Chapter 4 Chapter 4
Adrian
The little spitfire glares up at me, and I have to stop myself from laughing. She can’t be more than five foot three, but the way she’s looking at me…she looks about ready to kick my ass. I’d probably let her if she tried.
“I’ll give you a ride.” I offer.
She scoffs. “What? I’m not getting in the car of some stranger!”
Is she serious? “Isn’t that what you do when you use a car service?” I ask her.
Another scoff, but then realization shows on her face. “Okay, fair, but I don’t want you to give me a ride. You seem rude, and I don’t like you.” She says and tilts her chin up at me.
“I’m rude? You’re the one who has been rude to me. I’ve offered to help you, and you’ve only given me attitude.” I blurt out.
She opens her mouth but shuts it. Her bottom lip juts out just slightly, making it look like she’s almost pouting. Then she blows out a breath.
“Fine, but I swear if you are some crazy murderer…I’ll be pissed.”
My eyes follow her small form as she walks back to the broken-down car that looks like it’s older than she is. She leans in, and I let my eye wander just a bit. Her body is curvy, not stick-thin like a lot of the women I’m used to dating. Sure, they’re beautiful, but a lot of it is fake, and so are their personalities. I’m tired of the same kind of women coming with me to these events. I need something new. Someone new. Someone who will turn heads because she is the opposite of any woman I’d normally be seen with, and this girl is perfect.
When she stands up straight, I quickly look away so she doesn’t catch me checking her out.
“Okay, let’s go.” She calls out.
When I look at her again, she’s already walking toward my car. She doesn’t seem all that worried about leaving her car behind, but looking at it I doubt anyone would be in a hurry to steal it. Maybe to strip it for parts, but definitely not to sell it.
While I walk toward my car, I pull out my phone and send a message to my assistant to have someone sent over to pick the car up. Then I tell him to hold onto it until I tell him to have it fixed.
The woman is standing at the passenger door waiting for me, and instead of walking over to the driver’s side door, I walk toward her. She gives me a confused look, but takes a step back when I move to open the door for her. Once the door is open, she stands looking at me like I have two heads. I wave a hand for her to get it. She does, but a very suspicious look on her face. I wait for her to be fully seated before closing the door and rounding the front of the car to climb in. My car is lower to the ground, so it takes a bit of maneuvering because of my height, but I manage to get in without injuring myself. Once we’re both buckled in, I check the oncoming traffic before turning back onto the highway.
There’s only silence for a good minute before the woman starts talking. “I need to be dropped off at my friend's house.”
She starts, but I cut her off before she starts giving me directions. “We need to discuss repayment. Nothing is ever free.”
When I glance her way, several emotions flash over her face. Confusion, annoyance, suspicion…
“I thought you were just being nice. If I were going to have to pay for this ride, I might as well have called someone else.” She opens her purse and starts looking through it.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“Looking for my phone.” She mutters.
I let out an amused sound.
“What?” She snaps.
“I have your phone.” I remind her.
“Oh. Well, can you return it?” She holds her hand out, but I don’t take her phone out.
“No.”
“No? Why?” She sounds annoyed, which I find oddly satisfying.
“Because I need you to do me a favor, and if I give you the phone, you are going to try to get someone else to pick you up. So no, I won’t give it to you.”
“Oh my gosh. You really are kidnapping me! Dammit, Addy was right. Now I’m going to be murdered and-“
“Lady, calm down. I’m not going to kill you, and this isn’t exactly a kidnapping.” Although I can see why she would assume that. “I just need a favor and then I will drop you off wherever you need to go.”
She eyes me for a second, and for the first time in my life, I’m worried a woman is about to reject me.
“I’m not sleeping with you!” She blurts out.
Now I’m the one giving her a confused look. “What?”
“I’m not going to sleep with you for a ride!”
I let out an amused chuckle. “I don’t want you to sleep with me. Unless you want to, but I usually wait until at least the second date for that.”
“Second date? What are you talking about?” She lets out a frustrated huff.
“Look, there’s this party downtown I need to go to, and I need a date. All I’m asking is for you to show up there with me. We’ll have a drink and mingle for a little while, and then I’ll drop you off. That’s all.” I say.
There’s just silence again. When I look over at her, she’s watching me like she’s trying to uncover all my secrets. It makes me shift uncomfortably.
“A party. You want me to go to a party with you.”
I nod.
“Well, I’m not exactly dressed for a party. Not unless I’m the one serving food.” She says, moving a hand over her body.
Oh right. She’s wearing some sort of fifties-style diner outfit. Shit.
“We’ll stop somewhere for you to change,” I say, pulling out my phone and quickly scrolling through it, looking for a clothing store nearby.
“Stop that! You’re not supposed to use your phone while you drive, and I prefer not to die tonight. I have work in the morning. Give it to me.” She holds her hand out, and I give her one unsure look before handing it to her.
She glances at it and starts to scroll down the page of shops. “What’s the theme?”
“There isn’t one. You just have to look nice. A cocktail dress should be fine.” I tell her.
“Okay, there’s a place near the next exit. They’re still open.” She holds my phone out to me, but I don’t take it.
“Hold onto it for me. Call your friend if you want and tell her what’s going on.” I tell her.
She gives me an unsure look, but types the number in and puts the phone to her ear.
“…Yes I’m fine…How’s chase?…”
The name catches my attention, and a small spark of annoyance ignites in my stomach. Who the hell is Chase?
