Chapter 76: We're Done Pretending

WARNING! GRAPHIC NSFW CONTENT BELOW INTENDED FOR MATURE READERS ONLY!

MAXIMILIANO.

Three to four hours. Just a few more hours of uninterrupted sleep and I'd be back to my normal, emotionally detached self.

I'd barely slept the past couple of nights, which was probably why my mind was all over the place, incapable of reining in my temper. I closed my eyes and rested on my back, desperately trying to shut off my brain, my arm growing heavy on my eyelids.

For about half an hour now, I'd been trying to calm my thoughts and relax enough to drift off. But it wasn't really working. My senses remained alert, every part of me just anticipating the noises her feet would make as she crossed the hallway to reach my room. I didn't hear Adreana use the stairs after I left her alone. But I couldn't hear any noises coming from the guest room, either.

Shit. I might be going insane. This fake-marriage-for-money arrangement was fucking with my head in more ways than I was willing to admit. And I could tell she was starting to hate it, too.

I didn't hate her, though. Not one bit. I just hated how she wouldn't give in to me. How she refused to just give it to me straight. Like she thought I was just emotionally incapable of handling the truth. Her truth.

Ricchar was right. Like always. We were just lying to ourselves. Adreana wanted me the same way I wanted her. I was just too chickenshit to do the right thing. Whatever that might be to her.

I wanted her in my bed and in my life. Permanently. Not just on paper.

Shit. I messed up bad. I fucked this up for us from the get-go. And now I could no longer imagine living the rest of my life without her by my side.

Well, I deserved the mental torment. I dragged her into this mess without really considering her feelings and the consequences. I deserved all of this and more.

"Way to go, asshole." I rolled to the side of my bed and flicked the wall lights on, but only two. Soft light filled the room and cast big shadows on the other side of the wall.

I was about to grab my phone and check my messages when the door opened. I stilled on the covers. My fist clenched between my thighs at the sight of her.

Alone and standing in the doorway. Watching me closely as if I'd vanish if she blinked. She wore the same clothes, but now she wore a pair of white socks.

Okay. Calm down. No reason to get excited.

She just wanted to say goodbye to me before she left. Maybe give me a quick kiss on the cheek, a bland side-hug, or something.

"You're leaving now?" I relaxed my fist and dropped my gaze, the mere thought of her leaving me alone in this house all week almost too painful to process. "I already told Roman to drive you back to the hotel. He's in the garage, waiting for you."

Instead of answering me, Adreana closed the door and locked it with a quick press of her finger on the knob. In the dimness, she walked straight towards me without breaking eye contact.

I nearly pissed myself. "What?" I muttered, putting on a scowl, my breaths growing a bit ragged. "What're you doing?" I sat up, waiting for her to get closer, my insides humming. I wanted to grab her wrist, pull her to me, and toss her on the covers.

But it might startle her. Or worse: insult her. If that happened, I wouldn't be surprised if she slapped me and walked out on me without a word. But she didn't.

"I'm sorry." Adreana stood in front of me and put her hand on my shoulder, caressing my face while she positioned herself between my thighs, her gaze steady and heated.

I glanced at my locked door sealing us inside, and my entire body warmed up in anticipation. I could almost feel my blood heading down south. Just one kiss from her would be enough of a trigger.

She didn't say another word and pressed her knees onto the side of the bed. When she leaned down, Adreana hastily wrapped her arms around my neck, as if she needed to feel the heat of my body again.

I gripped the sides of her waist and pulled her closer. I pressed my mouth on hers, kissing her gently. Almost too carefully. I couldn't tell if it was the softness and warmth of her mouth that gave me goosebumps, but I didn't really care.

She clutched and tugged at my hair as we deepened the kiss. This was nothing like the one everyone saw back in that courthouse. This wasn't part of the show. Of the façade.

This one burned. It wanted to sear me to my core. Making me ache for more. Her arms pressed against my shoulders, the tension in her core spreading to her limbs.

I liked the dull pain her hands gave me. It was something familiar, and I wanted her to take full control of the situation. Just like in the car.

Shit. I wanted her so bad right now my teeth ached with it, just like another part of my body craving for the feel of her.

But simply acting on these urges was too easy. Too thoughtless. It would never be enough. Sex wouldn't sustain a relationship, especially one that was built on a foundation of lies.

Yet she wouldn't stop kissing me. Adreana only paused when we both had to move to switch to a more comfortable position. We were scrunching up the covers, too busy to care, and then she tilted her head.

I nuzzled the side of her face, inhaling her mild scent, guiding her delicate hands down to my abs. Her touch warmed my tingling skin. I fondled her ass, scowling as they were still covered in her silky panties. I wanted to tear it off of her.

But she might find it too rough. Too aggressive. I held her in my arms with her hips snug against mine, expecting her to pull back the moment she felt my cock straining underneath my black boxer briefs.

Instead, she melted into my arms and planted light kisses on my lips and cheeks. Her lithe body draped over mine. I moved closer to the wall as our kiss became more heated and quite possessive, as if some part of her feared I would push her away again.

Not a fucking chance. I wasn't going to say no to her again. My dick twitched in my underwear at the thought of her straddling me in bed, one of her favorite positions. I couldn't wait to hear her loud moans while I gave her the pleasure she wanted. Craved.

She probably thought I was full of shit when I told her I didn't want to screw her in the backseat of my mother's car. But it was my way of proving to her that this was not about sex anymore.

Fuck no. We were definitely past that.

I leaned against the cold wall. A moan escaped her as her eager tongue played with mine, seemingly demanding I give her what she wanted. I would. I wouldn't hold back this time. My desire for her only throttled me the harder I tried to hide it.

