“Welcome home, honey. I was beginning to think I’d have to send out a search party.”

His scent, his touch, flooded through her, washing away the last remnants of Jeffrey’s kiss. The memories of deceit that had haunted her on the drive home melted away, too.

“I…uh…got tied up at the office. Let me just change clothes and I’ll find something for us to eat.”

He stopped her with a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Relax. Dinner is taken care of.” A loud bang came from the kitchen. “By the way, thanks for inviting Todd to stay. I can’t do enough favors to return what I owe him.”

She shrugged. “I couldn’t let him go to some cheap hotel after all the time he gave us.”

Cole’s grin sparked a small flame inside her.

“He has more money than he could ever spend, so don’t feel too sorry for him.”

Darci raised her eyebrows in doubt..

“He just chooses not to spend it.” Cole nudged her toward the hallway. “Go change, enjoy your wine and come to the table when you’re ready.”

She hadn’t gotten more than three steps before she stopped again. “Where were you this afternoon?” She winced as the words slipped out, couldn’t believe how much like an accusing wife she sounded.

“I had some urgent business.” He grasped her shoulders, forcing her to stay when she tried to turn away to hide the hurt his words had inflicted. “Business that we’ll discuss tomorrow after the board meeting. You have enough on your mind right now without adding my problems to your plate.”

She opened her mouth to protest, but he tightened his grip, halting her argument.

“Darci, you need to relax tonight, prepare your thoughts for tomorrow. Everything else can wait.”

Silently, she nodded, showing him her agreement. But when he released her, she watched him cross the room with a deep frown between her eyebrows, wondering if he was just like Jeffrey, if Cole didn’t see the need for keeping vows, either. She couldn’t help remembering the times he’d disappeared without explanation.

If he’d cheated on her already, she wasn’t certain she’d survive. Because unlike her relationship with Jeffrey, Darci knew she loved Cole, deeply, with a lifetime commitment that would be dashed to bits at the end of their first year together.

That was the agreement. She had no choice but to play by the rules.

And if she didn’t tell him about the incident at the office, she’d be guilty of something almost as bad as cheating. She wanted fidelity and trust from Cole, and she owed him the same thing. She owed him her honesty.

“Cole.”

He stopped and turned, waiting for her to speak.

“I’m late because Jeffrey came by the office.”

Anger darkened Cole’s features.