My hands fell away. “It should be. But there was no documented proof. All we have is Justin’s testimony. Do you want to put him through that?”

Her shoulders slumped. “No. I don’t. I just feel like there are no good options.”

“We keep fighting. I think there’s enough stacked on our side that we’ll win this. It’s just going to take time.”

Anna pressed the bridge of her nose again. “I don’t know how long I can keep this up.”

I gently pulled her hand away from her face. “Another headache?”

“Yeah. I’ve been getting them like crazy.”

“Come here.” I grabbed one of the throw pillows and put it on my lap. “Lay down.”

Anna hesitated for a moment and then obliged. That was how I knew it was bad—that she went so willingly. I massaged her temples and forehead, the top of her scalp.

“Give me your hand.”

Her eyes flew open. “Why?”

“Trust me, okay?”

She paused again but slowly lifted her hand to me. I took it, pressing hard on a spot in the juncture between her thumb and pointer finger.

“Ow,” she groused.

“Just stay with me for a few more seconds.” I held it for a count of sixty and then released. “How do you feel now?”

She opened her mouth and then shut it, eyes widening. “So much better. How did you learn that?”

I sifted my fingers through her hair. “I used to get bad headaches in law school. That should’ve been my first clue that it wasn’t the career path for me. My doctor recommended doing acupuncture, and the practitioner showed me this trigger point. It’s been my secret weapon ever since. But I think it works better when someone else does it to you instead of you doing it to yourself.”

Anna’s eyes locked with mine, her mouth curving. “I guess I’m going to have to keep you around.”

“I guess so.” I couldn’t look away from those lips. Pillowy soft and rosy-pink. “Anna?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“I’m going to kiss you.”

“Okay.”

My head dipped at the same time she rose to meet me. This was bigger than the last kiss that had haunted me ever since. There was more between us now, shared pain and hope, and a fight we were waging together. All of that poured into the kiss.

It deepened in a flash, my tongue stroking hers. Anna’s taste exploded in my mouth. I wanted everything she would give, even if that meant she had to hold back for now. I would take any crumb. She let out a little moan, pushing closer.

“Anna! I can’t get the DVD to work.”

Lyla’s voice was a bucket of ice water on our overheated bodies. Anna shot up. “Shit. That—”