by BWWM Club
She looked up at him and he brushed off a tear. He held one side of her face and looked into her eyes.
“Who was that?”
She opened her mouth to speak but she just couldn’t speak. Was this really happening? Did her former asshole of a boss just try to force himself on her? She was shaking in Adrian's arms as he held her close.
*****
When she finally calmed down, Angelina was able to explain exactly who Carlton was and what kind of history he had with her. She didn’t need rocket science to know that Adrian was pissed off. He looked at her and sighed. She was shivering even though it was barely cold. He reached for his phone and dialed as he held her head against him. He was drawing small circles on the side of her face.
“Kyle, come down to the Parisian.” He hung up and began rubbing her shoulders. “It’s okay, baby. I’m right here.” He then called his lawyer. “Russell, how is everything? Listen…I need a favor. I need a restraining order filed against a Carlton Romaine…yes the very same guy from the gallery…And I also need you to dig up any and all information you have about him.” he said as he looked down at her. “He went after something of mine, something very, very valuable.” Angelina looked up at him and brushed a strand of her hair from her face.
“I am not yours,” she said in a whisper. He held her close and caressed her cheek gently.
“I told you once, baby, you are as much mine as I am yours,” he said before he lowered his head to kiss the top of her head. He held her close and then helped her to her feet.
“Where are we going?” she asked in a low voice.
“I am taking you home, baby,” he said before he led her out.
*****
Angelina’s loud doorbell almost scared her out of her skin. She opened her eyes and looked at her bedroom ceiling and heard voices coming from the living room. She climbed out of the bed and slowly made her way to the living room.
“What? Is she okay?” she heard Olivia asking.
“She is okay. I’ve asked my…” Adrian started before he stopped talking mid-sentence. Olivia was looking past him. He turned around and looked at Angelina who was walking into the room. “Hey, how are you feeling?” he asked as he looked at her.
“I’m okay,” she said.
“Sweetie. Why didn’t you tell me anything?” Olivia asked as she threw her arms around Angelina’s shoulders.
“I didn’t…I couldn’t….” Angelina started but she could not talk properly.
“You poor dear. You’re still in shock,” Olivia said rubbing Angelina’s back. “Come on, have a seat right here,” Olivia said leading her to the couch.
“I made you some soup,” Adrian said in a soft voice as he walked to the kitchen.
“Guys, I’m not sick. I’m just a little shaken up,” Angelina said rolling her eyes.
“Yes, but you haven’t had anything to eat all day and you know very well that is unacceptable to me,” Adrian said. “It’s the best butternut soup you will ever have, trust me.” He handed a bowl to Angelina and smiled at her. “If you don’t like it, I will take you to the restaurant of your choice.”
“I like those odds,” Olivia said in a whisper.
“I have a bowl for you too, Olivia,” Adrian said as he walked to the kitchen. He came back with two bowls on a tray.
“I like this one, Angie.”
Adrian raised an eyebrow over the other.
“What do you mean this one? Are there more men who come in here that I should know about?” he asked.
“Jealous, possessive and he can cook? I really, really like this one,” Olivia said.
Angelina rolled her eyes.
“Please stop talking,” she said as she lifted a spoonful of soup to her lips. “Dear Lord…grandma just lost her place as best chef ever,” she said a little too fast. She took another spoonful and from the corner of her eye, she saw Adrian smile.
The three sat there, enjoying their soup like it was just another day when it suddenly hit Angelina. This was the biggest day at the gallery, her biggest day yet. “Oh my God…the photographers,” she started.
“Matt took care of everything. All the photographers came in and they were very sorry to hear that you had suddenly taken ill,” Adrian explained with a smile.
“And the pieces from New Haven?” she asked.
“Everything is fine, Angie. All the pieces have been logged into the system, fitted with a tracker and are now hanging up on the Parisian walls. That assistant deserves a raise,” Adrian said with a smile.
Angelina was about to answer when she heard her doorbell ringing.
“You are a popular little lady today, aren’t you?” Olivia asked as Adrian walked to the door.
“The restraining order has been filed,” Adrian said walking back into the room. Angelina raised an eyebrow.
“Don’t you need my signature for that or something?” Angelina raised an eyebrow.
“Actually, not really. You just have to know where to dot your I’s and cross your T’s. And have a very close personal relationship with the captain of the police force,” Adrian said as he sat down next to Angelina. “I am here, baby. No one will ever dare hurt you ever again.”
Olivia’s eyes grew wide.
“Baby? Have you been holding out on me sweetie?” she asked as she looked at her best friend. Adrian smiled and walked to the kitchen. He was probably going to get a drink, as far as Olivia was concerned but Angelina knew that he was giving them time to have their girl talk.
“To be honest, I don’t know what is going on here,” Angelina said in a whisper.
“Really? Hot billionaire waiting on you hand and foot and you don’t know what is going on here?” Olivia asked.
Angelina took another spoonful of her soup. She looked at Adrian and felt a strange familiarity with him. She felt almost too comfortable with him. She felt safe.
