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.

afterglow of his touch staining her delicate features. The storm of anger and frustration left

the anger in Timothy's eyes

just to behave?" His voice was

made Jessica burn with shame. She hated how her body responded

agreement." Jessica's voice was steady,

The contract never said what

eyes widened in

"Come on, don't be upset. There are no penalties, so what's the big deal? I didn't mean to break the

softened, fingertips idly playing with a lock of her hair, the gesture as tender as

recent coldness was just a

prime, while he was always traveling on business, barely

that. Her mind was on the agreement. She wasn't a lawyer, and she'd overestimated how much the contract could actually

truth: it only mattered if Timothy

between them-Timothy had always held all the

there'd been no obstacles; they'd slipped into marriage with barely a