Chapter 18
Chapter
Eighteen
ADRIANNA
I wake up slowly and bring my hand up to my nose. I brush away whatever’s touching me.
Where the hell am I?
It takes me a minute to realize I’m in bed with Elijah and it was his hair that was tickling my nose.
And here I thought that only happened in movies and it was only guys who got attacked by their significant other’s hair.
My mind freezes on those two words, significant other.
No, no, no. He’s not that to me.
Elijah shifts in his sleep and rolls away from me.
Taking a deep breath, I slowly get out of bed.
I scan the floor looking for my underwear, but they are nowhere to be seen.
Fuck it, I don’t need them. Quietly I grab my dress from where he dropped it on the floor after peeling it off of me last night and slip it on.
On my tiptoes, I head into his closet and grab the closest dress shirt and slip it on over the dress.
I button it as I head out of the room before I cross the threshold into the hall, though I pause and look back at him to make sure he’s still asleep.
Part of me wants to take everything off and crawl back into bed with him, but I know I shouldn’t. I can’t.
Shaking my head, I walk down the hallway and toward the living room. I find my shoes, purse, and phone easily enough. My battery is dead, and I sigh. I shove it into my purse and head to the door.
I’ll just have to charge it when I get home.
I hold my breath as the door clicks shut behind me. Space, I need space.
It’s been six days since the Humane Society auction. The same night I realized I was in trouble. I have feelings for this man, and I’m not sure he feels the same way.
That night I sucked his cock like no other before so I wouldn’t have to talk about what we might be. I’m not ready to hear that I’m some fuck buddy to him. So after I sucked his cock, I let him eat my pussy until I couldn’t see straight. Then we fucked all night.
Sunday came and went in my bed until he finally said he had to go home so he could get clothes for work. Rather than go by himself, he enticed me to go with him. The past five nights I’ve found myself falling back into his bed each night hoping it won’t end.
It has to end, though.
The neighborhood is quiet as I head to my car. It’s too early for all the thoughts in my head. Two blocks down, I find a parking spot in front of the little bakery that serves coffee. I’ve seen it the past five days but haven’t stopped yet.
Walking inside, I look at all the goodies in the case. I want to try them all, but I know I can’t possibly.
I’ll just try one a day until I’ve tried them all. It’s on my way home from Elijah’s.
I pause when the thought hits me.
I’m already planning to be at Elijah’s place again. He’s included in my future as I plan.
Oh fuck.
This isn’t good. We aren’t dating, right? Wouldn’t I know if we were?
It’s just sex.
That thought has me wanting to throw up. God, what have I gotten myself into? I hate the guy, don’t I?
That’s not true. It hasn’t been for a while now.
Somewhere along the line, my hatred for him has shifted. I went from wanting him to leave and give me the position I felt I earned to not knowing what I would do if he’s not here. I’d give up my dream job to keep him around.
Do I like the way he annoys me? How his hand fits perfectly in mine? Or the way the butterflies rage whenever he is near?
How can that even be? Is this what Stockholm syndrome is?
I scoff at the thought. No, I definitely don’t have that, but he might have me dickmatized.
I don’t know why, but I can’t seem to stop falling into bed with him.
And the way he looks at me.
My heart races as I think about the way my heart flutters when he smiles at me or when heat courses through me when he squeezes my hips hard enough to leave fingerprints.
Jesus. When did I stop seeing him as the devil and more like the man he is? I wish I could pinpoint when my hatred turned into like and maybe even love.
Do I actually have feelings for him?
Oh god, I think I do. This is bad. This is so, so bad. I can’t like him. This wasn’t supposed to happen. Everyone knows that you are never supposed to mix business and pleasure, and I have. The man literally holds my future in the palm of his hand.
Was this his plan all along? Did he set out to make me fall for him so that way he could rip the rug out from under me?
No, he would never. Right?
My stomach rolls at the thought.
The man might be closely related to the devil, but he isn’t that bad. He’s not malicious like that, and even if he was, then surely I’m right up there with him with the way I’ve been acting.
My stomach cramps just thinking about the gala.
I want it to go well, I really do. I want to raise as much money as possible because domestic abuse survivors deserve everything good, but my pride is standing in the way.
Part of me wants him to succeed so they get the donation they deserve, but at the same time, I don’t want to lose.
I don’t want to leave and have to start over somewhere else.
That’s the only other outcome to this. I leave the foundation I’ve poured all my hard work and dedication into. Would I be okay? Can I survive starting over?
“Can I get you anything?” the woman behind the counter asks.
I smile. “Coffee with two sugars and cream and a blueberry scone, please.”
Moving toward the register, I pay and step aside to wait for my items. Once I have them, I make my way back to my car. The drive back to my place is a quiet one. My thoughts consume me, making the fifteen-minute drive seem like it went by in the blink of an eye.
Once I’m parked in my driveway, I take a deep breath. I need to figure this out sooner rather than later.
Getting out of the car, I head up the porch with my keys in hand.
Stepping through the door, I feel the emotions start to well up.
As soon as I flip the lock behind me, I kick off my heels and head toward my bathroom.
I need to take off his shirt and rinse off the night before.
I stare at myself as I drop his shirt to the floor and gasp when I see the hickey he left right above my breast.
“Goddamn, these are perfect. I could spend all night worshipping you,” he murmurs before biting me, making me gasp.
“Elijah…”
“Patience, Adrianna.”
“Just fuck me already,” I growl.
