Chapter 6
Six
Adrian
This woman has a story. I doubt I’m going to like it, but she definitely has to tell it so I’ll know what she’s dealing with. My hackles are raised before she even begins. And she takes her sweet time, as if trying to decide where to start.
I trust Blair’s not trying to evade my question as she stares at the fire, sipping her wine. She’s simply getting her words together. So, I wait patiently.
I’m still holding her hand. I’ve lowered it from my lips to the space between us, but I’m stroking her knuckles while I, too, sip my wine.
It’s a very good bottle. I suspect we’re going to polish it off.
It’s going to be a long night. We haven’t even addressed the fact that I only have one bed in my cabin.
Well, there’s a crib in the nursery, but it’s too small for a grown woman, of course.
There’s also the sectional. Someone could sleep on it, but it wouldn’t be as comfortable as my bed.
I’m already looking forward to having her in it with me.
Not in a kinky way. I just find that I like being near her.
I figured that out as soon as I met her. I hated driving away, and I spent the rest of the day thinking about her and feeling uneasy about leaving her there alone.
Blair leans her head against the back of the loveseat and stares at the ceiling. “I hate to sound like an ungrateful bitch, but I’m tired of trying to please everyone. My entire life has revolved around the family business. I was groomed from birth to take over.”
I wince. “I can see how that would be stressful, especially if you don’t care for that type of work.”
She turns her head to look at me. “I guess you lived a similar life, and you’ve certainly taken over your parents’ legacy.”
I shrug. “Okay, but I like technology and developing new things. Do you enjoy working in pharmaceuticals?”
She squishes up her cute nose. “Not even a little bit.”
“Did you get a doctorate in pharmacology?”
Blair suddenly giggles. It’s refreshing, but it’s not because she thinks anything is funny. “Nope. I’m such a rebel. I have a master’s in biology.”
I chuckle. “What a rebel, indeed. Your parents must be so disappointed that you strayed so far from the family tree.”
“They humored me. They let me get my degree while plotting how it could be useful to the business, so they could tell all their rich friends that I’m helping expand the business into the development phases of drug research.”
I squeeze her hand. “I take it that doesn’t appeal to you, either.”
“Nope.”
“And not following in your parents’ footsteps isn’t an option.”
“Exactly.”
“I assume you have your own money since you bought a mountain property that needs a lot of work.”
“Yes. My grandparents left me a sizable inheritance separate from what was willed to my mom and dad.”
“Well, that’s good.” I stare at her. There’s more. She hasn’t shared everything. “So, you bought some land in the mountains, left the city, and moved out here… Are you breaking all ties with your parents? Did you not tell them where you went?” What am I missing?
“Whether or not I’m breaking all ties is up to them. I don’t mind being in contact with them as long as they don’t spend every second trying to manipulate me into coming home. It’s not going to happen.”
“Do they know where you are?”
“Probably. I assume there’s a tracker on everything I own that they could attach such a thing to. If they could have had one inserted under my skin at birth, they would have done so.”
My brows are furrowed as I piece this together. “How old are you?”
“Twenty-six.”
“So they really have no say in your decisions. You’re an adult with money and your own freewill.”
“You would think…”
“Do you think they will show up here and try to drag you home?”
“Maybe.” She sighs. “I don’t know. I kind of hope they won’t.
They aren’t the sort to spend time outside of civilization.
Their employees aren’t, either. I was hoping they might simply badger me over the phone.
But I’m not sure. I could be underestimating them.
It was a risk.” Blair bites into her bottom lip, holding my gaze.
“There’s more.”
She nods.
“Lay it on me,” I encourage.
“It’s embarrassing and so absurd you won’t believe it.”
“Princess, a lot of crazy shit has happened to my family and me in our lives. If I told you Rebekah and Hannah’s life stories, you would shit yourself. Lots of people have skeletons. Maybe your saga seems worse in your head than it really is. Perhaps if you trauma dump it, you’ll feel better.”
She scrunches up her nose again.
“Let me ask you this. Have you told anyone your ugly secret?”
“Not a soul.”
“Then you’ve probably blown it out of proportion in your mind.”
“I don’t think so.”
I shrug. “You never know. Maybe I can help fix it.”
She hesitates and then laughs. “You could fix it, actually. All you’d have to do is marry me first thing tomorrow, and all my problems would be solved.”
