THIRTEEN

By the time they left the office, neither Liam nor Allison was in the mood to talk. He offered to take her to dinner, but she declined. She was too tired to eat and only wanted a hot shower and ten hours of sleep.

What she didn’t want was to say good-bye to Liam for the last time.

Just a couple of blocks away from her apartment, Liam finally broke the silence. “What are you thinking about? You look so . . . worried.”

She wasn’t about to tell him the truth, that she was going to miss him. Instead she turned to him and said, “You completely ignored my signals.”

“What signals?”

“I was giving you the look, letting you know I wanted to get out of there.”

He flashed a smile. “Ah, you mean the glares.”

“Okay, the glares,” she conceded.

“You shouldn’t be frowning now. You should be happy and damn proud of yourself. You found the proof Alec and I needed.”

“I am happy,” she insisted, sounding ridiculously defensive. “Maybe now you and Alec won’t think I’m such a horrible person.”

“No one thinks you’re horrible,” he said, his exasperation apparent in his tone. “And why do you care what anyone thinks?”

If she was to give him an honest answer, she would sound pitiful, though at times that was exactly how she felt. The truth was, she had never had a close relationship with anyone but her sister. She had kept most people at a safe distance, and that was the way she liked it. She was an intensely private person. At least, that was her excuse for being so introverted. She didn’t want anyone to look too closely into her background, because she was embarrassed and a little ashamed. The less others knew about her, the safer she felt. Every time she stepped outside her comfort zone, she felt vulnerable.

Odd, she was so cautious about her private life and yet she was able to set aside her inhibitions when she modeled for Giovanni. She couldn’t really explain the contradiction, but when Giovanni and his team transformed her with their makeup and clothes, it was almost as though she became another person wearing a mask no one could see behind.

She loved and trusted Giovanni with all her heart, and although it had taken time, she had grown to care for and trust her housemate Dan. And yet neither one knew what she could do with a computer. During Phillips’s long interrogation, he had actually referred to her as a master criminal. She wondered what Giovanni or Dan would think about that. They probably wouldn’t believe him, and if they did, they would have been shocked.

Her friendship with Jordan was different. She knew that Allison was a hacker and had broken several laws, yet she still remained her friend. She also knew a little about how dysfunctional Allison’s home life had been and wasn’t deterred. If Allison was ever sent to prison, she wasn’t positive Jordan would bring her a cake with a file in it, but she had a strong feeling Jordan might try.

“I asked you a question,” Liam reminded her, bringing her back from her musings.

“I don’t like people thinking I’m a criminal.”

Before he could comment she rushed on. “Oh, I know what you’re going to say. ‘You are a criminal.’ Okay, yes, I guess you could look at it that way. That’s all in the past, though. Haven’t you ever heard of second chances, for Pete’s sake?”

“Allison—”

She interrupted to finish her thought. “And that’s why I insisted that, along with immunity, you and Alec both give me your word that only a select few would know what I’ve done.”

“I remember what I promised.”

“You know what would happen if it got out that I took millions of dollars. Even though I gave it to the FBI, I’d be added to a list, and every time a government agency was hacked, I’d be dragged in and interrogated. Being on that list would follow me for the rest of my life.”

“I’m not going to let that happen,” he said, his tone emphatic. He pulled up in front of her apartment building, put the car in park, and turned to her. “Why are you worrying about this now?”

“Because you’ll be leaving, and I wanted to make sure . . .”

“You wanted to make sure I’ll keep my word.”

She knew she had insulted him. His clenched jaw was a big indicator. Should she apologize? She’d probably make it worse if she did. He seemed so serious, as though he had something troubling on his mind.

“I guess this is the last time you’ll be driving me to and from the cyber unit,” she said. “Good luck on your next assignment.”

The doorman, a retired car salesman named Stamos, unbolted the glass door from within and opened it wide. Allison smiled at him before turning back to Liam. “You don’t need to go up with me.” She was involved in a tug-of-war with her tote bag. She was pulling on it, but he wasn’t letting go.

Liam finally released his hold on the bag and followed her up the steps and into the foyer without saying a word. Allison couldn’t tell what was going through his mind, but the way he was looking at her, as though searching for the answer to some pressing question, was making her feel very uneasy.

