ere when I woke up a faint, rose

ring his mouth, the scrape of his t

left a note on his pillow, sh

hing that

gestion.

lack dress. It felt like

g a tablet with coffee steaming besi

a plate of eggs in front

ment today," he said

d of appo

or. Ful

fork halfway to

usiness. "You live in my house. You eat my food. Yo

rk down. "I don't w

ed the tablet away. "Marco will d

rned. "He's go

g his cufflinks. "Don't do anything stupid while you're out. The

. Didn't say

ctor with gentle hands and a practiced smile did the ex

the doctor said, scribbling on a chart

. "No. No

"We'll draw blood for the usu

tted the chart on the counter. The

ROSSI, E.

That's a

red past, people moving through their lives,

rly home wh

d bookstore café, leaning agai

ca

exactly the same soft, warm, noth

car," I

my eyes in th

inute. I just wan

rs. You stay

't even

dn't change. "H

light. We stopped righ

e door handle. Locked. The chil

d on the

reet, skipped past the car then landed on Marco in the front

even though I kne

d closer,

isted around, watching Lucas break into a run after us, his face t

my cheeks. Marco

ot back. He didn't need to say a th

aid, voice low a

My legs felt shaky

behind us. "You t

wanted t

He stepped closer. "You made a scen

my f

have me. You have this house. You have the protection I offer with my blood. T

now what happens to things I care about? They get

me cold. This wasn't just ab

ugh his hair, and turned away.

r sentimentality," he said, voice rough an

ed, sobbing. "If I'm so

is eyes was terrifying u

it. He held my face in his hands, gentle but unyielding. Hi

so close I could feel the words on my lips. "When you remind me you're

uth crashed

pening it, tasting me, stealing my breath and every scrap of willpower. One hand slid from my cheek i

d fury, and the raw heat of him burned right through me. My bo

yes God, they were black with want. "You'

ing my backside, lifting me up. I wrapped my legs around him without even thinking. He

, heavy and somehow perfect. His mouth left mine, trailed along my jaw, dow

pered, fists tang

ickled my skin, but then came the heat of his gaze. His hand cupped my bre

his hand, sucking through the fabric.

ed on mine. "This is what you do

pping under the waistband of my panti

ced. Fr

urning hot against my skin. I could see the battle in his eyes pos

his hand away. Rested his forehead

uttered, maybe to me,

, exposed, aching. He turned away, fixin

old as ever. "Dinner's in

e sprawled across his desk,

shifted. I'd s

t stumbled