Fated

Chapter VI

Adira woke up to the best smell in the entire world. Warm, gooey chocolate. In a sleepy haze, she followed the smell to the kitchen, leaning against the doorframe to watch a shirtless Adrian cooking pancakes. 

Her eyes widened as her sleep disappeared. He was hot. Since he was unaware of her presence, she took the time to shamelessly ogle his six-pack and built forearms. He was tall - but everyone was tall compared to Adira - and lean. Not overly muscled. Somehow her eyes suited his face making it more mysterious. A day-old stubble and messy bed hair completed his look. He suited Adira's type so perfectly it was as if they were meant to be. Well, they actually were but she wasn't going to think about that right now. Or ever. She could just continue watching and not terrify herself. It would honestly be a shame to watch anything else in the room when Adrian was in it. The room was suddenly very hot as Adira felt the building magnetic static in the air. Her gaze lingered on his forearms. She knew if she touched them her body would shudder with sparks. Suddenly all she could think about was where she could touch him and then going south-

Adrian cleared his throat and Adira jumped. She blushed a deep red deciding to stare at the ground and ignore Adrian's amused smirking eyes. Immediately, the static disappeared and her brain cleared of the golden haze. She looked up as he plated some fluffy chocolate pancakes, thankfully deciding not to tease her. The sight of two plates on the table made her heart skip a beat. Smiling a thank you, she seated herself and dug in. 

"Holy mother of unicorns this is insane!" For these pancakes alone Adira was willing to marry him. She could eat this every day for the rest of her life. No joke. Adira didn't really joke about food. She didn't look up until she had wiped her plate clean after eating two helpings. She was so full she would burst. Total food coma. Adrian, who had eaten far more, seemed perfectly at ease.

"I wanted to ask..." He cleared his throat. He paused. He started again. He paused again. He ran his fingers through his hair and straightened up. Then, as if he was preparing for war, he said "Would you like to - it is completely up to you of course - spend the day with me? I mean, only if you don't have things to do, which is stupid because you probably do and I shouldn't have assumed that..." He stopped as Adira laughed at his behavior. Then she laughed at his affronted face. And then one corner of his mouth lifted up, and he grinned as he watched her lose her mind.

She couldn't remember the last time a male had made her laugh that much without even trying. He was so endearing, - and dare she presume - nervous. She wanted to pull his cheeks. As she stopped wheezing, Adira opened her eyes to see Adrian staring awe-struck. He looked at her like she was the searing sun, which was crazy. She wasn't even one of Jupiter's many moons. And he was the brightest nebula. She nervously tucked her hair behind her ear as she met his eyes. 

"So, what are we planning to do today?"

----

Adira lay on her back in the field basking in the sun in the late afternoon, wearing a white summer dress tucked below her legs. Adrian lay to her side, beside the picnic basket, facing her as he played with a lock of her smooth brown hair. He had opened the top buttons of his white shirt to enjoy the gentle breeze. Adira consistently rejected the urge to state at his exposed chest. Sunlight brightened his exposed tanned skin. Quietly, she checked the corner of her mouth for drool. Again, she wondered if he would tremble if she kissed his jaw. How would he react if she mauled him? How would he sound as he moaned her name? As if in response to her thoughts, Adrian's eyes darkened, skimming her figure, before he shot a searing look at her. The dress was flattering, hugging her in all the right places, and she was grateful for it. His eyes lingered on her chest, slowly dropping lower...and Adira cleared her throat. Adrian's eyes snapped up to meet hers holding a quiet apology. For a long moment, Adria attempted to decipher the other message he held in his eyes. Finally, breaking eye contact, he turned to face the sun.