Page 185 of Bossy Romance

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“ShouldI go in or should I not?” I whisper to the empty caverns of my car. Since the funeral this afternoon, I’ve been wrestling with myself, plucking petals from a figurative daisy.

But instead of the typical ‘he loves me, he loves me not’ debacle.

It’s ‘should I give Adam space, should I not’.

Then, when I got into my car and started driving it was ‘should I go back home, should I not’.

Now, I’m in front of Adam’s fancy manor. The porch lights are on and it gives the house a warm, inviting glow.

I go back and forth like a child on a see-saw, high one minute and plummeting the next.

I face him; I avoid him; face him; avoid him; face him…

A little boy’s shadow appears behind the screen door.

I’ve been busted.

“Nova!” Rowan bursts out the door and rushes down the stairs.

Adam’s behind him. His warm brown eyes meet mine and my body—along with all the imaginary flower petals—burst into flames.

I step out of my car and meet Rowan on the walkway.

He grins up at me. “I was wondering when you’d get here.”

“Sorry I’m late.”

“It’s okay. My friends just went home and I had nothing to do.” Rowan tugs me around the yard. “Let me show you the lab.”

I step past Adam and feel the electric charge in the air between us. Thankfully, he doesn’t do anything except follow us from a distance.

“Wow,” I say when Rowan shows me his half of the work table. “It’s nice.”

I mean that sincerely. I’ve always loved stationary and I adore how Rowan’s put it to use, but it’s the cartoon sketches all over the desk that takes my breath away.

Rowan walks me through his drawings and I listen intently, almost forgetting Adam’s in the room.

Until he clears his throat and places both hands on his son’s shoulders. “Alright, bud. Give her some breathing room.” Adam juts his chin at the door. “Go inside for a minute. I have something to discuss with Nova.”

Rowan nods obediently. “Can I have some more fry jacks?”

“Not too much. You get stomach-aches when you eat too late at night.”

“I’ll be careful.”

Adam sends him off and then turns to me.

I’m sweating and my eyes are darting around as I look for an excuse to not be alone with him. “Do you trust him not to overeat? We should probably supervise—”

“Nova.” Adam stops me with his voice alone.

I feel the flutters in my belly. Adam’s tone is serious and I know that there will be no getting around this.

“Adam, before you say anything you regret,” I lift a hand, “I apologize for what I did that morning.”

He tilts his head, a confused look on his face.

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