Page 27 of Never Fake Date the Financier
Because she’s in love with Adrian and hates that he’s off the market, throwing not-so-subtle jabs my way.Ugh.She wasn’t remotely attempting to hide it or her disdain for me. She dove straight into the interrogation once we left the room and did not let up. I couldn’t go to the bathroom without her latching onto my arm and following me like we’re besties, all the while droning on and on about some random time Adrian was nice to her when he was visiting during Thanksgiving years ago.
Her faux friendliness was more nauseating than the turbulence. But one thing I want to know is if Adrian knew about this minefield he chucked me into, bound, gagged, and blindfolded. He must be oblivious because he never told me Sariah had a sister, and she isnota detail I think he’d overlook.
Oh, by the way. My ex’s sister is in love with me, so there likely will be a battle royale between you two at some point. Good luck! Hope you can throw a punch, grapple, or wield a stiletto like a dagger.
“Gigi!” Lillian chirps in her now quite familiar voice that will haunt my dreams into the foreseeable future.
I thought I’d escaped without her noticing me, but apparently, I’m not so lucky. I turn, flashing the best fake smile I can muster, but I’ve been at it all day, so it’s painful holding it for more than a few moments. “Yes?”
“Please give Adrian a kiss for me.”
Gritted teeth. Eyelid twitching. “Uh-huh.”
It’s taking everything in my power to restrain myself as I nod slowly and then turn around and head for the elevator.
Kiss Adrian for her? He’s not even my real boyfriend but I’m pissed off anyway. Who does she think she is? I’m not sure what I signed up for, but this was not it. I should’ve added some contingency to the contract. And after that near-kiss?
Phew.
It was always a possibility that we’d kiss at some point during this, even though it apparently never crossed Adrian’s mind. I expected something chaste, but the way Adrian held me in front of Sariah’s friend. The way he looked at me. The waymy bodyreacted? That wasn’t going to be a chaste kiss. That was going to be a knock-your-socks-(panties?)-off kind of kiss.
I lean back against the cool, polished metal interior of the elevator, relishing the way I felt in that moment. The way his hands gripped me, riveting me in place. The way I wanted him to kick everyone out of the room and leave us alone to…Yeahhhhhh.
This is not good. I shouldn’t be feeling this way. Not so soon. But Adrian is making itreallyhard. I can’t let Adrian know how much that near-kiss affected me. I’m telling myself that he was only going to kiss me to make our relationship seem more realistic. A show for one of the bridesmaids. An act and nothing more. He doesn’treallywant to kiss me. And I don’treallywant to kiss him.
Not that much…
I try to fan the redness out of my cheeks as I leave the elevator and head to our room, telling myself that it’s all in my head. I need to get over myself. I need to focus on the task at hand. But as soon as I open the door and see Adrian standing in front of the mirror half-dressed, my plan to keep calm, cool, and collected is crushed.
This man isunreal.
His crisp white shirt is unbuttoned, and when he turns to greet me, I only see his mouth moving. I can’t hear anything. I can’t even hear my own thoughts. All I’m seeing are muscles. Slabs and slabs of meat—muscles. Chest. Abs. And the ridges of no return… GoodLORD!Thankfully, his pants are on.
“Hi,” I croak, rubbing the back of my neck, trying my best to keep it simple because I don’t trust myself to formulate a coherent sentence.
He’s working on his buttons as his eyes work me over. Not a single word. No grunt or groan. Just staring. And it’s making my stomach twist and turn.
“Are you going to stand there or come inside?”
Riiiiight.
“C-come inside,” I mumble, fumbling with my purse as I walk like a completely normal person into our shared room. Not hitting more than a few corners of furniture or tripping more than once because I can walk, and have been walking for decades like a—crap!My knee bumps a side table, and Adrian lunges forward, grabbing the lamp at the same time as I do. The metal base rattles until it finally settles back in place. But with his firm hand around mine, his shirt still unbuttoned, and the heat from his body and gaze bearing down on me, every nerve in my body starts to vibrate.
“Looks like you guys had a great time. Open bar?”
I swallow. “Unfortunately, not. On both accounts.” Nope, no alcohol is needed for me to walk like a toddler.
Adrian studies me for a few moments before he slides his hand away from mine and then starts to button his shirt. I want to reach out and stop him, but that would go against the wholethese feelings aren’t real,so instead I do nothing.
“That’s a shame.”
I’m not sure why I can’t look away, but I can’t stop staring at his deft, thick fingers working those buttons one by one. One by…
I tear my gaze away from Adrian and force myself to move past him. I need air. But what I need more than air right now is food. I’ve hardly eaten anything all day because all I’ve been offered are salads and vegetables. Raw. No dressing. Nothing. I almost laughed when I was offered a single unpeeled carrot, like I was a horse.
“I’ll make it up to you tonight.”
Even with the distance between us, I can feel the heat from his gaze on my skin. “Oh? There’s no need for that.”
