Stella's POV
The damn winter wind cut through my coat like a knife as I hurriedly left the party.
God, it was freezing outside. Wearing jeans tonight was definitely a mistake.
I almost ran towards the waiting Bentley, my refuge from the cold and from Grace's icy welcome at the party. The driver immediately opened the back door when he saw me.
"Thanks," I muttered as I slid into the car with leather interior, immediately reaching for the heater vent. As the warm air flowed over my frozen fingers, I couldn't help but let out a soft moan.
I left Adam at the party - it was childish, but watching Grace cling to him all night was unbearable. Now I sat alone in the car, wondering if he would choose to stay with his precious childhood friend instead of following me.
The door opened, a rush of cold air swept in, and Adam entered. He sat silently beside me, in the dim light, and unexpectedly, he reached out and took my hand.
"You're freezing," he frowned, wrapping my small hand in his larger, warmer one.
I wanted to pull my hand back, but I didn't, secretly enjoying the warmth of his skin against mine. A different kind of warmth spread through me - one that had nothing to do with the car's heating system.
"You shouldn't have pushed the wheelchair," he almost inaudibly muttered, "your hands are frozen."
Adam actually cared about how I felt?
The car smoothly merged into Manhattan traffic, the engine humming softly. Adam continued to hold my hand, occasionally rubbing my knuckles with his thumb.
Then his grip tightened, his voice taking on the familiar edge of danger.
"Stella, explain why you left me alone at the party."
Damn. Here it comes.
I tried to pull my hand back, but he wouldn't let go. His eyes, hard and questioning, locked onto mine.
"I... I thought you might be angry, thought I ruined Grace's welcome party," I stammered, hearing the clumsiness of my own lie made me shrink back, "didn't want to be scolded, so I left."
Adam's lips curled into an infuriating fake smile. "Mrs. Lancaster, if you're going to lie, at least make it a bit more convincing."
Caught. Damn it.
"Fine," I tried again, "I thought you might want to stay a bit longer."
His fingers tightened - a silent command for me to stop babbling.
"Oh, for God's sake!" I finally burst out, frustration breaking through, "I was damn jealous, okay? Are you satisfied?"
The confession hung between us like a detonated grenade. Adam's expression remained infuriatingly calm, he released my hand and leaned back, deliberately creating distance between us.
Great. Now he's sulking like a child.
I squirmed uncomfortably, the silence suffocating. "Weren't we supposed to go get soda and late-night snacks?" I asked, eager to break the tension.
Adam didn't respond, just stared out the window as if he hadn't heard me speak.
What a stubborn child. The CEO of GT Group, pouting like a kid because I admitted to being jealous.
I reached out and tugged at the edge of his suit jacket. "Adam," my voice involuntarily softened into a near-petulant tone, "don't be mad."
God, am I really pouting? What's gotten into me?
Adam closed his eyes, still ignoring me, but I noticed the slight tension in his jaw, his focus seemingly on my fingers gripping his jacket.
Is it wrong to leave without telling him? Of course not. If he wants to stay with Grace, he can do it - I'm not his babysitter. I have the right to leave that awful situation.
I glanced at his profile, remembering how he immediately followed me instead of staying with Grace. Despite her constant touches, whispers, and desperate attempts to regain his attention, he chose me. It gave me a precise satisfaction - a particularly sweet victory.
This thought softened my irritation. Maybe I could show him a little kindness. After all, I clearly won this round.
The Bentley stopped at the entrance of Lancaster Manor. Adam got out of the car without a word, not even checking if I followed. His stiff posture indicated he was still very angry.
Fine. If that's how it is, I'll play along.
I caught my breath and caught up to him, grabbing his tie as he reached for the door, forcefully pulling him away from the entrance. "Adam, wait!" I whispered, pushing him against the wall before he could react.
We hid in the shadow of a massive pillar, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. Without giving myself a chance to hesitate, I tiptoed and urgently pressed my lips against his.
For a moment, he froze, seemingly shocked by my initiative, but then he let out a low growl, flipping our positions like a wild beast, pressing me firmly against the wall.
His body pressed against mine, his solid chest squeezing my softness, the heat of his breath seeping into my skin. His hands gripped my waist, effortlessly lifting me up, my legs instinctively wrapping around his waist, arms around his neck.
Through the haze of desire, I caught a glimpse of his smug smile, a satisfaction of capturing his prey. I gasped as I pulled away slightly, fingertips gliding over his shirt, up to his firm chest, feeling the pulsating warmth.
"You bastard!" I muttered low, my palm tracing down his hard abdomen, stopping at the bulge in his pants, fingers lightly teasing his erect member through the fabric, "You're pretending to be angry just to make me take the lead!"
His smile widened, cunning like a wolf, his eyes shining with the triumph of a hunter. "You started it, Mrs. Lancaster," he whispered, his voice deep like melted honey, seductive, "now it's up to you to finish it."
I wanted to retort, but my hand involuntarily gripped his member, feeling the hot hardness pulsating in my palm. His breath hitched, and he kissed me fiercely, his tongue invading, robbing me of my senses.
In that moment, I forgot what I was angry about, only feeling the touch of his muscles under his shirt and the rising heat in my lower abdomen.
Adam carried me through the dark corridors of the estate, my legs wrapped around his waist, his hands supporting my buttocks. He held me as if I weighed nothing, an impressive and absurdly sensual gesture.
"People will see," I whispered against his neck, feeling shame at the thought of Joseph catching us like this.
"No one's around," Adam replied, his voice low and confident, "this way, no one can see us."
As he climbed the grand staircase, I buried my face in his shoulder, inhaling his scent - a mix of expensive cologne and a certain scent unique to Adam. My heart raced, partly from embarrassment, mostly from anticipation.
How could he hold me so effortlessly? For someone who pretended to need a wheelchair, his strength was damn impressive.
We reached the master bedroom without encountering anyone. Once the door closed, Adam pressed me against the wall again, his lips kissing me hotly and forcefully.
"These jeans," he murmured, his hand sliding down to grip my hips tightly, "should be banned. Every man at the party was staring at you."
I couldn't help but smile against his lips. "Jealous, Mr. Lancaster?"
His response was an intense kiss that made my toes curl. As his hand moved to undo the button of my jeans, reality suddenly crashed into my desire-filled brain.
"Wait!" I gasped, pushing against his chest, "Condom."
Adam paused, although his expression clearly showed reluctance. "Don't want to use it," he muttered, his lips leaving hot kisses along my neck.
"I have to," I insisted, trying to focus as his lips did sinful things to my collarbone, "I'll get pregnant!"
His eyes locked onto mine, a strong emotion burning in them. "Then get pregnant," he said, as if it were the simplest thing in the world, "we're legally married, Stella."
That casual statement felt like a bucket of cold water dumped over my head. A child? With Adam? The idea was terrifying and... not entirely resistible.
Calm down, Stella. It's not time to think about being a mother now.
"Adam," I said firmly, despite my racing pulse, "I'm not ready to have a child right now."
What emotion flickered across his face - disappointment? - but it was quickly masked. He stared at me for a long moment, then nodded gently.
"Okay, my girl," he conceded, his voice softer than I expected, "not now."
A sense of relief washed over me, followed by a different kind of warmth as he accepted my decision. He didn't force, didn't try to override my choice. Instead, he actually listened.
This stubborn bastard keeps surprising me.