“Why does it matter if I go with you or not?” he asked. “Just because I’m grounded here doesn’t mean you couldn’t go. As long as you came back, that’s all I care about.”
Nova sighed. “That’s the problem, Torin. If we’re together, I would want to know what you thought of all the places I went. I’d want to share those experiences with you.”
He stared at her. “I like that.”
“Good,” she said simply.
Torin turned his head. “It’s after nine, so I can’t go back to sleep and we don’t have time for other activities in the bed, so I guess I’d better shower and get ready to open.”
Nova started to gather the breakfast things when Torin’s hand landed on her forearm. “We’re going to do this,” he said.
She nodded.
He leaned over and kissed the side of her neck. “Get ready and meet me downstairs. I’ll make some eggs.”
She lifted her head and looked at him. “Why? You just ate three scones.”
“Actually, I think it was four, but that won’t hold me until after the lunch rush. I need some protein.”
Nova grinned up at him. “Okay. Eggs sound good.”
“I’ll see you downstairs.”
“Okay.”
He kissed her and this time, she tasted like oranges, cranberry, and coffee. It wasn’t something he cooked but she still tasted just as sweet.
ChapterThirteen
Veronica Salt was experiencing an emotion she rarely did—frustration.
No, not just frustration. Extreme frustration. And that came in the form of a large, handsome, loud, and angry man.
Veronica sensed his agitation and simmering ire as soon as he walked in the door. Typically, Dominique would have handled his intake paperwork because Veronica struggled to deal with people who broadcast their emotions the way that he did.
It was unfortunate that Dominique was out of the office and unable to do it. Rather than have him come back later and risk irritating him further, Veronica had asked him to go into one of the interview rooms to fill out his paperwork and had taken five minutes to go through a breathing exercise and a short meditation to induce calm.
It might make it easier for her to deal with him during his intake interview. Either way, she would have to get through it.
When Veronica entered the interview room, Jasper, that was his name, was even more agitated.
He looked up when the door opened and scowled at her. Gesturing to the tablet in his hand, he asked, “What is all this? Why do you need to know my long-term professional goals and dream career to help me find a companion?”
Veronica took a deep breath and walked closer. She sat down next to him at the table so she could see the screen.
“This information is important because it tells us more about you as an entire person.”
“Unless the female I’m dating is only interested in my money, why would she need to know this?”
Veronica tapped her index finger on the table once to keep from snapping at him. His emotions were overwhelming her, stirring up her own. The curse of an empath.
“She would not,” Veronica assured him. “But we need to understand your priorities. If your work takes up a great deal of your time, someone who wants to spend a lot of time with their partner wouldn’t be an ideal match for you. Both of you would suffer for it.”
His finger had also been tapping on the table, but it stopped as he looked at her. Veronica took another deep breath and he mirrored her action, inhaling slowly before releasing it on a soft sigh.
Suddenly, his anger seemed to diminish. It was so quick that Veronica nearly swayed. It was a bit like bracing her weight against a door to keep someone from pushing inside. With that force gone, she nearly fell over.
“I’m sorry,” he said, finally, his eyes moving over her face. “I’ve made you uncomfortable.”