She wanted to find out how long he would be staying in Boston without being too intrusive. Subtle, she decided. She would be subtle. “Will you and Alec be leaving to follow up on the leak? I imagine you’ve already taken another assignment after this one. Or is it too soon? Are you waiting to decide, or are you going to take a few days off? That’s what you should do. Take some time to relax.” She couldn’t seem to slow down. So much for being subtle. Her words were fairly tripping over one another. Why she was suddenly feeling so nervous was beyond her. Perhaps it was because it was doubtful she would ever see him again. Maybe once she was away from him, she would come to her senses and figure it all out. It was impossible to distance herself now.

The doorman gained their attention. “Miss Trent, there was an incident you should know about.” Stamos’s usually booming voice was hesitant. He kept glancing at Liam.

“Stamos, this is my friend Agent Scott. Tell me about the incident, please.” She had a bad feeling she already knew what he was going to say, yet foolishly held out hope it was something else . . . anything else.

“You had some company,” he began. “An older man and woman came by. They parked right in front of the door, so I saw what they were driving. It was a year-old Chrysler 300C Platinum with twenty-inch polished cast aluminum wheels, a dual-pane panoramic power sunroof, and HID headlights. It’s a nice, smooth ride,” he continued. “This one had dents and scratches all over it, like someone had taken a hammer to it or maybe had been driving when he shouldn’t . . . if you know what I mean. They ruined that beautiful car.”

Liam tried to get him back on track. “You were telling Allison about the man and woman. Who were they? Do you know?”

“Oh yes, of course. They told me they were your aunt and uncle. The woman even pulled out her driver’s license and waved it in my face to prove she had the same last name.”

Allison felt as though the wind had just been knocked out of her. They had found her. And so soon. Damn. It was inevitable that they would track her down, but she had hoped it would take them longer to figure out she had moved, and even longer to find her new address. No such luck.

“When was this?” she asked.

“They showed up around four this afternoon, maybe four thirty.” He scratched his jaw as he continued. “They were . . . difficult.”

Difficult? That was putting it mildly. “Did they make a scene?” she asked, knowing full well they did.

“Yes, ma’am, they certainly did. They wanted to wait in your apartment. I refused to let them, of course, and that was when they started shouting at me. The woman told me she had your permission. Don’t worry. I would never let anyone inside your home,” he rushed to add.

“Did they tell you what they wanted?” Liam asked.

“No, and I didn’t ask. They tried to push past me to get to the elevator. I pushed back and explained again that they couldn’t go beyond the lobby. They both became quite belligerent and as loud as a couple of broken mufflers. Your uncle threatened me, said he could get me fired. I’m pretty sure he was intoxicated.”

Of course he had been intoxicated. He usually started drinking around noon, sometimes a little before. It was just the way it was in the Trent household. Allison wished Liam wasn’t hearing about her relatives. It was embarrassing to be related to such vulgar people. She reminded herself that their behavior didn’t reflect on her, but she wasn’t very convincing. “I’m sure he was drunk or on his way there, and I’m sorry you had to deal with them. I know how difficult they can be.”

“Now that you know what they look like, don’t ever let them inside, and if they try to force their way in, call the police,” Liam ordered.

“I’ll alert the other doormen. There’re three of us in all,” he told Liam. “I lock up at ten each night, and tenants have to use their keys to get inside the front door until six in the morning.”

Great. Now outsiders were getting involved in the fiasco. The more Allison tried to avoid her aunt and uncle, the more belligerent they became. “I’m so sorry they were a bother,” she apologized.

Liam heard the mortification in Allison’s voice and immediately felt his protective instincts rising again. “You aren’t responsible,” he said, putting his arm around her.

Was he comforting her or feeling sorry for her? Allison couldn’t tell. She tried to gently shrug his arm away as she headed toward the elevator, but it didn’t budge. Instead, Liam walked into the elevator with her and pushed the button for her floor.

As the elevator ascended, Liam’s emotions and his good judgment were in a raging battle. It was killing him not to take charge of her aunt and uncle, to tell Allison he would make certain they left her alone. He could be a real badass when he needed to. Allison wouldn’t let him, though. She would think he was interfering, and in fact that was exactly what he would be doing. He knew she could handle herself. The way she stood up to Phillips had proven that she could hold her own, but knowing what she had endured growing up in that whacked-out household made him want to shield her from more heartache. She wouldn’t like that, either. So he would let her take the lead, and if he needed to get involved, he would make certain she didn’t know about it.

The elevator doors parted, and Liam deliberately slowed the pace as they approached her apartment. A strange feeling was taking over, one he didn’t know how to handle. He was always so sure of himself and could make the right call when the situation demanded, but this was different. He had set out to solve a problem for the agency. Mission accomplished, right? On to the next step. That was the way these operations worked. Then what was the reason for his reluctance to end this phase of the job?

