BRIANNA

I slowly peeled my eyes open when I suddenly felt the bright rays of sunshine on my face. The warmth was soothing, but the blinding light was enough to make me wince. The first thing my eyes came in contact with was Adrian, who was sitting next to me, a small, teasing smile playing on his lips.

“Good morning, Sunshine!” he greeted me cheerfully, his voice bright and upbeat, a stark contrast to the grogginess I was feeling.

“Good morning.” I croaked out in response, my voice sounding so hoarse it reminded me of a frog. I could barely recognize it myself.

“What time is it?” I asked, trying to sit up, but the moment I attempted to move, a strong wave of headache hit me like a sledgehammer. I immediately recoiled, my body collapsing back onto the bed, groaning loudly in discomfort.

“You probably shouldn’t do that. You’re hungover,” Adrian remarked, his voice tinged with concern as he reached for a bottle of water and a small packet of aspirin from the bedside table. He sat beside me, handing them to me.

“Ugh! How much did I drink last night?” I asked, my head throbbing with every word.

“Around five shot glasses, I’d say. I guess you’re a lightweight, because I wasn’t even affected by the drink.” He smirked at me teasingly, clearly enjoying my discomfort.

“Geez! How did I drink that much?” I exclaimed, shocked at my own lack of restraint. I took the bottle of water and aspirin from his hands, quickly popping the pills into my mouth and chugging the entire bottle of water in one go, desperate for relief.

“You don’t remember? I challenged you to a drinking competition, and you failed. Obviously,” he said, his grin widening, clearly amused by my state.

“Oh, wow. I don’t remember any of that.” I grumbled, feeling the edges of the night’s events start to come back to me. It was like watching the replay of a movie—fragments of the night flashing in my mind.

I remembered Adrian daring me to a drinking contest, the chaos of the dance floor as I swayed to the music, how a random guy had been grinding against my backside while I was dancing. I recalled how Adrian had punched the guy in the face, then dragged me out of the club in a blur. I also vividly remembered how close we had come to crossing a line when we got back here, and how he stopped just before things could go too far, his hand on the zipper of his pants.

My face turned crimson as the memory resurfaced, and without thinking, I instinctively covered my face with the duvet, hiding from the growing heat in my cheeks.

“What’s wrong?” Adrian asked, his voice filled with concern as he watched me cover up.

“Nothing!” I grumbled, muffling my voice beneath the duvet, hoping he couldn’t hear the embarrassment laced in my words.

“Oh, you remember.” His voice lowered, and I could hear the realization dawn on him. There was a slight nervousness mixed with his words.

“Yeah, I remember.” I mumbled, peeking from under the duvet to meet his gaze.

“I’m sorry for trying to have sex with you when you weren’t in your right state of mind. I really am sorry,” Adrian apologized, his expression filled with guilt. I slowly peeled the duvet off my face and met his eyes, unsure of what to say.

“Hey… You don’t need to apologize. I mean, even in my drunk state, I wanted you to have sex with me. We both wanted it, but you didn’t want to do it when I was drunk, and I understand that.” I paused, trying to collect my thoughts. Even I didn’t fully understand what had just come out of my mouth, but I wasn’t about to take it back now.

“Wait, what? You wanted to have sex with me?” He looked at me in disbelief, his eyebrows furrowed as though he couldn’t quite believe what he was hearing.

“Yeah… I mean, we both can’t deny the attraction between us. We’ve been kissing, and things have been heating up. I don’t see why it would be wrong for us to take that next step,” I said with a careless shrug, though inside, my emotions were a tangled mess of uncertainty and desire.

“Wow, really? Who would have thought you were attracted to me in that way?” Adrian’s voice was full of surprise, yet there was a softness in his eyes that told me he didn’t mind hearing it.

“What? Is it bad?” I asked, raising an eyebrow, feigning nonchalance even though I could feel the tension building between us.

“No, it’s not bad. But I thought you hated my guts,” he admitted, his voice taking on a hint of humor.

“I did hate your guts,” I replied with a smirk. “But that was when you were still a narcissistic asshole. You’ve changed, Adrian. I like this new version of you.” I offered him a small smile, my heart giving a little flutter at how far we’d come.

“Wow, I’m speechless right now,” he said, wide-eyed, clearly not knowing what to make of this conversation.

“Don’t be,” I teased with a smile, my mood lightening.

Feeling bold and without knowing where the surge of confidence came from, I stood up from the bed without bothering to cover myself with the duvet. The sunlight streamed in through the windows, casting a golden glow on my naked body. Adrian’s eyes locked onto me immediately, scanning every inch of me, but instead of feeling self-conscious, I felt oddly empowered.

“You can close your mouth now. We don’t want flies in there,” I said with a smug smirk, watching as he slowly closed his mouth, his gaze never leaving me.

“You’re so fucking gorgeous,” he breathed, his voice low and sincere.

“Yeah, I know,” I replied, flipping my hair dramatically, trying to play it cool but feeling my heart race nonetheless.

“Smug witch!” he scoffed, though I could see the amusement dancing in his eyes.

I smiled brightly at him, thoroughly enjoying the banter.

“You like me like that,” I grinned, giving him a playful wink as I walked towards the bathroom to freshen up. I felt his eyes burning into my back the entire way.

“Have your eyes turned into lasers, Adrian?” I teased, glancing over my shoulder.

“I guess. Burning holes in your body, I see,” he replied with a chuckle, and I laughed in return.

“What’s the plan for today?” I asked, already moving to the bathroom to start my routine.

