Page 16 of Autumn Secrets

I swallowed. “Of course – come in.”

He pushed himself off the doorframe and walked slowly towards me. I could feel my heart pick up speed as he approached with a lazy grin. He stopped just in front of me.

“Am I making you nervous, Aurora?” he asked gently. I shook my head, and he gave me an amused smile. “You’re a bad liar. Has anyone ever told you that?”

“I’m not lying.”

He chuckled. “Yes, you are…”

I straightened my back to try and look confident. “Why would I be nervous?”

Adrian raised an eyebrow. “You tell me…”

I walked past him without answering and made my way towards the kitchen. I could hear Adrian chuckle again behind my back as he followed.

“Where do you want to sit?” he asked and put the pizza on the kitchen island.

“We can sit here. The table feels a little big for two people,” I replied and headed to the cupboard for some glasses. Who would have thought I would have Adrian in my kitchen by the end of the day? Certainly not me. I turned around and caught him staring at me. “What?” I squirmed under his stare.

Adrian pointed to the barstool next to him with a playful smile. I returned his smile briefly, hesitating once again to be so close to him. He didn’t say anything, just watched me with curious eyes, waiting for me to make a move. Again, I couldn’t help but feel like he was playing some kind of game with me.

“Aurora, I don’t bite. Please, come and sit down,” he tempted with that soft, hypnotic voice of his. I found myself automatically moving towards the barstool. I put the glasses down and went to the fridge to grab something to drink, before sitting down next to him. I felt Adrian’s leg brush against mine as he shifted in his seat. The brief moment sent my heart racing again. How was I supposed to eat now? What I really wanted was to ask him about Evangeline, but I couldn’t find the courage to speak to him about her. I didn’t want him to think that I was jealous in any way, because I wasn’tthatjealous…was I?

Just as I was trying to convince myself that it was curiosity, not jealousy, I heard him chuckle softly next to me. I looked up from the pizza I’d started eating. Oh my God, I probably had food on my face.

“What is it?” I asked and anxiously reached for a napkin to wipe any food stuck somewhere where it shouldn’t be.

He shook his head, still grinning. “Nothing, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you so nervous.”

Wait, how did he know that?

“I can tell by your body language,” he replied as an answer to my unspoken question.

What?!

“You see, I’m quite good at reading people, and I find you particularly easy to read,” he continued his explanation, without me even asking for one aloud.

This time it was my turn to stare at him. This was just a freaky coincidence; it must be. “Why? What do I do that makes it so easy?” I couldn’t exactly ask if he could read my mind, without sounding like a true lunatic. He did have a unique ability to read me very accurately, butmind-reading?No way. Maybe it was more that I acted like a crazy person around him. I was always so shy and nervous, making it way too easy for him to push my buttons.

“You have trouble looking me in the eyes, your breathing changes, and your voice shakes slightly. You also tuck your hair behind your ear, like this…” He leaned slightly forward and brushed a few strands of hair off my face and tucked them behind my ear. I couldn’t break eye contact, no matter how hard I tried. I was completely lost in his eyes. I wanted him to kiss me, just like I had watched him kiss Evangeline this morning.

Wait,what?!

I hadneverbeen one of those girls who tried to steal someone else’s boyfriend, yet here I was, silently begging him to kiss me. A slow grin spread across his face just as the thought crossed my mind.

“What do you want to do, Aurora?” he whispered softly, his breath tickling my face.

I swallowed and tried to tear my gaze away from him, but he wouldn’t let me. The back of his hand caressed my chin gently and I knew I had to do something before things got really out of hand. I gathered my strength and pulled away, tearing my gaze from him. I needed answers right now, before I fell into the intoxicating arms of Adrian Hunter. Because I was falling, and I was falling fast. I took a deep breath.

“Who is Ev…” My phone began to ring inside my bag, sending what little courage I had out the window. “I have to take this; it’s probably my mum.” I pulled away from him and reached for my phone.

“Aurora, it’s me. Are you home yet?” Mum asked in a worried voice on the other end.

“Hi, Mum. Yeah, I’m home. I’m having dinner. Are you still at work?”

“Yes, I’m still here. I wanted to make sure you got home safely before it got too dark. Did you have to walk from the main road? We really need to get you your own car—”

“Mum, can I call you back?” I interrupted and threw a quick glance at Adrian, who was sitting there with a self-satisfied smile on his lips.