Chapter 14
Only Adrian and I remained in the living room, the air filled with subtle awkwardness.
Thinking about using him as a shield earlier, I felt embarrassed and tried to explain, “Adrian, what I said just now. I was just trying to make him give up completely, so I… spoke carelessly. Don’t mind it…”
Before I could finish, his tall figure trapped me in the small space against the wall.
“Emily.” His voice was low and husky. “I don’t want to be a boyfriend in name only.”
“Then what do you want to be?” I asked reflexively.
He looked at me with an intensity and heat I’d never seen before.
“I want…” His gaze burned into me.
The next second, warm and unfamiliar sensation touched my lips.
My mind went blank.
Adrian… was kissing me?
How was this possible?
His glasses bumped my nose, making me frown, so he paused and released my lips. Just when I thought he’d let me go, he reached up, removed his obstructive glasses, casually tossed them on the nearby cabinet, and the next second, a more dominant, more passionate kiss crashed down on me.
I was completely stunned.
Was this still the usually cool and reserved Adrian?
He seemed… crazy!
At first I pushed against his shoulders, but he was like an immovable wall, and gradually my resistance was drained away in this burning, lingering kiss.
I don’t know how long it lasted before he finally released me, so I fled back to my bedroom. Lying in bed tossing and turning with my mind in chaos, I realized that while Blake’s problem was completely solved he wouldn’t bother me anymore–I’d gotten myself into trouble with Adrian!
“Emily, dinner’s ready.” Adrian’s knock came at the door, as if the person who’d lost control and kissed me wasn’t him.
I buried my head in the pillow, not responding.
How could I face him! Our perfectly good partnership–how did we end up… kissing?
Ugh! How would we get along from now on? What about our collaborative project?
And who would cook for me in the future? Would I have to eat terrible food…
Wait! Emily, why are you thinking about food? Is that the point here!
As I rolled around on the bed, the aroma of food drifted through the door crack.
I swallowed.
“Emily, get up and eat something.” The knocking came again.
I replied, “Oh, okay…”
Reason and shame crumbled before the absolute power of good food.
At the dinner table, I kept my head down eating.
Chapter 14
It really smelled amazing…
Adrian sat across from me, eating naturally, even serving me food as usual.
I was startled by his natural gesture and choked.
He immediately handed me water. “Eat slowly.”
I took the glass and drank several gulps, gathering courage to look at him. “About… this morning… using you as a shield without your permission and saying those things… that was wrong of me. What happened just now… let’s call it even… okay?”
I quickly lowered my head again.
“How is that even?” Adrian put down his chopsticks and looked at me leisurely.
My face got redder, a bit annoyed. “You… you kissed…”
How could this person be like this!
“Emily!” he interrupted my embarrassment and asked seriously, “Since you’ve publicly claimed to be ‘with me‘ and enjoyed the ‘security‘ service I provide. Why not consider making it real?”
I was stunned by his direct question, my heart pounding. “I… I just broke up, temporarily… don’t plan to date…”
“Oh?” Adrian raised an eyebrow. “When will you have plans? Let me get in line.”
His attitude was as natural as discussing experiment scheduling.
I reflexively followed his lead. “One… one year?”
“Too long.” He frowned, expressing dissatisfaction.
“Then… six months?” I tentatively shortened the timeline.
He adjusted his glasses and said methodically, “Psychology shows that the recovery period for intense emotional fluctuations after a breakup averages three months. Emily, your psychological resilience assessment has always been high.”
“Oh… okay…” I responded dazedly.
Something felt off.
How did I feel like… I’d just sold myself?
And signed a “relationship agreement effective in three months“?
Chapter 14
