eather was cool against her skin, slippery. She tucked o

blue-and-purple lump that loo

anti-inflammatory gel from t

round the coffee table and drop

mposing man lowering himself at her fe

g," he comm

encircled

cold skin sent a jolt of electricity straight up her spine. His finger

ently, testin

this

e," she

a dollop onto his fingers and b

tongue and cold demeanor, his hands were careful, almost reverent

e had an insane urge to reach out and touch it. She watched his

eet," he murmure

sues," she whis

n her ankle. The intensity of his gaze pinned her to the sofa. There was someth

in an ACE bandage, his movement

breaking the spell.

lize she'd been holding. Her heart was racing, a frantic drumbeat ag

ew minutes later ho

on the coaster

stantly. Sharp, spic

he mug. "Is thi

It'll war

bling. "This is... this is what I drink when

He didn't look at her. "My housekeeper swears by it for shock

t. The burn of the ginger set

you," s

oom and opening his laptop. The blue light illuminated his face, t

om. She crawled into the bed, p

the wind

es, and exhaustio

terling estate garden. It

anding behind a hedge, clu

r boy into the mud. The boy on the ground was J

el. "Look at the bastard," Liam jeered. "Mom says

them, his eyes burning with a hatred

to help. She had the band-aids. She

, that dazzling, charming smile.

l life, Zoe froze. She turned her

't looking at the boys beating him. He was looking at her. And the

up with

ding. Her sheets w

ough the cracks in the bli

he guilt from the dream lingere

as th

r ankle felt stiff, but better. S

ee and bacon assa

as in th

black t-shirt that clung to his back muscle

as jarring. This dark, dangero

sensing her presence witho

o the island

and slid a plate toward her. There was toast

he or

barstool. She p

s amazing,

at

bite. It wa

are was fading in the light of this strange, quiet mo

s ph

ed at th

Ste

shed like a

hovering near her mouth. The peace