And Then It Happened: An Unexpected Romance

by Annie Green

  His brow furrowed in surprise. “Never?”

  “Never.”

  “Then we’ll have to make that a common occurrence. How about we start now?”

  And so with complete efficiency he did it once again. Only this time he came as well. And then we sat slumped on the shower floor under the steaming hot water until the steam from the shower set off the smoke alarm, pulling us apart.

  Chapter Eleven

  I glanced up from my canvas and saw that Adrian was asleep. His chest moved up and down as if he was in a deep sleep. He must have given in and shut his eyes, despite adamantly declaring he wouldn’t. I fought back a smile. My first painting of him was nearly finished and I was extremely proud of what I’d accomplished.

  Especially since Adrian flirted tremendously with me the entire time he posed for me. Which made it hard to focus.

  I set my paintbrush down and walked over to him quietly, careful not to disturb his sleep. It had been an entire day since I’d gotten off and I was starting to crave it. Now I knew what Adrian had meant when he said it was addicting. I never knew before, but I knew now. I was addicted to Adrian and what he could do to me.

  Gently, I brushed my hand across his face, tenderness crashing through me so overwhelming that I jerked my hand away. I couldn’t feel that way about him. It would only end badly.

  No! Trust you heart. He wouldn’t hurt you.

  I pushed the thoughts aside, instead focusing on his cock, which jutted out remarkably from between his thighs. He’d hassled me endlessly about the wonders of oral sex and until last night I hadn’t believed him. Perhaps blowjobs wouldn’t be that bad with Adrian. Maybe it was just Craig that made all my sexual encounters terrible.

  So I made a decision to give it a shot. Adrian had been incredibly patient with me, hadn’t pressured me to do anything I didn’t want to do.

  And I wanted to do this. Now.

  So I knelt down by his legs and tentatively licked him from base to tip, not quite sure what he liked. But after I did it again, I heard Adrian moan and so I knew I was on the right track. Slowly I took him in my mouth and swirled my tongue around his swollen head before taking as much of him as I could.

  I heard him swear above me, felt his hands tangle in my hair as he thrust upward, fucking my mouth.

  His pace increased and I felt myself clenching in excitement. This was so much better with Adrian. Everything was better with Adrian.

  And then he told me he was coming and I pulled my mouth away. He jerked wildly as he came all over my chest and neck and then he went entirely still.

  “Holy hell,” he said, his hands trembling as he ran one over his face. His hooded eyes met mine and I glanced away shyly. “I didn’t think you liked giving blowjobs.”

  “I didn’t until now,” I replied honestly.

  “Jesus, Janie. What made you change your mind?”

  “I just wanted to see if it was different with you.”

  He arched an eyebrow. “And was it?”

  I shrugged and said as nonchalantly as I could, “It was.”

  Adrian inhaled deeply and closed his eyes. “Well, you’re welcome to surprise me anytime with that. Shit.”

  “So it was good?”

  He nodded as he swallowed. “Yeah. It was by far the best blowjob I’ve ever had.”

  “Yeah?” I asked, blushing furiously.

  “Yeah.”

  I glanced down at my shirt and my eyebrows rose. I could tell Adrian was watching me and was wondering what I’d do next. So I pretended like it was no big deal and pulled my shirt off, wiping my neck with the clean fabric before standing up.

  “You hungry?” I asked, glancing down at him.

  And all he did was smile as he stood up and pulled on his clothes. “Hungry for a lot of things, but dinner will do.”

  “Okay,” I said, as the two of us made our way downstairs. Adrian’s phone rang as I was boiling pasta and he picked it up. Not wanting to eavesdrop I turned on the TV. Tomorrow I was going to meet with Craig and I didn’t want to. All I wanted to do was stay inside with Adrian and mess around. I couldn’t get enough of him.

  “Yeah, all right, mom. Yeah, I’ll bring her. Yeah she can’t wait to meet you two either. Love you,” Adrian said as he pulled open the fridge and my gut clenched as jealousy blurred my vision. Who was he taking to meet his parents? Who was this girl?

