Page 55 of His Secret

I move my hands, rubbing his back softly, filled with an emotion I didn’t expect.

I missed him. I knew that. I was mad at him. I was happy he returned. I was confused and frustrated to find he was married. But I was glad to see him again. It’s been a roller coaster of feelings, but here, in this moment, having him in my arms is something I didn’t know I needed.

I don’t hug many people. Not like this. This is good for my soul. It breaks me open and fills me with warmth and comfort.

I feel both elated and heartbroken.

I never want to let him go, but he’s not mine.

I want to cry, and I don’t know if it’s because I’m so happy or terribly sad.

Adrian squeezes me and makes a quiet noise in his throat. His hands run up and down my back, and then the fingers of my left hand dance across his shoulders, finding place at the nape of his neck. I comb them through the strands of his hair, and his body shivers.

“This isn’t weird,” I whisper next to his ear.

“No,” he says in a quiet voice. “It feels like home.”

My heart cracks open, bleeding into my chest. Kill me now.

“It’s not smart, either.”

We both begin to ease away, our cheeks rubbing against each other.

He turns into my face like he wants to kiss me. “Probably not.”

His breath ghosts across my skin he speaks, and I close my eyes and tug on the strands of his hair.

My cock stirs to life, pressed against his hip. I know when he feels it, because his body freezes. His hands stop moving up and down my back, and besides his chest moving with each breath, he’s just still.

His arms slowly unwrap from around my body, and I take a tiny step back, but keep my hands locked around the back of his neck.

He grabs my hips, our foreheads touching as we try to bring ourselves to release one another.

I force myself to let him go, letting my hand curve around his jaw, where he nuzzles into my palm. With a small grin, I push his hair off his forehead and plant a small kiss at his hairline.

Adrian inhales deeply before looking at me. The seconds feel like they stretch into hours as we stare at each other.

He has more of a reason not to do this than I do. Sure, he’s my subordinate, but I don’t give a fuck about the rules. Not when it comes to him. His marriage is inconsequential. It’s built on lies and untruths anyway. What’s another? Especially when it means he could finally be himself.

“Goodnight, Adrian,” I finally say, taking another step back and stripping us of any contact.

“Goodnight,” he says after a few seconds.

My eyes drink in his body one more time, and I notice his growing erection pressing against the thin material of his shorts.

“Good god,” I mutter before rushing into my room to lock myself in.

The Past

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

ADRIAN

I tugat the collar of my button-up as I sit at the dining room table, surrounded by my family and their close friends, Mr. and Mrs. Thistle.

“We’re so glad you two could join us,” my mom says, smiling at my sister and me.

I nod my head, a forced grin on my face.

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