’t need all the headache. What she doesn’t understand though, is this: Why does Adrian seem to need her? After all, Emily Johnson, while beautiful, is not exactly Adrian’s usual type. What could he possibly want with her? Is this just another game played by a bored, rich billionaire trying to win the only girl who has the guts to tell him ‘No?’ Or could Adrian Kingston really be falling in love with The Assistant?