Forest had arranged for a driver to meet them at the airport, and they traveled to Skye’s brownstone in a black limousine. She would have taken a cab, but Forest had refused. While he’d said he didn’t like spending their hard-earned cash, he certainly had little difficulty with splurging on the finer things in life. Maybe she should have Forest take care of retrieving her stuff from Bob’s cabin. Ash could take care of his Jeep.

As they rounded the block to her brownstone, a crowd overflowed the sidewalk in front of her home, spilling onto the street. Lights flashed as people lifted cameras over the crowd and snapped photos of the car.

“What the hell?” She leaned forward and peered out the window. Her heart caught in her throat.

“Get down, Skye,” Forest said in a rumbly baritone. He yanked on her shoulder, trying to drag her away from the window. Then, he flinched when he realized what he’d done.

A man with a camera shoved a lens against the blacked-out window as the car rolled to a stop. The flash caught her in the eyes, blinding her. Her name was called out over and over again.

“Fuck,” Forest said.

Flash after flash flickered as the crowd mobbed them.

“Don’t worry; I can get you inside.” Forest huffed a laugh, but his lower lip trembled. “Wrap your arm around me and stick to my side. I’ll get a security team over here to help once we’re inside.”

She stared at her brother, stunned. He wanted her to touch him? From the car to the front door was well over twenty feet. Would he last that long?

“Bean, we don’t have to stay. We can go to a hotel.”

“It’s late, and all your stuff for work is in there, right?”

She nodded.

“I’m a fucking giant. Who better to protect you?”

“But—”

“I’ve been facing a lot of my fears lately. Someday, I’d like to be able to give you a hug without breaking into a cold sweat or…you know. Let’s start now.”

It wasn’t the cold sweats she was worried about. It was the meltdown that was sure to follow. This was a horrible idea.

“Okay, how do you want to do this?”

“I’ll go first.” His voice shook with rising anxiety, but he seemed determined to get her inside. “Hold on to my belt, and don’t let go. They shouldn’t touch you if they obey the law. I’ll shove right on through those bastards. But have your keys ready.”

She fished through her backpack and lifted her keys into the air. “Got them.”

“Okay.” He signaled to the driver. “Go.”

As the driver opened the door, a cacophony of noise descended on them. Forest used his body to form a blockade while she got out of the car. She wrapped an arm around his waist, threading her fingers through his belt loop. As she pressed against him, his entire body stiffened, and his breathing hitched. Tremors vibrated through the fabric of his shirt as he struggled to control his breathing. Her physical closeness overwhelmed him, and she tried to pull away, but he clamped a hand over hers, pulling her forward.

A voice called out from behind them, “When’s the baby due?”

Her head whipped up. “What?”

Forest growled, “Ignore them. Don’t respond.” With that, he tucked her under his arm, increasing their physical contact.

Cameras were thrust in her face, and light flashed in her eyes.

Voices called out random questions.

“Is Blaze with you?”

“Is this the end of the band?”

“Is it true that Blaze was high when you were married? Was this a drunken binge?”

“How long have you been seeing each other?”

The questions bombarded her, a wall of chaos she couldn’t process. People pressed in close, screaming above their colleagues. Forest defended, pushing those too aggressive out of the way. He lifted and dragged her up the steps when she became overwhelmed.

Skye’s heart hammered, her chest constricting with fear.

“Is it true you tricked Blaze into marrying you?”

“Is this a publicity stunt for the upcoming album release?”

“Did you marry him for his money?”

“Skye, where’s the fucking key?” Forest shook her, his breathing little more than ragged gasps.

Her head spun from the endless questions.

Forest ripped the keys from her hand and fumbled at the lock. Moments later, the door creaked open, and he thrust her inside, pushing her away from him. She stumbled into the foyer as he slammed the door shut.

“Where’s the fucking light?” His voice was hoarse and desperate.

“What?”

“The light!” he screamed. “Where’s the fucking light?”

She found the light switch and flicked it on.

Forest scanned the narrow hallway. His entire body shook. His complexion was flushed, his pupils dilated. He struggled to take a breath, and then he staggered down the hall, yanking off his shirt and pulling at the catch of his jeans.

“Bean?”

He held a hand out. “Don’t come near me. Don’t you fucking come close.”

He kicked off his shoes, but she saw the damage those few moments of physical contact had done.

Forest disappeared, desperate, responding to a stimulus conditioned into him by the demon of their combined past. A door slammed shut down the guest hallway, and an agonized moan followed.

