Chapter Ten
CHAPTER TEN
T he next morning, Haisley hustled into the office—latte in one hand, briefcase in the other—with a lot on her mind.
Her conversation with Jasper played on repeat in her head. She’d almost called Nash last night to fill him in on everything she had learned, but setting a precedent where they talked after work hours, even about work, seemed…risky. Heaven forbid, he wanted to chat about personal stuff or persuaded her to get together to examine some clue she found in the future. Where he was concerned, she was already weak. Relying on her restraint was a recipe for disaster.
This morning, Nash was apparently eager. When she stepped off the elevator and around the reception desk, he was already leaning against her desk with steaming coffee and a smile. At least she’d arrived before Angela, Curtis, and Blake. Now she prayed Nash would respect the boundaries she’d set yesterday so she wouldn’t have to haul him back to the coffee cubby for another chat.
“What are you doing here so early?” She set down her java and bag, then gave her totally professional attention to Nash. She didn’t at all notice his well-muscled body as he oozed masculinity in a hunter-green T-shirt, distressed jeans, and steel-toed boots.
“Morning. I wanted to tell you about progress I made in the case yesterday and see if you’d discovered anything new I should be aware of. I only need a few minutes of your time.”
His response took her aback. No flirting? No innuendo?
“Sure. What did you learn?”
“About an hour ago, I tracked down the detective assigned to investigate these disappearances. Haskins is very experienced, over twenty-five years with the force.”
“That’s good.” But his face said otherwise. “No?”
“My read? He’s a few months from retirement, and he’d rather slide by and hand this case off to someone else. So he’s doing the bare minimum to avoid negative scrutiny. Last year, he went through a divorce. His kids barely speak to him.” Nash shrugged. “I think he’s burned out and we’re not going to get much help from him.”
That was a blow she hadn’t seen coming. “Damn it. I’d ask if he just doesn’t give a crap about all the women who have been taken and what they’re suffering, but I’m guessing after a quarter century of crimes, he’s numb to that.”
Nash nodded. “His attitude seemed to be that none of these women would survive long, and after what they’ve probably endured, they’ll wish they were dead anyway.”
“That’s a horrible outlook.”
“Yep. I was able to get some information out of him that we can run with…” Then Nash proceeded to tell her pretty much everything Jasper had imparted last night.
“So I heard.”
He scowled. “How?”
“An online source. Someone I know who happens to know people. He did some digging, too. But corroboration is good. What else?”
“I swung by the mall and checked out the area near the food court. I don’t like anything about the way that alcove was constructed. The lighting is almost nonexistent, and unless you happen to be standing directly in the hallway, you can’t see what’s happening near the women’s room.”
“You’re right. And I’m confused. If Mr. Benedict can pay for extra cameras and security guards, why didn’t he pay for better lighting. At least maybe victims could see their assailants coming and have a fighting chance.”
“Oh, there are light fixtures. Someone removed the bulbs. I checked—before I got caught by one of the maintenance staff, who threatened to call the mall cops on me.” He grinned. “I shut his ass up by threatening to have the police drag him to the station for questioning as a suspect in the abductions.”
Haisley gaped. “For real? What did he do?”
“Sputter. He claimed he removed the light bulbs after they went out, and he swears he hasn’t replaced them yet because they’re on backorder due to the holidays and supply-chain issues. I asked to see the purchase order for the replacement bulbs. Shockingly, he couldn’t put his finger on it.”
“In other words, he either didn’t bother replacing the bulbs or didn’t bother ordering them in the first place.”
“That’s what I think. He promised to follow up today. Of course that was after he threatened to call Mr. Benedict. I encouraged him to do just that. He was less ballsy after I pointed out the man had hired me to investigate.”
“Naturally.” But that got her thinking. Did Mr. Benedict have any idea how the Oakfield Mall actually functioned day-to-day? That people over there weren’t doing their jobs? That the area by that restroom was almost pitch black? “I’ll speak to my boss, get his take.”
“Yeah. I’d love to know his thoughts. I suspect that if I ask him, he’ll see it as some sort of interrogation or threat, and I’ll get nothing but bluster.”
“I don’t know Mr. Benedict well, but I agree.” She dropped her voice so the accounting folks a few rows over couldn’t hear. “Obviously, I just started working here, but I don’t think my boss takes ‘helpful’ suggestions from others well.”
