When she reached her study, Addison slumped into the chair behind her desk, and staring at the decanters on the credenza, she frowned. Even the taste of scotch had turned foul. Leaning back, she closed her eyes and listened to the rain beating against the windows. She was thankful for the noise it was producing, but it seemed even Mother Nature was against her as the storm suddenly went quiet. The winds died, and the rain ceased to fall and in that moment of calm Addison heard a noise nearby. It wasn’t rain, and it wasn’t wind, and in a flash, Addison opened her eyes.

She scanned the room only to find it empty, but then she heard the faintest of whimpers. Pursing her lips, she got to her feet without making a sound and peered over her desk. She had found the intruder.

“Get out,” Addison said to the puppy sitting on the floor.

Chauncey’s response was that of a happy baby canine, and his entire body wagged in time with his stumpy tail.

Addison folded her arms across her chest. “I said get out. You don’t belong in here.”

Lying down, Chauncey stretched to his fullest and then raised his butt in the air so it could continue to wiggle.

With a sigh, Addison walked around the desk and looked down her nose at the tiny ball of fur. “Perhaps I didn’t make myself—”

“There you are!” Joanna said, rushing into the room. Scooping up Chauncey, she said, “You scared me to death.”

Addison never thought she would appreciate Chauncey’s existence, but her opinion changed in an instant. Intent on the well-being of her dog, Joanna hadn’t paid any attention to Addison, which gave Addison all the time in the world to pay attention to Joanna.

Addison’s admiration of beauty, like most, had always been based on the end result. Hair had always been styled, and makeup always applied, but it wasn’t until now when Addison truly understood what beauty was. Barefoot and wearing only a plaid robe, it was obvious Joanna had just gotten out of a bath. Her hair was wet and had not yet returned to its natural waves, and void of makeup and freshly scrubbed, her face positively glowed. Never again would Addison base her definition of the word beautiful on anything else.

“Sorry, I must have left my door open,” Joanna said as she hugged the pup.

Intent on giving Chauncey all her attention, it wasn’t until Joanna realized Addison hadn’t responded that she looked up, but whatever she was going to say, promptly got stuck in her throat. At the Langham, saturated with alcohol, Addison’s face had been puffy and her hair, a mess, and beyond that, Joanna hadn’t noticed. She hadn’t been there to admire or to even peruse, but now, standing only a few feet from her wife, Joanna found herself doing both.