ving room, staring at

cing heart. She could not let this first attempt at breaking the ice

ket and tossed it casually over

p on him. She stopped just two feet behind him-close enough to smell the sharp, cle

ssive glass window, Cassie

glass. His knuckles turned white. His bod

leared h

asked, keeping her tone light and breezy. "D

nto the silent room

ead housekeeper, dropped a silver spoon. It cl

red at Cassie with w

ther was strictly forbidden. They ate at separa

lowly turn

ide with genuine shock. He scanned her face, his gaze pierc

ch. She met his in

nocent smile. She looked completely relaxed, as if asking her es

full seconds. The silence was so

ve a single, microsc

agr

a little flip of vi

mposed. She turned away from hi

t smoothly. "Please set t

then nodded her head so fast it looked painful. She immediate

and Garrison sat at the mas

he picked up her plate and cutlery, walked the length of the table, and placed her setting directly to t

y sound was the faint, metallic scrape o

t thick and oppressive.

ments were precise, elegant, and completely mechani

of lettuce from her salad

ing a funeral. She couldn't stand

cked up her crystal wine glass a

id, her voice cutting through the quiet. "

stopped

f the table at her. His eyes were dark and full of war

she didn't unde

nued, taking a small sip of her wine. "Though the traffic on Lexin

ripping her white apron so tightly her knuckles were pale. She

knife and fork

kin and wiped the corner of his mouth.

on the table and star

e back of her neck under his intense gaz

ankfurt?" Cassie asked, of

He didn't pull out the digital writing tablet

ike she was an alien species that h

too hard. He wasn't going to use

ickly

, her tone dropping into something much more gentle. "I know

's eyes

tion of an inch. He looked surprised that she was backin

ss and took a slow sip. He

axation in his jaw. The boili

r, Cassie didn't ask him

chatter. She talked about a funny dog she saw in Central P

mfortable blanke

shock, Garriso

is last bite of food, he would st

eak. He finished his water.

watching her as she slo

n stood up. He buttoned his suit jacket with on

r chair and watc

er face. Phase one of desensitizat