CHAPTER 46: 46: NO STARING

Adrian placed the tablet on his lap and quietly cracked his fingers.

His back was feeling sore as he’d been sitting for five hours. His feet felt heavy and needed stretching, but he dared not stand when his boss still sat behind his study desk, working like a robot.

He sighed, picking up the tablet again.

He had redesigned, adjusted and created four designs in the span of five hours, his highest record so far. Somehow, he admitted that Alexander’s method was quite effective. Effective but soul and stomach-crushing.

He was hungry and tired, and he wondered how Alexander could look so calm behind the screen, working like he had just woken up from eight hours of sleep.

’I’m so hungry... and tired,’ Adrian sighed tiredly.

He stole a glance at Alexander, something he’d been doing secretly for five hours. He wanted to pause his own work and just stare at the handsome devil in a black t-shirt and glasses.

He never knew Alexander wore glasses too. But he guessed Alexander wore it only when he was going to sit long in front of the screen.

Alexander suddenly looked up, catching Adrian’s eyes feasting on him.

He wanted to call Adrian out but stopped himself when he saw that Adrian wasn’t aware he’d been caught.

Instead of returning his focus to work, he looked back at Adrian, really looked at him.

For the first time, he was seeing Adrian’s face without the nervousness, without the pretence of being afraid.

Yeah, something told him Adrian wasn’t afraid of him one bit and just acted scared to patronise him. He wasn’t bothered by that thought, he just wanted to know why he suddenly thought that his secretary was the most beautiful human on earth.

He couldn’t look away, he felt a mesmerising pull toward Adrian, and if he kept looking, he might as well go over to the sofa and try out something other than just looking.

Slowly, he saw Adrian’s eyes move from his chest to his lips, stopping there. He thought things were getting quite out of hand and wanted to call himself and his secretary to order, but when he suddenly saw Adrian raising his pen to his mouth, he knew he was about to get tormented.

Alexander gulped tightly as he watched Adrian wrap his lips around the bottom of his pen, sucking it gently.

Sweat broke out on his forehead, his clothes suddenly feeling too hot and too tight.

He normally looked away each time he saw Adrian sucking his pen at the office, pretending the sight did nothing to him. But, now, right in front of him, he realised that a simple, everyday action from Adrian could be the end of a man... him.

He tried, oh how he tried to force his eyes away from that provoking action, yet he failed. He was doomed to stare, to imagine what else Adrian could suck that way.

"Adrian!" Alexander suddenly slammed his hand on the table, startling his secretary.

Adrian almost jumped, shuddering and choking as the sudden noise almost made him swallow the pen in his throat.

He coughed and blinked away from his boss, clearing his throat.

"Yes, boss? I’m almost done with the design. I’ll finish it now, " he nudged his glasses in place with the back of his hand and returned his eyes to the screen on his lap, scratching the back of his neck as his cheek burned hot and red.

’What the fuck just happened?!’ He balled his fists, biting hard on the side of his bottom lip.

’Did he see me staring like an idiot? No, he’s probably impatient because I haven’t sent in the fifth design. But what the fuck was I thinking? Shit, this move-in is going to be harder than I thought,’ He gripped the edge of the tablet and stared blankly at the screen.

’I have to get myself together, I feel like I’m losing control of myself and my mind,’ he thought quietly.

"Mr. Cole," Alexander called, his voice hard.

Adrian gulped before he looked up, ’I really hope he didn’t catch me staring.’

"Yes, boss," he answered calmly, blinking slowly as he looked at Alexander’s face.

"I have some rules in my home," Alexander stood from his desk, striding over to Adrian.

Adrian furrowed his brows, sensing something odd. Why would Alexander be creating a rule ten hours post his arrival?

’Did something happen?’

"Yes, boss..." he answered again, not knowing what else he could reply in such a situation.

Alexander stood in front of Adrian, one hand in his pocket and blue eyes locked on Adrian’s figure.

"I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. I hate unhygienic people, like yourself, Mr. Adrian," Alexander said, frowning down at Adrian.

Adrian lifted his face to properly stare at Alexander’s cold one, "I haven’t done anything unhygienic, boss. I have only been working over here for five hours." He defended himself, blinking slowly.

He suddenly leaned back as Alexander leaned over, his heart suddenly pounding.

’Is he trying to kiss me again?’

"What about this?" Alexander easily slid the pen from Adrian’s hand and held it up in front of Adrian, eyes as sharp as ever.

Adrian frowned, confused, "That is my pen, boss." He replied.

"Alright, Mr. Cole, here are my rules," Alexander walked over to the bin and threw Adrian’s pen into it.

"Boss..." Adrian sprang to his feet and hurried to pick up his pen, but Alexander easily grabbed the back of his collar and pulled him back to the sofa.

"No, don’t do that-ouch!" Adrian grunted as he landed on the sofa on his ass.

