ounge, tall, silent, and far too close. The overhead light cut across his cheekbones and left his eyes dark. His presence fill

ntimidation. His blue eyes, narrowed and intense, were fixed on hers, tryin

when you're not in surger

ull of germs. An

ate. His long fingers reached for

ure instinct took over. She leaned

ngertips brushed against the

brought up the metal clipboard she wa

he cold, unyielding metal. His adv

me again," she said, her voice a low, menacing hiss, "I will make sure your n

tective snarl of a cornered animal, gave him pa

s. This woman had just threatened him in the middle of his own

ous curve of his lips betrayed his true feelings. "My apologies

laparoscopic surgery. It is not an emergency, but it should be handle

to wait for you

medical scheduling, sterile preparation, a

ned. "You enjoy

keep providing

e nurses' station. She walked away without a backward glance, the

He slowly flexed his fingers, the ones she had

years of running a global empire, no one had ever dar

t done exactly that. Twice. Once with her w

ious. Instead, h

an's control broke. She collapsed against the steering wheel, her bo

but his instincts were scream

hospital garage, running two yellow lights on the way hom

est. She pulled out giant black trash bags from t

their family, just the three of them, taped to the refrigerator. The tw

otos off the walls, leavin

s joy, its life, its love. It be

to the basement and shoved them into her private storag

ut, she finally allowed herself to believe the apartment abov

h no secre

stared at the surgical recommendation as if

n cut me open and then make Sterling grate

ised knuckles and thinking about the heat in Dr. V

traction and hat

ooke

y, tears gathering on

almost pretty from a distance.

standing inches from a woman who smelled faintly of antiseptic and ced