The night had been perfect. Ansel had seemed determined to make Annabelle's night as carefree and wonderful as possible after she had listened to the story of his past at La Vienne Rose.

His past had disturbed her and chilled her to her very soul. He'd done shocking things, but she'd kept her word. She hadn't judged him.

She was damned proud of herself for that.

Annabelle looked over at Ansel, who was in the driver's seat, relaying a rather interesting tale, smiling at his story.

"Seriously? Oscar Wilde based The Picture of Dorian Gray on a diary you wrote and lost several hundred years ago?"

Ansel laughed at Annabelle's...