  I turned around as Adrian was chugging a bottle of water and asked, “So that was your mom?”

  “Yeah, my parents want to meet me tomorrow,” he replied nonchalantly, like he hadn’t just committed to introducing another girl to his parents in front of me.

  “Is everything all right?” I asked, wanting him to address the elephant in the room. He didn’t. Instead he went over and stirred the noodles.

  “Yeah, they just make these random last minute trips when they miss their kids. So they’re seeing Gabe and his partner Sammy and then me and then Marcus. And if they can get a hold of August they’ll see him too.”

  My eyebrows rose. “Why August?”

  “Because he had shitty parents and basically grew up with me. My parents are like his parents. Although he’s been pretty preoccupied with some shit going on in his life at the moment, so we’ll see if he can even make it.”

  “So what time are you going go be gone tomorrow?”

  Adrian leaned against the counter and watched as I poured the spaghetti sauce into a pan.

  “The afternoon. Why?”

  “Just curious. I’m meeting Craig at three tomorrow so…”

  “Yeah, about that. Cancel with dick-face and come with me to meet my parents.”

  My heart leapt as I turned around to face him. “What? Why would I do that?”

  Adrian’s stared at me before glancing at the counter. “Because I told my parents you were my girlfriend and they are over the moon about it.”

  “What? Why would you do that?”

  Don’t act appalled. You love that he told his parents you were his girlfriend. Even if it is a lie.

  “Because,” he shrugged, his eyes meeting mine. He let them linger there for a moment as if he were assessing my reaction before he shrugged and said with a smile, “Because I want them off my back.”

  I stopped stirring the sauce and glowered at him. “So I’m the girl you told your parents about.”

  “Yeah, who else would it have been?” he asked before he added with a large smile, “You were jealous, weren’t you?”

  I shook my head and rolled my eyes, desperate to change the subject. “So you want me to cancel with Craig and go with you to meet your parents and basically lie to them about being together.”

  “It’s not so much a lie as the truth stretched a little and they’re so excited to meet you.”

  When I didn’t respond, he added, “And come one think about it. I said you were my girlfriend. You’re a girl and you’re my friend. So it’s not much of a lie, is it?”

  “And how long have I been your girlfriend?”

  Adrian shrugged, glancing at the counter once more. “A few weeks.”

  “A few weeks! We weren’t even friends a few weeks ago.”

  “Yeah, well whatever. It’s not a big deal. So you coming with me or not?”

  “Craig did make it seem like he really needed to talk to me…”

  Oh shut up. You could care less about meeting up with Craig.

  “Fuck Craig,” Adrian said, a little angry. “Blow him off. Remember, he didn’t stick around.”

  I bit my bottom lip as I pretended to consider this. Finally I nodded my head and relief swept over Adrian’s features. “Yeah fine. I’ll go, but you owe me.”

  “I’ll do anything you ask,” he replied, drawing a cross over his heart.

  My eyebrows rose. “Anything?”

  He nodded and a plan formed in my mind. “I’m holding you to it.”

  “Cross my heart and hope to die. Now can we eat? I’m starving.”

  I rolled my eyes, but inside my he
art clenched in excitement. Maybe this was the beginning of something between us. Something more than just friends.

  A girl could only hope.

  ***

  “Are you sure I look okay?” I asked, as I walked hand in hand with Adrian to the country club entrance. It was a place I’d only heard of, but had never been to. People like me didn’t go to places like this and I felt more nervous than ever. I had no idea Adrian’s parents were rich and I wondered if they’d know that I didn’t belong.

  “You look sexy as hell and if it weren’t for my parents being there, I’d go down on you under the table,” he said with a smile.

  I playfully punched at his chest before straightening my white lace skirt and making sure all the buttons of my light blue top were straight.

  “You look fine. Stop fidgeting,” Adrian said, stopping suddenly and pulling me into his arms for a kiss. I went willingly, suddenly not caring that we were making out by the entrance of a country club. What was Adrian doing to me? He was turning me into a sex machine. All I thought about, all I wanted was him. I was insatiable

  When he finally pulled away, I was panting.