I slid my hands around her slim waist, then lifted her off my lap and made her lie on her back. I didn't wait one more second and positioned myself on top of her, teasing her soft lips as I stripped off the flimsy piece of fabric she called her knickers.

I tossed them away. I smirked at her little grunt of protest. "Why're you so fucking hot?" I kissed her skilled mouth again while my fingers unbuttoned the front of her dress. I took it off of her with a few quick tugs.

Now that she was naked and only wearing socks, I wanted to caress every inch of her gorgeous body. From her thighs to her curvy hips, her tiny waist, perky breasts, her beautiful face and...

"Sorry for what?" I gripped the top of the bed frame to hold my weight above her. While she tried to wrap her legs tight around me, I traced the curve of her breast and gave it a squeeze, admiring the way her back arched.

The soft lights coming from the wall kept the room amply lit, but I had trouble reading the expression in her eyes. Shadows dimmed them, her refusal to answer my question only adding to my confusion. With her hands gripping my arm and shoulder, Adreana pulled me in until our noses touched.

My heart pounded in my chest. It almost felt like it was beating in my throat. I stroked her chin, then cupped her face tight enough to grip her attention. "Sorry for what?"

"I was upset, 'cause I thought..."

"What?" I tried to read the emotions in her eyes but got distracted by her hand stroking the tender flesh underneath my boxers. I suppressed the urge to groan.

"I thought you still want her back, and, you still feel guilty for breaking up with her."

Well, I did. Sometimes. But it shouldn't matter anymore. This was different. This was nothing like what Kel and I had.

"No." I stared into Adreana's eyes, her murmured confession making my heart clench. "I want you. Not her."

She wiped a tear off her cheek before my mouth covered hers again. She held her breath, her muscles tensing. Her eyes closed as my lips teased hers.

My cock grew thicker in my underwear, too hard to ignore or walk off. I wouldn't deny her again. Pretend I didn't want to kiss her and have my way with her. It was stupid. Pointless. Who was I kidding?

Adreana looked me in the eye, her trimmed nails digging into my arms. She was by far the best kisser on my list, and it pushed me to give up all pretenses of reining myself in. Our bodies were melded together, my lungs straining for air.

Her hand clasped my shoulder while I stroked the inside of her thigh. I grunted and tilted my head to the side. When she paused to catch her breath, I cupped her face and teased her mouth open. My tongue swept against her lips until she let me in again.

She let out another moan at the feel of my hand caressing her between her legs. She was soaked. Just like I wanted her. Tight and hot. "You feel so good, baby," she whispered to my lips.

My thoughts scattered while our mouths got busy again. She tasted like apples and candy. Much sweeter and intoxicating than our first time. Adreana tensed up when I positioned myself between her thighs.

I knew she wanted me to rush to the best part, especially when she pressed her hips against mine like she needed to feel just how much I wanted her. When I slid my fingers along her wet slit, I kept repeating the movement, teasing her until her hips bucked, her throat strangling a moan.

Her warm hand caressed my nape while the other touched the waistband of my boxers. She probably felt my cock thicken. It should be enough proof that I was more than eager to have her in my bed. Every fucking night.

Blood rushed through my body. Heat pooled in my groin. There was no way I'd hurt her and let her down again. I couldn't see myself doing any of this with someone else.

I would be turning a year older in a couple of months. This time I wanted more than a good fuck. Something more satisfying and meaningful than a one-night stand. I wanted her to want this as much. I wanted her to say she needed me just as much as I wanted that wedding to happen.

Adreana bit on her bottom lip and gripped my forearm when I kept teasing and touching her between her legs, my knees firmly keeping her thighs spread apart. After she lightly pushed me off of her, she blinked and stared at the ceiling, silent, as if she were in a haze.

"What's wrong?" I murmured. I felt a surge of panic when she drew my hand away from her most intimate parts. I pulled back, gauging the hesitation in her heavy-lidded eyes.

"Nothing." She shook her head faintly. We were both panting and eagerly tasting each other just seconds ago, but something clearly bothered her now.

"If you don't really want to, just tell me." I gently kissed her on the lips. My hand on her chin slid into her lush hair. I held her head still, then slanted my mouth over hers to get another taste of her sweetness.

She responded almost immediately. Kissing me harder with her eyes closed, Adreana stroked the bulge under my boxers while her other hand touched my abs. "No. Don't stop."

"Okay."

She stopped kissing me to stare at me, her lips slightly trembling. "Just please don't go."

Don't go?

"Stay with me." Tears glistened in her eyes, the worry in her voice almost contagious. "Don't leave me here. Please."

"Baby, I'm not going anywhere." I kissed her again, a bit more carefully this time, her scent and pleading just driving me wild.

She felt soft, but also firm. A pained look stayed in her eyes as she rubbed and squeezed my dick underneath my boxers. She didn't stop until I had to put some space between our bodies.

"Fuck." I smothered a groan by pressing my mouth on her arm, my throat hot and tight. A familiar, almost burning ache in my gut spread down to my groin. "I'm not gonna last two minutes if you don't stop."

"Sorry not sorry." She giggled and cupped my face to kiss me on the lips.

"Can't fucking wait to feel you clenching around my cock again." I kissed her back and hugged her tight. I wanted more. I wanted her to do more.

It had been too long since our last real fuck. I just wanted to make her feel special. Adored. I wanted to give her the best sex of her life until she realized that this wasn't part of the pretense. Not anymore.

I wanted to make her mine.

Forever.

There was no way I would ever let her go.