A'S

els on the hardwood was the

Clack

sanctuary. Jordan shoved me off him with a strength that nearly sent me sprawling onto the rug. He was a whir

moothed the silk of my dress, my hands shaking as I tried to erase the evidence of his grip from m

ce called out again, ri

tried to force his breathing into a normal rhythm. He grabbed a stray newspaper

she walked in, swinging a wide-brimmed straw hat by its r

made my stomach turn with a toxic mix of guilt and triumph. I had just tasted

ced sleep so I decided to wait until you wake up." Jordan managed to say. His voice

ard him with that easy, wifely grace that usuall

ity," he muttered, n

birds in the garden. I could hear her moving closer to him. I co

d playfully, nudging his leg. "

o the edge of the chair, forcing Jordan to

with him. You're always resting your head on him like a little c

forced a tight, innocent smile. "Mom, are yo

rse than guilty. She turned back to Jordan, her hand reaching up to cup

fluttering shut as she

ers-but I saw it. He shifted his head back, trying to turn the kiss into a brief peck on the che

owed. She touched her tongue to her bottom

d, staring at him. "Th

roze. "W

head, her eyes searching his. "Did you have a snack? O

ctly what she was tasting. She was tasting me. She was tasting the aftermath

mouth as if he could wipe the evidence away. "Maybe I just

leaned in to try and kiss him again, but Jordan stood up

ng some of its boardroom authority through sheer desperation. "I

ode out of the livingroom, his

rs before I spoke. "I think I'll go use the guest b

or the newspaper he'd dropped, her suspicion se

cing. I closed the door and slumped against it, my legs finally giving out. I was shaking, the

ked in the mirror, my eyes bright and wild. I was terrified, yes, but underneath the fear was a dark,

the bathroom d

mm

ce was a low, urgent w

htly rumpled, his eyes burning with a renewed, unhinged intensity. He didn'

against the sink, his hands shakin

inches from mine. "I was barely able to hide it from her.

training against his slacks. The gentleman was gone again. There was only the

d, my heart leaping. "Wi

reaching for the zipper of his pan

living room floated up through the floorboard