"Or else?" Alexander cocked an arrogant brow, his eyes gleaming with mischief.

Adrian sighed, "Nothing, boss." He quietly picked up the tablet from the sofa and placed it back on his lap.

"Rule number one, no sucking of pens or any objects whatsoever in my home," Alexander started and watched as Adrian froze, his cheeks turning red once more.

Adrian gulped, his hand freezing over the tablet.

’So he saw me...’ He panicked inwardly.

"Number two, no biting, licking, or sucking of your lips in front of me. It’s unsettling and unhygienic. Do you understand?" Alexander asked, narrowing his eyes.

Adrian dug his fingers into his hand, "But, boss, these are involuntary –"

"Do you understand, Mr. Cole?" Alexander cut in sternly.

Adrian sighed, "Yes, boss." He replied, looking away from Alexander as he fought the urge to bite his lips in anger.

"Last, but not least..." He lowered himself to a squat in front of Adrian, his eyes peering into Adrian’s soul.

Adrian had no choice but to look up when he saw his boss’s larger frame squatting in front of him. He stared, blinking very slowly.

"Yes, boss? Rule number three?" He questioned in a detached voice, his eyes empty.

Alexander smirked, "No staring." He stated, his eyes not looking away from Adrian’s.

It took Adrian a few seconds to understand what Alexander was talking about, and once he did, he immediately looked away from Alexander’s face, staring at the floor.

"Right... yes, boss. I’m sorry about that, I was just trying to... yes boss." He sighed, nodding his head.

Alexander stood, "Good. Do any of those things again, and you’ll just be increasing your already endless debt. I hate things that... irritate me." He said, walking Iver to his desk to retrieve a new pen.

He returned to Adrian and placed the pen on his lap, "Use this." He said.

Adrian stared at the pen and realised that it was once again one of Alexander’s customised pens.

He was so angry that he needed nothing from Alexander at the moment.

Alexander dared to insult his hygiene yet offer him his item, what was he trying to do, to find another reason to say that his precious expensive pen had been tarnished?

"I don’t want it," Adrian suddenly spoke, pocking up the pen and holding it up in front of him.

Alexander, already halfway to his desk paused when he heard Adrian’s voice.

Slowly, he turned and a huge frown immediately graced his face as he saw Adrian holding out the pen in front of him with his face lowered.

He walked back, took the pen, and placed it back on Adrian’s lap, "Don’t be stubborn." He said.

Adrian picked up the pen and stood, "Take it back, please. I’ve got a dozen new pens in my bag. Also, I’m already used to the ink flow of my pen, I don’t want to ruin my work with a new ink." He explained, holding the pen out once more.

Alexander frowned, he noticed that Adrian was once again facing the floor as he spoke to him. He wanted to ask why Adrian wasn’t looking at him as he spoke, but he quickly realised that he had just given some dumb set of rules that he was immediately starting to regret.

It’s been only three minutes but he was already missing looking at Adrian’s defiant face and mysterious grey eyes.

’Why does everything feel like I’m punishing myself?’

"I’m not taking it back," Alexander replied calmly.

He wanted to rile Adrian a bit and see if he could ance up at him even for once.

"Okay," Adrian surprised him by nodding and lowering himself back on the sofa.

Alexander grew confused.

Something was wrong, Adrian should have insisted, maybe even lost his temper as usual, but he didn’t, and it grated on Alexander’s nerves.

"I’ll send in the last design in a few minutes," Adrian said, focusing on his work now.

Alexander stood there for a while, suddenly feeling lost for what to say or how to react.

"You do that..." he muttered and returned to his desk, sighing as he sat.

Now, he was in no mood for working.

He stated ar Adrian, who strangely looked at ease as he worked with his head lowered.

’Was he happy he couldn’t look at me again? He seems so at ease while I’m over here waiting for him to look at me the same way again...’

"I can’t do this," Alexander muttered and stood, walking back to Adrian and suddenly grabbed the tablet from Adrian.

Adrian froze as the tablet was suddenly snatched. He frowned, shutting his eyes to school his feelings.

"If you want me to stop working for the night, then, goodnight, boss," Adrian spoke with his face lowered.

"Eyes up, Mr. Cole," Alexander commanded in a dangerous tone.

Adrian almost bit his lip but controlled his reflexes, balling his fists instead, "No, boss. I do not want to extend my stay with you. I will do whatever it takes to get away from you as soon as possible." He replied, ignoring the way his chest was dancing from his thudding heartbeats.

Alexander gave a humourless chuckle, his eyes darkening due to Adrian’s blatant disobedience.

"I won’t ask again, Mr. Cole... look at me," Alexander ordered.

Adrian’s fingers trembled, ’Do I ever have a choice?’

Slowly, he lifted his head — and the moment their eyes met, Alexander forgot how to breathe.

That look.

It wasn’t fear. It was defiance — beautiful, reckless defiance — and Alexander knew right then... this was going to destroy him.