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


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


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


    When they finally arrived at Palm Bay, Dn spotted ra 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.


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


    ra heard the faint sound of his wheelchair approaching. She nced 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.


    ra 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 herst night?


    Sometimes she felt like she and Dn 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 juste 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.


    ra stood up and walked over to a stone bench, grabbing an orange from the table and starting to peel it. She turned her back to him, making it clear she didn''t want to see his face.


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


    ra popped a segment of orange into her mouth, biting down. The sweet juice burst on her tongue, and she felt her mood shift, just a little.


    Dn unwrapped one of the candies and popped it in his own mouth.


    ra was still fussing with her orange when, out of nowhere, Dn gently lifted her chin. Suddenly, his face was right there way too close.


    Before she could react, he pressed his lips to hers, and the candy he''d been sucking on slid from his mouth into hers, his tongue leaving no


    room to protest.


    A sharp jolt ran through her. The realization hit and she jumped back, stunned.


    Even the calmest person would lose their cool after something like that.


    "Dn!" she burst out, her chest heaving, her cheeks zing red.


    If anyone had told her Dn would ever feed her like that-catching her totally off


    guard-she never would''ve believed it.


    She wanted to spit the candy out,


    but Dn was already leaning on the


    table, propping up his chin, just


    watching her like nothing had happened.


    ra swallowed hard, forcing herself to calm down.


    What was Dn ying at?


    She sat back down, thinking it over for a good three minutes before finally blurting


    out, "You''re not the same as you used to be."


    Not even close. Sometimes it felt


    like someone else was living inside She didn''t know how to


    his


    it, and it left her feeling


    off-bnce.


    Dn just looked at her and asked, "Is it good?"


    That''s when ra realized the candy was still in her mouth-she hadn''t spat it out after all.


    She turned away, about to spit it out, but Dn was faster. He covered her mouth


    with his hand, gently but firmly pinching her lips together.


    Her cheeks med with anger-she felt like she might explode.


    "Mmm! Mmm!" she tried to protest, ring daggers at him.


    What the hell are you trying to do?!