Chapter 6

Adrian leaned his frame against the sleek black Mercedes.It wasn't the most expensive of his cars but it was his favourite. Arms crossed, he stared into space waiting for Elara

After breakfast he had excused himself to change his clothes. Now he wore a casual ,crisp charcoal shirt and black pants. His jaw cleanly shaved, car keys dangling from his fingers, tapping absently against his palm as he waited.

She was taking her time. Not that he minded.Waiting for her made him feel very….husbandly.

Adrian couldn't remember the last time he had gone shopping , which was never.

His designers always came to wherever he preferred for his quick fittings .

He only set foot into a store for a quick grabs or change of clothing. absolutely necessary.

But somehow, the idea of taking Elera out not just to buy clothes, but to do something together felt like the right step.

His thoughts wandered, unbidden, to the night before. The soft weight of her hand where it shouldn't have been. The heat that had surged through him like a wildfire. And then this morning. Her eyes meeting his, wide and eager am oh so trusting. The way her lips had parted just before he kissed her. God. He hadn't meant to.

He had meant to stay in control.

But her closeness had undone something in him and he snapped. Her scent. The warmth of her skin. The way she looked at with absolute trust. He'd kissed her. And it hadn't been a mistake. It had been a moment. One he kept replaying.

He could still taste her lips. She tasted like something sweet and a taste that was uniquely hers.

He remembered calling Julian around six.

"I'm not coming in today," he had said.

There'd been a pause.

"Wait… did she break you already?"

Adrian had groaned. "I'm taking the day off."

Julian's laughter had echoed through the phone. "Who are you, and what have you done with Adrian Wolfe?". He had paused for dramatic effect. "Never thought I'd see the day Adrian Wolfe would take a day off.

Adrian could practically hear the grin in Julians voice.He shook the memory away.

He was just making a decision to check up on her when he had her soft foot falls behind him.

He turned around and his breath caught.She looked so lovely, like a nymph and she was His.

His gaze roamed her body as he took in the small white sneakers ,paired with a high waisted blue jeans which made the flair of her generous hips and narrowness of her waist obvious.She paired those with a white crop top which hugged her breasts and he imagined himself filling his hands with what lay beneath.He saw himself toying with her nipples but unfortunately his wandering mind couldn't make out the color of her nipples.

The image sent a wave of arousal to his cock and he felt himself stir.

Her hair was swept up in a loose bun and she smiled as she walked towards him , drawing his attention to her lips.

Those lips.

He wanted to kiss her again.

Suddenly he scowled realizing that if he could see her like this then every other men would also.

Elara smiled faded as she approached him. She had seen the dazed look on his face when she was walking towards him n, now it was masked by a scowl. A scowl directed at her.

"What's wrong". She asked

Adrian considered having her change but decided against it. Her clothing was casual, so was is. Which was one of the themes of today. He hadn't told her bought they needed to be seen around town as the an happy couple. He was sure journalists and the likes were waiting for them to emerge.

He would allow their pestilence for a while, just for them to veiw he and Elara as a besotted couple and then he would get rid of them.

And besides she was a Wolfe. She wasn't going to cover up for anyone. She was his and everyone would damn well know it.

"Lets go". He said simply

She nodded, cheeks tinged with colour. "Sorry I took long."

"You didn't."

He opened the car door for her.

You don't have to open doors for me,you know" she said quietly.

"Maybe I want to," he replied.

Her eyes widened slightly, but she said nothing as she slipped inside.

—

The ride started in silence. Adrian drove with his eyes darting out frequently to look at his rearview mirror.

He felt her gaze on him occasionally. Stealing glances at him.

He let the silence linger, but not too long.

"You keep looking at me," he said, not taking his eyes off the road.

"I—what?" Her voice came out too fast. Too high.

He smirked. "It's fine. I'm used to being stared at."

She groaned softly. "I wasn't staring."

"You were."

She huffed, turning her face toward the window, but he caught the smile tugging at her lips.

"Whats on your mind?."

Her breath hitched. He noticed.

She didn't reply immediately, but her shoulders relaxed.

Then she said, quietly, "I'm not used to attention."

He glanced sideways,he hadn't told her there were going to be an audience but she was smart.He guessed she had figured it out on her own "You'll get used to it."

She looked out the window again, her voice soft. "Maybe."

"You don't have to worry about anything. I'm here"

Such simple words. And yet Elara felt better. She had been worried about doing something embarrassing. She tried her best to stay away for reporters and the likes. Though she had to on occasion for her stepfather and Mother ,but now was different,all attention would be on her.

