They’d gotten settled in and Adrian had given them the tour of the backyard and side gardens. It had pleased Gillian to see the pink bicycle with the fringed handlebars. Balls of all sizes sat in a box on the deck near the back glass doors.

“Rennie, my niece, she likes to head to the park nearby and ride her bike. Miles, that’s yours over there.” Adrian pointed to a brand-new mountain bike. “Of course I got him a helmet and that stuff to go with it. I got you a bike too. You know, so we can all go riding together when you’re here.”

She appreciated his generosity but the level of extravagance made her nervous. For Miles it was more that she didn’t want to suddenly thrust wealth into his life, especially not without consulting her first to work on how to handle it.

Gillian had watched her mother and sister selling themselves short by hitching their lives to men. She made her own way.

A woman who made her own way didn’t owe anyone anything. She didn’t have to turn a blind eye to philandering or a heavy hand with the drink or fist. A woman who made her own way had choices.

“I appreciate that, Adrian.” She paused. “Miles, can you go and change your shirt and wash up? We should be leaving soon for dinner.”

Miles looked at Adrian, sympathy on his face. “Good luck, mate.”

She shushed him and shooed him with her hands. “Get on with it, boy.”

He obeyed quickly.

“Did I make you unhappy with something?”

Of course he looked all innocent-like and she immediately felt guilty for being annoyed. “It’s just that all this is a lot. Do you understand?” She softened her original tirade. “You can’t just spend all this money on him. Or on me.”

“I’m sure I owe you a few child-support checks. I want to give him things, Gillian. I wasn’t there for a long time. I—I want to do for him, take care of him.”

And she got that. She did, and it tempered her frustration and even the fear. “I understand that. And I appreciate it. He does too. But he’s a middle-class kid. He’s got a middle-class life. You can’t—I’m asking you to please take that into account when you buy things for him.”

“You got to give him presents for thirteen years, Gillian.” Adrian began to pace. “All that time I could have been with him at birthdays and Christmas and I wasn’t. I think it’s pretty f**ked to expect me to not want to give him the benefit of my wealth. He’s not a middle-class kid anymore. He’s the son of a millionaire. And it’s a f**king bike.”

Having a man, even one who looked and acted like Adrian, use that kind of language when they were angry around her really pushed buttons. “Look, you.” She planted a hand on her hip and pointed an accusing finger at him with the other. “You’ll speak to me with some respect. You don’t use those words when you speak to me. I don’t give a toss about who you are at home or how much you’ve got in the bank. That is my son and I’ve done a very good job at teaching him to value what he’s got and to work for what he wants.”

Adrian lost his anger and stared at her. If Miles hadn’t been around, Adrian would be on her right then. Damn, she was fierce and pissed off and protective of their son.

“Don’t you get that look either.”

He took a step closer. “I apologize. But whatever do you mean? What look is that? Hm?” He nuzzled her neck and she sighed softly, the rigidity of her spine loosening.

“You know the look I’m talking about. Sex won’t get you out of this.” She pinched his side but there was no real effort in it. He jumped back anyway, needing the space to lose the hard-on he could pound iron with.

“I can’t apologize for getting him a bicycle. Or you one. I bought a bicycle for Rennie. And a tricycle for Alexander. Marti has a wagon. I wanted us all to be able to go on rides. And he needed a room here. I want him to spend time with me. I want him to be at home. And you too.”

“Adrian . . .”

He wasn’t having it. “No. Look, you and I have something. Something I’d like to follow up on.”

“You don’t even know me. You’re going through a lot right now. You’ll get more accustomed to being a dad and you won’t need me around. It’s going to happen.”

He backed her against a nearby post. “Is that what you think? All this energy between us is just me nervous to be a dad?”

And when her eyes widened and she licked her lips he tasted victory. She could claim otherwise all she wanted. But she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

“I—I don’t expect anything from you.”

He took a deep breath. “I know you don’t. But I expect something from you.”

“Wh-what?” She sucked in a breath when he nipped her bottom lip.

“Do you know what? Finding Miles has taught me to be open to all kinds of great things I never expected. You’re one of those things. I want you, Gillian. And I know you want me too.”

“Miles is—”

“He’s in the other room. Also he’s old enough to know his parents date. And why not date each other? Novel, huh?”

“Let’s take this slow.” She looked him over, suspicion clear on her face. “And you’ll speak with me and at the very least inform me when you plan to make some large purchase on his behalf. Please. I know you want to do things for him. And it is unfair that you missed so much time. At the same time, I think it’s really important he retains gratitude and having to work for what he gets.”