“Do you really want to tell me that you have absolutely no feelings for him?” Olivia asked. Angelina took another spoonful of her soup and looked at Adrian as he looked through her fridge.
“I don’t know, Liv. I think I am falling for him,” she said in a soft voice as she looked at his perfect features outlined underneath his shirt.
Chapter 7
Angelina didn’t realize just how serious Adrian was about her safety until after the Carlton incident. For the next few weeks, he had practically moved in with her, or she with him. He was never too far away and she liked how things were. She was not sure what he had done to ensure that she never had to keep on checking her rear view mirror to make sure that Carlton was not following her but whatever it was that he had done had worked. At first, Carlton was a real nuisance, calling her at home and at work, sending her threats but suddenly, all was quiet. And as much as she liked it, she could not help but wonder what happened to him.
It was on a Wednesday when Adrian drove them to his high-rise corner suite apartment in downtown LA. She was in awe when they walked in.
“Just how many houses do you have?” she asked when she walked into the lavish apartment.
“In the state or in the country?” he asked. She shook her head.
“Forget I asked,” she said with a smile. She walked to the living room and put her handbag down on the table as she looked around. She looked at the tastefully decorated place and shook her head. “You do have a taste for the finer things in life, Mr. Corday. I must say,” she said as she walked towards one wall. “This looks like the Putin face piece,” she said as she looked at him.
“Well, it is actually my grandfather. The piece is done exactly the same way as the Putin’s face piece was done. There are one hundred and eighty seven thousand photos making up that piece right there,” Adrian said proudly.
“Now that’s impressive. So I must ask. Do you always bring all your dates here?” she asked as she looked at him.
“Actually, apart from Russell and my driver, you are the only other person who knows about the existence of this place,” he said. Hi
s answer sent thrills down her spine.
“So I’m a first for you in this apartment?” she asked with a smile.
“Actually, you are a first for me in many things,” he smiled.
She turned her attention to more of the artwork on the wall.
“Really? Like what?” she asked without looking at him.
“Like cooking for you. I have never cooked for anyone ever. Not even my mother,” he said.
A smile was playing on her lips.
“What else?”
He walked to where she was and placed his hands on her waist.
“You are also the first woman to make me feel like I have to prove something.”
She turned around and looked at him.
“Something like what?” she asked. This was an answer she had to hear while looking into his eyes. He touched her chin and gently caressed it.
“God Angelina, do I have to spell everything out for you?” he asked as he looked into her warm brown eyes.
“I’m afraid so,” she said in a small voice. He kissed her neck softly making her blush.
“I have been indirectly asking you to be mine for the longest time and yet you still need me to spell everything out?” he asked. She felt her cheeks get hot. He looked at her and she bit her lower lip in embarrassment. “Can I get you something to drink?” he asked as he walked to the kitchen. He opened the double door silver fridge and looked inside.
“Just a bottle of water, thanks,” she said.
“What do you mean just water? I thought we would have something a little more like this,” he said as he pulled out a bottle of Chardonnay from the fridge. She looked at him as she walked to the kitchen. “Best Sauvignon Blanc from Napa Valley,” he added.
“Come on, every bottle from Napa is supposedly the best,” she said putting up finger quotes. Adrian handed her the bottle and her eyes grew wide when she saw the name on the bottle.
“Corday? Did you seriously personalize a wine bottle? Kind of like what The Coca-Cola company is doing with the Share a Coke campaign?” she asked.
He looked at her and laughed as he opened the bottle.
“I did not personalize the bottle, Angie. It’s from my vineyard at Napa,” he said as he poured two glasses of wine. He looked at her as he held one glass up. “You dethroned your grandmother’s cooking after tasting my butternut soup and I haven’t even made you my crème brulee,” he said. She took the glass from him and brought it up to her lips. “Whoa there. What are you doing?”
“Taking the first sip,” she shrugged.
“You cannot just drink it. You have to look at it, swirl it, savor the aroma and then finally taste it,” he said.
“Okay, fine. Hold it up,” she laughed as she held the glass up to the light. “I don’t understand. What am I looking for?”
“You are looking for the wine’s true color. When you tilt the glass you can actually see the color change from the center to the edges.”
“Why? I just want to drink it and probably get buzzed later.”
Adrian smiled. He could have just spanked her for being so goddamn cute.
“The fine wine experience is about more than just getting buzzed, Angie. Now swirl it,” he said. She did as he said. “This brings the wine’s aroma up to your nose because of the interaction with the oxygen.”
Angelina was confused.
“Then why do I have to smell it later?” she asked. He smiled again as he brought his glass to his nose and sniffed it. “Okay, I can smell something…lime maybe?”
“Very good.” It was now Angelina’s turn to smile. She looked at him as he lifted the glass to his lips. “Now taste it. Remember, baby. Taste. Don’t swallow,” he said as he took a sip. She took a sip and savored the taste. She’d had a variety of Sauvignon Blancs. But nothing had ever come close to what she had in her mouth. He swallowed and she followed suit. She looked at him and smiled. “Well?” he asked as he looked at her.
“Do you want the honest truth or do you want me to sugar coat it?” she asked.