The reason was obvious. It was Allison. Something inside him didn’t want to let go, and he was intentionally drawing out his time with her. He knew he should treat her like any other asset: thank her for her contribution, wish her well, and walk away. But she wasn’t just any asset. The memory of how good she had tasted when he’d kissed her kept gnawing at him.

At her door Allison rummaged through her purse for her house key, but she struggled to concentrate on the task. Liam was standing so close, her whole body tensed and her hands shook.

“I’m assuming I won’t be seeing you again. Since I no longer work for you, we’re pretty much done. Right? Of course we are,” she rambled on with a nod, not daring to look up. “Best of luck to you.” Best of luck? She couldn’t come up with anything better? She felt like such a nitwit.

“How come you’re in such a hurry to get rid of me?” he asked, a smile in his voice.

“I’m not. I’m just trying to keep this relationship professional. I don’t want to . . .” She could barely breathe. She knew she should get away from him as soon as possible, before she made a complete fool of herself and ripped his clothes off.

He took the key from her, unlocked the door, and followed her inside. He was waiting for her to finish her thought, and when she didn’t, he prodded, “You don’t want to what?”

She couldn’t admit her lascivious thoughts. “Never mind.”

She made the mistake of looking into his eyes. She felt like sighing. Or jumping his bones. He was such a strong, muscular man, and with his sun-streaked blond hair and clear green eyes, he was nearly irresistible. It was impossible to pretend to be immune to his charms any longer.

She had prided herself on her self-control. In fact, she had bragged about it to Liam, but what happened next was beyond her control. At least that was the lie she told herself. She leaned into him, put her hands on his shoulders, and kissed the daylights out of him. The kiss was hot, carnal, demanding a response. She poured her heart into that kiss, and if he pushed her away, she didn’t know what she would do. She wanted him to feel the passion she felt and to want her as much as she wanted him. Her mouth was open and her tongue rubbed against his. She heard him growl low in his throat and tried to get even closer to him. Being the aggressor was new to her, but she found she liked it . . . with him. She trusted him—which in her mind was a rare and beautiful thing—and that was why she could throw caution to the wind and go a little crazy.

Every argument running through Liam’s head flew out the window. Since the moment he’d met her, he’d wanted her in his arms. Who was he kidding? He wanted more than that. He wanted her in his bed, under him, writhing and begging for release. Keeping their relationship professional had been one of the hardest things he had ever done, but he knew, as long as he was in charge of her assignment, he couldn’t act on his feelings. Now, he rationalized, she no longer worked for him. He was neither her boss nor her colleague. She worked for Phillips.

He wrapped his arms around her, cupped her backside, and lifted her up until her pelvis was pressed against his. Her mouth was soft and warm, and he was ravenous for more. He knew things were getting out of hand, yet the passion was escalating so quickly he couldn’t make himself let go of her. When he finally lifted his head, he saw her face was flushed and she was breathless. His touch had done that to her, he knew, and he wondered if she was as rattled as he was. God, she was beautiful. She tried to move back into his arms, but he put his hands on her waist and wouldn’t let her move.

He stared at her a long minute and then in a raspy voice asked, “Do you want to do this?”

The question jarred her. “Do this? What did you have in mind?”

Allison took a step back. Of course she wanted him, but did attacking him make her a sex-starved maniac? That would be wrong. Then again, what was wrong with having one amazing night with him before he left? Nothing, she decided, and her curiosity would be appeased. Yes, the sisters of St. Dominic’s would be horrified by what they would call her lack of morals, and they would no doubt tell her she was going to end up in purgatory for a millennium if she didn’t get her mind out of the gutter. If so, she really didn’t care. Besides, there wasn’t going to be any guilt because he wouldn’t be around to remind her. Although she wasn’t all that experienced, she had had sex before and didn’t think it lived up to all the hype. She hadn’t been in any hurry to do it again. Until Liam. Everything was different with him.

“Allison, answer me.” Liam knew he would let go of her and leave if that was what she wanted, but he hoped to God she wanted him to stay.

“Yes, I want to do this,” she finally answered. “But I prefer to call it making love.” When he reacted to her declaration, she poked him in the chest. “Don’t you dare laugh at me.”

His smile was filled with tenderness. “I prefer to call it what it is. Sex.”

“Do you have to be so clinical about it?”

