And Then It Happened: An Unexpected Romance (3 page)

Padding downstairs in my bare feet, I expected a solicitor, but was surprised to find Adrian on my front porch.

“Happy birthday,” he said, holding up a container of ice cream.

My eyes narrowed at his gesture, my hand ready to slam the door on his face.

Don’t do that. Secretly you love that he’s here.

“Come on. Let me in, Janice.”

“Why are you really here?” I asked, not believing it was because it was my birthday. Perhaps this was some kind of prank. Maybe I’d see myself on TV tomorrow.

“I’m here to celebrate your birthday with you because you’re obviously such a loser that you don’t have any plans,” he said with a crooked smile.

I hated that despite his rude comment he seemed so charming. I began to push the door closed when he stepped into the doorway.

“I also came bearing gifts,” he added, holding up a bright purple bag that I knew all too well.

He bought you something. Maybe this isn’t a prank.

Reluctantly, I opened the door and Adrian strode inside. He
waltzed into my kitchen, setting my gift on the table as he did, and placed the ice cream in the freezer.

I couldn’t help my wandering fingers as I parted the tissue paper and tried to peek inside. I couldn’t quite make out what was in there because a hand suddenly slapped mine away.

“You only get this if you try it on for me,” Adrian explained, leaning against my kitchen table, his arms folded across his chest and his legs crossed at the ankles.

I couldn’t help the small thrill that ran through me at his request.  “So your gift to me is conditional?”

“Of course. Why else would I be here spending your birthday with you if there wasn’t something in it for me?”

“God, you’re seriously the worst.”

He raised his eyebrows at me and began to reach for my present when I grabbed it from him.

“Fine.
Fine. I’ll go…I’ll go try it on,” I said quickly.

“Good, but before you take it upstairs, open it up. I want to see your face when you pull it out.”

My eyebrows furrowed as I removed the paper from its resting place.

“Why are you being so nice to me?” I couldn’t help but ask.

“I feel sorry for you,” he replied with a crooked smile. “I mean how old are you now? Thirty? And you’re spending your big day all alone?”

“I’m twenty six, you jackass.”

His eyes scanned my face. “Right. Keep telling people that.”

I shoved at his shoulder as I pulled out the bright red gift and I couldn’t help but feel elated.

“You didn’t?” I said, nearly breathless as I held the bright red lingerie outfit I had discarded on the floor earlier that day. All previous anger and annoyance toward him dissipated in a flash. I was that easy.

“I did. Now get upstairs and try it on.”

“But this was expensive…”

“And I can afford it.”

He gently pushed on my lower back, guiding me toward the stairs.

As I took them two at a time, I turned around and asked, “What do you do that makes you so rich? Make porn in your living room?”

“Nailed it,” he chuckled and I couldn’t help but smile back at him.

“I met Valerie today. And to say she was nice would be a lie,” I said as I opened my bedroom door.

“Valerie is a little possessive, which was why I ended it with her a few days ago.”

“Oh. Oooooh. No wonder she was so rude to me. She probably thought you were dumping her for me.”

The thought was so ridiculous that I began to giggle.

“Why’s that so funny?”

“Because it just is. I’d never go out with you.”

He folded his arms as gestured toward my gift. “Are you going to try it on or keep insulting me all night?”

I shot him a look. “How does it feel to be on the receiving end?”

“Like a bad blowjob, now try it on.”

“You want me to try this on with you in here waiting?”

He flopped down on my bed, his hands behind his head. “Yes.”

“And why is that?”

“Because I want to get the full bedroom effect.”

When I merely glared at him, he nodded toward my bathroom. “Unless you want to change in front of me.”

“If you didn’t just buy this for me, I’d tell you to suck it.”

He chuckled lightly. “And I’d tell you I wouldn’t mind.”

His comment had me growing hot all over as I quickly disappeared behind the bathroom door. With shaking hands I pulled out the lingerie and admired it in the mirror. Slowly I put it on, relishing how the fabric felt against my skin and flushing deeply at Adrian’s thoughtfulness. I pulled on my robe, not wanting to reveal myself too quickly. Not wanting to be shut down. I didn’t know why I was doing this, but something about Adrian made me assertive and forthright. I would have never spoken that way with Craig. I had been too shy around him, too easily walked over, but with Adrian I was able to speak my mind. I liked that I didn’t have to hide what I felt and that my words never really seemed to wound him. It was an interesting place to be. Safe, but thrilling at the same time.

I met my wide-eyed gaze in the mirror and inhaled deeply.

You can do this. Now hurry up. 

I slowly came out of the bathroom eager to know what Adrian thought, but for some reason I couldn’t quite meet his eyes. He must have seen a hundred beautiful women sashaying across his line of sight with their tall, willowy figures. I was the opposite of all of them and I wondered how I measured up. Insecurity pulsed through me and for a second I lost my breath. The horrific thought that he had bought this gift so he could make fun of me flitted through my mind. My eyes snapped up and met his.

He was smiling at me.
“You going to hide behind that ugly robe or are you going to show me what’s underneath?”

My eyes narrowed as I counted to ten before boldly letting my shield slide from my shoulders.

Holy crap. Holy crap.

He regarded me for a minute before sitting up in my bed.

“Very nice,” he said, clearing his throat, his eyes roaming my body.

“Thank you,” I replied, hating how shy
I sounded.

“I’ve never been with someone as short as you and I wasn’t sure how it was going to look, but…”

I tilted my head and shot him a glare. “But what?”

“But it’s very nice. I’m having incredibly inappropriate thoughts right now.”

