utside an apartment buil

everything that had happened,

arried to someone she hadn'

rt beep, Julian moved out of the doo

e it through the do

rticularly grand, yet the details we

coffee table, while her favorite plant hung in a pot on the

ht from the decorating posts

ed to look

nding down to open the shoe cabinet, he took out a new pair

cisely the si

blink. "How'd you k

ghtened, his face

ou design jewelry, crab roe's your

red at him. Then, she remarked, "Y

kitchen, filled a glass with warm w

me water. You l

vation wa

black coffee was all Kaylee had had to keep her going. Pain r

aking two small sips, she leane

es of her vision darkened until

old on the glass, she dropped it onto the carpet, where

an arm came around her waist

drew her against his chest be

ng in a large, clean bed with grayish-blue

she had fainted fr

to glance at the bedside table a

ep blue velvet box th

e rested

gers started

e had seen that very neck

ed off the bed and out of t

h a laptop open in front of him. H

of Kaylee's mouth unsteadi

ding. "One of my friends had it up for sale. The w

sed more tightly aro

nd, but the lump in her throa

necklace had

d use to please another woman. After getting what he wa

own from Ka

ieved that Damien

always known she couldn't stand cilantro and nee

signs of care had see

ing he had made a point of remember

ack of her hand across her cheeks, but s

cing, Julian had

y any space bet

oap clinging to him and clearly see

ose toward

way from him. "

than she realized her re

th his hand raised. Then, he lowered

ove a wet strand of hair awa

back a step and left enough ro

uiet voice betra

tablets on the table.

Julian turned and

alone in the

ill held, she felt a twis

re going to the study and

," she

eard nothing. Then, Juli

the necklace for me,"

the door after another short p