He shrugged. “I don’t want there to be any misunderstanding. I lead a chaotic life, and a long-term commitment with any woman isn’t possible.”

When it came to romance, the man was definitely lacking finesse. But then what did she know? The only romance she’d observed was on television. “Okay, no misunderstandings, no complications, no commitments. Agreed?”

“Agreed.” He sounded relieved, which she found a bit galling. Did he think she would demand marriage?

She put her arms around his neck again and rested her cheek against his chest. “Maybe we should put it in writing. Then you won’t have to worry.”

He hid his smile and said, “Yeah, we should put it in writing.”

“And get it notarized.”

He laughed. “Are you making fun of me?” He squeezed her backside. “I just want to be clear on expectations.”

“Did you go through these expectations of yours with the other women you’ve taken to bed? I’m assuming there have been one or two.” It was odd that she didn’t like the idea of Liam with any other woman. She shouldn’t care, should she? Yet she did.

“No.”

“No, what?”

“No, I’ve never gone through them with any other woman.”

She leaned back so she could look into his eyes. “Why not?” she asked, clearly disgruntled.

“You’re different.”

“Is that good or bad?”

“Neither,” he answered. “Just different.”

She sighed. “You sure know how to kill a mood. I think . . .”

She was going to tell him he might as well leave, but that thought got all tangled up in her mind the second his open mouth covered hers. The kiss was hard and blatantly possessive. Oh God, how she loved the way his tongue took possession, and she began the mating ritual, pressing her pelvis against his each time his tongue sank inside.

She was trembling when he lifted his head. They walked into the bedroom and stood at the foot of the bed facing each other as they undressed. While he removed his jacket and tie, she kicked off her heels, then turned around so that he could unzip her dress. She didn’t have to tell him what she wanted. She simply lifted her hair and waited.

Liam leaned down and kissed the side of her neck, smiling when he saw the goose bumps he caused. Then he lowered her zipper all the way down to the base of her spine. A night-light from the adjoining bathroom cast shadows on the bed and on her golden body. He marveled at how smooth and perfect her skin was.

Heart pounding, Allison slowly removed her dress, carefully folded it, and placed it on a nearby chair. She was deliberately taking her time, hoping she could get her nerves under control, but she quickly gave up and turned back to him.

Liam had to remind himself to breathe when he saw she was wearing lacy black lingerie. She was the sexiest woman he had ever known, and he had wanted her from the moment he had met her. Within seconds, he removed his gun and badge and put them on the bedside table. She tried to unbutton his shirt for him, but her hands were shaking so much, she couldn’t get it done. He took over the task, all the while his gaze locked on her.

The look on his face made Allison feel warm everywhere. She curled her toes into the rug and stared up at him. He really was beautiful, she thought, knowing he wouldn’t like it if she told him so. She put her hand on his chest and trailed her fingertips down to the waistband of his pants.

“I’m nervous,” she whispered.

“I know,” he replied, smiling. She threaded her fingers though her hair and brushed it back in an action he found utterly feminine.

“I don’t understand why. I’m used to taking my clothes off in front of men.”

That statement got a reaction. He was in the process of unzipping his pants but stopped and said, “There’s no way in hell I’m going to believe you’re promiscuous.”

“What? No, of course not. But if I were?”

He shrugged, indicating that it didn’t matter to him. “I’d still want you.”

“I’m not,” she stated again.

“Okay. You like to take your clothes off . . .”

“In front of men,” she finished for him. “It’s what I do.” Now she was smiling, wondering how long it would take him to figure it out.

Had he not been so distracted by her killer body, he would have been more clearheaded and known right away what she was saying. When her meaning finally sank in, he laughed. “You’re a model.”

“Yes.”

He pulled her into his arms before she could get nervous again. “We won’t do anything you don’t want to do,” he promised.

He was nuzzling the side of her neck, sending shivers through her. She tugged on his hair to get him to kiss her on the mouth. She was the aggressive one now. Her tongue swept inside and rubbed against his, and when she felt his arms tighten their grip, she knew he liked it, so she did it again. She wanted to make him lose control and suddenly realized she was losing hers.

Liam removed the rest of her clothes and then his own. His mouth never left hers, and she didn’t even realize what he’d done until her breasts were pressed against his chest. The feeling was exquisite. She felt the heat and the power radiating from his muscles. Her senses were reeling. Everything about him aroused her. The way he caressed her, the sexy growls he made when she pleased him, and his scent. Oh God, his scent was wonderful. It wasn’t aftershave, but maybe body wash and male. Clean and masculine. It was a sexy-as-sin combination and she loved it. When he tried to pull away from her, she retaliated by tugging on his lip with her teeth. She wanted to keep kissing him, and he gave her what she demanded.

