For the next few days, the Seattle house felt like a genuine paradise. The tension that had been coiled tight in Rebecca's shoulders finally unraveled. She let Pascal dote on her, let him pull her into his lap while they read by the fire, and let herself fall into the warmth of his deep, intoxicating affection.
She knew it was a lie built on a foundation of hidden truths, but knowing why he lied—knowing the depths of his unspoken devotion—made the cage feel like a sanctuary.
On Thursday afternoon, Pascal decided to run to a highly-rated artisan bakery downtown.
"They have that specific dark chocolate ganache cake you were reading about in the magazine yesterday," Pascal said, pressing a lingering kiss to her lips at the front door. He looked lighter, happier than he had since she woke u
