nce

e familiar scent of Karter's cologne and the faint aroma of the f

been part of my sweetest dream. Now,

timentality.

closet and pulled out the two large, empt

ient, detached. My clothes, my books, the few personal items

tment, appeared in the doorway, her hand flying to he

y existence here, and she had always treated m

mile. "I'm leaving, Mrs. Hicks

re questions. With a soft sigh, she stepped into the

Karter had given me for our first anniversary. I had cher

f the polished surface and into a black

ern. I saw her slip her phone out of her apron pocket and step o

mber had lit a fire of irritation under his skin. He yanked at his tie, annoyed. She was ju

e rang. It wa

it?" he

us whisper. "Miss Ruiz is here. She's... she's

chair, his blood running

sudden, rising tide of

!" He grabbed his suit jacket

with a soft body ri

"Karter, where are you going in such a hurry? You hurt

lf to rein in his temper. "Brid

about us. I was thinking, maybe we should throw a big welcome party. To formally intro

But the intent was sharp as a razor: to remind him of th

s true, they needed a formal event to solidif

ging to his arm. "Please? For me? And

rn between his fury at my defiance and his duty to his new, public mate.

issed hi

ment, I zipped up

hat had been mine was now starkly, beautifully e

ward the door. "Goodbye, Mrs. Hicks,

vator, my new phone buz

d he

yes. But a stronger, more stubborn part of me refu

I typed back.

watched the floor numbers descend. With each floor, a weigh