i P

ive windows of the private suite, casting

e. I was tucked securely under a heavy, warm cashmere throw that hadn't been ther

fortable position just to stay close to me. My gaze

gers were now tightly laced together, his large, warm hand holding

hand out of his grasp, hoping not to wake him, but

eyes softened by sleep. A lazy

exy it sent a shiver straight down my spine. "I was wondering when the little coward w

ther to be embarrassed or incredibly flattered. I ya

cold," I stamme

chuckle, standing up and st

y. He pulled open the passenger door of the black Escalade, waiti

e engaged the engine, the V

t with one hand, picked up a pristine, square pink box t

ed out into the early morning Brooklyn traffic. "I don't need my lead designe

tea mille-crêpes. A lump rose in my throat. My mother used to scrape together loose change to b

iled in the center of my che

el relaxed slightly, though he kept

ulled up along the cracked curb in fron

nto park. He turned his head, his s

box on my lap, preparing

w the fro

e door was a massive, ostentatious bouquet of tw

bucks cup, the plastic lid

er of the blooms was

I recognized Brandyn's

ing his cheap, pathetic apology f

the vehicle i

shift from my face to the

turned suffocatingly cold,

't hes

box back to Kurt, who

ed down onto the asphalt, and walk

touch t

ad his sniv

he bouquet with my left hand and t

he Escalade, and stopped beside the large, g

n, I hurled the entire arrangeme

with a wet splash, coffee splatteri

dumpster slammed shut with

nto the mor

though I had just burned the last five ye

back towa

ss of the driver's sid

pletely vanished, replaced by a slow, approv

a single,

y black truck rumbled away, disappearin

breath of the cold autumn air, and

o my professional suit, and present

as going