Liam was already hard and aching to be inside her. He knew she wasn’t ready, and when she moved her hips to cuddle him between her thighs, he groaned and took a deep breath. He wasn’t sure how he accomplished it, but he got the covers pulled back before the two of them fell into bed together. She was wrapped in his arms and on top of him.

“Damn, you’re so soft.”

She lifted her head and looked at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “I’ve got you right where I want you.”

“Yeah?” He made a quick spin, and she found herself on her back with Liam looming over her. “Now I’ve got you.”

When he moved, his chest hair tickled her breasts. It felt so good she wanted him to move again.

Liam kissed her passionately, determined to overwhelm her, to make her as crazed as he was. Holding on to his discipline and not going too fast was excruciating.

Restless now, she began to move. Her toes rubbed his legs, and she instinctively arched up against him. He kissed her just below her earlobe and then whispered all the dark, erotic things he was going to do to her. She was so aroused now she thought his voice alone could push her over the edge.

Liam had a lusty appetite and proceeded to kiss every inch of her. Most models were as thin as cardboard, but Allison had curves. Full, lush breasts, a narrow waist, perfect hips, and the longest shapely legs. Her ass was pretty damn near perfect, too.

He kissed the valley between her breasts, and when his tongue glided across one nipple, she almost came off the bed. He took it into his mouth and began to suckle while he caressed her other breast. He moved lower. His tongue circled her navel. His hands were everywhere. He pushed her thighs apart and she thought foreplay was over. But she was wrong. He kissed her stomach, then slid lower. She sucked in her breath when his mouth and tongue began to make love so intimately. It was carnal, so shocking, so wonderful, she could feel herself losing control, and that terrified her. She cried out and tried to push him away, but he wouldn’t be deterred. She was quickly consumed with desire. She understood what was happening; she just had never experienced it before.

She came apart. Her orgasm took her by surprise and completely overwhelmed her. Wave after wave of intense pleasure poured over her. She clung to him and called his name.

He knew the second she climaxed, so he moved up her body and kissed her hungrily as he thrust into her. She was wet, hot, and ready for him, and damn, she was tight. Once he was fully embedded, he forced himself to stop and give her time to adjust to him.

“Are you okay?”

Her nails dug into his shoulders. She could already feel the pressure building. “Don’t stop,” she pleaded. “Please don’t stop.” She wasn’t sure if she shouted the demand or whispered it.

Liam would have laughed if he hadn’t been in such agony. “Not a chance,” he said. “I won’t stop.”

He loved the feel of her squeezing him, slowly withdrawing and then thrusting again and again, faster and faster. He kept telling himself to slow down, to savor the moment, but his body wasn’t cooperating. Neither was she. She lifted her legs and wrapped them around him, taking him deeper inside, and then she began to moan.

He knew she was close. His hand moved down between their bodies, and he caressed the spot he knew would drive her wild. She cried out, tightened around him, and climaxed again. He was there with her and found his own release.

Allison felt as though she had reached the stars and was floating back to earth. It was the most amazing thing. Frightening, too, for she had lost all control. She realized then she had trusted him completely and was shocked how quickly that had happened. She was still holding on to him and never wanted to let go. As soon as the truth registered in her mind, she forced herself to pull back. Her arms fell to her sides. Her heart was still hammering in her chest, and she was still panting, trying to recover.

Liam was having difficulty accepting what had just happened to him. He had had God knew how many orgasms but never one like this. As soon as she let go of him, he kissed her gently on the lips, then rolled away, got up, and went into the bathroom. He wasn’t gone long. Allison was swinging her legs over the side of the bed and just about to stand when he grabbed her around the waist and pulled her down on top of him.

“Now you can be on top,” he said, grinning.

She stacked her hands on his chest, rested her chin on them, and stared at his handsome face. It seemed strange to her that she wasn’t feeling at all unsure of herself or vulnerable now, and she didn’t need praise or words of affection from him. He was rubbing her back and it felt wonderful. She was having trouble believing that she was stark naked and lying on top of a naked man. Not just any man, though, but Liam, who she decided was built like a Greek god, and at the moment was just about the sexiest man in the world. He was just so . . . male.

“What are you thinking?” he asked, brushing a dangling strand of hair from her forehead.

“You have beautiful eyes,” she said.

