It’s been the worst day. Everything that could go wrong has.

My boss went on a tirade.

I had a setback on Jamal’s case.

I got screwed over on a plea deal.

I had to go in front of Judge Barnes again.

The list goes on and on, and all I want to do is see Jace so he can make it all go away.

Jace is good at that. Soothing away the rough edges of my overbooked, overworked, harried life. I don’t know how he does it, but somehow, talking to him everything seems funny instead of stressful. Manageable instead of overwhelming.

I kind of think I might be in love with him.

I tell myself all the time that I’m crazy, that it’s impossible because it’s too soon, but my heart doesn’t buy it. My heart keeps stubbornly insisting that Jace is the one.

My bell chimes and I race to the buzzer to send him up.

A minute later he’s at the door and I’m swinging it open, a huge smile on my face. “Hi.”

His gaze roams my face, intent, as though he can’t get enough of looking at me. “Hi.”

Then we’re in each other’s arms, our mouths clinging.

He kisses me with an air of desperation I don’t quite understand. Like he hasn’t seen me in years, instead of this morning. But I can’t complain because his lips are heaven, and I can’t get enough.

I wrap my arms around him and throw everything I have into the kiss. He’s the only person I’ve ever surrendered to, and since I have, I hold nothing back.

He lifts me up, swinging me around until I’m pressed against the wall.

He grips my wrists, bringing them up over my head and holding me still as he ravages my mouth. When I’m panting and desperate, straining into him, he lifts his head and stares down at me.

“You are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on,” he says, his tone hoarse.

Pleasure licks through me. I’ve been told I’m beautiful many times in my life, but they were just words then, they weren’t from him. “Thank you.”

“It’s more than that though.” He releases my wrists and strokes a path down my jaw and over my neck, his expression searching, almost imploring. “You’re everything I want in a woman. You’re smart, capable and your sharp tongue makes me hard.”

I smile, my lashes fluttering up at him. “Someone’s in a mood.” A cloud shadows his features, and I tilt my head as the first stirrings of alarm dance in my belly. “Is something wrong, Jace?”

He opens his mouth, closes it, then opens it again before shaking his head. He pushes my hair back. “You’re important to me, Fleur. I can’t even admit how much.”

“You’re important to me too.” My throat tightens. Should I say the words? They press against my lips, wanting to be released. It’s crazy and illogical and way too soon but I want to say them so bad. They burn in my chest, wanting to be set free. I touch his cheek but can’t let them go.

His eyes flash with emotions I’m not sure how to interrupt.

I question him again. “Are you sure everything’s okay?”

A muscle in his jaw tenses, but he nods. “Let me take care of you.”

Something is off, but I can’t figure out what. The same instinct that urges me to press a witness, urges me to press him. “Did you have a bad day at work too?”

Something flickers in the depths of his gaze. “I’m good. I’m just happy to see you.”

“You sure?”

He smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Yeah.” He takes my hand and leads me to the couch. “Lay your head on my lap and tell me about your day.”

Whatever is bothering him, he’s not going to talk about it, so I can only assume it’s not that important.

Right?

---

I’m a fucking coward.

I know that.

I’m standing at the window, looking out over the Chicago streets while Fleur sleeps. My head and throat ache. I’d had every intention of telling her about the fellowship, but then I’d tickled her back, listened to her bad day, and I just couldn’t bring myself to tell her.

I avoided it.

I couldn’t give her more bad news.

Because I saw no good solution to this problem.

Johns Hopkins is one of the best hospitals in the United States for facial reconstruction. People come from all over the world for their expertise. A fellowship from there would make my future.

When I’d applied, I didn’t even expect to get called for an interview. They only interview a third of their applicants, and of those they do interview, they only take a select few. The best of the best apply, so I’d been surprised when I even got to go in front of the committee.

It’s not that I’m not an excellent doctor, and don’t have impeccable credentials and impressive letters of recommendations, but every doctor that applied has those. What I didn’t have was connections to the faculty.

So I hadn’t expected to get a spot.

The only person who’d known I’d applied was my attending because I’d needed the day off to fly in and out for the interview. The fellowship was a Hail Mary that somehow, miraculously made it into the end zone.

I turn and look at Fleur, sleeping peacefully. I’d exhausted her, trying to seep into her as I took her body, afraid it would be one of the last times.

I have to take the fellowship. It’s an incredible opportunity, once in a lifetime, and I can’t pass it up. But Fleur isn’t licensed to practice law in Maryland.

I want her to come with me, but there’s no way I can ask her to put her career on hold. She has people to save and we’ve only known each other a short time. We don’t have the foundation yet to ask her to make that kind of sacrifice.

I couldn’t ask it of her. I wouldn’t. Because I think I love her, and it’s too much.

It seems impossible to ask her to pick up and move across the country with me. To do what? She can’t even get a job there.

That left long distance as an option, but that seems so unfair to her. Our relationship is just getting started, only just finding its footing. We both work long hours, our jobs are stressful and demanding. How would that possibly work?

I’d be selfish even to ask.

The only option is to let her go and live her life.

I clench my jaw, my teeth grinding. I have to tell her. I can’t avoid it.

She stirs, her cheek resting on the pillow her hair fanning out.

I walk over and sit on the edge of the bed, staring down at her.

It’s not fair to keep it from her.

I run a hand down her arm.

Her lashes flutter open. She rolls to her back and stretches. “What’s wrong?” Her voice is lazy and sleepy. Not concerned, just wondering why I’ve woken her up.

Tell her.

I stroke over her soft skin.

Tell her.

The sheet pools at her waist, baring her breasts.

Tell her.

I open my mouth. Shut it.

Tell her.

I trace a path over the curves of her body before circling her nipple.

Tell her.

She moans, arching into my touch as her eyes flutter closed.

I lean down and suck the hard bud into my mouth, rolling my tongue over her the way she likes it.

I resign myself. I’ll tell her, just not today. I’m a selfish bastard, and I want one more day with her before I put sadness in her blue eyes.

That’s all I want.

I crawl into bed, covering her long, lean body with mine, sinking into her. I lose myself in her, the way she clings to me and calls out my name, I convince myself that one more day before I make her unhappy won’t matter.

I want to give her, and me, tonight.

When we can still believe the world is nothing but possible.