vity of her provocative words as

stammered, heat rising to her cheeks

omed closer as his fingers

ound herself leaning into him, her arms en

as your secretary," she whispered, clinging to him. "If you truly want to help her,

m shattered as Brian w

generous spirit. But your treatment of Tracy seems unnecessarily mean. She's ne

her lower lip as the

love and indifference had

ined to help h

his unwave

art splintering beneath the

e twisting her features. "Tell me, am I truly such

deeper than any

checked down her face. "You're right about everything! I'm jealous, hot-headed, and intole

low followe

ssion darkening as their eyes loc

en his refuge of endless patience and aff

she had always been the firs

brace him and whisper, "I'm sorry, it was my fault,

nto three, she remained

carved from ice. "Rest well. Som

with such force that it bo

posed skin-skin that his hands

lankets, seeking warmth agai

ly concealed her satisfaction at his obvious anger. "Son

shouldn't be spoiled excessively. Rachel should count herself fortunate to have caught your

her words. "I'll handle my relationship

r. How can this

nt, descending the stairs to light

m still waited, hoping to hear Rach

ded those stairs with bare feet flyi

puppy-like devotion, tears stream

g expression never faile

and he would gather her into his arm

d in passionate embraces, their bodies int

ires, accommodating his every wish and pre

ort, she strived to please him, allowing h

him deeply satisfied i

their established pattern. Rachel seemed tr

thirty minutes, but the stairwell r

n, but the car r

an commanded, his voic

mmotion would dr

m, only darkn

elt like a ph

ded, his body rad

hifted uncomfortably. "Sir, we'

o force Rachel to notice him, to pull her

f childishness. Ronald

thought was out

ld ventured carefully, "Perhaps she has retir

iting for her? Dri

h Ronald as he quietl

d, she found only empty spac

ssed her features

been, expecting to

on his sleeve, a softening of her s

na

to Tracy, consumed by t

ve always told you-Brian could never be satisfied with just one woman. Tracy was his high school infatuation. Men eternally chase what eludes them while scorning what the

words cu

il her knuckles whitened, h

arried undeniable

ding, "I understand your dislike of me, and I don't seek your app