adrian

This is why I stayed away," he growled against my mouth as his hands started to rove over me with knowing, ruthless passion. "Can't be near you without wanting you. Can't stop myself anymore--

She heard Adrian say to Christian, ʺYou know, your shirtʹs kind of grungy-looking. Seems like you could put in a little more effort since youʹre dating a princess.ʺ

Your... Your aura. It's... amazing. It's shining. I mean, it always shines, but today... Well I've never seen anything like it. I didn't expect that after everything that happened.'I shifted around uncomfortably. If I lit up around Dimitri normally, what on earth happened to my aura post-sex?

Keith was just bringing the glass to his lips when Adrian said, "Mmm. O positive, my favorite."Keith sprayed out the wine he'd just drunk and promptly started coughing. I was relieved that none got on me. jill burst into giggles, and Clarence stared at his glass wonderingly."Is it? I thought it was a cabernet sauvignon.""So it is," said Adrian, straight-faced. "My mistake.

You did what you did out of love. I can't be mad at you over that. It was stupid, but that's how love is. Do you have any idea what I'd do for you? To keep you safe?

Rose, I cheat at cards and buy liquor for minors. But I would never, ever force you into something you don't want.

He'd written me up a proposal of why dating him was a sound decision. It had included things like "I'll give up cigarettes unless I really, really need one" and "I'll unleash romantic surprises every week, such as: an impromptu picnic, roses, or a trip to Paris__ut not actually any of those things because now they're not surprises.

What in the world is this abomination?__issa, only slightly more tactful, asked, __drian, is this some kind of joke?

Тhere isnʹt much I wouldnʹt do for you. Тhe stupider, the better.

But once in a while . . . I don't know. I feel so close, Rose. So close to the edge. Like if I allow myself one small misstep, I'll plunge away and never come back. It's like I'll lose myself.

You will not! It's wrong.""What, kissing you, or kissing you in Pies and Stuff?

Adrian", I whispered, my tears starting to flow faster.His head snapped up--and then he moved with his incredible speed, gripping me in those powerful arms. Tilting my head back and covering my mouth in a bruising kiss that made joy rip through me with all the intensity of the pain I'd felt before. When he finally broke away several minutes later, I could hardly breathe, but I still managed to speak."I love you," I choked out. "I love you, I love you, I love you--"His kiss cut me off again, and this time, I wasn't crying when I kissed him back. I was smiling.

This college would probably have the same problem as the last one did."I frowned, "What's that?""Homework.

It is terrifying,_ said Adrian. __nd weird, for lack of a better word. And part of you knows_ well, part of you knows something__ not right. That your thinking__ not right. But what do you about that? All we can go on is what we think, how we see the world. If you can__ trust your own mind, what can you trust? What other people tell you?

With a few swift steps, Adrian stood in front of me again. The wall was only a couple inches behind me, and I had nowhere to go. He made no threatening moves, but he did clasp my hands and hold them to his chest while leaning down to me.__o, you will listen. For once, you__e going to hear something that doesn__ fit into your neat, compartmentalized world of order and logic and reason. Because this isn__ reasonable. If you__e terrified, believe me__his scares the hell out of me, too. You asked about Rose? I tried to be a better person for her__ut it was to impress her, to get her to want me. But when I__ around you, I want to be better because_ well, because it feels right. Because I want to. You make me want to become something greater than myself. I want to excel. You inspire me in every act, every word, every glance. I look at you, and you__e like_ like light made into flesh. I said it on Halloween and meant every word: you are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen walking this earth. And you don__ even know it. You have no clue how beautiful you are or how brightly you shine.

It made you happy...