She’s joking. Well, I’m certain she’s serious from a factual standpoint. Somehow, marrying her would fix her problems. And I intend to find out why. But she wasn’t seriously suggesting we get married.
My mouth opens, but I’m not sure what to say in response. I’m trying to think up a witty retort, but it’s not coming to me.
She shakes her head. “I’m kidding, Adrian.”
“Except you’re not.”
Blair sobers and sits taller. “No. I’m not. It’s a fact that getting married would fix my issues, but I wasn’t actually proposing something so ludicrous. We’ve only just met.”
“And yet, I know you better than any woman I’ve ever dated, including the few girlfriends I had for several months. I click with you better than anyone else.”
Her face pales.
“Tell me you don’t feel a connection with me.”
Blair licks her pretty lips. “I do, but that doesn’t mean we should get married. It would be reckless and irresponsible.”
“Would it?” I can’t believe I’m proposing such madness—literally, proposing. What the hell is wrong with me? I lean forward so I’m closer to her. “Funny thing, some of my brothers have gotten married to their wives within a day or two of meeting them.”
She gasps. “Seriously?”
“Yes. And they’re incredibly happy. They even have kids. So I’m not the sort of guy who would immediately shoot down a proposal like that.”
She downs the rest of her wine and takes a long breath. “I wasn’t exactly proposing marriage. I was simply pointing out that it would solve my problem.”
“And what is this problem you haven’t told me about yet? I’m on the edge of my seat waiting.”
Another deep inhale. “My parents have been plotting a merger with Sanford Pharmaceuticals since before I was born. Their son is two years older than I am. I’m not sure what my mom would have done if I’d been a boy. She might have put me up for adoption and tried again.”
I flinch. “Surely you’re kidding.”
“Sort of. Maybe. Fuck, who knows? That’s how important it was to her to have a girl.”
“So you’re supposed to marry the heir to Sanford Pharmaceuticals?”
“Yep. William. Even his name is pretentious. They call him William. Not Bill or Will or any other nickname. Just William.” She shudders as if that’s the most important detail here. His name.
“They can’t force you to marry someone,” I say, though my voice wavers.
I’m no stranger to women being forced to do things against their will.
Hell, Aaric’s wife, Hannah, was sold to a man so she could cook and clean for him.
I get it. Very nefarious things happen right under our noses in this fucked-up world.
That’s partly why my family chooses to live far away from society.
“No, but they can hound me, day in and day out, until I relent. I’m sick and tired of hearing about how wonderful William is.
Do I know he plays tennis on the weekends?
Am I aware that he enjoys long walks in the park?
Why don’t I at least go out with him and give him a chance?
” She sighs dramatically. “It’s fucking exhausting. I’m done with it.”
Cringing, I think carefully before I speak. I don’t want to sound condescending. She needs someone in her court, not a problem solver. This is obviously a serious issue she’s been dealing with for years. “Have you ever gone out with him?”
“No. I’ve met him on several occasions over the years.
We’re cordial, but we rarely exchange many words.
We don’t have anything to say to each other.
I’m not attracted to him. I’m certain he isn’t interested in me, either.
I never intend to date him. It wouldn’t matter if we had the most amazing chemistry in the history of humans.
I’m not marrying a man my parents arranged. ”
“But you’d marry me,” I point out. My heart is racing because, honestly, I’m really not opposed to this idea. It seems a bit premature to tell her that outright, though.
She rolls her eyes. “I was kidding.”
“Were you, though?” I lift a brow.
Blair holds my gaze. “I suppose part of me thinks it’s the perfect solution, but why are we discussing this?”
I shrug. “Maybe I’m interested.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“Why not? You’re funny and quirky. You’re smart—even though you don’t know the first thing about living off-grid,” I tease. “You’re stunningly beautiful, although I would never marry for looks, so don’t get me wrong on that issue. I’m just saying it doesn’t hurt.”
Blair lets out a snort. “If I were marrying for looks, I would pick you, so we’re even.”
I sit taller. She thinks I’m attractive. Win. “I think we need more wine,” I declare as I jump to my feet and take her glass.
She follows me to the kitchen counter and leans a hip against it, watching me from mere inches away. “Maybe if we drink two bottles, we’ll get stupid drunk, fly to Vegas, and seal the deal.”
I chuckle and hand her a now-full glass. “Who needs Vegas? The courthouse in town opens at nine. If the weather clears, we could be there and back home to set up our love nest by lunch.”