“He’s the sort of man who wants to be right all the time, and when he’s not, he finds a way to pretend that he was right all along and every good idea was his.”
“Which means he’ll take credit for anything good I do while I’m here.” Haisley sighed. “My boss in LA was a lot like that. It’s exhausting.”
Nash looked like he had something to say, but he merely sipped his coffee and swallowed it down.
Yesterday, she would have sworn he wanted anything she would give him—time, information, attention—and most of all, sex. Today he seemed purely professional…and not at all interested in her personally. That was what she asked for. What she’d said she wanted. What she’d demanded, even.
So why was it bothering her? Why did she feel an irrational pang of disappointment at his sudden aloofness?
“What’s your next move?” she asked as she booted up her laptop and tried to act like his about-face wasn’t flustering her at all.
“This morning, I’m going to see if I can speak to the mother of the victim abducted on Christmas Eve. The girl’s father, when I talked to him last night, was a mess. He wants to help, but he wasn’t there, so he can’t add anything. Instead, he’s going to do his best to bolster his wife so she can tell me everything she remembers.”
Haisley’s heart hurt for the woman. “I’m sure she’s beating herself up for not stopping the kidnapping. Just like I’m sure the police grilled her, and every time she has to answer questions, she relives the tragedy.”
“Exactly. And there’s no way to be gentle.”
Not when they needed cold, hard facts and time was of the essence. “Unfortunately.”
“I’m also going to talk to two of the girls who managed to escape, see how closely their stories match and make sure Detective Dipshit didn’t overlook something crucial. The other one who got away is still out for the holidays. Then this evening, I’ll head back to the mall. Two of the teenagers who work at the food court’s pastry shop will be working. I have permission from their manager to ask them questions. She’s very concerned about the situation over there and has refused to let any of her female employees go to that restroom without an escort.”
“Good for her.”
“Sad it has to come to that, but yes.”
“Anything else you need from me?” As soon as the words left her mouth, Haisley wished she could snatch them back. She’d left herself wide open for one of Nash’s flirty suggestions that would be so tempting and damn near impossible to refuse.
But he surprised her by keeping things aboveboard and professional again. “The list of facility employees I have is dated December first. Can you see if Benedict has something more recent? I want to see if anyone has left their job in the last thirtyish days and find out why.”
“Actually, Mila told me yesterday afternoon she’s working on that. I’ll get with her as soon as she’s available and forward it to you.”
“Thank you. See if you can also find out if there’s any employee handbook for the people who work for the mall itself, especially management and maintenance. The general manager and I played phone tag yesterday. By the end of the day, it started to feel intentional. From what I gather, he’s a slimy little bastard who cuts corners. No one likes him.”
“Got it. I’ll also find out why Mr. Benedict hired him and what his qualifications are.”
“Good call. I think that’s it.”
Haisley frowned. Seriously? Not a single innuendo-laden comment or a double entendre from Nash? Not even a wink? If he had behaved this way yesterday, she would have been convinced that their New Year’s Eve kiss was alcohol-fueled, but that sober Nash wasn’t interested at all. The thought made her chest tighten.
“Yeah. Um, do you need me to go with you to the mall tonight?” As soon as the words were out, Haisley winced. OMG, that sounded desperate. “I mean you’re going to be talking to teenagers and?—”
“I’d rather not have you near the mall.” His voice dropped. “Bad shit is happening there. I already hate that your job has involved you in this mess. Unless it’s necessary, I don’t want you in deeper.”
“But you’re in.”
“Like I said, I don’t fit the victim profile, and I’m trained for this.”
“But it’s dangerous for you, too.” The words slipped out before she could stop them.
“Ethan will back me up.”
“He’s a fukboi. How can you take him seriously?”
“Since we started renting a house together, I’ve gotten to know him better. He’s more serious than you think, and he’s damn good at his job. I did some digging. His dad and three uncles are all local legends in Vegas for taking down a mob boss terrorizing the city. He learned from the best.”
She trusted Nash’s judgment since he obviously knew Ethan better, but she was miffed that Nash had flatly refused to spend any part of the evening with her. And yes, she realized she was being contradictory. But the fact that he suddenly didn’t seem interested in her except as a partner in this case rattled her more than she wanted to admit.
“All right. Um…maybe you could call me after your interviews tonight to tell me what you found?”
