“Stop it, Audrey. Not another word!” he warned her. If she continued to insult Sabrina, he would forget his good manners.

“I won’t even ask for an apology for your little affair.”

“Affair?” Daniel grabbed her upper arms. “I’m not having an affair. I love Sabrina.” His anger was instant and all-consuming. “I never loved you!”

“You say that now, but I remember things differently. You and I, we were a power couple. And we can be one again.”

“I’m not interested.”

Audrey’s eyes flashed with annoyance. “What does she have that I don’t?”

“A heart, a conscience, compassion… ”

“A heart?” She closed the distance between them again. “Do you really think I have no heart? Oh, Daniel, you’re hurting me. Right here.”

She took his hand and pressed it against her breast so quickly, that he couldn’t pull it back in time. His palm connected with her ample bosom, while her other hand slid to his nape and pulled him down to her.

Furious about her attempt at getting him to kiss her, he shoved her back, so she crashed against a display table. When she looked back at him, her face was distorted into an ugly grimace.

“You’ll pay for this, I swear!” She righted her handbag and adjusted the newspaper that stuck out from it.

Then she spun on her heels and stormed off.

Daniel ran a hand through his hair and blew out a heavy breath as he tried to force himself to calm down. He hoped that finally Audrey had gotten the message that he would never come back to her. He shuddered at the thought of how his future would look if he hadn’t caught Audrey in bed with his attorney and if he were still dating her.

Trying to ban those thoughts from his mind, he rushed home. He needed to feel Sabrina in his arms to know that he’d dodged that bullet.

When he opened the door to his apartment a half-hour later, he called out to her, “Sabrina? I’m home.”

There was no reply. Frowning, he walked into the bedroom, but it was empty. “Sabrina?” he repeated, then marched through the living room and entered the kitchen.

On the kitchen island, a piece of paper contrasted against the dark marble. He read it.

Daniel, I’m at the law library, studying. Don’t wait up for me. Sabrina.

Disappointment coursed through him. He’d longed to spend the evening with her, to nuzzle his head in the crook of her neck, to hold her close. To kiss her senseless. To make love to her.

Daniel glanced around his empty apartment. Without Sabrina it just wasn’t the same anymore. Was this how Sabrina felt when he didn’t come home until late?

He didn’t like the feeling, and he knew that Sabrina didn’t like it either, even though she tried to hide it from him. What a fool he was! He’d brought Sabrina to live with him, yet he hadn’t changed his life for her. He was still living as if he were a bachelor and had made no sacrifices.

His encounter with Audrey had driven reality home. He’d been a neglectful boyfriend with Audrey, and he wasn’t going to make the same mistake with Sabrina. He would make sure that Sabrina would never have a reason to leave him.

18

“Law Offices of Brand, Freeman and Merriweather; how may I direct your call?”

Sabrina smiled. “Hi Caroline. It’s Sabrina Palmer.”

Caroline gasped. “Oh my god. Sabrina! How are you?”

“I’m doing well. How are you?”

Sabrina sat cross-legged on the couch, the phone tucked between her ear and her shoulder. A pen and notebook sat atop the pillow that rested in her lap.

“I’m good. My husband just started a new job and he loves it.”

“That’s great, Caroline.”

“Yes. It’s nice to see him happy again.”

“I bet it is. So, how are things at the office?”

“So much better now that Hannigan is gone.” Caroline laughed. “But it’s not the same without you here.”

“Aw, thanks.” Sabrina smiled.

She missed the women from her old firm and the camaraderie they all used to share. “Speaking of Hannigan, do you remember a client by the name of Daniel Sinclair?”

There was a slight hesitation. “How could anybody forget him?”

Sabrina sighed. “It’s all right, Caroline, I know what happened in the office. I know about Daniel beating up Hannigan.”

“Oh!” Caroline let out a quick breath. “I would have told you, honestly, but Merriweather said if we breathed a word to you about it… ”