The Ex-Wife's Burning Elegance

Jasper scrambled to push Rachel away. "Rachel, you're drunk. I'm not Haynes, I'm Jasper."

But Rachel clung to him, pressing desperate kisses against his cheek. "Haynes, how can you be so heartless? Are you really going to leave me? I didn't mean for this to happen, I just love you too much... Please, don't ignore me, I'm begging you."

Sweat broke out on Jasper's forehead as he tried to disentangle himself. "Rachel, please, I'm really not Haynes. Look at me just look! It's Jasper."

He liked Rachel-he couldn't deny that. But there were lines you simply didn't cross, and being with a friend's wife was one of them, no matter how much he wanted to comfort her. Even though Haynes himself had asked Jasper to look after Rachel, he had never intended to get this close. What if Haynes changed his mind one day? Then their friendship would be over for good.

Jasper's repeated rejections only made Rachel cry harder.

She slid to the floor, her sobs wracking her body. Jasper tried to comfort her, murmuring soft words, but nothing seemed to help. Seeing the woman he cared about in such pain twisted something inside him.

He grabbed a bottle of whiskey from the table. "Rachel, I wish there was

something I could do for you. All I can offer is to drink with you."

He downed bottle after bottle, oblivious to the flicker of cold calculation in Rachel's eyes.

Haynes, if you can't be loyal to me, don't blame me for what happens next.

The next morning.

his temples as he struggled to open his eyes. The room

back-he'd been drinking with Rachel. Had he gotten

and froze. Lying beside him was Rachel,

wasn't the first time he'd drunk too much and ended up needing Rachel's

to drink and accidentally

hope-until he lifted the blanket and realized

person couldn't convince themselves nothing had happened after

He was about to slip out of bed and make a break for it when Rachel stirred

saw

Last night...

clutching the sheets to her chest, her bare shoulders marked with the undeniable

hope Jasper had left crumbled to

meet her gaze.

down Rachel's cheeks. "What am I supposed to do now? If

out, he'll never want

a hand

mounting. “Look, if

us says anything,

to know,