He chugged back the last of his coffee, trashed the disposable cup, then shrugged. “Unless it’s something earth-shattering, there’s no reason for me to disturb your evening. I’ll catch up with you tomorrow.”
Now she was downright annoyed, a twinge of hurt pride mingling with her exasperation. “You’re right. I guess…I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
Nash pushed away from her desk and gave her an impersonal salute. “Talk to you then.”
With that, he sauntered out the door. Haisley watched his fine ass retreat until he disappeared.
Shaking her head, she sighed, trying to ignore the confusing ache in her chest at his abrupt departure. He’d given her exactly what she asked for—a purely professional relationship. She hated every second of it. What was wrong with her? Or maybe the better question was, what the hell was up with him?
* * *
January
Two years ago
Happy Friday. At six, let yourself in my front door, go straight to my bedroom, and strip off your underwear. Leave them on my pillow and wait beside my bed with your dress lifted so your pussy is exposed. Is that clear?
Haisley reread Nash’s text with a rough sigh as she texted him back.
Yes, Sir.
Wondering exactly what he planned for her tonight got her almost as hot and excited as her certainty that, whatever it was, he’d make it deliciously terrible and drive her to the edge of her sanity until she was a shuddering, pleading mess.
Sometimes she had to pinch herself. In bed, Nash was creative, intense, indefatigable, and amazing. She loved every second she spent with him. She melted when he touched her as if nothing and no one else mattered. She felt her heart race when he kissed her until her toes curled. She lost her mind when he took command of her body and turned her inside out. But most of all, she just loved being with him.
Haisley did her best to hide her growing feelings with an occasional cool brushoff or snarky comeback. If he knew how attached to him she’d become, he’d probably classify her as a stage-five clinger and cut her loose.
Sometimes she almost believed he was falling, too, especially when they cuddled on the sofa for a movie marathon, swapped bad jokes, or shared meaningful conversations about family, philosophy, and dreams… Who did all that with a mere hookup? But Nash had never budged on his stance against marriage and children. And she’d broken their cardinal rule.
She’d fallen in love.
Haisley didn’t know what to do. Come clean? Or break it off before he broke her heart?
She did neither. He was only home sporadically between missions, and she’d sworn she would never revolve her life around some man’s. But…she always made herself available to this one. She couldn’t help it. Each time Nash commanded her body, she obeyed, putting off her day of reckoning until some nebulous “later.”
During their very first night together, he’d vowed to ruin her for all other men. She hadn’t believed him. She’d even laughed a little to herself, thinking he was ridiculously overconfident. Nearly a year later, Haisley hated to admit that he’d succeeded.
And she didn’t know what the hell to do.
Shoving down her worries, she grabbed a few things from her apartment, tossed them in a bag, then headed to Nash’s place. As usual, it was on the messy side. No surprise since he blew in and out of town a lot. Now that he was on his way home from his latest op, she brought him a cold six-pack, turned on the heater to ward off the January chill, washed the dishes soaking in his kitchen sink, and tidied up.
At five till six, she scurried back to his bedroom and tugged off her panties, draping them across his pillow as he’d commanded. Her heart raced, even as her brain asked what she was doing. They needed to talk more than they needed to fuck. But her body didn’t care. She’d been a long ten days without Nash, and she was achy and needy for the pleasure he alone could give her. And to give him the affection he would accept from her.
Across the silent apartment, Haisley heard the key fit into the lock. The knob turned. She fluffed her hair, bit her lip, and lifted her skirt as he shut and locked the front door. While his heavy footsteps encroached down the hall, her heart thrummed.
The instant Nash saw her, he dropped his duffel onto the hardwoods, his dark, hungry eyes brushing her lips, caressing her nipples, then fixating on her pussy, which grew wetter with every second he stared. A shiver rippled through her. She needed him so badly…
“Hi, baby. You look beautiful.” He closed the distance between them in two long strides, cupped her nape in his giant palm, and took her lips in a greedy kiss that delved straight into her soul.
She melted into Nash as dark need twisted in her belly and gathered behind her exposed clit. She knew better than to let her skirt fall. He would spank her for that. She might like that…eventually. But right now she’d missed him too much to do anything but obey.
As he pressed another demanding kiss to her lips, he overwhelmed her senses. His scent—a heady blend of hot, masculine musk, danger, and solid man—enveloped her. She breathed him in greedily, savoring the taste of his lips—slightly salty from adrenaline and sweat with an underlying sweetness that made her crave more.