She took in a shuddering breath. How far back had those few minutes sent her brother on his road to recovery?

There was a reason they didn’t touch. She made a beeline for her liquor supply where she uncorked every bottle of wine and poured it down the drain. Once Forest achieved the physical release he needed, he would come looking for a chemical outlet for his pain.

There were no drugs in her home, and she would be damned if he started drinking again because of her. Not when he was so close to earning his sixty-day sobriety coin. Not when he’d come to help with her problems. His body couldn’t avoid the conditioned response, and she knew his mind would struggle against the chains that bound him.

The next few days would test her brother’s sobriety, and if he failed, it would be all her fault.

The cops came by twice to move people off the front steps of Skye’s brownstone. The officers introduced themselves, expressed their sympathy for the disturbance, and gave Skye their assurances that they had the crowd controlled. After offering congratulations on her nuptials, they sheepishly asked for autographs from her husband.

She had saved one bottle of wine. Shielding Forest from the demon of his addiction had come at a hefty price—ten bottles down the drain. She poured a glass of chardonnay and stared at the shuttered windows.

Flashes of light flickered through the wood. Eager reporters would not give up on that one-in-a-million shot.

Already down one doctor due to maternity leave, Bob Manley couldn’t afford to lose her as well. She had to work, but she couldn’t leave her beanpole alone. Not in his fragile state. His compulsions and addictions were primed to explode with the emergence of a conditioned response that crippled him on many levels. It was another horrific reminder of the torture inflicted upon a poor frightened boy and a helpless girl.

In the meantime, Forest needed to be constantly watched.

Ten p.m. already, and one glass down.

She would have arranged for the protective detail herself, but the contact info was locked in Forest’s phone. There was one other person she knew in town who traveled with a team of security experts, people trained in how to deal with the mob outside. The only question was whether Ash would accept her call.

Texting Ash instead of calling showed her weakness, but she didn’t trust herself to speak. Her voice would crack and crumble as her heart fell to pieces. As succinctly as possible, she laid out her problem. There were paparazzi outside her house, and she asked if she could please borrow his bodyguard and one or two of his friends.

She hated asking for such a huge favor, but she needed someone large and strong enough to intimidate Forest—someone to babysit him and keep him from tumbling into a chemically induced fugue. Sam would lose in a fight against her brother, but all he had to do was keep Forest inside and away from any mind-altering substances during her day shift.

Her phone vibrated within seconds of sending the text.

Help is on the way.

His message told her nothing about Ash’s state of mind. What was he feeling? Did he miss her? Had she hurt him? Did he understand the reasons behind why she’d left?

With a groan, she gave up on deciphering nonexistent clues in the simple text.

Her attention shifted to the hallway and the closed door of the guest room. Going to Forest would not ease his pain. Quite the opposite would happen, and she appreciated the sacrifice he’d made to keep her safe.

Her presence would exacerbate an already shitty situation. She’d give almost anything to sink into a simple brotherly hug and feel Forest’s love surround her within the strength of his arms, but that was not how their relationship worked.

She had a few minutes before Ash’s security team would arrive, so she went to her room and turned on the shower until the air thickened with billowy steam. She washed quickly, removing two days of grime, and then sat on the tiles where she hugged her knees tight to her chest, watching the steam swirl.

While she loved medicine with a passion born from a need to help others, Forest couldn’t run their empire alone. She had obligations she could no longer ignore. But was she ready to step into such a daunting role?

The Elsbeth Beneficence Foundation funded several charitable organizations. The Brenerkie Foster Care Initiative was their first. A fourteen-year-old girl named Ivy was a victim who had been placed into their charter foster care system. The poised Rice University student Skye had met on the flight from LAX bore little resemblance to the young girl broken by abuse.

Maybe it was time for her to take a more active role in what Forest and she had created?

A pounding on the bathroom door startled her out of her reverie. She squinted through the fog. How had Forest put himself back together so quickly?

More pounding followed. A deep thump, thump, thump rattled the hinges.

Odd that Forest would bother to knock at all. Except for the no-touching thing, they had few boundaries. If she were taking a shower, soaking in a bath, or using the toilet, if he wanted to talk, he wouldn’t have hesitated to barge in.

Had one of the reporters broken into her house?

Naked and sitting on the floor, she was completely exposed. A paparazzo could barge in, snap a photo, and run out before she could take the breath she would need to scream.

