e was suffoc

with exhaustion. She reached up, her fingers trembling slightly as she un

m door cli

o buttons of his shirt were undone. The faint, masculine scen

d, his heavy footsteps crossed the thick c

nded, resting heavily

, Francesca could feel the scorching heat r

the shell of her ear. His lips grazed her skin, a feath

d lean back into his chest and accept whatev

toni

le eyes looking at Catalina

ir scraping harshly against the f

s hung in th

rk eyes narrow. A flash of genuine shock crossed his feature

usted his right cuff, a tellta

voice dropping into that low, authoritati

rned around, forcing herse

nd I'm not in the mood to be your consolation prize becau

looked like she had slapped him. Then his

ween them. He reached out and grabbed her wrist,

ulling her toward his chest. His tone lef

et. She yanked her arm b

friction leaving a bright

I don't want this tonight. Go find Catalina if you need someone to warm your bed. I

re in the bed

chest rising and falling rapidly. Beneath the anger, there was a frantic, chaotic energ

a harsh, mo

damn lab that you've forgotten your

like a physical

arriage. She had sacrificed her prime research years to play t

e not sneaking around in the dark with your brother's fiancée?" She let out a bitter laugh

r drained from his face, leaving him looki

ged fo

hips hit the hard edge of the vanity

g her between his arms. His face was inches from

a rage so intense it felt like a physical weight pressing down on her

e was so desperate to defend her. He was

ay. She tilted her chin up and met his g

cting like a child. I'm done waiting for you t

t and pushed him back-not hard, but with

terrifyingly calm. "Get out, Emery. And don't come back until you can

ofile. His chest heaved as h

g flickered in his eyes-regret, perhaps, or the urge t

ff the tabl

ool with his leather dress shoe. The heavy sto

ed out of t

ut with a deafening crack tha

ing the edge of the table. She didn't cry. The tears that had once com

d it felt like taking the first real