h joy, her pulse racing

p for a second, m

d her into his ar

how did she never not

died after a

ped, immediately let go and nudged her back to her

umpy," he said flatly, his

creeping up his ears

curled up in

could fully retract it, clinging o

teasing. "Hubby, were you worried I'd bump i

He tried to withdraw his hand,

llowed hard, Adam's apple

ning, he st

silence screamed lo

works had just gon

er plan was ac

l, she let go, though she did

ight. Won't cause y

icklish, brushing against Cu

yet somehow... familiar.

der moment

led up to the poshest ho

, got out, and swung

ton, we've

aneuvering his w

utomatically drifting up t

xpression draini

this was the place where

her past life started

rom their smooth divorce, too elate

the hospital, she'd been preo

she finally realized-just a day after the

itched, ches

rted out, voice quivering. "Let'

heelchair when he heard her sudden

couldn't go five minu

iou

een weird in th

pause

at Delia, frown cr

was running through

-hope he'd still be willing to acc

asked in a low, steady voice, "D

jumped.

if she didn't come up with a good cov

as the one thing she co

Just say, "Hey, I know beca

sh? Wouldn't that mean she basical

he had to come up with

ft and shaky. "Babe, I'm feeling really awful all of a sudden.

uple of tears, trying to l

ic in her eyes hadn't fully faded-but when som

her cheek, and just like that,

ers anymore, instead fo

said something wasn't right, he always deal

hurt?" Curtis asked, hi

against him, her voice soft. "Can we not go in?

ift in Curtis's expressi

quiet, his voice edged with urgen

as f

again-same

eally hav

ed for just a

rled up in his arms, eyes

won out

t firm. "We'll find another time for

ah tried aga

's anxious gaze, the rest of

s mouth shut

ve seen th

Curtis's rules went s

im before, he just couldn't b

h

nger but had no choi

he car, turned it around, and headed t

lia secretly let ou

verted.

against Curtis, st

o put her first made her feel wa

ed. That muc

his up so badly

ke this, what was

her gently, and it almost made

she quietly soak

he hospital entrance, Delia f

fr

ilding came into view, and her

eft her horribly burned, thi

more than dying-every breath fe

any times, anything to e

caring, had bribed the hospital

daging-every mistake

e at first, but they ended up ruining he

med into her like

es. The searing pain. T

smile, smug and tw