Carter Brothers: Adrian (Rated R Novel)

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

The next few days at work, seem to whizz by from watching hours of the recordings from the warehouse. It’s hard for her to act like she’s let her fascination with Hanson’s past go, but having decided to visit his old home, it’s a little easier. Pretty soon all that is forgotten as she remembers about the date to the theatre.
Riffling through her closet she discards her dresses, adamant that she won’t be wearing another one for a very long time. She’s pretty sure that although Ade said she can wear what she wants, if she rocked up in a pair of old jeans and a t-shirt, he’d be completely mortified...although, that would be hilarious to watch. No, he doesn’t deserve that...yet. That only the next worst thing for Sam-which are skirts. Tucked far away she pulls out the very few pairs she owns-one of which being a black tight fit pencil skirt. Pairing it with a silk white cami underneath a low v-neck chiffon top, she sighs as she picks at her hair. Having the wild crimped hair that she does, it’s hard to style, especially for someone so inept at styling. With a groan she tosses it up into a high messy ponytail that doesn’t look too bad. She’s just about to start on painting her face, when thankfully the doorbell rings. Although she’s grateful for the intrusion, she hadn’t expected Adrian to arrive this early. He’d told her the show wasn’t until 7.30 and it’s only 6 now.

“You’re super early. Let me guess, you wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to dress in something that’d embarrass you?” she states letting him in all the same.
He strides in, rolling his eyes.
“That is not true-”
“Liar. But it doesn’t matter anyway. Just tell me if this is alright?” she questions with a raise of her eyebrows and her palms raised up to in question.
“That depends,” he smoothly says, his arm wrapping around her waist as he presses himself closer to her. Her hands smooth against his navy blazer as she glances up at him with a sense of excitement.
“On?” she whispers, her breath hitching as she feels his palm smooth down her backside to her ass.
“Whether you are wearing underwear or not,” he states fingers digging into her material covered flesh. Her eyes go wide as her brain flickers with wicked thoughts. Winding her arms around his neck she rises up on her tiptoes as a smirk paints her lips.
Then murmurs, “of course I am, Ade...They’re just crotchless,” before pecking his lips with hers and lowering back to the ground.
Adrian’s eyes are thick with lust and warning, causing Sam to internally shiver with delight at the prospects of what that could mean.
“That better be a joke,” he grits out. With another sly smirk, she darts out of his arms and sashays into the bedroom throwing him a wink over her shoulder and coyly purring, “maybe...maybe not.”

“Sam...Sam,” he growls striding into her room where she’s sat opening up squirting some coloured liquid into her palm and smoothing it over her face. His eyebrows crinkle with disgust at the make-up. He hates that stuff.
“Yeah?” she nonchalantly asks, powdering her face and starting on the eyeliner.
“You’re itching for another punishment, aren’t you? Did you like the last one that much? Am I going to have to make them less enjoyable?” he breathes coming up behind her and taking a seat facing the opposite direction on the long stool. Sam twists her head to the left to face him.
“ ‘Enjoyable’?! My ass was sore for 2 days, Adrian!” she exasperates with a small curl at the corner of her lips.
“Only 2?” muses Ade trailing off. When he sees her twisting up the red lipstick, he can’t help frowning as he takes it off her.
“What are you doi-”
“Don’t wear it,” he insists.
“Why?” Does this shade not work for her or something? Hanna thought it did and Hanna knows a lot about make-up.
“Because if you wear that, then I can’t kiss you,” he answers cupping her chin and pressing his lips to hers. She returns the gesture, her own mouth instantly finding that rhythm with his.  A spark of desire ignites in her but before it can turn into a flame, she hears his hungry stomach rumbling. Pulling away she gazes at him in concern.