  “You look like you just made out with someone,” he said, his eyes settling on my lips.

  “I just did,” I replied, patting my puffy mouth.

  “I just want to take you home,” he said huskily and I almost suggested we do that when he turned toward the wall and adjusted himself.

  “After you,” he said once he turned back around, gesturing toward the door.

  I walked inside, hoping I didn’t look as turned on as I felt because then I’d really stand out.

  We walked on expensive Oriental carpeting past a bar filled with people wearing designer clothes. Chandeliers were dimmed to create a warm environment, but all it did was make it hard to see as guests sat drinking expensive wine and talking about things like money and golf.

  How was I ever going to relate to his parents? And why did I even care? It wasn’t like Adrian and I were really a couple. Maybe I shouldn’t have canceled on Craig, who seemed more angry than disappointed that I bailed.

  Adrian held onto my hand once more, his fingers woven in between mine as he led me outside. It was a little chilly, but there were heaters set up to give guests an enjoyable outside dining experience. And at least I could see what was going on out here.

  “There you are!” a female voice said and a moment later Adrian was being engulfed by an older woman with golden blonde hair. She had the same color brown eyes as Adrian and I could see the resemblance, despite Adrian towering over her. She kissed his cheeks before pulling away, affection evident in her eyes.

  “I’m so happy you made it, baby boy,” she said, her eyes twinkling with excitement.

  “I’m not the baby. Marcus is,” Adrian replied with a smile.

  His mom waved his comment off as she turned toward me. “And you must be Jane. I’m so happy to finally meet you,” she said, pulling me into her arms.

  As Adrian’s mom was hugging me, an older man walked up to us, shaking Adrian’s hand before grumbling about how dark it was inside and how much better he could see outside.

  My thoughts exactly, Mr. Thatcher.

  I couldn’t help but smile as I held out my hand to him, surprised to find myself being pulled into his barrel sized chest.

  “It’s good to finally meet Adrian’s girl. Heard so much about you.”

  His parents took a step back and regarded me as if I were a work of art and I felt myself blushing under their scrutiny.

  “She’s so pretty, Adrian,” Candice said.

  “Just relieved he’s not gay,” Joel muttered and my cheeks positively flamed as Adrian sighed loudly.

  “Really guys? Don’t scare her off. She already met Gabe and Marcus and was nice enough to stick around after that fiasco. So can we just sit down and eat already. We’re hungry.”

  Candice was positively bristling with excitement as she watched me. I should have felt more nervous, but I could tell she was just happy to see her son with someone. I now knew why Adrian had lied about us being together. If they were my parents, I wouldn’t want to disappoint them either.

  We sat down and I sipped on my water as Adrian caught his dad up on his business. His dad seemed genuinely proud of his son and I felt a little jealous that my parents were so different from his. What would it have been like to grow up with two parents who adored each other and adored their children?

  As Adrian continued to talk to his dad, his mom leaned toward me and caught my hand in hers. “I’m sorry I keep staring, but Adrian has never brought a girl to meet us before.”

  “Never?” I asked, placing my glass down because my hands were trembling in excitement. It was stupid, really. This was all fake, but it felt real. And I desperately wanted it to be real.

  “Never, which was why when he told us you’d be coming I nearly had a heart attack.”

  “She did,” Joel said, stopping midsentence in his conversation with Adrian to clutch at his chest. “She stood like this for an hour. I was about to call an ambulance when she finally broke down and started crying.”

  Candice slapped at Joel’s shirt. “Don’t say that. You’ll scare her away and I’ve only just stared to get to know her.”

  Adrian rolled his eyes to the sky as his father sat back with a smirk and the two of them resumed their conversation. Adrian hadn’t forgotten about me because his hand was slowly sliding up my bare thigh, stopping a few inches from my panties.

  “So how did you two meet?” Candice asked, forcing my mind off Adrian’s wandering fingers.

  “He’s my neighbor,” I said, wishing I’d had the foresight to sit down with Adrian and discuss the details of our ‘relationship’.