“I think I would much rather have the honest truth,” he said.
“Well, I hate to admit it because you may very well hold this over my head for the rest of my life, but that could very well be the best wine I have ever had,” she said.
Adrian smiled and took another sip.
“The rest of your life? So you want me around that long?” he asked.
She took another sip and turned around.
“I’m starving,” she said in an attempt to change the subject. He looked at her and picked up his phone. He was about to dial one of his favorite restaurants when she turned around to look at him. “For a person who brags a lot about his culinary skills, you are sure quick to call for some take out.” Adrian hung up and looked at her.
“Fine. What do you want?”
“Two things. One, something quick and delicious.”
“And two?” he asked.
“You tell me when this shadowing will end. I am not complaining or anything but you haven’t been at your office in weeks and I haven’t heard from Carlton for a while. Which begs the question, did you do something to him?”
Adrian raised an eyebrow.
“Why would you ask me that?”
“Because. One minute he was blowing up my phone even at the office and then it all suddenly stopped,” she said. Adrian walked up to where she was.
“Do you really think I might be capable of hurting anyone?” he asked as he looked into her eyes. She shrugged and then shook her head. He brought his head down and she parted her lips to meet his lips but he tilted his head and kissed her cheek instead. He pulled away and looked at her. “I just made sure he would never bother you again. And don’t worry, he’s alive and not in some dungeon in the middle of the woods,” he said before he walked to the fridge. He took out some chicken thighs and vegetables before he got some Szechuan peppercorns from an overhead shelf. She watched him as he made her the most delicious Kung Pao chicken she had ever had.
When they sat down to eat, she was looking at him feeling a familiar wetness in her panties. For the last few weeks, from the Carlton incident to be more precise, he hadn’t been intimate with her. It was like he was scared she might have been prone to some kind of PTSD after Carlton tried to force himself on her. She looked into his eyes as she took one last bite of her food.
“I want you,” she said in a soft voice.
“I want you too,” he smiled. She got up from her chair and walked up to where he was. She put her arms around his neck and looked at him.
“I can’t baby. You are not ready,” he said as he breathed on her neck.
She pulled back and looked into his eyes.
“What do you mean not ready? I have been spending every day of the last week with you, sleeping next to you and you haven’t done anything to me.” She held the side of his face. “I want you inside me.” He closed his eyes and took a fistful of her hair. She gasped as he held her against his shoulder. He was not hurting her but she could feel the arousal in the way he was breathing.
“You have no idea just how much I want you Angie,” he said in a whisper. She pulled her head from him and looked at him.
“Then take me.”
He looked down at her and suddenly claimed her lips. One of his arms was firmly secured around her waist as the other one cupped her face. She allowed herself to get lost in the passion of the moment as his mouth crashed against hers. He pulled away and looked at her.
“I want you like I have never wanted anyone before, Angie,” he said in an urgent whisper. She raked her fingers through his hair.
“Show me.”
He stepped down from his chair and took a long minute to look into her eyes before he slipped an arm around her waist pulling her close to him. She thought of jumping on him, securing her legs around him but he turned around and took her hand, leading her out of the larger than life room to the bedroom.
When they got there, he turned around and kissed her
again, harder this time. A whimper escaped her when he dug his fingers into her folds. She wanted him so much. He was breathing hard as he held the two ends of her blouse and pulled them apart. She gasped when her blouse buttons flew all over, scattering all over the floor. He stared down at her full breasts held firmly in her black satin bra. She was yet to get used to what was happening before he suddenly pulled one cup of her bra exposing her breast to him.
He pushed her down on the bed and took her nipple in his mouth. She was moaning and gasping as he circled her nipple with his tongue. Her chest was rising and falling with each deep breath she took. He pulled down the other bra cup and began flicking his fingertips on it. She responded almost immediately: her nipples were hard and full against his fingers and in his mouth. He pulled away and looked down at her before he pulled her up to a sitting position. He reached behind her and undid the clasp easily with one hand.
“Years of practice, maybe?” she wondered as she looked down at him. He was now pulling down her skirt and panties. She felt a little strange lying on the bed completely naked while he was still fully dressed. He looked at her and took off his shirt almost like he had read her mind. But he was doing it so slowly, too slowly. It seemed like forever before he finally undid the last button of his shirt.
Adrian pulled her lower on the bed and stood in between her legs. He was caressing her thighs slowly, his eyes fixated on her breasts and her luscious lips. He felt like he was taking her for the very first time and because of this, there was an undeclared need to go slow. To make love as she would have wanted but he was not the lovemaking kind of person. The one thing he knew he could do better than anything was fuck, hard. But something else was happening. For the very first time, he wanted to explore his soft side and try and make love to this woman lying in front of him. And it was fitting too since he was falling in love with her.
“Don’t move,” he said in a whisper as he climbed onto the bed. She looked at him and bit her lower lip as he slowly brought himself down. He gently caressed her arms and then pinned them over her head. As she looked into his eyes, she could not help but notice the dark obsession in his eyes. He was looking at her in a way that almost made her want to just pull down his neck and kiss him. But she was not sure how he would react if and when she did.