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 out and gently lifted her

raised the porcelain 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

of the tea flooded

to push him away, her face twisting

swallowed every

her throat burning from the

and wet, as she stared up at

her pure, vulnerable innocence delighted him. With a rough fingertip, he gently wiped the last trace of ginger tea from the corner

me to feed you like this," he murmured, "you

her again, catching Jessica off guard. She didn't even have time to close her lips before more hot tea slipped into her

a bitter edge-bitterness

Timothy had given her over the

if he had always shown her this tenderness, would she have drowned in it long

through her, mingling with the heat of his hand, creating a rush of comfort that pushed away the pain

murmur. "Drink up, sweetheart. Henry wants to go to the amusement park tomorrow. If your cramps don't get better, it'll be

for everything that had happened between them, this moment

nothing but a beautiful