I felt my cheeks flame and I pressed my cool hands against them.

“Come here,” he said lowly and despite my better judgment
, I made my way tentatively toward him.

Suddenly
, I was between his legs and I felt myself clench in nervousness.

“Just a little adjusting,” he said before roughly pulling my corset down.

“What are you doing?” I nearly squealed as he grabbed my thankfully still covered breasts, pushing them upward.

“You’re boobs are already small, Janet. Don’t hide them.”

“I wasn’t,” I said even though that was exactly what I’d done.

He suddenly stood up and turned me around, his fingers brushing against my waist as I glanced in my full-length mirror.

“Now look,” he said. I glanced up and saw myself through new eyes. My breasts nearly spilled out of the cups in the corset and I looked flushed and tangled. And the way he was staring at me had me nearly moaning out loud. I now knew why he had so many women walking through his door. He was dangerously sensual when he wanted to be.

“Now will you humor me?” he asked lowly, his fingers clenching and unclenching around my waist.

“Only if you tell me what you want me to do first,” I said, my voice coming out huskily.

“Bend over that desk chair and say my name like I’ve just given you the best fuck of you life.”

I pushed away from him with an irritated sigh and swept my robe off the floor. “Yeah, not happening.”

“It was worth a try,” he said with a shrug, the mood broken.

I made a sound of disgust as he watched me slam the door of the bathroom shut. He was absolutely the worst person I knew and I hated that I wanted him.

Amend that. Craig is the worst person you’ve ever met. At least Adrian always tells you what he thinks. Craig
just lied and lied to you for years.

Just thinking about Craig and his betrayal made my heart thump awkwardly in my chest. I didn’t know why I was still hung up on him when he’d done nothing but hurt me in the end.

Maybe you need a short fling with Adrian to help you move on.

“Not happening,” I muttered as I exited my room dressed in yoga pants and a t-shirt. Much to my surprise Adrian was waiting for me in the hallway with two bowls of ice cream in his hand. In the middle of one bowl was a lit candle, flickering shadows on the wall.

It was hard to stay mad at him when he was so sweet. This was what I meant when I said hope was detrimental.

“Make a wish,” he said, handing me my bowl of ice cream and I stared at him momentarily before blowing out the candle.

As the smoke wafted up between us in willowy wisps, I asked, “Why are you here, really? Why aren’t you writing between some girls legs next door?”

“First of all, I don’t writhe. I thrust,” he said with a smirk. “And secondly, I didn’t have plans tonight. Contrary to your belief, I don’t fuck girls every night. That would just be way too exhausting.”

“Really? Exhausting?” Now I was intrigued.

“Yeah,” he said glancing at the closed door of my second room. “Exhausting. It takes a lot of energy to make girls come, you know that? Sometimes I’d rather just jack off. It’s easier. I know what I want and it doesn’t last an hour. I can usually finish within a couple of minutes.”

My cheeks flushed at his honesty and I was thankful that the dark hallway hid my embarrassment.

“What’s in that room?” he asked, like he hadn’t just told me that he liked masturbating instead of sex.

“Nothing,” I said quickly…too quickly which only seemed to peak his interest.

“Nothing? You’re a terrible liar, Janette.”

He stalked toward the door and pushed it open, revealing my art studio. Canvases of landscapes and some of interesting faces lined the wall while two unfinished pieces sat on easels. Paint supplies were in Tupperware containers and strewn across a battered desk. And in the middle of the room was the large Victorian chair he’d carried in for me when I first moved in.

He stood still for a moment taking it all in before shoving a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth.

“Holy shit,” he said, turning on the light, illuminating the dark room. “You’re an artist?”

I shrugged like it was no big thing. “Yeah.”

“I would have never guessed. I assumed you were a fast food worker…”

“Thanks,” I replied with a scowl.

He chuckled as he walked toward the canvases lining the wall and began to look through them. Most of them were pieces I hadn’t shown anyone, not even my best friend. His eyes were the first to see them and there was a weird little thrill that coursed through me at knowing this. As he moved around the room, he didn’t say anything for a few minutes, his eyes soaking up my work. After a long silence, he turned toward me.

“You’re fucking good. I never knew.”

“It’s not something I go around telling people.”

“Well, you should. Shit. If I had your talent I would be showing off like crazy.”

I blushed at his compliment. “Thanks, but I’m not like that.”

“Well, that’s a shame. Everyone should be like me.”

His eyes slipped to a blank canvas on the third easel and he shot me a questioning look. “What are you planning on painting there?”

I shrugged, not wanting to tell him my idea.

Yes, you do. You want to ask him to pose for it. Admit it.

His eyebrows rose in suspicion. “Why don’t you want to tell me?”

“Because it’s none of our business,” I replied, feeling suddenly annoyed that he was in my personal space and desperately wanting to paint him at the same time.

I bit my lip and he narrowed his eyes at me.

“Let me guess,” he began and I shook my head at his persistence.

“You’re going to paint dicks. Huge, throbbing dicks…”

I held up my hands, causing him to cease his ridiculousness.

“Why does your mind always turn to the obscene?”

“Because I’m a guy and guys always think about sex.”

I shook my head lightly before sighing, “Fine. Fine. I’m going to paint nudes…a series of them.”

“A series? Of men or women?”

“Of a man…one man…” I couldn’t bring myself to finish my thought.

“And what is this man doing?” He was clearly intrigued.

I pressed my hands to my cheeks and shook my head. “Nothing,” I whispered. “Just posing.”

“Who’s your model?”

“I don’t have one yet.”