by Jerilee Kaye
“Can I ask you something?”
“Shoot.”
“Do you marry for love? Or for power, wealth and money? I mean are you allowed to choose whoever you want?”
Justin gave her a squeeze. Then he kissed the top of her head. “Power and wealth aren’t the only things to consider in marriage,” he admitted. “I don’t speak for everybody who was born with the same privilege as me. But…if it were up to me, I would marry for love, anytime, any day.”
“Did your parents marry for love?”
He thought for a while, then he replied, “My parents are as in love with each other as two lovers could ever be.”
Adrienne stared up at him. Justin looked serious. But she couldn’t read the expression on his face. He reached forward and pushed a lock of stray hair away from her face.
“You’re beautiful,” he whispered.
She smiled and leaned forward to kiss him.
Suddenly, he chuckled. “You thought that I was an asshole and yet you still went home with me when we met at Gypsys?”
She smiled wickedly. “Well, the tequila made you look like a god! It was whispering in my ear, ‘Go on! Lose your virginity to this asshole! At least he looked hot as hell!’”
He laughed. “Tell me you didn’t mean that.”
“Which one? The tequila made you look like a god thing? I think I mean that. But the kisses you gave me made me lose myself all the way.”
He laughed harder. “I picked up the wrong girl that night then. I thought you would think highly of me.”
“So conceited! Just because the whole of New York thinks you’re a god, doesn’t mean I do, too.”
“And you were the one that mattered.” He shook his head. “Damn! I think I made a move on the wrong girl that night.”
She raised a brow. “Okay, so you’re sorry now? All right. I won’t put up a fight!” she snapped and started to stand up from the bed.
He pulled her back and pinned her between his body and the mattresses.
“You… have a hell of a temper, honey. You get mad easily. I was kidding. I would never, ever, ever trade you for any girl that night.”
“Yeah… since we’re having this conversation, why did you pick me up anyway? Of all the girls there, why me? Did I look like I would sleep with you?”
He smiled and shook his head. “You were the only one who looked like you wouldn’t. And it made me want you even more.”
“You’re a bundle of conceit, you know that?” she snapped. “I was a challenge? And now you know I would sleep with you. Does that mean you don’t want me as much as you wanted me then?”
He chuckled and pressed closer to her. She felt him pressed on her abdomen. He was rock hard.
“Does it feel like I want you less than that night?” he asked in a sober voice.
“Justin…we just…”
He grinned at her wickedly. “That’s how much I want you.” His face descended to take her in a kiss that led to another wild ride of passion.
9. Salaisuus
Finnish for Secret
The following Friday night, she made plans to go to Gypsys with her friends. She texted Justin to tell him this.
Justin: I’ll see you there.
Her: What?!
Justin: Relax! I’ll be with my friends. But look my way sometimes, okay?
Her: :-)
Justin: When you’re there, remember that there’s one SMOKING HOT guy in the bar who couldn’t take his eyes off you!
Her: Smoking hot? Who? Oh, did you mean you?
She smiled when she sent him that message.
Justin: The one and only! ;-)
Her: Let me get a needle. Your head needs deflating!
Justin: You’re unbelievable! LOL! See you later!
When she stared at her reflection in the mirror, she couldn’t help feeling proud. She curled her hair with an iron. It looked more reddish brown. She applied light pink blush and silver and gray eye makeup to emphasize her startling long-lashed green eyes. She wore a glittery white dress that ended a few inches above her knees and showed her perfect curves. The high-heeled sandals gave her extra height and extra allure.
Yuan gave her a missed call, which meant that they’re already in front of her building.
When they arrived at Gypsys, they immediately found themselves a spot in the center of the bar.
“It had to be in the middle of the floor, huh?” Adrienne rolled her eyes at Jill and Yuan.
“Of course. This is where the action is!” Jill replied, laughing.
A group of guys entered and walked to the bar in front of the bartender as if that spot was reserved for them.
“Manhattan rakes!” Jill swooned.
“It’s good to see Justin Adams back!” Yuan said.
Adrienne raised a brow. “What do you mean it’s good to see him back?”
Yuan shrugged. “Lately, he’s been out of circulation. No one saw him partying at all. His love… excuse me! Sex life seems pretty quiet.”
“Yeah. I have friends who blogs gossip here and there. And apparently, they don’t see him much these days. Before, he went to bars almost every night. Then it’s like he disappeared! How lucky could we be that he’s here tonight?”
Adrienne didn’t say anything. But she couldn’t help smiling, because she knows exactly where and how Justin had spent his nights lately. In his apartment or hers, watching movies, drinking on either of their balconies and only twice, poker nights with his friends.
Adrienne stared at the bar where Justin stood. He sported those light-tinted Cartier glasses again to shield his eyes. He leaned on the bar, holding a bottle of beer in his hand. He looked in their direction. Adrienne knew that Justin was watching her. And because she knew her friends weren’t looking, she smiled and winked at him. She noted the upward curl of his lips before she turned back to her friends.
After a couple of seconds, her phone beeped.
Justin: Stop flirting with me!
