Chapter 20

Taryn heard the sound of her own heart pounding wildly. Rowan didn't say sweet nothings or make earth-shattering vows. He spoke as if it were an ordinary conversation, yet his words stirred her to the core. No one had ever given her such assurance or said such things to her. Taryn unconsciously turned her head away and rubbed her eyes. In a hoarse voice, she said, "I got some sand in my eyes. Thank you for liking me, boss, but I really don't want to think about these things right now." Rowan simply watched Taryn. In his heart, he said, "It's okay. I'll always stay by your side." In the first half of his life, he had come through gunfire and bloodshed, never knowing when he might die an untimely death. He had lived in the world without a single longing. But since falling for Taryn, his life seemed to have gained a little purpose. He didn't like racing cars—he just liked the race cars Taryn drove. Vertex Motorsports had also been established for her, though he didn't know when she