of burnt coffee and steamed milk. Gwen found a small table in th

of him. He was trying to look casual, scrolling through somethi

s face into a mask of wounded sincerity. He stood u

his touch were fire. "Don't," s

nd slid it across the table. It was a printout of t

ping with false contrition. "It's not what it looks like. I was just playing

ean the future you were funding by draining our joint savings accou

slammed his hand on the table, rattling the cups. "I'm the one who had to put up with a girlfriend who was pra

and curious glances like a physical touch, but for the first time, i

ining man in front of her, and felt nothing. No lov

was still hot. She calmly and deliberately poured the enti

hot liquid soaked through his shirt. He frantically gra

ence. "And if you ever, ever contact me or my sister again, I will personally hand-delive

, leaving him standing there, dripping and d

d, and the bone-deep exhaustion returned. She hailed a cab

tal's small rooftop garden, eating a sad-looking tuna sandwich. Elaina was a psychiatric resident at

he sandwich. "Gwen! I was shocked to get

e sordid tale of Ivan and Blair. She focused on the urgent part. "Laura's stable fo

es widened.

omitting Kingston's name, just referring to him as a stranger. She told Elaina about the kiss. Then she desc

I was losing it. Full-blown attack. But when he touched me... when he grabbed my chin... noth

rofessional, doctor-brain kicked in, overriding her initial shock. "Wait. You're serio

ngers on her skin, the scent of cedar. A faint blush crept up

Gwen, this is... this is medically fascinating. It

wh

presence, his specific touch, for whatever reason, is creating a neurological response so powerful-either through extreme percei

"Some antidote. The side e

ike that, the kind of man who can get Colt Turner to drop everything with a single phone

. She glanced at her phone. It was almost five o'clo

A grim determination settled over her,

herself than to Elaina. "Whatever the co

back straight, her steps measured. She was going to see her