She bit back her lip to prevent herself from grinning widely in front of her friends. If they got too curious, they just might snatch the phone from her to look at what she was smiling about.
She sent him a response: Then stop staring at me!
Justin: Impossible. I couldn’t stop looking at you since the day I laid eyes on you. ;-) You’re a fox!
She grinned at her phone, then she straightened her face when she remembered she was with Jill and Yuan.
She sent another message to Justin: Now it’s your turn to stop flirting with me!
She looked over to his location. She found him staring at his phone and then he grinned widely at it. He looked at her for a while, the smile still pasted on his face, and then he typed something on his phone. Then she saw him bring it to his lips and kissed the screen. Then he looked at her again, smiling crookedly.
Her phone beeped again.
Justin: Justin Adams just gave Adrienne Miller a thorough kiss on the lips!
She couldn’t help giggling this time and she knew she began blushing all over. When she looked up, she found two pairs of curious eyes staring at her.
She cleared her throat. “Nothing. Kimberly sent a broadcast on chat. Medical joke. Wanna hear?”
Please say no! She silently prayed.
Jill wrinkled her nose and Yuan rolled his eyes. “No, thanks!” they said in unison, much to Adrienne’s relief.
After a bottle of Breezer, Adrienne excused herself to go to the ladies’ room. She went through the first door and found two other doors in front of her. The door on the left led to the men’s room and the other to the ladies’. She took the door to her right.
As she retouched her lip gloss, she noticed the women around her. Some of their outfits seemed too skimpy for her taste. She thought one or two girls had started hurling in one of the cubicles. Most of them still spoke about how many cute and available guys came that night and how each hoped to score one of them.
She couldn’t help wondering where she’d been al
l her life and what made her oblivious at how liberated the world had become. Was she really too prudish and too sheltered?
She went out the first door. As she reached for the handle of the second one that will lead her to the bar, it opened and two girls rushed inside. One had her hand to her mouth, obviously trying to make it to the ladies’ room to throw up but it didn’t look like she was going to make it. Unfortunately, this girl had come directly in front of Adrienne. She feared she was too shocked to react or stay out of the way. She watched in horror as the girl lunged forward and made a puking sound.
Suddenly, she felt somebody pull her waist and yank her out of the way. The girl vomited a meter away from her, much to her relief.
It took her a moment to realize that whoever pulled her still held her. She looked up and saw a pair of gorgeous aquamarine eyes. His hair was brown with a little tint of red. He was looking back at her in surprise as well. A sense of familiarity shot toward her, which made her aware that he was still holding her.
She took a step back from him. His eyes were narrowed, as if he was trying to place her. His face looked familiar too, which she found quite odd.
“Have…we met before?” he asked.
Standing half a meter away from him, she got the chance to look at him further. He was taller than her, probably as tall as Justin. He appeared lean, and the white long-sleeved shirt he wore outlined a bit of his well-toned physique.
She would have remembered meeting him. He was very—and she meant very—good-looking. Like he stepped out of the covers of a magazine. But she was positive she hasn’t seen him around yet. But something about him seemed oddly familiar.
She shook her head. “No, I don’t think so.”
“Sorry. I thought I’ve seen you before.” He smiled, flashing her his perfect set of teeth and deep, adorable dimples on either side of his cheeks, just beside his lips. Then he reached forward and extended his hand to her. “I’m Jin. Jin Starck.”
She stared at his hand for a moment and decided to shake it. “Adrienne. Adrienne Miller.”
Adrienne heard a cough behind her. She turned around and found Justin, a grave look was plastered on his face. Immediately, she pulled her hand away from the guy.
The guy looked from her to Justin, and Adrienne saw the realization crossing his face. He took in the look on Justin’s face and immediately concluded that Adrienne was with him.
“Well, you’re welcome,” he said to Justin, his eyes glittering.
Justin shot an eyebrow up. “For what?”
“I just saved your girlfriend’s dress from going in the trash bin,” he said cheerfully. Then he stared at Adrienne and smiled. “See you around, Adrienne Miller.” He winked at her before he exited the room.
Adrienne turned to Justin who didn’t look too happy. “Yeah, a girl almost puked on me,” she said, pointing at the nasty vomit on the floor that was now being cleaned up by a female maintenance worker.
He glared at her for a long moment and then he shook his head.
“What?” she asked.
“You have ten seconds to get back to your table. Or I’m taking you there and you will have a lot of explaining to do to your friends,” he said in an arctic-clad voice.
“Justin…” she started.
“Ten… nine…” He started counting which made her panic. She quickly turned on her heels and she took a run for the exit.
Adrienne was panting when she got back to her table.
“What happened to you?” Jill asked.
It took a moment for Adrienne to compose herself. “Some girl almost puked on me.”
“And it’s only eleven, ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the twenty-first century!” Yuan chuckled.
When she peered at the bar, she found that Justin had already gotten back to his seat. He had his back to her.
An ugly, guilty feeling gnawed her and she couldn’t understand it. Was she wrong to shake that guy’s hand? He introduced himself to her politely, and he saved her from a disastrous wardrobe emergency. It seemed only right to shake his hand, no?
