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“I won’t let you get hurt,” he said, voice rough but sincere. Then he leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her cheek. “Promise.”

She stilled. His touch, even drunk, was careful. Protective.

With no choice, she gave in, burying her face into his neck as he carried her toward the elevators. The doors slid open, and he stepped in, still holding her like she was the most precious thing to him in the world.

She looked up at his face. “You’re not planning to put me down?”

He frowned adorably. “Why do you want to walk?”

She stifled a laugh. He was so drunk that every expression on his face was unintentionally cute. Even the grumpiness in his tone made her want to smile.

He noticed. His frown softened. A smile tugged at his lips before he leaned down and kissed her softly, brief and gentle. He held her closer after, tucking her face into his neck again.

Despite the alcohol in his veins, her scent started sobering him up. The whiskey haze couldn’t compete with the way she felt in his arms. His body craved her scent more than it craved another drink.

The elevator reached the top floor, the terrace. He stepped out, carrying her like she weighed nothing.

In the middle of the rooftop, under the open sky, he finally set her down.

But his hands stayed on her waist, holding her close. His face dipped into the curve of her neck from behind, breathing her in.

“I have a gift for you. Wait for it,” he whispered in her ear, his breath making her flinch slightly. Then he pressed a soft kiss just beneath her ear, feeling her hands tighten around his arms.

The night air was cold, making them cling even closer.

When he felt her shiver, Adrian reluctantly pulled away only for a moment. He slipped off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders. He made sure it fit snugly, pulled her hair free from beneath it, and brushed loose strands back behind her ear.

His palms were warm and gentle on her skin. Every touch was full of care.

Then he cupped her face in his large, warm hands, his thumbs gently rubbing her cheeks. His intense, dark eyes scanned her face, every inch of her. The curve of her eyes, the shape of her nose, the softness of her lips, and even the delicate line of her ears. His gaze was intense, like he was memorizing her.

His thumb brushed the side of her face with care, and his voice came out low, deep, and affectionate. “It’s cold out here. You shouldn’t catch a chill. It wouldn’t be good for you if you got sick.” He murmured.

Then, he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss on her forehead.

His eyes fluttered slightly as he pulled back to look at her again, as if trying to imprint her face into his memory, like he never wanted to forget a single detail. His soft touch and the way he looked at her with such rare tenderness made Sienna’s heart ache. She had never seen Adrian like this—so attentive, so gentle. Not even with his most prized cars had he ever shown this much care.

“What did you want to show me?” she asked, glancing around him. She gently pulled his hands down from her face and looked around again. “You said you had something to show me—so where is it?”

Adrian chuckled at her impatience. He pulled her into his chest, hugging her from behind. He turned her gently so her back was against him, brushing all her hair to one side of her shoulder. Then his lips found the soft skin of her neck. He kissed just beneath her ear, letting his lips whisper warm, lingering kisses down her neckline.

“Soon,” he murmured in her ear, “It’s about to show up.”

A few quiet minutes passed. Then, as the clock struck twelve, a sudden light burst from the ground and exploded into the sky. In the next moment, the sky lit up with a cascade of fireworks, color after color, blazing and crackling in brilliant patterns that stretched across the night.

Sienna gasped, tilting her head back to take it in. Her eyes widened at the stunning sight, her breath catching.

But then, her body tensed.

She pulled away from Adrian’s arms.

He tried to hold on to her, his arms tightening as he tried to keep her close. “Sienna—”

But she stepped back, completely breaking free from him. Her voice trembled. “This... this is the gift you prepared?”

Adrian's expression softened into a fond smile as he took a step forward. “Yes,” he said gently. “You love fireworks, don’t you?”

But Sienna didn’t smile back. Her expression twisted in pain. The jacket he had put over her slipped from her shoulders as she snapped, “No, I don’t! I hate fireworks. I hate them more than anything else.”