vo

red-just for a split second-but he q

d you should thro

saying something she didn't really mean.

T tou

d, jerking her head away from his hand

rguments here and there, but he'd always been the first to make peac

it

ing something that seriou

e trut

massive weight lifted off her chest. For the fi

en dropped to his side. Emily didn't even loo

he sighed-tired, maybe

about letting our company use her designs. I haven't agreed to an

t budge. She just sat th

en opened them again-his voice quieter

Whatever you're worried ab

ong lashe

d woman sits in anoth

ared if Aaron hadn't let her. And the look in Amelia's ey

falling apart, and she sud

h to the chest. His head snappe

tc

parted lips, that flash of

t he? Loved and lost. She marri

met someone who loo

that unfinished love

e

ge... and she'd been

ust a reflection. A shadow.

to let her go, not because of love, but be

ped, all softness gone. "She's mar

at wa

n a social event just to come home and

re did

mpletely gone from her eyes, "I know you too

n before they got married-especially after-they never had scandal, never had drama

think it w

ike that with Amelia-it shatte

re she realized-Without his permission, A

hat kind of intimacy only hap

red about was protecting Amelia's image. Making sure no

rkened. He shot

he said coldly, "you'd

voice commanding, l

l he wanted

for qu

e for h

ed her to ac

heart sink, dee

cou

what would people say? To the outside world, he s

ghts raced thro

d her, and she pressed her fingertips hard against her temples, t

umped back against the pi

re probably starving-low bl

and strode out of the room. He flung the door ope

She didn't have the strength to say ano

. Then, gradually, the scent of somethi

at

wn in front of her, with a small table popped open across he

er a few seconds of mental tug-of-war, she forced herself to s

it of the pasta

e stood right beside

e. Then

aby. Even though the smell of cream had been making he

t do it anymore.She put the fork down

, "No matter how mad you are at me

but Emily's voice was stil

he plate missing. Aaron stared at it for a moment, then let

d up the fork, and gently spun it through t

is movements, m

oday...If she hadn't seen it herse

ave made a

, one mo

t him, "I re

are of yourself. Tomorrow, we'll go

tender-but the way he sa

unned. His words

ou threat

away, rejecting th

he said aga

so hard it almost broke sk

he'd felt just moments

around it-went flying. It hit the floor with a harsh clat

went de