A now familiar rich voice called out from behind the closed door, “Skye, are you in there?”

She hadn’t asked Ash to come, nor was she prepared to face him, not after walking away.

“Why isn’t she answering?” That voice didn’t belong to Ash although it seemed vaguely familiar.

“How the hell would I know?” Ash’s desperation pulsed through the thin wooden barrier of the door. His voice caressed her skin, sending shivers down her spine.

She turned off the shower and dried as quickly as she could.

“Skye, can you hear me? I came as quickly as I could.” A thunk sounded from the other side of the door, as if he’d dropped his head against the wood.

A gravelly deep voice roared out, catching her attention and making her jump, “Who the fuck are you? Get the fuck out of my sister’s house, you fucking perverts, before I tear you apart.”

Oh, shit. Forest.

“Sam?” The alarm in the second man’s voice rose an octave and cracked.

Wrapped in nothing other than a towel, she yanked the door open, desperate to stop the cataclysm that Forest could become.

Ash stood by the door, braced and facing off against Forest. To his left, Sam held his hands out in a placating gesture. Beside him, Bash’s eyes widened with fear.

Forest’s icy-blue scrutiny darted between Ash, Sam, and Bash, but they weren’t the only men in her bedroom. Two others stood between Ash, Bash, and her brother. They squared off against the six-foot-eight wild man intent on taking out two of Angel Fire’s band members.

She lowered the register of her voice to a tone she hoped would calm Forest’s aggression. “It’s okay, Bean.”

Forest shifted his attention between the five men, assessing the threat. Then, a transformation occurred, and she could guess what was going through his mind as he realized who stood before him. Ash and Bash were the front men of his favorite rock band, and he had them terrified.

Ash lifted a shaky finger. “That’s your little brother?”

As the rush of male testosterone dissipated, she made introductions. “Ash, meet Bean. Bean, meet Ash.”

“Hey, what about me?” Bash frowned at her. “What am I? Chopped liver?”

She pressed her lips together, remembering Bash’s less than friendly reception. “Bean, meet Chopped Liver.”

Bash sputtered at the insult, but she continued her introductions, enjoying the parade of shocked expressions rolling over Bash’s face. “The big guy is Sam. He’s a member of Angel Fire’s security team.” She turned to the other two men. “Sorry, I don’t know you.”

The man to her left lifted his hand. “Donald.” He looked to be ex-Marine with close-cropped hair, a square chin, and a strong jaw, and he probably bench-pressed some ungodly weight for fun on his days off.

The other one gave a chin bump. “Reggie.” He was a tall and handsome with ebony skin, six-foot-four or maybe taller, and probably used to being the largest man in the room. He eyed Forest with caution.

She guessed there weren’t many men who out-massed Reggie. Sam impressed her and held his ground, his protective six-feet-plus stance shielding Ash and Bash, but he looked small with Forest so near.

And, as she stood in a roomful of men she barely knew, she realized she was wrapped in nothing more than a damp towel. “Um, now that everyone has been introduced, do you mind leaving my bedroom, so I can put on some clothes?”

“She didn’t introduce me,” Bash complained.

“Maybe it’s because of your charm,” Ash quipped. He tapped Sam on the shoulder. “It’s okay. You can leave us alone.”

Forest stepped clear of the doorway. “Everyone, out of my sister’s room.” He narrowed in on Ash. “Especially you.”

Forest spun on his heel and took a step back down the hall. When no one followed, he turned back, using his growly voice to get everyone moving. “That was not a request.”

Sam looked to Ash, who gave a nod of assurance, before he followed Forest to the living room. Reggie, Donald, and Bash trailed on his heels.

Ash grabbed the doorknob and started to shut the door.

Forest’s voice carried from the living room. “That means you, too, Lover Boy. Don’t you dare touch my sister when she’s not wearing any clothes.”

Ash shifted from foot to foot. “Is he for real?” He lowered his voice. “He does know we’ve had sex, right?”

Yes, if the most fucked up fuck of fucks could be called sex. She laughed at the memory of their first time because to acknowledge how bad it had truly been would mean facing a past still torturing her present.

“Unfortunately, yes,” she said.

“And that we’re married?”

“Right now, that’s your biggest problem.”

Ash ran his fingers through his hair, curling the dark strands around his knuckles. With a flex of his neck, the dragon sitting astride the web arched its wings. “Damn it, Skye, why did you leave?”

