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 already nearing

stand up when Timothy strode over, scooping her effortlessly into his

split second as her feet left the

"Save your strength. I'll carry

down in front of the sink, grabbed her pale blue electric toothbrush, squeezed out a perfect stripe of

she thought,

was soft and casual. "I cleared my schedule for

rinsed her mouth and put down the toothbrush, then signed to him,

her supervisor

this up as a pretext to negotiate their

find a way for Sheila

would only make things more

Ines better. Once you've talked it over,

willing to compromise, clearly wanting to

the question; nothing could be

and see. He cared about Sheila too much—surely he

ready, Timothy

were nowhere to be seen.

Timothy fetched a sun hat that matched her

to go to the amusement park as soon as he woke up. You weren't feeling well last night, so I told him not to wake you.