BOOK 2

More to continue touching her than anything else, Mitch held on and decided to bear the fury that flashed in her eyes. He’d worked through that temper plenty of times in the past, and he could only hope he still had the knack for soothing it. “You look good, Jussie.” With his other hand, he cupped her cheek. “Real good.”

She blinked, clearly flustered. Then she slapped his hand away. “Don’t.”

“Don’t what?” he asked pleasantly. “Don’t look at you? Or don’t say nice things?”

“Either,” she said, scowling when he laughed. “And while you’re at it, go away. I’ve got work to do.” She paled a bit. “If I still have a job.”

His good humor slipped. “You think I can know how much the paper means to you, and take away your job?”

“I don’t know what to think,” she said quietly.

Mitch looked at her carefully, seeing the faint purple circles beneath her eyes, the wariness etched in her eyes.

Exhaustion, he thought with remorse. His fault. And Hopkins’s as well. His ex-superior had tried to placate Mit