Chapter 79

ADRIANA

I hate to say it, I really do hate to say it, but I didn't fully hate the dinner with Xander last night.

It was not a date, I told him, and I'm not going to call it that.

But, whatever it was, it was… kind of fun.

I felt like the biggest traitor in the world when we got back home.

He insisted on walking me to the door. His bedroom door, in case you were wondering. Because he was a gentleman and a gentleman would walk a lady to the door.

"I'm not a lady," I had said without thinking.

I expected him to laugh and say he couldn't agree more, but he did the total opposite of that.

Xander had looked me in the eye with the softest expression, filled with so many emotions that I couldn't name. "You're right, you're not a lady, Adriana. You're so much more than that."

For the safety of my heart, which halted in that moment. I had looked away from his bewitching dark eyes,