Page 72 of Hello Kitten
“How do you think this is going to go for you guys? That you’ll be able to keep dating under cover until Emily graduates? That you’ll be able to pull it off without anyone finding out?” Sarah demands.
“We’ll have to see how long we have to keep it a secret,” Adrian says, his hand stoking down my back. “I’m just an adjunct professor. It’s my job, not who I am.”
Sarah takes a slow breath. “Well, Emily, you say you’re a good couple, that he’s not controlling, that you’re happy and I don’t see it. Convince me.”
I blink at her. “What?”
“Convince me. Tonight. We’ll all have dinner. It’s not like we haven’t done it before,” she says darkly.
As much as I want to argue, I know it’s not going to get us anywhere. I look up at Adrian. He meets my eyes, then rubs my lower back. “What would you both like to eat?”
“Are you going to put on a front?” Sarah scoffs.
“I didn’t put on a front at the wedding, I’m not putting on a front now. Baby, do you want to unpack or are you planning on leaving with your sister?”
I glare at Sarah. “You offered to let me stay until Friday morning, so I’m staying. I’m tired of only having you Saturday and Sunday morning and for date nights.”
Sarah and I choose a restaurant and Adrian looks around like he doesn’t recognize his own home. I know he’s not used to having people over. I’m the only person who visits, the only person he’s made room for.
“Is my drawer still open?” I ask.
“Yes,” he answers. “Choose a book for us tonight too. I chose last time. And you’re reading tonight.”
“That’s not fair. I love your reading voice. I always trip over my words,” I complain.
He chuckles lightly. “I like it and we agreed to stay fair.”
“Fine,” I huff.
I take care of things in his room and come out to find my sister staring at Adrian like she’s trying to figure him out. I don’t like this setup. I don’t like that I feel like I can’t goad him or tease him the right way with her here, but we need her on our side.
We have to make sure she’s not going to tell. She can’t. It’s not an option and that means we have to be perfect—something I’ve never been.
thirty-two
Iflip through Adrian’s books and snort. “I’m never reading medieval books to you. I hate that spelling was optional back then.”
He chuckles. “That doesn’t make it easier?”
“Having to figure out if something is actually a ‘u’ or a ‘v’ isn’t my idea of a fun read,” I sass. “Ooh, Sherlock. A mystery night.”
“Which is your favorite?” Adrian asks.
“A Study in Scarlet, obviously. It’s the only time his power of deduction is thwarted and it’s by a woman,” I answer.
“Sounds perfect for you, Emily,” he says. I walk over with the book and pout at him. He shakes his head slowly. “Nope.”
“But Sherlock would sound so much better in your voice,” I say lightly.
He sighs, then reaches out to catch me and puts me on his lap. “We’ll see. I expect you to be an excellent Watson.”
I kiss his cheek, almost open the book like our normal routine, then remember my sister is here and currently watching uslike a hawk. I clear my throat and stroke over the fancy cover. “Are you just going to watch us, Sarah?”
“Watch, maybe ask some questions,” she says, clearly still annoyed. “Like when is our food going to be here?”
Adrian checks his phone. “Thirty minutes. Feel free to ask anything.”
“Would you still be together if you had met on the first day of class?” Sarah demands.