Before she could answer, Forest’s bellow ripped through the air. “Get your fucking ass out here right now, Lover Boy. You do not want me to come get you.”

She shook her head. “You should go.”

“I’m not afraid of him.”

“You should be,” she warned. “Remember what I did to Bash at the airport?”

He gave an almost imperceptible nod and shifted toward the door.

“Who do you think taught me? Now, imagine an irate Bean doing that to you or Bash? Don’t think for a minute that Sam, Reggie, or Donald would be able to stop him.”

“He and I are going to have a problem if I can’t touch you.”

“Just go. Don’t worry about Bean; you’ve got one up on him. You’re the lead singer of his favorite band. He’s more bluster than anything else. He’s acting tough and trying not to be the starry-eyed fool. Use your rock-star charm and win him over. I’ll be out in a minute.”

Before Ash left, she tugged on his sleeve, pitching her voice low, careful so that it wouldn’t carry to Forest in the living room. “Bean’s a few days shy of earning his sixty-day abstinence coin. I emptied all the alcohol in the house, but I’m worried.”

“Alcohol or drugs?” Ash asked.

“More drugs than alcohol, but the last couple of hours have been rough.” Really, all it had taken were those few fleeting seconds of touch to send him over the edge. “I’m worried he’ll relapse.”

With Ash’s history in rehab, he’d understand the pitfalls her brother faced.

“If you’re not out in five minutes, I’m coming for you. I’ll keep my hands off you for as long as I can, but I’m not making promises.” Ash headed down the hall.

She shut the door and crumpled to the floor, her insides twisting in a sick knot. Ash hadn’t kissed her. He’d barely touched her.

She dragged herself to her feet, dressed in sweats, and pulled on a loose-fitting shirt. All the while, she yawned, physically and mentally exhausted by the last twenty-four hours. And, while she’d expected a tense standoff between the men, when she emerged from her room, raucous male voices filled her living room with deep bass rumbles and guttural laughter.

The arrival of the sole female in the house silenced the men. They stared as she entered, making her feel self-conscious. Ash was the first to move. He jumped off the couch where he’d been sitting with Bash and strode toward her, wrapping her in a hug and finally giving her that kiss. The three bodyguards had seated themselves in her dining room chairs, having pulled them out in a staggered semicircle facing the living room.

Forest lounged in the leather recliner, kicking back, with ankles crossed and fingers steepled under his chin. His eyes narrowed, but he didn’t move as Ash smothered her in one of his passionate kisses.

Her heart rate tripled with the heated press of Ash’s lips against hers. Tentative to start, it didn’t take long before he tugged her tight and displayed his possession with a bite to her lower lip.

Forest cleared his throat. “Do you mind? That’s my sister you’re manhandling.”

Ash swept his tongue across her lips, teasing her with his tantalizing taste. He lifted his head, breaking the kiss. “Get used to it, dude.”

“The name is Bean, not dude.” Forest’s glare knifed across the distance.

She gripped Ash’s hand and gave it a squeeze. “Boys, let’s not fight.”

“Oh, we’re going to have it out if he keeps that up,” Forest said.

It hadn’t escaped her notice though that Forest had yet to move a muscle. Her brother was testing Ash, measuring the mettle of the man she’d unwittingly tied herself to through the scratch of a pen.

“We’re not having anything out, dude.” Ash kissed her cheek and winked. “I think Skye gets to decide who does and doesn’t touch her.”

She held herself perfectly still, waiting for Forest’s reaction. There was a time when she’d had no choice at all, when they’d both been coerced to perform unspeakable things, but Forest didn’t flinch although a flash of anger flickered beneath his icy blues.

“Don’t do this.” She disentangled herself from Ash and went to sit on the armrest of the recliner, careful not to touch her brother. It was nearing midnight, and she needed to trust she could leave them alone while she slept. Although, if Ash stayed, she’d get very little rest.

“Look, I have work tomorrow.” She returned to Ash, curling her fingers in his. “Thanks for coming. It means more to me than you can know, but it’s time you leave.”

His eyes widened. “I’m not leaving.”

Bash jerked a thumb toward Forest. “Why are we here at all? You’ve got him to play bodyguard. He could just sweep you up and carry you past all those fucktards outside.”

Forest’s face paled at the mention of touching her again. If push came to shove, she’d call in sick and stay home, but she couldn’t do that to Bob.

She spoke without thought, “It’s complicated.”

