Billionaire Lawyer's Secretary - Chapter 68: Chapter 68

An hour later, frustrated, Elara stood at the sink, scrubbing her hands again and again, grumbling to herself the whole time.
Adrian walked in in his pajamas, teasing her with a grin, "Keep scrubbing like that and your hands will peel."
Elara's eyes, usually so seductive, now held no allure as she glared at him, her warning lacking any real bite. "Adrian, you've crossed the line again!" she said.
To her surprise, Adrian remained completely unfazed. He shot her a lazy grin and said, "Alright, I owe you two compensations. Just let me know when you want to collect."
"You!" Elara groaned, realizing she'd walked right into her trap.
Elara had found it hilarious to tease Adrian about the compensation last time, but now that he was using it against her, she was left completely speechless.
Adrian saw Elara's face scrunched up like a raisin and, with a smirk, couldn't help but rub it in. He said, "What's wrong? Didn't you bring up the compensation yourself? Why are you acting like I'm the bad guy here?"
Elara bit her lip and frowned. She thought, 'I underestimated that bastard Adrian. He puts on such a gentlemanly front, but deep down, he's just a scheming bastard.'
Elara dug up old scores, determined to reclaim what was rightfully hers. She said, "Didn't you accuse me last time of chasing you just to sleep with you? Of trying to marry into the Hartley family?
"Why don't you take a good look? Who's really after whom here? Stop pinning all these labels on me."
Adrian figured Elara had probably blacked out last time and didn't remember the truth bombs she'd dropped on the phone.
But after all, drunk words were sober thoughts. The realization that Elara was only pursuing him to get back at Alex left Adrian feeling deeply unsettled.
Adrian snapped, "You're the one trying so hard to please me, so of course I'll tease you. You have your motives, I have my limits. You've got no right to argue with me. If you can't handle it, just keep your distance."
Elara wanted to argue back, but she bit her tongue. She thought, 'He's got a point. We're never on equal footing. At work, he's my boss; in private, I'm the one who needs something from him.
'I was the one who came here tonight to please him, so what right do I have to argue with him?'
Lowering her head, she quietly went back to scrubbing her hands, saying nothing.
Content from their intimacy, Adrian found his fatigue gone. With renewed energy, he wrapped his arms around Elara from behind, bent down to cradle her hand in his, and playfully rubbed the soap between their palms.
Only when their hands touched did Elara realize just how much larger his palm was.
Though Adrian wasn't quite tanned, Elara's porcelain complexion made his look several shades deeper by comparison. His veined thumb gently stroked her delicate hand, their fingers interlacing in a subtle dance of intimacy.
Adrian said, "Your hands are so tiny." He gently wiped away the last traces of soap between hers before casually turning off the tap. He said, "Alright, that's enough washing. Your hands are red from scrubbing."
Elara found Adrian's rare gentleness almost unsettling. She thought, 'Must be that post-intimacy glow. He was in this same good mood after a proper nap in the firm's lounge that day.
'When he's not being sarcastic, he seems like a decent human being.'
But in the next moment, Adrian's demeanor shifted completely. He said, "Don't scrub them raw. I'll still need these hands of yours later."
"Like hell I'll let you use mine! Use your own damn hands," Elara grumbled in frustration.
Adrian teased, "What are you imagining? I meant a massage."
Elara didn't buy it. She scoffed, "Really? You think I'd buy that?"
Adrian let out a hearty laugh and teased her, "What else could it be? What were you imagining?"
Elara thought, 'He knows well I can't bring myself to say it. He is clearly messing with me.' She grabbed some tissues, drying her hands before turning to leave.
Just then, Adrian said, "Learn massage properly. I'll cover the tuition. From now on, come give me three sessions a week, alright?"
Hearing this, Elara paused, sensing something off about his words. She thought, 'Why does this feel so much like a work assignment? Damn, looks like I've just signed myself up as his therapist.
'But wait, is he relenting? If he's fine with me being his therapist, can being his assistant be far behind?'
Elara asked, "So, what exactly do you mean?"
Without a hint of hesitation, Adrian stripped off his pajamas and stepped into the shower, completely unfazed by Elara's presence.
Elara quickly turned away, refusing to look at him.
Adrian said, "Susan's been paying you, hasn't she? You can't just take the money and slack off. I'm on leave this month, so from now on, arrange my three meals a day. Forget about company matters; just follow whatever else Susan tells you to do."
Elara pondered, 'So that means my position as his executive assistant isn't reinstated, but I still have to keep doing all the personal assistant chores. Not bad, same pay, half the work.'
Adrian continued, "Go check in with Frank again about my shoulder treatment plan. He'll set the plan, teach you the massage techniques, and then you'll come practice on me. Got it?
Elara understood his meaning, but she didn't reply.
Seeing her silence, Adrian teased, "What, not happy now? Weren't you always buzzing around me before, trying so hard to get close? Now that I'm giving you the chance you wanted, you're having second thoughts?"
Elara thought, 'It's not that I have second thoughts, I just feel kind of off between us now. There's this unspoken tension between us that wasn't there before.
'If the first time was just an accident, because of those hallucinogenic and aphrodisiac oils, then what's the excuse for this second time?
'He didn't offer any explanation; he just casually mentioned that he owed me two compensations. From that moment on, our relationship could never be simple again.
'I could already foresee there would be a third time, a fourth, and who knows how many more. Each time it goes even further than the last. Do I resist? Not really. Otherwise, I would've pushed him away ages ago.'
But Elara was not overthinking the change in her relationship with Adrian. She knew exactly what she was getting into when she decided to become his secretary. Seducing him was her plan from the start.
The current speed of things was expected, so she thought there was no need to dwell on it.
Elara thought, 'What's done is done; there's no going back now. But I still need to play hard to get. Otherwise, I'd seem way too easy to catch. Give a man too much attention, too often, and he'll slip right out of your control.'
Taking a moment to compose herself, she replied, "I'll stay on as your personal assistant, but don't cross the line again."
The shower stopped. Adrian slipped into a fresh robe, steam still clinging to his skin. The subtle woody scent of body wash still lingered. Adrian towel-dried his damp hair, and he looked thoroughly refreshed.
He teased, "Oh, really? Weren't you the one asking for compensation last time? I thought you liked it." As he spoke, he closed the distance between them, standing toe-to-toe with Elara. His deep-set eyes darkened with a suggestive glint.
Elara stood a head shorter. Her gaze was level with his glistening chest, still beaded with water droplets. She thought, 'He's totally doing this on purpose. Flaunting that perfect body just to test my self-control!'
She swallowed hard, lowering her gaze to avoid Adrian's tempting physique.
Adrian leaned down, his lips brushing her ear as he gave a devilish chuckle. He teased, "If you like it, why refuse?"
Elara steadied herself. She lifted her gaze to meet Adrian's eyes. With a hint of mock grievance, but unmistakable flirtation, she said, "Adrian, stop teasing me. If I end up clinging to you, won't your fiancée get jealous?"
Adrian let out a deep, throaty chuckle. He said, "Oh really? Cling to me? How would you do that?"