Then why did she feel like she was cheating? Why did she feel like Justin had every right to be pissed off?
She took out her phone and started typing: Are you okay?
She didn’t receive a response. She kept looking at her phone and at the bar where Justin sat. He still had his back to her and it looked like he was drinking quietly.
She tried again. Hey, handsome! Smile, okay?
She saw Justin looking down, probably reading her message.
Finally, her phone beeped. Her heart skipped a beat as she read his message.
Justin: Can’t smile. Some guy ogled my girl.
She smiled at those last two words. My girl.
She replied: He was not ogling! And besides did you see her ogle back?
Justin: No. But I still feel bad. So, she has to make up for it!
Her: How?
She waited for like forever for his response. Then finally, her phone beeped again.
Justin: She has to go on a date with me. This time, I name the place and the terms.
She bit her lip. She had to keep herself from screaming her heart out.
Her: She says okay. But you have to remember the rules. Nothing public.
Justin: Nope. I said I will be the one to name the terms.
Adrienne sighed. She knew in her heart that she loved this guy. And he’d done so much for her. He knew what he’s doing. He promised not to pressure her. So she typed her answer and hit send: All right Mr. Adams! You got yourself a date!
After a minute he responded: Now, Miss Miller… I’m smiling all the way! :-)
She looked at him. True enough, he started looking in her direction, his lips curved in a smile that she knew was meant only for her.
10. Kidnappad.
Swedish for Kidnapped
When Adrienne woke up the next day, her head rested comfortably against Justin’s shoulder. She got home at around two and he came to her apartment thirty minutes after, dressed in a white shirt and a pair of Calvin Klein pajamas.
He pretended to look pissed, but once she pulled him to bed and kissed him, he caved in. Then, they fell asleep.
“Wake up, sleepyhead,” Justin said. “You have a date in two hours.”
Her eyes widened. “Two hours? Justin…it’s ten in the morning! We’re going out in broad daylight?”
He raised a brow. “Yeah, why not?”
“You know we can’t! No one knows we’re seeing each other. The minute we get photographed together, somebody could post about it on social media and it will definitely reach Jill! And she already warned me…this is a friendship ender.”
Justin sighed. “So what’s your plan, Miss Miller? You will never introduce me to them at all?”
“I haven’t even broken up with Troy yet!” She threw her head back against her pillow.
Justin propped up on an elbow so he could look at her. “Adrienne…no one has ever been ashamed of me before.”
She shook her head. “I’m not ashamed of you. God! If circumstances were different… if I didn’t have a boyfriend… I would be proud to be seen with you.”
“Can I ask you something?” He looked gravely serious.
She nervously nodded.
“Do you even have plans of breaking up with Troy?”
She gazed at him and smiled slowly. “Of course.”
Justin stared at her for a moment, searching her eyes. Then finally, he gave her a crooked smile. “Then that’s good enough for now.” Then he leaned forward and kissed her on the lips thoroughly.
“Justin… now, can I ask you something?” Her heart pounded in her chest.
“Anything.”
“Why do you put up with this? I know you hated being kept a secret. You can have a pick of any woman…”
She wasn’t able to finish that sentence because Justin’s lips were on hers, cutting her off.
When he pulled away from her, he gazed into her eyes gen
tly. Then he said, “Because the only woman I want, Adrienne, is in this bed with me.”
She smiled at him. She thought she would die right then and there. He didn’t say he was in love with her too, but that was close enough.
“Now, dress up. I’ll pick you up after an hour and half,” Justin said, standing up from the bed.
She raised a brow at him. “Justin…”
He silenced her with a kiss again. “Don’t you trust me, honey?”
She nodded. “Okay.”
“Great. I’ll see you later.” He stood up from the bed, grabbed his shirt on the floor and wore it. Before he exited her room, he turned back to her and grinned, “You’re a fox!”
After showering, she wore a pair of skinny jeans and a sleeveless top. Her mobile phone rang. It was Justin.
“Hey.”
“You don’t look warm enough,” he said.
She turned around and saw him standing in his room, looking at her through the glass window.
“I have a coat.”
“Still not good enough. Wear a sweater under your coat.”
“It’s not even snowing outside and it’s almost noon!”
He grinned at her. “Didn’t you promise me last night that I will be the one to name the terms?”
She laughed. “All right.”
“And wear a pair of boots, too, okay?”
“Okay, fine.” When she hung up, she scanned through her closet and found a blue knitted sweater. Then she took a black shawl and placed it around her neck. She wore her black knee-length boots.
She couldn’t help wondering about Justin’s plans. She wanted to wear one of her hooded jackets so that if they walk the streets, she could lessen the risk of recognition.
She figured he must be getting tired of hiding all the time. The previous night, he didn’t hide the fact that he was not happy to see another guy introducing himself to her. It made her feel happy to know that he felt jealous and unafraid to show it. But it also broke her to realize that she couldn’t give him what he wanted. Until she faced Troy and officially broke up with him. Until she comes up with a plan on how to confess her situation to her friends, who she couldn’t lose no matter what.
She took out her phone and decided to send Troy a message: We need to talk. In person. When you have a day off, let me know. I could come to see you.