He nodded to the paperback nestled in my hands. “You found your book, I see.”
“And the pages weren’t even stuck together.”
Adam’s mouth gaped before emitting a laugh. “Lucky I didn’t find my grandmother’s romance collection in my teens.”
I screwed up my nose. “Oh, gross.”
After our amusement subsided, the room fell quiet once again.
“Hey, listen…” Adam rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m sorry about earlier…with my parents.”
I gazed down at the now meaningless rows of words. “It’s fine.”
“No…it’s not.”
“I’m a professional.” I shrugged. “I don’t take these things personally.”
Adam lowered himself onto the seat beside me, forcing me to look at him. The moonlight lit up half his face, accentuating every beautiful feature. “I haven’t seen Gramps put my parents in place like that since Josie came into our lives,” he said, resting his forearms on his knees as he clasped his hands together.
“I wish he hadn’t.”
Adam’s eyes shot to mine, hooded under his brow. “You’d prefer to be treated like shit?”
“Of course not. But this isn’t about me. Your grandfather doesn’t need any more stress.”
“But he’s doing okay.” Adam’s denial was evident. “The doc says he just needs to rest more.”
“He’s in pain, Adam. All the time.”
“Gramps told you that?”
“He doesn’t have to.” I sighed. “I can feel it.”
“I…I don’t understand. How can you possibly feel what he’s feeling?”
I bit my lip, preparing myself for Adam’s adverse reaction. “For most of my childhood, I struggled to disperse my emotions from others. My mother and grandmother were the same, even my sister to an extent. I feel people’s energies. The good, the bad, and the ugly.”
“That sounds…tiring.”
“It can be, but my Grams taught me how to protect myself. So now, I can embrace the gift and use it to help people like your grandfather. I use Reiki to help ease his pain and emotional stress, but sometimes, no matter how much I try to shield myself, it seeps through.” I blinked back tears. “So, that’s how I know Liam’s in pain…and your mother’s venomous tone is the last thing he needs right now.”
Adam’s eyes lowered as he pondered my words. “So, that hand thing you do…is Reiki?”
I tilted my head, willing him to look up. “Have you been spying on us?”
He shrugged. “Maybe.”
“Look, I don’t care if you think it’s a bunch of new-age bullshit. You wouldn’t be the first.”
“No.” The V between his eyes deepened as he stared at me. “I don’t think that at all. I…I’ve just never experienced it.”
His curious energy ignited my passion. “Do you want to?”
“What?” Adam’s head recoiled. “Right now?”
“Right now.” I shifted my legs under my body and tapped the space beside me. “Lie down and rest your head on my lap.”
“Oookay.” He shifted his large frame onto the window seat and lay back, settling his head on my thighs. “I like it already,” he uttered, staring directly up at my breasts.