Dumping The Ice King His Mini-Tyrant novel Chapter 543

Adrian just smiled, his expressive eyes, like pools of ink, fixed on her. The apartment was quiet, and in the silence, Selene could hear her own heart beating as the atmosphere between them warmed.

"I'll walk you down," she said, a polite way of telling him it was time to leave.

"Alright." He didn't protest, simply picking up his jacket from the sofa.

As Selene went to the entryway to put on her slippers and open the door, Adrian came up behind her and draped his jacket over her shoulders. It smelled not of cologne, but of him—a subtle, warm scent of musk and pomegranate that was surprisingly alluring.

"It's cold outside. Wear this," he said.

Her hands went to the jacket's lapels, her fingers brushing along the fabric to keep it from slipping. They rode the elevator down in comfortable silence until Adrian finally spoke.

"If you don't want me spending time with Daph, you can just tell me."

"I never said that," Selene replied instantly, meeting his gaze. She saw the soft amusement and a hint of mischief in his dark eyes and realized he was testing her. She'd fallen right into his trap, and a flicker of annoyance went through her.

He pressed his advantage. "You like seeing me with Daph, don't you?"

Following the path of logic, she told him, "You and Luke are very different. Being around both of you is a good learning experience for her."

Selene remembered hearing something similar in college. She smiled. "And who am I supposed to kiss every day?"

He gave her a gentlemanly bow. "I would be happy to be of service." He added, "If you don't believe me, we can test the theory right now."

Selene stood motionless in the elevator. He wasn't wrong; the "kissing effect" was a real psychological phenomenon. A simple exchange could relieve fatigue and create a sense of well-being. But what, exactly, was their relationship? She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts.

Adrian knew she wasn't going to do it. He saw her hand move toward the control panel.

But in the next second, her hand shot out, bypassing the buttons and grabbing the tie at his chest. Her slender fingers clenched, and Adrian's eyes widened in shock.