Chapter 8 - THE FIRST STEP
The transition from employer and employee to something more was slow, delicate, and built on an unshakable foundation of trust. They didn't rush. There were no flashy trips to Paris, no paparazzi, no extravagant jewelry.
Their first official date was in the kitchen of Ashwood Manor after Mia had gone to sleep. Adrian cooked—or at least, he attempted to cook pasta, resulting in a minor smoke alarm incident that left them both laughing on the floor covered in flour.
Sitting there, wiping a smudge of flour off Isabel's nose, Adrian realized something profound. He wasn't evaluating her. He wasn't waiting for the other shoe to drop. He was just happy.
"You are terrible at cooking," Isabel giggled, leaning into his touch.
"I run a tech company," Adrian defended himself playfully. "I can build a supercomputer. I just can't boil water."
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"I'll teach you," she whispered, her smile fading into something softer, something deeply intimate.
Adrian leaned in, closing the distance between them. Their first kiss tasted like burnt garlic and expensive wine, and it was the most perfect thing he had ever experienced. It wasn't the fiery, toxic passion he had with Camille. It was warm. It felt like coming home after a long, exhausting journey.
