ah, a smirk playing on her lips.

e didn't crack. "

ess that surprised ever

r fingers digging in just eno

terson, or I will remove you

faltering. She tried to pull away

urant seemed to

thing incoherent,

her voice a quiet command t

eyes, finally mumbled a grudging, "Sorry," to

ased her.

e at Sarah before practica

e exchange, a thoughtfu

.. remarkable. My offer to discuss the partnership sti

rd. "Call me when yo

l smile touching her lips. "Th

ike. He looked pathetic, his drunken b

I can explai

this is about jealousy, Mike? You think

humorless laugh. "Tha

"You humiliated me. You jeopardized my com

n't me

e like a cheap, malfunctioning component in a high-performance syst

se. "I meant what I s

implications finally sinking through th

nding alone in the now quiet, ju