Elijah hums. “I’m going to take my time and edge the fuck out of you. Then when I finally let you come, you are going to scream my name so loud the people two doors down will know who owns this pussy as you drench my cock.”
I shake my head, forcing myself out of the memory. My eyes are blown wide, and my nipples are pebbled. Jesus, just thinking about him turns me on.
I need to end this. We can’t keep going down this road because I know it will only end in heartache, but I don’t know if I can.
Elijah Samson is dangerous, not only for me professionally but for my heart as well, and I don’t know what I’m going to do about it.
ELIJAH
When the front door clicks shut, I roll over onto my back and rub my face.
I woke up before she left but decided to let her escape without a word.
I thought about picking things up from last night, but I felt the tension in her.
Truthfully, I wanted to see what she would do.
Would she stay or would she bolt? I rolled over and faked being asleep.
I fought every urge to roll over and grab her as she crawled out of bed, and I wanted to sit up and watch her slip on one of my shirts that she stole from my closet.
She paused and looked back at me before she left. That has to mean something, right?
Hell, do I want it to mean something?
I’ve known it for a while, but things have shifted between us.
Don’t get me wrong, she still drives me mad, but it doesn’t get under my skin like it used to.
Instead, I find myself wanting to ask her questions about her life.
Where did she grow up? Why is she so lonely? How can I make her life better?
She’s mine. I’ve thought it before, but this past week has proven it. I need her in my life. I don’t want to know what life would be without her. I won’t lose her now that I’ve got her.
Do I have her though?
My head starts to ache thanks to my mind racing.
Food. I need food.
I push out of bed and walk over to my dresser. I grab a pair of sweatpants and slip them on before heading toward the kitchen. I walk over to the fridge and pull out one of the premade meals I had ordered in and eat. Once I’m done and my mess is cleaned up, I head over to the couch.
I sit down, taking in the view. The city is just starting to wake up, and there’s fog hanging in the air. I can’t help but wish she were tucked into my side, taking in this view with that sleepy look on her face before her coffee kicks in.
Should I make myself a coffee? I hate the drink, but it’s growing on me. Not the taste, but the connection it gives me to her.
I smile to myself when I think about her spitting in my coffee. I wonder how long she had been doing it for. All of those wasted opportunities.
I wonder what she’s doing right now. Did she head straight home, or did she stop somewhere? Does she have plans for the day? Would it be wrong to call her to see if she wants to do something with me? When the hell did I become the sap who wants to spend every moment with the same woman?
One thing is for sure: she’s changed my life, and I’m not mad about it. The only question is, what’s next? Do we keep going as we have been, or do I sit her down and tell her how I’m feeling? Do I tell her that she’s the only one I want to be with and I want to see where this goes?
What does that conversation even look like? Plenty of women have expressed their feelings for me before and I’ve had to let them down gently, but never once have I confessed that I want someone as badly as I want her.
I run my hand over my face. This is ridiculous. Why am I overthinking it? I’m sure if I sit her down and tell her that I want to pursue a relationship with her that she will be open to the idea. She has to be, right?
Or she could just be with me for my dick.
I scoff at the thought. No, that’s not Adrianna’s style. She’s not that kind of girl.
Now how do I tell her? Do I call her into my office and tell her? Do I do it one night when we are hanging out or right before we go to bed? Hell, do I need to make a reservation and take her out on a date?
Like a real date that I’ve put thought and energy into. Not the bullshit dates we’ve been on so far.
Grabbing my phone, I scroll through my calendar and become pissed off. Even if I wanted to schedule a date, I don’t know when I could fit it in. Not unless I want to take her to Ari’s dance recital.
Wait, maybe that’s a good idea. I can soft launch us with her around my family. Show her that there’s more to me than sex and the office.
My phone rings, pulling me out of my thoughts.
“Mr. Collins,” I say when I answer, knowing it will piss him off.
“Garreth. My name’s Garreth, Elijah.”
“Yeah, but it’s so much fun pissing you off. What’s up?”
“Remember that property you had me look into?”
It takes me a minute to remember what he’s talking about. Jesus, how could I forget about that?
“Yeah, how’s it looking?”
“Trust me when I say you want nothing to do with this.”
“Why’s that?”
“That property is going to be held up in court. The owner died and his new wife is trying to sell, but the owner’s kids are trying to stop her. Apparently there wasn’t a will with the new wife, but she’s trying to sell as much off as she can before they can be seen by a judge.”
“Are you serious?” I ask, shaking my head.
“As a heart attack.”
“Goddamn.”
“We could push forward if you really want to, but you don’t need it, Eli. There will be better places that come up, and the last thing you need is to be pulled into court to testify or some shit.”
“No, you’re right.”
“Is there another property you want me to look at since this one fell through?”
“Not at this time. I’ve been so busy with the foundation that I haven’t had time to look.”
“Hey, no need to explain it to me, man. Let me know when you find something, and I’ll get on it.”
“Sounds good, buddy. Thanks for doing this for me.”
“It’s what you pay me for,” he says with humor in his voice. “Later.”
“Bye.”
I toss my phone on the counter and shake my head. How could I have forgotten about trying to buy that place? I need to solve this fucking mystery so that way things go back to normal.
I push off the counter and head toward my office.
A list…I need a list of employees to look into.
Take down whoever has been fucking with the foundation, hold the gala, prove to Adrianna that she doesn’t keep the ship running, and then go from there.
I don’t know where that will leave us, but it’s a start.