Page 84 of Ruthless Dream

“Uh. . .” Adeline snuggles into me, and I instinctively hold her tighter. “I mean, it’s not like I’ve been posting on social media either.”

“You are not lumping me in with your millions of followers.”

She tiptoes away from me. She’s wearing plaid pajama pants, and there’s a sliver of skin where her black tank top rises. Her dark hair is braided, and she pushes a strand back, staring up at me shyly.

“I didn’t really know what to say. . .”

“People get sick,” I tell her. “Even perfectionists with shopping addictions.”

She pouts, not satisfied with the truth.

“I can’t believe I’m in this position, but please, for the love of God, Adeline Marie, send a man more than a few memes next time.”

“They say distance makes the heart grow fonder.” She laughs at whatever face I make and reaches for my hand. “So you and my mom are besties now? Have you seen my dad?”

I shake my head.

“I think he’s gone out, but he’ll be back for dinner. Come on.” She pulls me toward her bed.

Her bedroom is bigger and airier than my entire flat. The carpet is thick, and there’s a giant bookcase filled with fantasy books. There’s a TV and an en suite bathroom, along with a dozen other things that point to a life of affluence.

“Take off your shoes,” she demands, diving back into her bed.

A couple hours later, Adeline’s older sister shoves the door open. “Why’s it so dark in here?”

She flicks the lights on, finding Adeline and me in bed lying on our stomachs, her laptop open as she works on school.

“Hey,” Adeline complains, typing.

She was worried about a quiz she’d missed, but it turns out she’d been one of many NYU students served bad chicken. The past few hours I’ve watched her work on her homework, providing absolutely no help what so ever.

“Turn that light off,” Adeline orders.

“It was really dark,” Nat replies, hands on her hips, her eyes narrowed.

Unfortunately for her, there’s nothing to concern herself with. I might be on Adeline’s bed, but I’m fully clothed, and she has yet to break away from her schoolwork. And trust me, I’ve tried to lure her into a few more kisses.

“Turn it off and go away,” Adeline says, working on her quiz.

There’s one last sweeping glare from Nat, but she does turn away.

“Shut the door!” Adeline yells.

Nat neither turns off the lights nor shuts the door. “Mom says dinner is in thirty minutes.”

Adeline taps her keyboard, submitting the quiz.

“Feel better now?” I ask.

She sighs, dropping her head onto her arms. “Yeah.”

A second later she slides out of bed, slams her door, and turns the lights off. We’re in complete darkness since our only source of light, her laptop, is now firmly shut.

I’m expecting her to turn on a lamp, but instead I feel her fingers carefully touch my face.

“Careful, princess.” I grab her waist, not wanting her to trip, but really also so I can tug her to my lap.

She straddles me, her lips finding mine. Her hands tease the hair at my nape of my neck, and I am a lost man. At least until her hands find my zipper.