I was in my home office, the glow of three monitors illuminating the late-night sketches for a new fragrance line.
I was utterly focused, humming a melody to myself, holding the cupcake plushie Edric gifted. I was used to it, I loved that plushie, I couldn’t discard it.
The door opened softly. I glanced and saw Zayne who hadn't entered yet. He simply leaned against the frame, holding two glasses of a vintage red.
"You have been staring at those chemical structures for two hours, Kristine."
"The lavender balance is off, Zayne. I need to finish this before the board meeting tomorrow."
He walked over, not to look at my work, but to stand behind me.
His hands dropped onto my shoulders, his thumbs massaging the base of my neck with a precision that made my head loll back, relieved.
"The
