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.The arm was controlled by a cord, and the lizard legs, which swung free, moved by their own weight.Some of the dragon scales had fallen off.Ginnie painstakingly re-attached Damian’s scales, but her mind flew ahead of the task.Her whole being anticipated Harry’s arrival back home.She refused to worry about his lack of mushiness—he’d say the three little words eventually.She wanted more of his hands moving magically on her.How astonishing, the way she’d reconciled her submission to him with her need for control.She remembered how it felt when he’d shown her how exquisite lovemaking could be if she trusted enough to let go of the reins.She remembered how his deep voice caused shivers up and down her body, and the boyish grin on his face when they’d danced together by puppet-proxy.Of course, he’d saved her life.He’d be entitled to a little bit of her affection for that alone.But he’d accomplished more.He hadn’t just saved her life, he’d rescued her heart.At some point after he’d sent Rick packing, he’d become the True North to the compass of her heart.He accepted her—flaws and all.It was a heady experience.“You’re a handsome dragon,” she told Damian.The dragon marched up and down the workbench, showing off his jewel-like repaired scales, tossing his head like a king of beasts.“Good as new,” she declared, putting him to hang with the others.The long workbench and well-lit basement made puppet repairs easy.She could get used to such a workstation.Maybe she’d have the opportunity to get used to it, if there was a permanent change in living arrangements…Never in her wildest hopes and dreams had she imagined her life working out like this.Just over a month ago, she’d been focused on leaving Rick, escaping her mother and starting a new life in another state by renting an adorable bungalow—which had promptly fallen in on her—and taking a job from which she was quickly fired.It had all turned out surprisingly well.Ginnie laughed aloud.She was happy in her work, she’d gotten along with her mother for the first time in forever, her house was being fixed thanks to her great new friend Lara, and she had a lover who made her feel delicious butterflies in her stomach whenever she thought of him.For the first time in what seemed like ages, she felt serene.Her life was moving in a wonderful new direction.She heard the door shut upstairs and grinned.Harry was home early.She ran up the stairs.He stood near the front door, his thick briefcase held before him in a strange, at-ease military-style.The new beard he hadn’t yet shaved looked odd with his expensive clothes and accessories, but she decided she liked it.The brown suited him.“Hey, hairy man,” she said with a smile as she crossed the living room.“I fixed a rhinoceros earlier that made me think of you.It has a big, hard, long…personality.”Harry didn’t smile.Instead of offering a hug or a word of greeting, even, he just nodded once.“I need to speak with you.”Ginnie got closer, wondering at the tight, controlled expression on his face.She felt disturbing quakes in her serenity.“What is it?”“I’ve let this go on too long.It’s entirely my fault, and I take full responsibility for allowing it to happen against my better judgment.But now it’s time to stop.”“Harry?” Panic like she’d never known before welled in her throat.His voice had sounded more empty and controlled than a robot’s.“What are you saying?”The silence grew tight with tension.Maybe this was some weird joke.He couldn’t mean what she feared.“This has been a mistake.I’m fixing the mistake.I never should have let you believe there was a chance for more.A serious relationship is what you’re after, but it’s not my goal.It’s not my choice.” He patted the briefcase absently, tapping out a series of increasing numbers.One/onetwothree/onetwothreefourfive.“You’re after something I won’t give you, Ginnie.And you’re offering something I don’t need or want.Therefore, I think it’s time you left.”He spoke with a businessman’s rational, cold clarity.This was no joke.She felt as if her breath was cut off.A tight knot within her begged for release, but looking at his face, she realized it wasn’t going to happen.“You—” she began.He interrupted.“This isn’t open for debate.” He placed the briefcase on the entry table, opened it and extracted an envelope.“This is for a luxury hotel and any other expenses until your house is completed.This is also the deed to the house.I’m making a gift of it to you.I’ve arranged for the movers to be here within the hour.I’ll give you until the end of the day to clear out.”Ginnie wondered if she was in shock.She’d never felt anything quite like it.Her mind felt weirdly disconnected, as if she’d taken too much cold medicine.Her heart throbbed with a deep, muted pain.When she thought of Harry, which was every minute, her brain detonated the memories as soon as they arose.Painful specifics couldn’t be allowed.Only a haze of the pulverized thoughts.The haze covered everything.It made breathing an effort and made color disappear from her world
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