Page 66 of A Bossy Surprise

Kayla gasps. “No…”

“Yeah, but at least she left a letter. She was very apologetic, but said she didn’t have it in her to go through with the wedding because she was in love with someone else.”

“My goodness… That’s such a shit thing to do.”

“Perhaps… However, I tend to see the silver lining in it.”

“What silver lining?”

“During the course of the relationship. I allowed myself forget a very simple truth. Love isn’t real life. Or at least it doesn’t last. It’s better that she left that day instead of marrying me and have the marriage go to shit over a 15-year period. Now, it would’ve been better if she had realized this a day earlier, and not embarrassed me in front of everyone I know and given my dad one more thing to hold against me. However, in the end, she did the right thing.”

“Don’t say that. Love is real. This asshole was just not right for you. If she couldn’t see how great of a guy you are, then that’s her loss. She didn’t deserve you.”

Even though it’s dark, my eyes find hers, then something passes between us. My heart constricts and my breath catches.

I’m a second from leaning over and kissing her, but I have enough self-restraint to turn my head and break the trance.

I reach for the TV remote on the coffee table. “We should probably find something to watch.”

I press the button and the wide screen mounted on the wall comes to life. I flip until I land on a random romcom.

I stare at the TV, not actually watching it

Neither one of us says another word for the rest of the night, but somehow we manage to drift into each other’s space until her head is leaning on my shoulder, and my head rests against hers.

With her so close, I’m so at ease that it doesn’t take long before I pass out.

Even though we spend the night on the couch, it’s a level of comfort I’ve never experienced before.

My mind is a jumbled mess. What does all this mean?

19

KAYLA

I’m hunched over Jack’s computer. He is one of our video editors. We are putting together a promo for one of our newly minted shows when Arthur and Adam walk through the news room.

I look up just in time to see Arthur say something to Adam and he laughs and runs a hand through his hair as his long legs eat up the space across the news room.

I swear, it happens in slow motion.

My mouth goes dry.

It has been weeks since he and I slept together. I thought that by now I would have gotten over my attraction to him. However, as it would turn out, telling yourself to stop being attracted to someone doesn’t make it so.

Just before Adam leaves the room, he turns his head and levels me with a smoldering look, and I almost melt into a puddle where I stand.

Moments later, I’ve retreated to my office. I don’t know how, because I can barely feel my legs. I shut the door and lean against it. With my hand over my heart, I take several deep breaths.

My feelings for Adam haven’t gone anywhere. Despite how hard I’ve tried, this man has burrowed into my subconscious.

The reason this sucks so much is because I thought I was getting over him, but then he fell ill. I don’t know what it was, but taking care of him changed everything.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

Normal people fall in love with people who take care of them, not the other way around. Who does that?

Then he told me about his ex-fiancée, and how he had loved her. That went a long way in solidifying my feelings for him. Before that, yes, I was attracted to him, but that was about it.