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?"

was already

about to stand up when Timothy strode over, scooping her effortlessly

as her feet left the ground, her heart

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

the sink, grabbed her pale blue electric toothbrush, squeezed out a perfect stripe of toothpaste, and

she thought, I'll never

was soft and casual. "I cleared my schedule for the next few days. I'll be home on time every night. I'll make arrangements for you

then signed to him, "Can I handle things with my supervisor

give her supervisor hope only to let them

she'd brought this up as a pretext

tried to find a way for

in, it would only make things more complicated for her down the

said finally. "You know Ines better. Once you've talked it over, let me know.

willing to compromise, clearly wanting to keep things

her away for work was out of the question; nothing could

said nothing more. She would wait and see. He cared about Sheila too much—surely he wouldn't just

finished getting ready, Timothy called her

nowhere to be

matched her outfit

up. You weren't feeling well