“Yeah?” His hands moved down her spine, and he said, “You’ve got a great ass.”

She rolled her eyes. “Only you would notice my backside.”

“Every man you walk past notices, sweetheart.”

She laughed. “You can’t possibly know that.”

His devilish smile was back. “Sure, I can. We discussed it. Everyone agreed. You’ve got a great ass.”

His hand moved to the back of her neck, and he pulled her down to kiss her. His mouth covered hers, and his tongue moved inside to stroke her. “I love the way you taste,” he whispered before kissing her again.

He couldn’t get enough of her. He was already hard and all he wanted was to make love to her again.

“Do you want to . . . ?” He stopped himself before he asked her if she wanted to go again, realizing that probably wasn’t the right way to put it.

She understood. “Oh yes, I do,” she whispered. She kissed the soft skin under his ear, then teased his earlobe with her teeth. He tightened his hold on her, which told her he liked what she was doing, and that made her bolder. She moved lower, nudging his hands away so she could kiss his chest, then lower until she was kissing his belly button. The description rock-hard abs didn’t do him justice. Her long, silky hair brushed over his skin. When she tried to move lower between his thighs, he pulled her back up, shook his head, and said, “If you do that, I won’t last.”

“But I’ve never . . . and I wanted to try . . .”

He rolled her onto her back. It was a revelation that she wanted him so quickly after finding satisfaction, and to want him so desperately she was almost frantic with desire. Their lovemaking was wild, uncontrolled, and earth-shattering. She had never had an orgasm before Liam, and now she’d had three. She was spent.

Liam fell back on the bed beside her, and they both stared at the ceiling for several minutes as they tried to catch their breath. When he had summoned enough strength, Liam went into the bathroom, and this time when he returned he began to get dressed. Suddenly feeling vulnerable now, she grabbed her robe and put it on. She tied the belt and sat against the headboard, watching him. Her hair hung down over one side of her face. She impatiently brushed it back over her shoulder while she waited for him to say something to her.

“I should get going,” he said as he sat on the side of the bed and reached for his loafers.

By the time he was buttoning his shirt and putting on his holster, she had made the no-brainer assumption that he wanted to leave. In fact, it seemed he couldn’t get out of there fast enough.

She went into the galley kitchen and got a bottled water out of the refrigerator. It took her three tries to get the cap twisted off, her hands were shaking so. The aftermath of sex, she surmised. Her legs were shaking, too.

Liam walked in just as she was turning, and she bumped into his chest. She offered him the water. He took a long swallow and then put it on the counter and pulled her into his arms.

“I’ve got to go,” he whispered against her ear.

“I know.”

“You’ll get to sleep in tomorrow, and you don’t start your six months with Phillips until Monday. I’d make the most of the time off if I were you.”

“Come Monday, heaven help me. Right?”

He smiled. “Right.”

Although she wanted to, she didn’t ask him what he would be doing. The search she had done at the cyber unit had given him the proof he needed, but Liam still had work to do. She expected he would track down the culprit who had leaked the information, interrogate him, and then lock him up. Her usefulness to the case was over.

Liam let go of her and stepped back. He reached for the bottle and took another drink as he leaned against the counter and stared down at the floor. It appeared that he was studying the tiles. A few minutes before, she had been convinced he was ready to bolt out of there, but now he didn’t seem in any hurry to leave. When Allison leaned closer and studied his face, she could tell from the deep furrow in his brow that he was mulling over something important. She presumed it had to do with his work.

“Have you told Alec what I found?” she asked.

“Yes. When do you graduate?”

The jump in subjects surprised her and made her pause a second before answering, “One month.”

He nodded. “What about your aunt and uncle? When are you going to talk to them?”

“I don’t know.”

“They aren’t going to give up.”

“I know.”

He put his arm around her and walked by her side to the door. His hand was on the doorknob when he said, “I want to be there if you do confront them.”

“Why?”

“I just want to.”

“I can handle them. I don’t need anyone to fight my battles for me.”

“I just want to see them in action,” he admitted a bit sheepishly.

She shook her head. “I’ll film it for you.”

He laughed, kissed her, and then left.

She locked the door behind him and leaned against it. She didn’t quite know what she had expected, but it certainly wasn’t that he would leave without so much as a “thank you” or a “that was great” or even a “have a nice day.” She had to remind herself that they had made an agreement. No commitments, no complications. So the fact that he left so quickly after their lovemaking wasn’t awkward at all.

Just a little heartbreaking.