Fatal Obsession

ook through water. She fumbled for the device, squinting at the too-bright

Heaven's voice came

looking for you, but you'd vanished into thin air. Please tel

ng her of the previous night in ways t

at least a kidnapping story. I'm coming over

was letting herself in with the her key, carrying two oversized coffee cups an

p attention of someone who'd made a career of reading people's sex

lled her robe tighter,

ed onto the couch, tucking her legs under her like a cat preparing for a long conversat

you're never ho

nce let's you hoard our space for yourself". She said making a

f drinking to buy herself time. How could she explain

someone," sh

it. You've got that post-orgasmic glow that no amount of expensive skincare can replicate. Was he good? Please

da

u never blush. Not even when I told you about tha

" Heaven interrupted, surprisi

layful teasing replaced by somethin

hat familiar spot on her arm. The pinch was sharper today, more nec

ine's voice was gentler now, the way it got when they touched on the deepe

ass the complete rewiring of her understanding of physical plea

ears of carefully managed trauma and the sudden, terrif

ly, "that's huge. That's l

s barely above a whisper. "

ns maybe all those years of therapy are finally paying off. It means-" Adaline p

flood her cheek

't know

.. it didn'

barking. "Heaven Hallsey, you let a complete stranger rock your world and you didn't e

a serial

o you

ctor. A ps

her hands through her hair, leaving it looking artfully nappy. "Honey, I love that you finally ha

cessing the implications of what had happe

feel about

she feel? Confused, certainly. Vulnerable in way

to happen agai

"Now we're talking. Did you get his

N

I have to get to the club-Mrs. Henderson wants private lessons and she tips like a drunk oil baron. But we're continuing thi

t. She tried to dismiss what had happened as an anomaly, a perfect storm of chemistry and circumstance that would never be replicated. But her b

afternoon, Heaven had almost convinced herself that the wh

settling into her chair with the kind of stilln

the patience of an archaeologist uncovering artifacts. The older woman had a gift for

ening last night," H

sual

osing her words with surgical precision. "

a while since you've mentione

share and how little she actually could. "He was intelligent. Perceptiv

inds of

. He didn't try to fix me or exp

ghtly, her expression encou

er. "I felt like myself for the first time in years. Not the version of myse

your t

es

ssed the weight of that admission. Dr. Chen had a

raction different from others you

wasn't trying to save me or change me or possess me. He was just... curious. Li

ou respond to

I usually don't. I

safe with another person, to allow yourself to be vulner

e shared with several other artists. The familiar smell of oil paint and turpentine should have be

crouched beside a large canvas, his curly hair escaping from the man-bun he'd attempted, paint streaks on his vintage

sper had that effect on people-his enthusiasm was infectious, even

n her bag and examining the piece she'd been w

xciting than reorganizing your art supplies by color intensity, becau

mixing colors rather than meeting Jasper

your own adventures." He paused his work to look at her more carefully. "Though you look different today. Good different. Like

spe

rld in your paint brushes." He gestured toward her canvas with paint-stained fingers. "Speaking of which, Miss Von Domme

tely forgot she

ost-modern expressionism and my ability to make terrible cof

against canvas. The painting was part of a series exploring themes of constraint and release-figures

ting from memory and imagination, now she had new experiences to dra

e was achieving the perfe

ight with something that might have been panic. "I need you t

emergency? A

home. Now

her phone with growing dread. She'd never he

d apartment, her heart hammering against her ribs. The front door w

da

he

photographs scattered across the comforter. Her usually perfect makeup w

e back to get them before my date tonight". The door was unlocked when I

phs were of her. Of her and the mystery man from the previous night. Intimate, ex

er your room like someone wanted to make sure you'd see them. Profes

rom an angle that suggested the photographer had been positioned in the trees above their location.

do this?" s

ey were watching. The question is..." Adaline's voice trailed off as