Until It Was Her

First Night

By the time the last guest left, Elena's feet hurt, her cheeks ached from smiling politely, and her mind felt dangerously exhausted. Being Mrs. Vale already sounded unreal.

The massive mansion grew quieter as the night settled in, the staff disappearing one by one until only silence remained. And Adrian, her husband. The thought alone sent strange heat into her chest.

Elena stood near the bedroom window, staring out the city lights below while slowly removing the earrings that had begun to irritate her ears. The room was enormous. Too enormous, dark wood, soft golden lights. A bed large enough for at least four people, one bed.

Her stomach tightened, she heard the bedroom door open behind her then Adrian’s footsteps. Slow, calm,Dangerously steady. Elena looked up slightly through the mirror… and immediately regretted it.

He had removed his suit jacket, then his tie. The top buttons of his white shirt were undone now, exposing tan skin and strong lines of his neck. It should not have affected her this much but it did. Terribly.

Adrian stopped the moment he noticed her watching him through the mirror, neither spoke. The tension between them had been growing all day, becoming heavier with every accidental touch and lingering glance. And now they were finally alone,no guests, no family, no pretending just husband and wife.

“You can relax,” Adrian said quietly after a moment. “I'm not going to force anything.” Elena hated how relieved she felt hearing that not because she feared him. But because part of her was scared of wanting him too quickly.

“I know,” she answered softly. His eyes held her through the mirror for another second before he looked away first. That small detail strangely affected her. Adrian walked toward the bar near the wall and poured himself a drink.

Elena turned slowly to face him fully now. “Do you drink often?” she asked. “Only when people exhaust me.” A quiet laugh escaped her before she could stop it. Adrian looked over immediately, the sound clearly surprised him. And Elena realized something then… he had barely seen her smile all day.

“You finally relaxed a little,” he observed. “Maybe because the performance is over.” Was that how she saw this marriage already? A life staged beside him? Fair enough. That was exactly what he had offered her, still… Something about that thought bothered him.

Adrian took another sip before setting the glass aside. “You can tell the staff if you need anything,” he said. “The west side of the closet was prepared for you. And if you are uncomfortable sharing the room…”

“I'm not uncomfortable.” The words slipped out too quickly, too honestly. Silence followed, Elena's pulse betrayed her because Adrian’s eyes changed the second she said it. Slower now, heavier as if he was imagining things he had no business imagining.

She became painfully aware of herself under his stare, the loose strands of dark hair falling around her face. The soft fabric of her dress against her skin, the fact that they were completely alone. Married. God.

Adrian moved toward her before stopping only a few feet away, close enough that Elena could feel his warmth again. “You should be careful saying things like that,” he said quietly. Her breath caught, “Why?” His gaze dropped briefly to her lips and when he looked back up, something in his expression had become dangerously unreadable.

“Because I'm trying very hard to be respectful tonight.” The air disappeared from Elena's lungs, neither moved and neither looked away. The tension between them became unreadable suddenly… thick enough to touch. And for one reckless second, Elena wondered what would happen if she stepped closer.

If she touched him first, if she kissed him again. The thought alone sent heat rushing through her body. Adrian noticed immediately, he noticed everything. The slight shift in her breathing, the way her fingers tightened around the edge of her dress. The fact that her eyes kept dropping to his mouth.

And God help him… he wanted her, far more than he should, which irritated him deeply because this marriage was supposed to remain simple and controlled. But Elena Rossi looked at him with those soft eyes and suddenly self-control felt much harder than usual.

“You should sleep,” Adrian said finally, his voice rougher now. Elena nodded too quickly. Coward. She turned away first and moved toward the bathroom before she embarrassed herself further but just before closing the door behind her, she heard his voice again.

“Elena.” She looked back, Adrian stood exactly where she left him, watching her carefully. And for the first time all day, his expression held something honest. “You looked beautiful today.” Her heart nearly stopped because he said it quietly, like he didn't mean too and somehow that made it feel real.

Elena stared at him for a second too long before disappearing into the bathroom with burning cheeks and a heartbeat she could no longer control.

Meanwhile Adrian remained standing there alone, loosening another button from his shirt as frustration settled heavily into his chest. This was bad, very bad because he already wanted his wife more than he planned to.