Chapter six
~ELANA~
He’s so close I can feel his warm breath tickle my ear, sending a shiver down my arms and legs. I try my best not to turn my head to look at him, not trusting myself with being so close to his lips without doing something reckless.
He finally pulls back, his eyes still fixed on mine as he speaks. “I assume you’d like a tour?” His voice is smooth, and the hollow of his cheeks becomes more obvious as he cocks his head to the side. How is he so calm?
“Who wouldn’t?” I stammer, chuckling to cover up my nerves.
“You already saw the kitchen.” He turns his head to the side briefly, gesturing to it. I follow his gaze and nod. His kitchen is twice the size of my bedroom, and I can easily sleep on the kitchen island. “Do you cook?” His question surprises me.
“Ethan’s the cook. I try my best, but I could use more practice.
I do make amazing pancakes. Although, it took more than a few tries.
” I realize I’m sharing more than I have to, but my mouth just keeps running.
“I burned the counter once, trying to surprise Ethan with breakfast. And I melted a few plastic spatulas.” Another awkward chuckle.
“We had to throw the pans away after that because the plastic had, um, melted on them.” I finally force my mouth shut.
Nice job. You definitely impressed him with that one.
I take a much-needed breath after all that talking and look up at Adrian’s raised brow as he blinks once. Twice.
“Lovely.” He’s not amused. Shit. I bet he’s thrilled to have me here. “In that case, feel free to practice your cooking anytime. Everything you need should already be in there.” He turns his back to me and starts pacing towards the living room.
“You’d allow me to cook in your kitchen?” My brows shoot up as I stare at his back. “But I—I melt spatulas.” I realize how stupid that sounds only after I’ve already said it.
He stops and turns just enough to catch my gaze. “Good thing mine aren’t plastic.” There’s a ghost of a smile on his lips as he turns back. He’s laughing at me. I quickly follow him into the living room.
I only glimpsed it when Ethan and I walked through.
It’s absolutely massive and the definition of comfort and sophistication, with oversized sofas and plush armchairs arranged around a central coffee table made from a bizarre slab of wood.
Soft, earthy tones, rich textures and floor-to-ceiling windows offer a view of the sparkling city below. So much for a bachelor’s lair.
“I love this.” I stand in front of the crackling fireplace that ties the entire space together.
“Me, too. Deadly, yet contained.” His soft confession makes me turn to face him. He’s standing right behind me, the warm dancing lights of the fire playing across his features.
“People fear it, yet they build special places for it in their homes.” I shake my head with a smile and look up at him. He studies me, not saying anything. Did I say something stupid? He’s so heartbreakingly handsome that I have to look away to make sure my eyes don’t trail down to his lips.
“People fear what they can’t control,” he finally speaks. “Fire trades its danger for beauty when,” he cocks his head to the side, his eyes burning into mine, “controlled.”
“Do you like it?” I breathe, realizing that my voice has failed me. “Control?”
I see his eyes narrow, but there’s also a hint of a smile playing on his lips.
“Define ‘control’”. It’s my turn to narrow my eyes.
Judging by the way he’s looking at me, I know his definition of control.
Power. “Come.” His voice is soft yet commanding.
I struggle to keep up with him as he takes long, graceful strides across his living room.
Next to the living room is the dining area, where a large, rustic dining table with matching chairs sits beneath a cascading chandelier.
Soft candlelight flickers against the backdrop of sleek, modern décor.
It all makes me wonder if he designed the place himself or if he bought it that way.
The dining room is way too big for one person, even a family, and it has me think of how many women have dined in it.
I turn my head away from the table and away from the thought.
“That’s the door to the gym if you wish to use it.
” He points to the double doors next to the terrace.
“There’s a sauna if you’re into that. And that’s the balcony.
It has a few entrances.” He waves his hand across the living room as we walk back across it to make our way to the other side of the penthouse.
“My office is down that hall, as well as the laundry room and the entertainment room,” he tells me once we’ve stopped in front of a large archway.
“Entertainment room?” I have to ask.
“Home cinema, billiard, a small library, and a few other things.” My face lights up at the mention of a library. “You can use it whenever you’d like.”
“Thank you.” I beam a smile, and he nods in response.
I follow him up the enormous staircase to an open area overlooking the first floor. The carpet covering it is a light cream and is soft under my shoes, and I hesitate. He notices and turns to look at me, his gaze falling down to my shoes.
“You don’t have to take them off.” He turns back around and walks up to the first door. “This is the master bedroom.” I nod and look up at him when he doesn’t open the door. “Do you expect a tour of my room, Elana?” His eyes are filled with dark amusement.
“N-no.” I shake my head, embarrassed. Then a thought passes through my mind and my eyes widen. “Do you have a guest bedroom?”
A deep chuckle comes out of him. “Eager to share a bedroom with me, little duck?” I immediately feel my cheeks heat and look down at the carpet.
After a few seconds, he takes pity on me and starts walking again, skipping the second door and going directly to the third.
“This is your room.” This time, he opens the door and steps aside to let me in.
He flicks the light on, and I’m met with a gorgeous bedroom. My room.
The hanging lights are warm and make the room even cozier. Adrian follows closely behind me, his presence towering and intimidating, making me acutely aware of my every move. The king-sized bed dominates the space, adorned with soft, plush covers and pillows.
“There’s a walk-in closet and an ensuite bathroom.” He points their way and leans against the sleek desk in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows.
“Wow,” I breathe, turning to face Adrian with wide eyes. “This is incredible.”
