Good Girl
The moment Lia stepped closer, Adrian's entire expression changed.
Not dramatically.
That would've been easier to survive.
Instead—
something dark and satisfied flickered quietly behind his eyes.
Like restraint itself had become fragile.
The private lounge suddenly felt smaller.
Warmer.
Dangerous in the softest possible way.
Jazz music drifted faintly from downstairs while rain blurred the city lights beyond the glass windows.
Lia stopped directly in front of him now.
Close enough to feel the warmth radiating from his body.
Close enough to notice the way Adrian's fingers tightened once against the couch cushion beside him.
Control.
Still trying to hold onto it.
"You're staring again," she whispered softly.
Adrian leaned back slightly against the velvet couch, eyes moving slowly over her face.
"You walked toward me."
"That doesn't answer my question."
"It does to me."
God.
Everything sounded loaded coming from him now.
Lia swallowed carefully.
Because Adrian looked dangerous tonight.
Not angry.
Not jealous.
Worse.
Possessive in a quieter, more intimate way.
Like finally touching her had only made him greedier for closeness afterward.
His gaze lowered briefly toward the hem of her dress.
Then back to her eyes.
"You keep wearing things that make concentrating difficult."
Heat rushed immediately into her chest.
"That sounds like a personal problem."
"It is."
The honesty nearly made her lose composure again.
Adrian shifted slightly against the couch.
Then slowly—
very slowly—
his hand settled against her thigh.
Barely there.
Just above her knee.
Warm enough to make her pulse jump instantly.
Lia stopped breathing properly.
Because that touch felt different.
Not accidental.
Not teasing.
Intentional.
Adrian noticed her reaction immediately.
Of course he did.
His eyes darkened slightly.
"You always go quiet when you want something."
The words wrapped tightly around her spine.
Lia looked down at him carefully.
"You think you know everything about me."
"No," Adrian murmured softly.
His thumb moved once against her skin.
"I just pay attention."
The movement nearly destroyed what remained of her self-control.
Because Adrian touched her the same way he looked at her—
carefully.
Like every reaction mattered too much.
Lia should've stepped away.
Should've regained some dignity before her survival instincts completely disappeared.
Instead—
she stayed exactly where she was.
And Adrian noticed that too.
Something in his expression sharpened immediately.
"Come here."
Her heartbeat stumbled.
"You already said that."
"And you still haven't listened properly."
The quiet command settled heavily into the room.
Not loud.
Not forceful.
Worse.
Certain.
Like Adrian already knew she wanted to obey him.
Lia's pulse turned uneven beneath her skin.
"You're impossible."
"No," Adrian said quietly.
His gaze held hers steadily.
"You're curious."
The truth of it hit too hard.
Because she was curious.
About him.
About this.
About what happened when Adrian stopped pretending restraint came easily.
And maybe Adrian saw every bit of that curiosity written across her face—
because his composure cracked slightly again.
A slow inhale.
Jaw tightening.
Eyes darkening enough to make warmth spread through her entire body.
"Lia."
The way he said her name sounded rougher now.
Affected.
Like wanting her was becoming difficult to hide.
Her throat felt dry.
"What?"
Adrian's hand slid slowly higher against her thigh.
Not inappropriate.
Not yet.
But intimate enough to make breathing difficult anyway.
"You should stop looking at me like you want attention."
Her breath caught instantly.
"I do not."
"You stepped closer when I touched you."
Heat flooded her face.
Because unfortunately—
he was right again.
God.
He was always right.
Adrian's fingers tightened slightly against her thigh.
Possessive enough to make her stomach twist.
Then quietly—
dangerously quietly—
he asked:
"Do you know how hard I'm trying to behave right now?"
The confession wrapped tightly around her chest.
Because Adrian sounded sincere.
Not teasing.
Not dramatic.
Like control physically exhausted him whenever she stood this close.
Lia's voice came out softer now too.
"You say that like I'm responsible for it."
"You are."
The atmosphere shifted instantly.
Heavier.
Charged enough to make the air feel thick.
Adrian leaned forward slowly.
Close enough now that his forehead almost brushed against her stomach where she stood between his knees.
The position alone nearly ruined her emotionally.
Because suddenly—
Adrian looked bigger.
More dangerous.
More possessive.
And the way he looked up at her from there—
dark eyes steady and intense beneath loosened tie and dim lighting—
sent warmth straight through her entire body.
His hands settled more firmly against her hips now.
Like instinct.
Like he already knew she belonged exactly there.
Lia's pulse hammered violently.
"People might see us."
"They're busy downstairs."
"That's not reassuring."
Adrian's mouth brushed lightly against the fabric near her waist.
Not quite a kiss.
Worse.
Intentional enough to make her knees weaken slightly.
He noticed immediately.
Of course he did.
A dark, satisfied expression flickered briefly across his face.
"You react so beautifully to me."
The praise hit harder than it should have.
Not because of the words.
Because Adrian sounded genuinely affected by her reactions.
Like every shaky breath and nervous movement mattered too much to him.
Lia's fingers tightened instinctively against his shoulders.
The second she touched him—
Adrian closed his eyes briefly.
One sharp breath leaving him softly.
Like that tiny bit of affection physically affected him more than it should have.
When he looked back up at her again, something inside his expression had changed completely.
Less controlled.
More dangerous.
His voice lowered almost to a whisper.
"Good girl."
The words shattered straight through her composure.
Lia physically stopped breathing.
Because Adrian didn't say it teasingly.
He said it like praise.
Soft.
Possessive.
Intimate enough to make heat flood through her entire body instantly.
And maybe the scariest part?
The quiet sound she made in response only made Adrian's grip tighten harder against her hips.