Chapter 514

Vivian's delicate nose twitched as Adrian drew near. The faint but unmistakable trace of floral sweetness clinging to his tailored suit made her stomach clench. "Since when do you wear vanilla blossom perfume?" Her heightened senses since the pregnancy made every foreign scent glaringly obvious against his signature sandalwood cologne.

Adrian crouched beside her gardening spot, his lips curling into that infuriatingly handsome smirk as he brushed a stray curl from her forehead. "That, my love, is the scent of your imagination working overtime."

She leaned back, dirt-crusted hands planting on her hips. "Don't patronize me," Vivian snapped, her gaze darting to the suspiciously unmarked shopping bag he carried.

His rich laughter echoed through their private garden, the sound usually soothing but now grating on her nerves.

Realizing he was deliberately provoking her, Vivian scrambled to her feet, leaving muddy handprints on her linen dress. "I'm not imagining things! If you're seeing someone behind my—"

Adrian's large hand covered her mouth mid-sentence, his eyes dancing with amusement. "Hush now."

"Stop deflecting. You're starting to sound exactly like Audrey with your careless remarks. Words can wound deeper than knives, you know."

Vivian's glare intensified as she wiped her soil-streaked hands on his pristine white shirt. "And you're channeling Dominic with your silver-tongued excuses."

One dark eyebrow arched as he closed the distance between them. "Silver-tongued? You'll have to taste for yourself to be certain."

Before she could retort, his lips claimed hers in a searing kiss that left her breathless. In retaliation, Vivian pressed her filthy palms against his chiseled jawline, smearing rich garden soil across his perfect features. She pulled back just enough to admire her handiwork—the dirt somehow accentuating his rugged masculinity rather than diminishing it. Some men could fall into a pigsty and still look like they belonged on a magazine cover.

Adrian's chest vibrated with deep laughter as he captured her mouth again. "Someone's feeling feisty today," he murmured against her lips.

Without warning, he hoisted her over his shoulder like a sack of flour, heading toward their bedroom. Vivian shrieked and pounded his back. "Adrian Blackwood, put me down this instant!"

A stinging swat landed on her backside. "Not until you apologize for your baseless accusations," he teased.

"Now! I can't—" She bit off her protest, suddenly hyperaware of the precious life growing inside her. The abrupt position change made her dizzy with panic.

Adrian immediately stilled, carefully lowering her into a cradle hold. His expression softened as he studied her pale face. "You've been unusually fragile lately."

Vivian nearly blurted the truth about their baby but caught herself. That vanilla scent still haunted her. She leveled him with her most piercing stare. "I mean it, Adrian. Where were you really today? That perfume didn't come from nowhere."