"So," the man beside Adrien—Caden, I think someone called him—leaned slightly forward, eyes now fixed on me with that same half-smile that looked more like a smirk. "And who might you be?"
My fingers tightened slightly around the edge of my napkin and I lifted my gaze trying to keep my voice even. "Isabella."
"Isabella…" he repeated like he was testing how it felt in his mouth. "Pretty name. Pretty face too."
I gave a polite smile. Nothing more.
Adrien still hadn't acknowledged him.
Caden didn't stop. "You work for Adrien?"
I hesitated. "Something like that."
"Hmm," he hummed resting his chin on his palm with his elbow on the table, looking far too amused. "Interesting. Very interesting. You don't seem like the usual type he drags around."
The room had quieted. I could feel eyes on us but I didn't dare look up.
"I wasn't aware I was being dragged," I said, trying to keep my tone neutral not biting.
That earned me a low chuckle from him.
But before he could say another word—
"She's not the type you get to talk to," Adrien said his voice sharp as a blade.
Caden leaned back with an exaggerated sigh. "Touchy, touchy. Relax, brother. I'm just being friendly."
"She doesn't need your kind of friendly."
Something electric passed between them. Old resentment? Hatred?
All I knew was that I have somehow become a spark between two barrels of gunpowder.
So I sat still, smiling tightly, willing the dinner to end quickly. Because whatever this was I wanted no part in it.
And yet… I already was.
****
Thank God the dinner was over.
I tried to keep a polite smile on my face the entire time but I was starting to feel like a statue─silent, stiff and extremely out of place. Adrien's family was… interesting, to say the least. Not that I even knew who half of them were I could only assume the woman who practically squealed and hugged him was his mother. The rest? Mystery relatives. And then there was that Caden guy with the crazy attitude─who clearly didn't like Adrien very much and liked me way too much.
As we left the dining room I stuck close to Adrien. When he turned to tell the warm-looking woman and the stern man beside her, "We're leaving," I finally confirmed in my mind that they were his parents.
Once outside, I looked at him. "Wow. Finally deciding you want to drive?" I said as he collects the key from my hands
He ignored the sarcasm and simply walked to the driver's side. Okay, that was… unexpected.
I opened the passenger door and slid in, feeling my body sink into the seat. Everything ached─ from the heels to the dress to my face from all that fake smiling. Still… not bad for a work trip.
At least, that's what I thought before the drive started getting too quiet, too calm… and the next thing I knew, my eyelids started to drift.
Adrien's POV
The night was cool.
The streets were quiet, the engine purred, and the girl in my passenger seat─this little whirlwind of chaos─was finally still.
Damn. This little thing will never cease to amaze me.
she fell asleep!!!
One second she was staring out the window and the next her head dipped forward then rested gently against the seat.
I blinked. "Seriously?"
The car hit a bump and she didn't even stir. I leaned slightly to check─yeah, completely out. She is breathing softly, her lips slightly parted and her hands resting lazilyy on her lap.
How the hell does she sleep this fast? And in a moving car, no less?
I sighed and shook my head. "If this were public transport, you'd be gone. Kidnapped. Sold to some underground market in five minutes flat."
By the time we got to the hotel she still hadn't woken up. I nudged her. Nothing. Called her name. Not even a twitch. Of course.
"Great," I muttered and climbed out, walked around to her side, opened the door and─after a brief moment of glaring at her for causing me this inconvenience I scooped her up into my arms.
Her hair smelled like rose and something. Her skin was soft. Too soft. A little bit of shoulder was peeking out and the dress had ridden up slightly, revealing just a bit too much leg.
Shit.
I swallowed and tried to adjust her in my arms but that only made it worse.
Down, boy.
Nope. Not happening. She's my employee. This is just… basic human decency. Helping a co-worker. That's it.
But the situation was not helping.
I carried her up like a sack of rice and threw her over my shoulder. Classy? No. But it helped keep my brain focused on something other than the curve of her thighs.
The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime.
I stepped in with her still slung over my shoulder like some delicate, annoying gorgeous sack of flour. My finger hit the button for our floor a little too hard but I was barely aware of anything beyond the scent of her.
Rose and something sweet. Maybe vanilla? I don't even know. But it was…Addicting.
The doors closed.
And then the real torture began.
There were mirrors on every side of the elevator─God knows why hotels loved that aesthetic. So now I wasn't just carrying her. No, I was watching myself carry her. Watching her legs sway slightly with every shift of my stance. Watching the way her dress had crept just high enough to mess with my sanity.
My hand gripped the back of her thigh, mostly to steady her so she didn't slip and that was a mistake. A huge mistake. Her skin was soft─ The kind of softness that makes you question how the hell someone walking around this world like a regular human could feel like that.
I clenched my jaw. This was punishment.
The ride felt like hours.
With every passing second, her scent coiled around my senses like a damn noose. I tried not to look at her reflection. Tried not to think about the way her breath tickled the side of my neck but it was impossible. She was everywhere.
And then the worst thought crawled up into my mind like poison.
Did she plan this?
Was this part of her act? The innocent, oh-so-tired routine? Falling asleep in my car so I'd be forced to carry her, touch her, feel her?
My grip tightened a little. Not enough to hurt, just… enough to vent the steam building up in my chest.
No. Get it together, Adrien.
She's a gold digger, remember? A beautiful one, yes. Sexy as hell but beneath that charm and that smile, there's a motive. There always is. You've seen it before.
The elevator chimed again. My jaw ached from how hard I was clenching it.
I walked out fast, ignoring the few hotel staff that glanced our way. Let them think what they wanted. I didn't care. All I cared about was dumping her in her bed and running to the coldest shower I could find.
Because if I didn't, if I so much as stared at her for one more second...
I might do something very, very stupid.