Page 109 of Stanton Adore

I wake to feel two eyes on me, and I roll toward him. To my surprise he isn’t in bed with me. He’s sitting on the side of the bed drinking a protein shake.

“I made you breakfast.” He smiles as he gestures to my bedside table. I look over to see a chocolate protein shake in a large glass with ice.

I frown. “Is this a sick joke?” It’s too early for this superhero workout shit. “Josh, I would like two eggs on toast, please.”

He frowns. “You don’t like protein.”

I look at him deadpan. “No.”

He shrugs his shoulders and smiles. “Tough shit. That’s what I’m making today, and we have to go to my house for a while. I want to check on Adrian.”

I smile. “Aren’t you supposed to be fussing over me and stuff like in all the romance novels? I never heard anyone say tough shit to their girlfriends in my books.”

His eyes twinkle and he raises his eyebrows. “Yes, but remember that the book about you is called Gagging for It.” I slap him on the arm, and he dives over me to hold my hands above my head.

“What are you wearing to the wedding today?” I ask.

He pulls back in horror. “That’s today?” I nod and smile. “We don’t really have to go, do we? I hate weddings.”

“Since when?”

“Since I don’t know anyone there.”

I smile. This is the shy thing Adrian was talking about—it’s kind of endearing that he has such a hangup.

“I’ll be there, Josh. It can be our date night.”

He frowns. “That’s a shit date. If you want to go on a date, I can arrange something, like the other night.” He smiles a sly smile. “Actually, let’s stay home and watch a movie. I have a really good one that I planned on watching this weekend. It’s called, let me see, Beautiful Slut.”

Oh crap, I know what movie he is talking about. The frigging porno staring yours truly.

“Let’s not,” I snap as I get out of bed. I shower and am thoroughly peeved to find that I have my period. How annoying it really is, a fault in the female body. And on the weekend, that’s just rude.

Half an hour later we pull up out the front of Josh’s and as we get closer to the wide-open front door I can hear the boys all laughing loudly and bantering with each other. I haven’t been here before and I am feeling a little nervous and out of my comfort zone. The house is huge and impressive, and it looks like it backs onto the water. There is a stone table out the front and two security guards are sitting playing cards. I turn and look at the car pulling up behind us to see another two bodyguards pull up who have obviously been following us. How do I keep forgetting we are being followed everywhere? Josh nods as he walks past them and I hang back, a little unsure about whether I should have come. Joshua must sense my apprehension and he turns and walks back toward me.

He frowns and smiles at me. “How could anyone as perfect as you ever intrude on me?” I nod and give him a shy smile. He’s right. If I am going to move to the other side of the world with him, I have to get used to his friends. We walk in and my eyes go straight to the beautiful high ornate ceiling. This place is stunning.

He follows my eyes to the ceiling and smiles. “Nice ceiling, huh? The rest of the place is pretty dated though. I’m not really a fan.” I raise my eyebrows, if he doesn’t like this place what in the hell is his house like? “Actually, can you get a week off work the week after next? I want to take you to LA to see a few houses.”

I frown. “What’s wrong with the house you have?”

He smiles and puts his hands in his pockets. “Nothing. I just want to start our new life together in a new house, one that you pick. I want you to be happy.”

My heart swells. “As long as I’m with you, baby, I’ll be happy,” I breathe.

He smiles and bends to run his lips gently over mine. “Me too,” he whispers. We walk through large double doors out into a massive kitchen and lounge area. Adrian is sitting on a barstool at the kitchen bench in a pair of boardshorts. Cameron is lying on the lounge in a pair of boxer shorts and Ben looks as though he has been for a swim and has a towel wrapped around his waist. Jeez, these guys are buff. This could easily pass as a scene from Magic Mike. Josh grabs me by the hand as we enter.

“Hi.” He smiles at his friends.

“Oh yeah. Mike Tyson is back.” Cameron laughs in a husky I’ve-had-too-many-tequilas voice. He’s talking really loudly, obviously still a little deaf from the loud music last night.

Adrian smiles as he walks over, puts his arm around me and kisses me on the temple. “Good morning, beautiful. How did you put up with this idiot last night?” He smiles and winks at Josh.

“Ha, ha.” Joshua fakes a smile as he pulls me from Adrian’s grip and sits me up on the counter. His little burst of possessiveness doesn’t go unnoticed and I have to say I kind of like it.

“The girls are coming over to go out for breakfast,” states Adrian.

Joshua frowns. “What girls?” he asks.