Stella's POV
The shrill sound of my alarm jolted me awake. Groggily, I reached for my phone to silence it, every muscle in my body protesting the movement. A dull ache radiated through me as memories of last night flooded back.
*God, did we really do it three times?*
I attempted to sit up, wincing as my body reminded me exactly how vigorous Adam had been. Glancing down at myself, I saw the evidence scattered across my skin—little marks of possession that Adam seemed to delight in leaving. My neck, my collarbone, even the inside of my thighs bore his signature.
Across the room, Adam sat on the sofa, already dressed in a crisp button-down shirt and tailored pants, laptop balanced on his knees as he scrolled through emails. He looked annoyingly fresh and alert, as if he hadn't spent half the night keeping me awake.
"Good morning," he said without looking up, his voice carrying that subtle smugness that made me want to throw something at him.
So I did.
I grabbed my pillow and hurled it at his head with all the strength I could muster. To my disappointment but not surprise, he caught it effortlessly, his reflexes as sharp as ever.
"Something wrong, Mrs. Lancaster?" he asked, one eyebrow raised in amusement.
"How are you so... functional?" I demanded, gesturing vaguely at his put-together appearance. "It's not even seven!"
Adam set his laptop aside and stood, straightening his already-perfect shirt. "Some of us can handle a little physical activity without falling apart," he remarked, approaching the bed with predatory grace. "Need help getting dressed?"
I narrowed my eyes at him. "Dream on."
His lips curved into that infuriating half-smile that never failed to make my heart skip a beat. "Just trying to be helpful," he said innocently, though his eyes told a different story.
I clutched the sheet tighter around me. "I think you've been 'helpful' enough."
\---
Twenty minutes later, freshly showered and dressed in a simple blouse and pencil skirt, I was applying my makeup when a knock on the door made me freeze. I glanced at Adam, who seemed unconcerned as he typed on his laptop.
"Who could that be at this hour?" I whispered, panic rising in my chest. The last thing I needed was someone from the production team seeing Adam in my room.
The knocking continued, more insistent now.
"You—you need to hide!" I hissed, grabbing his arm and trying to pull him up. He remained immovable, looking at me with mild amusement. "Come on, Adam! Go to the bathroom!"
"Stella," he said calmly, "we are legally married."
"That's not the point!" I tugged harder at his arm. "Please, just hide!"
When he still didn't move, I added desperately, "If you don't cooperate, you can forget about staying here!"
Adam's expression shifted, a cold smile playing at his lips. "Is that so?"
I knew I had no real leverage, but I was desperate. "Mr. Lancaster," I said, softening my voice, "for God's sake! Please! I don't want to walk into the production office and be surrounded by people asking for gossip."
Something in my pleading must have reached him because he finally stood, letting me push him toward the bathroom.
"Not a sound!" I warned before closing the door on his amused face.
Taking a deep breath to compose myself, I smoothed my hair and opened the door with what I hoped was a casual expression.
"Tay—" I stopped mid-word, relief washing over me. "Taylor. It's you."
Adam's assistant stood in the hallway, holding a large paper bag that smelled deliciously of fresh pastries. "Good morning, Mrs. Lancaster! I've brought breakfast for you and Mr. Lancaster. Also, I need to collect the documents he reviewed last night."
I stepped aside to let him in, suddenly feeling foolish for my panic. "Of course, come in."
Taylor glanced around the room, then back at me with a questioning look. "You seem... relieved? Were you expecting someone else?"
"No! I mean... no. I just..." I trailed off, not sure how to explain.
"Is Mr. Lancaster available? I need those files before his nine o'clock call."
I gestured awkwardly toward the bathroom. "He's... in there."
Taylor nodded as if this was perfectly normal information. "I see. The documents should be on the desk—he mentioned they were ready."
I hurried to gather the stack of papers Adam had been reviewing last night and handed them to Taylor, who accepted them with a polite nod. As he arranged the breakfast on the small dining table, I marveled at the spread—flaky croissants, a fresh fruit and yogurt parfait, eggs Benedict, smoked salmon with avocado toast, and a carafe of what smelled like premium coffee.
After Taylor left, I approached the bathroom door and leaned against it. "You can come out now, *sir*. Or do you plan to stay in there all day?"
"Isn't that what Mrs. Lancaster wanted?" Adam's voice came through the door, cool and slightly mocking. "For me to remain hidden?"
I rolled my eyes, even though he couldn't see me. "I didn't know it was Taylor, okay? Breakfast is getting cold."
When he still didn't emerge, I sighed and reached for the doorknob. "Fine, be childish."
Opening the door, I found Adam leaning against the marble counter, arms crossed, looking irritatingly handsome despite his obvious displeasure. I reached out and grabbed his hand, tugging him toward the dining area.
"Come on," I said, softening my tone. "The food looks amazing, and I'm starving."
His eyes flickered to our joined hands, and I realized with a start that I had reached for him instinctively. My first impulse had been to touch him, to connect physically. When had that happened? When had touching Adam become so natural?
The tension in his shoulders eased slightly as he allowed me to lead him to the table. "You need to eat," he said, his expression warming. "You barely touched your dinner last night."
\---
I was halfway through a buttery croissant when another knock sounded at the door. Adam and I exchanged glances.
"Expecting someone?" he asked, his voice neutral but his eyes watchful.
"No," I set down my pastry and approached the door cautiously.
Opening it just enough to see who was outside, I found Lisa bouncing on her heels, her usual energetic self. Before I could stop her, she pushed the door wider and practically skipped into the room.
"Stella! I was thinking we could go over the—" She stopped abruptly, her eyes widening as she spotted Adam at the dining table, casually sipping his coffee. "Oh! I... he... you... the... I..."