Adore Me ( Harrington Heirs #1)

Chapter 3

Brighton Berenberg

"Brighton, are you and Elijah dating?"

"How long have you been dating?"

"How genuine is your relationship, Elijah?"

The reporters surrounding us shouted. The security detail flanking the both of us were having problems containing them, which led to some reporters being pushed back. Elijah kept a firm grip on me, one arm around my waist with the other clasping my hand securely. 

The noise surrounding us were no match for the intense sound of my heart racing. Don't get me wrong, I'm no inexperienced virgin, pero my body seems to throw all rational thoughts out the window with Elijah this close to me.

I held onto his firm body as he guided me towards his car which sat idly across the street from my building. Elijah opened the door to his car's passenger seat and I immediately got in.

"Well, that was intense." Sabi nito as he situated himself on the driver's seat. I remained silent, not knowing how to react to everything, not knowing how to react to my body's blatant attraction to him.

The car roared into life as Elijah prepared to leave the company's premises. Flashing lights followed the car as we started to speed out of the crowded street with some reporters going as far as following the car.

I let out a shaky breath as I tried to compose myself.

"Are you okay?" Rinig kong tanong ni Elijah habang nagmamaneho. Tumango lang ako at tinignan siya. Kalmado ang gwapong mukha nito, he looks composed, regal, imposing. 'Di ko namalayan ang pagbilis ng tibok ng aking puso habang patuloy ko siyang tinititigan. Elijah has always been handsome, but he looked ethereal with the way the light from the streetlights hit his face in a fleeting manner. 

He suddenly let out a fake cough na gumising sa'kin mula sa pagkatulala sa kanya. I shifted on my seat at inilipat nalang ang aking paningin sa bintana para pagmasdan ang landas na tinatahak namin. I put my hand above my chest, my heart racing inside. I wanted to calm my heart, to stop myself from feeling anything for the man sitting beside me, but I couldn't. I was a stranger to commitment , but I wasn't a stranger to love. Alam ko na may nararamdaman na ako para kay Elijah.

I loathed it, I loathed the fact that he had THE Brighton Berenberg wrapped around his fingers. Hindi dapat ganito, I should be working on improving public perception about me, pero here I was, falling for a man who couldn't care less about me.

My eyes stung with tears. The realization na I was falling for yet another man who would never be able to return my feelings hit me like a truck, but I couldn't let it show. Elijah can never know about my feelings, Elijah can't ever find a reason to back out of the agreement.

A few minutes passed bago huminto si Elijah sa harap ng isang maliit na restaurant. I looked at it in awe, and it wasn't because it was anything extraordinary, in fact, it looked simple. From the outside makikita mo na maliit lang ang taong kasalukuyang kumakain dito.

Elijah stepped out of the car at umikot para pagbuksan ako, inilahad niya ang kanyang kamay at kinuha ko naman ito. I slowly went out of the car with Elijah's left hand holding my hands and the other wrapped around my waist. I felt my heart quicken its pace, I felt nervous, nauseous even. Sa 'di kalayuan rinig naman ang pagdating ng mga sasakyan ng mga reportesr na kanina pang nakasunod sa'min.

"Smile for the cameras, Hase." Elijah whispered, right arm wrapping tighter around my waist. Tumango ako dito, I couldn't find the words to respond to him calling me bunny, I couldn't find the words to respond with his face only a few inches from mine.

"Brighton, dito!"

"Brighton, smile!"

"Mr. Harrington, this way!"

Sigaw ng mga reporters surrounding me and Elijah. Nagmadali kaming maglakad at pumasok na sa restaurant. 

"Good evening, Elijah. Upo kayo dito, iho." Sabi ng isang matandang babae pagpasok nami sa resto. Nginitian ako nito at hinila na ako ni Elijah paupo sa isang bakanteng two-seater na mesa. Rinig parin ang dagsa ng mga reporters sa labas ng restaurant.

"Elijah, sino itong pogi na kasamo mo? Pakilala mo naman ako oh" Rinig kong sabi nung matanda na nakatayo pa sa gilid ng aming lamesa. I felt my face heat up with compliment kaya nginitian ko nalang yung matanda.

"Nana alena, this is my fiancé, Brighton." Sagot ni Elijah kay nana Alena. 

"Hello po, nana. Ako po si Brighton, good evening po." Sabi ko dito. Ngumiti ito at lumapit sa'kin para yakapin ako.

"Salamat, Brighton." Rinig kong bulong niya sakin. Ngumiti lang ako at kumalas na sa yakap niya. Nakita ko naman na naluluha ito pero di ko nalang pinansin dahil nahihiya pa ako sa kanya.

"We'll have the usual, nana." Sabi ni Elijah sa tabi ko. Tumango lang si Nana Alena at naglakad na papunta sa likod ng restaurant para kunin ang order ni Elijah para sa'min. I looked at Elijah and felt my heart squeeze at how relaxed he looked. He looked happy, contented, almost childish in a way, and it made me wonder kung bakit ganito ang epekto ni nana Alena sa kanya.

"I've been eating here since I was in college. Nana Alena has the best comfort food in town." Sabi ni Elijah nung napansin niyang nakatitig ako sa kanya. Tumango ako dito. I have never been the type of person to eat my meals quietly, pero with Elijah I seem to run out of words.

A few minutes passed in silence at nakita ko'ng lumabas na sina Nana Alena at ang iba niyang staff na may dalang mga pagkain. They placed a variety of food on the table. Umalis na ang ibang staff pero naiwan si Nana Alena na nakatayo sa gilid namin.

"Elijah, Brighton, sana mag enjoy kayo." She said while smiling. Nginitian ko ito at sabay kaming nagpasalamat ni Elijah bago ito bumalik sa kusina. I looked at the food they prepared for us, and sure enough it looked appetizing.

The things they prepared were mostly seafood, which I absolutely loved. Napansin ata ni Elijah ang pagtingin ko sa mga pagkain kaya kumuha na siya ng iilang servings ng Garlic Butter Shrimp na diretso niyang inilagay sa'king plato.

Elijah stood up to wash his hands and I sat there waiting for him. He had to wash his hands because Nana Alena doesn't give plastic gloves to her guests in an effort to help with environmental preservation.

Tumayo na ako para maghugas din. I went back to our table immediately only to find that the shrimps on my plate had already been peeled. 

"Kumain ka na, I already peeled those for you." Sabi ni Elijah as I sat there, dumbfounded, heart racing, because of the handsome lawyer sitting beside me who could unravel my entire being with a gesture as simple as peeling shrimps for me.

Hey guys, thank you for reading this book we're almost at a hundred reads na!!!!!

-Briyelle-