“Sorry,” he apologises but Sam doesn’t understand the need for it.
“Don’t apologise. If you’re hungry, you only had to say,” she replies, putting away her limited stock of make-up and standing up.
“Come on, I’ll fix you something to eat,” she instructs trailing into the kitchen. Adrian is left to follow in a slight daze.
“No, Sam, it’s okay. I’m-”
“When did you last eat...Wait, did you just come from work?!” she spits realising suddenly that that suit looks awfully familiar to a workplace suit rather than an evening one. Although with Adrian, she’s pretty sure they’re all made from the same fancy Italian designers.
“It doesn’t-”
“Sit,” she snaps, pointing to the breakfast stool. Adrian rolls his eyes but does as she commands anyway.
“I’ve got some leftover lasagne I can warm up for you, or I could make you a sandwich. What do you want?”
“Sam really, just a-” he cuts himself off with a long sigh as he sees her plant her hands firmly on her hips and stare at him defiantly.
“Lasagne sounds lovely, thank you,” he replies in defeat.

Sam glances up a tad nervous. His expression is neutral as he eats the food she’s cooked and it bothers her that she doesn’t know what he thinks of it. She hadn’t been anticipating for some long, breathy moan or anything, but just that usual little quip of his lips would have been enough. Heck, even a small frown would do. Anything but indifference.
“You know if you don’t like it, that offer of a sandwich still stands,” she jokes.
Adrian raises his head, his eyebrows heightening in surprise.
“No thank you. This is sufficient,” he nods causing Sam’s lips to pout in disappointment. ‘Sufficient’?!
“Well sorry it’s not MasterChef level,” she mutters.
“You’re interpreting my words incorrectly. I meant that, the food is delicious,” he placates her knowing it’s enough when a faint red tinge appears at her cheeks.
“Oh...why didn’t you just say that in the first place, then?” she rhetorically questions, only to have him respond with a light shake of his head.


As their early dinner passes with an air of peace, Adrian is feeling much more elated with food in his stomach and his mind finally feeling like it can settle down. With that ease flowing through him, he almost wishes that he hadn’t bothered to make plans for them to go out and instead switched them to ones of watching a simple home movie. Then he remembers that he’d been waiting for this opera for well over a month now and the opportunity to pass this group performing the wonderful  Carmen.


“So what play are we seeing?” asks Sam as she slides into the car.
“It’s not a play, it’s an opera actually,” corrects Adrian starting up the machine.
Sam frowns. Oh God, an opera! Is he actually serious?! With great effort she manages to stop herself from pulling an obscure expression to his words.
“Oh...I thought you said we were going to the theatre?”
“We are. The theatre has great acoustics anyway, so it’s usually used as an opera house as well. Have you honestly never been to the theatre in town?”
She rolls her eyes, “no...Look Ade, maybe you should have told me it’d be an opera-”
“Sam, you won’t regret this, trust me. We’re going to see Carmen, you’ll love it,” he assures her.

Gazing around at the middle aged women all dressed in expensive, rich coloured dresses, Sam curses herself for not just abandoning her resolve and dolling up again in another chiffon dress. Still she supposes, she’d still stick out within the crowd, considering who her date is. Not that she’s bothered but she can’t help but raise eyebrows to those who appreciatively assess the man beside her. Possession overcomes her and in some primal instant, she slips her hand around his waist and presses her side into his. Whether Adrian’s surprised by the gesture, she can’t tell but he silently returns the intimacy by resting his arm around her shoulders.

Sam’s dazed as she walks into the theatre. It’s beautiful and with all the audience filling up the seats, it looks even more magnificent. She can just imagine it from the stage-the wonder of it. God, how can she not have known about this place?!
“Sam...One more row down,” mumbles Adrian, urging her to keep walking amongst the bustle.

Once they find their seats, Sam’s free to gaze around; taking in the thick, velvety royal red curtains, the  high ceiling with its intricate designing and then all the people around them. She’s jolted out of her trance by warmth in the size of a large palm coming from her knee, causing it to stop jolting.
Her eyes dart to his bright blue ones, sparkling in amusement.
“Excited?” he asks with a small smile that has her returning it with a blush.
“A little...” she mumbles, “so, how long is this anyway?”
“3 hours, including the interval. It’s short in comparison to most operas,” he answers. As they wait, Adrian explains to her all about the cast and a few details of the opera that he can’t constrain himself from revealing in excitement.