His lips quirk up in a subtle smile as he steps closer, his gaze following my every move. I can feel his eyes on me, watching me with an intensity that pins me in place. I swallow nervously, suddenly feeling very aware of my own presence in the room.
“I’m glad you like it,” he says, his voice smooth and velvety. “I made sure to put a desk in here for you,” he says casually, gesturing towards it. “And I added a nightlight, too.”
My breath catches in my throat at his words, my heart skipping a beat at the unexpected gesture.
Nightlight. How does he remember I couldn’t fall asleep without one?
Still can’t. It’s a small detail, something I never would have expected him to remember, and yet, here it is, a small tree on the nightstand. I assume its branches light up.
“You remember?” I blurt out, unable to contain my surprise. He nods and looks away, like he doesn’t want to take credit for it. That doesn’t change the fact that he got a nightlight for me. “Thank you.” My voice is barely above a whisper. “That means a lot to me.”
“It’s almost time for dinner.” As Adrian mentions dinner, I tear my gaze away from him, nodding in response as he heads towards the door.
“You can change and freshen up if you’d like.
I’ll be downstairs.” With that, he steps out of the room, leaving me alone.
I watch his broad shoulders disappear from view.
Part of me is relieved to have a moment to myself, to process everything that’s happened.
But another part of me, the part that can still smell his cologne and feel his lingering presence, wants to run after him.
Instead, I open one of my suitcases, dreading the idea of unpacking all of my belongings.
“I’ll probably be done unpacking by the time Ethan comes back,” I mumble to myself. With a sigh, I decide to put it off until tomorrow, opting instead to pull out some comfortable sweatpants and a T-shirt for dinner.
As I quickly strip off my dress and throw it onto the bed, a sudden realization washes over me.
“There’s no way—” It finally clicks in my mind.
My dress, with its subtle duck pattern, is staring back at me.
Adrian’s nickname suddenly makes sense, and I can’t help but feel a twinge of embarrassment at my obliviousness.
Was he making fun of me this whole time?
The thought lingers in my mind as I pull on my sweatpants and slip into the T-shirt.
My hands instinctively go under the shirt to unclasp my bra, but I decide against it and I make my way instead to the adjoining ensuite bathroom.
Color marble tiles, soft lighting and large framed windows are just some of the features that make up this beautiful space.
A little grand for a girl with a just small cosmetic case in her hand.
Shaking my head at the contrast between my tiny bathroom back home and this, I make my way to the sink to brush out my hair and wash my face before dinner.
A little while later I step out of my room and past Adrian’s, a sudden movement catches my eye, drawing my gaze towards it.
I know I shouldn’t, but I’m looking through the crack before I can stop myself.
Through the slightly ajar door, I glimpse him standing shirtless, his silhouette outlined against the soft glow of the room.
Holy shit. For a moment, I’m frozen in place, mesmerized by the sight before me.
His body is like a sculpture, each muscle defined and chiseled, his skin smooth and flawless in the dim light.
As he reaches for a T-shirt laid out on his bed, the play of shadows and light accentuates every cord of his muscled back.
Suddenly, all I can think about is having my hands on it, sliding my fingers along every muscle.
Get out of here.
I quickly shake myself out of my trance, feeling a flush creep up my cheeks. I turn on my heel and make my way downstairs as fast and as quietly as I can. Thank God for the plush carpet.
As I descend the staircase, the aroma of dinner wafts up to greet me, pulling me back to reality.
I quicken my pace, my heart still racing from the sight, and soon find myself in the dining room.
Who cooked all of this? I take a seat at the table, which is set with an array of dishes.
There’s a pasta dish with a cream sauce, accompanied by a fresh garden salad and what smells like garlic bread.
The sight is enough to make my stomach rumble in anticipation.
“I hope you’re in the mood for pasta alfredo.” Adrian’s voice startles me from behind. I turn to face him and immediately feel a rush of warmth. He's wearing black sweatpants and the T-shirt I saw on his bed earlier.
“Where did all this food come from?” I gesture to the spread.
“I told my housekeeper of your arrival, and she kindly insisted on preparing dinner for us.” He takes a seat, joining me, and reaches for the bottle of wine I hadn’t even noticed.
“That’s really thoughtful of her.” As I reach for a fork, my recent realization dawns on me, and I pause, turning to look at Adrian. “Little duck,” I start, feeling a flush of embarrassment creeping up my neck. “It’s because of the dress, isn’t it?”
Adrian raised his eyes to mine while pouring wine into his glass. “Took you long enough to figure it out.” His lips curve into a smile, making me want to crawl under the table. “Wine?”
After dinner, I find myself back in the cozy comfort of my new bedroom, the events of the evening swirling in my mind. As I slip under the covers, my phone lights up.
Up for a call?
I hesitate for a moment, my thumb hovering over the screen before I type out a response, telling her I’ll call her tomorrow. I’m not in the mood for her teasing me about my crush tonight. I hit send and set my phone aside, letting out a contented sigh.
Turning on the tree nightlight beside my bed, I’m reminded of Adrian’s gesture.
And just as quick, I’m reminded of him changing in his room.
As I settle into bed and shut my eyes, thoughts of his shirtless body linger in my mind, refusing to fade away.
Despite my best efforts to push them aside, I find myself replaying the image over and over again, unable to resist images of me pinned under his chest.
“Stop,” I whisper to myself. With a sigh, I turn to the side and force my eyes shut.