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.
C
hapter Four
I had set Three Rules during the drive to Adrian’s apartment – and went over them in my head carefully as we stepped into the elevator of one of the biggest hotels he owned. He lived in the penthouse.
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.