her mind a tangled mess as she str

had two

en about her condition and

sment, let go of her hesitation, an

e years they had been together, they had never once had a serious argument. If she explained e

s intimate as that needed to come from genui

ia finally made her choice. She would stop

er changing into a set of alluring lingerie, she picked u

e phone, deep and gentle. "Tomorrow's international meeting sta

suburbs, a spacious villa that k

e closer to work-a two-level un

moment before asking, "So

because of work, then she

. "Of course, I'm alone. What, are y

h, quickly covering her true th

-night meeting, showing up out of now

gerie, grabbed the meal she had carefully prepared, then picke

rived, it was alre

n they bought the place, so she entered

ed, the rich aroma of fo

his waist and a steaming dish in his hands. The scent alone

, caught completely

anyone that he was hopeless in the kitchen. He couldn't ev

instant he heard her voice. A flash of panic

trance, Olivia stood there in her long white

lightly, giving him a

y bit of his restraint. Back then, he would have walked straight over, w

at her the way he used to; his eyes carried only

ed on the food spread across the table.

eye contact, his gaze shifting aside. "

drew together as he querie

she had built up all the way here. Then she finally let the words she had practi

ped the coat from her shoulders, revealing t

before him struck like a sudden shock, lea

brows furrowed deeply, his expression turning

d it back toward her. "Put it back on. Go home. Throw that

ivia's lips slo

thought he might be stunned, tempted, maybe even

fused to b

rayden had avoided be

decision. No matter what it took

't wait an

chest, Olivia reached out, took his hand,

"We've been married for a year. You've never even to

r eyes filled with vulnerabil

in her grasp, she felt h

r skin, a voice suddenly floated down from the s