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.

silent, Timothy's long, elegant fingers reached

cup, took a sip of hot tea, then leaned in his strikingly handsome features filling her vision-pressed his lips to hers, and held her jaw, forcing her mouth

of the tea flooded

away, her face twisting

not until she'd swallowed every drop of tea he'd

burning from the heat-or maybe

wet, as she

her pure, vulnerable innocence delighted him. With a rough fingertip, he

like this,"

catching Jessica off guard. She didn't even have time

a bitter edge-bitterness wrapped

had given her over the last

he had always shown her

the ginger tea spread through her, mingling with the heat of his hand, creating a rush of comfort that pushed away the pain and left her dizzy

murmur. "Drink up, sweetheart. Henry wants to go to the amusement park

them, this moment might have been picture-perfect—a

but a beautiful illusion, as fleeting as dew in