Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Jessica's face had turned pale, her gentle eyes frozen in a moment of shock.

Timothy's tenderness poured over her like a wash of moonlight-so overwhelming, she felt as if she might drown in it.

A deep, gnawing fear rose inside her.

She was terrified of falling for him again.

Hidden beneath the silk comforter, her hand clenched into a tight fist, fingernails

digging into her palm for a sharp sting that helped anchor her in reality.

She pressed her lips together and turned her delicate face slightly away.

She wanted nothing from him-not even his kindness.

Timothy, unusually patient tonight, spoke in a low, velvety voice. "Don't want me to feed you like this?"

She didn't quite understand what he meant.

No matter how much she hurt, she didn't want to accept his help—not even a cup of hot tea from his hands.

All she wanted was to draw a clear line between them, the sooner the better.

long, elegant fingers reached out and gently

porcelain cup, took a sip of hot tea, then leaned in his strikingly handsome features

the

away, her face

not until she'd swallowed every drop

her throat burning from the heat-or maybe from something else

wide and wet, as she stared up at

delighted him. With a rough fingertip, he gently wiped the

feed you like this," he murmured, "you only had

he took another sip of tea and returned to kiss her again, catching Jessica off guard. She didn't even have

was sweet with a bitter edge-bitterness wrapped in

and heartbreak Timothy had given her over the last

help but wonder: if he had always shown her

ginger tea spread through her, mingling with the heat of his hand, creating a

voice dropped to a soft murmur. "Drink up, sweetheart. Henry wants to go to the amusement park tomorrow. If your cramps

not for everything that had happened between them, this moment might have been picture-perfect—a happy little

knew better. This was nothing but a beautiful illusion, as