Kiss Me Tomorrow

Chapter 11

Lena's POV

The first thing I thought about when I woke up was Adrian.

The second thing was that I needed to stop thinking about Adrian.

I stared at the ceiling.

This was ridiculous.

I had known the man for barely a few weeks, and somehow he had already become part of my morning routine.

Not because we were dating.

We weren't.

Not because we'd kissed.

We hadn't.

Not because he'd said anything particularly romantic.

He hadn't.

It was simply because yesterday had felt easy.

And after everything that had happened in my life, easy was becoming dangerous.

My phone buzzed on the bedside table.

I reached for it.

Adrian: Coffee?

I smiled before I could stop myself.

I typed:

Is that an invitation or an order?

His reply came almost immediately.

An invitation. I'm trying to improve my manners.

I laughed.

Then yes.

Three dots appeared.

I'm downstairs.

I sat up.

My smile disappeared.

I looked at the time.

7:42 a.m.

"You're kidding."

I rushed out of bed.

I had twenty minutes to get ready.

---

When I stepped into the lobby, Adrian was standing near the entrance with two cups of coffee in his hands.

He looked annoyingly put together.

Dark trousers.

White shirt.

His sleeves rolled to his elbows.

His hair slightly messy in a way that looked completely accidental and completely unfair.

He looked at me.

Then at my shoes.

Then back at me.

"Good morning."

"Don't."

His eyebrow lifted.

"Don't what?"

"Look at me like that."

"Like what?"

"Like you're judging me."

"I'm not."

"You looked at my shoes."

"I noticed your shoes."

"Exactly."

He glanced down again.

"You put on two different shoes."

I froze.

I looked down.

One black flat.

One dark brown flat.

I closed my eyes.

"Please don't say anything."

His mouth twitched.

"I'm not saying anything."

"You're smiling."

"I'm trying not to."

I covered my face with one hand.

"I hate mornings."

He laughed.

Actually laughed.

"Come on."

He handed me one of the coffees.

I took it.

"Did you plan this?"

"The coffee?"

"The humiliation."

"No."

"You look very pleased with yourself."

"I'm enjoying the morning."

I narrowed my eyes.

"You're horrible."

"And yet you came downstairs."

I looked at him.

"Because you brought coffee."

"Good to know my strategy works."

I took a sip.

It was exactly how I liked it.

I looked at him.

"You remembered."

He shrugged.

"Of course."

Something warm settled in my chest.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

We walked toward the doors.

Then I stopped.

"Wait."

He turned.

"I need to change."

"I figured."

"You're not coming upstairs."

"I wasn't planning to."

"Good."

He smiled.

"I'll wait."

I hurried back toward the elevator.

Before the doors closed, I heard him laugh again.

I smiled.

Maybe mornings weren't so bad.

---

Twenty minutes later, I returned to the lobby.

This time, I had matching shoes.

Adrian looked at my feet.

I pointed at him.

"Don't."

He held up both hands.

"I said nothing."

"Good."

He opened the door for me.

We stepped outside.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Work."

I stopped.

"Work?"

"Yes."

"You came to pick me up for work?"

"I thought we could have breakfast first."

I stared at him.

"You're taking me to breakfast before work?"

"That's what I said."

"Why?"

He looked at me as if the answer were obvious.

"Because I wanted to."

I didn't know what to say to that.

So I walked beside him.

---

We ended up at a small bakery two blocks from the office.

It was crowded but comfortable.

Adrian ordered coffee.

I ordered breakfast.

He looked at my plate.

"You're hungry."

"Yes."

"You ate dinner last night."

"That was last night."

He smiled.

"Fair."

We sat near the window.

For a few minutes, we ate in silence.

There was no discussion about Thomas.

No documents.

No mysterious messages.

No Elliot Mason.

Just breakfast.

I liked it.

More than I expected.

"You know," I said, "this is strange."

"What is?"

"Having breakfast with you."

"Why?"

"Because a month ago, I didn't know you existed."

"And now?"

I looked at him.

"Now you keep appearing."

"Should I stop?"

I paused.

"No."