His hands roamed her body with a practiced confidence that sparked her desire. The roughness of his calloused palms contrasting with the silkiness of his fingertips as they trailed over the exposed skin above her blouse made her shudder. As he unfastened the buttons one by one, his featherlight touch descended, igniting her with every sweep.
Haisley whimpered into his mouth. The wet glide of his tongue stroking hers flooded her with desire so sharp it was almost painful. She anchored herself against him, a slave to the dizzying onslaught of sensation and emotion only Nash could heap on her.
This man undid her utterly—mind, body, and soul. With each ragged breath, every erratic thump of her thudding heart, Haisley poured her unspoken love into the all-consuming fire between them she could neither douse nor deny and lost herself in Nash. It was the sweetest torture.
Suddenly, he pulled back and fastened his demanding stare on her. “Did you play with my pussy while I was away?”
“No, Sir,” she breathed.
“But you wanted to, didn’t you?”
She licked her lips. “I ache when you’re gone.”
“I wanted to touch you, too, baby. But I’ll reward your obedience and make your wait worth it.” He dropped to his knees and exhaled against her mound. “What a pretty pussy. I hope you’re hungry, because I sure am. Keep lifting that skirt for me.”
Haisley’s breathing roughened, and her heart rattled against her ribs as Nash delved face-first between her legs, his tongue unerringly finding her clit. Ruthlessly, he drove her up, then kept her hovering at a fever-pitch, forcing her to both stand still and expose every one of her secrets for his play and her pleasure.
“Nash…”
“What, baby?”
“Let me lie down and spread my legs for you.”
“No. You take the lash of my tongue. You stand still like a good girl so I can worship you. You come when I tell you—not before. When I want you on your back, legs wide for me, I’ll put you there myself.”
Then he dipped his head and returned to slowly driving her insane.
Her yearning grew as her anxiety did. “Nash. Nash! I?—”
“Need to come?”
He knew she did. Sometimes he knew her own body better than she did. “Please.”
“Oh, you know I love manners.” He took a long, leisurely swipe through her slit, then leaned back. She watched him lick his lips before he parted her folds with his thumbs, smiling as he exposed her even more. “Come for me.”
When he lowered his head again, Haisley couldn’t resist. Couldn’t hold out. He dragged the flat of his tongue across her clit again, then sucked it deep.
She was gone, her head lost to a realm of sensation that had her swimming in tingles and dissolving into shudders as she hoarsely screamed his name.
The moment her orgasm ended and her replete body sagged with a sigh, Nash lay her across his mattress, tore away the remnants of her blouse, unzipped his pants, and seated himself to the hilt inside her with one roaring thrust.
“Nash!” Through his charcoal-gray T-shirt, damp with sweat, she dug her nails into his back.
“Take me. Take every fucking inch of me,” he growled as he pinned her wrists to the bed and invaded her still-sensitive pussy over and over with his girthy cock.
Mercilessly, he ratcheted her up as he stared down into her eyes, plunging deep, then deeper, until she couldn’t catch her breath. Her clit felt as if it were on fire, and her heart surrendered again to him, as she did every time he touched her.
“I need to come again,” she wailed into his cotton-clad shoulder.
“Ask me. Beg me.”
“Please,” she gasped out. “Please, Nash. Please… I need you.”
“Goddamn, baby. Yes. Oh, fuck, yes. I need you, too.” He pounded at her until his bed frame rattled, until he panted against her lips, until his face tightened with bliss. “Come with me!”
Impossibly, he hardened inside her. His thrusts roughened as he banged her faster into the mattress. Her senses soared. Blood rushed through her body, catching fire in her veins. Her desire tightened and twisted before the dam burst in a flurry of heat and fireworks. Black spots danced behind her eyes as Nash let go inside her and she screamed out her release.
Slowly, they came back to earth together in a tangle of clinging limbs and panting breaths. Neither seemed inclined to move, and Haisley loved it that way. She nuzzled her face in his neck, closed her eyes, and inhaled his salty, manly musk.
There was no place she’d rather be.
“Happy I’m home?” he rasped out, his voice still thick with passion.
Haisley knew what that question meant. Tonight would be an orgasm marathon, and she was giddy for it. “Very. I missed you.”
As soon as she admitted that, she winced. Nash didn’t want her heart, just her body. She had to be careful or she’d scare him off.