  Thankfully Adrian cut off his conversation with his dad and added, “She couldn’t resist me after we first met. I charmed her off her feet.”

  I snorted involuntarily before slapping my hand over my mouth and staring at Candice and Joel. Both were watching me in amusement as I shook my head in apology.

  “I’m sorry, but no. He didn’t charm me at all. He was a pain in the you-know-what for quite a long time.”

  “So you were a pain in the ass?” Joel asked, his eyes alight with amusement. I could see where Adrian got his light sense of humor. “Why am I not surprised?”

  Adrian cleared his throat. “But you overlooked it. We’re together now, right? So you must have been able to look past all those things I did that prompted you to say you hated me.”

  I shot a look to Candice who was watching us with excitement before deciding I could be honest. “Yes and to set the record straight, he pestered me for weeks,” I began, exaggerating the facts a little, “before I finally decided to become his friend.”

  “You decided to become my friend?” Adrian asked, annoyance lining his voice. “It was a mutual decision.”

  “Mutual my butt,” I said. “Admit it. You followed me around for weeks…”

  “I made a decision to be nice to you…help you out a bit. It wasn’t my fault I fell for you after all.”

  “Oh, this is so wonderful,” Candice said, her eyes nearly full of tears, completely oblivious to the banter occurring between Adrian and I.

  “Candice,” Joel said with a shake of his head, “stop crying all the time.”

  “I’m sorry. It’s the menopause. It can’t be helped,” she whispered before wiping her eyes and turning her gaze back to us. “So when did you know you loved her? I need all the details.”

  I nearly choked on my water. Nearly, but I managed to cough softly into my napkin.

  “She’s a romantic, my mom,” Adrian said, his cheeks flushing slightly. That turned me on more than anything and I wiggled in my seat. “Loves all the juicy details.”

  I could tell he was avoiding the question, so I made a decision to be honest in my answer…”Well, we haven’t…I mean…”

  But Adrian interrupted, his fingers squeezing my thigh. “It was when I saw her art wo
rk and knew she was brilliant as well as beautiful.”

  I grew hot all over at his comment and Candice’s eyes watered some more. Adrian’s cheeks were red as he took a sip of his water.

  “Well, we are so happy for you both,” Joel said because Candice was busy sniffling and mopping her eyes.

  “Thanks guys,” Adrian said, pressing a kiss to the side of my mouth. “We’re happy too.”

  “Oh, well,” Candice said, pressing her hands to her cheeks. “I’m so sorry for that.”

  “Maybe we should change the subject before the water works begin again,” Joel said dryly. “Which brings us to why we’re here. We wanted to remind you guys about our vow renewals coming up in two weeks.”

  Adrian slid his hand a little higher on my thigh and I squeezed my legs together to keep him from going any farther.

  “I’ll be there. Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” Adrian said before Candace interrupted.

  “And you’re coming too, Jane. Of course,” she said, looking at me. “Once Adrian told us about you, we changed your room and made sure you had a queen sized bed.”

  “Yeah, Adrian told me about it,” I lied. “I’m so excited to go. How wonderful for you both,” I said to Candace.

  Her eyes watered once more and Joel shook his head in exasperation. “And here we go again.”

  “Oh, let’s talk about something else…like embarrassing stories about Adrian when he was little,” I suggested, not sure how to lighten the mood and stem Candice’s tears.

  Candice’s eyes lit up as Adrian glared at me.

  “Come on, babe. Don’t be shy,” I said sweetly.

  Adrian’s eyes narrowed at my pet name for him and I flashed him a smile.

  His fingers slid across the satin of my underwear and I nearly jumped out of my seat before he pulled his hand away and rested it on my shoulder instead.

  “Well, now. There are just so many…” Candice said, her eyes shinning with mischief and amusement. And so I settled in for more juicy stories about Adrian.

  Two hours later the four or us made our way outside.

  His parents walked us to Adrian’s car where Candice gave us a tearful goodbye while Joel shook his head once more. When we were safely in the cab of his truck, I turned to Adrian and smiled.