King of Hollywood

Chapter 397: Chapter 119: Counter-Analysis and Start Shooting

“Listen, Natalie, you’re a smart girl, you’ve always known what you’re doing, and today shouldn’t be an exception! So, from now on, drop those impractical fantasies. It’s been enough today, take two more rounds then just go home honestly! Grow up, and stop complaining that they say you’re still a child, yet you act like a foolish little girl who knows nothing.”

With her hands against the wall, Natalie kept her head down, repeatedly telling herself this. After a while, she finally calmed down, slightly tidied herself up, took out a small mirror to check her reflection, and then took a deep breath and walked out of the restroom.

Adrian was still standing at the edge of the skating rink, talking to a young woman who was walking her dog. From the woman’s smiling face, it was clear that he had made a good impression. Natalie involuntarily bit her lip, then the images from before flashed through her mind again, reigniting the electrifying feeling that made her heart race. She then pinched her nose bridge to suppress her emotions.

“Learn to control, understand? Control!” she whispered to herself with a hint of helplessness, ignoring some other things hidden deep inside her heart again.

Suddenly, a drop of liquid fell on Natalie’s cheek. She touched it, then looked up at the sky; it was as gloomy as when she had woken up in the morning, with no sunlight visible. Then another drop fell on her forehead, and before she could react, a sudden deluge of rain came crashing down, as if the heavens had opened their taps fully.

Natalie screamed, holding her head as she ran towards Adrian. She was halfway there when she got completely soaked, but fortunately, a tall figure quickly embraced her.

“Are you okay, Nata?” Adrian asked loudly in the pouring rain, removing his coat and placing it over their heads to shield most of the rain, “Let’s find somewhere to take shelter first.”

With Natalie’s consent, he led her through the heavy rain towards the main road. They ran for several minutes until they took shelter under the awning of a convenience store.

“It’s just a shower; it shouldn’t last too long,” Adrian said. However, the downpour continued for a long time, blurring distant buildings and causing traffic jams in the streets.

Giggling, Natalie began to shiver and hug her arms; her face grew considerably paler. Although Adrian had blocked most of the rain, she had already been soaked through, her hair sticking in wet strands against her face. The weather in New York by the end of April had warmed up, but it was still chilly when it rained.

“I’m sorry, Nata, I didn’t see…” Noticing the girl’s symptoms, Adrian immediately cradled her in his arms.

“Do you need help, sir?” a convenience store clerk came out and kindly asked.

“Uh… thank you, no, we’re going back soon,” Adrian thought for a moment then answered, then he looked down at the girl in his arms, “Nata, listen, the hotel where I’m staying is just two blocks from here. Given the current road conditions, it might take a while for a driver. Can I just carry you back? It won’t take much time.”

“No… no problem,” Natalie replied, shivering, evidently freezing.

“Good, hold tight to me, it will be fine. Once we’re back at the hotel, this situation will improve,” Adrian reassured her, then once more placed his coat over their heads, had Natalie wrap her arms around his neck, held her close and briskly moved towards their destination.

Luckily, there were no hindrances along the way. They had the pedestrian signal in their favor when crossing streets. What was initially a ten-minute run made it in just seven minutes.

“Bring some hot drinks in, anything to keep warm. Also, take the soaked clothes to wash, and dry them as soon as possible. We have a lady here waiting to go home.” Despite their disheveled arrival into the hotel, Adrian managed to make it back to his room. Having stayed at this hotel several times during his visits to New York, the doormen and waitstaff recognized him.

Another flurry had to be handled: drying off the rainwater from body and hair, changing out of soaked clothes to be washed, Adrian could have someone buy a new outfit to fit his size, but Natalie couldn’t; she still needed to head home.

“Might need to wait a bit, won’t be long. Their room service is quite good.” After finishing his call to his driver, telling him he was back at the hotel, Adrian, clad in pajamas, took a seat on the armchair, looking across at Natalie curled up on the long sofa, cupping a hot drink.

“It’s alright, we still have time.” The girl smiled, also wearing pajamas—men’s, since they had nothing more suitable—her small form curled on the sofa making her look particularly petite, like a kitten curled into a ball.

“Feeling better now?”

“Mm, thanks for carrying me back.”