“Did you? Or were you just getting horny without me?” He lifted a cynical brow. “I know your kitty gets cranky when I don’t pet her often enough.”
Unfortunately, he wasn’t wrong. Since Nash had stormed into her life, not only had he forbidden her from self-pleasuring, she didn’t enjoy it anymore because it didn’t really satisfy her.
Haisley craved him, and she worried all the time it would bite her in the ass. Despite that fear…she couldn’t stop.
“Yeah? Your ‘dog’ gets pretty snarly when I don’t take him for frequent walks.”
He busted out laughing. “True that. God, it’s good to be home. What a fucking horrible op that was. I hate being schlepped out to urban shitholes for stupid-ass reasons.”
“What happened?”
Nash sighed. “I can’t say. Political ramifications and all that.”
“Was it dangerous?”
“Isn’t it always? But I’m careful. And why wouldn’t I be? I’ve got a good reason to come home…”
“Yeah?” Her heart lodged in her throat. “Are you BSing me?”
“Never. And I’m not going soft, either. When I have pussy this good, it’s impossible not to be hard as fuck.”
On some level, she knew he meant that as a compliment…but it was hardly a confession of love. Then again, she hadn’t expected one. By unspoken mutual agreement, they kept emotions beyond desire to themselves.
God, the silence made everything between them feel tenuous. Uncertain. Their communication was shit. But Haisley wasn’t ready to be brave enough to tell him how she felt. Getting attached to anyone—even family—had never worked out for her. And Nash had been very clear that he wasn’t interested in permanence of any kind.
So Haisley did what she could—held him close, tracing lazy patterns on his back as she inhaled him and tried not to dread the moment it would end.
The air smelled like sex. Her head was filled with him as he tightened his grip, drawing her closer. “I have a very important question for you, Rowe.”
Her heart leapt. Was there any chance he felt something more for her? That he was ready to say something? “I’m listening.”
“McDreamy or McSteamy?”
That’s what he wanted to know? Stifling her disappointment, she snorted. “Neither. Give me Cristina and Owen any day.”
“Really? I pegged you for a Meredith and Derek fan.”
“Too obvious. Cristina and Owen had that fiery passion, that delicious tension.” She glanced up at him through her lashes. “You know what I mean.”
Nash grinned. “I do.”
They lapsed into a charged silence. Haisley ached to ask him what they were, to put a label on this incredible thing between them. But the words stuck in her throat.
He tried again. “What about Carrie and Mr. Big?”
She forced a laugh. “God, no. That whole relationship was a toxic mess.”
“True.” He toyed with a strand of her hair. “But they had chemistry. Their connection was undeniable, even when they were apart. You know?”
Haisley’s breath caught. Was he hinting at something? Or was she just projecting her own hopes onto his meaning? “When you put it like that…your argument has merit. How do you know about all these fictional couples? Have you actually watched Grey’s Anatomy and Sex and the City ?”
“Not much, but you know I have three sisters who love both shows. On long plane rides to my next hotspot, I sometimes sneak in a few episodes so we’ll have something to talk about.”
She narrowed her eyes. “You’re lying. You like those shows.”
“I plead the fifth on Grey’s . And Carrie is too self-absorbed and self-sabotaging for me to take Sex and the City seriously. Miranda annoys me. Charlotte is vapid and?—”
“Of course you prefer Samantha. It figures you’d identify with the one whose motto is nail everyone hot and move on.”
“At least she’s honest. But I like her more because she’s driven and fearless. Like someone else I know.” He tapped her nose. “But if you think I’ve been nailing anyone and moving on these days, you haven’t been paying attention.”
Was he saying he hadn’t been with anyone else lately? Haisley hadn’t been since their first time together, but she’d never asked what or who else he did. She’d been too afraid of the truth, and neither of them had ever breathed a word about exclusivity. “Oh?”
“Don’t look shocked. I’m way too into your body to mess with anyone else these days.” He dropped a lingering kiss on her lips. “Want me to show you again?”
“Please,” she breathed. “Sir.”
“Oh, there are your good manners. I’ll definitely reward those…” He rolled to his side, propping his head on his palm while trailing his free hand between her breasts, over her stomach, then down, down, down between her legs where she was already aching again. “Be a good girl and spread your legs.”
Instantly, she complied, moaning when he circled her hardening clit lazily.
