Page 40 of (Un)Spoken

ADAM

Especially with the chaos

TWENTY-THREE

Sitting this close to Adam and not being able to touch him was torture. The smell of him, all masculine and warm, made my insides tingle, like his pheromones were designed just to trap me. What I would do if I could crawl into his lap and show him all the dreams I’d had while we were apart. I was desperate to touch him, to taste him. But there was no way I could, not with my daughter and brother sitting on the opposite side of the living room, watching and happily carrying on in conversation.

As much as I appreciated everyone coming out to greet me, I kept checking my phone, wondering how much longer they’d hang out. Not because I didn’t enjoy their company; Alex and Calla had welcomed me with open arms, and Cole boasted about me like a proud brother. Theo was the only one I was still feeling out, unsure if he was just tolerating me for the rest of the group’s sake. But after I stood up for Adam, something shifted in his gaze, almost a little like respect.

However, every time Adam shifted behind me, his knee grazing my shoulder or back, my focus pulled entirely tohim. I sucked in a sharp breath as he leaned forward to refill his cup, his fingers brushing my spine as he sat back up. Even soft, simple touches like that felt like the worst form of foreplay, all build-up, no release. If everyone didn’t leave soon, I would probably explode.

Emilia’s little snore came from Cole’s lap, and I started to stand up. He waved me off. “Please, can I take her?” He smiled down at his niece, curled up in his lap. “I’m not ready to let her go just yet.”

How could I say no to that? I nodded, smiling to myself as he lifted my daughter with ease. My throat tightened at the sight, slightly hating myself for delaying this even for a short while. As much as I still had that voice in the back of my mind, wondering how long this Cole would stick around, it was getting quieter every day. Every time he showed up when he was supposed to, every time he answered my phone calls, the doubts lessened.

“We should head out too,” Calla said, lifting herself out of Theo’s lap. As soon as she did, he pulled his phone out of his pocket, grimacing when he looked at the screen. She arched her brow when she saw his expression. “Everything okay?”

“Nothing we can’t handle,” Theo smiled, standing up to lightly kiss her lips. After watching them all night, it made a lot more sense why Theo was so head over heels for his wife. They complimented each other well and seemed to have the best kind of partnership.

While Cole tucked Emilia into her new bed, Alex walked the others to the door, Adam hanging back with me to start cleaning up. As I collected soda cans, I felt his eyes on me, watching as I worked.

“Can I help you?” I teased.

“Nope.” He shook his head, dark blond hair fallingacross his forehead. “Just still can’t believe you’re actually here.”

I placed the sodas in the sink, staring out across the island at him. “Thought I’d change my mind?”

“I don’t know,” Adam whispered, coming closer so Alex wouldn’t hear us. “But I’m really fucking glad you didn’t.”

I tucked my head, trying to hide the color invading my cheeks. It was refreshing being around Adam, knowing he didn’t really hold back his feelings, at least when it came to me. While I was back in Texas, I couldn’t help but look up Adam’s past, curious about the other women he’d dated. It was a horrible decision. There were models, actresses, and even a few major philanthropists dedicated to changing the world. I couldn’t hold a candle to any of them. But the biggest shock of all was how they described Adam as if he was a master player who only cared about bedding beautiful women.

After reading articles about him, for a moment, I thought he’d changed and become someone who played games with women’s hearts. But it only lasted for a second before my own experiences replaced those of second-hand sources. Adam had been nothing but kind to me, direct with his intentions and feelings. Maybe in the past, he wasn’t the best at relationships, but I knew better than most how people could change.

As I glanced up at Adam, I caught him staring at my lips like he wanted to consume me then and there. My thighs clenched at the thought, wondering what it would be like if we’d taken a step further. Would he be gentle? Or would the rest of his body be just as demanding as his mouth? God, I hoped that was the case.

I wanted to see more of him, to let my fingers run along the cut lines of his body, to feel how much my touchaffected him. The room started to get warmer, and my brain turned to mush. As much as I wanted to believe it was from all the travel, I knew it wasn’t the case. It was all due to the man hovering in front of me, staring at me like he wanted to devour me.

“Okay, she’s out.”

My brother’s voice made me jump, almost landing on the opposite side of the kitchen. I bowed my head, hoping he didn’t notice me staring at his best friend like he was a snack I was dying to unwrap.

He clapped his hand on Adam’s shoulder, not seeing the flinch on Adam’s face. “We’re gonna head out.” He looked between the two of us. “Are you sticking around?”

“Nah,” Adam chuckled. “Just wanted to make sure Tori was settled before I headed down to my cabin.” He looked at me, heat returning to his dark blue eyes. “You need anything, you know where to find me.”

I nodded, tucking my hands behind me. “Yeah, thanks.”

Closing the door behind them, I took in more of the apartment, trying to commit this moment to memory. Without the lights on, the moon shone through the skylight, casting everything in a soft glow. It was wild to think that a few weeks ago, this place had been filled with old storage and peeling wooden panels. Now, it felt like a place anyone would be honored to visit. I peeked into Emilia’s room, watching her snore quietly in dreamland. In her arm was a stuffed wolf, which must have been another gift from Cole. I was going to have to cut the man off. It was like he was trying to cram five years of presents into a few days.

I pressed a kiss on her forehead, shutting her door before walking into the bathroom. My reflection stared back at me in the wide mirror, showcasing the dark circles under my eyes. Sleep should have been my priority, but I was toofilled with nerves and excitement to close my eyes. Stepping back into the living area, I grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and then settled onto the couch. Back home, our TV only had a few channels, primarily local news and a couple of kid programs. If we wanted to watch anything different, we’d have to go into the main house. And while Cam’s parents always made me feel welcome, it was hard to lounge and binge-watch while everyone else was working hard around me.

Clicking through the different apps, I let out an excited squeal as I found one of my favorite old sitcoms. But before I could get comfortable, a knock sounded from the door. My traitorous heart beat heavily in my chest, hoping that only one person was waiting on the other side.

As I pulled it open and saw Adam waiting for me, a wild, almost frantic look in his eyes, I nearly fainted at the sheer need coursing through my veins. “Wh...What are you doing here?” I stumbled.

“Saying goodnight to you properly.”

TWENTY-FOUR

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