Page 59 of Fake Dating Adrian Hunter
Friends? I mean, friends is better than nothing. It’s what I originally wanted for us. But now… Friends is not enough. How can we be friends after all the dirty things he did to me last night? This answers my question about our status, though. I fight back the tears, feeling like an idiot for letting myself grow attached to Adrian again after all these years.
“I don’t know any friends that kiss,” I mutter. “Or sleep together.”
He chuckles and reclines against the daybed backrest, but the tone of his laugh is off kilter. Regardless, how can we be on polar opposites of the emotional scale right now, with him laughing and me trying hard to not let my voice crack?
“Does Darius know we slept together?” Adrian asks.
“Yes. And also about the fake relationship.”
He raises a skeptical eyebrow. “And he’s okay with both?”
“Not really, but he won’t be an issue.”
Adrian takes another sip of coffee before turning to sarcasm. “This won’t be awkward at all.”
The lump in my throat grows heavier. I stand from the daybed, unable to face Adrian right now. “I should… get dressed for the day.”
“Vee.” My name races out of Adrian’s mouth. He grabs my hand and pulls me back down beside him. Our gaze meets, making my stomach flip with nerves. He waits in silence, but for what, I’m not sure. When Adrian finally speaks, it’s with a soft voice. “What happened between us last night?”
“It was just some fun, right?”
He examines my face, and I pray he can’t see through the shield I have up to protect my heart. Both of his hands find mine and he gives them a gentle squeeze before clearing his throat. “I’m not sure how to navigate this situation between us, Verena. We have such a complicated past and it feels like we’re finally back on track as friends.” He gives an awkward laugh. “Friends really isn’t the right word, but I don’t know what is. The point I’m trying to make is I’m realistic about where I stand with you. I know I don’t have any say in your life when it’s been years since we’ve spoken. I’m afraid of scaring you off by coming on too strong, but I have to say this. I don’t like Darius. He’s not right for you.”
Wait, what? That whole speech was about Darius? My throat clenches to ward off another onslaught of tears because some stupid part of me believed Adrian was about to confess his feelings for me.
“Why don’t you like Darius?”
“Come on, Verena,” he sighs, letting a hint of frustration slip through his voice. “We had sex last night and he’s okay with that? Darius is wasting your time and you’re going to end up heartbroken again.”
“I told you, it’s complicated.”
“Well, it shouldn’t be. You should be with someone who can’t stand the thought of anyone else having you.”
I wishyoufelt that way about me, I feel like saying.
“Adrian… I don’t want to fight. Darius is my best friend. He’s not going to hurt me.”
Something about my words makes Adrian flinch. “I used to be your closest friend. Look how that ended.”
Oh, come on, you’ve got to be kidding me! It’s myfriendshipwith Darius that Adrian is jealous of? I retract my hands from his, creating distance between us. “Darius won’t hurt me like that, okay?”
“How do you know?”
My temper snaps and I’m suddenly raising my voice. “Because no one can hurt me the way you did! Not Darius. Not Jake when he cheated on me. No one!”
We both fall quiet, staring at each other in shock. I don’t know how we found our way to this place, but the tension between us has grown one hundred times deeper now that we’ve dug up the dangerous territory of our past.
Adrian is the first one to break the silence, his eyes pleading with me. “We should talk about our childhood. I’m so sorry, Verena. I wish I could undo all of the bad parts and never have hurt you.”
I try to keep a level head by lowering my voice. “I don’t want to talk about what happened between us. It’s too painful. We’ve had such a good time together these last few days. Let’s move on from the past and enjoy the rest of the week.”
He slides closer, taking my hands in his again. “Ihavemoved on. It’s you that’s holding onto pain. You’re never going to give me a chance to fix what happened between us, are you?”
“Adrian…”
“I want what we used to have. Verena, I want…” He exhales loudly.
I’m holding my breath, waiting for him to finish that sentence and say that he wants me. But he never does.
