The Assistant(91)

“Please,” I added, glaring at Adrian.

“What- Oh come on! It’s their job! I don’t need to be nice to them,” he exclaimed with a glare.

“Yes, you do!” I responded, glaring in return.

“Whatever,” Adrian grumbled, before snatching the two tickets from the salesman.

“Thank you!” I called out pathetically before Adrian could drag me away. “You need to work on your social skills,” I huffed angrily once we stood in the line.

“I don’t care for other people so I don’t need to learn how to make them happy. The only person I have to do that with is you. And my dad. Occasionally. And maybe Maria when I wanted her to make me her famous apple pie.” Adrian shrugged.

I gave him a look of disbelief at the fact that he said something sweet before shaking out of it. “I’m saying it for your own good!”

Before I had a chance to move away, Adrian pressed his lips against mine. “You know when I kiss you? That’s for my own good. I don’t need anything else.” He stole another kiss before I could recover.

I pulled away while blushing. “You’re moody when we’re in public,” I observed, biting my lip curiously as I watched him glare at a random woman who walked past.

“I don’t like people,” he responded with a shrug, before looking down at me. “Well, not all people.” He smirked, before stealing yet another quick kiss from my lips.

I flushed from the public displays of affection Adrian was currently making before I noticed we were at the front of the line. Adrian handed the man the two tickets he bought and the man led us into the ride.

“Now, all you have to do is stay standing with your back on the wall,” the man said, giving both Adrian and me a smile. “Try your best to stay on the wall throughout the entire ride and you should be fine.”

“Okay, thank you.” I smiled back and gave him a small nod, before taking my place next to Adrian on the ride.

The man locked Adrian’s chain in place before moving over to do mine. “Is he your boyfriend?” he asked me, looking over at Adrian. My gaze briefly flickered over to Adrian’s now stiff-posture just as he began to glare at the man.

“Yes, he is,” I replied, giving him a tight smile.

“He’s a lucky guy,” the man responded, causing me to flush in response.

“You’ll be a lucky man if you get away from her in 5 seconds,” Adrian growled, glaring at the man fiercely. The worker locked my chain in place before he nervously scurried off to help another random family that was getting onto the ride.

“Adrian!” I scolded. “He was being nice.”

“He was flirting with you!” Adrian exclaimed, giving me a look of disbelief.

“No, he wasn’t!”

“Yes he was,” Adrian snapped. “Anyway, we’re going home after this ride,” he grumbled, before sending another cold glare in the worker’s direction.

I rolled my eyes in response and waited for the ride to begin, not bothering to argue.

***

“You’re angry,” Adrian observed once we re-entered our apartment.

“I’m not angry,” I replied evenly while placing my handbag onto the sofa.

“Yes, you are. You’re doing that thing with your fingers where you unconsciously tap them on the side of your thighs three times. You only do that when you’re angry or when you’re waiting for something to print,” Adrian explained, giving me a pointed look.

“How… How did you even notice that?” I asked, my anger temporarily being pushed aside and replaced with shock.

“I like to watch you when you’re in your own little bubble, Shortcake,” he answered. “Just like I know that you frown and bite your lip when you’re curious or trying to find something out, or that you blush every time I kiss you and pull away. This was another thing I figured out.”

“Well, I’m happy for you,” I mumbled, going back to tapping my fingers on the sides of my thighs.

“Come on, what did I do this time?” Adrian asked in a whiney tone.

“Are you seriously asking that right now? Adrian, you made us come home from a carnival because a man told me that you’re a lucky guy. How, in any way, was he flirting with me in order for you to react like that?” I asked angrily.


“Shortcake, I’m a man-”

“Yes Adrian, I’ve noticed that,” I interrupted dryly.

He glared before continuing. “I know men well enough to know that even though they may look like they’re not flirting with you, they’re still looking you up and down and probably thinking about you naked because, let’s face it, you’re hot. I mean, I sure as hell did that when I first met you.”

I gave him a skeptical look. “You’re not normal,” I grumbled, making my way to our bedroom while peeling off my cardigan.

“Okay, I won’t ever do it again, happy? Come on, Shortcake. Tonight was meant to be about you and me, and the only thing I’ve found out about you is that you’re good with people, you don’t like your steak well done, you used to have a kitten named Hitler because it looked like he had a small moustache, you wanted to be a farmer when you were younger and that your favourite shirt is my Rolling Stones shirt. I didn’t even get enough time to guess your favourite colour!”