Stay Still For Me
Adrian kissed her like he'd been starving.
Not rushed.
Not careless.
Worse.
Controlled hunger.
The kind that made every touch feel deliberate.
Meaningful.
Dangerous.
Lia's fingers remained tangled in his hair while his hand stayed firm against her back, holding her impossibly close like distance had become unbearable now that she'd admitted the truth.
I do.
The confession still echoed between them.
And Adrian reacted to it like it physically altered him.
The kiss deepened slowly.
His mouth moved against hers with devastating patience while thunder rolled softly outside the penthouse windows.
Rain painted silver shadows across the bedroom walls.
Everything felt warm.
Heavy.
Too intimate to survive unchanged.
Then Adrian pulled back suddenly.
Not far.
Just enough to breathe.
His forehead rested against hers while his breathing sounded uneven for the first time all night.
Lia blinked softly, still trying to think clearly.
Adrian looked wrecked.
Actually wrecked.
Dark eyes half-lowered.
Jaw tight.
Hand against her back trembling almost imperceptibly like control itself had become exhausting.
The sight nearly ruined her emotionally.
"You look at me like that again and I'm done for," he murmured roughly.
Heat rushed through her chest instantly.
"You say dramatic things after kissing people."
A quiet laugh escaped him.
Low.
Breathless.
"You think this is dramatic?"
His thumb brushed lightly against her spine.
"I haven't even told you the worst parts yet."
The honesty nearly destroyed her.
Because Adrian sounded serious.
Completely serious.
Lia swallowed carefully.
"You're terrifying."
"And you're still here."
The words settled heavily into the room.
Because once again—
he was right.
She was still here.
Still wrapped in his arms.
Still letting him touch her like this.
Adrian's gaze moved slowly across her face.
Focused.
Almost reverent.
Like he couldn't stop looking now that she'd admitted wanting him too.
His fingers slid upward slightly against her back.
Possessive enough to make her pulse turn uneven again.
"You don't understand what hearing that did to me."
Lia looked up at him carefully.
"Hearing what?"
"That you want me."
The roughness in his voice wrapped tightly around her stomach.
Because Adrian sounded affected.
Deeply affected.
Like her feelings mattered too much.
The realization softened something painful inside her chest.
Most people wanted Adrian because of power.
Money.
Status.
But he looked at her like her choosing him emotionally meant more than everything else combined.
Adrian lowered his head slightly, his nose brushing softly against hers.
The intimacy of the gesture nearly hurt.
"You trusted me with that."
The quietness caught her off guard.
"With what?"
"Your honesty."
Her heartbeat stumbled.
Because suddenly—
she realized Adrian didn't take her feelings lightly at all.
To him, this wasn't flirting.
This wasn't temporary.
Everything involving her had already become serious in his head.
Dangerously serious.
The silence stretched softly around them.
Then Adrian's hand slid from her back down to her waist slowly.
Warm palm pressing against the oversized shirt she wore.
His shirt.
The sight affected him again immediately.
A sharp breath left him.
"You wearing my clothes is still ruining me, by the way."
Lia laughed softly before she could stop herself.
The sound froze him completely.
Her smile faded slightly.
"What?"
Adrian stared at her.
Something vulnerable flickering briefly behind the obsession.
"You laugh more around me now."
The observation settled painfully deep inside her chest.
Because it was true.
She did.
Despite how intense he was.
Despite how overwhelming everything between them had become.
Adrian made her feel wanted.
Safe.
Seen too clearly sometimes—
but seen.
His fingers tightened lightly against her waist.
"You don't do it often around other people."
Lia blinked.
"You notice that too?"
"I notice everything."
Of course he did.
God.
Adrian leaned closer again slowly.
Close enough that his lips brushed lightly near the corner of her mouth.
Not quite another kiss.
Worse somehow.
Teasing.
Intentional.
Lia's breathing turned uneven immediately.
The reaction darkened his eyes at once.
"There."
"What?"
"That look."
His hand slid higher against her waist again.
"You get quiet when you want me touching you more."
Heat flooded straight through her body.
"You analyze me too much."
"You let me."
The truth of it nearly destroyed her composure again.
Because she did let him.
More than anyone else.
Adrian's fingers moved slowly beneath the fabric of the oversized shirt now, brushing lightly against bare skin at her waist.
The contact stole her breath instantly.
Warm.
Careful.
Possessive enough to make her knees weaken slightly.
The reaction affected him immediately.
His jaw tightened sharply.
"Stay still for me."
The rough command wrapped tightly around her spine.
Not harsh.
Worse.
Controlled enough to sound intimate.
Lia's pulse hammered violently.
"You make that sound dangerous."
Adrian's eyes lowered toward where his hand touched her skin.
Then back to her face.
"It is dangerous."
The honesty settled heavily between them.
Rain echoed softly outside while the city lights flickered through the storm behind him.
Everything about Adrian felt darker tonight.
Not cruel.
Consumed.
Like every confession between them had pushed him closer to losing restraint completely.
His thumb brushed once against her bare waist.
Slow enough to make her shiver immediately.
Adrian noticed.
Of course he did.
A low sound escaped him softly under his breath.
Like her reactions physically affected him too much now.
"You have no idea," he murmured roughly, "how obsessed I am with every little response you give me."
The confession wrapped tightly around her chest.
Because Adrian didn't sound proud of it.
He sounded ruined by it.
And maybe the scariest part?
Lia was starting to understand exactly how deep his obsession really went.