Elena sat stiffly on the couch, her mind still clouded from what had just happened. Her lips tingled from Adrian’s unexpected kiss, and her heart hadn’t calmed down yet. She had never felt this flustered before, never experienced anything so intense, and now, she had no idea how to face him.
Before she could gather her thoughts, Adrian returned from checking the generator. His sleeves were rolled up, and there was a light sheen of sweat on his forehead, making him look even more effortlessly attractive. He wiped his hands with a small towel, his sharp eyes glancing at her before a small smirk curled on his lips.
“Seems like everything is running smoothly now,” he said, tossing the towel aside. “You don’t have to be scared anymore, Miss Harper. The lights won’t be going out again.”
Elena swallowed hard, nodding. “I-I wasn’t scared,” she muttered, looking away.
Adrian chuckled, walking toward her. “You sure? You looked pretty terrified earlier,” he teased, his voice dropping lower. “Your body was trembling.”
Her cheeks burned at his words. “It was just… a childhood thing,” she admitted quietly, not wanting to dwell on her past in front of him.
Adrian tilted his head slightly, studying her. “A childhood thing, huh?” He didn’t press further, but his eyes held something unreadable. “You don’t have to tell me now, but one day, you will.”
Elena bit her lip. She wasn’t sure why, but something about Adrian made her feel like she couldn’t hide from him.
Before the conversation could continue, there was a soft knock on the door. Adrian’s assistant entered, carrying a tray of food.
“Sir, your dinner,” the assistant announced, placing the tray on the dining table. “Shall I bring anything else?”
Adrian shook his head. “That’s all. You can leave now.”
The assistant nodded and left the room, closing the door behind him. The scent of freshly cooked food filled the air, but Elena barely had an appetite. The tension between them was still thick, and she wasn’t sure how to act around him anymore.
Adrian walked toward the table and pulled out a chair. “Come and eat,” he said casually, as if nothing had happened earlier.
Elena hesitated for a moment before slowly getting up. She took the seat across from him, her hands resting on her lap.
They both ate in silence. The only sounds in the room were the occasional clinking of cutlery and the ticking of the wall clock. Elena’s mind was restless. She wanted to say something, anything, but every time she opened her mouth, the words died on her tongue.
Adrian, on the other hand, seemed completely at ease. He ate his meal calmly, his posture relaxed, as if nothing in the world could faze him. It was infuriating.
After a while, he leaned back in his chair, wiping his mouth with a napkin. His sharp eyes locked onto hers.
“We will go to the university together tomorrow morning,” he said matter of factly. “I’ll drive you.”
Elena blinked. “Together?” she repeated dumbly.
Adrian smirked at her reaction. “Yes, Miss Harper. Together. Unless you prefer to walk?”
She quickly shook her head. “No, it’s fine. I just… I didn’t expect that.”
“You’re my responsibility now,” he stated, his tone firm. “Besides, it would be a waste of time to go separately when we’re heading to the same place.”
Elena wasn’t sure how to respond. Everything about this situation felt surreal.
Before she could overthink, Adrian continued, “There’s an extra set of clothes and daily necessities for you in the guest room. You should find everything you need there.”
Elena’s eyes widened. “You prepared all that… for me?”
Adrian shrugged nonchalantly. “I like being prepared.”
Something about his words made her heart race. He was always so composed, so confident in everything he did. She didn’t understand him at all.
Adrian stood up and gathered his empty plate. He walked over to the sink and washed his dishes with practiced ease. Elena watched him, feeling oddly out of place.
“Finish your food,” he ordered without looking at her. “You barely ate anything.”
Elena stared down at her half-eaten plate. She wasn’t that hungry, but she didn’t want to argue. Sighing, she picked up her fork and took a few more bites, hoping it would satisfy him.
When she finally placed her utensils down, Adrian returned to the table.
Without warning, he reached out and patted her head.
“Good girl,” he murmured, his voice laced with amusement.
Elena froze. Her entire body went rigid, and a deep blush crept up her neck. **Did he just… pat my head?**
She looked up at him in shock, but Adrian only smirked, clearly enjoying her reaction.
“Get some rest,” he said, his voice dropping into a softer tone. “You’ve had a long day.”
With that, he turned on headed toward his bedroom.
Elena sat frozen in place, her mind still processing everything.
As he reached the doorway, he glanced over his shoulder, his smirk deepening.
“Good night, Miss Harper,” he said smoothly before disappearing into his room.
Elena let out a breath she didn’t realize she was holding.
Her entire body was burning.
“What the hell just happened?”
She buried her face in her hands, groaning in frustration. “Why does he always tease me like this?”
Every time she thought she had a grasp on her emotions, Adrian would do something to throw her off balance again.
She got up and walked to the guest room, shutting the door behind her. Taking a deep breath, she leaned against it, her heart still hammering in her chest.
Her eyes fell on the neatly folded clothes on the bed. There was a set of comfortable sleepwear and a few other essentials just like he had said.
Her fingers traced the fabric, a strange warmth settling in her chest. “Why does he care so much?”
Shaking her head, she changed into the nightwear and climbed into bed. But even as she lay there, staring at the ceiling, she couldn’t push away the lingering sensation of his touch, the teasing glint in his eyes, or the way his voice seemed to wrap around her like a spell.
She pulled the blanket over her face, letting out another muffled groan.
Tomorrow was going to be even harder. Because no matter how much she tried to deny it…