i

ther logical explanation for the horrendous aching in my head or ringing in my ears. I shifted slightly and im

ngover hitting me so hard? The last thing I remembered was taking an obscenely large check from a very mysterious man for one of my paintings. That, and the paralyzingly handsome smile of his boss. The other thi

t five when Jason moved to the coast, and six when he asked my mom if he could marry her. He gave her the most beautiful diamond ring I had

was at every ballet recital and gymnastics meet I ever had, checked for monsters under my bed each night, never tired of reading me fairytales, and encouraged my a

t searing pain along the side of my head. My body felt heavy, and it took all of my energy to focus on what I was looking at. When my eyesight finally cam

ly felt like one. There were no personal pictures on the wall or things cluttering the dresser. Everything was pristine and in its place, and if someone lived here, they had to be one of the cleanest human beings I'd ever met. Floor-to-ceiling blinds were drawn ov

he floors everywhere except underneath me, where there was a single rectangle of plush white carpet. The rug felt like heaven beneath my toes as I swung my legs over the side and off the couch, but I was immediately punished for moving too qui

had happene

et my bearings. There was a set of double doors at one end of the room,

throom was elegant in this place. It was feeling more and more like a hotel room to me, which f

d? I reached up to touch them gently and immediately regretted it. It was so sore and tender

s I wearing? Where w

ed, smacking my hand over my eyes.

nd forth, trying desperately to jog my memory. How could it just be completely gone? Hour

t tightly. Was it from my hangover? Or the fact that I had slept with a stranger last

ere had been a crash. "Yes, that's it! I heard a crash, and I walked towards it."

elf in the bathroom mirror?" A smooth, deep voic

a stranger. He was the man from the gallery last night. Leandro Diaz. The one who had paid an obscene amount for m

spine. If it was possible, he was even more breathtaking in the morning light, but s

imself against the countertop, leaning against it with his arms crossed

was very aware of the fact that I was standing in front of him in nothing but a dress shirt. His dress shirt. It seemed my m

at the hem of the shirt I was weari

f course, it's mine. W

did this man have this effect on me? For some reason, I forgot

painstakingly slow and, when he was in close enough distance, he reached out and put his hand to my cheek. My sto

nd I could smell the deep cedar aroma of his aftershave. As he turned back toward the doo

sleeping with unconscious women. And besides," he looked ove

hat was happening. In a matter of seconds, Leandro ha

s going to lose her mind if I didn't have some plausible expl

oncern blanketing his face. "You don

the opening at the gallery

is voice w

r that I... I don'

are some clothes laid out on the bed for you. Why don't you change into them

u supposed to have

riating me more. He knew what happened to me, what happened to the gallery.

grow up at country clubs and in