Page 93 of Fake Dating Adrian Hunter
“I know. You don’t have to explain.”
“But I want to. There are so many things I need to tell you, like that I want to make this work between us. I want to be your girlfriend. Yourrealgirlfriend. I want to be with you for the rest of my life—”
Adrian’s lips return to mine, hushing my frantic words. His kisses are sweet and delicate, and I’ll never get enough of them. “I want all of those things too, Verena.”
When he pulls back to take a breath, something crucial returns to my mind. “So… Isabelle and I had a little chat this morning,” I tease. “I had no idea you’re such a fan of my show. She said you’ve watched some episodes multiple times.”
I expect Adrian to play with me and give a smart response. Instead, his voice lowers with shame. “It was the only way to stay connected with you.”
“You never thought to ask Tory for my number?”
“Would you have honestly spoken to me if I called?”
“Fair point.”
He squeezes my hands, his eyes pleading with me. “I don’t know what else Isabelle said to you, but you have to know that I wasn’t leading her on during our relationship. We were happy together for a while. You were just… always somewhere at the back of my mind. I couldn’t let you go.”
“She said that too.”
“I’m sorry for lying to you about wanting her back.”
“Don’t be. We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for your scheming ways.”
Adrian kisses me again. “Now that I have you, I’m not letting go. I won’t ever mess this up.”
“What if I mess up?”
“Not gonna happen.”
I peer up at him, remembering one more question that has been lingering in my mind. “There’s something else Isabelle said that sparked my attention. You two broke up six months ago in August. Is it a coincidence that your breakup occurred on the same month that my breakup hit the media?”
This may be the first time I’ve seen Adrian blush. He rubs his lips together, then says, “Isabelle and I weren’t happy at that stage. I was going to end things with her anyway, but when I heard you were no longer in a relationship… Knowing that I would have an entire week with you, single, at this wedding, it gave me the push I needed. Can you blame me?”
I shake my head and smile. “I’m glad you were fighting for us.”
Someone calls my name, and the two of us turn in the direction of the voice, finding Stacy waving me toward her. “The professional bridal party photos are about to begin.”
I glance around the beach, realizing the majority of guests have cleared from the area and are relocating to the cliffside restaurant for cocktail hour.
“I guess you’re needed,” Adrian tells me.
“I’ll miss you.”
His lips brush against my ear, whispering in that deep, raspy voice that always gives me chills. “Just think about our night together when we’re alone after the wedding. That’s what I’ll be doing to pass the time.”
Adrian walks backward, heading to the restaurant as he grins at me. It’s an art form he’s mastered—having the skill to send me from one extreme of the emotional scale to the other in only a few seconds. One moment, I’m sentimental. Then the next, hot and struggling to breathe because I’m so caught up in images of Adrian above me.Insideme.
I’m serious when I say this wedding can’t pass fast enough.
ChapterThirty-One
The wedding reception speeds by in a blur, mostly because I can’t stop thinking about all the things I want Adrian to do to me once we’re alone. I continue with my maid of honor duties, like saying a speech and helping Tory with her dress when she needs the restroom. Adrian and I partner up during the first dance, which I enjoy every moment of, being in his arms.
When the bouquet toss arrives, both brides throw their flowers into the sea of single women. I catch Tory’s bouquet, and everyone cheers, Dad being the loudest, whistling with two fingers in his mouth. Across the other side of the venue, I lock eyes with Adrian, and I’m a blushing mess when he winks at me and nods.
As for Phoebe’s bouquet, I’m not sure if this is the universe’s way of joking around with me, but Hannah catches it. In her bikini.
So… I guess that answers my weeklong question. Hannahdoesn’town anything other than her swimwear.
