Page 64 of Fake Dating Adrian Hunter
“I… yes.” The only issue is, I can’t tell what’s real or not anymore.
“Perfect.” Adrian grins, but is he fuming inside? Did he see the messy bedsheets I left for him? I want him to want me so badly that he can’t stand it. I want him to pine after me and spend every second of every day craving my kisses.
If I keep playing along like Adrian and I are in some blissful relationship, it will earn me no jealousy points. So, I release myself from his arms and step closer to Darius. As with last night, Adrian looks between Darius and me, studying us. Either he hates that I’m choosing to be in closer proximity to Darius, or he’s noticed our DICKotomy. I’m hoping for both.
Before I have a chance to say anything, Stacy curls a hand through her blond ponytail, snickering at the sight of us. “Darius and Verena look cute in their matching outfits, don’t you think, Adrian?”
Ordinarily, a comment like that from Stacy would piss me off, but for once, her snark is doing me a favor. Whatdoespiss me off is Adrian’s lack of annoyance.
He smiles at me again and stretches a hand forward to weave our fingers. “Verena looks beautiful.”
“I thought you were having lunch with Isabelle,” I say when he draws me away from Darius and back into his arms.
“Your ex-girlfriend?” Stacy asks.
“Yeah, but that’s a bit later,” Adrian explains. He’s still playing up that lie. I reallyhopelunch with Isabelle is a lie. “Thought I might steal Verena away for a moment. I’ve got something important to discuss with her.”
My spirits perk up. Something important to discuss? Is Adrian coming to his senses about us and ready to confess his feelings?
“We’re about to have lunch,” Darius tells him, blunt as anything.
Adrian’s tone is just as harsh. “You haven’t even ordered drinks yet. I’m sure there’s plenty of time before your meal arrives. Excuse us.” He stands from the stool, leading me toward the exit.
“What are you doing?” I ask, following him. “I was in the middle of something with Darius.”
“Ordering drinks with sex names? Yeah, I heard. Sounds real important.”
The sarcasm in his voice makes me smile. Just as planned, Darius is getting under his skin.
“I overheard something about Darius getting his own bungalow today. Any idea when that’s happening?” he asks.
“I’m not sure.”
“I should have thought of this sooner, but if there’s a delay, he can take my old one. Not much space for him to share ours.”
I smile internally. “I’ll let him know.”
As we leave the restaurant, Adrian guides me through a gate to the resort’s community pool. The water is filled with guests lounging on inflatable pool floats, and all the reclining chairs are occupied with people sunbaking—my mom and Cece Hunter among them.
“Hey, you two. There’s a spare daybed beside us.” Mom nods to her left.
Adrian glances around, looking for an alternative option, but the pool area is so crowded that the daybed is our only choice. He takes a seat, drawing me onto his lap. I’m inclined to pull away, giving Adrian the impression that I have Darius on my mind, but Mom and Cece are watching us with love hearts in their eyes, and it would crush their souls if they suspected for one-second that something is wrong between me and Adrian.
“So.” I settle into his lap, using a hushed voice that only he can hear. “What is so important that you had to take me away from my lunch?”
Adrian draws the sheer curtains of our four-poster daybed shut. When he looks at me, there’s tension in his eyes like he’s annoyed about something. Please let it be the messy bedsheets I left for him to find. “I don’t like how we ended things this morning,” he says, low enough to prevent our moms from overhearing.
“Neither do I.”
He rubs the back of his neck and sighs. “We have two days left at this resort and I want to keep having fun with you. I’m sorry if I intruded in your personal life.”
“It’s fine. I want us to have fun too.”
“Good. So, I’ve been thinking…” Adrian pauses to gather his words, his features easing into something softer. He strokes a hand through my hair, curling a finger around a dark lock. The way he touches me sends flutters through my tummy. I’m a total pile of goo for this man and am dying to know what he’s about to say, hoping it will be a confession of his feelings for me. “I’m serious about wanting us to be close friends again.”
Well, fuck.
That was deflating.