The moment she’d uttered the words, she wished to take them back. Ash was no fool. He understood the undercurrents swirling in that phrase.

His eyes darted to Forest and back to her with an unspoken question.

“How hard can it be?” Bash waved his hands in the air. “He’s a fucking giant.”

“Shut up, Bash.” Ash fixed Skye with a stare, demanding an answer. “You really want me to leave?”

No, she didn’t, but if he stayed, he would want to sleep with her, and she wasn’t ready to deal with the difficulties of another disastrous attempt at intimacy.

With her heart hammering, she gave a nod.

Ash’s gaze slid to Forest and then back to her. His jaw tensed. “Sam and the guys will take care of the crowd outside and make sure you get to and from work safely.”

Forest cleared his throat. “Never mind. I—”

“Thank you, Ash,” she interrupted. “I really appreciate the help. I didn’t know what to do.”

Ash cleared his throat. “Bean, have you ever seen a stage crew set up before?”

She wanted to kiss him in that moment. Toss everyone out of the house and reward Ash for being so fucking perceptive. Sam and his crew had an excuse to escort her to work, but she needed someone to watch over Forest. He didn’t have a sponsor in town, not that he wouldn’t be able to find a meeting, but this was good. Ash couldn’t have offered a better bribe.

No way would her brother refuse an opportunity to hang with his favorite metal band. She could work in peace, knowing someone was watching over him.

“That’s a wonderful idea.” She spun to face the trio occupying her dining room chairs. “When they take me to work, you can come with us and then go watch the band set up.” She looked over her shoulder and locked eyes with Ash. She mouthed, Thank you.

Ash smiled, but it looked forced.

“Great. It’s settled then.” She pressed her fingertips to her temples. The beginnings of a headache threatened, and she needed sleep. She gestured to Ash to follow her to the front door.

She leaned in and gave him a hug. “Keep him safe. Don’t leave him alone.”

“I want to stay, Skye. You’re killing me.”

Pressing a finger against his lips, she shook her head. “I know, and I’d love it if you did, but I have a long shift tomorrow. I’m exhausted, and I owe it to my patients to be well rested. We’ll figure everything out.”

“Skye…”

The desperation in his voice had her heart breaking, but she needed to do the right thing. The only problem was, she didn’t know what that might be.

Turbulent eyes stared her down. “I feel you slipping away, but I’m warning you, I’m not losing you.”

Her fingers brushed against his chest. The solid beat of his heart thumped beneath her palm, the steady rhythm centering her, while his message filled her with the promise of something she desperately desired.

“I’m here, but I need space.”

He pressed her fingertips against his lips. “I’ve had women throwing themselves at my feet for years. I’ve gorged myself until I’m sick of it. You can’t even imagine how many…” He hugged her tight. “You’re the first who’s seen the real me. I know none of this has gone the way you’d like, but that doesn’t mean it’s not exactly the way it is meant to be.”

“Ash—”

“Let me finish.” His voice cut through her hesitation. “My father said I would know. I never really understood, and I certainly didn’t believe, not until I met you. Don’t run. I’ll give you all the space you need, but I’m coming for you, and I have every intention of making you mine.”

He released her and walked back to the others, grabbing Sam aside for a quick conversation. Reggie and Donald escorted Ash and Bash outside to a waiting car and then returned. A barrage of flashing lights and a stream of questions spilled through the open door. Sam took the men to the dining room while she lowered herself onto the couch to ponder Ash’s promise.

Forest extricated himself from the chair, stretching to his full height. “I’m beat.”

“Good.” She led him down the hall, stopping at the hall closet to pull out pillows, blankets, and towels for her unexpected guests. She barred the entrance to the guest room, pointing back to the living room. “You’re sleeping on the couch, Bean.”

“What?” Forest shifted to move around her, but she stepped in his path, taking advantage of his inability to touch her without consequence.

With a grin, she thrust the linens toward him. “The couch.”

“What the fuck?”

“One of them will keep watch, and two will sleep in the guest room. You’re on the couch.”

His eyes narrowed. “I’ll be fine, my summer Skye. Besides, you emptied all the booze.”

That meant he’d already checked. One more reason for Ash’s security men to watch over him while he slept. She couldn’t chance Forest slipping out the back window and seeking chemical relief.

“It’s really not for you. I’ll sleep better, knowing you’re on the couch while one of them watches you snore.”

“And to think I came here to save you.”

