Tempted Trapped and Too Late to Run

After Dylan got in the car, he stared quietly out the window, lost in his own world.

Aiden drove, sneaking glances at Dylan in the rearview mirror. Most people wouldn't notice, but Aiden knew: Mrs. Ferguson held a strange, complicated spot in his boss's heart. Just how complicated, though, he never dared to ask.

Dylan watched the scenery roll by for a while, then closed his eyes.

When they finally arrived at Palm Bay, Dylan spotted Clara outside. She was sitting in the yard, absently pulling up little tufts of grass, her thoughts clearly miles away-the patch beside her nearly bald from her fidgeting. Compared to the tension earlier, her corner of the garden looked almost peaceful.

Dylan's lips quirked up, just a little. He got out of the car and made his way to her.

Clara heard the faint sound of his wheelchair approaching. She glanced up, met his eyes for a split second, then quickly looked away.

He could tell she was still mad about what he'd said the night before.

He fished around in his pocket, pulled out a handful of candies, and offered them to her, palm open.

Clara stared at the candy, then at him, her expression full of skepticism. Was he serious? Did he really think a few pieces of candy were enough to make up for how he'd talked to her last night?

Sometimes she felt like she and Dylan were living in totally different realities. How could he stay so cool after forcing her into marriage? Was it because he always got to decide when things started and ended? She hated feeling like someone else was steering her life.

With a huff, she batted his hand away. The strong scent of sandalwood clung to him, like he'd just come from a temple. She hadn't even known he was going out this morning-she'd wanted to tag along, but he'd shut her down.

bench, grabbing an orange from the table and starting to

picked up the candies from the ground and placed them on the table next to her. The wrappers were elegant-definitely not something you'd find at a

biting down. The sweet juice burst on her tongue, and she

candies and popped it

out of nowhere, Dylan gently lifted her chin.

to hers, and the candy he'd been sucking on slid from his mouth into hers, his tongue leaving

room to protest.

her. The

the calmest person would lose their cool after something like

out, her chest heaving, her cheeks

ever feed her like

never would've

spit the

already leaning on

propping up his chin,

like nothing

hard, forcing herself to

Dylan playing

thinking it over for a good

not the same as you used to