The word came out softer than I'd intended.

His eyes stayed on mine.

Neither of us spoke.

Then he smiled.

"Good."

I rolled my eyes.

"There it is again."

"What?"

"That word."

"I can't help it."

"You can."

"I don't want to."

I smiled.

"Fine."

He leaned back.

"How did you sleep?"

"Better."

"Because of yesterday?"

"Maybe."

He nodded.

"Me too."

My heart skipped.

I looked down at my coffee.

"Adrian?"

"Yes?"

"Do you always do this?"

"Do what?"

"Make everything sound like it means more than it does."

His expression became serious.

"I don't think I do."

"Then what are you doing?"

He looked at me.

"Getting to know you."

Simple.

Honest.

It shouldn't have affected me.

But it did.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay."

He smiled.

---

When we arrived at the office, the day felt surprisingly normal.

There was a board meeting scheduled for Adrian.

I had several documents to review.

We agreed to meet later in the afternoon.

No pressure.

No dramatic investigation.

I spent the morning going through the financial reports we'd already collected.

Around eleven, I received an email from one of the company's legal consultants.

It wasn't exciting.

A routine request for clarification.

I answered it and continued working.

At noon, Mia called.

I answered.

"Hello?"

"You sound happy."

I smiled.

"I'm working."

"That's not what I said."

"I know."

"Are you with him?"

I looked toward the glass doors of Adrian's office.

He wasn't there.

"No."

"You're lying."

"Mia."

"You only use that tone when I'm right."

I laughed.

"How's your morning?"

"Don't change the subject."

"I have work."

"Fine."

A pause.

"Are you happy?"

The question caught me off guard.

I looked down at my hands.

"I think so."

Mia was quiet.

Then she said, "Good."

"Why?"

"Because you haven't said that in a long time."

I swallowed.

"Maybe I'm getting there."

"I'm glad."

We ended the call a few minutes later.

I returned to work.

But her question stayed with me.

Are you happy?

I didn't know.

Not completely.

There were still too many unanswered questions.

Too much uncertainty.

But there was something new.

Something warm.

Something I hadn't expected.

Adrian.

---

Adrian's POV

The board meeting lasted two hours longer than expected.

By the time I walked out, I was exhausted.

Not because of the meeting.

Because I'd spent most of it thinking about Lena.

That was becoming a problem.

A serious one.

I walked into my office and found her sitting on the sofa with her laptop.

She looked up.

"You're late."

"I know."

"Did they keep you?"

"Yes."

"Did you survive?"

"Barely."

She smiled.

"Do you want coffee?"

I stopped.

"You're offering me coffee?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Because you look tired."

I smiled.

"Thank you."

She stood and walked toward the small coffee station.

I watched her.

She moved around my office like she was becoming familiar with it.

That thought should have bothered me.

Instead, I liked it.

She handed me the cup.

"Careful."

"I know."

I took a sip.

It was perfect.

I looked at her.

"You remembered."

She shrugged.

"You complain when it's too strong."

"I do not complain."

"You absolutely complain."

"I provide feedback."

She laughed.

I sat down.

She returned to the sofa.

For a few minutes, we worked quietly.

It was comfortable.

Too comfortable.

Then she closed her laptop.

"I have a question."

"What?"

"Are we still investigating Elliot?"

"Yes."

"But not today?"

I looked at her.

"Not today."

She smiled.

"Good."

I raised an eyebrow.

"You wanted a break too?"

"Yes."

I leaned back.

"What do you want to do?"

She looked thoughtful.

"Something normal."

"Define normal."

"No documents."

"Fine."

"No conversations about your family."

"Fine."

"No conversations about my father."

"Agreed."

"No mysterious phone calls."

"I'll see what I can do."

She laughed.

"You're impossible."

"So I've heard."

She stood.

"Come on."

"Where?"

"I don't know."

I stared at her.

"You've made a plan without knowing where we're going?"

"Yes."

"That's unlike you."

She smiled.

"Maybe you should learn to be spontaneous."

I stood.

"That's a dangerous suggestion."

"Come on."

---

We ended up walking through Central Park.