“Since we’re done with the investors, we’ve got the next three or four days to ourselves. Then we’re heading home on the seventh day,” he explained casually.

“Okay… So, what are we doing today?” I asked, turning on the water and getting undressed.

“Well, I thought we could go to Museo Nacional del Prado, the main Spanish art museum here in Madrid,” Adrian said, a touch of excitement in his voice.

“Hmm, that sounds cool,” I responded, smiling at the idea of a cultural escape.

“Yeah, so once you’re done in there, get dressed in something casual and meet me downstairs. We’ll be having breakfast at a restaurant.” He added, clearly pleased with his plan.

“Alrighty, I’ll be down soon,” I replied, my voice rising from the bathroom.

I heard him leave my room moments later.

After a few minutes, I emerged from the bathroom, freshly showered. It took me a while because I washed my hair, too. I wrapped a towel around myself and sat at the vanity to dry my hair with the blow dryer. Once my hair was dry, I curled the ends slightly and applied some minimal makeup. Then I threw on a white tank top, blue jeans, and a blue denim jacket. I finished off the look with a pair of white sneakers.

When I walked into the living area, I found Adrian sitting on the couch, absorbed in his phone. He glanced up and smiled when he saw me. As I took in his outfit, I couldn’t help but notice we were practically matching—he wore the exact same style as me, just with a black t-shirt underneath. Blue jeans, blue denim jacket, and white sneakers.

I quirked an eyebrow, playfully eyeing him.

“Did you peep while I was dressing up?” I asked teasingly, giving him a knowing look.

“No, I didn’t. But maybe you were peeping while I was getting dressed?” he shot back with a playful grin.

“I did not!” I exclaimed with a laugh, shaking my head.

“I guess we just have great minds, then. We’re on the same wavelength,” he said, chuckling.

“Yeah, yeah,” I giggled, rolling my eyes.

We really did look like a couple right now, and while the sexual tension was definitely there, neither of us had defined what we were. We weren’t dating, but something was brewing between us, whether we wanted to admit it or not.

“So, you ready to go?” he asked, interrupting my thoughts.

“Yeah, I’m ready,” I replied, snapping back to reality.

He nodded, checking something quickly on his phone.

“Let’s go. The Uber I ordered is here already,” he said, standing up from the couch.

I looked at him in surprise. “Uber? We’re not taking the car?”

“Yeah, I want to feel a little more human today,” he replied with a mischievous smile.

“Wow, that’s a first,” I teased, following him out the door. “Mr. High-and-Mighty CEO opting for an Uber?”

Adrian chuckled, holding the door open for me. “I like to mix things up sometimes. Keeps life interesting.”

We walked down the hallway toward the elevator, the playful banter between us easing any lingering awkwardness. As we stepped outside, I was immediately struck by how different Madrid felt compared to the usual hustle of city life. The sun was high in the sky, casting a warm glow over the streets, and the air had that distinct European charm that felt both new and familiar at the same time.

The Uber was already waiting, and we climbed in, the cool leather seats offering a brief relief from the heat outside. The driver greeted us with a polite smile, and we made small talk as we headed toward the museum.

I found myself stealing glances at Adrian every now and then. The way his features softened in the dim light of the car, his thoughtful expressions whenever he glanced out the window—it made him seem more human, less like the untouchable billionaire I’d once known.

I had to admit, I was starting to enjoy this new version of him. Not the arrogant, distant man who used to make my blood boil, but someone who was more real, more accessible. The Adrian I was beginning to like, even in spite of the complicated situation we found ourselves in.

“You know,” I began, breaking the comfortable silence, “I’ve never been one for museums. But I’m kind of excited to see this one.”

Adrian turned toward me, raising an eyebrow. “Oh? I thought you’d be more of a thrill-seeker, judging by our... history.”

I snorted, rolling my eyes. “Maybe I’ve outgrown that phase. Or maybe I’m just trying to avoid any more of your crazy drinking challenges.”

“Hey, no promises,” he grinned. “But yeah, the Prado’s got some impressive stuff. You might just find yourself falling in love with art.”

I nodded, intrigued. “I’m open to it.”

As the car drove through the streets of Madrid, I felt an unexpected sense of peace. This wasn’t the chaotic whirlwind I’d known with Adrian, filled with reckless decisions and unpredictable outcomes. This felt like a new chapter. Quiet. Steady. Almost normal.

And yet, beneath it all, there was an undeniable current between us. The chemistry that had been there from the beginning hadn’t faded. If anything, it felt stronger now, simmering beneath the surface, threatening to boil over at any moment.

Before I knew it, the car came to a stop, and we stepped out in front of the Museo Nacional del Prado. The imposing architecture of the museum loomed ahead of us, with its grand entrance and well-manicured grounds. It was as impressive as Adrian had described it.

“Here we are,” he said, holding out his arm for me as we walked toward the entrance.

I accepted the gesture, our fingers brushing briefly. The spark was still there, and though I wasn’t sure where it would lead, I felt an overwhelming sense of anticipation. What would today hold for us?

As we entered the museum, the cool, quiet air inside enveloped us. I could already feel the weight of history in the rooms, the stories behind the paintings pulling me in. Adrian led the way, but I found myself drifting, stopping to take in the beauty of each piece we passed.

The day stretched out before us, full of potential, and I couldn’t help but wonder where this unexpected connection with Adrian was headed. Would it stay as just a fleeting moment, or was it the beginning of something deeper?

Either way, I couldn’t deny that I was intrigued.