Goodbye, Mr. Regret

Jessica yanked hard on the car door handle, but it was already locked.

Timothy leaned over, reaching to buckle her seatbelt. She slapped him across the face, her hand landing with a sharp crack.

His handsome features turned with the force of her blow.

Anger flashed across his eyes, breaking through the mask he usually wore. Without another word, he pinned Jessica against the passenger seat and kissed her fiercely.

No matter how desperately she struggled, she couldn't escape his hold or the forceful, unyielding press of his lips.

They'd been married for seven years now. She'd just turned twenty-eight, and after giving birth, her body seemed even more sensitive-completely defenseless against the seductive skill of his kiss.

Bit by bit, the rigidity in her body melted away.

Only then did Timothy release her lips.

Humiliation and self-loathing swept through her.

flushed a deep, angry red, the afterglow of his touch staining her delicate features. The storm of anger and frustration left

to his kiss; the anger in Timothy's eyes

just to behave?" His voice was

his words only made Jessica burn with shame. She hated how her body responded to him, how little resistance she could muster against his

Jessica's voice was steady, her gesture

lips. "And? The contract

widened

so what's the big deal? I didn't mean to break the rules. Honestly, you just weren't behaving. Do you

lock of her hair, the gesture as tender as

recent coldness was just a sign of unmet

business, barely home, too busy to give

She wasn't a lawyer, and she'd overestimated how much the contract could

the agreement would protect her, but now she saw the truth: it only mattered if Timothy chose

everything between them-Timothy had always held

they'd slipped into marriage