She wouldn't be able to plead an headache and leave an event early anymore.

She was no longer the not so important stepdaughter of Gerald Williams but the oh so important wife of Adrian Wolfe.

She reminded herself that she wasn't alone.Her husband was here with her.

With that she relaxed,but she wasn't about to go back to that uncomfortable silence.

"Do you have any friends". She asked leaning in and turning big grey eyes on him.

He didn't answer but she wasn't going to be deterred.

"It's just that I never see or hear..".She continued matter of fact my. " —you talking to anyone except maybe about business"

His lips twitched. " Snooping around Mrs Wolfe?".

She glared at him and his lips widened into a full blown smile.

"Do you?." She asked again.

Adrian sighed as though she asked him to read the whole chapters of the bible.

"I do." .He answered ,glancing sideways at her.

"His name is Julian.He's my close friend and my legal advisor.We practically grew up together.Attended the same School Oxford.He works with me now."

She nodded " I would love to meet him one of these days".

"You will "

She smiled faintly and nodded

"Lily. She was my best friend. But she moved to Canada two months ago."

She smiled sadly " I wish she could have flown in for our wedding but she couldn't have had the time"

Our wedding.

"You miss her" He stated

"Yeah," she said softly. "A lot. She's the only one who knows me without explanations."

He nodded slowly.

"You could video call her" He reasoned.

" I do. Sometimes. But it's not the same."

He understood that and he nodded. He wondered why he felt like dragging her best friend by her ear back to New York

"No one else"

She only shook her head.

She smiled at the window, not believing how easy it was to talk to him. He really confused her. Sometimes he looked at her with indifferce and sometimes with an intense hunger like earlier at the garage and sometimes he was just him.

"Thank you," she said, darting a quick look at him.

He glanced over. "For what?"

"For talking to me"

His heart did something strange.

And then her hand brushed his on the console.

Not on purpose.

But it still set his blood on fire.

He didn't pull away.

And neither did she.

She tried not to stare.

But Adrian Wolfe looked like he'd stepped out of a luxury magazine That shirt deep grey, sleeves rolled up clung to him perfectly. The veins in his forearms flexed with every turn of the wheel. And those forest green eyes, focused on the road ahead, looked like they could burn right through metal.

How was she supposed to breathe around him?

His profile was sharp. Perfect. Like he was carved from stone. And the morning light hit him just right, catching the green in his eyes.

God, he was beautiful.

And he was her husband.

The thought kept echoing in her chest .

He looked relaxed. In control.Like he didn't have a care in the world. And the memory of his lips on hers came back like a wave.

Like he hadn't kissed her senseless just hours ago.

"How could he act as if it didn't happen"? She thought,and she wasn't ready to point it out either.

He hadn't mentioned it since. Hadn't tried anything.

But she remembered.

And she couldn't stop stealing glances.

.-----------

The boutique was elegant, glass-fronted and tucked into one of the quieter upscale streets of the city. A bell chimed softly as they stepped inside, the scent of polished wood and new fabric greeting them instantly. The walls were lined with tasteful displays designer dresses, tailored pieces, accessories that sparkled under soft golden lights.

A middle-aged woman with impeccable style approached, her eyes flicking from Adrian to Elera and back. "Mr Wolfe. A pleasure, as always."We've prepared the private suite for you and your... companion"

Adrian gave a brief nod. "We're here to get my wife a new wardrobe. Whatever she wants."

The woman's brows lifted only slightly, but Elera caught it. That tiny flicker of surprise. Her cheeks heated.

"Of course," the woman said, already gesturing toward the racks. "We have our new collections on display. If you'd like to browse, I'll arrange a private changing area for Mrs Wolfe."

Mrs Wolfe.

That name still made her stomach flutter.

Adrian's hand brushed lightly against the small of her back. "Pick whatever you like."

"I—okay."She saw a flash of light and knew the reporters,--though she couldn't see them through the windows of the boutique —were around.

He watched her for a moment, then leaned in close enough that his breath tickled her ear. ", You're mine"

She blinked up at him, stunned, but he was already stepping back, letting the boutique assistant lead her away.

Her mind reeles from what he said.You are mine.The words were so possessive and she felt a shudder go through her.Her stomach tingled.

She smiled and drew herself to her full height,her chin raised.

Shooting was something she did on occasion and she was damn well good at it.

She was a Wolfe.If the media wanted a show then they were going to get one.Her nerves were backed up by the fact that her husband was with her.And with that she let herself be led away.