Page 86 of Fake Dating Adrian Hunter
Adrian acts fast, pulling me through the crowd. The second we’re off the beach, he breaks into a sprint, the two of us running through the night markets and farther inland until we’ve escaped the bulk of the festival and anyone who recognizes me.
“In here.” Adrian guides us into the protection of a dark nook between buildings. Panting, he looks me up and down with concern. “Are you all right?”
“I’m so stupid,” I say, just as breathless as he is, and kick the wall. “I wanted to enjoy my time with you, but I shouldn’t have been so reckless. Shit. Tory will be furious with me.”
“No one knows you’re staying on Hayman Island. Everything will be all right.”
He has a point. It’s not ideal that word of my presence in Australia will soon spread, but no real damage has been caused to the wedding. I gaze up at Adrian, smiling as the memory of our heated dancing returns. Before I know it, our limbs are a tangled mess again.
“Verena, you are so beautiful,” he says through kisses, pressing me against the brick wall. “You have no idea how much I—”
My fingers creep up beneath his shirt, prickling at the heat of his muscles. I wait for him to finish the sentence, but he doesn’t continue. “I have no idea about what?”
“How much I’ve wanted this.” His lips trace down my jaw, igniting an ache between my legs. “I’ve wanted this for so long.”
His words are everything I want to hear, yet at the same time, unintelligible, sending my mind into a spiral of confusion. He’s wanted me for so long? Since when exactly—the day we spent together out on the Great Barrier Reef? That’s when I felt my feelings return for Adrian. But I wouldn’t classify that as a long time. It was only two days ago. Before that, he wanted Isabelle.
I try to shake the thoughts out of my mind.I’vebeen the one reinforcing that we don’t bring up the past and previous relationships. We’re meant to be starting fresh. But now I can’t stop thinking about the meaning behind his words.
“How long are we talking about?” I murmur through kisses. “Was it during our day out at the reef when you realized you wanted me?”
He leans back to meet my eyes. “Vee, I’ve always wanted you. Ever since I can remember.”
Always?
I place my hands on his chest, gently pushing space between us while I try to catch my breath and think clearly. “Adrian… I don’t understand. What about our childhood? What about Isabelle? You were in love with her at the start of the week.”
“I don’t want her. I haven’t been in love with her for a long time.”
“Then why did you suggest we enter the fake relationship?”
“Because…” His face balls up in a grimace. “I’m a complete idiot and panicked when we first saw each other in the lobby. This is what I needed to talk to you about. I wanted to clear the air so there were no secrets left between us. Vee, I have been waiting months for this wedding to arrive, all so I could see you and tell you how much I want you back in my life. I planned to tell you the truth straight away, but you were so furious when we first saw each other. I could see it in your eyes that you still hated me. I lost my nerve and suggested the fake relationship because it’s the only thing I could think of to get you near me.”
I push more space between us, and by the strained look in Adrian’s eyes, I can tell he doesn’t like it. But I’m struggling to understand anything he’s saying with him this close. “Adrian…” My voice cracks. I’m suddenly furious and shaking all over. My eyes are watering. “I have been in love with you my entire life! I convinced myself for years that I hated you, but deep down I knew it was a lie. When you hurt me so badly that I couldn’t bear to see you for seven years, a part of me still loved you. Even when I was with Jake, you were still locked away in my heart. It’s always been you for me.”
His face drops with a frown, like he’s only learning this information for the first time—which, maybe he is. Maybe he feels as stupid as I do right now. “I’m so sorry. I waited years to see you and ruined everything within minutes of us meeting. That’s why I left the welcome dinner early on the first night and you found me venting my anger on the beach. I was so frustrated at myself for ruining my chances with you.”
“What about after we slept together?” I ask. “You had to have known I was crazy about you. That was your chance to make me yours. Instead, you acted like the sex was no big deal.”
“That’s not fair, Verena. You led me to believe you were with Darius. And I told you already, I was afraid of coming on too strong when I had no idea what your feelings for me were. I’ve resorted to some immature tactics this week and I’m not proud of it, but they’ve all been a desperate attempt to win you back.”
I run both hands through my hair, pulling at my scalp. It’s as if my whole life is flashing before my eyes and I’m reliving all of my childhood trauma at once. “What about in high school? I know I said I don’t want to talk about the past, but that topic is inescapable now. How can you say you’ve wanted me for as long as you can remember when you used to hate me so much?”
Adrian takes my jaw in his palms, forcing me to meet his eyes. There’s something so desperate in his gaze. So honest yet panicked. A single tear escapes the corner of my eye, and he wipes it away. “Please don’t cry, Verena. I never hated you. I’ve loved you for so long.”
My lips tremble. I pull my face free of his hands. “Don’t do that, Adrian. If you loved me, why did you withdraw from me when we were children? There were years where you stopped speaking to me.”
“Maybe because I was a dumb kid who didn’t know how to express his emotions.” I can tell he’s trying to remain calm, but his voice rises. “One day you were my best friend, the next I was attracted to you and became all nerves. I couldn’t string a proper sentence together around you.”
“Don’t give me that excuse. You were with half the girls in school. I didn’t catch you stuttering around any of them.”
“Because none of them were you!”
I wipe my eyes, keeping the tears at bay. “Fine. Why did you start that war between us?”
“Verena, I never started anything.”
“You humiliated me in front of all of your friends by pretending to ask me to the school dance!”