“Hmm.” He nuzzled her neck. “You want me to make you beg before I make you feel good?”
Her breath hitched. “Yes, Sir. Please.”
He licked his way up her throat to nibble on her lips. “Then tell me your favorite TV couple. What’s the perfect romance to you? Ross and Rachel?”
Haisley shook her head, already fighting to string her thoughts together as he cranked up her need. “No. Too neurotic and indecisive. Too unable to get it together. Too…oh, that feels so good.”
Nash laughed and brushed his lips over hers before leaning in to suck her nipple with long, strong pulls. She gripped the sheets and closed her eyes. God, he knew how to undo her so easily, and she loved it almost as much as she loved him.
He popped her hard tip from his mouth, then dragged his knuckles across it before cupping her breast and squeezing.
“Ouch.” She jerked involuntarily.
“Sorry.” Nash shifted his squeezing into a caress. “Too rough?”
“It’s one of those you-don’t-know-your-own-strength moments.”
“I get excited, baby. You get me excited. Every minute I’m with you.” He kissed her until she lost her breath and her brain threatened to melt.
Did he mean that as romantically as it sounded? “Nash…”
“Baby…” he crooned back, then rubbed her needy clit again in slow, torturous circles. “C’mon. Give it to me.”
“You want me to come?”
He scoffed. “We’re nowhere near ready for that.”
Not true. She was, but… “Then?—”
“Tell me your favorite TV couple.”
“Jim and Pam,” she gasped out. As far as Haisley was concerned, this duo from The Office were who every couple aspired to be. Friends before lovers. Funny, lots in common, considerate of each other, patient. Most especially, she loved that they’d finally overcome the bad timing, their awkwardness and shyness, and declared their love for each other openly, honestly, and without fear.
But she didn’t ever see that being her and Nash.
“The ultimate will-they-or-won’t-they couple?”
“That’s one way to look at it. All those longing looks, that slow burn…” Haisley wriggled and tried to focus on the conversation. Something in her brain told her this might be important, but his fingers and the dark weight of his stare was driving her wild. “It’s romantic.”
“He proposed to her at a gas station.”
“He loved her too much to wait.”
Nash stopped rubbing her to stare down into her face. “I thought you didn’t believe in love.”
“Jim believed enough for both of them until it came true. Their relationship was sweet. Don’t you think?”
“What about real life?”
Haisley’s heart started chugging. What was he saying? Had he changed his mind? “I never said I didn’t believe in love, just that it only happens for some people. The lucky people. Your brother and Laila. Zy and Tessa. Matt and Madison. Hell, even your bosses seem to be happily married.”
“So you do believe in love?” His voice dropped an octave, drizzled with a tone as sweet as syrup on a stack of fluffy pancakes. “Do you want love? Is that what you mean?”
Jim had the courage to tell Pam how he felt about her. With Nash pinning her to his bed and staring down at her, she had no place to hide. And her courage deserted her. She’d never remotely been in love—until Nash—and being the one to utter the words first terrified her. All his attention, affection, and pleasure could be gone in a snap if she spilled those three little words.
“I mean that I like good TV as much as the next person.” She shoved at him until he backed away. Then she vaulted off the bed, scrambling to find her clothes.
“Where are you going?” He rose from the sheets, his body so solid and beautiful, his cock standing at attention, pointing at her like a divining rod.
For months, she’d been telling herself that the way he wanted her constantly must mean something. He had to have some feelings for her, right? He’d even admitted he’d been faithful since they started hooking up.
But that wasn’t a declaration of love.
Feeling exposed, she grabbed her dress and held it over her nakedness. “What about you? Do you believe in love?”
“I never said I didn’t.”
What did that mean? Maybe nothing, and she didn’t want to find out the hard way.
“I think I should go.” Haisley grabbed up the rest of her things he’d strewn across the floor when he’d undressed her and ran to the bathroom, slamming the door and locking it behind her.
With shaking hands, she tugged on her clothes, sniffling back tears that stubbornly insisted on leaking from her eyes.
He pounded on the door. “You okay?”
“Fine.”
But she wasn’t. Every time Haisley got around Nash these days, she felt emotional. She hated feeling so off balance.
It was another reason to put distance between them. In fact, maybe she ought to think about doing it for good because sooner or later, he was going to shatter her heart. And she wasn’t sure how—or if—she’d survive.