Emily: Hello Kitten (The ‘Hello’ series)

10. Chapter 10

ten

D espite trying to avoid Adrian in class and while T.A.ing for the rest of the week, I have a feeling he hasn’t forgotten what this weekend is. No text messages. No Post-It notes on my essay. No emails.

Of course, he won’t email me. He only knows my school email… right?

As I pack Friday after my two classes, Beth watches. “Are you sure?”

“I can handle this alone,” I assure her. “I know my mom will have invited the guy I told her not to.”

She laughs, one that dries quickly. “Wait, he’s not a teacher here, right?”

My head falls back and I turn around to give her a hard look. She puts her hands up. “Now it’s a mandatory question for you to ask before you hook up with a dude. I didn’t think it would need to be, but there it is.”

I shake my head. “Everything will be fine. I made it clear twice over, the text and my being really obvious in the hallway when I wasn’t sure he got the message. Nothing since then,” I say.

She gives me a look, then shrugs. “I’ve done all I can do.”

“Thanks.”

“I’m going to go meet Danielle. We’re going off campus for shopping and dinner. Text me when you get there, okay? And remember—pink dress. No white,” she reminds before heading out.

I finish packing, making sure I don’t have a stitch of white. I have black for the rehearsal dinner. I have ‘appropriate’ casual dresses and nice clothes for the other events, have my makeup, have everything I could possibly need over a weekend.

Just before I zip up my bag, I slip my laptop in, then lingerie and a vibrator just in case I’m feeling myself. With that, I nod, double-check that I have my wallet and my phone, then head out.

This is easy. Really easy.

Hopping in my car, I turn the ignition, ready to head out of the parking lot. The music stops as my phone rings. I press the button on my steering wheel, answering the phone without checking who’s calling.

“I’m on my way. I promise. I’ll be there for dinner tonight for the… reunion or whatever it is. Seriously, don’t start throwing guys at me right away or I’ll stay in my hotel room until the wedding,” I say, expecting my mom’s voice.

“You have a stop to make before you head to the destination, and no guys are going to be thrown at you,” Adrian says in a dangerous, commanding voice.

I brake hard at a green light, hear honking behind me, then swallow. “I was clear.”

“You haven’t told me you don’t want me there, Emily. Until you do, I’m going,” he says clearly.

“Not if I don’t pick you up,” I sass.

“Do you think that would stop me from coming?”

“Are you threatening to show up if I don’t come pick you up?” I ask.

“Answer me honestly, Kitten,” he says in his low, husky voice before groaning. “What do you want?”

My grip tightens on the steering wheel as I bite my bottom lip. “I don’t want you to be my professor.”

“Come get me,” he says.

“That’s not—”

“Do we need to work on how to answer questions when I see you next?” he asks, and I grit my teeth. Fucking ass.

“I’m perfectly capable of answering a question if you’d let me,” I counter. “I don’t need you there, Adrian. I have something that vibrates and always gets the job done.”

“Emily,” he says in a growl that I feel as much as hear.

“Don’t use that voice,” I whisper.

“My place. It’ll give you a solid bit of time to decide whether to knock on the door,” he says sharply.

He hangs up, leaving me breathless and overwhelmed. I shouldn’t do it. This is another out. I can take it. I can drive away right now and make it clear that we can’t do this, but my stomach clenches at the idea of picking him up.

My heart flutters in my chest a little at flipping things around. I want to take him to the wedding. I want to surprise my family by showing up with someone successful, confident, capable.

I groan, let my head fall back, then turn to go to his place. I know it’s not far after my first time leaving his place, but every second of the drive, I keep second-guessing it until I’m in his driveway.

What am I doing? Why am I not doing it faster? If I can’t say no, if I don’t want to say no, then why do I keep hesitating with the ‘yes’? It’s driving me insane. I unlock the car, unbuckle, then just sit there, staring at the steering wheel until my passenger door opens.

Jumping with a squeak, I look over and find Adrian climbing into my car, his hair neatly styled as he wears a dark button up with black slacks. His gaze finds mine and I know I’m screwed. He has this playfulness there, glinting at me, and a blush creeps on my cheeks.

He tosses his bag in the back seat and looks at me with a smirk. “I was impatient.”

“You… you…”

“You’ve been sitting in my driveway for three minutes, Kitten. All you had to do was ring the doorbell. What’s wrong?” His hand strokes over mine, pulling my hand to his lap.

“This is insane, you know that? You’re my professor,” I breathe.

He pulls my hands up, kisses across my knuckles as his eyes burn mine. “Not this weekend. This weekend, I’m your date. I’m your partner. And most importantly, I’m the man who’s going to remind you how to behave by punishing you for being so sassy.”

I stare at him, remembering his hand on my ass, remembering his growl filling my ear. His hands on me, his body against mine, panting, moaning… fuck. I shudder, and Adrian leans forward. “If you’d been a good girl, you’d get a kiss for being sweet enough to drive, but…”

I realize I’m leaning toward him, forcing him to edge back. I chew my bottom lip. Where’s Beth’s demanding and sure voice in my head when I need it?

“Put on your seatbelt, Kitten. You’re going to be safe and focused on this drive. No matter what,” he says.

“What do you mean, ‘no matter what’? All we’re going to do is talk about what we should know about each other so you can pass as my boyfriend. Detailing one kinky night isn’t going to do it,” I grumble.

He leans closer to me, his minty breath fanning over my parted lips as his hand grazes over my breast, then I feel something tighten over my chest. I take a ragged breath and Adrian laughs softly. “Don’t worry, Kitten, I’m not tying you up. At least, not yet.”

“Adrian,” I breathe.

I hear the buckle click, then his hand is on my thigh. “As nice as it is to hear my name, if you don’t head out, we’re going to get distracted.”

“I’m not getting distracted,” I defend.

“Don’t tease,” he warns.

We don’t talk until I’m on the highway. Instead, I’m stuck in mental warfare. The yes and no bounce back and forth in my head until I’m dizzy. I make myself focus on the cars in front of me and the lines.

I shouldn’t have driven over. I still haven’t given him a yes, but obviously, I was going to say yes since I sat in front of his house.

“Stop overthinking and tell me about you, Emily. Other than your being a very thorough reader, a great writer, sassy as hell, and very good in bed, I don’t have much to talk about,” Adrian says.

“I, um, I want to work in publishing one day.” I nibble my bottom lip, not telling how I secretly want to become a published author. “My sister calls me Emmy and I hate it because it makes me sound like a little kid. My sister is the golden child which means I never live up to my parents’ expectations. My dad wants me to do something serious with my life and never forgot that I said I wanted to be a doctor when I was a kid,” I list off.

He doesn’t say anything, so I continue. I just keep talking and talking, only half aware of what I’m saying until Adrian’s big hand slides across my thigh. He digs his fingers in slightly and I step on the gas.

“Easy, Emily. Tell me good things. Normal first date things,” he instructs carefully.

“Like, um… like what?”

“Haven’t you been on a date?”

“Yes.”

“What do people talk about on dates?” he asks.

“The weather. They lie about how they’re doing, never mention exes, flirt terribly, make themselves look good while hiding all the red flags, and hope they get more than a goodnight kiss, based on my experience,” I say.

“The basics, Emily. Let’s start there,” he says as his hand moves further up my thigh.

I shudder. “I told my friends you taste like sweets after we first started kissing and I told them I was going to leave, apparently.”

He chuckles. “A good place to start. Keep going.”