Goodbye, Mr. Regret

"Jessica."

Timothy's voice brushed against her ear, low and warm, his breath stirring the air between them and making her head spin.

"Try to get some sleep."

His hand moved gently over her lower abdomen, soothing her.

Her heart fluttered and ached at once.

He didn't even realize how seductive his tenderness was.

Before long, she drifted off, lost in a hazy, comforting drowsiness.

The next morning.

Jessica opened her eyes to find the bed beside her empty. From the bathroom came the soft sounds of running water and the clink of toiletries.

She slipped out from under the covers. To her surprise, the cramps she'd suffered the night before had vanished completely.

Timothy stepped out of the bathroom.

He looked impeccable-dressed in a crisp suit, hair neatly combed, clean-shaven and radiant. Handsome to the point of perfection.

"Why aren't you sleeping a bit longer?"

glanced at the clock. It was

up when Timothy

as her feet left the ground, her heart nearly gave

unreadable, flickered with concern. "Save your strength. I'll carry you to get

grabbed her pale blue electric toothbrush, squeezed out a perfect

she thought, I'll

and casual. "I cleared my schedule for the next few days. I'll be home on time every

mouth and put down the toothbrush, then signed to him, "Can I handle things

didn't want to give her supervisor hope only to

as a pretext to negotiate their

hadn't tried to find a way for

it would only make things more complicated for her down the

know Ines better. Once you've talked it over,

to compromise, clearly wanting to keep

the question; nothing could be

would wait and see. He cared about Sheila too much—surely he wouldn't just ignore her

ready, Timothy

and Sheila were nowhere to be seen. Jessica didn't

meal, Timothy fetched a sun hat that matched

feeling well last night, so I told him not to wake you. The driver's already taken him. We should