She had to put on a perfect wife act, too.

Edith lifted her gaze, eyes shimmering with a misty sheen–soft and alluring, silk against silk.

She reached out and draped her arms around Justin’s shoulders, rising on tiptoe to capture his lips with uncanny precision.

His lips tasted faintly of mint, cool and dry at first.

But as she deepened the kiss, they quickly grew warm and breathless.

When their lips finally parted, Edith gazed up at him, her eyes gentle, lingering, and–remembering a trick she’d read in a novel–let her hand drift teasingly across the sculpted lines of his stomach.

“Do you want me?” she whispered.

Justin was caught off guard, delight flickering in his eyes.

Was she really trying to tempt him? She didn’t need to try–one beckon from her was all it took to unravel him.

He nodded, feeling the heat in her touch. “Yeah. I want you.”

Edith took his hand and guided him, helping him unfasten her clothes.

Justin nced down at the delicate slip of silk in his fingers. He gave it the gentlest tug, and her nightgown slipped from her shoulders, fluttering to the floor like a snowke.

His heart thundered, every nerve electrified, breathing hard and fast.

“Mrs. Hawksley, you overestimate my self–control. I can’t handle this kind of temptation.”

Edith grinned, pressing close, voice low and teasing. “So do you like it?”

Justin, flushed and eager as a loyal puppy, answered without hesitation, “I love it. I love you like this.”

Edith thought to herself, Lauren’s advice really worked wonders.

But Lauren never warned her about the aftermath–was she really up for whatever came next?

16.47

The night stretched on, long andnguid.

A full moon hung high over the city.

Edith lost track of how many times she’d begged for mercy.

It made no difference.

Not until the moon itself was veiled by a thin ck mist did Justin finally relent. He

tucked the silkforter over her, careful not to let her catch a chill.

Edith, overheated, tried to kick off the nket, but Justin held it down. “That was intense. You can’t get cold now or you’ll catch a bug.”

Cocooned in the covers, Edith grumbled under her breath, “So you admit it was too much?”

Justin leaned in, murmuring against her ear, “Want to take a shower?”

Edith shook her head with the force of a rattle. “No. I’m exhausted.”

He offered, “How about I help you?”

She looked horrified. “No, thank you!”

After all that, she didn’t have a shred of energy left for round two.

Seeing her expression, Justin chuckled as he got up. “Fine, I’ll go. You just rest, okay?”

Edith didn’t even make it to the end of his sentence. The moment the sound of running water drifted from the bathroom, she slipped into a deep, contented sleep.

When Justin finished his shower, he padded back to the bed in a towel, taking in the sight of Edith’s ruined nightgown and herpletely exhausted, sleeping form. A smile yed at his lips as he leaned down and whispered, “Mrs. Hawksley, burned by your own fire, huh? Maybe don’t y with matches next time.”

***

The next morning,

Justin was bright–eyed and energetic.

Edith, on the other hand, felt as if her bones had been taken apart and put back together. Even after a hot shower, she couldn’t hide the glow that lingered in her every

movement.

The driver took them to Northcrest International Airport.

b2/3 /b

26.12

Edith could barely keep her eyes open on the ride, eyelids drooping.

Justin gently pulled her head onto his shoulder. “Close your eyes and nap if you’re tired. We’ve still got a long trip ahead to Southborough.”

He nced down and noticed the faint shadows under her eyes, guilt tugging at him. Had he overdone itst night?