Olivia hurried into the compound feeling as if something wrenched her gut out. She clung to her stomach, praying she wouldn’t meet anyone. All she wanted to do was go to her room. She wasn’t in the mood for exchanging pleasantries or answering questions about the dinner
Thankfully the hallway was empty. So, she hurried to her room, shut the door, and fell on the bed.
Sobs wracked her slim frame.
Chapter 14
Fudge!
Adam ran his fingers repeatedly through his hair as he walked back to the ranch.
“How could I have lost control like that?” he muttered angrily.
He who prided himself on being able to control himself no matter the situation had almost kissed a woman he wasn’t courting.
He knew men stole kisses from unsuspecting women. He had always been disgusted by such an attitude. His late mother and Cora had taught him to always respect women.
Maybe he wasn’t as strong as he thought he was. The sight of Olivia’s beautiful face, her soft lips had set him on edge. It had seen reasonable at that to capture the pouting lips with his.
As sensations built up inside him holding her, he had given in to the urge, only drawing away at the last second when he realized what he was about to do.
He had expected her to lift her hand and swing it at his face for daring to take what wasn’t his. But sweet Olivia had simply stood there and stared at him with an expression he hadn’t been able to decipher.
While he had expected rage, all he got was silence. Olivia was indeed a gentle and sweet lady through and through. Another woman would have slapped him.
Had he dared to try that on Annie before she met his brother, he was sure he would have ended up with a bloodied nose. Annie didn’t suffer fools gladly.
But not Olivia. She had even thanked him for walking her home.
“I feel like an utter cad. I deserve to be drawn and quartered.”
But I have never been so enamored by a woman before.
That, however, wasn’t an excuse to try to kiss her when he wasn’t courting her.
Then why don’t I remedy that by asking her?
He shook his head vigorously. It was best if he stayed away from her. He wasn’t courting her, yet he almost took liberties with her. What would he do when he had the right to do it?
Pain squeezed his chest at the thought of not seeing Olivia again. Whenever he was around her, he felt this sense of joy and peace.
Did he want to lose that?
But then, who was to say that she would want to see him again? As a Christian and a kind woman, she might simply tolerate his presence. Not wanting to hurt his feelings, she might not tell him off directly.
Adam let out a loud groan. “I have made a mess of things.”
With his head hung low, Adam walked back to the house. He hoped that everyone had gone to bed because one look at him and they would ask what was wrong.
He didn’t want to talk about it so he sneaked into the house through the backdoor and went straight to his room.
Lying on his bed that night, Adam recalled the incident over and over again. He should have just let her be. He might have ruined the friendship they were developing.
Turning on the bed, he wondered what she was doing at that moment. She was probably reading passages to help her forgive him.
He let out a short laugh of self-mockery. He wouldn’t blame her if she kept giving excuses for him not to see her whenever he went to the orphanage.
Adam tried to force sleep to come by closing his eyes tightly, but it was a waste of time. He tossed and turned on the bed, rose, walked around the room, and went back to bed but sleep wasn’t forthcoming.