She reached out to grab his hand, such a natural gesture, but she jerked back, curling her fingers into her palms.

His eyes narrowed. Slowly, he stretched out his index finger and stroked the sleeve of her baggy shirt. “Sorry, I thought I would be strong enough.”

“You will…one day. And you did save me. You’ve always been there when I needed you.”

“We’re pretty messed up, aren’t we?”

“We’re healing every day.”

“Do you think we’ll ever be normal?”

She gave a small laugh. “Normal by whose standards, Bean?”

“Yeah, well…” He shifted the topic of conversation, his eyes lighting up. “I can’t believe I hung out with the lead singer and drummer of Angel Fire.”

“And, tomorrow, you’ll meet the rest of the band.”

“I can’t believe you went and married Blaze.”

“His name is Ash.”

“Whatever. Blaze is a better rocker name. Your husband and I are going to have a talk.”

“Be nice…”

“I’m always nice,” he said with an evil grin.

“Right.” She eyed him from head to toe. “All of you.”

He spread his hands out wide. “Not my fault I sprouted. I’m not your little Beanpole anymore.”

“You’ll always be my Beanpole.”

“Have you thought about what happened in Niagara?”

“No.”

Forest leaned in close. “He wasn’t drinking, Skye.”

“No.”

“I mean, he wasn’t drunk. Not like you.”

“Yeah, so?”

“And you want me to believe he didn’t know what he was signing? I find that hard to swallow.”

Ash had mentioned he relied upon his lawyers to do the reading for him. But what was Forest trying to say? Ash knew?

“Don’t you think he deserves to know who he married?”

“He knows who I am, and he’s not really my husband.”

“Legally, he is,” Forest warned. “And, from what little I’ve seen, he wants to keep it that way. Makes me wonder what he knows.”

“He doesn’t know anything about it.”

Forest tilted his head. “Give him the annulment papers, and we’ll see.”

“Can we discuss this later?”

“Go to bed, my summer Skye.” He jerked a thumb at the trio methodically checking her door and window locks. “I get that you asked them to babysit me, but are you sure they aren’t babysitting you as well?”

If Ash was afraid she’d run off again, what better way to make sure she stuck around than to keep her surrounded by his security detail?

The next morning, Sam and Reggie escorted her to work while Donald remained behind with Forest. They sandwiched her between them and ran the gauntlet. The cameras mauled her like they wanted to devour her.

Oddly, the only thing going through her mind was how she was going to get her hot cocoa, but Ash had taken care of that. Her order had been called ahead, and Reggie leaped out of the car to claim her beverage. With the morning ritual intact, they pulled outside the emergency department and rolled to a stop.

“Wait here,” Sam said.

“Why?” She peeked outside the car window. Nothing seemed out of place.

Reggie laughed. “Standard procedure, Mrs. Dean.”

Mrs. Dean? But she didn’t have time to correct him because Sam returned and helped her out of the car.

“We’re good,” he said. “Hospital security has pushed back the camera freaks. Ready for work?”

She sipped the hot cocoa and slung her bag over her shoulder. “I get off at eight. Will I see you then?”

Sam crossed his arms. “You’ll see me all day. I’m not going anywhere.”

She shook her head. “You can’t come with me.” She lifted her badge. “Hospital policy. No badge, no access. I’ll be fine. Unless one of those camera-toting zealots is an actual patient, they can’t get back to where I work.”

Sam’s jaw worked back and forth, and he rubbed his neck. “I don’t know. Mr. Dean won’t be happy about that.”

She took another sip of the warm drink, savoring the full-bodied flavor of the chocolate. “It’s not up to him.” She put a hand on Sam’s arm. “Seriously, I’ll be fine. Besides, I work in a secure zone. We have metal detectors at the entrance.” She stared at all six-foot-plus of him from her more diminutive height.

Sam didn’t look pleased, but she reassured him that everything would be all right.

“I’ll call when I’m done and meet you right here.”

His eyes narrowed as he slid into the vehicle. “Promise?”

“I promise.”

“You’d better. I don’t think I can handle it if you disappear again.”

She took a step back and tucked in her chin. “What do you mean?”

“Let’s just say, Mr. Dean was beside himself when he couldn’t find you. We went to every terminal and checked every airline.” He reached for the door but paused before closing it. “Where did you go?”

She shrugged. “I’m not giving up all my secrets.”

And then she smiled. Ash had come after her.

She remembered the last time she’d been at work and her first kiss with Ash.