Adrian stopped the car beneath the shadows of a row of trees, a little farther from the entrance than necessary.

The engine remained running.

His hands rested on the steering wheel as he looked through the windshield.

He had received Emilia’s location nearly forty minutes ago. He had arrived five minutes late on purpose.

He had no intention of pulling up at the exact moment she was saying goodbye to Ethan. Especially not if goodbye involved anything he didn’t want to see. Like a kiss.

His jaw tightened.

He glanced at the clock.

10:05 p.m.

He picked up his phone, and opened Emilia’s conversation. His thumb hovered over the keyboard for a moment before he typed.

Adrian: I’m here, sweetheart. I’ll blow my horn twice. Then you walk towards the car.

He sent it.

A few seconds later, he saw movement near the entrance.

Emilia stepped outside. She stopped beneath the light and reached into her handbag.

Her phone lit up.

Adrian watched her read his message.

She smiled, and then she looked around. Adrian lifted his hand from the steering wheel, and he pressed the horn twice.

Beep. Beep.

Emilia looked toward the sound.

Her eyes found the car, and then she started walking toward him.

Adrian’s expression remained still, but his eyes followed her.

She looked beautiful. Almost annoyingly so.

Her hair had come loose during the evening, and the night breeze moved through it as she walked, sending strands across her face and shoulders.

She wore a short red bodycon dress that followed every curve of her figure, fitted around her waist and hips before ending above her knees.

A black jacket rested loosely across her shoulders.

Her heels clicked softly against the pavement.

Adrian’s eyes moved over her once, then again. He hated how easily she could distract him.

He hated even more that she had no idea what she was doing to him. Or perhaps she did.

She reached the passenger door.

Adrian unlocked it.

Emilia opened it and climbed inside. "Hi."

Adrian looked at her. He said nothing.

She smiled at him, but he didn’t return the smile.

Emilia fastened her seatbelt. "Sorry I’m late."

His eyes moved briefly toward the clock. "You aren’t." He finally spoke.

She glanced at him.

He started driving.

For several seconds, neither spoke.

Emilia looked out the window, then she noticed something.

"Is this a new car?"

Adrian’s fingers tightened slightly around the steering wheel. He said nothing.

She turned toward him. "Adrian?"

He continued driving.

She frowned. "You didn’t answer me." Her voice came out firm. A bit stern.

"I heard you."

"Then why didn’t you answer?"

He glanced at her. "Did you enjoy your dinner?"

Emilia went quiet. She stared at him for a moment, then her lips slowly curved into a soft smile.

"You’re pissed off I went to dinner?"

"I’m not."

"You are."

Adrian’s jaw thightened. "I’m not."

She smiled wider. "You are."

Adrian’s jaw tightened further.

Emilia laughed softly. "You’ve been waiting to ask me that since I got into the car."

"I asked you a question, Emilia."

"You asked me if I enjoyed dinner." She leaned back into her seat. "That’s the jealous question."

He spared her a tight glance. "It’s a normal question."

"No, it isn’t."

He looked at her. "What would be a normal question?"

She shrugged. "How was dinner?"

He paused, and then raised a brow at her and then returned his gaze to the road. "That’s what I asked."

"No." She shook her head. "You asked if I enjoyed it."

Adrian looked back at her briefly. "You’re overthinking it."

"I’m not." She studied him. "You wanted to know if I enjoyed being with Ethan."

Adrian didn’t answer.

Emilia’s smile softened. "He was nice."

Adrian’s expression didn’t change.

"We talked, and we laughed."

His grip on the steering wheel tightened.

"And the food was really good."

Still nothing.

Emilia turned toward him.

He remained silent.

Emilia looked out the window again.

After a moment, she noticed his jacket folded neatly in the back.

"Why did you bring a different car?"

Adrian didn’t answer.

"Adrian."

He gave her no response.

She sighed. "You’ve been acting strange since I got here. You can as well drop me off let me take a cab back to my room."

He glanced at her. "It’s late." He simply said.

Emilia rolled her eyes at him, and looked away from him.

The car continued through the quiet streets. For a few moments, Emilia simply watched the city pass outside.

Adrian tired not to, but he couldn’t. His eyes moved toward the black jacket resting across her shoulders.

His expression changed visibly. "Is that his?"

Emilia looked down. "The jacket?"

"Yes."

She nodded innocently. "Yeah."

Adrian’s eyes returned to the road.

Emilia opened her mouth. "I—"

Before she could finish, Adrian reached across with one hand. His fingers caught the jacket at her shoulder, and he pulled it away.

Emilia blinked. "Adrian?"

He tossed it onto the backseat.

Then, without saying anything, he shrugged off his own jacket, and handed it to her.

"Put this on."

Emilia stared at him. "You can’t be serious."

"I am." He let out an exhale. "Please put on this jacket."

"You just threw his jacket into the backseat."

"I did." He looked at her. "It’s cold, Emilia."

Emilia glanced at the air-conditioning. "It’s not cold."

Adrian’s eyes narrowed. "Emilia."

Saying noyhing, she took the jacket from him, and slipped his jacket over her shoulders. It was much larger than Ethan’s had been.

The sleeves covered part of her hands.

She looked down at herself.

"Happy?"

Adrian returned his attention to the road. "Yes."

She blinked, taken aback that he actually answered. Then, she smiled, and settled into the seat.

His scent surrounded her.

She smiled quietly.

For a few minutes, they drove in silence. Then Emilia turned toward him again.

"Can I ask you something?"

"You already did."

She smiled at him. "Why did you come five minutes late?"

Adrian’s eyes remained on the road. "Traffic."

"There was no traffic."

He didn’t answer.

Emilia narrowed her eyes. "You wanted to make sure you didn’t see me with Ethan."

Adrian’s jaw tightened.

Emilia leaned back. "You did."

He finally glanced at her. "Would you prefer I had arrived earlier?"

She thought about it. "No."

"Then there’s your answer."

She smiled. "You didn’t want to see us."

"No."

"Why?"

He didn’t answer immediately. Then he said quietly, "Because I don’t enjoy watching another man kiss you."

Emilia’s smile disappeared.

She looked at him.

Adrian’s expression remained controlled.

"I didn’t say that happened." She defended herself.

"I know."

"Then why—"

"Because I know men." He calmly cut her off. "And you are a temptress."

She stared at him.

He continued driving.

Emilia’s voice softened with understanding. "You really were jealous."

Adrian said nothing.

She smiled, and shook her head, marvelled by the idea of him being jealous. She slowly reached across the space between them.

Her fingers caught his tie.

Adrian glanced at her. "Emilia." He called, warning beneath his voice.

She tugged gently.

His foot eased off the accelerator. "What are you doing?"

"I want to show you something."

His eyes held hers.

She pulled him slightly closer by the tie.

"Something?"

She nodded.

Her fingers remained curled around the fabric.

"I want to show you something no one would ever get from me."

Adrian’s gaze darkened. "Emilia."

She didn’t look away.

Her fingers moved to the top button of his shirt.

She slowly undid it, then she undid another.

Adrian remained completely still.

She undid the third, and his breathing changed slightly.

She kept her eyes on his as she undid the fourth, and then the fifth. Her fingers paused against the open collar.

Emilia held his gaze.

A small smile touched her lips, and then her fingers rested against the next button.

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