It wasn't planned.

We simply walked.

Lena bought a pretzel from a street vendor and insisted I try it.

I told her I didn't like pretzels.

She ignored me.

"Try it."

I took a bite.

She watched me.

"Well?"

I chewed.

"It's okay."

She looked offended.

"Okay?"

"Yes."

"You have no appreciation for good food."

"It's a pretzel."

"It's more than a pretzel."

I laughed.

She smiled.

We walked for another hour.

We talked about music.

Movies.

Travel.

Childhood memories.

Things that had nothing to do with our work.

I learned that Lena hated horror movies but watched them anyway.

She learned that I couldn't cook anything except eggs.

She laughed for almost a minute when I admitted it.

"You run a billion-dollar company and you can't cook?"

"I never said I could do everything."

"I thought you did."

"I delegate."

"Even breakfast?"

"Especially breakfast."

She shook her head.

"I can't believe you."

I smiled.

"I'll learn."

"You?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"So I can make something for you."

She stopped walking.

I stopped too.

Her expression changed.

Neither of us spoke.

I realized what I'd said.

It sounded more intimate than I intended.

Or perhaps exactly as intimate as I intended.

"Lena—"

She smiled.

"I'd like that."

My chest tightened.

"Okay."

We started walking again.

Our hands brushed once.

Then again.

Neither of us moved away.

The third time, my fingers caught hers.

She looked down.

Then at me.

She didn't pull away.

So I held her hand.

Nothing dramatic happened.

No music.

No sudden confession.

No kiss.

Just her hand in mine as we walked through the park.

And somehow, it felt like enough.

---

Lena's POV

I didn't know when Adrian became someone I wanted to reach for.

Maybe it happened slowly.

Maybe it happened yesterday.

Maybe it was happening now.

But walking beside him, hand in hand, felt strangely natural.

We stopped near a small lake.

I leaned against the railing.

Adrian stood beside me.

"This is nice," I said.

"Yes."

"I don't want to go back to the office."

"Neither do I."

I looked at him.

"Do you ever get tired of being Adrian Vale?"

He smiled faintly.

"Sometimes."

"What would you rather be?"

He thought about it.

"Just Adrian."

I smiled.

"I like just Adrian."

He looked at me.

"I like just Lena."

Something fluttered in my stomach.

I looked away.

"You're getting good at this."

"At what?"

"Saying things that make me nervous."

He smiled.

"I wasn't trying to."

"That's worse."

He laughed.

I smiled.

Then my phone buzzed.

We both looked at it.

For a second, I expected another threatening message.

Instead, it was a reminder about a meeting tomorrow.

I sighed in relief.

Adrian noticed.

"You were expecting something else."

"Yes."

He squeezed my hand.

"You don't have to be afraid every time your phone rings."

"I know."

"But?"

"But it's difficult."

He nodded.

"I understand."

I looked at him.

"You don't have to protect me from everything."

"I know."

"Promise?"

He looked at me.

"I promise."

I smiled.

"Good."

We stayed there for another few minutes.

Then Adrian checked his watch.

"We should go."

"Unfortunately."

He smiled.

As we walked back toward the city, I realized something.

The mystery was still there.

My father was still missing.

Elliot Mason was still somewhere.

There were still questions waiting for us.

But for one afternoon, none of that mattered.

Maybe that was what I had been missing.

Not answers.

A moment.

A reason to smile.

Someone to hold my hand while the rest of my life remained uncertain.

When we reached my building, Adrian stopped.

"I'll see you tomorrow."

I looked at him.

"Tomorrow?"

"Yes."

I smiled.

"I like tomorrow."

His eyes softened.

"So do I."

He leaned closer.

For one breath, I thought he was going to kiss me.

My heart raced.

But he stopped.

Just before our faces were close enough.

He smiled.

"Goodnight, Lena."

I laughed softly.

"Goodnight, Adrian."

He walked away.

I watched him until he disappeared around the corner.

Then I touched my lips, even though he hadn't kissed me.

And somehow, I knew that the almost was enough.

For now.

Tomorrow could come when it was ready.