The fury that needed to be explained. He didn’t know me. Not beyond the scant interactions we’d had. Yet he was there, touching me in a way that could only be described as intimate. Calling me cupcake. Making my insides liquefy.

“You’re gonna stay here,” he said once I was done. “Gonna finish out your day. Not gonna do that alone.” He jerked his head to where the counter was. “Your spitfire Australian friend is gonna stay. Probably Tina too. I’m gonna come back, either here or your house.”

That was a lot of information. A lot of orders. Orders that made no sense for a litany of reasons, the most of which being I did not believe that a man had a right to order a woman around. Ever.

And because Rowan and I were practically strangers.

There were questions to be asked. Arguments to be had. Lectures to be made on feminism and the rights afforded to me as a strong woman and human being who was his equal.

Yes, all of those things needed to be said.

But I didn’t say them. I blinked at him dreamily then said, “’Kay.”

Rowan’s eyes went melty again.

He did not move. His fingers were still gently brushing my arm, my chin cradled in his other hand. His delicious scent was imprinting all over me, and I was either having a mini stroke or a mini orgasm… Maybe both.

A moment, thick with tension and tenderness, hovered over us.

“Rowan,” I said in not much more than a whisper.

“Yeah, cupcake?”

“What is this?”

His mouth turned upward ever so slightly before he leaned in and kissed me gently on the forehead. When he pulled back, our faces were inches apart.

My heart thrummed.

“This,” he murmured, eyes glued to mine, “is the beginning of us.”

Then he just turned and walked away.

ROWAN

“Kip,” I barked, striding out from behind the counter. I ignored everyone staring at me, though Tina’s sharp gaze was hard to ignore. That woman scared me more than any man could. It was clear that she was protective over Nora, which made me happy. And it was also clear that, if she wanted to, she could fuck up whomever she decided to. She could fuck up Nathan with her eyes closed. I would’ve put money on the fact that she was planning something at that coffee machine.

She got one look at my face then back to where I’d dragged Nora into the kitchen, obviously formed some kind of conclusion about what I was doing, then she nodded. In approval, I assumed.

Kip jumped up from where he’d been leaning his elbows on the bar, probably trying to flirt with the Australian who wanted nothing to do with him. The Australian who was also giving me a sharp, protective stare.

The stares from the two women comforted me since I knew both of them loved Nora and would look out for her.

“We’re goin’,” I snapped at him.