Page 80 of The Billionaire and the Librarian

He shrugs as he puts us back into drive and pulls us onto a short drive up to a gravel parking lot next to the house that I’ve dreamed of buying for the library for five years. He parks and turns to me. “Come on,” he says.

I’m still in shock that he just purposefully hit that barrel. I get out and see that he does have a small dent on his bumper. It’s honestly not bad, so there must be something to say about this type of vehicle.

Adam presses a hand to it. “It’s just metal and polymer,” he says as he steps toward me. He cups my face. “I’m sorry, Isa. God, I’m sorry. I fucked up. I…just wanted to protect you, and instead, I pushed you away because I thought that was the only way I could protect you…to keep you away from me.”

“But why?” I ask. “I…” I stop myself from confessing my love for him out of fear he won’t feel the same way.

He visibly swallows and…is Adam Wellington nervous? No, I’m reading way too much into this.

“Follow me,” he says as he steps back and holds out his hand. I tentatively take it. He leads me up the front path and opens the giant double doors. We step inside and my breath leaves my lungs. It’s amazing, beautiful. I had seen construction equipment up here but I thought it was something to do with the commercial complex being built behind it. I never dreamed this was being turned into the perfect library space.

The main hall is set up for exhibits and an information desk and a checkout desk. He leads me through room after room. There’s a children’s section complete with a tree that the kids can climb up in and read in a secret reading nook. There are sections for thrillers and mysteries. Comfortable-looking chairs and ottomans are scattered about, inviting readers to sit and stay. I have actual meeting rooms for the community. There’s Wi-Fi and state-of-the-art computers. It’s…perfect.

“Follow me,” he says as he squeezes my hand. I run my fingers along the dark wood trim that makes me feel like I’m in an old building in Europe.

We step into a room on the far side of the house, and he pushes open a door and…

“Holy shit,” I mutter as I look around us. It’s a conservatory. There are roses, so many varieties of them. And a section with herbs, all with little signs about them. A few benches dot the room. It’s quiet and peaceful and feels like I’m in a summer garden. And then I hear a rustling. I turn, and through the leaves of a small holly bush, I see them. Two cardinals.

I turn to Adam, confused.

“We found them in there. That tree had…grown on its own in here. We kept it and they stayed.”

I smile. “Cardinals are…uh,” I feel silly.

“Supposed to be our lost loved ones visiting us?” he asks, finishing my thought.

I nod. “Yep,” I answer, letting the “p” pop.

“I know. Hell, maybe they are my parents saying they approve,” he says with a lighthearted laugh.

I turn to him. “This is…it’s more than I thought it could be,” I say. “I…don’t know what to say.”

He steps up so we are nearly touching and takes my face in both of his big hands.

“Isa, you don’t have to say a word.” He pauses for a brief second and lets out a breath. “I love you, Isa. I don’t know if it was the second you came barreling into my office or when your eyes lit up in my library or when I first kissed you, but I love you. I haven’t stopped loving you. You saw the good in me, even when I didn’t believe there was any good left. You saw past all my faults, and you let me be the real me. You accepted me just as I was, broken and all.”

“You aren’t broken, Adam,” I whisper as I stare into his bright blue eyes.

“Maybe a little,” he says with a smile, “but aren’t we all?”

Shrugging, I nod.

“When I went to buy this property…I thought about this house, you’d mentioned it, but then it seemed too big a project and I didn’t think it was possible. Then I realized,Iwas the only thing holding me back. That anything is possible, if you set your mind to it. You taught me that. You never gave up on those books you wanted. You never gave up on me. I shouldn’t have pushed you away. And I don’t know if you can forgive me for that, but…I’m going to try to make it up to you every day for the rest of my life if you give me another chance,” he says.

“Adam?” I reply.

“Yes, beautiful?”

I blush as I smile. God, I’ve missed this man. “You are an irritating, alphahole. A rich jerk who has too much money for his own good. And you are way, way too controlling. But I think we can work on all those minor issues because…somehow, despite all of that, no matter how much you tried to make me dislike you, I fell in love with you. And even though I’m still mad at you, I’m still in love with you,” I admit.

His grin widens. “You are?”

I give his chest a little shove. “I am, you big dummy. Are you always going to be this irritating?”

“Are you?” he asks, raising an eyebrow.

I giggle. “Yep.”

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